by Stefan Stanford‚ All News Pipeline: The story over at the Daily Mail (saved here at Archive) on Thursday asked a great question in reference to their title: “What will you do if your bank closes?” With that full story title being “US Bank‚ Wells Fargo‚ Bank of America‚ Citizen‚ Chase and PNC are shutting hundreds of branches a year […]

by Sonja van den Ende‚ Strategic Culture: Last week I visited the Lugansk People’s Republic now part of Russia‚ or as it is called NovoRussia and had the opportunity to speak with Ukrainian prisoners of war (POW’s) as well as defected Ukrainian soldiers who are now fighting for the Russian army. The first visit was […]

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A Prayer to Know God As FatherBy Lynette Kittle "Jesus answered‚ ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me'"– John 14:6 Many people who ask Jesus to be their Lord and Savior stop there. Grateful and relieved to have their sins forgiven with the hope and promise of Heaven‚ they never go beyond their Salvation experience to understand how Jesus is the Way to have a close and personal relationship with our Heavenly Father. But as wonderful as being freed from sin's grip‚ God doesn't want us to stop there because Jesus is the door‚ the gate to knowing Him as Father. John 10:9‚ "I am the gate; whoever enters through Me will be saved. They will come in and go out‚ and find pasture." Likewise‚ John 6:44 explains how God the Father is the reason‚ the drawing force to why we are able to invite Jesus into our lives and receive eternal life‚ as "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them‚ and I will raise them up at the last day." Fatherless BelieversMany men and women in the world have had hurtful‚ wounding experiences with imperfect earthly fathers. As well as there are countless individuals who have never known‚ met‚ or even know who is their biological father‚ much less experienced a loving father figure in their lives. Because of growing up disappointed‚ hurt‚ or fatherless‚ many reject seeing God as their father‚ not knowing how or wanting to relate to Him. Yet God calls us to be His sons and daughters. As a result of many earthly fathers failing or abandoning their children or just not knowing how to be a father to their kids‚ many individuals struggle with relating to Him as their Heavenly Father. Jesus Is the Way to Our FatherBut God the Father's heart all along‚ ever since man and woman's Fall in the garden‚ has been to restore us as His sons and daughters‚ and Jesus is the way He provided to bring us back to Him. Ephesians 2:13 explains‚ "But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ." Through Christ's suffering‚ death‚ and resurrection‚ Jesus accomplished God's will on earth to redeem and restore us to His Father. As 2 Corinthians 6:18 explains‚ "And‚ "I will be a Father to you‚ and you will be my sons and daughters‚ says the Lord Almighty." Jesus fulfilled His mission on earth‚ to come and restore us as sons and daughters to the Father. "And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus"(Ephesians 2:6). Because of Jesus' life‚ death‚ and resurrection‚ "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ‚ who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ" (Ephesians 1:3). Let's pray: Dear Father‚Thank you for loving me and sending Jesus to the world to free me from my sins and give me eternal life through Him (John 3:16). My heart is forever grateful to You for providing a way to be reconciled to You (2 Corinthians 5:18). Through Jesus‚ You provided the way for me to be Your child and to know You as my Father. Mend my heart‚ Father‚ from earthly fathering wounds. Remove all walls and barriers that built up over the years to resist receiving Your love and presence in my life. Prepare me to be willing to welcome you into my life as my Father. Show me how to be in a father-child relationship with You. Open up my heart to relate‚ receive‚ and reach out to You as my Father. Teach me to see myself as Your child. Thank you for calling me one of Your children. As 1 Peter 1:3 explains‚ "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In His great mercy‚ He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead." In Jesus' name‚Amen Photo credit: ©GettyImages/rainierridao Lynette Kittle is married with four daughters. She enjoys writing about faith‚ marriage‚ parenting‚ relationships‚ and life. Her writing has been published by Focus on the Family‚ Decision‚ Today's Christian Woman‚ kirkcameron.com‚ Ungrind.org‚ StartMarriageRight.com‚ and more. She has a M.A. in Communication from Regent University and serves as associate producer for Soul Check TV. Teach Us to Pray is a FREE prayer podcast hosted by iBelieve writer Christina Patterson. Each week‚ she gives you practical‚ real-life tips on how to grow your faith and relationship with God through the power of prayer. To listen to her episode on What to Pray in the Morning for a Worry-Free Day‚ click below! Now that you’ve prayed‚ are you in need of someone to pray for YOU? Click the button below! Visit iBelieve.com for more inspiring prayer content. The post A Prayer to Know God as Father – Your Daily Prayer – February 5 appeared first on GodUpdates.

How Are You Investing Yourself? Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give‚ not reluctantly or under compulsion‚ for God loves a cheerful giver. – 2 Corinthians 9:7 The famous economist Arthur Brooks wrote a book a number of years ago called Who Really Cares‚ in which he analyzed the demographics of America's most generous people. This book remains a point of controversy for many today – and even Brooks himself didn't like the results of his research at the time. From the evidence he amassed‚ Brooks found that people who practice religion and live in traditional nuclear families are the most generous Americans‚ by every measure. The religious were more likely to volunteer their time‚ give their money‚ and even donate their blood than any other demographic. There's something that happens when we give ourselves to God. We begin living beyond ourselves and see others through a lens of greater compassion and love. And that changes everything about us – including our giving! God wants His people to love others through our words‚ our actions‚ and yes‚ our money. So however you choose to give‚ be generously devoted to showing the love of Christ to those who need it! Prayer Challenge: Ask God to show you how He would have you invest your time‚ talent‚ and treasure for His Kingdom. Questions for Thought: Why do you think having a relationship with God causes people to be more generous? Where has God called you to invest your time‚ talent‚ and treasure for His Kingdom? Visit the Senior Living Ministries website The post How Are You Investing Yourself? – Senior Living – February 5 appeared first on GodUpdates.

February 5‚ 2024 One Simple Thing Jesus Is Calling You To Do TodayASHERITAH CIUCIU Lee en español "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you‚ so you must love one another." John 13:34 (NIV) Have you ever wondered what being one of Jesus' 12 disciples was like? I have. As Creator of the universe‚ Jesus could have chosen any number of ways to establish His Kingdom‚ but personal relationships with messy people is the way of love. Jesus invited these 12 to come close‚ to join Him behind closed doors‚ and to witness the miracles recorded in Scripture plus many more (John 21:25). He explained hard teachings to them. He answered their questions. He bestowed on them honor‚ even calling them His friends. Jesus chose these disciples not just to learn His doctrine but to be with Him‚ to be loved by Him - because He delighted in them. And then He gave them their great assignment: "Love one another. As I have loved you‚ so you must love one another" (John 13:34). Notice that what Jesus required of His disciples was not Bible knowledge‚ zeal for evangelism or passion for social justice. Those are all good things. But the thing that defines a friend of Jesus? It's love: "By this everyone will know that you are my disciples‚ if you love one another" (John 13:35‚ NIV). Love. That sounds so simple‚ but it can feel oh so hard - especially when we're trying to muster up more love on our own. But that's not what Jesus is calling us to do. Instead‚ Jesus invites us to be with Him and to be loved by Him. Inevitably‚ His love will pour out of our hearts onto others. You see‚ time with Jesus changes us. Even opponents of His disciples Peter and John recognized that they had spent time with Jesus and had become courageous (Acts 4:13) - because a person cannot spend time with love Himself and remain unchanged. And while none of us got to be one of the 12 disciples‚ each of us can still experience Jesus' tender love. Through His death‚ resurrection and ascension to our Father‚ Jesus invites us - His followers today - to receive His love and presence through the gift of His Spirit within us (Romans 5:5). We were the messy ones when Jesus gave Himself for us. And let's be honest: We're still pretty messy most days‚ aren't we? But He still loves us. And because we've been loved by Jesus‚ we get to go and love others with His love. As we enter the upcoming season of Lent‚ consider this: How is Jesus inviting you to experience His love more deeply in the coming months? May we be women who love in such a way that others know we have been with Jesus. Beloved Jesus‚ thank You for choosing me to be Your friend. Open the eyes of my heart to grasp the enormity of Your love toward me‚ and open my heart to become a channel of Your love toward those You've placed in my life. I love You‚ Jesus‚ because You first loved me. In Jesus' Name‚ Amen. OUR FAVORITE THINGS Do you feel like Easter sneaks up on you each year? In Uncovering the Love of Jesus‚ Asheritah Ciuciu invites you to reclaim the Lenten season with 40 daily devotionals that reveal the deep love of Jesus 2‚000 years ago and poured out on you today. Don't let Easter pass you by this year. Get your copy here today! ENGAGE Download a free "Lenten Family Activities Guide" to help you and your family prepare for Easter this year! Filled with activities that range from hands-on‚ Scripture-based crafts to new spins on ancient disciplines‚ this guide will serve children and adults too. Get more Jesus-fueled encouragement when you join Asheritah's "Delighting in Jesus" weekly email here. FOR DEEPER STUDY John 15:15‚ "I no longer call you servants‚ because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead‚ I have called you friends‚ for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you" (NIV). What do you think Jesus might be inviting you to learn from Him in this next season as His friend? And who in your life is He calling you to love with His love? We'd love to hear from you! Share your thoughts in the comments. © 2024 by Asheritah Ciuciu. All rights reserved. Proverbs 31 MinistriesP.O. Box 3189 Matthews‚ NC 28106 www.Proverbs31.org The post One Simple Thing Jesus Is Calling You To Do Today –  Encouragement for Today – February 5‚ 2024 appeared first on GodUpdates.

1576 - Henry of Navarre (later Henry IV of France) abjures Catholicism at Tours 1943 - Jake LaMotta defeats future multi-weight world boxing champion Sugar Ray Robinson by unanimous points decision in Detroit in the 2nd of their 6 meetings; his only win of their rivalry; Robinson’s first loss in his first 40 pro bouts 1945 - Big Racket becomes fastest race horse at 69t.6 kph (440 yd/20.8 s) 1972 - Two IRA members are killed when a bomb they were planting exploded prematurely 1978 - Fred Newman makes 88 consecutive basketball free throws blindfolded 1986 - Corazon Aquino and Ferdinand Marcos appear on "Nightline" 1991 - All American Bowl ends after 14 years 2006 - Super Bowl XL‚ Ford Field‚ Detroit‚ MI: Pittsburgh Steelers beat Seattle Seahawks‚ 21-10; MVP: Hines Ward‚ Pittsburgh‚ WR 2016 - Computer hackers try to steal 1 billion from Federal Reserve Bank of New York using Bangladesh banking codes‚ steal 81 million before a typo alerts authorities 2018 - A share market sell off starts on Wall Street with Dow Jones sinking 4.6%‚ spreads around the globe More Historical Events »

Historical Events 1597 - A group of early Japanese Christians‚ known as the 26 Martyrs‚ are killed by the new government of Japan for being seen as a threat to Japanese society 1927 - "The General"‚ American silent film starring Buster Keaton and Marion Mack‚ co-directed by Keaton and Clyde Bruckman‚ premieres in New York City 1938 - Hans Engnestangen skates world record 500m (41.8 sec) 1948 - Gretchen Fraser becomes 1st US woman Olympic ski slalom champion 1962 - Black and White parents stage an overnight sit-in after school board denies transfer requests of nine Black families for their children to be transferred to newer school facility in Englewood‚ New Jersey 1988 - 1st prime-time wrestling match in 30 yrs‚ André the Giant defeats Hulk Hogan More Historical Events » Famous Birthdays 1519 - René of Châlon‚ (d. 1544) 1921 - Ken Adam‚ British film production designer (James Bond sets)‚ born in Berlin‚ Germany (d. 2016) 1939 - Patric Standford‚ British composer (Taikayoku; Christus Requiem)‚ born in Barnsley‚ Yorkshire‚ England (d. 2014) 1966 - Rok Petrovič‚ Slovenian skier‚ born in Ljubljana‚ Slovenia (d. 1993) 1975 - Jan l'Ami‚ Dutch soccer player (Willem II)‚ born in Breda‚ Netherlands 1986 - Reed Sorenson‚ American stock car racing driver‚ born in Peachtree City‚ Georgia More Famous Birthdays » Famous Deaths 1812 - Franz Schneider‚ Austrian composer‚ dies at 74 1926 - André Gedalge‚ French composer (le Petit Savoyard‚ Phoebé) and Mayor of Chessy‚ Seine-et-Marne‚ dies at 69 1961 - Anthony Gustav de Rothschild‚ British philanthropist‚ dies at 73 1975 - Ã…ke Persson‚ Swedish bebop jazz trombonist (Kenny Clarke-Francy Boland Big Band‚ 1963–71)‚ dies at 42 1977 - Izaak Boleslavski‚ Russian chess player‚ dies at 67 2005 - Gnassingbé Eyadéma‚ General and President of Togo (1967-2005)‚ dies of a heart attack at 69 More Famous Deaths »