Don't Let the Pressure Win "I have told you these things‚ so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." – John 16:33 The famous 19th century missionary to China‚ Hudson Taylor‚ once shared some powerful words that apply well to the situation we're facing in our world today... "It doesn't matter how great the pressure is. What really matters is where the pressure lies‚ whether it comes between me and God or whether it presses me nearer His heart." A few minutes watching the news is enough to tell you that this world is a pressure cooker – and it seems about to burst. But the question to ask yourself today is this: How are you responding to the pressure. Is it pushing you from God or nearer to His heart? Nothing in all of history has ever caught God off guard. From the dawn of creation to the fall of Rome and everything since‚ God has been and will forever be king over all. So while the whole world is losing their heads in a panic‚ you can keep yours – knowing that Christ has overcome. And in His name‚ you can be a lighthouse of hope for a dark and stormy world! Prayer Challenge: Pray that God will draw you nearer to His heart and fill you with confidence in these difficult days. Questions for Thought: With all the fear and anxiety in our culture today‚ how can you be a voice of strength and hope? How could you shine the light of the Gospel in a dark world? Visit the Senior Living Ministries website The post Don’t Let the Pressure Win – Senior Living – February 26 appeared first on GodUpdates.

A Prayer to Live Free from DiscouragementBy Kristine Brown "I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord‚ who made heaven and earth." (Psalm 121:1-2 ESV) Have you ever felt so discouraged that you didn't think God was listening? Maybe you prayed and prayed‚ but God seemed to grow more distant instead of closer. You longed in desperation to hear from him‚ but the silence only fed the discouragement inside. Discouragement is a tactic the enemy uses to weaken our will‚ and over time‚ we can begin to believe its lies. The longer we allow discouragement to have a place in our thoughts‚ the more vulnerable we become to the enemy's scheme to keep us down. When we lose hope‚ we lose sight of our purpose. We may even question whether God has a purpose for us at all. That's why it is so important for us to recognize discouragement for what it is so we can gain clarity as we pray to live free. God's Word provides the encouragement and truth we need to guard our minds and hearts when we sense discouragement settling in. It will also bring clarity through the muddle caused by discouraging thoughts. When we sense ourselves beginning to question whether God cares about what we're going through‚ we know it's time to counteract the lies with Scripture. Psalm 121:1-2 says‚ "I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord‚ who made heaven and earth." In the midst of our worst trials‚ we cry out to God for help. He is the only One powerful enough to rescue us from the turmoil we experience. But sometimes‚ we don't hear the answer we want‚ and in the waiting‚ we may feel like God is ignoring our plea. Feelings of loneliness and isolation soon follow. And even when friends or family try to lift us up‚ their efforts go unnoticed. We may even get so wrapped in discouragement that we refuse to see a way out. Discouragement is a dangerous foe‚ but we have power through God's Word and the Holy Spirit to loosen its hold on us. We can speak truth to our weary hearts‚ seeking Jesus as we trust him to respond. God Almighty loves us and has called us to a great purpose. Today's psalm reminds us God is with us every step of the way. Let's lift our eyes toward him and acknowledge that he is our source of help in times of discouragement. Let's pray: Dear Heavenly Father‚Lately‚ I've felt discouraged. I want to face each day with courage‚ joy‚ and hope‚ but I'm struggling to find them. I feel like you don't hear my prayers‚ even though Scripture tells me you are always with me. I cry out to you for help‚ Lord. Help me live free from discouragement and find hope once again. When I feel buried under the weight of my troubles‚ I start to question whether you care about what I'm facing. I feel alone in my trials‚ but I know that's a lie from the enemy. Forgive me for my doubt. I am never alone because you are here with me‚ and you hear my cries. Scripture tells me of this promise‚ "My help comes from the Lord‚ the maker of heaven and earth." I pray I can let this truth settle into my spirit so there is no more room for discouragement. As I seek you more and wait with expectancy in your presence‚ I believe I will gain clarity through the truth of your Word. You are a faithful God‚ and you have good plans for me. Thank you for showing me this truth through the power of your Holy Spirit. Thank you for the hope I have in your precious Son‚ Jesus Christ. In his name‚ I pray‚ Amen. Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/Delmaine Donson For more spiritual growth resources‚ check out the 5-day email study Walking with Rahab by today's devotion writer‚ Kristine Brown. You'll find weekly encouragement to help you "become more than yourself through God's Word" at her website‚ kristinebrown.net. Kristine is the author of the book Cinched: Living with Unwavering Trust in an Unfailing God and its companion workbook. 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 Live Free from Discouragement – Your Daily Prayer – February 26 appeared first on GodUpdates.

A North Carolina county has voted to ban the use of fluoride in the county’s water supply. Union County commissioners voted 3-2 on February 19th to stop adding fluoride to the water supply after residents expressed concerns about fluoride’s potential harms. Abigail Prado‚ who leads the Moms for Liberty Union County chapter‚ told commissioners that fluoride in drinking water can impair the intellectual development of a gestating child. Prado cited a 2019 study in JAMA Pediatrics that said‚ “maternal exposure to higher levels of fluoride during pregnancy was associated with lower IQ scores in children aged 3 to 4 years. These findings indicate the possible need to reduce fluoride intake during pregnancy.” “I’m here tonight to present the board with evidence that fluoride is a known neurotoxin in the scientific community and to present a study which has found that fluoride in public drinking water can cause significant IQ damage to gestating children when consumed by pregnant mothers‚” Prado said. “Millions of pregnant women are currently being exposed to levels of fluoride that have the potential to lower their children’s IQ by at least four to six points‚” she added. NC Newsline shared Prado’s presentation: “Union County‚ North Carolina commissioners have voted against continuing the addition of fluoride to part of the county’s water supply‚” Fluoride Action Network wrote. Union County‚ North Carolina commissioners have voted against continuing the addition of #fluoride to part of the county’s water supply. “Let’s embrace freedom of choice and let people who wish to use fluoride do just that‚” said David Williams.https://t.co/CNT0pNM9rw — Fluoride Action Network (@FluorideAction) February 22‚ 2024 From NC Newsline: A 2019 study in JAMA Pediatrics did show that elevated fluoride exposure during pregnancy might harm a child’s intellectual development‚ “indicating the possible need to reduce fluoride intake during pregnancy.” However‚ the researchers also noted the study had several limitations. For example‚ the fluoride intake did not measure actual fluoride concentration in tap water in the participant’s home. And the data regarding fluoride intake data were limited by the mothers’ self-reported recall of beverage consumption per day. When it came time for a vote‚ Union County Commissioner Richard Helms said he had to side with medical professionals in this debate‚ and the lived experience of his own children. “I think the history in the United States of putting fluoride in at a minimum has made our young people’s life healthier and more pleasant. I can tell you that I grew up on a well and my dental problems kind of stopped once I got living on the water that was fluoride‚” Helms said. “I will not be supporting a resolution to remove the fluoride and I’d ask my peers to do the same.” However‚ Commissioner David Williams argued that people should have the right to choose what goes in their drinking water. “There are a number of chemicals that get added to the water‚ but those chemicals are added to treat the water itself to make it safe to drink in some cases‚ to remove or address odor concerns or drinkability‚” Williams said‚ according to NC Newsline. “You know none of those other chemicals are added to the water to treat us. Fluoride is the one exception. Fluoride is added to the water to treat us‚ and I think that should give us pause‚” he added. “Commissioners Brian Helms‚ David Williams and Melissa Merrell voted for the motion‚ while Commission Chair J.R. Rowel and Commissioner Richard Helms voted against it‚” WFAE reports. Union County commissioners voted 3-2 Monday night to ban the use of fluoride in the county's water system https://t.co/yRcyXWmoDa — WFAE (@WFAE) February 20‚ 2024 Per WFAE: The vote Monday came after a group of concerned citizens‚ who call themselves the “Fluoride Fighters‚” said they worried about fluoride’s potential harms such as lowering children’s IQ‚ and said the county was violating their medical freedoms by fluoridating its water. Speaking before the vote‚ Williams said he agreed people should have the right to choose what goes in their water. “Let’s stop putting something in the water that’s meant to treat us‚ and give people the freedom to choose. What an extraordinary idea‚ you know?” he said. Brian Helms‚ who also voted for the measure‚ said he didn’t believe the board should overrule the medical wishes of residents. “Should this board ignore consent by putting a substance in the water that is for dental or medicinal benefit? Are we not at least in a sense mandating medication for the public?” he asked. Read the cited study from JAMA Pediatrics.

Historical Events 1773 - State of Pennsylvania approves construction of Walnut Street Jail in Philadelphia; it will become the first experiment with the practice of solitary confinement in the United States 1935 - RADAR (Radio Detection and Ranging) first demonstrated by Robert Watson-Watt 1971 - Two Royal Ulster Constabulary officers shot and killed by the Irish Republican Army while on mobile patrol in the Ardoyne area of Belfast‚ North Ireland 2012 - 61st NBA All-Star Game‚ Amway Centre‚ Orlando‚ FL: West beats East‚ 152-149; MVP: Kevin Durant‚ OKC Thunder‚ F 2018 - Global Seed Vault in Svalbard‚ Norway‚ receives its 1 millionth seed on its 10 year anniversary 2023 - Dilbert comic strip creator Scott Adams faces widespread condemnation for his comments about African Americans in a YouTube show‚ prompting his strip and up-coming book to be cancelled More Historical Events » Famous Birthdays 1717 - John Randall‚ British organist and hymn composer‚ born in Cambridge‚ England (d. 1799) 1861 - Ferdinand I‚ 1st tsar of modern Bulgaria (1908-18)‚ born in Vienna‚ Austria (d. 1948) 1887 - Benegal Narsing Rau‚ Indian lawyer and civil servant‚ President of UN Security Council (1950)‚ helped draft India's constitution‚ born in Mangalore‚ India (d. 1953) 1958 - Greg Germann‚ American actor‚ born in Houston‚ Texas 1981 - Johnathan Wendel‚ American professional video gamer‚ born in Kansas City‚ Kansas 1984 - Natalia Lafourcade‚ Mexican singer‚ born in Mexico City More Famous Birthdays » Famous Deaths 1538 - Worp van Thabor‚ Frisian abbott of Thabor (Chronicon Frisiae)‚ dies 1906 - Manuel Fernandez Caballero‚ Spanish composer‚ dies at 70 1941 - Jan Keizer‚ Zaanse February striker‚ shot to death 1972 - Tom Manders‚ Dutch cabaret artist (Dorus)‚ dies at 50 1973 - Doc Hayes‚ American basketball coach (Southern Methodist University 1947-67)‚ dies in an auto accident at 67 2008 - John Yates‚ Anglican bishop (Bishop of Lambeth)‚ dies at 82 More Famous Deaths »

The Struts release the second of two new singles this month‚ in the wake of How Can I Love You (Without Breaking Your Heart)

After promising that Hamas wouldn't get the aid and denying that Hamas was taking the aid. The post Biden Admin Warns Israel Not to Interfere With Hamas Members Stealing Aid appeared first on Frontpage Mag.

Discouragement is a dangerous foe‚ but we have power through God’s Word and the Holy Spirit to loosen its hold on us. We can speak truth to our weary hearts‚ seeking Jesus as we trust him to respond. God Almighty loves us and has called us to a great purpose.

In an age of technological breakthroughs‚ artificial intelligence (AI) stands poised to assist in one of the most crucial tasks facing the church today: translating the Bible into the heart language of every people group on earth. Major Bible translation organizations have set aggressive goals to complete the task of making the Bible accessible to everyone without the barrier of learning another language‚ and AI could make that goal attainable in less time than we ever imagined. Approximately 3‚700 languages remain without Scripture‚ most of which present significant challenges to the translation task. Many have few‚ if any‚ printed resources available‚ making that job even more daunting. For these languages‚ AI is catalyzing change‚ accelerating the translation cycle‚ and even enhancing the product’s quality. Using machine learning‚ whole Bible translations can be completed faster than at any other time in history. Accelerated Translation Cycles Before I go any further‚ I need to explain the role of AI in Bible translation. There’s much misunderstanding and confusion around this issue. We’re not talking about dropping the Greek New Testament text into a tool like ChatGPT or Google Translate and expecting it to output a polished translation in any language. This isn’t possible even for resource-rich languages like English‚ much less for small and low-resource languages. Using machine learning‚ whole Bible translations can be completed faster than at any other time in history. If we aren’t talking about cut-and-paste translation‚ how does AI contribute? One way is by leveraging AI models‚ trained on portions of Scripture already manually translated by humans‚ to provide a first draft of a full translation. That draft can then be used by translators to complete a final translation. In other words‚ previously translated portions of Scripture are used by AI to generate drafts of other portions of Scripture that are then checked and developed by translation teams. Organizations like Avodah have pioneered this model by working with mother-tongue speakers to translate around 1‚200 verses and other resources. Each translation represents a different biblical genre‚ grammar‚ and vocabulary. These teams then train an AI model on these verses and resources to produce an entire Bible draft. This draft is checked by mother-tongue translators‚ refined‚ and tested in the community. A big strength of AI in Bible translation is that it’s not a static model being developed but a learning process where the model becomes more competent as work progresses. In traditional models‚ an average translation takes 23 years and costs over a million dollars‚ But Avodah’s model takes about four years to produce a completed Bible for roughly $500‚000. Avodah is currently using this model in a 10-language cohort‚ putting them on track to provide 10 new translations by 2027. Enhanced Quality Speed is only one area where AI is helping. Organizations like SIL International are at the forefront of developing AI tools for quality assessment in Bible translation. These tools help teams identify and address problems earlier in the process. They’re also being used by consultants to check the translations more thoroughly and consistently by assisting with identifying common translation challenges. SIL and other organizations have also developed AI tools that significantly speed up the process of drafting and improving translations of new Bible books once other portions are completed. Concerns about AI being turned loose to translate with little or no human interaction aren’t based on reality. AI works as a copilot. Sometimes it makes drafts and other times it facilitates the repetitive translation process or assists teams in identifying issues. As AI learns from the corrections given to it by humans‚ future iterations of AI-assisted translations continue to improve. Humans working under the Holy Spirit’s leadership remain indispensable at every stage. AI is simply a tool used for the creation of clear‚ accurate‚ natural‚ and acceptable translations. According to Shawn Ring‚ CEO of Avodah‚ Bible translation is “not about the technology; it’s about the human.” Future of AI and Bible Translation While this article has focused on AI’s role in advancing Bible translation‚ there’s an interesting plot twist about the effects of Bible translation on AI. Meta has taken on the lofty goal of developing text-to-speech AI tools in more than 4‚000 languages. Most of these languages have few‚ if any‚ resources that can be used for comparison to other languages. Concerns about AI being turned loose to translate with little or no human interaction aren’t based on reality. The one book often found in these languages is the Bible. Translation organizations have produced text and audio versions in over 1‚100 languages. Companies like Meta rely on these resources to train their large language models to facilitate text-to-speech models. In an odd turn of events‚ Bible translation is fueling AI solutions for many smaller languages. But what will be AI’s effect on Bible translation? It’ll result in more people having quicker access to the gospel in their heart languages. Most significantly‚ it’ll result in more people hearing‚ believing‚ and being saved (Rom. 10:14–15). As one leader working among unreached people groups shared with me‚ AI-assisted translations will contribute to unprecedented access to the gospel and the incredible expansion of Christianity in the next 10 years. “Whether most of the church understands this yet or not‚ AI-assisted Bible translations are a global priority.” They’re also an incredible global opportunity.

When my husband and I moved out of state for his new senior pastor role at a small rural church‚ our sending pastor prayed for our future suffering in ministry. At the time‚ I couldn’t understand why he’d pray about such a thing. What kind of suffering was he anticipating for us? Wasn’t church the safest place for a pastor and his wife? That was nearly 20 years ago‚ and if I could go back to my younger self‚ I’d tell her that little would bring her more sorrow than the local church. But I’d also say her suffering in ministry would absolutely be worth it. Friendly Fire Hurts the Most Ten years into our ministry‚ my husband and I were ready to throw in the towel. Pastoring was hard work‚ with emotional and spiritual burdens we couldn’t untangle from the other parts of our life. I struggled to make friends in our church because I wasn’t sure who I could trust. Members who had previously sworn allegiance left in droves. Criticisms about methodology almost always became personal character attacks‚ and if people were unhappy with my husband‚ I usually heard about it. Maybe the comments and complaints weren’t aimed at me‚ but they stung just the same. I was surprised by how deeply ministry life hurt. The church is a family‚ and the wounds inflicted by brothers and sisters cut deep. During those early years of church turmoil‚ a missionary on furlough stayed with us‚ and we shared some of our struggles with him. “Friendly fire always hurts the most‚” he told us. He’d endured deep persecution from people hostile to the gospel in the country where he’d served‚ and yet‚ he explained to us‚ nothing hurt as much as problems within his church and between other missionaries. As people united by the gospel and reconciled to both God and one another through Jesus‚ we’re supposed to not only get along but love one another with “brotherly affection” (Rom. 12:10). When we fight and stand against one another‚ that reconciliation threatens to unravel. The place we’re supposed to be safe and loved can become the place we most dread. Church became that place of dread for me‚ but I couldn’t walk away from the body of Christ because I knew Jesus loved her. Somehow‚ so must I. Jesus Loves His Church Throughout the New Testament‚ Jesus is called the Bridegroom‚ and we learn he’ll one day present the church as his pure and spotless Bride before the Father (Eph. 5:27). Paul used the marriage metaphor to help us see how important the church is to Jesus. He laid down his life to make her new and righteous. If Jesus is committed to the church‚ we should be too. I couldn’t walk away from the body of Christ because I knew Jesus loved her. Though we can damage relationships there by our sinfulness‚ the church is one of the primary means God has given to us for sanctification and perseverance in the faith. It’s not an optional activity (Heb. 10:25). It’s God’s gift to each of us who used to be far off but have been brought near by the blood of Christ. The church is a means of grace by which we’re sanctified‚ taught‚ disciplined‚ and encouraged. Paul wrote‚ “Warn those who are irresponsible‚ comfort the discouraged‚ help the weak‚ be patient with everyone” (1 Thess. 5:14‚ HCSB). The body of Christ offers protection for the wayward‚ comfort for the grieving‚ provision for the poor‚ and teaching for all. John repeatedly called believers to work out their obedience with love for one another‚ noting many times that this very love would distinguish them from the world (John 13:35; 1 John 4:20–21; 5:1). Love means exercising forgiveness and kindness to one another as Christ has done for us. It means presuming goodwill‚ leading with grace‚ and bearing up with those who are struggling. Obedience is the path forward when we struggle to love the church. Church Can Hurt—and Heal In God’s kindness‚ our church survived a decade of turmoil and began to heal from dissension. Around that time‚ I attended The Gospel Coalition’s women’s conference for the first time. I signed up for a breakout session on church hurt‚ and with tears in my eyes‚ I listened to Jackie Hill Perry say‚ “God can use the church to heal your church hurt.” Was it possible that healing could take place in the same church where I’d been hurt so deeply? I believed it was. I went home with renewed fervor to love the body that God called us to. As my church family grew closer and learned to trust one another again‚ I tentatively sought deeper friendships that I still hold tightly today. Was it possible that healing could take place in the same church where I’d been hurt so deeply? I believed it was. My husband and I will soon celebrate 19 years with our church family‚ and we’re living proof that God has good purposes for his people. He may call us to suffer in ministry‚ and he may have long lessons of faithful endurance to teach us—but I can assure you it’ll be worth it. The joys of loving my church family far outweigh the sorrows. We won’t always get it right‚ but we can hold fast to Christ’s promise to one day present us pure and spotless before the Father.