If former Barack Obama adviser David Axelrod is angry at reportedly being called a "p***k" by President Joe Biden‚ he certainly doesn't appear to be responding with any anger. He is‚ however‚ responding with a blunt assessment of the incumbent president's re-election bid -- and that might sting Biden more...

Can Fear Be a Good Thing? The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge‚ but fools despise wisdom and instruction. – Proverbs 1:7 A woman visiting the Toronto Zoo years ago lost her hat at the tiger enclosure. It had fallen between the outer fence‚ which keeps the people out‚ and the inner fence‚ which keeps the tigers in. She tried to retrieve it by climbing the outer fence and dropping over the edge. A bystander captured the video of a tiger desperately running back and forth in front of the wire cage trying to find a way to attack the woman. But the woman was casual in her approach to retrieving her hat. The people were horrified‚ but the woman found her hat and climbed back over the outer fence. She did not fear the tiger. The word fear in the Old Testament can be used to mean either "terror" or "awe". And so many people in our churches today have‚ much like that woman at the zoo‚ become so casual‚ distant‚ and detached from a healthy fear of the Lord. But wisdom begins with the fear of the Lord – an awe-inspiring‚ even terrifying‚ understanding of who God is in your life. God is both fearsome and good. And we have to understand that both are true to begin to think wisely about His righteousness and His great love for us.  Prayer Challenge:  Pray that God would give you a greater awe for who He is in your life. Questions for Thought: How does having a healthy sense of awe of God lead you to a wiser understanding of who He is? Visit the Senior Living Ministries website The post Can Fear Be a Good Thing? – Senior Living – November 20 appeared first on GodUpdates.

A Prayer for When You're Asked Hard Questions During the HolidaysBy Molly Law "For I know the plans I have for you‚" declares the Lord‚ "plans to prosper you and not to harm you‚ plans to give you hope and a future...You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." – Jeremiah 29:11‚13 Thanksgiving and Christmas are possibly the only times when every family member can come together and finally catch up. Although this can be a joyous time seeing on another‚ there might be some questions that can go too far. For the younger generation‚ life changes at warp speed - milestones seem to happen almost every week. So‚ well-intended parents‚ grandparents‚ aunts‚ and uncles want to know everything that is going on in their lives. However‚ the things that they may wish to know could point out a very painful reality. Since we see some family members only once a year‚ they don't know the intricate details of what has happened to us throughout the year and us them. It's not entirely their fault - for many people‚ society has laid out a very clear-cut outline for life (college‚ career‚ marriage‚ children‚ etc.). Our culture has defined those milestones and the ages in which they should be met for a happy and successful life‚ especially for Christians.  As the family comes around the Thanksgiving table‚ a young married couple may be asked by a well-meaning aunt when do they think they will start a family. Unbeknownst to her‚ the young wife had a miscarriage in July and for four months‚ the couple has had one negative pregnancy test after another. After the holidays‚ they plan on seeing a fertility specialist. But at this moment‚ how do they answer this after being put on the spot in front of half a dozen people? Christmas is my favorite holiday. I love everything about it - the colors‚ the songs‚ the food‚ and the care-free feeling it evokes within me. But it can also be a very painful time‚ as every year‚ I pray for my future spouse‚ yet every Christmas‚ I find myself once again alone. As the only single member of my family‚ my love life becomes an easy topic of conversation. I have become an easy target as I have chosen not to comply with cultural-mandated milestones that some family members see as a failure. In adulthood‚ I have lived up to my own standards of becoming independent‚ chasing my dreams‚ and finding who I am apart from my family and any romantic ties. Although I am very happy on my own‚ there are times I desire to be married. The holidays seem to be the one time of year that exasperates the fact that I am not‚ especially when a spotlight is put on it by family member. My prayer is for everyone who is dealing with unfulfilled dreams and life expectancies‚ and the family members who bring it up during the holidays.  Let's Pray: Dear Lord‚Thank you for this time of year to celebrate the birth of your Son and ruminate on all of your many blessings throughout the year. Thank you for our families and this time of coming together and catching up. I pray for everyone this holiday season. I pray that no matter what we are all going through that we remain aware of the sensitivity of some conversations. I pray that this year‚ we do not wait until the holidays to catch up - that we make an effort to pick up the phone and check in. I pray we will choose to share our lives with our family if that is a healthy relationship to pursue.  Be with us‚ Father‚ as all of us our going through something. Be with our hearts' desires and dreams that they reflect your will and bring glory to you and only you. I pray that we show one another grace and allow our family members to choose what they want to share with us. Give us comfort and peace when a deep hurt is revealed in a casual manner. I pray that this holiday season is filled with love‚ laughter‚ and joy with those around us.  We love and trust you with all of our hearts‚ our Lord and Savior.In Jesus' name‚ we pray‚ Amen. Photo credit: ©GettyImages/AlexRaths Molly Law is the Editor of C.com. She has a Master of Arts in Publishing Studies from the University of Stirling‚ UK‚ where she studied and lived for a year in Scotland. She has a Bachelor of Arts in English Professional Writing from Gardner-Webb University. Her editorial career includes Senior Editor of a bimonthly magazine for the nonprofit ACA and Editorial Assistant at Luath Press in Edinburgh‚ UK. She enjoys reading 18th-century British Literature‚ creative writing‚ and traveling.  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 for When You’re Asked Hard Questions During the Holidays – Your Daily Prayer – November 20 appeared first on GodUpdates.

1805 - Ludwig van Beethoven's "Fidelio"‚ his only opera‚ premieres at Vienna's Theater an der Wien 1886 - Sherlock Holmes's first story "A Study in Scarlet" is accepted by publisher Ward and Lock with payment of £25 1901 - Dramatic opera "Grisélidis" by Jules Massenet‚ Armand Silvestre and Eugène Morand premieres the Opéra-Comique in Paris‚ France 1915 - CFL Grey Cup‚ Varsity Stadium‚ Toronto: Hamilton Tigers win 2nd title; beat Toronto Rowing Association‚ 13-7 1917 - 1st successful tank use in battle‚ at the Battle of Cambrai in World War I as Britain uses the new technology to break through German lines 1929 - Salvador Dali's first one-man show 1993 - Winnie Mandela's driver and bodyguard murdered in Johannesburg 1994 - New Vaudevillian revue "The Flying Karamazov Brothers Do the Impossible" opens at Helen Hayes Theater‚ NYC‚ for a limited run of 50 performances 2009 - The Mexican government declares its economy technically out of recession after 2.93% GDP growth in the third quarter of 2009; Mexico had been in a severe economic crisis for over a year prior to its economic rebound 2022 - UN COP27 summit agrees to establish fund to help poor and vulnerable countries with climate change‚ with committee to be made up of representatives from 24 countries More Historical Events »

For someone like me who’s struggled with worry most of her adult life‚ morning time offers a welcome fresh start.

Thanksgiving and Christmas are possibly the only times when every family member can come together and finally catch up. Although this can be a joyous time seeing on another‚ there might be some questions that can go too far.

When I took my first seminary class‚ I was 22 years old‚ fresh out of college‚ and had been married for just over a month. I was completely out of my depth. Despite having a biblical studies undergrad degree‚ I didn’t even know the correct questions to ask—You might wonder then‚ Why would I recommend the same‚ green‚ wet-behind-the-ears experience to other young men? It’s because I believe the benefits outweigh the drawbacks. Men have historically pursued the ministry from a young age. It’s a relative novelty in Western Christianity for men to exit careers they’ve been laboring in to get educated at seminary in preparation for the pastorate. There are obvious benefits to being a more seasoned man—you have life experience comparable with your parishioners and a few more gray hairs to garner respect. But there are substantial advantages to pursuing seminary directly out of college when you’re still young. 1. Longevity When men enter seminary at a younger age‚ they’re able to labor in the ministry longer than if it’s a second career or a later-in-life calling. In a time when few ministers make it to their silver‚ let alone their golden‚ anniversaries in the ministry‚ a man’s faithfulness stands out as he perseveres over the long haul. By beginning in ministry sooner‚ you have more time to grow and mature. You can’t learn everything there is to know about ministry even in the best seminaries. Every minister will learn on the job. If a laborer can get an earlier start in the practical work‚ he should have additional time to shepherd souls from a foundation of greater experience and maturity. If a laborer can get an earlier start in the practical work‚ he should have additional time to shepherd souls from a foundation of greater experience and maturity. 2. Energy and Zeal It’s been famously said that youth is wasted on the young. While this is a clever overstatement‚ the young do tend to have greater energy and ambition. Yet they face the temptation to be zealots. There’s good reason young men tend to be known for the “cage stage” of their theology during their seminary years. Aim to be zealous (Titus 2:14) but not a zealot‚ committed to Christ and his kingdom but not inflammatory about it. When a young man uses his youth and zeal for the kingdom‚ he’s a force to be reckoned with. Spending such energy in the ministry‚ as opposed to other career paths‚ can be a great gift to the church. Young men‚ get out there in evangelism‚ outreach‚ visiting people‚ and spreading the love of Christ—the sooner the better. 3. Focus Christ calls those who lay their hands to the plow not to look back (Luke 9:62). Because ministry is hard‚ there may be many times in a single year you want to walk away from it all. In such times‚ you must remember you haven’t put yourself into the ministry‚ and you can’t simply take yourself out. Yes‚ there are times when wisdom warrants (or even dictates) the need to step back. An unforeseen disability or caregiving responsibility may prevent a man or his family from giving what ministry requires. A broken relationship with a family member (especially between the pastor and his wife or child) may surface the need to focus on family. But to turn back of your own accord apart from such circumstances is to suggest the ministry is merely a job and a personal decision rather than a call. It’s not. Ordination is an act of God through his church to set a man apart for labor in the harvest field. So how does starting one’s seminary career earlier help a young man stay focused on God’s call when difficulties come? If a man begins his training early‚ he’s likely to face fewer distractions from the ministry. But if you first train as something other than a minister‚ you may be tempted to fall back on that other career when ministry gets tough. Often skills‚ abilities‚ and experience outside the ministry carry greater financial prospects than the ministry does. While it’s not wrong for ministers to be educated or skilled outside the church‚ focusing on ministry earlier limits distractions and aids our endurance.  4. Flexibility A younger man tends to have fewer commitments outside his studies. His roots aren’t as deep in a particular location. He can more readily relocate for the best seminary education‚ no matter the location. I believe community-grounded education will always be superior to online alternatives. When a young man uses his youth and zeal for the kingdom‚ he’s a force to be reckoned with. This relocation won’t be possible for all ministry candidates. But if you can manage it‚ opt to live among your professors‚ classmates‚ and a local church community and thus benefit from a more full-orbed seminary experience. A young family tends to be more flexible as well. Instead of a new seminarian’s wife and children pivoting from a settled life‚ the family grows up together‚ laboring alongside one another in the ministry. Adaptation and change has a tendency to be easier when you’re young‚ and families will cherish the unifying experience of growing into ministry together. I’ve been amazed at how resilient our young children have been through multiple moves‚ but the older they get‚ the more connected they become to a community and place. As a result‚ it’s been harder to uproot. It’s a privilege to serve Christ and his church; why wait to start? It’s a joy to study God’s Word; it’s a blessing to invest in the kingdom; it’s good to be mentored by godly professors and encouraged by your peer students; it’s a benefit to God’s people to see the younger generation rising up to serve. Why wouldn’t you want to do this as soon as possible? Young men‚ what are you waiting for? There may never be a better time to pursue seminary education than now!

I’m a new seminary graduate. I walked across the stage to receive my diploma just a few months ago. It was a wonderful day. Having that piece of paper on my wall signifies I’ve been formally trained for gospel ministry. So what was I doing before I graduated? Pastoring a church. I’ve been in vocational ministry for 12 years‚ 10 of those as a lead pastor. In this time‚ I’ve pastored two churches through challenging seasons—building projects‚ replants‚ the COVID-19 pandemic‚ and a couple of contentious political seasons. I’m odd. For the average pastor in the West‚ seminary typically follows a sense of call to the ministry. After all‚ many denominational groups require seminary training before ordination. It’s rare for it to come a decade or more after ministry work has begun. Why would a young man wait for seminary? Could this ever be a good idea? If you’re considering seminary‚ or thinking about going back for another degree‚ here are four reasons it may be worth waiting. 1. Your vision for ministry needs to mature. I wasn’t a church kid. I was saved as an adult‚ and I didn’t have a paradigm for how to be a Christian‚ how church should work‚ or what pastors do. I began my ministry path on the traditional route by going to Bible college. I’m odd. For the average pastor in the West‚ seminary typically follows a sense of call to the ministry. It’s rare for it to come a decade or more after ministry work has begun. But when I got there‚ I struggled immensely. I hated it. I couldn’t understand how the seemingly frivolous theological discussions‚ the seemingly frivolous focus on grades‚ and the seemingly disconnected lecture material related to peoples’ need to see Christ. As I sat in class‚ I’d look out the window and think about how few of the people driving by knew Jesus. How will they hear about him while we’re here learning Greek? I dropped out of Bible college to serve as an intern at a church‚ and during that time‚ I was discipled and learned about pastoral ministry. As I met with people and provided counsel and care‚ I began to see how the truths discussed in the seminary classroom could shine light into the darkness of personal suffering. After “growing up” in ministry work‚ I was finally able to appreciate the value of formal education for ministry. 2. Your character needs to mature. Soon after I met Jesus‚ I moved back to my hometown. I had Christian friends‚ but I didn’t have deep relationships with pastors who were pouring (and peering) into my life. If they had been‚ I suspect they’d have told me to wait and mature before jumping into a full-time degree program. Many aspiring seminarians I’ve met can relate. They’re missing a key piece of their application: a whole-hearted affirmation from their local church that they’re ready for seminary. Seminary isn’t designed to disciple you in basic Christian maturity; that’s what the local church is for. Before you jump headfirst into higher education‚ take the time to grow in the local church under mature Christian leaders who can endorse your call and commit to walking with you through your time in school. 3. Your study habits need to grow. When I was in Bible college‚ my Old Testament professor pulled me aside after a three-hour lecture and told me‚ “From now on‚ you should stand in the back of the class pacing with a stress ball in your hand.” I served in law enforcement before I went back to school‚ and it had been years since I’d been in a classroom environment. Sitting and listening to a three-hour lecture was rough. Seminary isn’t designed to disciple you in basic Christian maturity; that’s what the local church is for. You may love to read and study theology and church history‚ but a seminary course load can still be difficult to keep up with. When I first downloaded all the tools for Greek vocabulary‚ church history reading‚ and other subjects‚ it overwhelmed me. It was certainly too much for me when I started Bible college. Even later in life‚ after I’d gotten used to studying more as a pastor‚ I needed to grow in my capacity before I was ready to be a full-time seminary student. 4. You need to first count the cost for your family and ministry. I’d planned to go back to school to complete my studies after finishing that internship‚ but when it was complete‚ the church called me into a pastoral role. As time passed‚ church and family responsibilities repeatedly stood in the way of more schooling. It wouldn’t have been right for me to sacrifice my marriage and family responsibilities to add the degree. You must also count the cost for your church. Seminary is a years-long commitment of several hours of work per week. It’s OK to pump the brakes a bit and wait before committing to such a hectic degree program. It’s OK to admit that pursuing a new degree isn’t possible when you’re also planting‚ replanting‚ or dealing with relational difficulties in your church. Challenging ministry seasons require more from pastors and ministry leaders than seasons of normalcy. If you’re in a heavy ministry time‚ it may not be wise to give your spare time to a seminary degree. Shepherding and caring for your church and family are the higher priority. Seminary is a good gift from God. If you can go to a biblically faithful seminary for theological and practical ministry training‚ you should. But first‚ count the cost. It may be that waiting or taking a nontraditional route by serving in a residency or internship is the best decision. Sometimes it’s better to wait so that you‚ your family‚ and the church you serve can get the best out of your seminary experience.

In this episode of You’re Not Crazy‚ Ray Ortlund and Sam Allberry discuss the importance of standing firm in the faith amid persecution and opposition. Pastors need to be open and vulnerable in their relationships‚ following the example of Paul and Timothy. Ortlund and Allberry address the dangers of moralism and the transformative power of Scripture in the lives of pastors‚ emphasizing the need to hold on to the gospel and continue to follow Jesus with a strong sense of identity and mission. Recommended resource: Evangelical Pharisees: The Gospel as Cure for the Church’s Hypocrisy by Michael Reeves