All Roads Lead to Tehran

The Three Branches of Rule

The Deep State vs. the People

It’s All They Have

from Sputnik News: Hugely popular video-sharing platform TikTak removed Sputnik International’s account without warning on Saturday, providing no explanation for its decision. Sputnik asked a leading US military and intelligence analyst and former Washington insider about the likely motive of the move. TRUTH LIVES on at https://sgtreport.tv/ While it has no legal leg to stand on […]

September 23, 2024 Why Your Husband Struggles With LonelinessJEFFERSON BETHKE Lee en español "... I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you." John 15:15 (NIV) "I can't feel anything," I said to my wife, Alyssa, over our morning coffee. I felt as if a deep fog was over my mind and spirit. Alyssa noticed it too. "When was the last time you felt alive and joyful?" she asked me. A few memories from the last decade came to mind, certainly some moments in marriage and parenting. But the answer that came into my head almost immediately was: college. Why? In college, I had deep, rich, life-giving, energetic friendships. I lived with 11 guys at that time. We shared deep dreams and worked on projects together. We were sharing our hearts as brothers in the trenches of life. In the years since then, loneliness had crept in. Maybe you've seen this happen to men in your life too. We have responsibilities and have people depending on us, so we don't stop to think about it. We just keep chugging along. All too often, we reach a place where we can't feel anything. At first glance, we might think that we're strong, that it's a superpower to move through life without emotions overwhelming us. But the reality is that we're suffering, and we're too numb to realize it. How can you help your husband, brother, dad, friend or son fight the shadows of loneliness? Jesus formed a close circle of friends who He ate with, walked with and visited in their homes. On one of His final nights with His disciples before His death, Jesus spoke these remarkable words: "I have called you friends" (John 15:15). Many guys don't have even a few close friends. But it's a lie that loneliness is just part of being a man. Men and women are created for community. God Himself is relational - Father, Son and Spirit. The very possibility of friendship - with one another and with God - starts with the fact that God Himself is a communion of divine Persons eternally in a relationship of mutual love. Men need godly encouragement to make space for the deep relationships they are created for. We have to fight for the time and intention that good friendships require. When I realized my loneliness, I invited 15 guys that I knew in my area over for burgers. Fourteen showed up. Our get-together became a quarterly tradition that has continued for years. It's one of my most life-giving practices - not only is it fun, but it does something for my soul. I've learned two principles for friendships. First, create gatherings around your interests. I love to cook, so I do that when I get together with friends. I encourage other men to bring together a tribe of brothers who are genuinely glad to spend time with one another and who enjoy the same kinds of activities. This creates a space for friendships to grow. I've also learned the value of great questions, whether in a group or one on one. It's easy to stay on the surface. But when a good question-asker guides a casual discussion, you'd be amazed at how men are ready to open up. We are made in God's image, and part of being faithful image bearers is being in community. The Kingdom of heaven will be in our midst - and the shadow of loneliness will have no power over our hearts. Lord, help me know how to encourage my husband, brother, dad, friend or son in his friendships. Put people in his life who will draw him closer to You. In Jesus' Name, Amen. OUR FAVORITE THINGS Discover the book that's encouraging thousands of husbands and fathers to step out of the shadows and into the vision that God has for them. Grab a copy of Jefferson Bethke and Jon Tyson's Fighting Shadows: Overcoming 7 Lies That Keep Men from Becoming Fully Alive. ENGAGE Connect with Jefferson Bethke on Instagram, and find out more about his book Fighting Shadows, coauthored with Jon Tyson, here! Enter to WIN your very own copy of Fighting Shadows by Jefferson Bethke and Jon Tyson. To celebrate this book, their publisher will give away 5 copies! Enter to win by leaving a comment here. {We'll randomly select 5 winners and then notify each one in the comments section by Monday, September 30, 2024.} FOR DEEPER STUDY Proverbs 17:17, "A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity" (NIV). What have you found to be most effective in cultivating deep friendships in your own life? © 2024 by Jefferson Bethke. All rights reserved. Proverbs 31 MinistriesP.O. Box 3189 Matthews, NC 28106 www.Proverbs31.org The post Why Your Husband Struggles With Loneliness –  Encouragement for Today – September 23, 2024 appeared first on GodUpdates.

A Prayer for Navigating Relationship ConflictsBy Amanda Idleman Bible Reading"I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world." – John 16:33 Listen or Read Below: When we need wisdom on how to find peace, there is one place we can look to find the answers. We can look to Jesus. He gives us instructions on how to act so we can have quiet, simple lives. It's not always easy, but it is possible to find the grace to muddle through conflicts that inevitably come up in our relationships. A hard truth we have to surrender to when bringing our relationships to Jesus is that he is the only one who can change our hearts. As much as we often want to push and prod someone we love into changing, repenting, or forgiving us, that’s not our job. Our role is to be the best example of God's love and truth possible. We have to be responsible for ourselves and our role in the lives of others. We place boundaries when necessary, say sorry often, and show grace when we can. The best way we can encourage peace in our relationships when the change needed is not dependent on our own actions is through prayer. Bringing the need we see before the Lord is the best way to gather the power, understanding, compassion, and self-control required to see a breakthrough in a situation.  Two years ago, my husband and I were near the end of ourselves, ready to give up. I knew there was nothing I could do to change him or change our hearts in order to mend the gap that had grown between us. One thing that carried us through our season of hurt and into a season of healing was the choice to pray nightly together. Somehow, this small act changed our hearts and worked to push us closer than we had been in a long time. It's hard to stay mad at someone you pray with and pray for because you start to see them the way God does, with true love and grace.  When we need insight on how to move forward, prayer and counsel are the best steps we can take to find it. During this tough season in our marriage, we also began individual and couples counseling with Christian counselors. Sometimes, we need the faith-filled eyes of someone else who is willing to walk with us through the mess to find our way to safer and sweeter ground. An outside view of your situation can shed light on the blind spots we all have when big emotions are involved. Don't stay in the dark place of conflict alone. Bring trusted people into your situation to help bring accountability, safety, wise counsel, prayer, and encouragement!  God is our great healer. He is able and willing to heal our broken hearts so we can find peace in this troubled world. Sometimes, this healing requires a great deal of grace and a surprising amount of surrender. During those scary moments when we aren’t sure how to find a resolution, we can cling to Jesus and stand on his promises. He desires to set us free from our conflicts so we can experience the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.  Let’s Pray Dear God, I am stuck in the dark right now in my relationship. I feel defeated by the negativity that this conflict has brought into my life. Grant me the wisdom I need to walk towards your peace and away from the turbulence of conflict. I pray that you would show me the places I need to grow in truth and love. Would you soften the hearts of everyone involved in this conflict? Bring healthy boundaries, habits, and healing wherever possible. Help me seek out wise council accountability for this situation. May your grace be present every day in my life. Amen. Photo credit: ©GettyImages/pcess609 Amanda Idleman is a writer whose passion is to encourage others to live joyfully. She writes devotions for My Daily Bible Verse Devotional and Podcast, Crosswalk Couples Devotional, the Daily Devotional App, she has work published with Her View from Home, on the MOPS Blog, and is a regular contributor for Crosswalk.com. She has most recently published a devotional, Comfort: A 30 Day Devotional Exploring God’s Heart of Love for Mommas. You can find out more about Amanda on her Facebook Page or follow her on Instagram. Related Resource: Remember God’s Enduring Love for You in this Guided Meditation on Psalm 100! This guided Christian meditation from Psalm 100 will help you experience and praise God for his unending love for you. Become aware of God's presence with you, and praise God for his loyal and enduring love from the beginning of time and into the future. Listen to every episode of the So Much More Podcast on LifeAudio.com, or subscribe on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode! Now that you’ve prayed, are you in need of someone to pray for YOU? Click the button below! The post A Prayer for Navigating Relationship Conflicts – Your Daily Prayer – September 23 appeared first on GodUpdates.

A Prayer for Navigating Relationship ConflictsBy Amanda Idleman Bible Reading"I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world." – John 16:33 Listen or Read Below: When we need wisdom on how to find peace, there is one place we can look to find the answers. We can look to Jesus. He gives us instructions on how to act so we can have quiet, simple lives. It's not always easy, but it is possible to find the grace to muddle through conflicts that inevitably come up in our relationships. A hard truth we have to surrender to when bringing our relationships to Jesus is that he is the only one who can change our hearts. As much as we often want to push and prod someone we love into changing, repenting, or forgiving us, that’s not our job. Our role is to be the best example of God's love and truth possible. We have to be responsible for ourselves and our role in the lives of others. We place boundaries when necessary, say sorry often, and show grace when we can. The best way we can encourage peace in our relationships when the change needed is not dependent on our own actions is through prayer. Bringing the need we see before the Lord is the best way to gather the power, understanding, compassion, and self-control required to see a breakthrough in a situation.  Two years ago, my husband and I were near the end of ourselves, ready to give up. I knew there was nothing I could do to change him or change our hearts in order to mend the gap that had grown between us. One thing that carried us through our season of hurt and into a season of healing was the choice to pray nightly together. Somehow, this small act changed our hearts and worked to push us closer than we had been in a long time. It's hard to stay mad at someone you pray with and pray for because you start to see them the way God does, with true love and grace.  When we need insight on how to move forward, prayer and counsel are the best steps we can take to find it. During this tough season in our marriage, we also began individual and couples counseling with Christian counselors. Sometimes, we need the faith-filled eyes of someone else who is willing to walk with us through the mess to find our way to safer and sweeter ground. An outside view of your situation can shed light on the blind spots we all have when big emotions are involved. Don't stay in the dark place of conflict alone. Bring trusted people into your situation to help bring accountability, safety, wise counsel, prayer, and encouragement!  God is our great healer. He is able and willing to heal our broken hearts so we can find peace in this troubled world. Sometimes, this healing requires a great deal of grace and a surprising amount of surrender. During those scary moments when we aren’t sure how to find a resolution, we can cling to Jesus and stand on his promises. He desires to set us free from our conflicts so we can experience the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.  Let’s Pray Dear God, I am stuck in the dark right now in my relationship. I feel defeated by the negativity that this conflict has brought into my life. Grant me the wisdom I need to walk towards your peace and away from the turbulence of conflict. I pray that you would show me the places I need to grow in truth and love. Would you soften the hearts of everyone involved in this conflict? Bring healthy boundaries, habits, and healing wherever possible. Help me seek out wise council accountability for this situation. May your grace be present every day in my life. Amen. Photo credit: ©GettyImages/pcess609 Amanda Idleman is a writer whose passion is to encourage others to live joyfully. She writes devotions for My Daily Bible Verse Devotional and Podcast, Crosswalk Couples Devotional, the Daily Devotional App, she has work published with Her View from Home, on the MOPS Blog, and is a regular contributor for Crosswalk.com. She has most recently published a devotional, Comfort: A 30 Day Devotional Exploring God’s Heart of Love for Mommas. You can find out more about Amanda on her Facebook Page or follow her on Instagram. Related Resource: Remember God’s Enduring Love for You in this Guided Meditation on Psalm 100! This guided Christian meditation from Psalm 100 will help you experience and praise God for his unending love for you. Become aware of God's presence with you, and praise God for his loyal and enduring love from the beginning of time and into the future. Listen to every episode of the So Much More Podcast on LifeAudio.com, or subscribe on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode! Now that you’ve prayed, are you in need of someone to pray for YOU? Click the button below! The post A Prayer for Navigating Relationship Conflicts – Your Daily Prayer – September 23 appeared first on GodUpdates.

September 23, 2024 Why Your Husband Struggles With LonelinessJEFFERSON BETHKE Lee en español "... I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you." John 15:15 (NIV) "I can't feel anything," I said to my wife, Alyssa, over our morning coffee. I felt as if a deep fog was over my mind and spirit. Alyssa noticed it too. "When was the last time you felt alive and joyful?" she asked me. A few memories from the last decade came to mind, certainly some moments in marriage and parenting. But the answer that came into my head almost immediately was: college. Why? In college, I had deep, rich, life-giving, energetic friendships. I lived with 11 guys at that time. We shared deep dreams and worked on projects together. We were sharing our hearts as brothers in the trenches of life. In the years since then, loneliness had crept in. Maybe you've seen this happen to men in your life too. We have responsibilities and have people depending on us, so we don't stop to think about it. We just keep chugging along. All too often, we reach a place where we can't feel anything. At first glance, we might think that we're strong, that it's a superpower to move through life without emotions overwhelming us. But the reality is that we're suffering, and we're too numb to realize it. How can you help your husband, brother, dad, friend or son fight the shadows of loneliness? Jesus formed a close circle of friends who He ate with, walked with and visited in their homes. On one of His final nights with His disciples before His death, Jesus spoke these remarkable words: "I have called you friends" (John 15:15). Many guys don't have even a few close friends. But it's a lie that loneliness is just part of being a man. Men and women are created for community. God Himself is relational - Father, Son and Spirit. The very possibility of friendship - with one another and with God - starts with the fact that God Himself is a communion of divine Persons eternally in a relationship of mutual love. Men need godly encouragement to make space for the deep relationships they are created for. We have to fight for the time and intention that good friendships require. When I realized my loneliness, I invited 15 guys that I knew in my area over for burgers. Fourteen showed up. Our get-together became a quarterly tradition that has continued for years. It's one of my most life-giving practices - not only is it fun, but it does something for my soul. I've learned two principles for friendships. First, create gatherings around your interests. I love to cook, so I do that when I get together with friends. I encourage other men to bring together a tribe of brothers who are genuinely glad to spend time with one another and who enjoy the same kinds of activities. This creates a space for friendships to grow. I've also learned the value of great questions, whether in a group or one on one. It's easy to stay on the surface. But when a good question-asker guides a casual discussion, you'd be amazed at how men are ready to open up. We are made in God's image, and part of being faithful image bearers is being in community. The Kingdom of heaven will be in our midst - and the shadow of loneliness will have no power over our hearts. Lord, help me know how to encourage my husband, brother, dad, friend or son in his friendships. Put people in his life who will draw him closer to You. In Jesus' Name, Amen. OUR FAVORITE THINGS Discover the book that's encouraging thousands of husbands and fathers to step out of the shadows and into the vision that God has for them. Grab a copy of Jefferson Bethke and Jon Tyson's Fighting Shadows: Overcoming 7 Lies That Keep Men from Becoming Fully Alive. ENGAGE Connect with Jefferson Bethke on Instagram, and find out more about his book Fighting Shadows, coauthored with Jon Tyson, here! Enter to WIN your very own copy of Fighting Shadows by Jefferson Bethke and Jon Tyson. To celebrate this book, their publisher will give away 5 copies! Enter to win by leaving a comment here. {We'll randomly select 5 winners and then notify each one in the comments section by Monday, September 30, 2024.} FOR DEEPER STUDY Proverbs 17:17, "A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity" (NIV). What have you found to be most effective in cultivating deep friendships in your own life? © 2024 by Jefferson Bethke. All rights reserved. Proverbs 31 MinistriesP.O. Box 3189 Matthews, NC 28106 www.Proverbs31.org The post Why Your Husband Struggles With Loneliness –  Encouragement for Today – September 23, 2024 appeared first on GodUpdates.