by Stefan Stanford, All News Pipeline: In 2019, Kamala Harris, a hardcore California leftist running for president, received a questionnaire from the ACLU about her political views. CNN’s KFILE dug up her responses to that questionnaire, and they are so extreme that even CNN’s Erin Burnett, herself a hardcore leftist, was shocked. This is a […]

September 13, 2024 God's Unchanging PlansKAREN WINGATE Lee en español "Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and he will establish your plans." Proverbs 16:3 (NIV) My day was perfectly planned, starting with an hour of desk work followed by a haircut. My husband and I would meet with our tax preparer at 11 a.m., then enjoy lunch together before I met a colleague to work on a project for the rest of the afternoon. My schedule was as neatly arranged as the entries in my day planner. Then things got messy. Our tax appointment took four hours instead of one, making it necessary to cancel the afternoon project. During the appointment, I juggled multiple texts, which yielded three unexpected events for the next day. I thrive on the reliability of routine. But some days I feel like I'm in a constant state of flux as my plans intersect with life situations over which I have no control. My neatly organized planner becomes messy with crossed-out items and new plans squeezed into the margins. My daughter says her branch of the military has a term for that - "flexicute," meaning to execute with flexibility. But flexicuting gets wearisome, and I'm tempted to shout at the world, "Can we please do things according to my outline for the next hour? Did I say ‘please'?" I'm grateful for Hebrews 13:8, which reminds us "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever" (NIV). When everything and everyone else (OK, me, too) is in flex mode, God never changes. His character remains the same. He won't pay lip service to promises and then alter them. Still, I may not know the details of His plan; it's my role to discover what unfolds and trust Him for what remains concealed. But the sun will come up tomorrow, plants will grow, and the mountains will still stand. He will provide for my needs, and He has unfailing love for me, even when my mood and mind change in reaction to my messed-up plans. Perhaps that's the message of my blotchy day planner. Each time I deal with the unreliability of my schedule, I can look toward heaven and thank God for His dependability in weaving in and working out the plans of my heart, all for His glory and my best interest. Because He is so trustworthy, I can find confidence to do what Proverbs 16:3 instructs: "Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and he will establish your plans." Whenever my plans go off course, I can lean back and trust that God and I simply made a right turn so we could head in the new direction He intends for us to go. Has your day just started and your schedule already altered from what you anticipated? Breathe deeply and surrender your activities and intentions to the Lord. Let Him direct your steps toward what He has planned for you today. Lord, right now, I relinquish the hours of my day to You. I'll make my plans, but I'll hold them loosely, looking to You to direct me and change course as You think best. In Jesus' Name, Amen. OUR FAVORITE THINGS What if God has more in store for you than you've given Him credit for? Unmet milestones and unfulfilled dreams can make you feel like you've already missed out on the life you were "supposed" to have ... But what if it’s possible to build a life you love without having everything you want? Listen to a recent podcast episode - "You Are Not Behind" with Meghan Ryan Asbury - on this topic right here! Viewing our daily schedules from God's perspective challenges us to take a fresh look at how we usually see things. Let Karen Wingate's book, With Fresh Eyes: 60 Insights into the Miraculously Ordinary from a Woman Born Blind, guide you in seeing life in fresh ways. Order your copy here. ENGAGE You can also find Karen on Facebook and Instagram. FOR DEEPER STUDY Matthew 5:1-2, "Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them" (NIV). Crowds often seemed to interrupt Jesus' workflow during His years of ministry, but He used those moments in powerful ways. When crowds followed Him seeking physical healing in Matthew 5, He took time to teach them what we call the Sermon on the Mount. Another time, He demonstrated His power by feeding a crowd of 5,000 with one boy-sized lunch (John 6:5-13). How has God used a shift in your schedule for His greater glory? Tell us about it in the comments. © 2024 by Karen Wingate. All rights reserved. Proverbs 31 MinistriesP.O. Box 3189 Matthews, NC 28106 www.Proverbs31.org The post God’s Unchanging Plans –  Encouragement for Today – September 13, 2024 appeared first on GodUpdates.

A Prayer to Be an Authentic Christian in the World Full of InfluencersBy Chelsey DeMatteis Bible Reading“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” – Matthew 5:8 My parents came home from a dinner date and couldn’t believe what they saw happening just one table behind them. Sadly, I wasn’t surprised, but my heart was so broken for where we’ve found ourselves in the midst of a world full of “influencing.” A mom was sitting across the table from her daughter trying to get the perfect “selfie” shot. As she continued to take the photos of herself, the waiter kindly came up and asked if she’d like a picture of herself and her daughter. She looked at the waiter as if they had offended her and she reluctantly said “sure”. Once the waiter walked away, the mother went back to taking selfies as she ignored her daughter sitting right across the table. How did we get here? (And, I must be the first to say we’ve all been guilty of something like this. Maybe not to this extent, but we’ve all chosen the phone in our hands over the people God has so kindly placed in front of us.) We traded a world of choosing to love those right in front of us for a world that chooses to love oneself above all things. As Christians, we all can agree we’re held to a higher standard as we journey through life on earth, but we have to get honest with ourselves and ask the question, have we too started to want to put ourselves above others? Have we gotten caught up in the trap of wanting to “influence” people by boasting about our accomplishments, our children’s accomplishments, and our possessions? Have we found more comfort in sharing about ourselves rather than asking how someone else is doing? Once we answer these questions, I think we’ll better know how to move forward and rightly in the way God would desire for us. Not one time in scripture do we ever find Jesus boasting about Himself or sharing news to make others feel less than. The posture of His heart was always pure, and that is one of the key character traits I want in my life. I want a pure heart. One filled with pure intentions and seeing others the way Jesus sees them. Jesus teaches us how to live here in this world. We can find exactly how to live by spending time in Jesus’ famous speech at the Sermon on the Mount. “Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him. And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. "Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” – Matthew 5:1-12 Living in this world full of influencers and imposter syndrome can easily leave us feeling cynical and defeated. But, God calls us to more. He calls us, as His chosen children, to be lights in the world. To live rightly for Him and to share the gift of the gospel. We have the opportunity to be authentic in a world that elevates being ingenuine to get ahead or to make others feel less than. Today we have an opportunity to love people well, be authentic where God has us, and choose to be influenced by the saving grace of God.  Let’s pray: Lord, thank you for the gift of your Word and its ability to penetrate our hearts. Help me desire to be authentic in a world that elevates anything but that. Convict me when I’m choosing to put myself above others or am making choice that lead to others feeling left out. I pray for a pure heart, which leads to a life of pure intentions. I want to be marked by your love and your grace.In Jesus’ name, amen. Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/iiievgeniy Chelsey is the voice behind the Living with Less Podcast and author of the 52-week devotional More of Him, Less of Me: Living a Christ-centered Life in a Me-centered World. She writes devotions for Lifeway Women’s Journey Magazine, Crosswalk.com, and iBelieve.com. She also writes Bible reading plans for the YouVersion Bible App. Chelsey lives in Ohio with her husband and two children. You can connect with her on Instagram @chelseydematteis and at her website ChelseyDeMatteis.com. 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! Visit iBelieve.com for more inspiring prayer content. The post A Prayer to Be an Authentic Christian in a World Full of Influencers – Your Daily Prayer – September 13 appeared first on GodUpdates.

A Prayer to Be an Authentic Christian in the World Full of InfluencersBy Chelsey DeMatteis Bible Reading“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” – Matthew 5:8 My parents came home from a dinner date and couldn’t believe what they saw happening just one table behind them. Sadly, I wasn’t surprised, but my heart was so broken for where we’ve found ourselves in the midst of a world full of “influencing.” A mom was sitting across the table from her daughter trying to get the perfect “selfie” shot. As she continued to take the photos of herself, the waiter kindly came up and asked if she’d like a picture of herself and her daughter. She looked at the waiter as if they had offended her and she reluctantly said “sure”. Once the waiter walked away, the mother went back to taking selfies as she ignored her daughter sitting right across the table. How did we get here? (And, I must be the first to say we’ve all been guilty of something like this. Maybe not to this extent, but we’ve all chosen the phone in our hands over the people God has so kindly placed in front of us.) We traded a world of choosing to love those right in front of us for a world that chooses to love oneself above all things. As Christians, we all can agree we’re held to a higher standard as we journey through life on earth, but we have to get honest with ourselves and ask the question, have we too started to want to put ourselves above others? Have we gotten caught up in the trap of wanting to “influence” people by boasting about our accomplishments, our children’s accomplishments, and our possessions? Have we found more comfort in sharing about ourselves rather than asking how someone else is doing? Once we answer these questions, I think we’ll better know how to move forward and rightly in the way God would desire for us. Not one time in scripture do we ever find Jesus boasting about Himself or sharing news to make others feel less than. The posture of His heart was always pure, and that is one of the key character traits I want in my life. I want a pure heart. One filled with pure intentions and seeing others the way Jesus sees them. Jesus teaches us how to live here in this world. We can find exactly how to live by spending time in Jesus’ famous speech at the Sermon on the Mount. “Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him. And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. "Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” – Matthew 5:1-12 Living in this world full of influencers and imposter syndrome can easily leave us feeling cynical and defeated. But, God calls us to more. He calls us, as His chosen children, to be lights in the world. To live rightly for Him and to share the gift of the gospel. We have the opportunity to be authentic in a world that elevates being ingenuine to get ahead or to make others feel less than. Today we have an opportunity to love people well, be authentic where God has us, and choose to be influenced by the saving grace of God.  Let’s pray: Lord, thank you for the gift of your Word and its ability to penetrate our hearts. Help me desire to be authentic in a world that elevates anything but that. Convict me when I’m choosing to put myself above others or am making choice that lead to others feeling left out. I pray for a pure heart, which leads to a life of pure intentions. I want to be marked by your love and your grace.In Jesus’ name, amen. Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/iiievgeniy Chelsey is the voice behind the Living with Less Podcast and author of the 52-week devotional More of Him, Less of Me: Living a Christ-centered Life in a Me-centered World. She writes devotions for Lifeway Women’s Journey Magazine, Crosswalk.com, and iBelieve.com. She also writes Bible reading plans for the YouVersion Bible App. Chelsey lives in Ohio with her husband and two children. You can connect with her on Instagram @chelseydematteis and at her website ChelseyDeMatteis.com. 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! Visit iBelieve.com for more inspiring prayer content. The post A Prayer to Be an Authentic Christian in a World Full of Influencers – Your Daily Prayer – September 13 appeared first on GodUpdates.

September 13, 2024 God's Unchanging PlansKAREN WINGATE Lee en español "Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and he will establish your plans." Proverbs 16:3 (NIV) My day was perfectly planned, starting with an hour of desk work followed by a haircut. My husband and I would meet with our tax preparer at 11 a.m., then enjoy lunch together before I met a colleague to work on a project for the rest of the afternoon. My schedule was as neatly arranged as the entries in my day planner. Then things got messy. Our tax appointment took four hours instead of one, making it necessary to cancel the afternoon project. During the appointment, I juggled multiple texts, which yielded three unexpected events for the next day. I thrive on the reliability of routine. But some days I feel like I'm in a constant state of flux as my plans intersect with life situations over which I have no control. My neatly organized planner becomes messy with crossed-out items and new plans squeezed into the margins. My daughter says her branch of the military has a term for that - "flexicute," meaning to execute with flexibility. But flexicuting gets wearisome, and I'm tempted to shout at the world, "Can we please do things according to my outline for the next hour? Did I say ‘please'?" I'm grateful for Hebrews 13:8, which reminds us "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever" (NIV). When everything and everyone else (OK, me, too) is in flex mode, God never changes. His character remains the same. He won't pay lip service to promises and then alter them. Still, I may not know the details of His plan; it's my role to discover what unfolds and trust Him for what remains concealed. But the sun will come up tomorrow, plants will grow, and the mountains will still stand. He will provide for my needs, and He has unfailing love for me, even when my mood and mind change in reaction to my messed-up plans. Perhaps that's the message of my blotchy day planner. Each time I deal with the unreliability of my schedule, I can look toward heaven and thank God for His dependability in weaving in and working out the plans of my heart, all for His glory and my best interest. Because He is so trustworthy, I can find confidence to do what Proverbs 16:3 instructs: "Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and he will establish your plans." Whenever my plans go off course, I can lean back and trust that God and I simply made a right turn so we could head in the new direction He intends for us to go. Has your day just started and your schedule already altered from what you anticipated? Breathe deeply and surrender your activities and intentions to the Lord. Let Him direct your steps toward what He has planned for you today. Lord, right now, I relinquish the hours of my day to You. I'll make my plans, but I'll hold them loosely, looking to You to direct me and change course as You think best. In Jesus' Name, Amen. OUR FAVORITE THINGS What if God has more in store for you than you've given Him credit for? Unmet milestones and unfulfilled dreams can make you feel like you've already missed out on the life you were "supposed" to have ... But what if it’s possible to build a life you love without having everything you want? Listen to a recent podcast episode - "You Are Not Behind" with Meghan Ryan Asbury - on this topic right here! Viewing our daily schedules from God's perspective challenges us to take a fresh look at how we usually see things. Let Karen Wingate's book, With Fresh Eyes: 60 Insights into the Miraculously Ordinary from a Woman Born Blind, guide you in seeing life in fresh ways. Order your copy here. ENGAGE You can also find Karen on Facebook and Instagram. FOR DEEPER STUDY Matthew 5:1-2, "Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them" (NIV). Crowds often seemed to interrupt Jesus' workflow during His years of ministry, but He used those moments in powerful ways. When crowds followed Him seeking physical healing in Matthew 5, He took time to teach them what we call the Sermon on the Mount. Another time, He demonstrated His power by feeding a crowd of 5,000 with one boy-sized lunch (John 6:5-13). How has God used a shift in your schedule for His greater glory? Tell us about it in the comments. © 2024 by Karen Wingate. All rights reserved. Proverbs 31 MinistriesP.O. Box 3189 Matthews, NC 28106 www.Proverbs31.org The post God’s Unchanging Plans –  Encouragement for Today – September 13, 2024 appeared first on GodUpdates.

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