Yesterday, Mark Steyn took the UK’s media regulator state censor Ofcom to court. The Royal Courts of Justice heard the case of Steyn v. Ofcom, which centres on Ofcom having penalised former […]

by Martin Armstrong, Armstrong Economics: Throughout history, the LEFT is ALWAYS more violent because at the very core of their belief system is that they are always the victim who is not as successful as others, and they tend to be brainwashed into this mantra that has been around for thousands of years. Their actions violate the […]

How strong is your spiritual foundation? For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person's work. – 1 Corinthians 3:11-13 The Leaning Tower of Pisa is slowly leaning more and more. Scientists travel yearly to measure the slow descent. They report that the 179-foot tower moves about a twentiethof an inch every year, and is now 17 feet out of plumb. In fact, if it hadn't been for counterweights installed, bells removed from the tower, and safety cables harnessed, most believe it would have fallen years ago. Significantly, the word pisa in Italian actually means "marshy land," an interesting thing to consider when you think about the fact that the foundation of the tower is only 10 feet deep. It's no wonder, then, that the building is living on borrowed time. When a foundation is shallow, the building will collapse. And what's true in architecture is also true in our spiritual lives. When we have a shallow spiritual foundation that doesn't dig deep into the ground, our spirituality will waiver – faltering when hard times hit. If you want to have a faith that's unshakeable, build your life's foundation on the person of Jesus Christ. Because while the world may shift and sway, our spiritual foundation can remain strong when we make Jesus Christ the basis of everything we do! Prayer Challenge Pray and ask God to help you make Jesus central in every aspect of your life. Questions for Thought Think of a time when your spiritual foundation was tested. How did it hold up? How might your life look differently if you built everything on the rock-solid foundation of Jesus Christ? Visit the Senior Living Ministries website The post How Strong Is Your Spiritual Foundation? – Senior Living – June 12 appeared first on GodUpdates.

A Prayer to Trust God with Your Family's SafetyBy Jessica Van Roekel “Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust." Psalm 91:1-2, NIV When my children were small, we loved making forts out of blankets draped over chairs. They would gather their pillows and books to make a cozy nest inside and it became the best kind of place to be when they needed some time to relax. Their time with their forts reminded me of my own at my grandparents, where I played, hid, or rested. Our verse today tells us about a shelter. This kind of shelter is for people of all ages who know God as their God. It offers security for those who commit themselves to God's plans and protection, and who live with a constant awareness of God's presence. It can be tempting to relegate our time with God as a task on our to-do list. But God is with us through all parts of our lives if we can remember to remember him. The world we live in can seem threatening. Drivers text while driving. Motorists fail to have insurance. Bullies can be found in schools, jobs, homes, or churches.  Health scares come out of nowhere. The gospel gets diluted with the flavors of humanism or religious requirements. It can compel us to keep our families close, to micromanage their comings and goings, or to remain in constant contact, which leads to worry and anxiety. Peace can seem elusive, but it can grow the more time we spend communicating with Christ, learning from his word, and serving his purposes. We can learn to experience this peace during times of worry and anxiousness about our family's safety by living in the shadow of God's protection, comfort, and care. He longs to hide us in the shadow of who he is and to gather us to him if we are willing. We can get to know God better by understanding his four names in these verses from Psalm 91. The Most High God means he is greater than any threat we face. He is bigger than any fear we have about our family. Genesis 14:19 tells us he created the heavens and earth. When worry grips our hearts, we can look up and notice the land and sky around us, and we can see God's greatness. The second name referenced is "Almighty." This name emphasizes God's power. This is the name Abraham, Moses, and Isaac knew him by. Moses witnessed God’s power when he led the Israelites to freedom. Abraham saw God keep his promise to a couple who were past child-bearing age. And Isaac beheld the power of God to provide a sacrifice. "Lord" assures us that he is the leader and authority in those who choose to follow him. His presence and guidance are always with us. This is why we can say with confidence that he is our refuge and fortress. Knowing God as Lord is like coming in from a storm. The storm still rages outside, but we are safe inside. Worry can be like a storm swirling around us, but we can find relief when we choose to make the Lord our refuge. The last name mentioned in these verses is "God." This name expresses the truth that God has chosen to have a deep, personal relationship with those who trust in him. It is through our intimate knowledge of God that we receive the benefits of protection, comfort, and care. We cannot always protect our family, but we can trust the One who is the creator of heaven and earth, the Almighty One who is more powerful than our greatest worry, the Lord who is always with us to guide us, and our God who loves us intimately and who is worthy of our dependence. Let's pray: Holy God,Thank you for being with me when the worry and anxiety is great. Psalm 94:19 says, "when anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy." Help me lean into this truth. There is so much to worry about regarding my family. Will they be safe on the road? Will they be targeted by online predators? Will they live for you or choose to turn away? The worries can debilitate me, and I feel crushed by the weight of them. But you are the Most High God, creator of this world, creator of my family and me. You are Almighty God, able to overcome my greatest fears. You are my Lord-ever present in my life to lead and guide. And you are my God, involved in every detail of my life, caring about the things that concern me. I choose to trust you. I trust you with my family's safety. You are mighty to save and catch me when I fall. You are great and worthy of praise in the good times and the bad times. You are my rock and refuge. Help me to trust you with my family's safety. You love my family more than I can imagine and you have good plans for their lives too. Keep my family close to your heart and guide their steps as you guide mine.In Jesus' name, Amen Photo credit: Unsplash/Kevin Delvecchio Jessica Van Roekel loves the upside-down life of following Jesus as she journeys to wholeness through brokenness. As an author, speaker, and worship leader, she uses her gifts and experiences to share God's transformative power to rescue, restore, and renew. She longs for you to know that rejection doesn't have to define or determine your future when placed in God's healing hands. Find out more reframingrejectionbook.com You can connect with her on Instagram and Facebook. 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 Trust God for Your Family’s Safety – Your Daily Prayer – June 12 appeared first on GodUpdates.

A Prayer to Trust God with Your Family's SafetyBy Jessica Van Roekel “Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust." Psalm 91:1-2, NIV When my children were small, we loved making forts out of blankets draped over chairs. They would gather their pillows and books to make a cozy nest inside and it became the best kind of place to be when they needed some time to relax. Their time with their forts reminded me of my own at my grandparents, where I played, hid, or rested. Our verse today tells us about a shelter. This kind of shelter is for people of all ages who know God as their God. It offers security for those who commit themselves to God's plans and protection, and who live with a constant awareness of God's presence. It can be tempting to relegate our time with God as a task on our to-do list. But God is with us through all parts of our lives if we can remember to remember him. The world we live in can seem threatening. Drivers text while driving. Motorists fail to have insurance. Bullies can be found in schools, jobs, homes, or churches.  Health scares come out of nowhere. The gospel gets diluted with the flavors of humanism or religious requirements. It can compel us to keep our families close, to micromanage their comings and goings, or to remain in constant contact, which leads to worry and anxiety. Peace can seem elusive, but it can grow the more time we spend communicating with Christ, learning from his word, and serving his purposes. We can learn to experience this peace during times of worry and anxiousness about our family's safety by living in the shadow of God's protection, comfort, and care. He longs to hide us in the shadow of who he is and to gather us to him if we are willing. We can get to know God better by understanding his four names in these verses from Psalm 91. The Most High God means he is greater than any threat we face. He is bigger than any fear we have about our family. Genesis 14:19 tells us he created the heavens and earth. When worry grips our hearts, we can look up and notice the land and sky around us, and we can see God's greatness. The second name referenced is "Almighty." This name emphasizes God's power. This is the name Abraham, Moses, and Isaac knew him by. Moses witnessed God’s power when he led the Israelites to freedom. Abraham saw God keep his promise to a couple who were past child-bearing age. And Isaac beheld the power of God to provide a sacrifice. "Lord" assures us that he is the leader and authority in those who choose to follow him. His presence and guidance are always with us. This is why we can say with confidence that he is our refuge and fortress. Knowing God as Lord is like coming in from a storm. The storm still rages outside, but we are safe inside. Worry can be like a storm swirling around us, but we can find relief when we choose to make the Lord our refuge. The last name mentioned in these verses is "God." This name expresses the truth that God has chosen to have a deep, personal relationship with those who trust in him. It is through our intimate knowledge of God that we receive the benefits of protection, comfort, and care. We cannot always protect our family, but we can trust the One who is the creator of heaven and earth, the Almighty One who is more powerful than our greatest worry, the Lord who is always with us to guide us, and our God who loves us intimately and who is worthy of our dependence. Let's pray: Holy God,Thank you for being with me when the worry and anxiety is great. Psalm 94:19 says, "when anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy." Help me lean into this truth. There is so much to worry about regarding my family. Will they be safe on the road? Will they be targeted by online predators? Will they live for you or choose to turn away? The worries can debilitate me, and I feel crushed by the weight of them. But you are the Most High God, creator of this world, creator of my family and me. You are Almighty God, able to overcome my greatest fears. You are my Lord-ever present in my life to lead and guide. And you are my God, involved in every detail of my life, caring about the things that concern me. I choose to trust you. I trust you with my family's safety. You are mighty to save and catch me when I fall. You are great and worthy of praise in the good times and the bad times. You are my rock and refuge. Help me to trust you with my family's safety. You love my family more than I can imagine and you have good plans for their lives too. Keep my family close to your heart and guide their steps as you guide mine.In Jesus' name, Amen Photo credit: Unsplash/Kevin Delvecchio Jessica Van Roekel loves the upside-down life of following Jesus as she journeys to wholeness through brokenness. As an author, speaker, and worship leader, she uses her gifts and experiences to share God's transformative power to rescue, restore, and renew. She longs for you to know that rejection doesn't have to define or determine your future when placed in God's healing hands. Find out more reframingrejectionbook.com You can connect with her on Instagram and Facebook. 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 Trust God for Your Family’s Safety – Your Daily Prayer – June 12 appeared first on GodUpdates.

Every Sunday, after I preach the gospel, I call people to put their faith in Christ for salvation. I publicly model the kind of prayer that flows from a heart God has touched and moved to turn from sin and trust in Jesus—a “sinner’s prayer.” I invite anyone who prayed along with me to find me in the foyer after the service so we can celebrate and discuss the next steps in his or her walk of faith. Yet in five years of pastoring, I’ve yet to see any immediate fruit. I’ve yet to see any conversions. At times, I grow frustrated. I wonder, Is my preaching off? Is my praying off? Is the ground here just hard? Should I seek a more fruitful ministry elsewhere? Perhaps you wrestle with similar doubts. You’ve been faithful but haven’t seen fruit, so you ask, Should I continue calling people to repentance and faith if no one is responding? The answer is yes. There are at least four reasons why you should keep plowing and planting. 1. You never know who may be visiting. Mark Dever tells the story of a friend who became convicted about her sin and then began visiting churches and asking, “What must I do to be saved?” (see Acts 16:30). He says, She went to church after church and no one would tell her the gospel. They would assume the gospel, or they’d say false things . . . and she didn’t have any religious resources in her [upbringing] to figure it out. Brother preacher, . . . be the church where that kind of pain ends. Every Sunday, tell people the good news of Jesus Christ.” I’d add, “. . . and call them to respond” (and I don’t think Dever would disagree). Each week, my church is blessed with a dozen or so newcomers. For all I know, any of them could be Dever’s friend. If the gospel is “the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes” (Rom. 1:16), and folks can’t believe the gospel without hearing it, and can’t hear it without someone preaching (10:14), then nothing is more tragic than unbelievers sitting through a worship service where no one tells them how to be saved and calls them to respond in faith. 2. Lost souls may be regularly attending. One reason I don’t often see conversions is that my church tends to attract and keep more mature believers. Still, there are certainly a few (perhaps more than I think) I’m preaching to every Sunday who don’t yet enjoy a saving relationship with the Lord: The child sitting listlessly beside a mother who faithfully prays for his salvation. The teen more interested in the boy beside her than in God’s Word open in her lap. The young parents who recently returned to church so they could “raise their children with religion.” The stereotypical “church lady” who misses not a Sunday nor an opportunity to critique the service. These are the real people in my pews and yours. Nothing is more tragic than unbelievers sitting through a worship service where no one tells them how to be saved and calls them to respond in faith. I attended (even led) church every Sunday for years before I finally realized my desperate need for Jesus. The friend who shared the gospel and personally led me in that sinner’s prayer could have thought, Will has already heard the gospel a thousand times. But praise God he shared it with me that 1,001st time. We never know when the next time we preach and pray will be the time for another lost soul. 3. Christians need reminders of the gospel’s glory and beauty. The gospel isn’t just good news; it’s the best news there is. It’s the glorious and true announcement that the almighty, perfect God of the universe so loved broken, rebel sinners like us that he’d sacrifice his own Son to forgive, rescue, and adopt us as his children. That’s news worth sharing regardless of who’s listening. Even when it may seem like no one is responding, the hearts of true believers cannot help but respond to the gospel’s beauty and power whenever we hear it. Just as married couples who attend weddings smile when reminded of their joyful nuptials, Christians ought to rejoice in hearing the weekly sinner’s prayer. Why? Because it reminds us once again of God’s love for us, of the “love [we] had at first” (Rev. 2:4), of the hour we first believed. 4. Disciples need reminders of the urgency of evangelism. One of the most commonly cited reasons Christians give for not sharing their faith is the fear of not knowing what to say. By making the gospel and how to respond to it explicit every week, we equip our people with the language they need to share their faith; we catechize them for evangelism. We never know when the next time we preach and pray will be the time for another lost soul. Moreover, the tone with which I lead the sinner’s prayer each week—pleading with any unbelievers in attendance to repent and believe—stresses the matter’s urgency. No unbeliever knows which opportunity will be his last to respond to the gospel, and no believer knows which opportunity will be her last to present it to a lost loved one and call him to respond. May we agree with the apostle Paul: “Necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!” (1 Cor. 9:16). Each week I pray that this Sunday will be the first when a lost person in attendance responds to God’s gospel invitation to repent, believe, and be saved. But until they do, I trust God is using those sinner’s prayers to sow gospel seeds, till the soil of people’s hearts, and encourage and disciple his flock. I take comfort in God’s promise through Paul: “Let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up” (Gal. 6:9).

Hollywood created a stereotype of a graduate who moved back home and instead of lining up appointments with prospective employers, spends his days floating around in the pool. His parents look up from the tuition bills, tell him to “get a job,” and wonder why they bothered investing in his education and what’s next for their son. Their son is wondering the same thing. But I don’t think most graduates return home to avoid responsibility. Instead, they see their return as temporary, and an excellent opportunity for them “to get on a firm financial footing.” Yet, without a specific plan and some honest conversations with Mom and Dad, it can be easy for these young adults to lose their way. Overlooked Transition More college grads are heading home after finishing their studies. Recent Pew Research polls found that “the share of 18- to 29-year-olds living with their parents has become a majority since U.S. coronavirus cases began spreading early this year, surpassing the previous peak during the Great Depression era.” Having a graduate return home can be one of the most overlooked and difficult transitions a parent faces. It shouldn’t surprise us when conflict rears its ugly head. Parents are in a quandary: they still have expectations of their kids, but their parental role has changed. Their child has been living on his own, navigating roommate challenges, laundry, meals, and his schedule. He’s not the same kid who left for college. He’s not a kid at all. But he may not be viewed by his parents as an adult. Parents might think it wise for their kids to follow their instructions, but as far as adult children are concerned, it’s now an option as to whether or not they will. Arrows Are to Be Sent Out The Bible doesn’t specify what’s required of an adult child living at home. But Psalm 127 is a helpful reminder: “Unless the LORD builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain” (v. 1). Parents labor to raise godly children, watch over them, and protect them. It can be hard to know when to switch gears and let them go. Having a graduate return home can be one of the most overlooked and difficult transitions a parent faces. As parents enter a season where they must quell the instinct to rush in, rescue, and control, it’s good to remember the Lord reigns over our kids’ lives. Later in that psalm, children are described as “arrows in the hand of a warrior” (v. 4). It speaks to purpose: arrows aren’t meant to be kept close to one’s chest—they’re to be sent on their mission. We need to see this time as temporary and look toward the day they go out on their own. Here are five things I learned to do when my kids came home. 1. Communicate early and often. While an adult child may no longer need to obey her parents in the strictest sense, she’s required to honor them. This means respecting the rules that everyone living in the home must abide by. But to do that, rules need to be clarified, especially since circumstances have changed. Parents would be wise to take the initiative and plan a meeting with their adult child not to command her obedience but to collaborate with her on a healthy transition. 2. Communicate specifics. Will you require your adult child to pay rent? Contribute to utilities? Pay for meals? What chores will he be doing and how often? Can he invite guests over, and when? By what date do you expect him to move out? It might be helpful to agree to meet periodically to review his progress. 3. Help with ‘adulting.’ In many homes, basic life skills such as maintaining a car or creating a budget are never discussed or demonstrated until a college student calls home with a flat tire on I-85 or asks for more money because her debit card was declined. Ideally, these conversations should happen in high school. But late is better than never. Additionally, you might offer to pay for one visit with a financial counselor to help your child create a budget and a long-term financial goal. This will give her the opportunity to obtain sound financial advice apart from you. Remember, the goal is independence. 4. Get on your child’s game plan. Too many parents feel like all they can do is stand beside the pool and deliver a “get moving” sermon to a disinterested adult child. Here’s a better option: make a date with your child to discuss her career goals. Ask her what she sees herself doing in five years. If she says, “Being a project manager at an engineering firm,” the next question is “What are some things you can do now to help you move toward that goal?” It’s important these goals be hers, not yours. 5. Talk about church. Don’t assume your adult child will be going with you to church on Sunday. Ask. Extend the invitation, knowing he’s at a point in his life where he must own the faith you endeavored to teach him. Over his years at college, your child may have come to theological convictions that draw him to a different church than the one where he grew up. He may also struggle with how to reenter a church where he was previously known only as a kid. Communicate your love for your child and your belief that church is the best thing for his soul, but don’t lord over him with commands like this: “As long as you live in this house, you will go to our church!” Don’t assume your adult child will be going with you to church on Sunday. Ask. Thankfully, most adult children are self-motivated enough not to just drift around in a pool. Parents who still feel their adult child “needs some work” would do well to remember they too are a work in progress. We need change as much as our adult children do. Outward change is a good thing, but it’s the inward change of a never-dying soul that matters most. In all our efforts to successfully launch our adult children, we need to remember God alone changes hearts—including ours. When hearts change, behavior is sure to follow.