Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has declared a state of emergency for 35 Florida counties due to Tropical Storm Milton, which meteorologists believe will strengthen into a major hurricane. All counties in the Tampa Bay Area are included in the emergency declaration. Reports indicated that Tropical Storm Milton has formed and could develop into a Category 3 storm or larger before making landfall. “DeSantis issued Executive Order (EO) 24-214, declaring a state of emergency for Brevard, Broward, Charlotte, Citrus, Collier, DeSoto, Flagler, Glades, Hardee, Hendry, Hernando, Highlands, Hillsborough, Indian River, Lake, Lee, Manatee, Marion, Martin, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Okeechobee, Orange, Osceola, Palm Beach, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Putnam, Sarasota, Seminole, St. Johns, St. Lucie, Sumter, and Volusia counties,” FOX 13 Tampa Bay reports. “As Tropical Storm Milton continues to strengthen in the Gulf, I have issued EO 24-214 ahead of potential landfall on Florida’s west coast this week. This EO declares a state of emergency in 35 Florida counties,” DeSantis said Saturday. “As many continue to recover from Hurricane Helene, I have directed @FLSERT and @MyFDOT to coordinate all available personnel and resources to supplement local communities as they expedite debris removal in impacted areas. We will continue staging state assets to prepare for efficient search and rescue, power restoration, and roadway clearing,” he added. As Tropical Storm Milton continues to strengthen in the Gulf, I have issued EO 24-214 ahead of potential landfall on Florida’s west coast this week. This EO declares a state of emergency in 35 Florida counties. As many continue to recover from Hurricane Helene, I have directed… — Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) October 5, 2024 Per FOX 13 Tampa Bay: Tropical Storm Milton is expected to become a dangerous hurricane that could hit the west coast of Florida next week with damaging winds, life-threatening storm surge and torrential rain. Hurricane and Storm Surge watches will likely be required for portions of Florida on Sunday, according to the National Hurricane Center. BREAKING: Gov. Ron DeSantis declares state of emergency in the following counties ahead of forecasted Hurricane Milton pic.twitter.com/EeV3UpZdmL — Florida’s Voice (@FLVoiceNews) October 5, 2024 “The National Hurricane Center now reporting that tropical storm Milton is expected to make landfall in Florida as a major Category 3 hurricane by midday Wednesday. This is a serious situation unfolding and still developing,” Rawsalerts wrote. #BREAKING: The National Hurricane Center now reporting that tropical storm Milton is expected to make landfall in Florida as a major Category 3 hurricane by midday Wednesday. This is a serious situation unfolding and still developing pic.twitter.com/U79MpGtIRB — R A W S A L E R T S (@rawsalerts) October 5, 2024 USA TODAY reports: Tropical Storm Milton formed in the Gulf of Mexico on Saturday as forecasters expect the storm to quickly strengthen into a major hurricane over the next few days. Milton is expected to rapidly intensify over the next 36 hours and could be a major Category 3 hurricane when it reaches the west coast of the Florida peninsula mid-week, bringing the risk of life-threatening impacts to portions of the state’s west coast, the National Hurricane Center said. Areas at the greatest risk are communities still reeling from last month’s Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Ian in 2022. FLORIDA: STORM ALERT:#BREAKING New storm named Milton to hit Florida this week The new storm is forecast to strengthen to Hurricane Milton before taking aim on Florida this week. The storm, currently a tropical depression churning in the Gulf of Mexico, will become Tropical… pic.twitter.com/xkMrs76RFo — WayneTech SPFX® (@WayneTechSPFX) October 5, 2024 Here’s the latest path of Tropical Storm Milton, which is forecast to strengthen into a hurricane before making landfall in Florida by midweek. Get prepared with The Weather Channel TV app: https://t.co/EAfvm950sr pic.twitter.com/VDTWopz9G3 — The Weather Channel (@weatherchannel) October 5, 2024

Receiving forgiveness for ourselves softens the hardness of our hearts that unforgiveness creates within us. It’s the key to cultivating it for those around us.

For the past three years—with deep and often painful longings—I’ve pleaded with God to grant one particular request. My request seems consistent with God’s revealed will. I’ve fasted, practiced solitude, repented regularly, recruited prayer warriors, and approached God with genuine faith, humility (as far as I can tell), and no shortage of tears. He’s provided one consistent answer: “No.” In God’s kindness, he has used my countless hours in prayer to reveal himself to me and increase my love for him. But I can’t help but ask, “Why, God? Why would you say no to a good thing?” 5 Answers to Why God Says No Many have felt a similar tension. We understand why God would reject requests contrary to his revealed will (e.g., for provisions to rob a bank successfully) or purely materialistic requests (e.g., to win the lottery). But why would God say no to something good—seemingly consistent with his desires? Why would God say no to prayers for a loved one’s salvation, sanctification, or healing? For a stable job? For reconciliation in a broken relationship? For a godly spouse? Below are five responses I’ve found useful in my season of waiting. 1. I don’t know. Isaiah 55:8–9 says, “My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” This passage has been vital in my waiting. In response to our why questions, God’s words aren’t a cosmic trump card (“Because I said so!”) but rather an invitation to trust him and remember it’s OK (and normal) for us not to know the reasons for everything God allows. God’s words free us to be human. Much pain and fatigue come from perpetually clawing to know the unknowable or solve the unsolvable. God wants to liberate us from these tireless endeavors and remind us our hope depends not on our ability to understand but on his love and trustworthiness. The fact that you don’t know why God allowed a particular hardship doesn’t mean you’re doing something wrong. It means you’re not God. 2. God never does nothing in response to prayer. John Piper helped me see this precious truth, using Genesis 17 as an example. When Abraham asked God to make Ishmael the son of promise, God explicitly said no—Isaac would have this honor (v. 19). But then God adds, “As for Ishmael, I have heard you; behold, I have blessed him and will make him fruitful and multiply him greatly” (v. 20, emphasis added). God said “no” to Abraham’s particular request but blessed his prayer nonetheless. In God’s economy, no prayer is unproductive, no tear forgotten (Pss. 56:8; 126:5). Even when God says no to specific requests, we can rest knowing he’ll use every prayer to bring blessing. 3. God will transform you through your prayers, regardless of how he answers your requests. Prayer—like reading God’s Word—is similar to eating a healthy meal. Sometimes you’ll feel an immediate sense of refreshment after you eat; sometimes you won’t. Sometimes the meal will be pleasurable; sometimes it won’t. Sometimes you’ll remember the meal; sometimes you won’t. Yet every healthy meal nourishes and strengthens your body, regardless of whether or not you immediately perceive its benefit. So, too, every prayer nourishes and strengthens our souls—building our spiritual muscles and pleasing Christ—regardless of how we feel while praying or whether God says yes to our request. Often, the greatest spiritual growth happens when we feel weakest and God perpetually says no (see 2 Cor. 12:7–10). We should never measure the effectiveness of our prayers purely on how we feel while praying or what we see after praying. 4. You have a Savior walking with you who knows the sting of ‘no.’ Jesus is supremely familiar with “no.” He’s had loved ones die (Matt. 14:10–13; John 11), reject the gospel (Mark 10:21–22), and betray and abandon him when he needed them most (14:50). He’s wept over suffering (John 11:33–37) and countless people rejecting him and his salvation (Isa. 53:3; Luke 19:41–44). He’s felt the sting of God allowing many things contrary to his heart’s longings (Isa. 53:3). Jesus faced the biggest “no” a human has ever faced in the garden of Gethsemane. While anticipating the unfathomable agony of his imminent crucifixion and atonement, Jesus prayed, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will” (Matt. 26:39). In full submission to the Father, Jesus expressed his natural human longing to avoid profound suffering if another way was available. God, in one sense, said no. Jesus’s submission made our salvation possible and led to a greater glory than anyone has ever seen (Phil. 2:5–11). When God says no, it’ll always lead to greater eternal joy than if he said yes. When our faith feels weak—and it feels like God’s “no” is a sign of his inactivity or indifference—we must look back to the cross. Because Jesus lovingly and victoriously walked into the greatest “no” for us, we can face every “no” in our lives with hope. 5. God will ultimately give the perfect ‘yes’ to every request of his children. Among Jesus’s hardest teachings to understand are sentiments like John 15:7: “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.” Many other verses indicate we’ll receive whatever we ask for in prayer (e.g., Matt. 21:22; Mark 11:24; John 14:13–14; 15:16; 1 John 5:14–15). When our faith feels weak—and it feels like God’s ‘no’ is a sign of his inactivity or indifference—we must look back to the cross. How are we to understand these verses when we feel like God isn’t granting our requests? I believe part of Jesus’s promise is that God will ultimately grant every one of his children’s requests with a perfect “yes”—either in this life or in the new heavens and new earth. The writer of Hebrews notes many believers died without the “yes” they longed for, but they didn’t despair because they knew their “yes” was still to come (Heb. 11:13–16). Our prayer requests won’t die when we die; they’ll continue to find their “Yes” and “Amen” in Christ throughout eternity (cf. Ps. 16:11; 2 Cor. 1:20). God remembers every prayer you’ve ever prayed, and he’ll answer each in his timing. Ultimately, God only says yes to his children. If he doesn’t answer in the way you imagined, rejoice knowing he’ll answer yes in a way better than you imagined. So, dear friend, let’s keep praying—knowing that whatever we ask, our Father will give us.

from vivafrei: TRUTH LIVES on at https://sgtreport.tv/

President Trump is wheels down in Pennsylvania, where he embraces the Comperatore family upon departure to Butler. ??❤️??? pic.twitter.com/tlePfAgjkl — Dan Scavino Jr.??? (@DanScavino) October 5, 2024

Yes they can control the weather. Here is Obama’s CIA Director John Brennan talking about it. Anyone who says they don’t, or makes fun of this, is lying to you. By the way, the people know it and hate all of you who try to cover it up. pic.twitter.com/V0l0yts3dw — Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene?? (@RepMTG) […]

This morning, we woke up to find all our YouTube channels shut down at the same time. Coordinated censorship? Looks like it. We weren’t exactly shocked, but it's both amusing and annoying. For links to all the video platforms, head to https://t.co/cPbXpi6I1s pic.twitter.com/8x7sfBGFrQ — UK Column Extracts (@UKCExtracts) October 4, 2024

from State Of The Nation: SOTN Editor’s Note: While the following exposé reveals an ongoing act of profound betrayal of the U.S. citizenry, it gets worse—MUCH WORSE! It’s of paramount importance to note the obvious here: That the Biden administration was fully aware that the 2024 hurricane season was predicted to be as intense as any in […]