October 2, 2024 From Bitterness to ForgivenessALEX NSENGIMANA Lee en español "I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing." John 15:5 (ESV) Bitterness can't withstand the transforming power of the Holy Spirit. That's what God revealed after bringing me through the Rwandan genocide. When I was only 6, my grandmother and uncle - who were taking care of me - were both killed by our neighbors when tribal unrest broke out in Rwanda. My whole life was shattered. The little faith I had was gone, and I often wondered why my life was spared in those months of horror. A first glimpse of hope came into my life when I received my Operation Christmas Child shoebox gift. At my orphanage, many children were displaced, so to have my own gift was special. Joy overwhelmed me, as I had toys to play with and a comb I kept for years, but the most profound impact was realizing someone around the world was thinking about me. That planted a seed of hope during a time when I felt lost. A year later, God began revealing the miracles He'd done to save my life. I gave my life to the Lord and started abiding in Him daily, as Jesus instructs in John 15:5: "I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing." The more I abided in God, the more He pruned away my bitterness. Abiding was the only way I could heal from such pain. In my healing process, I prayed that I'd meet those who killed my family. While I wanted to face the people responsible for so much pain in my life, I also prayed God would give me strength to forgive. God diligently weeded out the bitterness in my heart, making room for His fruit of forgiveness. In 2013, on a return trip to Rwanda, God answered my prayer. I visited the man responsible for killing my uncle, and by God's grace, I shared that I forgave him. What started with a shoebox gift led to my salvation, healing and ultimately miraculous forgiveness. I'm not perfect at abiding in God. For a time, I was even angry at God for my pain - but in anger, I was blinded to the miracles God did to save me and glorify His name. I'm challenged to abide in Jesus daily because my healing process is ongoing. We may never forget pain, but we don't have to live bound to bitterness. I pray you take your next step toward forgiveness. Do you need to stop blaming Jesus for past hurts and instead accept Him as your Lord and Savior? Do you need to forgive someone or ask for forgiveness? Or you may live in peace, but you still need to share the gospel with someone. Whatever the case, may you abide in Jesus and allow Him to transform your heart. God, thank You for forgiving our sins against You. Uproot bitterness in our hearts, and bear forgiveness in us as a fruit of Your Spirit. As You walk us through healing, help us abide in You. In Jesus' Name, Amen. OUR FAVORITE THINGS Receiving an Operation Christmas Child shoebox gift was a defining moment in Alex Nsengimana's life. Since receiving his shoebox gift, Alex was adopted into a Christian family in Minnesota. Today, Alex travels around the country sharing about the impact of Operation Christmas Child and God's transforming message of forgiveness. When you pack a shoebox through Operation Christmas Child, you share God's love with children around the world. Learn how to pack here, and help Proverbs 31 Ministries reach our goal of packing 500 online shoebox gifts! ENGAGE Keep up with Operation Christmas Child on Facebook, Instagram and X/Twitter! FOR DEEPER STUDY John 15:6-9, "If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love" (ESV). Who is someone in your life God has asked you to forgive? What step do you need to take today toward healing and forgiveness? Share your thoughts with us in the comments! © 2024 by Alex Nsengimana. All rights reserved. Proverbs 31 MinistriesP.O. Box 3189 Matthews, NC 28106 www.Proverbs31.org The post From Bitterness to Forgiveness – Encouragement for Today – October 2, 2024 appeared first on GodUpdates.

A Prayer for Healing Physical and Emotional WoundsBy Ashley Moore  Bible Reading"Then he spit on the ground, made mud with the saliva, and spread the mud over the blind man's eyes." – John 9:6, NLT  Listen or Read Below: Does the story of Jesus healing the man born blind fascinate you as much as it does me? Or how about the paralyzed man whose friends lowered him down through the roof? In the former, Jesus spit in the mud, placed it on the man's eyes, and told him to rinse off in a water source nearby. In the other story I mentioned, Jesus forgave the man's sins and healed him so he could walk again. These stories represent only a fraction of the many places in the Bible that show God's power to heal our physical and emotional wounds.  What wounds do you need healing from? Maybe you endured some sort of tragedy and find yourself dependent on others in ways you haven't experienced before. Or perhaps you have soul wounds from a childhood with complex family dynamics. Do you suffer from a chronic condition with no end in sight? These may not be your exact situation, but you likely resonate with the helpless feelings accompanying the need for healing, whether it’s a physical ailment or a less noticeable (to outsiders) emotional wound.  The stories from the Bible remind me that healing requires humility. For the man born blind, he had to allow Jesus to wipe saliva on his face and follow his directions to wash afterward. Think about that for a second. Imagine what you would do if a man and his friends walked up to you, and one of them spit and rubbed it on your face. I would be disgusted, but because this man desperately wanted to heal and see, he humbly did what Jesus instructed. Or put yourself in the place of the paraplegic man when his friends came to take him to Jesus. I can hear myself now, "Oh, it's too much trouble. It's fine, just sit me down. Don't bother carrying me up on the roof. Putting a hole in the roof is going to cause a scene. Let's just come back later." Pride can cause us to resist the very things we need to do to heal.  Maybe we need to get on our knees and ask God to help us for the first time. We have discussed our problem a lot and worried over the details, but we've felt too afraid to ask God for help. We've powered through trying not to burden others, but I wonder if it's time we need to allow a friend to help us get our groceries while we recover from surgery or a sickness. Or perhaps we know we need to get checked out by a professional. It may be time to make that much-needed appointment with a counselor or a doctor that we keep putting on the back burner. God's Word demonstrates that He can heal all our wounds and reminds us He uses various measures to do so. Will we humbly welcome the physical or emotional healing we desperately desire? Let's Pray: Lord, we thank you for the powerful display of healing we witness in your Word. We marvel at the promise of a forever future without sickness or sadness. Jesus, thank you for ultimate healing for all eternity. Lord, we also thank you for the grace of healing available to us in this life. Lord, will you help us to know when your will includes healing and when we must longsuffer through the thorns in our sides? Jesus, help us accept both outcomes with humility. Comfort us with your Holy Spirit and help us experience joy when you don't provide the desired healing. Lord, direct us to you in willingness and humility when your plan includes healing for us. Would you give us an open mind for the unexpected ways and everyday graces you provide in this life as a means for healing. Sometimes, you may ask us to do something uncomfortable, but remind us that humility comes before healing. Let our desperation be stronger than our hesitations.We love you and pray all this in your powerful name, Jesus, amen. Photo credit: ©GettyImages/fcscafeine Ashley Moore is a writer and host of be the twopodcast. She is known for her relatability and for passionately writing and speaking about mental, emotional, and relational health from a biblical worldview. She has written for Kingdom Edge Magazine, Guideposts, Crosswalk, The Secret Place, enLIVEn, The Bubbling Brook and more. If Ashley isn’t writing, you can find her with her husband, three children, and two floppy-eared Goldens on their south Georgia farmland. The best way to connect with Ashley is to grab a free devotional or Bible study and join her newsletter at free.ashleynicolemoore.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! The post A Prayer for Healing Physical and Emotional Wounds – Your Daily Prayer – October 2 appeared first on GodUpdates.

A Prayer for Healing Physical and Emotional WoundsBy Ashley Moore  Bible Reading"Then he spit on the ground, made mud with the saliva, and spread the mud over the blind man's eyes." – John 9:6, NLT  Listen or Read Below: Does the story of Jesus healing the man born blind fascinate you as much as it does me? Or how about the paralyzed man whose friends lowered him down through the roof? In the former, Jesus spit in the mud, placed it on the man's eyes, and told him to rinse off in a water source nearby. In the other story I mentioned, Jesus forgave the man's sins and healed him so he could walk again. These stories represent only a fraction of the many places in the Bible that show God's power to heal our physical and emotional wounds.  What wounds do you need healing from? Maybe you endured some sort of tragedy and find yourself dependent on others in ways you haven't experienced before. Or perhaps you have soul wounds from a childhood with complex family dynamics. Do you suffer from a chronic condition with no end in sight? These may not be your exact situation, but you likely resonate with the helpless feelings accompanying the need for healing, whether it’s a physical ailment or a less noticeable (to outsiders) emotional wound.  The stories from the Bible remind me that healing requires humility. For the man born blind, he had to allow Jesus to wipe saliva on his face and follow his directions to wash afterward. Think about that for a second. Imagine what you would do if a man and his friends walked up to you, and one of them spit and rubbed it on your face. I would be disgusted, but because this man desperately wanted to heal and see, he humbly did what Jesus instructed. Or put yourself in the place of the paraplegic man when his friends came to take him to Jesus. I can hear myself now, "Oh, it's too much trouble. It's fine, just sit me down. Don't bother carrying me up on the roof. Putting a hole in the roof is going to cause a scene. Let's just come back later." Pride can cause us to resist the very things we need to do to heal.  Maybe we need to get on our knees and ask God to help us for the first time. We have discussed our problem a lot and worried over the details, but we've felt too afraid to ask God for help. We've powered through trying not to burden others, but I wonder if it's time we need to allow a friend to help us get our groceries while we recover from surgery or a sickness. Or perhaps we know we need to get checked out by a professional. It may be time to make that much-needed appointment with a counselor or a doctor that we keep putting on the back burner. God's Word demonstrates that He can heal all our wounds and reminds us He uses various measures to do so. Will we humbly welcome the physical or emotional healing we desperately desire? Let's Pray: Lord, we thank you for the powerful display of healing we witness in your Word. We marvel at the promise of a forever future without sickness or sadness. Jesus, thank you for ultimate healing for all eternity. Lord, we also thank you for the grace of healing available to us in this life. Lord, will you help us to know when your will includes healing and when we must longsuffer through the thorns in our sides? Jesus, help us accept both outcomes with humility. Comfort us with your Holy Spirit and help us experience joy when you don't provide the desired healing. Lord, direct us to you in willingness and humility when your plan includes healing for us. Would you give us an open mind for the unexpected ways and everyday graces you provide in this life as a means for healing. Sometimes, you may ask us to do something uncomfortable, but remind us that humility comes before healing. Let our desperation be stronger than our hesitations.We love you and pray all this in your powerful name, Jesus, amen. Photo credit: ©GettyImages/fcscafeine Ashley Moore is a writer and host of be the twopodcast. She is known for her relatability and for passionately writing and speaking about mental, emotional, and relational health from a biblical worldview. She has written for Kingdom Edge Magazine, Guideposts, Crosswalk, The Secret Place, enLIVEn, The Bubbling Brook and more. If Ashley isn’t writing, you can find her with her husband, three children, and two floppy-eared Goldens on their south Georgia farmland. The best way to connect with Ashley is to grab a free devotional or Bible study and join her newsletter at free.ashleynicolemoore.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! The post A Prayer for Healing Physical and Emotional Wounds – Your Daily Prayer – October 2 appeared first on GodUpdates.

October 2, 2024 From Bitterness to ForgivenessALEX NSENGIMANA Lee en español "I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing." John 15:5 (ESV) Bitterness can't withstand the transforming power of the Holy Spirit. That's what God revealed after bringing me through the Rwandan genocide. When I was only 6, my grandmother and uncle - who were taking care of me - were both killed by our neighbors when tribal unrest broke out in Rwanda. My whole life was shattered. The little faith I had was gone, and I often wondered why my life was spared in those months of horror. A first glimpse of hope came into my life when I received my Operation Christmas Child shoebox gift. At my orphanage, many children were displaced, so to have my own gift was special. Joy overwhelmed me, as I had toys to play with and a comb I kept for years, but the most profound impact was realizing someone around the world was thinking about me. That planted a seed of hope during a time when I felt lost. A year later, God began revealing the miracles He'd done to save my life. I gave my life to the Lord and started abiding in Him daily, as Jesus instructs in John 15:5: "I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing." The more I abided in God, the more He pruned away my bitterness. Abiding was the only way I could heal from such pain. In my healing process, I prayed that I'd meet those who killed my family. While I wanted to face the people responsible for so much pain in my life, I also prayed God would give me strength to forgive. God diligently weeded out the bitterness in my heart, making room for His fruit of forgiveness. In 2013, on a return trip to Rwanda, God answered my prayer. I visited the man responsible for killing my uncle, and by God's grace, I shared that I forgave him. What started with a shoebox gift led to my salvation, healing and ultimately miraculous forgiveness. I'm not perfect at abiding in God. For a time, I was even angry at God for my pain - but in anger, I was blinded to the miracles God did to save me and glorify His name. I'm challenged to abide in Jesus daily because my healing process is ongoing. We may never forget pain, but we don't have to live bound to bitterness. I pray you take your next step toward forgiveness. Do you need to stop blaming Jesus for past hurts and instead accept Him as your Lord and Savior? Do you need to forgive someone or ask for forgiveness? Or you may live in peace, but you still need to share the gospel with someone. Whatever the case, may you abide in Jesus and allow Him to transform your heart. God, thank You for forgiving our sins against You. Uproot bitterness in our hearts, and bear forgiveness in us as a fruit of Your Spirit. As You walk us through healing, help us abide in You. In Jesus' Name, Amen. OUR FAVORITE THINGS Receiving an Operation Christmas Child shoebox gift was a defining moment in Alex Nsengimana's life. Since receiving his shoebox gift, Alex was adopted into a Christian family in Minnesota. Today, Alex travels around the country sharing about the impact of Operation Christmas Child and God's transforming message of forgiveness. When you pack a shoebox through Operation Christmas Child, you share God's love with children around the world. Learn how to pack here, and help Proverbs 31 Ministries reach our goal of packing 500 online shoebox gifts! ENGAGE Keep up with Operation Christmas Child on Facebook, Instagram and X/Twitter! FOR DEEPER STUDY John 15:6-9, "If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love" (ESV). Who is someone in your life God has asked you to forgive? What step do you need to take today toward healing and forgiveness? Share your thoughts with us in the comments! © 2024 by Alex Nsengimana. All rights reserved. Proverbs 31 MinistriesP.O. Box 3189 Matthews, NC 28106 www.Proverbs31.org The post From Bitterness to Forgiveness – Encouragement for Today – October 2, 2024 appeared first on GodUpdates.

While speaking at the ‘Rescue the Republic’ event in Washington D.C. on Sunday, Dr. Robert Malone issued a warning from his recent trip to Japan. “I just came back from Tokyo where they had a 30,000 person rally because they’re about to deploy self-replicating RNA vaccines. Japan is being used as the guinea pigs for the world for this new technology. The Japanese people are calling this the third atomic bomb,” Malone said. “This is being deployed in a cooperative agreement between a US company, Arcturus, a Canadian company, I’m sorry, an Australian company called CSL and a Japanese company,” he continued. “Now the CEO of the Japanese company recently gave a press conference. What did he say? He said anybody that is spreading misinformation, we’re going to go after him legally, we’re going to try to have them jailed. If you say anything against their self-replicating RNA vaccine technology that’s never been rigorously tested, we don’t know if it’s going to infect other people. We don’t know if it’s going to spread. We know it’s going to replicate. We don’t know if it’s going to get into the brain of the elders in Japan,” Malone explained. “But we do know that if we say anything about these concerns, the CEO is going to come after us and try to put us in jail. That’s the new world order. That’s what we’re coming into. That’s what they want to implement on us,” he continued. “They want to shut us down. They want to prevent us from speaking. They want to completely control the narrative and they want to be able to deploy psychological warfare on all of you to control you, to train you, to respond to the fear narratives about avian influenza and monkeypox and whatever it is they want to deploy next in order to control you, in order to teach you to shut up, sit down, stay in your homes, and do what you’re told. Now I’m not okay with that, I don’t think you’re okay with that, and I hope that you join all of us in fighting this new tyranny,” he added. WATCH: Dr. Robert Malone: "I just came back from Tokyo where they had a 30,000 person rally because they're about to deploy self-replicating RNA vaccines. Japan is being used as the guinea pigs for the world for this new technology. The Japanese people are calling this the third atomic… pic.twitter.com/l0gXRxa78y — Camus (@newstart_2024) September 30, 2024 “Global biotechnology leader CSL and sa-mRNA pioneer Arcturus Therapeutics today announced that Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLWs) granted approval and authorization for their updated self-amplifying mRNA (sa-mRNA) COVID-19 vaccine, KOSTAIVE®. The updated vaccine is targeted to protect against the JN.1 lineage of Omicron subvariants for adults 18 years of age and older,” CSL announced last month. Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare approved CSL and Arcturus Therapeutics’ self-amplifying mRNA COVID-19 vaccine in November 2023. Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare Approves CSL and Arcturus Therapeutics' ARCT-154, the first Self-Amplifying mRNA vaccine approved for COVID in adults Do NOT take this!! https://t.co/noOLB0JRR8 — Kelly DNP Functional/Integrative Medicine (@kacdnp91) November 29, 2023 “The updated sa-mRNA COVID-19 vaccine is tailored to protect against the JN.1 lineage of Omicron subvariants,” CSL stated. “Meiji Seika Pharma, CSL’s exclusive partner in Japan, will begin vaccine distribution in time for the October COVID-19 vaccination campaign,” it added. We are delighted to receive approval in Japan for our updated sa-mRNA COVID-19 vaccine and remain committed to advancing innovative vaccine technology for viral respiratory diseases. Read more here: https://t.co/jO0YUl5nsG. pic.twitter.com/eSzzL7H0Ri — CSL (@CSL) September 18, 2024 Per CSL: CSL’s exclusive partner in Japan, Meiji Seika Pharma, will begin distributing the updated vaccine in time for the October COVID-19 vaccination campaign, marking the world’s first commercially available sa-mRNA COVID-19 vaccine for adults 18 and older. In May 2024, a Japanese health ministry panel recommended that COVID-19 vaccines be updated to target the JN.1 lineage of Omicron subvariants for the 2024/2025 national immunization program. This aligns with recent recommendations from the World Health Organization. “We are pleased to receive the updated approval from Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, and remain on track to distribute KOSTAIVE® in time for the October COVID-19 vaccination campaign,” said Emmanuelle Lecomte-Brisset, Senior Vice President and Head of Global Regulatory Affairs, CSL. “We look forward to introducing KOSTAIVE® in Japan as a safe, tolerable and more durable option in protecting against COVID-19.” “We believe KOSTAIVE® has the potential to change the paradigm for COVID-19 vaccines in Japan,” said Jonathan Edelman, M.D., Senior Vice President, Vaccines Innovation Unit, CSL. “Today’s approval further demonstrates CSL’s promise to pursue, develop and deliver new innovative treatment options to protect public health.” The approval is based on clinical evidence supporting the safety and effectiveness of CSL and Arcturus Therapeutics’ sa-mRNA COVID-19 vaccine, including published data demonstrating superior immunogenicity to Omicron BA 4/5 compared to a conventional mRNA COVID-19 vaccine booster and follow-up data demonstrating duration of immunity lasting up to one year. “We are pleased that our sa-mRNA technology will be available to vaccinate people in Japan against COVID-19, which remains an ongoing risk to public health around the world,” said Joseph Payne, Chief Executive Officer of Arcturus Therapeutics. “We look forward to continuing to work with CSL and regulators to explore the development of KOSTAIVE® in additional countries.”

Governor Tim Walz seemed to stumble during the vice presidential candidate debate, confusing Israel and Iran.