Stephen A. Smith has taken aim at former ESPN analyst Keith Olbermann as he goes on the attack after his controversial take on the horrifying Minnesota ICE killings this week.

Current ESPN star Smith released a follow-up video on Friday to his Wednesday take where he said the ICE officer that shot Renee Good three times in the head was 'completely justified' in his actions from a legal standpoint.

On Friday, Smith underlined his stance on the humanitarian aspect of Good, a 37-year-old mother of three, losing her life in an incident that has polarized the United States.

But OIbermann went after Smith following his midweek video, calling on his former employer to fire Smith.

'BTW speaking for a lot of people who actually built the place - it's time for ESPN to fire Stephen A. Smith,' Olbermann wrote. 'He is now damaging the brand in a way his on-air cartoon character could never approach.'

Smith did not let that comment pass on Friday after he had clarified his position on Good's death.

Continued below.

I can't imagine it is allowed. If not, how do you report it?

Adam Johnson, whose grinning photo carrying then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s (D-CA) lectern through the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021 became a viral image from the riot, has filed to run for county commission in Florida — and he’s using that infamous photo as a campaign logo.

According to a report by The Washington Post, Johnson was “apologetic” during the sentencing process and “acknowledged the riot ‘was violent.'”

“There were things there that happened that should never have happened,” he told the judge. “I’m ashamed to have been a part of it.”

“Removing the lectern from the place it was taken from was a very stupid idea,” he added. “Foolish, and something I shouldn’t have done, and I did make a mockery of a very intense and not great day.”

As reported by the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, Johnson announced he was running for the at-large county seat on Jan. 6, the anniversary of the riot.

The seat is currently held by incumbent Jason Bearden, a Republican, who easily won the primary in 2022 with 61.5% of the votes. Bearden is running for re-election.

The post revealed that Weir passed away peacefully, surrounded by family and friends, after battling cancerand ultimately succumbing to underlying lung issues.

'It is with profound sadness that we share the passing of Bobby Weir. He transitioned peacefully, surrounded by loved ones, after courageously beating cancer as only Bobby could. Unfortunately, he succumbed to underlying lung issues,' the message read.

'Bobby will forever be a guiding force whose unique artistry reshaped American music,' the statement added. 'His work did more than fill rooms with music; it was warm sunlight that filled the soul, building a community, a language, and a feeling of family that generations of fans carry with them.

'Every chord he played, every word he sang was an integral part of the stories he wove. There was an invitation: to feel, to question, to wander, and to belong.'

Weir had been diagnosed with cancer last summer, shortly before headlining a series of shows at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco.

Continued below.

10 January 2026 – Ukraine​

Ask God to comfort those grieving the loss of loved ones and to bring healing to the physical and emotional wounds of war. Pray for our partner’s annual trauma retreats in Poland which provide some respite to front-line church workers facing these burdens continually.

9 January 2026 – Ukraine​

Drone, bomb and missile attacks have intensified recently leading to ever more houses being destroyed, as well as schools, churches, clinics etc. As another cold winter bites pray for all those who’ve lost their homes. Pray for those churches providing shelter and comfort to those who’ve lost so much.

8 January 2026 – Ukraine​

As Ukraine concludes its 4th year under full scale Russian invasion, continue to pray for a just and peaceful settlement to this conflict and for wisdom and courage for all leaders involved in negotiations.

7 January 2026 – Sri Lanka​

Ask the Lord to give Christians in Sri Lanka wisdom and courage to know how to respond to the persecution, opposition and restrictions they face.

6 January 2026 – Sri Lanka​

Pray for brothers and sisters in Sri Lanka, like brother “Roshin” who was attacked and threatened to be killed when he was sharing the gospel at a rally.

5 January 2026 – Sri Lanka​

Pastor Anojan planted a church in a majority Hindu area and has faced many challenges. Their building was looted and damaged, church equipment was stolen and they were threatened. Despite this, Pastor Anojan remains committed and determined to see the church grow and be strengthened.

4 January 2026 – Sri Lanka​

In the North of Sri Lanka there has been a rise in the activity and influence of Hindu extremist groups, working together with local authorities to oppose and restrict Christians.

Prayer alerts: info@releaseinternational.org

Quite a few years ago now my wife bought 3 CDs called “Through a Dog’s Ear “. They became my favorites.
The producer is Joshua Leeds
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I mean they calm me down and change my mind.

Christians generally believe that they do, namely the soul and spirit. But what do you believe?

I believe that there is another self that observes the errors of my fallen brain and rebukes said brain for making them, groaning when I have to go back to the silverware drawer on the other side of the room because I forgot my fork again. (At this rate I am going to have an entirely different kitchen when I design my house, or just a cart that I can put all of my food bottles and utensils on so I do not have to endlessly crisscross the kitchen floor every time I eat. It is so annoying.) It’s not just my traumatized brain that lives in my skull, it’s another self also lives inside that gets mad at the traumatized brain for being traumatized. “You should not be traumatized! You should remember the fork!”

I suppose if you thought we were more interwoven with our bodies you would think that there is an undamaged part of my brain that observes the damaged part of my brain that cannot remember forks. However, the more I heal from trauma and the more I understand it the more I view my soul and spirit as being drivers with my body and brain as a vehicle they are piloting and moving around. What do you think?

A couple of days ago in Minneapolis, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents were conducting a lawful immigration operation when Renee Nicole Macklin Good allegedly weaponized her vehicle in an attempt to run over federal agents. An ICE agent fatally shot Good in what the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) described as self-defense. The investigation is ongoing, and body camera footage has yet to be released (at the time of this writing).

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey immediately blamed federal agents for the shooting, telling ICE, in an expletive, to “get out of Minneapolis” and accusing them of sowing chaos. This despite the fact that ICE agents were performing their constitutional duty to enforce immigration laws — the same laws that apply in every state, including Minnesota.

The Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association condemned the “irresponsible” and “reckless rhetoric from political leaders attacking law enforcement,” stating it “has real and dangerous consequences for officers on the street” and “fuels hostility.” DHS reports a 1,300% increase in assaults and an 8,000% increase in death threats against ICE agents — directly linked to the demonization by sanctuary politicians in deep-blue cities and states.

Continued below.

Hi, I’m an old-timer who hasn’t been around in a bit.

I still hold to all the same perspectives I did previously.

There used to be a member here whose username started with “K” but I can’t remember what the full profile name was. I’d love to get back in touch with him, if anyone recalls who it is I’m talking about. “Kitan”, “Kaleo” … can’t remember doggone it!

I hesitate to say more because I don’t remember what he had said publicly vs what he may have shared privately.

He was often in the same conversations as “Teke” and I…

10 January 2026 – Ukraine​

Ask God to comfort those grieving the loss of loved ones and to bring healing to the physical and emotional wounds of war. Pray for our partner’s annual trauma retreats in Poland which provide some respite to front-line church workers facing these burdens continually.

9 January 2026 – Ukraine​

Drone, bomb and missile attacks have intensified recently leading to ever more houses being destroyed, as well as schools, churches, clinics etc. As another cold winter bites pray for all those who’ve lost their homes. Pray for those churches providing shelter and comfort to those who’ve lost so much.

rayers Sri Lanka

8 January 2026 – Ukraine​

As Ukraine concludes its 4th year under full scale Russian invasion, continue to pray for a just and peaceful settlement to this conflict and for wisdom and courage for all.

7 January 2026 – Sri Lanka

Ask the Lord to give Christians in Sri Lanka wisdom and courage to know how to respond to the persecution, opposition and restrictions they face.

6 January 2026 – Sri Lanka​

Pray for brothers and sisters in Sri Lanka, like brother “Roshin” who was attacked and threatened to be killed when he was sharing the gospel at a rally.

5 January 2026 – Sri Lanka​

Pastor Anojan planted a church in a majority Hindu area and has faced many challenges. Their building was looted and damaged, church equipment was stolen and they were threatened. Despite this, Pastor Anojan remains committed and determined to see the church grow and be strengthened.

4 January 2026 – Sri Lanka​

In the North of Sri Lanka there has been a rise in the activity and influence of Hindu extremist groups, working together with local authorities to oppose and restrict Christians.

Iran is facing its most widespread unrest in over a decade, as U.S. President Donald Trump said the country was “in big trouble” and accused its leaders of losing control of key cities. Trump also reiterated his warning that if protesters were killed, the U.S. would respond with force.

Trump’s warnings followed days of mass demonstrations sparked by inflation and economic collapse, with videos showing government buildings set on fire and crowds chanting anti-regime slogans, according to The Telegraph, which reported that the protests have extended to major cities including Tehran, Mashhad, Tabriz and Qom.

Iranian authorities have enforced a nationwide internet shutdown and reportedly killed at least 51 protesters, including nine children, as part of a crackdown on dissent, France 24reported.

Activists and NGOs say hundreds more have been injured and detained.

Continued below.

To be more precise : Why is a same word used for something that commonly points to deep emotion at men's and on the other hand, that looks stemming from the deeply determined will (without emotion ?) at God's ?
1. Could the word "Passion" point to a divine reciprocating of the word : "worship", since a worship is a human practice, and as for God the Son, it is relevant to use another word ?
2. Could it point as well to Passover in second meaning, a kind of passage from slavery (Egypt, sin, the inside of maternal womb, etc..) to utter freedom (Desert, weaning of sin, weaning of maternal, cutting of the umbilical cord, etc..)
3. something else

Once again please pray for my son Jakeb. He has been feeling exhausted for apparently no reason so we need to get him back to the doctor. Please pray that if it is God's will he heals my son mind and body and makes him better. Please ask Jesus to touch him and heal him and to please let me see him laugh or be happy. Thank you again. I ask in the name of Jesus. God bless you.

What does persecution look like in Vietnam?​

In Vietnam's more remote areas, villagers follow traditional ethnic-animist religions, and persecution towards anybody who becomes a Christian from this background is fierce. Believers can have their homes destroyed and be expelled from the community.

Local authorities crack down on Christian meetings, evangelism or Bible teaching. They may break up church services and detain, threaten, fine and sometimes imprison church leaders, ordering them not to speak about Jesus anymore. They are particularly suspicious of Christians from minority ethnic groups such as the Hmong. Despite this, Hmong Bible teachers bravely travel miles by motorbike into remote areas to train believers in secret Bible schools.

The historical Roman Catholic churches enjoy more freedom than other denominations and groups but can still face interference by the state. Like all Vietnamese people, these Christians are still likely to be imprisoned if they speak out on political issues.

Who is most vulnerable to persecution?​

People who become Christians from Buddhist or traditional religious backgrounds face the greatest persecution from their own communities, and also from local authorities who are already suspicious of these minority people groups.

Meet 'Vahn'​

The villagers and the local authorities came and beat us... one of the officials tasered me. But because God loves me, then I will love others. I do not hate the ones who persecute me; I pray for them, and I love them so.
VAHN, A CHURCH PASTOR IN VIETNAM.

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What has changed this year?​

Vietnam fell by nine places on this year's World Watch List compared to last year. The government has sought to strengthen its diplomatic relations with the Vatican, which is best evidenced by the appointment of the first resident papal representative in December 2023. However, the Catholic Church is still monitored and suffers various forms of oppression.

Most alarming is the increased oppression of unregistered churches in Vietnam. There's a concern that the government wants to control the church and is pushing for smaller churches to join recognised denominations that are more cooperative with the government.

Additional concerns raised by churches and religious organisations include increased reporting and registration requirements, tighter control on foreign-linked activities, restrictions on religious gatherings, expanded government oversight on training and education, and the potential for broader surveillance.

What does Open Doors do to help Christians in Vietnam?​

Open Doors works through local partners to strengthen persecuted believers in Vietnam by providing relief and practical aid, advocacy support, Christian resources, leadership and discipleship training, and socio-economic development projects.

How can you pray for Vietnam?​

• Ask God to comfort Vietnamese Christians who are oppressed, abused and attacked because of their faith.
• Pray for blessing on the work of Open Doors partners as they help with Bible distribution, leadership training and more
• Pray that the believers who gather in unregistered churches will be able to follow Jesus without impediment.

For those without mustaches, this is the thread for us.

There are five words that show up in Scripture that pertain to the atonement Jesus made for sinners. In my earliest years of my walk in Christ, I attended many churches because I traveled a lot. And I found a disturbing thing that judging from interaction with Christians on forums and in person, that it is still prevalent. And that is a lack of in-depth teaching on these five words. The result is that even though the words are familiar, a true understanding of them is absent and therefore not applied to what Christ was actually accomplishing on the cross and why, and the full depth and glory of the work of Christ on the cross is not seen.
Too often the view of the cross is simply "Christ died on the cross providing forgiveness of my sins." What he did was simply, die on the cross, but little is known of what he was doing on that cross.

Those five words are:

1. Substitution
2. Ransom
3. Propitiation
4. Imputation
5. Justification

What I Will attempt to do here is examine each of these words in connection with the person and work of Christ on that cross. I will examine each of them in separate posts to shorten the length of each post.

So, this morning I looked at the next passage of Scripture in 1 Peter 1, and this one (above) was next (I began in 1 Peter 1 four days ago). So, I copied the passage of Scripture, and I posted it here. And then the Lord stopped me, and he led me to post an update on my physical condition on Facebook for friends and family members who have been praying for me during this time of nerve pain and chest pain and pressure and difficulty breathing, which all began in severity on September 17, 2025. So, that is what I did:


Okay, so I am now sitting here inquiring of the Lord as to why he had me post my health update here, along with this passage of Scripture, and here I believe he is paralleling the physical with the spiritual, which should become clear in a few minutes, hopefully. And this is what is standing out to me: “knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ.”

So, there is a part of my health report I did not mention (above), and that is that I have a sacralization of my L5 vertebrae. I have had this from birth, and I inherited it from my mother, and it was first discovered when I had serious back pain in 1984 which resulted in back surgery, and a repeated surgery in 1985, for the first surgery did not take. I will try to explain this in terms that everyone can understand. But in our bodies we have a spinal column which has moving parts and non-moving parts. And one of my moving parts is fused (blended with another part) and not free moving.

So, we are all born into sin, which we inherited from Adam, and so we all have defective parts. We are fused with sin and not free moving in the sense that we are spiritually alive and free from our entrapment to sin. And so we are in pain spiritually in that we are trapped in sin and not free in Christ to live holy and godly lives. The world has their solutions to our sin problems, but they are not of God and his plans and purpose for our lives. For Jesus died to free us from that bondage (fusion) to sin and to free us from the pain of sin, to get to the root of it so that we can be free from that sin sickness.

So, if we don’t ever look inside our bodies (our hearts), and do an examination to find out what is causing our sin suffering, then we will continue to be fused to sin and not free from that sin so that we can now serve our Lord in obedience to his commands in holy living. We have to have those spiritual X-rays (exams) to determine the cause of our fusion to sin, and then we have to be willing to follow our Lord’s solution to freeing us from bondage to sin so we will be free to serve him with our lives, no longer suffering in sin, but rejoicing in victory over sin. And his solution is we must die to sin and now obey him in practice – all in the power of God, by faith.

[Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Luke 9:23-26; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Romans 1:18-32; Romans 2:5-10; Romans 3:23; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; Romans 12:1-2; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10,19-20; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; 2 Corinthians 5:10,15,21; Galatians 5:16-24; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 4:1-13; Hebrews 10:19-39; Hebrews 12:1-2; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 1:1-10; 1 John 2:3-6; 1 John 3:4-10; Revelation 2:1-29; Revelation 3:1-22]

And for me, to be free of my physical pain, we had to first of all identify the source, and then we can begin working on what to do to relieve me of that nerve and chest pain and breathing difficulties. But the process won’t be painless, and it will take work, and I will have to be persistent in doing what needs to be done to free me of this suffering. And the same applies spiritually. We have to examine what is in our hearts and then we need to repent of our sins, putting them behind us, and then we need to be doing the work that God has for us to do to live holy lives which are pleasing to him, but all in his power and wisdom at work within our lives, by his grace.

By Your Grace

An Original Work / June 27, 2011
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

Speak Your words to my heart,
Let Your grace and love impart.
Be to me all I need
To love and serve Christ my King;
To love and serve Christ my King.
Change my heart; be like You;
Let me love and serve in truth.
Guide my steps ev’ry day,
As I bow my knees and pray;
As I bow my knees and pray.

Love You, Lord. You love me.
You died so that I’d go free
From my sin; pure within;
By Your grace I’m saved from sin;
By Your grace I’m saved from sin.
Invite You in my heart;
Now I have a brand new start.
Repented of my sin,
So that I’d be cleansed within;
So that I’d be cleansed within.

Live for You ev’ry day,
List’ning to the words you say.
Make You Lord of my heart;
Be Your witness, grace impart;
Be Your witness, grace impart.
Obey Your ev’ry word;
Do the things I’ve seen and heard.
Your word, Lord, in me burns,
While I wait for Your return;
While I wait for Your return.

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An X-Ray of Our Hearts
An Original Work / January 10, 2026
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

"Thanks to the sanctuary policies of Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, this dangerous criminal was free to prowl the streets and victimize Minneapolis residents for years," ICE wrote in a statement.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) said agents previously attempted to arrest Yusuf but were obstructed by the apartment manager at his building. The manager allegedly blocked the agents from entering the building.

ICE has made arrests despite the aggressive protesters.

Too many in the media try to force a long tradition of papal diplomacy into the narrow world of American politics while ignoring the centuries of Catholic teachings on war, peace, and justice.

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New cellphone footage of the shooting death of Renee Nicole Good has surfaced, with Vice President JD Vance arguing that it vindicates the actions of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent who shot her.

Good was shot and killed on Wednesday in Minneapolis by an unnamed ICE agent while she was in her vehicle, positioned sideways, blocking the road ICE agents were traveling on. While federal authorities have argued that the shooting was self-defense, critics contend that the act was unjustified and tantamount to murder.

A 47-second-long video, acquired by Alpha News and posted to X on Friday, shows the incident from the perspective of the ICE agent who fired the shots at Good.

Continued below.

Opening Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father, as we go through this devotional, I pray You will remind us that You are always here with us and You give strength to the wary. When our flesh fails us, You lift us up and give us the strength to carry on and move forward in our walk with You. Thank You Father. In the Mighty Name of Jesus Christ we pray, Amen.

Message

There are seasons in our lives that we pass through that we feel our strength draining from our bodies. Our minds grow weak and we find it hard to move on and carry on in our walk with our God. God reassures us that He will renew our strength. He reminds us that He is close to the brokenhearted. He reminds us that He saves those who are crushed in spirit. He takes us by the hand and walks beside us. Even when we feel that we don’t have an ounce of strength left in our bodies, He is right here by our sides and walking with us, giving us His strength, courage and confidence to carry on. Through His word, He speaks tenderly to the tired, the burden and the emotionally drained. “He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak” is a promise for the faithful who have come to the end of their rope and are downtrodden and weary.

Isaiah 40:29-31 (NKJV) “He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength.30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall, 31 But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles. They shall run and not be weary. They shall walk and not faint.”

Psalm 73:26 (NKJV) “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”

God’s word tells us that we are not to “forsake the gathering of ourselves together”. God stresses the importance that we are to exalt one another and encourage each other. When we are feeling weary and run down, His words speak so very deeply to our hearts. When we gather together and use His words to encourage and comfort each other, we are indeed exalting each other and giving the hope and encouragement that we truly need at that time in our lives Those who uplift others also need to be uplifted themselves. Sometimes, the ones who are hurting the most are the ones who are reaching out to others to uplift others. In doing so they share a very vulnerable part of themselves so that others will be encouraged and blessed by their words. The body of Christ is built on mutual strengthening; each part of the body supporting the other, each heart receiving what it needs in due season.

Hebrews 10:24–25 (NKJV): “24 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, 25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.”

1 Thessalonians 5:11 (NKJV):” 11 Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing.”

Galatians 6:2 (NKJV): “2 Bear one another’s burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ.”

As children of the Most High God, we need to remember that encouragement does not come from human energy, but rather, it comes from divine grace and the inner strength that our Father gives us as a gift. This gift of grace and strength must be passed on to others for the edification, strength and encouragement of our brothers and sisters in Christ who are feeling heavy burdened and downtrodden. Even in the seasons of fatigue and despair, God is working through His people. Sometimes its through their words, sometimes through their quiet endurance and sometimes its simply through their trust and faith in God, and through the strength that God is giving them.

Romans 15:1–2 (NKJV): “15 We then who are strong ought to bear with the scruples of the weak, and not to please ourselves. 2 Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, leading to edification.”

Hebrews 3:13 (NKJV): “13 but exhort one another daily, while it is called “Today,” lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.”

Philippians 2:13 (NKJV “13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.”

All throughout the word of God, He is reminding us of the importance of edifying, uplifting, comforting, exhorting the body of Christ. This kind of renewal does not come from human effort alone, but from His strength and sustaining power. He is the One who restores our strength. He is the one who give us the strength to carry on…to move forward in our walk with Him. He is the one who renews our strength and makes it perfect in our weakness. Even when we feel worn down outwardly, the Spirit is quietly renewing us inwardly day by day. He works behind the scenes, and as we wait and trust on the Lord, He strengthens our hearts and teaches us to rise again. These promises belong to every believer who feels weary: God Himself is the source of our renewal, our endurance, and our hope.

2 Corinthians 12:9 (NKJV) “9 And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”

Psalm 103:1-5: “Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name! 2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: 3 Who forgives all your iniquities, who heals all your diseases, 4 Who redeems your life from destruction,
Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, 5 Who satisfies your mouth with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.”

In every season of weariness, God invites His people to lift their eyes and remember where true strength comes from. The promise of Isaiah 40:31 is not for the powerful, but for the tired. It is for those who wait, trust and for those feel they have nothing left to give. The Lord Himself renews the weary, raises up the fainthearted, and teaches His children to soar again on wings like eagles. He restores what exhaustion has drained and breathes fresh endurance into those who lean on Him. As we wait on the Lord, we discover that our weakness are not the end of our story, but rather, it is the place where His strength begins.

Isaiah 40:31 (NKJV) “But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”

May every weary believer find rest in the God who renews. May every tired heart be reminded that it is held. And may the Body of Christ continue to build one another up, knowing that the God who strengthens us is faithful to complete His work in us.

Matthew 11:28 (NKJV) “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

Psalm 23:3 (NKJV) “He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake.”

Questions to Ponder

1. In what areas of my life am I relying on my own strength instead of waiting on the Lord to renew me?

2. How can I become more intentional about encouraging others, even in seasons when I feel tired or stretched thin?

3. What promise from God’s Word can I hold onto this week that reminds me He is the One who restores, carries, and strengthens His people?

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Closing Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you that we can come to you when we feel week, heavy burdened and downtrodden. Thank You for our brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus Christ and the knowledge that we can also come to them and share our hearts with them for the strengthening, comfort and edification of the body of Christ. Thank you, Father for your grace and that You re-new our strength. In Jesus most wonderful name, Amen.

To the Holy Spirit: Thank You for guiding every word, guarding every step, and glorifying Jesus. All glory, honor, praise, and worship belong to God Almighty, who alone is worthy.

Scripture Acknowledgement: All Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version® (NKJV). Used with permission. All rights reserved.

Special thanks to Bible Gateway for providing accessible, searchable Scripture resources that support devotional writing and spiritual study.

May these words echo grace, healing, and truth wherever they are read.

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https://medium.com/@frommyhearttoyo...-weary-a41f7614e776?postPublishedType=initial

I put this in the Prayer Wall as well but would appreciate it if my friends here prayed as well.

My mother’s stamina and strength waning. Today was very bad. Please pray that she rebounds and start enjoying her life more. I just took her to the eye doctor and the bank today and she was completely fading. Totally exhausted to the point she felt like she was dying. It’s so stressful. Please pray that her health improves and she feels better. It’s just heartbreaking.

Thank you,
Michie

The Main Parts

. We are reminded at the opening that though we may not see the impact of our praying or giving to the persecuted church this side of heaven, one day we rejoice together with those whose faith was strenthened because a believer somewhere cared enough to pray or give.

. We should remember our displaced brothers and sisters in Christ around the world- Christ (God the Son) Himself was born to a family that had to drop everything and flee to Egypt.

. A displaced Christian in the Central African Republic who benefited from Barnabas Aid food parcels says "May God bless you, this shows that our brothers and sisters (in Christ) around the world have not forgotten us"

. Improsined Chinese Pastor Jin sent a letter from prison to encourage believers from Zion church in China but also to believers around the world. Amazingly he writes "Now that I'm experiencing persecution myself, I feel more at peace. I'm truly joyful to be among these brothers and sisters who have paid the price for the Gospel."

Psalm 63 Commentary Special

. Our spiritual wilderness is always a place which God uses to refine us spiritually. The absence of comfort in our spiritual walk should not drive us to resignation but deeper pursuit of God. Though we cannot yet see deliverance, we must remember God has delivered us before!

. To say God's lovingkindess is better than life is to declare that communion with Him outweighs every earthly pleasure- and outlasts every earthly loss we WILL experience. We no longer fear loss because we cherish what cannot be taken from us- God Himself.

. No Christian in their right mind enjoys suffering but this will remind them that all joy and security is not the absence of trouble but the presence of God- lament becomes worship.

. Hear Dr Martin Lloyd Jones- "Adversity is the quickest way to reveal the value of ones faith.

An agent with the U.S. Border Patrol shot two people accused of being members of the Tren de Aragua gang when they allegedly tried to hit him with their car, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security said Friday morning.

In a statement, the agency shared details on the apprehension of Luis David Nico Moncada and Yorlenys Betzabeth Zambrano-Contreras in Portland, Oregon.


Authorities say both Moncada and Zambrano-Contreras were in the U.S. illegally and were suspected members of Tren de Aragua, a major criminal syndicate based in Venezuela.

“Yesterday, two suspected Tren de Aragua gang associates — let loose on American streets by Joe Biden — weaponized their vehicle against Border Patrol in Portland. The agent took immediate action to defend himself and others, shooting them,” stated DHS.

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The public ministry of Jesus didn't create demonic activity, but it did expose it, theologian and New Testament scholar N.T. Wright said during a recent episode of "Ask Me Anything," cautioning Christians against both the denial of spiritual evil and the unhealthy fixation on it.

Responding to a question about whether Jesus’ arrival triggered an apparent surge of demonic activity in the New Testament, the 77-year-old British author said the Gospels portray Jesus’ proclamation of God’s Kingdom as a moment when hidden spiritual forces were suddenly confronted.

“When Jesus comes into Galilee and starts saying, ‘The Kingdom of God is at hand,’ it’s as though suddenly all the furniture starts flying around the room,” Wright said, pointing to Gospel accounts of public confrontations and exorcisms. “The dark powers realize, if He does everything that He looks as if He’s going to do, then we’re in deep trouble.”

Wright, one of the world’s leading biblical scholars and a former Anglican bishop, said demonic forces were not absent before Jesus’ birth, nor were they unknown in first century Judaism. Rather, Jesus’ arrival forced those powers into the open.

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