Pastor Rick Warren: Love Can Change the Unchangeable

January 30, 2019 By Leave a Comment

By Rick Warren

“Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other” (Romans 12:9-10 NLT).

If you want lasting change in your life, you must fill your life with love.

Love is the only thing that can change the unchangeable. Love invigorates. Love revitalizes. Love renews. Love refreshes. Love is the most powerful force in the universe, because God is love. The Bible doesn’t say God has love; it says he is love. Love heals what cannot otherwise be healed. Love uplifts. Love strengthens. Love energizes. Love empowers.
“Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other” (Romans 12:9-10 NLT).
“Take delight in honoring each other”—I love that! You know what that means? It means when people in your small group have a win in health, finances, or any goal they’ve set, you need to celebrate with them. Celebrate their wins. You lost two more pounds? Congratulations! You got a little bit out of debt? Fantastic! You had a breakthrough in your marriage? Terrific! The Bible says to take delight in honoring each other and to show genuine affection.
Here’s the amazing thing: God has wired the universe so that when you help other people, God takes care of your problems. God is looking at you not to say, “Are you helping yourself?” but “Are you helping others?” Do you want help with your goals? Start helping other people with their goals. Show love. Give yourself away. There is healing in giving back.
The Bible tells us the story of Job, who lost everything. He lost his health, he lost his family, he lost his wealth. He lost it all. At the end of the book, God gave it all back to Job. Why? Because Job prayed for himself? No. It says, “After Job had prayed for his friends, the Lord restored his fortunes and gave him twice as much as he had before” (Job 42:10 NIV).
Why do you need to be in a small group? Not just so other people can help you, but also so you can help them. So you can pray for those people, and then God can help you. Give yourself away in love, and then watch God work in your life.
PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick
Talk It Over

Think of the ways you show love to others each day. What is the motivation behind your love?
How has loving others blessed your life?
Who in your life needs your love and support or needs you to celebrate with them today?

Give hope, prayer, and encouragement below. Post a comment & talk about it.

Filed Under: Columns

Salukis welcom Sycamores for 8 p.m. game on Wednesday

January 30, 2019 By Leave a Comment

The Southern Illinois men’s basketball team hosts Indiana State on Wednesday night at 8 p.m. in SIU Arena for the annual Black Out Cancer game.

Television Info » The game will be televised on Fox Sports Midwest, Fox Sports Kansas City, Fox Sports Indiana, and NBC Sports Chicago. Inside the MVC’s four-state footprint (Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, and Missouri), the game can be streamed on Fox Sports Go. Outside the league’s footprint, the game can be streamed on ESPN3.

Southern Illinois (10-11, 3-5 MVC) vs. Indiana State (11-9, 3-5 MVC) || Wednesday, January 30 || 8 p.m. || Carbondale, Ill. (SIU Arena)

Tickets » SIUSalukis.com/tickets or call 877-SALUKIS
Watch » ESPNU with John Rooney and Kevin Lehman
Listen » Saluki Sports Network with Mike Reis and Mike Trude (Stream available through TuneIn)
Stats » SIUSalukis.com/MBB/LiveStats
Game Notes » Southern Illinois (PDF)
Coach Hinson Press Conference » Watch on YouTube

THE RUNDOWN

Southern Illinois hosts Indiana State on Wednesday night at 8 p.m. in a game that will be televised on the MVC TV Network.
The game is the annual Black Out Cancer game, where fans bid for the right to choose the name on the back of the jersey, honoring a loved one battling cancer. All proceeds from the jerseys go to Southern Illinois Healthcare’s new comprehensive cancer treatment center right here in southern Illinois.
Salukis in the MVC individual rankings (all games)…
1st – Kavion Pippen in blocks (1.76)
1st – Eric McGill in steals (1.68)
2nd – Aaron Cook in minutes (686)
3rd – Aaron Cook in assists (3.7)
4th – Eric McGill in double-doubles (3)
Salukis in the MVC team rankings (all games)…
1st in blocks (4.2)
2nd in FG% defense (.423)
2nd in offensive rebounding (9.48)
2nd in fewest fouls (15.1)
2nd in steals (6.8)
2nd in 3-point FG% (.374)

GAME PREVIEW

Southern Illinois hosts Indiana State on Wednesday night at 8 p.m. CT in SIU Arena.
The game is the annual Black Out Cancer game, where fans bid for the right to choose the name on the back of the jersey, honoring a loved one battling cancer. All proceeds from the jerseys go to Southern Illinois Healthcare’s new comprehensive cancer treatment center right here in southern Illinois. This year, the jerseys raised $6,343.39.
Southern Illinois leads the all-time series, 86-47. SIU has won six-straight games in the series with Indiana State. The last five of those wins have been decided by seven points or less.
Indiana State has shot fewer 3-pointers than all but one team in the nation, but the Sycamores lead the MVC in 3-point field goal percentage (.375). SIU is 7th in the MVC in 3-pointers and 2nd in percentage (.374).
The Sycamores are led by Jordan Barnes (16.5 ppg) and Tyreke Key (16.2 ppg). Key is shooting 55 percent from the field and 51 percent from the 3-point line.

MILESTONE MOMENTS

SIU’s veteran Salukis have hit milestones this year…
Armon Fletcher scored his 1,000th career point earlier this year at SIU Edwardsville. Edwardsville is Fletcher’s hometown.
Fletcher, Aaron Cook, and Sean Lloyd Jr. have all reached 100 career steals this year.
Thik Bol became the sixth player in program history with 100 career blocked shots.
Two players who aren’t on the milestone list yet are MVC leaders in those categories: Eric McGill in steals (1.68) and Kavion Pippen in blocks (1.76)

Filed Under: Sports

Quick Hits on the Cardinals

January 30, 2019 By Leave a Comment

Rounding up the hot topics from this week’s chat with Hall of Fame baseball writer Rick Hummel, aka “Commish.”

Here’s a link to the story at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Filed Under: Sports

FBI finds no specific motive in Vegas attack that killed 58

January 30, 2019 By Leave a Comment

LAS VEGAS (AP) — The high-stakes gambler responsible for the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history sought notoriety in the attack but left his specific motive a mystery, the FBI said Tuesday as it concluded the investigation of the 2017 massacre that killed 58 country music fans.

Here’s a link to the story at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Filed Under: Breaking News

Editorial: I’ve fought sex trafficking as a DHS special agent – We need to build the wall for the children

January 30, 2019 By Leave a Comment

As a former Department of Homeland Security (DHS) special agent on the southern border who fought sex trafficking for over a decade, I can say with certainty that the issue of the border wall should be not about power and partisan politics. It should be about the children – the tens of thousands of them who have been and are being trafficked into the U.S. and forced into the commercial sex trade.

Here’s a link to the editorial at Fox News.

Filed Under: Columns

Midwest cities scramble to keep homeless from dangerous cold

January 30, 2019 By Leave a Comment

BISMARCK, N.D. — Winter’s sharpest bite in years moved past painful into life-threatening territory Tuesday, prompting officials throughout the Midwest to take extraordinary measures to protect the homeless and other vulnerable people from the bitter cold, including turning some city buses into mobile warming shelters in Chicago.

Here’s a link to the story at the Southern Illinoisan.

Filed Under: Breaking News

Pritzker set to push progressive agenda

January 30, 2019 By Leave a Comment

Filed Under: Slider

Progressive push ahead for Pritzker, state legislature

January 30, 2019 By Leave a Comment

SPRINGFIELD — Newly-elected Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker comes into office with supermajorities in both chambers of the 101st General Assembly, which begins in earnest Tuesday.

Here’s a link to the story at the Southern Illinoisan.

Filed Under: Featured

Editorial: ‘Operation Illinois Politics’: The FBI is on the prowl

January 30, 2019 By Leave a Comment

The investigation has reached blockbuster status: The FBI has surreptitiously recorded the speaker of the Illinois House as well as Chicago’s two most influential aldermen — City Council committee chairmen who’ve overseen zoning and finances.

Here’s a link to the editorial at the Chicago Tribune.

Filed Under: Columns

Man charged in state trooper’s death had cannabis in system, tried to pass on shoulder when his car struck cop, prosecutors say

January 30, 2019 By Leave a Comment

A Skokie courtroom was packed with uniformed Illinois State Police officials Tuesday afternoon as a Wisconsin man made his first local appearance on charges that his car struck and killed Trooper Christopher Lambert.

Here’s a link to the story at the Chicago Tribune.

Filed Under: Featured
« Previous Page
Next Page »
Benton, West Frankfort, Illinois News | Franklin County News