Your Daily Prayer: A Prayer for Missing Peace

September 25, 2018 By Leave a Comment

A Prayer for Missing Peace – Your Daily Prayer

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A Prayer for Missing Peace
By Mary Southerland

“And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”  – Philippians 4:7, NIV

I know people who would give every penny they have and every possession they own for an hour of peace. In fact, I have been in that place myself. The difference is that the Prince of Peace is my God and because He lives in my heart, so does peace. Yes, sometimes I allow the stressors of life to crowd in and try to smother that peace. I am so thankful that the peace of God is eternal and beyond human understanding.

As you face the storms of life, face them with God at your side – knowing that He is Lord of the rocking boat and Keeper of the waves. He rides upon the storm clouds of life, flinging peace into the tempest-filled heart.  God is Peace. And when we know Him as our Lord and have made Him the boss of our lives – we will know Peace.

Make a list of every “storm” you are facing today. Surrender each one to God, asking Him to fill its place in your life with His peace. Now, choose to walk in that peace today. When you are tempted to slip back under the crashing waves, remember that the storm now belongs to your Father.

Father God, my heart is filled with chaos and confusion. I feel as if I am drowning in my circumstances and my heart is filled with fear and confusion. I really need the strength and peace that only You can give. Right now, I choose to rest in You.

In Jesus’ Name I pray,

Amen.

Editor’s Note: Content taken from the Girlfriends in God devotional, How to Find Your Missing Peace, written by Mary Southerland. You can read the piece in full here. All rights reserved.

Filed Under: Columns

Pastor Rick Warren: What Kind of Giving Is Worship?

September 25, 2018 By Leave a Comment

By Rick Warren

21

”Honor the Lord by giving him the first part of all your income” (Proverbs 3:9 TLB).

When I was a little kid I used to buy or make all these little cheesy gifts for my parents. When I look back, the gifts were really lame. But every time I gave my parents a present, they were overjoyed. It wasn’t like they needed anything from me, because they didn’t. They just enjoyed the fact that I thought of them.One time when I was 8 years old, I went into a thrift store and bought my mother a dress for 25 cents. I thought it was a really cool dress. It was about a size four, and my mom was a size 12. The clerk said, “Ricky, your mom couldn’t get her big toe in that dress.” I was so offended and went home crying. When I gave the dress to my mom, she was so thrilled. After she died, I found that dress in one of her dressers. She’d kept it all those years.

There’s nothing you can give God that he needs. But when you give him an offering, you’re saying, “God, I love you. I’m thinking of you. I want you first in my life.”

The Bible says, “Honor the Lord by giving him the first part of all your income” (Proverbs 3:9 TLB). That’s called tithing. Tithing actually means 10 percent, and it’s the first part of your income.

Tithing doesn’t just honor God. It is also an act of worship. But the Bible says that not every kind of giving is an act of worship. So what kind of giving is worship?

“On every Lord’s Day each of you should put aside something from what you have earned during the week, and use it for this offering. The amount depends on how much the Lord has helped you earn” (1 Corinthians 16:2 TLB).

Worship giving is undesignated. That means you don’t control it, you don’t direct it, you don’t tell God what to do with it.

Worship giving is given when and where you worship. You give the first part of your money on the first day of the week and say, “God, you’re first in my life.”

Worship giving is planned. You don’t just give spontaneously. You think it through.

Worship giving is proportional. If you didn’t earn anything this week, you don’t give anything. If you earn a little, you give a little. If you earn a lot, you give a lot.

God wants your heart more than anything else. He doesn’t want your money; he wants what it represents. The most sensitive nerve in the body is the one that goes from the heart to the wallet.

Talk It Over

  • How does your current attitude compare to the kind of attitude you think God wants you to have when you give?
  • What do you find most challenging about viewing giving as an act of worship?
  • What’s your response to Pastor Rick’s statement that “the most sensitive nerve in the body is the one that goes from the heart to the wallet”?

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

Filed Under: Columns

New Yorker hit piece on Kavanaugh is not journalism, it’s a bizarre political stage show

September 25, 2018 By Leave a Comment

The news that Brett Kavanaugh had a new accuser landed with a thud on Sunday night. That she had told her story to the New Yorker’s Ronan Farrow certainly seemed like the death knell for the Kavanaugh nomination.

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

Filed Under: Columns

Cardinals get sloppy late, lose to Brewers

September 25, 2018 By Leave a Comment

There is much to be decided yet in the National League. But, one thing we do know. The Milwaukee Brewers will leave town after Wednesday night’s game with the Cardinals still in possession of the No. 1 wild-card spot in the league.

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

Filed Under: Sports

Debate shows McCann could be a problem for Rauner, expert says

September 25, 2018 By Leave a Comment

Gov. Bruce Rauner shouldn’t be worried only about Democratic rival J.B. Pritzker in the four-way race for the governor’s mansion.

Here’s a link to the story at Illinois News Network.

Filed Under: Breaking News

Car enthusiasts say Pritzker’s vehicle miles traveled tax is a non-starter

September 25, 2018 By Leave a Comment

Car enthusiasts from around Illinois and beyond would rather see cuts and reprioritized spending than another tax, like a possible vehicle miles traveled tax, something they see as a nonstarter.

Here’s a link to the story at Illinois News Network.

Filed Under: Featured

Tonya Lee Kirkman — Benton, IL

September 25, 2018 By Leave a Comment

BENTON — Tonya Lee Kirkman, 52, of Benton, passed away at 1:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 23, 2018, at the Benton Health Care and Rehabilitation.

She was born on Jan. 9, 1966, to James “Jim” and Virginia (Perry) Arnold in Salem, Oregon. Tonya was a homemaker and recently started working at the Benton/West City Walmart. On April 4, 1991, she married Rodney Kirkman in Herrin. To this union, they had two children. Tonya and Rodney lived in Benton.

Tonya was a member of Resurrection Baptist Church, Benton, IL.

She was a loving daughter, wife, mother and grandmother. Tonya enjoyed making crafts, gardening, baking, painting, quilting, and spending time with her sisters at church. She held a special spot in her heart for her grandchildren and enjoyed loving on them as much as possible.

Tonya is survived by her loving spouse of 27 years, Rodney Kirkman; two children, Jared Davis and wife, Kristie, of Benton, and Brandi Denton and husband, Todd, of Stafford, Virginia; five grandchildren, Basin Davis, Lealia Davis, Aydin Davis, Aubrianna Denton and Madison Denton.

Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Pate Funeral Home, 301 S. Main St. in Benton.

Visitation will be Tuesday, Sept. 25, 2018, from 5 to 7 p.m. at Pate Funeral Home, and on Wednesday, Sept. 26, 2018, from 5 to 7 p.m. at Pate Funeral Home.

Funeral services will be held Thursday, Sept. 27, 2018, and will be held privately for family, at Pate Funeral Home, with the Rev. Carl Barnfield officiating. Cremation will take place following the funeral services and her cremated remains will be buried privately.

Memorial Contributions may be made to The Children’s Miracle Network-Benton/West City Walmart, and will be accepted at the funeral home.

Online condolences can be given at www.patefh.com.

Filed Under: Obituaries

In rare step for Supreme Court nominee, Kavanaugh sits for televised interview: ‘I’ve never sexually assaulted anyone’

September 25, 2018 By Leave a Comment

Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh declared in a televised interview Monday that he never sexually assaulted anyone in high school or at any other time in his life.

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

Filed Under: Featured

Cubs fall to Pirates, magic number to clinch NL Central remains at 5

September 25, 2018 By Leave a Comment

No celebrations are planned in the very likely event the Cubs clinch a National League playoff berth, according to manager Joe Maddon.

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

Filed Under: Sports

Defense pathologist testifies as many as 15 of 16 shots hit McDonald while standing, contradicting video

September 25, 2018 By Leave a Comment

The infamous police dashboard camera video shows Laquan McDonald spin wildly at the first shots from Chicago police Officer Jason Van Dyke before collapsing to Pulaski Road a second and a half later.

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

Filed Under: Featured
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