Benton, West Frankfort, Illinois News | Franklin County News
Newspaper covering Franklin County, Illinois
There is one product that, for a century, has towered above all others as a symbol of choice, control and personal freedom in America: the automobile. There are more than 10 million registered vehicles in Illinois, according to the secretary of state’s office.
Here’s a link to the editorial at Illinois News Network.
By Rick Warren
”When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you” (Isaiah 43:2 NLT).
No matter what you face in the future, you’re never going to face it alone. Isaiah 43:2 says, “When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you” (NLT).
This is the key to courage. There is nothing to fear when you know God is near. On your own you might drown, but God has said that he will never leave you or abandon you (go read Hebrews 13:5).
Maybe you feel alone right now. You may feel that way, but it isn’t true. God sees what you’re going through. God cares about what you’re going through. And God will help you out if you trust him.
Your fears and doubts are not from God. When it comes to your giving, you can trust that as God leads you to give, he will stand by you and provide for your needs. The only way to reap generosity is to sow generosity.
The Supreme Court nomination seems like a new season of “House of Cards,” with many in the media helping write the script.
Here’s a link to the editorial at Fox News.
Poor Bob Woodward. Poor us. His new book on the Trump White House, “Fear,” was released this week, and its author has been making the rounds. But we’ve seen this movie before: Internationally known author writes book about President Donald Trump that will make all liberal dreams come true. The “expose” of Trump as Lord of the Flies, ruling over a dystopian, dysfunctional White House.
Here’s a link to the story at Fox News.
A Prayer for God’s Protection over Our Children
By: John North
“Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it” – Proverbs 22:6
God has taken a life that he loves, that he wants nurtured to love him and serve him, and entrusted it into your care—no greater privilege could he give you!
As you watch your children grow, (whether you are their natural or spiritual parent), you realize that their whole lives are being shaped by their experiences in their early years. As you train your children to love God above all else and to share Christ with others and to see every situation as a ministry opportunity, you are shooting them like arrows into the future.
Long after your own influence in this world has faded, your children and their children after them will be serving God and building his Kingdom in the lives and hearts of those around them. The time you spend giving your kids a godly heritage will bear far greater fruit in the long run than time spent in your own ministry to others.
If you are a parent, you do not have to choose between your own ministry and discipling your children, but the Lord is reminding you not to let the balance swing away from your children for too long. They are God’s gift to you. And your years of influence in their lives will not last forever!
Dear Lord, we ask that you place a hand of protection over our children. Teach them to be strong without being hard, and compassionate without being proud. We are their parents, but you are their Heavenly Father. Please be with our children as they grow in this strange world. Teach them to love others as you have loved them, and help us guide them in your ways. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
By Rick Warren
”People’s thoughts can be like a deep well, but someone with understanding can find the wisdom there” (Proverbs 20:5 NCV).
How do you draw the wisdom out of every person? By learning to ask smart questions.
As I’ve traveled around the world, I’ve asked questions of taxi cab drivers and prime ministers, and they’ve each taught me something. You can learn from anybody if you know the right questions to ask!
One of the things I’ve learned is that I have never learned anything while I’m talking. If my mouth is moving, I’m not learning. You don’t learn when you’re talking. You learn when you’re listening. So you’ve got to learn to listen.
I’ve done an awful lot of interviews over the years, and I’ve noticed that the interview shows have changed. They’re no longer about the guest. They’re about the interviewer. The whole goal of the interviewer is to draw attention to himself.
You can learn from anybody, but you’ve got to be willing to ask questions and then listen. That’s the mark of a wise person.
Women in Springfield took a public stand 11 months ago to try to stop pervasive sexual harassment and unwanted advances in the capitol.
Here’s a link to the editorial at Illinois News Network.
By Rick Warren
”Spend time with the wise and you will become wise, but the friends of fools will suffer” (Proverbs 13:20 NCV).
You don’t need a lot of friends in life. You don’t need to be popular. You just need a few good friends who build you up, not tear you down—people who are wise, not fools. If you hang around with fools, that’s what you become.
We always grow in community. You cannot grow to spiritual maturity by yourself. You could become a hermit and move to the top of a mountain and spend your life sitting in silence and reading books. You would grow in knowledge, but you wouldn’t grow in wisdom.
Why? Because wisdom is all about love. Wisdom shows up primarily in relationships. That’s why some people have educational degrees, but their marriages are falling apart. They’re educated, but they’re not wise.
The Bible says in Proverbs 13:20, “Spend time with the wise and you will become wise, but the friends of fools will suffer” (NCV).
If I stand on the edge of a stage, and I’m trying to pull you up while you’re trying to pull me down, which is easier to do? It’s always easier for somebody to pull you down than pull you up. People who pull you down are not your friends. Friends pull you up. Friends encourage you in your pursuit of godly wisdom by offering their own.
Is anybody in your life giving you input for good on a regular basis? You need that kind of encouragement if you want to be a wise person.
U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters and former President Barack Obama are out making stump speeches, rallying the Democratic base for the critical midterm elections in November in the hopes of crippling President Donald Trump by taking control of Congress.
Here’s a link to the column at the Chicago Tribune.
After leaving office, most modern presidents have largely eschewed partisan activity and avoided the normal rough-and-tumble of politics.
Here’s a link to the editorial at Fox News.
