This week’s news plus a look at God’s and our motivations

IT’S NEWS TO ME

North Korea Preparing for EMP Strike on United States:

EMP-map

The Pentagon Is Renting the Nuclear Football a Room

The Pentagon Suspects an Iranian-NK Connection

Trump to Visit Saudi Arabia, Israel and the Vatican in First Trip Abroad as President

Time for a US Ban on the Muslim Brotherhood, but Why?

transgender locker roomTime to Homeschool? High School to Let Students Pick Locker Room Based on Their “Preferred Gender

NY Public Schools Promote Course Justifying Suicide Bombings

Sanctuary City Releases Illegal Alien Who Brought a Stolen Police Rifle to School

Refugees Account for Shockingly High Number of Terrorism Investigations in the USA

Two religions should not co-exist within the Arabian Peninsula” – Muhammedal-qaeda

5 Ways to Pray for Persecuted Christians

South Korean President Vows To Play Nice with North Korea… Fix Relationship

Transgender Cadets Can Graduate from Military Academies But Not Serve

transgender symbols NIH Using Taxpayer Dollars to Fund Transgender Study Led by LGBTQ Activist 

George Soros Faces $10 Billion Lawsuit for Manipulating Politics & Economics

Erdogan lashes “racist” Israel, calls for Muslims to flood Temple Mount

 

SETTING OUR MINDS ON THINGS ABOVE

God Wants Us

 When we look at this week’s news, some things are expected, some are alarming, and some just leave us shaking our heads. As I perused them, something different jumped out. Every story is the result of some person, some group, or some nation seeking a certain outcome for a certain reason. They have determined that if only this or that happened, things would be better for them, as they see it.

The same is true for us, or course, and we would benefit from a sincere analysis of our motivations, not the lofty ones we use to defend our questionable actions, but the real motivations that driveWHY us to feed some passion that has been controlling us for way too long–motivations that explain WHY we do what we do..

While we may not know just what our true motivations are, we can take comfort in the knowledge of our heavenly father’s motivations for the things He does in the world and in our lives. This will help us readjust our own motivations so that we can rest in the assurance that we are safely in the will of God regardless of what is happening around us, to us, or in us. Living this way is like living in the eye of a hurricane. While the storms are raging all around us, the sun is shining on us.

God is LoveSo, let’s take a look at why God does what He does. It’s often not what we assume. One ancient example holds a message for us today. When God delivered His children out of Egypt, it’s easy to assume that it was so they could enter and enjoy the Promised Land. This is partly true, but it’s not the main reason. He freed them from their bondage in Egypt so they could come to know and worship Him. His heart’s desire was to bring them to Himself, not just to a better place. His desire was intimate fellowship with His children.

The point of the promised land was that there they would be free to worship Him. As slaves in Egypt, that had been impossible. He wasn’t asking them to do something for Him. He was transplanting them so they could be free to respond to His overtures of love toward them.

Getting back to this week’s news, our tendency is to see what we can do to change things. Well, if God’s ultimate motivation is to receive our love, why not make that our primary motivation forchange everything we do. When all else fails, show God how much we love Him. Better yet, before we try anything else, focus on expressing our love for our heavenly father.

It’s no wonder the first and greatest commandment is to love Him with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. Who knows what God is waiting to do in those difficult times if we would only focus on loving Him, whatever that might look like. Jesus said that if we love Him, we will obey His commandments. When things get dicey, we should listen for the voice of God to see what He is calling us to obey instead of seeking a way out of our difficulty.

As in the days of Moses, God wants us, not our best efforts. If God is for us, who can be against us?

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ON THE LIGHTER SIDE

A fleeing Taliban terrorist, desperate for water, was plodding through the Afghan desert when he saw something far off in the distance.

Hoping to find water, he hurried toward the mirage, only to find a very frail little old Jewish man standing at a small makeshift display rack
– selling ties.

The Taliban terrorist asked, “Do you have water?”

The Jewish man replied, “I have no water. Would you like to buy a tie? They are only $5.”

The Taliban shouted hysterically, “Idiot Infidel! I do not need such an
over-priced western adornment – I spit on your ties. I need water!”

“Sorry, I have none – just ties – pure silk – and only $5.”

“Pahh! A curse on your ties, I should wrap one around your scrawny little neck and choke the life out of you but… I must conserve my energy and find water!”

“Okay,” said the little old Jewish man, “It does not matter that you do not want to buy a tie from me or that you hate me, threaten my life and call me infidel. I will show you that I am bigger than any of that. If you continue over that hill to the east for about two miles, you will find a restaurant. It has the finest food and all the ice-cold water you need… Go In Peace.”

Cursing him again, the desperate Taliban staggered away over the hill.

Several hours later he crawled back, almost dead and gasped…

“They won’t let me in without a tie!”


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