Op-Ed: Deal Illinois in on sports gambling, but prepare for diminishing returns

Lawmakers prepared to allow sports gambling in Illinois shouldn’t be expecting a jackpot that will solve the state’s fiscal crisis.

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

Column: Our choices for Illinois governor have little in common with us

In two weeks, I will step into a voting booth and begrudgingly cast my ballot for a gubernatorial candidate I don’t particularly like.

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

Pastor Rick Warren: God Is Working All Things for Your Good

”We know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them” (Romans 8:28 NLT).

God is a good God, and he has good plans for your life. Other people have bad plans for your life, and you may make some bad plans yourself, but God only has good plans for your life.Not everything in your life may be good—God didn’t promise that. He didn’t say everything that happens in your life would be good. Friend, we live on a broken planet. Nothing works perfectly. Your body is broken. It doesn’t always work the right way. Your mind is broken. It doesn’t think the right way. The weather is broken, the economy’s broken, relationships are broken. Nothing is perfect.God did not promise us perfection. That’s called heaven! In heaven, there is no sorrow, sadness, sickness, or suffering. We should not expect heaven to be on earth, because the earth is filled with brokenness. But even in the middle of all this brokenness, God has a good plan for your life. He is greater than your bad choices, and he can fit even foolish decisions into a good plan. What a God! He can turn crucifixions into resurrections.

The Bible says in Romans 8:28, “We know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them” (NLT). This is not a promise for everybody in the world. Not everything is working together for good for everybody. But everything is working together for good for those who say, “God, I give you my life. I want to fulfill the purpose you made me for.” And even then, it doesn’t say all things are good. It says they all work together for your good—even the bad and even the bitter.

Have you noticed that when you make a cake, the individual ingredients don’t taste good? Flour by itself does not taste good. Raw eggs do not taste good. Vanilla by itself does not taste good. But mix it all together, and you can create a tasty masterpiece.

When you let God work all the “ingredients” together, God can take the bitter, put it in the batter, and make you better. Why? Because he’s a good God.

The more you pray, the better you’re going to know your purpose. And the better you know your purpose, the more God can use everything in your life—even the bitter and broken things.

Talk It Over

  • What bad decisions—one you have made and ones others have made—do you have a hard time believing God can use for good in your life?
  • How does knowing your purpose help you see how God is working things together for your good?
  • What do you think it means to fully surrender your life to God?

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

Your Daily Prayer: A Prayer to Remember: God Fights for You Today

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A Prayer to Remember: God Fights for You Today
By Debbie McDaniel

“Do not be afraid of them; the LORD your God himself will fight for you.” – Deut. 3:22

One thing is sure – if you’re a believer who is living like salt and light in a dark world, you won’t go for long without encountering obstacles and attacks the enemy will hurl your direction. God’s words are true, this battle is real, and intense.

If you find yourself facing hard struggles today, please know you’re not alone. Neither are you left to fight on your own. Many of us are in the battle with you, and God is the One who fights on behalf of His children, constantly shielding, protecting, strengthening, even when we’re unaware.

And He’s given us His words that are powerful and true, so we’ll have the wisdom to stand against the enemy. We do not have to walk in fear. For when we belong to Christ, the enemy never has the final word. We are secure in God’s hands and He reminds us over and over in His word to keep standing firm.

You never fight alone.

Let God do, on your behalf, what you could never do on your own.

He’s with us.

Always.

And He is Mighty.

Dear God,

We thank you that you hold the victory over sin and death in this world. We thank you that you came to set the captives free.  We thank you for your redemptive work you’ve done in our lives.  We thank you for freedom and the hope you bring.

Your word says to “stand our ground,” and that’s what we will do, in the power of your Name. The enemy has no control over us, and we bring your words of truth as weapon against his schemes. We know that we’re never alone, for you are constantly at work on behalf of your children, shielding, protecting, strengthening, exposing deeds of darkness, bringing to light what needs to be known, covering us from the cruel attacks we face even when we’re unaware.

 We ask that you would give us wisdom and discernment to recognize the schemes of the enemy and to stand strong against his work.

We ask that you would remind us to pray, constantly, for all believers.

We ask that you would help us to stay alert in a dark world.

We ask that you would help us to be salt and light, that we would be loving and gracious, yet unyielding to sin.

We ask that you help us to remember to put on your armor daily, for you give us all that we need to stand firm in this day.

We thank you that you are far greater than anything we face here in this life, and we have overcome, because you have set us free.

We thank you for your truth, “no weapon formed that is formed against you will prosper.”

Lord, we ask for your peace, we ask for your protection, we trust you for your constant work on our behalf. We ask you to bring justice. We ask that you would bring light, knowing that you expose the deeds of darkness.

Standing together in your great and powerful Name, believing you are with us.

In Jesus’ Name,

Amen.

Find more by Debbie at www.debbiemcdaniel.comFacebookInstagram, and Twitter.

Immigration advocates should strike a bargain with Trump

Back in June in Sandusky, Ohio, about 65 miles west of my home here in Cleveland, there was a huge federal raid involving about 200 agents on Corso’s Flower and Garden Center. The combined ICE-led operation rounded up 114 undocumented immigrants workers; some of whom had been here on and off for decades.

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

Column: Come back to Rauner? Or let ‘Toilets’ Pritzker wear a sash while Boss Madigan rules Illinois?

The November elections in Illinois aren’t about some Democratic revenge fantasy, punishing President Donald Trump for putting Brett Kavanaugh on the Supreme Court.

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

Pastor Rick Warren: The Connection Between Purpose and Prayer

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”‘I know what I am planning for you,’ says the LORD. ‘I have good plans for you, not plans to hurt you. I will give you a hope and a good future. Then you will call my name. You will come to me and pray to me, and I will listen to you’” (Jeremiah 29:11-12 NCV).

Is there anything God can’t do? There are a lot of things God can’t do. He can’t deny himself. He can’t be evil. God is good, so by nature, he cannot do bad things. Everything God does is good. And so, because God is good, God’s plans for your life will always be good.Jeremiah 29:11-12 says, “‘I know what I am planning for you,’ says the Lord. ‘I have good plans for you, not plans to hurt you. I will give you a hope and a good future. Then you will call my name. You will come to me and pray to me, and I will listen to you’” (NCV).Do you see the connection between prayer and God’s plans for your life?

I’ve said this many times, but I’ll say it again: You are not an accident. There is a purpose for your life. There are accidental parents, but there are no accidental children. Your parents may not have planned you, but God did, and he wanted you alive.

Now, God didn’t have to create a plan for your life. He could have just let you be born and then wander around aimlessly.

But God has never made anything without a purpose. Everything has a purpose and a plan. God gave you a plan for your life. Why? Because he loves you. He is a good God, so he put a lot of thought into creating you.

And now you may ask, “Well, how do I know God’s plan?” God’s plans for your life are revealed and realized through prayer. The more you pray, the more you’re going to understand God’s plan for your life. When you pray to him, he listens, and he answers and reveals more of himself to you.

Talk It Over

  • How does your prayer life reflect how much you want to understand God’s plan for your life?
  • What are the specific promises for believers from Jeremiah 29:11-12?
  • In what other ways does God reveal his purpose for your life?

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

Your Daily Prayer — A Prayer for Unity in Our Nation

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A Prayer for Unity in Our Nation
By Debbie McDaniel

“I in them and you in me–so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” John 17:23

Often in times of greatest need, we may find ourselves giving way to the stress and strain by battling one another, and forgetting who the real enemy is. Harsh words spoken, friendships broken; we choose sides and draw lines. Feelings get hurt. Betrayal runs deep. It gets harder to forgive and keep moving forward. And sometimes we get stuck, right there in the muddy mess of it all.

enemy-fights-god-trust

Yet it’s in those very times of tension and struggle, that we need, more than ever, to come together as one, unified, and strong.

And we can be assured, it’s in those times, that Satan is fighting the hardest. For he knows that’s when we have the greatest potential to make a difference in this world.

He knows that we’re stronger together as we encourage one another on. He’s aware that we’re courageous and brave when we’re covering one another in prayer. He understands that the unity of believers through the power of Jesus Christ, is a force that can’t be reckoned with. For it’s hard to tear apart a cord of three strands, which can’t be easily broken.

That’s why he’s determined to fight harder. And he’s there, in the midst of it all, cheering on the battle. He loves it when we target one another. He laughs at evil, riots, and violence. He gains momentum when we forget that he’s the cause.

Don’t be unaware.

His schemes are cunning and cruel. He’ll twist words and truth, trading them for lies, and stirring up fires.

Let’s say “No more.”

Let’s choose to set aside our differences and look to the greater purpose in this life. To honor Christ as King. We’ll never agree on everything. And that’s never been the goal anyway.

Let’s choose to live out the Truth that says, “Let all that you do be done in love.” 1 Corinthians 16:14

All that you do. All that you say. All that you stand for. Let’s do it with love. For perfect love, which comes from Christ, casts out all fear. And that is what gives us power to move forward, propelled with His strength, surrounded in peace, eyes on the One who gives us breath each day, filled with greater unity in our land.

May God bless us with His peace and unity in our Nation.

Dear God,

We are needy of you. We’re aware, more than ever, of our own weaknesses, and of the struggle with dark forces that try hard to divide us and gain more ground. We say “No more.” We stand our ground. We ask that you would fill us with your Spirit of love and unity among believers all across this nation. We ask that you would help us to set aside our differences and look to the greater cause, the cause of Christ. We ask that you would help us to truly live a life of love. We know that this is only possible through the power of your Spirit, so we ask that you would move across our land in fresh ways. With fresh filling and awareness. Turning your people back to you. Drawing others to come to know you. We thank you that you are always with us, and give us great purpose and hope.

In Jesus’ Name,

Amen.

United we stand, in the love of Christ.

America needs Harry Truman Democrats again

America, now more than ever, needs Harry Truman Democrats.

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

Editorial: What this election means for American jobs

A basic question confronts voters each Election Day: What kind of country do you want for yourself and your children?

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

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