Bernie Sanders is a survivor, but can he survive the orchestrated media onslaught that seems determined to bring him down?

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

After sitting on their hands and listening to arguments for a week in President Trump’s impeachment trial, senators were finally allowed to pose their own questions Wednesday. It proved to be illuminating.

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

As the Illinois primary approaches, voters haven’t seen former U.S. Attorney Dan Webb’s report on State’s Attorney Kim Foxx and her handling of the Jussie Smollett case. Yet on March 17, Cook County Democrats must decide whether to nominate Foxx to a second term or choose one of her opponents, Bill Conway, Robert Fioretti or Donna More. Webb’s findings could influence that choice.

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

One favorite tactic of our “objective” media during the impeachment of President Donald Trump is to find a clip of the president’s legal experts such as Ken Starr and Alan Dershowitz expressing an opinion during the 1998-99 impeachment of Bill Clinton and then show a contrast with the present day.

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

In 2020, many of us will resolve to live better lives — eat healthier, make more money, get organized and kick bad habits. And while these are all great resolutions to have, I was recently inspired by a traditional Franciscan blessing to make a few more unconventional resolutions for the new year:

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

The Hill recently published a telling piece about President Obama “going to bat” for Sen. Elizabeth Warren with significant Wall Street donors and wealthy Democratic supporters. The article reveals something crucially important about today’s Democratic Party. 

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

Your Timing Is Everything
by Rick Warren

“There is a right time and a right way to do everything, but we know so little” (Ecclesiastes 8:6 GNT).

As you look ahead to the start of a new year, take some time to reflect on your life. What needs to stay the same? What needs to change?

One of the most important things to consider is how you can stay tuned in to God’s timing. Every great accomplishment involves timing. A successful football catch requires incredible timing between quarterback and receiver. In business, good timing in the market—particularly decisions about hiring and expanding—can mean everything. If you sing, you know how important it is to keep time with the other musicians.
Many years ago I wrote a book called The Purpose Driven Church. In the first chapter I compare leadership to surfing. No surfer says, “Let’s go make some waves today.” Surfers can’t create waves in the ocean. Only God can do that. Surfers wait for the waves that God creates.
That means surfers spend a lot of time waiting. Sometimes they might see a wave and let it go, knowing it’s not the right time. Then the surfer sees just the right wave, starts paddling faster and faster, catches the wave, rides the wave, and gets off the wave without wiping out. Surfing looks easy, but in reality it requires a lot of skill.
The same is true in life. You have to develop the skill of timing. The Bible says in Ecclesiastes 8:6, “There is a right time and there is a right way to do everything, but we know so little” (GNT).
There’s a rhythm to life. Learning to do the right thing at the right time takes skill. Christians often call that skill “walking in the Spirit.” The more you grow as a follower of Christ, the better you get at walking in the Spirit. Sometimes God’s Spirit leads you to run fast. Sometimes he leads you to walk slowly.
For the next several days we’re going to look at when God usually wants you to speed up and when he might want you to slow down. You can enter the new year trying to make your own waves. Or you can learn to see and catch the waves God is making all around you.

Make Every Step Count
By Rick Warren

“All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing” (1 Corinthians 9:25-26 NLT).

Spiritual growth must be purposeful.

We don’t know how many days we have left. Our next breath may be our last. So every step in our journey with Jesus should be taken on purpose.
We must be disciplined.

To become the person God wants you to be, you must deny yourself. I’ll be honest with you: You won’t get to do everything that other people do. You can’t follow everyone else’s plan and follow God’s plan at the same time. Being a disciplined disciple of Jesus means sometimes taking the more difficult path.

Olympic runners must give up all kinds of stuff that other people do in order to go for the gold. They must go to bed at a certain time. They must eat a certain way. They must train in a certain setting. They must deny themselves. They must count the cost.

Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 9:25-26, “All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing” (NLT).

Every step, Paul says, must be purposeful. That’s how you finish the race God has marked out for you.

Don’t be tempted by shortcuts. Stay on the straight and narrow path, and keep pressing forward toward your goal. Remember the purpose God has called you to. Remember the example of Jesus, who used his time on earth for God’s glory and was not distracted by the things of this world.

Make every step count.

If you are in need of more evidence as to why so many Americans are cynical about politics in general and Washington in particular (and isn’t current evidence sufficient?), you need look no further than the etymological shift taken by Democrats during the House impeachment hearings.

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

“God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another” (1 Peter 4:10 NLT).

You’ll never find happiness in pleasure, power, possessions, positions, or prestige.

You also won’t find it in success, sex, salary, or status. Those are all temporary.
Permanent, ongoing happiness only comes when you give your life away in service. God wired you to give your life away. Why?
Because God wants you to be like him.
Most people don’t know this, but there are secrets to joy. And you can find both of these secret pathways to joy through service.
Here’s the way to find joy:
First, get your mind off of yourself. The more you focus on yourself, the more miserable you will become. To find real joy, you must shift from an inward focus—“It’s all about me”—to an outward focus—“It’s all about God and serving others.”
Of course, this is countercultural. Our society screams that it’s all about you. But the Bible says, “I will rejoice even if I lose my life, pouring it out like a liquid offering to God, just like your faithful service is an offering to God. And I want all of you to share that joy” (Philippians 2:17 NLT).
The truth is, the most helpful people are the happiest people.
Second, use your gifts to help others. It feels good to use your gifts to help others.
The Bible says, “God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another” (1 Peter 4:10 NLT).

God blesses you so you can bless others. When you bless others, God will bless you.
If you’re struggling through a lack of joy in your life, try serving people in your community and in your church.
Then watch God change your perspective.