FASTDOMAIN 

PRAYER AND PRAISE:

To pray for one article each day, click HERE & add it to your bookmarks: please share it with your friends!

1. Sun. | 2. Mon. | 3. Tue. | 4. Wed. | 5. Thu. | 6. Fri. | 7. Sat.

Join our "Morning Prayers" daily at 7 a.m. & click on "an."

 

WE NEED YOUR HELP! Perhaps you've read this before and are wondering, "Why am I seeing this again?" But millions of other Christians haven't seen it! So please use the "share" buttons above to share it with your social media friends. Thanks!!

We Who Are Strong (← get the PDF!)

we who are strong"Now we who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each one of us please his neighbor for that which is good, to be building him up" (Romans 15:1-2). Are you reasonably strong and healthy? If so, what do you think about those who aren't? Or do you not even bother to think about them? St. Paul tells us that we "ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves."

How can we do that? How can we build up our infirm or disabled or elderly neighbor? We shouldn't just live to "please ourselves" – we can run errands for home-bound persons who have no relatives nearby to care for them. We can take them grocery shopping, to doctor's appointments, to church, and especially to pleasant places like the park, the botanical gardens or the zoo in the summer: show them that they are important and loved! Again, the Apostle Paul wrote –

"The eye can't say to the hand, 'I have no need for you,' or again the head to the feet, 'I have no need for you.' No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. Those parts of the body which we think to be less honorable, on those we bestow more abundant honor; and our unpresentable parts have more abundant propriety; whereas our presentable parts have no such need. But God composed the body together, giving more abundant honor to the inferior part, that there should be no division in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. When one member suffers, all the members suffer with it. Or when one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually" (1 Corinthians 12:21-27).

We really do need each other! Not only do dependent little children need their parents' love; but also, disabled adults and lonely elderly people need love... and we who are reasonably strong and healthy also need them. Why? To learn how to love with a pure heart, not thinking of material gain or our own pleasure. As St. Paul wrote, "...not to please ourselves." You probably have heard the term "4G" meaning "fourth generation internet." The internet started out in the 1990s as a means for the free exchange of ideas, but has degenerated today into what I call the 4G's - "Greed, Gluttony, Gossip & Grumbling." All four of these are focused on self rather than others: satisfying my desires for material things (online shopping!), indulging my desires for food and other bodily pleasures.... [read more...]

 

Here's our next free online course: (click →) Course 100 - Rehabilitation of Children with Disabilities (← click). So enroll today, before you forget!

 

 
 
NEXT, THE NEWS:
 

THE DISTURBING REALITY OF EGG DONATION IS BEING EXPOSED
from: LiveAction

SYNOPSIS: A new book is taking aim at the fertility industry for preying on women, lying to them about the risks of egg donation, and even practicing eugenics. One high-risk effect is Ovarian Hyper Stimulation Syndrome (OHSS), a response to the excess hormones women are administered during the process, where the ovaries swell and become painful. "Yet nowhere did any of the adverts list the side effects or risks associated with egg donation," Helen Gibson of Surrogacy Concern wrote for Unherd last year. "In our first published study of 155 egg donors, we found that 30.3% reported OHSS," she wrote. The goal: More desirable candidates and more eggs. On top of all of these risks being an inherent part of egg donation, Tober said the industry is willing to put women at higher risk in order to get more eggs to sell. Tober explained how both race and education can impact how much a donor is paid – the top white donors receive around $100,000, while the top Black donors receive just $12,000.
IVF has become a political football this election season with leading candidates flip-flopping on this issue, not understanding either the risks involved or the moral issue of abandoning hundreds of unborn babies in order to force one fertilized ovum to survive and grow to term.

 

NOT FAKE NEWS: US SURGEON GENERAL WARNS THAT PARENTING IS A HEALTH HAZARD
from: Mercator

SYNOPSIS: The US Surgeon General, Dr Vivek Murthy, just issued an official advisory warning against the stressful nature of parenting and labelling it "an urgent public health issue." In short, the advisory cites data showing that parents experience more stress than non-parents and that sometimes, some parents' stress levels are so high they cannot function. One mother replied – I'm a mom of five children, and I birthed four of them within a time span of roughly five years. I have known financial strain, the instability of layoffs, bone-deep fatigue, and so much more. " The “We Can Take Action” section of the advisory starts with this preface: “[W]hile parents and caregivers may have the primary responsibility for raising children… [it] is a collective responsibility.” Expand workplace policies, including "paid parental, medical, and sick leave” and “access to childcare (in the community or on-site)."
The implied subtext here is that children should be placed in government nurseries, kindergartens, and indoctrination centers (public schools) where they are taught how to think and that family is unimportant. This is the same thing that happened in the Soviet Union, Communist China, Cuba, etc. where children were and are taught to inform on their parents about anything that differs from the Party line.

 

UKRAINE: REAL THREATS ABOUT FREEDOM OF RELIGION OR BELIEF CONCERNS
from: Forum 18 News Service

SYNOPSIS: Clerics and believers of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church affiliated with the Moscow Patriarchate (UOC-MP) have and are facing criminal charges of justifying Russian aggression and hate speech. Many have been prosecuted for criticising the new Orthodox Church of Ukraine and the state's religious policies. The state faces a real threat of the utilization of religion to justify Russian aggression, and uses tools, imposing an outright ban on the UOC and turning inter-Orthodox relations in Ukraine into a security issue. Concerns over the UOC's affiliation, the already proven in court involvement of several UOC bishops and priests in crimes against national security, and also the growing public support for the imposition of extraordinary restrictions on the UOC, have all resulted in a law being passed that bans the UOC for its links with Russia.
Pray for an equitable resolution to Russia's senseless invasion and war in Ukraine, and that the new Orthodox Church of Ukraine will unite together all of the faithful Orthodox believers in Ukraine.

 

ALERT ISSUED AFTER RECORD NUMBER OF KIDS WITH AUTISM DROWN
from: Disability Scoop

SYNOPSIS: Children with autism are drowning this summer at a much higher rate than in the past and now experts are sounding the alarm about the dangers facing kids who wander and how to respond if they do. "We want to urge people to be more vigilant,” said John Bischoff, who oversees the Missing Children Division at the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. "It’s been the worst summer on record for autism and wandering in terms of fatalities,” McIlwain said. Most of the drowning cases this summer have involved children ages 9 or under who were found in natural bodies of water, often ponds, according to the alert. In one instance, a child was hospitalized in intensive care and in another case a father drowned while trying to save his child who was ultimately rescued by an aunt.
Pray for the safety of kids with autism as they learn to be aware of the risks in the natural and man-made environment, and for parents to be especially alert where there are rivers, lakes, and ponds.

 

BISHOP KAVA ON THE SHELLING OF LVIV: THE DEMON'S CONVULSIONS SHOW THAT WAR HAS A SPIRITUAL DIMENSION
from: Religious Info Service of Ukraine

SYNOPSIS: On the night of September 4, 2024, during a massive missile attack on Ukraine, Russia struck Lviv. Seven people were killed, including three children. Civilian infrastructure and civilians are increasingly being targeted. Bishop Kava said – "Therefore, we must not give up or get discouraged. On the contrary, we should pray even more, stay in sanctifying grace, and pray for all our cities and villages, especially those close to the front line and those that are subject to daily missile attacks, in order to resist the devil demonstrating his anger and aggression through the Russian Federation. For us, as believers, such events are a clear sign that now we especially need to continue to pray and support each other so that no one feels left alone with the misery and grief the war has brought."
Pray against the onslaught of Russian hypersonic missiles that are now being used against innocent civilians and non-military infrastructure in Ukraine. This escalation raises the risk of dragging other countries into the war.

 

LONG COVID AMONG PEOPLE WITH PRE-EXISTING DISABILITIES
from: Disabled World

SYNOPSIS: Researchers from Kansas Univercity's Institute for Health and Disability Policy Studies at the KU Life Span Institute and the Patient-Led Research Collaborative published a study showing that more than 40% of individuals with pre-existing disabilities who had tested positive for COVID-19 experienced long COVID, defined as symptoms lasting three months or longer. Further, the public, health care system and policymakers alike should acknowledge that the pandemic is not over and continues to pose greater risks to this already at-risk demographic. "We read comments from survey participants with pre-existing disabilities who are afraid to go out in their communities because the people they need to interact with, including health providers, aren't masking, and the public in general acts like the pandemic is over," Goddard said, and "re-contracting COVID can exacerbate their long COVID symptoms."
Thank the Lord for the vaccines to combat this life-threatening virus, and pray that people will not buy into disinformation that the vaccines kill more people than they help. Several of our relatives and friends have died from COVID, but none have died from being vaccinated against it.

 
 

 
 FASTDOMAIN 

NOW, OUR VIEWS:
 

 

UKRAINE AND RUSSIA ON THE BRINK OF TOTAL WAR

 

 

xxxxxxxTotal war is the deliberate attempt to kill and destroy everyone and everything, not only military targets. The article UN official highlights growing toll of Ukraine war, rising threat of 'nuclear incident' paints a dismal picture of the war in Ukraine. Russia has begun using its "Kinzhal" (Dagger) hypersonic missiles that are nearly impossible to intercept. Ukraine has crossed the Russian border into the Kursk region, where a Russian nuclear power plant is at risk. Here is a synopsis of the article:

Thirty months into Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, human suffering continues to escalate, with frequent attacks on civilians and infrastructure, including nuclear facilities. Miroslav Jenca, Assistant Secretary-General at the UN Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, reported to the Security Council that the previous month was particularly deadly, with at least 219 Ukrainian civilians killed and over 1,000 injured. Since the invasion began on February 24, 2022, the UN has documented 11,662 civilian deaths and 24,207 injuries, though the actual numbers may be higher.

Jenca expressed concern over the spread of fighting to Russian regions such as Kursk, Belgorod, and Bryansk, where recent incursions have resulted in civilian casualties and mass evacuations. He condemned attacks on civilians and infrastructure, emphasizing their prohibition under international humanitarian law.

Additionally, Jenca highlighted the deteriorating nuclear safety situation, particularly at Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant and Russia’s Kursk Nuclear Power Plant, urging maximum restraint to prevent a catastrophic incident.

The humanitarian crisis remains severe, especially for women, who make up 56% of the 15 million people in need of assistance. Despite efforts to provide lifesaving aid, funding shortfalls hinder the response, with only 41% of the required $3.1 billion received so far.

Men born in Ukraine, even if they are now US citizens, are being dragged away and forced into the army! See https://www.firstpost.com/explainers/how-ukraine-conscription-squads-are-forcing-men-to-fight-in-the-war-russia-zelenskyy-putin-13783619.html

Viktor, a young Ukrainian who attended our church in Madison, WI, came to the US in 1998, became a US citizen, and went back to Ukraine so his wife could have their baby in Ukraine. On Aug. 31 he sent me this...

Get the full article on our ARC-News blog at blogspot.com.

 

 

Who Are We?   Please remember to pray for Christians in Secularized Countries, and for...

  Your fellow-servants,

  Bob & Cheryl

  p.s. There is all the difference in the world between treating people equally and trying to make them equal. – F.A. Hayek

 

 

This page may link to our FastDomain.com affiliate account, so when you click on a link and buy something there, a small commission is credited to that account.