Worst Flooding in over 20 Years Hits Hawaii

 Back==to--back Kona storms have caused the worst flooding in Hawaii in over 20 years,leading to emergency evacuations on  Oahu over the imminent failure risk of a 120--year--old dam and extensive damage to homes, roads, and infrastructure with projected losses up to $1 billion, the USA Today website reports today(March 22,2026).

The flooding is the worst the state has seen since the 2004 Manoa Flood, according to Governor Josh Green. 

An emergency evacuation was ordered on  March 20 for thousandsof residents in  Hale'iwa and  Waialua after a 120--year--old dam near Schofield Barracks was deemed at imminent  risk of failure.Gov. Green reported no deaths, about 200 people rescued and roughly  10 patients treated for hypothermia.

The National Weather  Service forecast rain rates of 2 to 4 inches per hour and maintained a flood watch for  the entire state through the  afternoon of  March 22. 

Church Was America's 1st Volunteer Network

 The Church was America's first volunteer network, the Christian Daily website reports today (March 20, 2026).

The U.S. will soon mark 250 years of the Declaration of Independence. Such an occasion reflects not only where we have been, but also what we long to become.

The Church needs to remind America of the profound hope that God has entrusted to His people.

The Church was America's first volunteer network. .Long before  civic  and governmental infrastructures existed, congregationas faithfully fed families, welcomed immigrants, cared for the vulnerable, and stitched together the fabric of our society. 

This anniversary invites us  to remember who we were and to remember who we are in Christ, It's a call  to reclaim the Church's public witness through the faithful,tangible love that Jesus modeled and gives to us as our mission.We need to follow Jesus' words when He tells us "Love your neighbor as yourself." (Mark12:31).

Antisemitism Is Growing Globally

 Antisemitism is rising  globally, the Christian Post website reports today(March 19, 2026).

Violent attacks make headlines for a day and then fade. Anti--Jewish sentiment  has begun slipping into Evangelical conversations.

Ninety--one percent of American Jews say they feel less safe in the U.S. becaus of violent antisemitic attacks in the past year. Near;ly one--third say they have personally been targeted by antisemitism -- online or in person -- within the last year.

We have become increasingly detached from the Old Testament.  The  result is a generation of believers who love Jesus, but have almost no understanding of the covenant story He stepped into and fulfilled.

Contempt for Jewish people is incompatible  with Christian faith. 

The antidote to antisemitism  is biblical literacy. It is remembering that Christianity did not begin in Rome or Washington. It began in Jerusalem.

Teaching on Obedience and Faith

 Following God's direction , obeience leads to clarity and peace, the Crossmap website reports today(March 18, 2026).

Obedience is a natural response to loving God, not a legalistic requirement.

God's commands are purposeful. They are designed for our good -- spiritually, emotionally, and relationally.

We need to focus on God's heart behind His commands , not viewing  obedience only through reward or punishment.

God's commands are not restrictions, but expressions  of His  love and guidance, meant to protect,shape, and draw believers closer to Him.

 

Franklin Graham Calls for National Time of Prayer

 Franklin Graham is urging Americans to join him in a national time of prayer and repentance warning that "our nation is in trojble" amid political volatility and moral decline, the Christian Post  website reports today (March 17,2026).

Graham, son of the late world famous evangelist Billy Graham, announced a special prayer time  for March 18 at noon. He emphasized that  the  U.S.is facing deep spiritual and cultural turmoil.

Franklin  Graham, CEO  of  Samaritan's  Purse and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association,  continues to be one of the most influential evangelical  voices in the U.S.

Graham frames the moment as a spiritual crisis requring national repentance,not just political solutions.

Survey: Religious "Nones" Reach Record High in U.S.

 The number of Americans who  claim no religious affiliation has reached its highest level ever according to Gallup findings, the  Christian Today website reports today (March 16,2026).

The findings  reveal a nation undergoing spiritual change -- one  in which fewer than  half of adults now say  religion is very important in their lives.

Gallup's  survey of more than 13,000 adults shows that 24% of Americans now identify as "nones" --those with  no formal religious  identity. This marks a steady climb from just 2% in 1948, and from 21--22% over the past four years.

Twenty--eight percent of Americans say religion is "not  very important," a figure unchanged since 2022.

This shift also presents an opportunity: A spiritually  hungry generation  is searching  for meaning,identity, and truth -- often outside traditional  structures.

The Church's  mission remains unchanged: to proclaim Christ  with  faithfulness, compassion, and courage.

How to Overcome Your Sinful Desires

 Sinful desires are part of the human condition, but they don't have to define a person's life or spiritual direction, the Crossmap  website reports today (March 13, 2026).

Scripture teaches that while temptation is real, God provides strength, clarity, and a path toward freedom. 

Overcoming these desires is not about willpower alone; it's about transformation -- of the heart, mind, habits, and environment.

Sinful desires often arise from three sources: internal weakness, external influence, and spiritual opposition. They tend to follow a predictable pattern -- attraction, rationalization, and action. Recognizing this pattern helps you interrupt before it becomes behavior.  Internal weakness refers to desires rooted in old habits, wounds, or unmet needs.

 External influence involves cultural pressures, relationships, or environments that normalize sin. Spiritual opposition is temptation that aims to distort truth and weaken faith. Awareness is the first step toward victory.

The most consistent biblical strategy to resisting full desires is renewing the mind. Desires are shaped by thoughts and thoughts are shaped by what you feed your heart.

Every sinful desire is rooted in a lie. Scripture exposes these lies and replaces them with God's perspective.

Renewal is a daily practice that reshapes desires.