Daily Archives: January 4, 2026

News and Info

New Year Begins With Major Federal Actions To Protect Religious Liberty For America’s Service Members 

Leave a comment

“For too long, woke activists have been able to reduce religious freedom within the military with very little resistance, including limiting the freedom of our military chaplains. The ministry of military chaplains continues a tradition of service provided to our service men and women since 1775, making sure that those…

 

2026 is off to a great start, beginning with a couple of major federal actions to protect religious liberty for America’s service members and veterans.

Strengthening the Chaplain Corps

U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth recently announced several reforms that will restore the freedom and importance of military chaplains.

“In an atmosphere of political correctness and secular humanism, chaplains have been minimized, viewed by many as therapists instead of ministers,” Sec. Hegseth said in a video posted on X, formerly Twitter.

“There will be a top-down cultural shift, putting spiritual wellbeing on the same footing as mental and physical health, as a first step toward creating a supportive environment for our warriors and their souls,” he added.

“We commend President Trump and Secretary Hegseth for taking bold steps toward protecting religious freedom for those who sacrifice the most to defend it by ensuring that every chaplain in our military is able to fulfill their mission to be the spiritual light for our brave warriors,” said Chris Motz, Senior Counsel for First Liberty.

“For too long, woke activists have been able to reduce religious freedom within the military with very little resistance, including limiting the freedom of our military chaplains,” Motz continued. “The ministry of military chaplains continues a tradition of service provided to our service men and women since 1775, making sure that those who fight to defend our nation have the spiritual guidance they need.”

President Trump’s Religious Liberty Commission also commended the action, emphasizing that “the chaplaincy is foundational to the American military—a source of spiritual strength so that our service members continue to serve as a force for good in the face of evil and oppression.”

The Commission recently held a hearing focusing on the religious freedom challenges that America’s military men and women face. It heard powerful testimony from military chaplains as well as former Navy SEAL Blake Martin, military supplier Kenny Vaughan with Shields of Strength, historian Dave Barton, and others.

“These men and women are risking their very lives for our freedoms. To stand for theirs is the very least we can do,” noted Kelly Shackelford, President and CEO of First Liberty and a member of the Commission.

“The testimonies highlight the importance of ensuring that the religious liberty of our service members, chaplains and veterans is upheld both now and into the future,” Shackelford continued.

Protecting Religious Freedom at the VA

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) recently issued new guidance that doctors within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) will no longer require VA employees to offer abortion services to veterans.

This action reverses previous guidance under the Biden administration which required abortions to be funded with taxpayer dollars for any reason and at any stage of pregnancy. The updated guidance ensures the VA will remain free from coercion for people of faith.

“VA doctors and nurses heroically care for our nation’s veterans, and they shouldn’t be forced to perform no-limit abortions against their religious beliefs,” Motz said.

First Liberty secured a huge victory for Stephanie Carter, an Army veteran and nurse practitioner at the VA medical center in Temple, Texas. When she sought a religious accommodation from participating in abortions in the fall of 2022, VA officials informed Stephanie that no process for such accommodations existed. First Liberty sued in federal court, arguing that the Biden administration’s rule violated longstanding protections for people of faith at the VA.

Because of our lawsuit, the VA implemented a policy to accommodate all VA employees who have religious objections to being forced to participate in abortions. This was a major win that not only impacted Stephanie, but thousands of religious employees at the VA.

“We commend the DOJ for taking bold steps toward protecting religious freedom for those within the VA by ensuring that health care providers will not be forced to provide abortion services, “ Motz concluded.

First Liberty Institute is the largest legal organization in the nation dedicated exclusively to defending religious liberty for all Americans.

 

 

Source: New Year Begins With Major Federal Actions To Protect Religious Liberty For America’s Service Members – Harbinger’s Daily

Today in the Word

Today in the Word – Moody Bible Institute – Exodus: Fellowship Requires Change

Leave a comment

 

Read Exodus 19:1–25

When someone moves to a new location, they often need instructions on how to fit in. There are customs, expectations, and ways of thinking that might need to be adjusted for the newcomer to enjoy fellowship with this new community. In the same way, Israel needed to learn how to live God’s way.

God brought Israel out of Egypt so they could be free to worship Him and enjoy His fellowship. But to be in that kind of relationship, they would need to become the kind of people who could enjoy a holy God (v. 6). So, He took the initiative to prepare them. Step one: teach Israel what holiness looks like.

After the Exodus, God met the nation at Mt. Sinai (v. 1) and gave instructions on how they should live. We first encounter these teachings in the book of Exodus. The purpose of these “rules” was to prepare Israel to be the kind of people who would enjoy fellowship with God. These instructions reflect His character. If the people want to be with Him, they must understand what He is like and change appropriately. They needed to become more like Him.

How could a mass of human beings who had lived without God’s revelation for 400 years attain that standard? God didn’t leave them to guess or figure it out on their own. Instead, He clearly told them how to behave. In the Ten Commandments and the many other instructions we find in Exodus, He taught Israel to value what He valued. He expected them to change the way they thought and acted (23:13). It is important to realize He was not imposing rules for His sake. Rather, He was showing them His character for their sake, so they could have fellowship with Him. Not surprisingly, they agreed to do it (19:8).

Go Deeper

How have your values changed to be like the values of the Lord with whom you fellowship? Do you take delight in the things that delight Him?

Pray with Us

Lord Jesus, teach us how to know You better and to long for fellowship with You every day. Teach us to love what You love, to value what You value, and to delight in Your holy presence.

The people responded together, “We will do everything the LORD has said.”Exodus 19:8

 

 

https://www.moodybible.org/

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread – God’s Beautiful Creation

Leave a comment

 

Consider the lilies . . . . Luke 12:27 esv

Today’s Scripture

Luke 12:22-31

Listen to Today’s Devotional

Apple LinkSpotify Link

Today’s Devotional

For a parent, the death of a child is devastating. But to lose two of your children? Unimaginable! Yet that’s the experience of Australian musician, writer, and actor Nick Cave. In 2015, his fifteen-year-old son fell from a cliff and died. A few years later, Cave’s oldest child also died. In the grip of such overwhelming grief, how did Cave and his wife keep going? How would you?

Cave attempted to find comfort in the world around him. “It’s the audacity of the world to continue to be beautiful . . . in times of deep suffering. That’s how I saw the world,” he said. “It was just carrying on, being systemically gorgeous.”

Jesus spoke of such beauty, and He saw it for what it truly is: the creation of God. His oft-quoted words in Luke 12—“consider the lilies” (v. 27 esv)—don’t dismiss the reality of suffering in our lives. In fact, they honor our great tragedies by offering an antidote to such harsh realities. Stop and consider the lilies or the ravens (v. 24) or the sunrise. Christ taught us, “If that is how God clothes the grass of the field . . . how much more will he clothe you” (v. 28).

In the face of grief and loss, the world’s perspective falls short. Jesus encourages us to consider our creator God, who holds His audacious creation together and cares for us deeply.

Reflect & Pray

When was the last time you stopped and considered the world around you? What did you notice?

God of all comfort, in seasons of suffering please give me the presence of mind to consider Your beautiful world.

Learn how lament can help you praise God in the storms of life.

Today’s Insights

Jesus assured His disciples not to worry about food, clothing, and shelter but to trust in God’s providential care (Luke 12:22-31). Just as He feeds the ravens (who were deemed unworthy because they were considered unclean) and adorns wildflowers with beauty (even though they last only a short time), He’ll most certainly take care of those who belong to Him. His children are much more valuable than all His creations (Matthew 6:26; Luke 12:7, 24). In a world of worries and sorrows, Christ tells those who believe in Him not to be afraid. When we see how He cares for His creation, we can be assured that He’ll care for those who belong to Him.

 

 

http://www.odb.org

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Feel the Freedom

Leave a comment

 

Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy.

Micah 7:18 (NIV)

No human being is perfect. Everyone sins at times (Romans 3:23), and when we do, we often feel bad about ourselves. Sometimes we even think we can punish ourselves if we feel guilty enough about our sin. This is not true. Sin does have a high price, but Jesus has paid it in full. When He died on the cross, He provided forgiveness for all our sins—past, present, and future.

When we ask God’s forgiveness for our sin, He forgives us immediately and even forgets our sins completely (Isaiah 43:25). He shows us mercy with no strings attached. Even if there are consequences of the sin, we can move forward free from guilt, regret, or shame because God’s forgiveness cleanses us thoroughly, and His mercy gives us a fresh start.

For years, I was a rigid, legalistic person. I had never experienced mercy, so I did not know how to receive it from God or give it to others. Thankfully, God has helped me in this area. Now when I sin, I repent and receive God’s mercy immediately. I do feel bad about the mistakes I make, and I am sorry for making them, but I refuse to live in bondage to guilt and condemnation.

Knowing that God has forgiven us and that His mercy is always available should empower us to resist negative emotions such as shame and guilt. Jesus came to give us a wonderful, abundant life, and God’s forgiveness and mercy set us free to enjoy it.

Prayer of the Day: Help me, God, to remember that You are merciful and to receive Your mercy and the freedom You offer me when I repent of my sins, amen.

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org