Daily Archives: May 30, 2026

News and Info

Putin’s Efforts to Subvert Armenia’s Elections Can Harm US Interests

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Putin’s interference in Armenia’s 2026 election threatens peace, democracy, and U.S. strategic interests.

 

Americans know how consequential elections can be for both domestic and foreign policy. Likewise, Armenia’s upcoming parliamentary election on June 7 is critical to the future of the country, the Caucasus, and a major Trump Administration initiative, the Trump Road for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP). The stakes for Armenia could not be higher. This election will determine whether Armenia remains a Russian satellite advancing Moscow’s interests rather than its own, or becomes an independent, Westward-looking state approaching EU membership. A Westward trajectory serves the interests of both Armenia and America and would solidify one of the Trump Administration’s strategic achievements.

Naturally, Russia, which is already losing ground in both the Caucasus and Central Asia, is trying to subvert this election. Besides threatening that Armenia will suffer Ukraine’s fate if it continues growing closer to Europe, Moscow has organized influence operations that are standard fare coming from the Kremlin. Russia intervened in the U.S. 2016 and 2020 elections, as well as elections in Spain, Moldova, Romania, Hungary, and Bulgaria. Russia also subsidizes the populist right-wing parties Alternative for Germany and National Rally in France.  So, the stakes in Armenia are enormous—war or peace, illiberalism or democracy.

A final peace settlement with Azerbaijan can only happen if Armenia’s new legislature, empowered by the June 7 elections, is able to address the necessary constitutional changes. Equally importantly, Armenia has begun serious negotiations with Brussels about entering the EU. In an historic first, Yerevan just hosted the May 4 meeting of the European Political Community (EPC), and on May 5, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa held the first-ever EU-Armenia summit, issuing a joint declaration.  The EU reaffirmed its steadfast commitment to further strengthening relations with Armenia and its long-term development by bringing Armenia and its people closer to the European Union.  The EU likewise supported Armenia’s willingness to align with the EU’s Acquis (membership requirements).

Sadly, this program of peace, Europeanization, and democracy is anathema to Russia and its partisans in Armenia. As a Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center paper aptly noted, “Russia Won’t Give Up Its Influence in Armenia Without a Fight.” In 2024-25, Moscow, working with Armenian revanchists, the Armenian church, and the opposition, was caught planning a coup. Such efforts to exploit domestic cleavages led by pro-Moscow oligarchs and Russian agents typify Moscow’s modus operandi.  The present intervention against Pashinyan’s government is part of a broader Russian strategy to maintain control over the South Caucasus and Armenia, protect the bridge to Iran, and derail emerging peace in the region.

Ocampo even boasted that he can exert pressure on EU Commissioner Ursula von der Leyen,  “and in that way tweak European policy,” working through the Spanish politician and former High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission, Josep Borrell. In the video of his leaked interview, Ocampo concludes, we’re getting onto a road that’s already been paved. We pile on more pressure, and I’m going to do it in combination with the Armenian lobby in the United States…I don’t have to break down the wall—the door is already open and we just push in.”

 

Stephen J. Blank | May 30, 2026

Source: Putin’s Efforts to Subvert Armenia’s Elections Can Harm US Interests

Turning Point

Turning Point; David Jeremiah – May Mothers: The Submission of Mary

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NEW!Listen Now

Then Mary said, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.”
Luke 1:38

Recommended Reading: Luke 2:51

Perhaps the most important thing we know about Mary, the mother of Jesus, comes from her own words to the angel Gabriel when she was told of God’s plan for her.

First, she referred to herself as a “maidservant of the Lord.” This word could be translated as “servant,” “bondservant,” or “slave.” It carried with it the idea of compulsion or obligation—that is, a role that Mary wasn’t free to reject. How did Mary come to view herself as a young woman obligated to serve God with her life? We don’t know. But we do know that her commitment to God resulted in Gabriel referring to her as “highly favored” in God’s sight (Luke 1:28). Second was her response to Gabriel’s announcement: “Let it be to me according to your word.” Once she received the amazing explanation of how she, a virgin, could give birth to a baby (Luke 1:35), there was no hesitation, questioning, or debate. Mary simply said “Yes” to God.

When it comes to submitting to God, the fewer words the better. Only one word is truly necessary: Yes.

The essence of sin is arrogance; the essence of salvation is submission.
Alan Redpath

 

 

https://www.davidjeremiah.org

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread – Imitating God’s Forgiveness

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Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. Ephesians 4:32

Today’s Scripture

Ephesians 4:25-32

Listen to Today’s Devotion

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Today’s Devotion

I used to work with a woman named Madge, who was an amazing cook. “You should taste my pea and ham soup!” she said one day. After replying that I really didn’t like peas, Madge smiled and said, “You will after you try my soup.” The next day she handed me a container of her soup, made especially for me.

“Did you try my soup?” Madge asked me a couple of days later. “I will—soon!” I said, hoping she wouldn’t ask me again. But she did—the next day, and the next. “Don’t leave it too long or it’ll spoil,” she added on the fourth day.

A week later, Madge’s uneaten soup had spoiled, and I threw it away. I felt dread as she approached me. “You did try my soup, didn’t you?” she asked.

“Yes,” I said. “It was . . .  delicious.”

In Ephesians 4, Paul calls us to deal with speech-related sins like angry words (v. 26), unwholesome talk (v. 29), and slander (v. 31). But before these comes a more basic call to “speak truthfully to your neighbor” (v. 25). I had looked at Madge and told her a lie. I knew what I needed to do.

I walked into Madge’s office, confessed my lie, and sheepishly asked for her forgiveness. Madge walked to me and gave me a hug. “Of course I forgive you,” she said. “How could I not, when I know how much God’s forgiven me?”

Reflect & Pray

How many sinful words or actions has God forgiven you for? How can that reminder help you forgive someone today, with the Holy Spirit’s strength?

Forgiving God, please enable me to forgive others.

For further study, read The Risk of Forgiveness.

Today’s Insights

Paul sets up these instructions in Ephesians 4:25-32 by reminding his readers what life was like without Christ: “You must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts” (vv. 17-18). Then he implicitly acknowledges how every believer in Jesus once lived that way: “You must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body” (v. 25). As we shed our old way of living, exchanging it for the new life in Christ, we’ll find it natural—even fulfilling—to “be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you” (v. 32).

 

http://www.odb.org

Denison Forum

Denison Forum – The new Babel: Reclaiming the image of God in a world of AI

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Earlier this week, Pope Leo XIV presented his first encyclical: a letter from the pope to the Catholic Church and its leaders. The 42,300-word document, titled Magnifica Humanitas, or “Magnificent Humanity,” outlined his thoughts on technology—with a specific focus on artificial intelligence—and called for remembering the importance of people as we integrate it into our lives.

While the document was presented on Monday, it was actually signed on May 15 to mark the 135th anniversary of Rerum Novarum, an encyclical written by his namesake, Pope Leo XIII, in 1891 to provide Catholics with guidance amid the Industrial Revolution. The current pope sees AI as potentially having a similarly revolutionary impact on our world.

At the same time, his letter encourages Catholics and all “people of good will” to be wary of the potential impact artificial intelligence could have on our culture, without being fearful of the technology itself. In his view, the chief danger is far less dystopian than many of the books and movies featuring a future dominated by AI might suggest.

Rather than artificial intelligence conquering humanity on its way to taking over the world, Leo suggests a far greater risk is humanity giving up our position in God’s created order and elevating our own creation instead.

Continue reading Denison Forum – The new Babel: Reclaiming the image of God in a world of AI →

Greg Laurie

Harvest Ministries; Greg Laurie – A Spiritual Badge of Honor

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 I have worked harder, been put in prison more often, been whipped times without number, and faced death again and again. Five different times the Jewish leaders gave me thirty-nine lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I spent a whole night and a day adrift at sea. I have traveled on many long journeys. I have faced danger from rivers and from robbers. I have faced danger from my own people, the Jews, as well as from the Gentiles. I have faced danger in the cities, in the deserts, and on the seas. And I have faced danger from men who claim to be believers but are not. I have worked hard and long, enduring many sleepless nights. I have been hungry and thirsty and have often gone without food. I have shivered in the cold, without enough clothing to keep me warm. 

—2 Corinthians 11:23–27 NLT

Scripture:

2 Corinthians 11:23–27 

Sometimes as believers we tend to be spiritual lightweights. At the first indication of a hardship or difficulty, we fall like a house of cards. We say, “I didn’t sign up for this. I don’t want difficulty; I just want to get along with everyone.”

But if you’re a true follower of Christ, there will be suffering in your life. The apostle Paul was certainly a true follower. And here’s how he described his experience: “I have worked harder, been put in prison more often, been whipped times without number, and faced death again and again. Five different times the Jewish leaders gave me thirty-nine lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I spent a whole night and a day adrift at sea. I have traveled on many long journeys. I have faced danger from rivers and from robbers. I have faced danger from my own people, the Jews, as well as from the Gentiles. I have faced danger in the cities, in the deserts, and on the seas. And I have faced danger from men who claim to be believers but are not. I have worked hard and long, enduring many sleepless nights. I have been hungry and thirsty and have often gone without food. I have shivered in the cold, without enough clothing to keep me warm” (2 Corinthians 11:23–27 NLT).

You’ll find no trace of self-pity or resentment in his words. Paul understood the role that suffering plays in the lives of believers.

The harsh reality is this: If you’re going to be used of God, then you’re going to be attacked. If you live as a real Christian, you will find yourself at odds with the world around you. You’ll face opposition, some of it intense. Think of suffering as a spiritual badge of honor. In fact, if you don’t experience at least occasional suffering or hardship in your life, you might want to examine your Christian walk.

And keep this in mind: The life that Christ offers is well worth any hardship.

Reflection question: How can you develop a proper perspective toward suffering? Discuss this with believers like you on Harvest Discipleship!

 

 

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

Days of Praise

Days of Praise – Man Must Repent

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by Henry M. Morris III, D.Min.

“As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: there is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.” (Romans 3:10–11)

From the moment Adam and Eve disobeyed their Creator in the Garden, humanity has attempted to deflect conscious acceptance of guilt. Adam blamed God because “the woman” was given to him by the Creator. Eve blamed the serpent—and you and I have continued that reaction ever since.

That is precisely why repentance is a requirement for salvation. When Adam rebelled, the relationship between man and God was destroyed: “By the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation,” and “by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners” (Romans 5:18–19). All men have “no hope, and [are] without God in the world” (Ephesians 2:12).

The death that entered the world because of Adam (Romans 5:12) not only introduced physical death into the entire creation (Romans 8:22) but a spiritual separation from the life of God, as well. “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Corinthians 2:14). For millennia God bore man’s ignorance of what God was going to do through Christ Jesus at Calvary by faith in the promise of the coming “Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). “And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent” (Acts 17:30).

Each of us must change our mind and admit we are sinful and desperately need God’s gracious forgiveness, praying, “God be merciful to me a sinner” (Luke 18:13). HMM III

 

 

https://www.icr.org/articles/type/6

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Worship Before You Ask

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And behold, a leper came to him and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.”

Matthew 8:2 (ESV)

Sometimes, people read today’s scripture and skip over its most important part. They first focus on the fact that the man had leprosy, a terrible disease that would have taken a miracle to cure. Then they turn their attention to his question and wonder if Jesus will be willing to heal him. We also need to pay attention to the fact that the man “knelt before him.”

The fact that he knelt before Jesus reveals the condition of his heart. He was humble in the presence of the Lord, and he worshipped and honored Him before he asked Him for a miracle.

When we need something from God, we can easily become so focused on our situation that we completely overlook the importance of worshipping and honoring God. We jump straight into talking about what we need from Him and forget to thank Him for who He is.

No matter what you need today—whether it’s something minor or something major—God can help you. But before you ask Him to do anything for you, take time to praise, worship, and honor Him for who He is.

Prayer of the Day: Father, help me to worship You before I ever ask You to do anything for me. In Jesus’ name amen.

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Today in the Word

Today in the Word – Moody Bible Institute – A Place to Run

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Read Numbers 34–35

A sanctuary is often defined as a sacred place. Some church members will refer to the worship building or the area around the altar as the sanctuary. But the word has also been defined as a place of safety, a refuge for someone seeking protection.

One of those original meanings for the word sanctuary appears in Numbers 34–35, where God establishes both territorial boundaries and cities of refuge for His people as they prepare to enter the Promised Land. Numbers 34 meticulously outlines Israel’s borders. These were divine borders, defining where God’s people belonged. The detailed tribal allotments ensured every family had their place in the covenant community. But God’s justice system required more than territorial boundaries—it needed places where mercy could operate alongside justice. God commanded Moses: “Select some towns to be your cities of refuge, to which a person who has killed someone accidentally may flee” (35:11). This wasn’t about protecting criminals but ensuring justice for those who unintentionally caused death.

The cities of refuge provided crucial protection: “They will be places of refuge from the avenger, so that anyone accused of murder may not die before they stand trial before the assembly” (35:12). Six cities—three on each side of the Jordan—offered sanctuary until proper investigation could determine guilt or innocence.

These cities represented God’s heart for both justice and mercy. The guilty faced consequences, but the innocent received protection. The high priest’s death would eventually free even those guilty of accidental killing (35:25), pointing toward ultimate redemption. In Jesus, we see the ultimate fulfillment of this idea. He becomes our refuge, not just from earthly consequences but from the judgment our sins deserve.

Go Deeper

What purpose did the cities of refuge serve in Numbers? How has God provided a refuge for us in Jesus?

Pray with Us

What a blessing it is, Lord, to take refuge in You! You are our sanctuary, our safe place. You not only provided salvation but know us and protect us and guide us each day. Thank you.

In the LORD I take refuge.Psalm 11:1

 

 

https://www.moodybible.org/