"God told me." "The Holy Spirit laid it on my heart." "The Spirit is compelling me." Those phrases and others like them are frequently thrown around the church today without giving many people pause. In fact, it seems the Holy Spirit’s primary role is laying burdens on believers and compelling them to deliver specific, timely messages to the church.

You have undoubtedly heard people say things like, “God is calling me to the mission field,” or “God led me to attend this college,” or “We feel God wants us to get married.” Perhaps you have even said such things yourself. Christians who use expressions like those often mean they have had an impression or a strong feeling that they interpret as a disclosure of the divine will.

If God is still speaking to His people today—particularly through mental impressions and premonitions—how can believers exercise discernment when it comes to interpreting and applying these divine messages? Put simply, how is following the private, subjective “leading” of the Lord any more reliable than gazing into a crystal ball?

Grace is not merely poured out in the moment of salvation; it is evident throughout His eternal plan of redemption. After all, He chose those whom He would save before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4). Theologians refer to this precious truth as the doctrine of election, and it has been a major point of debate and division in the church.

We often skim quickly over the introductory parts of Paul’s epistles, but they are usually pregnant with meaning—and in the case of his letter to Titus, profoundly so. In his seemingly simple salutation, Paul gives us some vivid insight into how the plan of redemption started.

From heaven’s perspective, the ultimate end of election and the ultimate purpose behind God’s grace poured out on us is the eternal glorification of the Son. But to understand God’s individual purpose in electing His people for salvation, we need to consider Romans 8:29: “For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren.”

“In the world you will have tribulation” (John 16:33, NKJV). Those words from our Lord are almost a truism—something so obvious it need not be stated. We are all intimately acquainted with the troubles of this life. On a personal level, we physically decay with each passing moment, even if we’re healthy (2 Corinthians 4:16). On a societal level, we see the effects of sinful decisions all around us. John MacArthur observes, “We are watching our country [America] freefall into godless darkness, sexual perversion, gender insanity, crime of all kinds, the breakdown of law and order, family destruction, and above all, the constant flood of lies and efforts to silence the truth.” In light of this individual and institutional decay, even Christians may be tempted to despair.

The problem of sin isn’t fundamentally external. It’s most visible in our actions, but our actions are merely the manifestation of a corruption that comes from within.

The doctrine of man’s depravity, of all the cardinal biblical truths should never need to be defended. The empirical evidence for man’s sinful nature is irrefutable and ubiquitous. It is the inescapable reality of life.

All false religions lie to us about man. While most of them concede that man has not reached perfection, they refuse to acknowledge the bare sinful facts of life and history. They insist on offering a system of human achievement that can please God. Only God’s Word tells us the painful yet loving truth.

When it comes to man’s fallen nature, Scripture is clear about the depth and breadth of its defilement. The apostle Paul delivers a blunt assessment of man’s sinful corruption in his epistle to the Romans.

Education Cannot Wait (ECW) has delivered quality education to children in crisis “against all odds,” ECW Executive Director Yasmine Sherif said at the United Nations today. “And you can imagine the odds. We are seeing more armed conflict, a growth of climate-induced disasters and the biggest refugee movement since World War 2.”  Education Cannot Wait’s […]

Amid unprecedented global challenges and a growing list of countries in crisis, there is an existential threat to decades of development gains—with the global community marked by intensified armed conflict, forced displacements, and the debilitating effects of climate crises. One in five children worldwide lives in or flees from conflict. The number of crisis-affected children […]

Parliamentary representation by women in Pacific Island countries remains stubbornly low at 8.4 percent. Yet women leaders across the region have been meeting every year for the past four decades to discuss goals and drive action to address gender inequality and the most pressing development challenges in the Pacific. One of the critical issues discussed […]

Amid the ongoing civil unrest in Haiti due to gang violence, levels of internal displacement have soared. Mass internal displacements in Haiti have led to a host of adverse consequences. This includes a disruption of schooling, increased levels of violence and exploitation, and limited access to essential services such as healthcare. Just last week, clashes […]

Somalia is currently in the midst of a dire humanitarian crisis that threatens to destabilize the nation’s security. This crisis is a result of the Somali Civil War, which began in 1991. Altercations between clan-based operations have caused a host of issues over the years, including over 596 civilian casualties, according to the United Nations […]

Climate change is driving a mental health crisis and accelerating eco-anxiety. Dr. Emma Lawrance is leading Climate Cares, Imperial College London, a centre dedicated to research on climate change in mental health. The researcher spoke to IPS about the need to address this growing concern.

The struggle for women’s right to decide in Latin America and the Caribbean, for their access to legal, safe and free abortion continues in the region, with some countries fully criminalising it, others with severe regulations, and a few guaranteeing better conditions, while threats of regression persist. This Saturday 28 September marks, as every year, […]

Last week, UN member states adopted the Pact of the Future – and its two annexes: the Global Digital Compact and the Declaration for Future Generations. These action-oriented documents are envisaged to counter emerging threats to development and acceleration of progress on Agenda 2030. Nonetheless, there remains little political prioritization of reproductive justice on this agenda. […]

Reem Alsalem, the UN Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women and Girls, calls prostitution a “system of violence” that does not benefit society at all, especially the women and girls forced into this system. Alsalem spoke at the Roosevelt House Public Policy Institute in New York on Wednesday, October 2, to discuss her special report […]

Over the past few months, the escalation of gang violence and mass displacement in Haiti have been of great concern for humanitarian organizations. Severe levels of armed violence have resulted in significant instability, with food insecurity, sexual violence, civilian casualities, and restricted freedom of movement plaguing the nation. Displacement cases have risen sharply, to the […]

The 15 August 2021 Taliban takeover of Afghanistan devastated the lives of millions of Afghans. But the rights and freedoms of women and girls in particular have been progressively trampled by a series of edicts that have created a virtual system of gender apartheid.

On October 11, the United Nations (UN) and its affiliated organizations hosted a conference discussing the increasingly dangerous and exploitative environment that plagues the internet and what can be done to protect children from being exposed to it. Speakers at this conference detailed the developing technologies that threaten children, such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), which […]

International Day for the Eradication of Poverty

International Day for the Eradication of Poverty

  Our world has witnessed unprecedented levels of economic development. The advance of our technological capabilities continues unabated. Our financial resources continue to grow. Yet, as of last year, an estimated 750 million people live in extreme poverty. Extreme poverty is defined as living on less than $2.15 per day. Roughly 60% of the world’s […]

Social development in a global context shows the risk of trending downwards and not recovering if countries do not minimize the long-term impacts of multiple crises and work towards building up their resilience. As much as this will require national political will, it will also need global cooperation for it to be possible. The United […]

At a rally to mark International Youth Day on August 12 in Tanzania’s southern Mbeya region, John Mnyika stood with a determined expression, addressing his supporters. The air was charged with anticipation. Mnyika, the Secretary-General of Tanzania’s opposition party, Chadema, was preparing to speak about the upcoming elections when the chaos erupted. Without warning, heavily […]

Until recently, Margaret Natabi would never have dreamed of taking her anti-corruption fight on the streets of Uganda’s capital, Kampala. Natabi, 24, is a University student. She has first-hand experience of how corruption affects marginalized groups, especially women and girls. She was orphaned during childhood. Her mother died while giving birth to one of her […]

Due to worsening political instability, escalating gang violence, and a lack of basic services, Haiti is in the midst of one of the most severe humanitarian crises in the world. According to a 2024 ACAPS report, gangs have seized 85 percent of the nation’s capital, Port-Au-Prince, resulting in over 700,000 displaced persons. Many of the […]

Gang violence has ravaged Haiti, causing thousands of civilian deaths, displacements, and violations of international humanitarian law. Turmoil is expected to escalate following the removal of Haitian Prime Minister Garry Conille from office on November 11. On November 10, the Haitian government announced plans to replace incumbent prime minister Conille, with entrepreneur and former senate […]

Azerbaijan's commitment to diversifying its economy and reducing greenhouse gas emissions mirrors similar aspirations in Africa

The new Trump administration is bad news for American civil and human rights and brings uncertainty for the rest of the world

A British business person is keeping the skeleton of the dilapidated R20 million Upper Constantia house, but has to replace the roof and the interior

Inadequate controls on hazardous chemicals contributed to the death of the six children in Soweto

The Jonas Brothers left Directioners in tears during their recent concert.During their Sunday night concert at Highland, California, the Jonas Brothers covered One Direction’s Night Changes in what appeared to be a tribute to the late Liam Payne. On November 11, Nick, Joe, and Kevin Jonas...

Armie Hammer takes hilarious dig at “cannibal rapist” allegations in his podcast episode with his mother Dru. The Call By Your Name actor shed light on the sexual abuse and cannibal allegations – which cost his career – in a new podcast interview with his mother.The...

Princess Diana's former chauffeur raises eyebrows with shocking revelationPrince William and Prince Harry's mother Princess Diana's former chauffeur has finally broken his silence for the first time in 30 years about his service to the royals.In chat with The Mail on Sunday, Steve Davies revealed...

Blake Shelton previously coached 9 winners over 23 seasons of 'The Voice' before his departure in 2023Blake Shelton isn’t done with music competitions just yet. A year after his departure from The Voice, the country star, 48, is gearing up to launch a new show called The Road, set to air on...

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are facing fresh "cause for anxiety" following what royal commentator Lee Cohen calls a string of "bad judgments." Speaking to Nana Akua on GB News, Cohen, who has frequently criticized the Sussexes, suggested that the couple may be enduring "sleepless nights"...

Denzel Washington made his debut in 1981 film 'Carbon Copy'Danzel Washington has spilled beans about his retirement, but before that there are a few films lined up ahead that he wishes to first. The Equalizer actor even confirmed the making of Black Panther 3, however, Marvel has not yet said...

Kathy Bates on not having reconstruction surgery after double mastectomy Kathy Bates revealed why she didn’t go for a reconstruction surgery after her double mastectomy and breast cancer diagnosis.In 2012, at age 64, the American Horror Story alum was diagnosed with breast cancer and...

Megan Fox's current beau Machine Gun Kelly is in “no relationship” with the actress’ ex-husband Brian Austin Green, as the couple expect their first baby together.According to TMZ, MGK and Green have had little to no contact over the past two years, with sources saying that the...

Ariana Grande praises her ‘adorable’ beau Ethan SlaterAriana Grande has recently expressed her admiration for beau and adorable Wicked co-star Ethan Slater.Speaking to Entertainment Tonight at Wicked press tour in Los Angeles over the weekend, the pop star praised Ethan for his...

It was two weeks before October 7—when Hamas attacked Israel—that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stood behind the rostrum in the United Nations General Assembly hall clutching a crude map of what he called the “new Middle East,” a visual that erased the land of Palestine. A year later, Israel’s retaliatory war in Gaza has accelerated, […]

As the UN’s COP16 biodiversity conference continues, the temptation is to focus on the wild flora and fauna under threat. But there is another, less obvious yet just as critical biodiversity crisis unfolding around the world that also deserves attention. A quarter of livestock breeds – from chickens, ducks and geese to horses, camels and […]

The act of planting trees offers more than shade and fruit. It symbolizes a deeper mission—restoring soil, preserving water, and, for these students, living in Tanzania’s northern Rorya district, delivering a form of climate justice. The reforestation efforts are in step with Tanzania's broader plans to fortify its agriculture and water systems against the advancing climate crisis.

José Aruna, a forest defender from Sud Kivu province in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), remembers the night in September 2019 when a group of heavily armed men barged into his house in the middle of the night. Aruna and his wife—6 months pregnant at the time—were in bed when he heard sounds […]

Africa Youth Day Statement by Education Cannot Wait Executive Director Yasmine Sherif

While India continues to rely heavily on coal, the south Asian economic giant is also aggressively pushing renewable energy production, especially after the costs of renewable energy production have fallen drastically in recent years around the world. But experts say that India—the world’s third largest emitter of greenhouse gases (GHGs)—has to face many headwinds for […]