John Piper: Boasting Only in the Cross - Passion OneDay 2000

John Piper - passionately urges believers to dedicate their lives solely to the glory of the cross, embracing a deep passion for Christ that compels them to live and die for His supremacy.

This sermon emphasizes the importance of living a life that counts for the cross, urging listeners to not waste their lives on fleeting success but to instead dedicate themselves to the glory of the cross. The speaker, drawing from personal experiences and a deep desire for his children and the younger generation to embrace a passion for Christ, challenges the audience to find their own unique passion and purpose in spreading the supremacy of God and the joy of Christ to all people. The message centers on the call to lay down one's life for Jesus, to go to the hard places, and to boast only in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.

www.sermonindex.net

Microsoft offers buyouts to around 60,000 employees to contain costs

Microsoft said on Monday it is offering voluntary buyouts to about 60,000 employees, or more than a quarter of its global workforce, as the technology giant looks to ​contain costs and help fund its massive AI investments.

Staffers across the Windows maker ‌would be eligible for the offers, including those working in AI experiences, Copilot, finance, human resources, Xbox and Windows + Devices, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters, requesting anonymity as the matter was ​private. Units such as marketing, commercial business and security will be excluded, the source ​added.

"This offer gives eligible employees who may be considering a future outside ⁠the company a new choice to make that transition now with support. It also ​gives participating organizations another way to adapt their workforce to changing needs," Chief People Officer Amy ​Coleman said in a staff memo.

Like other tech giants, Microsoft is spending hundreds of billions of dollars on AI data centers and chips, drawing scrutiny from investors over whether the returns will justify the staggering ​cost. The company, slated to report first-quarter results after markets close on Wednesday, has ​forecast $175 billion in capital expenditures for the 2026 calendar year.

www.reuters.com

Today's Reading, by C.S.Lewis. On goodness...

Good and evil both increase at compound interest. That is why the little decisions you and I make every day are of such infinite importance. 

The smallest good act today is the capture of a strategic point from which, a few months later, you may be able to go on to victories you never dreamed of. 

An apparently trivial indulgence in lust or anger today is the loss of a ridge or railway line or bridgehead from which the enemy may launch an attack otherwise impossible.

From Mere Christianity

Anthropic warns of 'catastrophic risk' to humankind ahead of blockbuster share listing

Anthropic has warned artificial intelligence (AI) could pose "catastrophic or existential risks to humanity" as it unveiled details of its planned blockbuster stock market listing in the US.

The firm's valuation is expected to exceed that of SpaceX, which was the biggest-ever listing at an initial valuation of about $1.8 trillion in the summer.

Anthropic has not yet disclosed the number of shares to be released, their price range, or a date for the listing.

The Claude chatbot developer reported $16.3bn (£12.2bn) of revenue in the first half of the year, with losses of more than $80.7bn.

Anthropic, which said it will list on the Nasdaq under the symbol ANT, will be the first fully AI-focused company to go public, making it a test case for the future of the technology.

In a filing ahead of its listing, Anthropic said concerns had been raised by policymakers, regulators and researchers as well as by people within its organisation that AI systems posed a significant risk to humanity.

It said advanced AI systems "could, if not developed, deployed, and operated with appropriate safeguards, oversight, and security measures, pose catastrophic or existential risks to humanity, particularly if such systems were misused, replicated, weaponised, or allowed to operate with a high degree of autonomy".

www.bbc.co.uk

Remembrance 2026 - the Poppy Appeal

Remembrance honours those who serve to defend our democratic freedoms and way of life.

We unite across communities, cultures and faiths to remember the service and sacrifices of the Armed Forces community from the UK and the Commonwealth. We reflect on the contributions of those who serve today, and of veterans and their families. We also remember all those who have lost their lives while in service.

Remembrance is deeply personal. It may mean wearing a poppy in November. It could mean joining with others in your community on an anniversary. Or it could mean taking a moment on your own to pause and reflect. Everyone is free to remember in their own way. Find out more in the stories here.

The Poppy Appeal is our flagship campaign held every year in October and November.  

Founded in 1921, the Appeal raises funds for the Royal British Legion’s vital work supporting serving personnel, veterans and their families throughout their lives with whatever the need, whenever it’s needed.  

Our support for those in need is made possible by the generous donations of the public and the 60,000 Poppy Appeal collectors and volunteers who dedicate their time each year to helping fundraise across the country.   

In 2026 poppies will be available from 22nd October at local supermarkets, high street shops, train stations or online at our Poppy Shop.  

The simple act of wearing a poppy sends a personal message of thanks and support for the Armed Forces community to see, and we ask the public not to underestimate the impact that wearing a poppy has on those who serve, and their families. 

www.britishlegion.org.uk

Wanna be a time lord? Travel through time this weekend!

 

In the UK the clocks go forward 1 hour at 1am on the last Sunday in March, and back 1 hour at 2am on the last Sunday in October.

The period when the clocks are 1 hour ahead is called British Summer Time (BST). There’s more daylight in the evenings and less in the mornings (sometimes called Daylight Saving Time).

When the clocks go back, the UK is on Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).

www.gov.uk

Finland orders halt to work on two Google data centres

 

Finnish authorities have ordered a halt to building work at two planned Google data centres amid concerns over the clearance of more than 300 hectares of forest.

The sites form part of Google's record €13bn (£11bn; $15bn) investment in Finland, announced less than a month ago and described by the company as its largest single investment in Europe.

The Finnish Supervisory Agency (LVV) said work at one site was carried out without a mandatory environmental impact assessment and ordered measures that would "significantly alter the environment" to be suspended by 23 October.

Google said it had "fallen short of our own high standards in this instance" and would follow the agency's guidance.

www.bbc.co.uk