• Starting today August 7th, 2024, in order to post in the Married Couples, Courting Couples, or Singles forums, you will not be allowed to post if you have your Marital status designated as private. Announcements will be made in the respective forums as well but please note that if yours is currently listed as Private, you will need to submit a ticket in the Support Area to have yours changed.

  • CF has always been a site that welcomes people from different backgrounds and beliefs to participate in discussion and even debate. That is the nature of its ministry. In view of recent events emotions are running very high. We need to remind people of some basic principles in debating on this site. We need to be civil when we express differences in opinion. No personal attacks. Avoid you, your statements. Don't characterize an entire political party with comparisons to Fascism or Communism or other extreme movements that committed atrocities. CF is not the place for broad brush or blanket statements about groups and political parties. Put the broad brushes and blankets away when you come to CF, better yet, put them in the incinerator. Debate had no place for them. We need to remember that people that commit acts of violence represent themselves or a small extreme faction.

Ultra-processed foods fueling chronic diseases, mental illnesses globally: study

A growing consumption of ultra-processed foods such as breakfast cereals, yogurts, soda, cookies and even infant formula is fueling an increase in chronic diseases, including mental illnesses around the world, according to a global team of public health experts.

The warning comes in the form of a three-part series published in The Lancet, titled "Ultra-Processed Foods and Human Health."

A growing consumption of ultra-processed foods such as breakfast cereals, yogurts, soda, cookies and even infant formula is fueling an increase in chronic diseases, including mental illnesses around the world, according to a global team of public health experts.

The warning comes in the form of a three-part series published in The Lancet, titled "Ultra-Processed Foods and Human Health."

Continued below.

Ilan Omar did, in fact, marry her brother to commit immigration fraud.



The results of the test assert that there is a 99.999998% chance that Omar and her second husband Ahmed Elmi are siblings.

The report, drawn up by Endeavor DNA Laboratories does not name either Omar or Elmi, instead referring to them as 'Sibling 1' and 'Sibling 2.' DailyMail.com understands that Omar is Sibling 1.

Yes. Genetics prove that all the "conspiracy theories" about Ilan Omar committing immigration fraud by marrying her brother is true. DNA proves it and people closest to Ilan Omar admit it. IMO, she should be deported back to Somalia for fraud. I rally do not care about the fact that she is a member of Congress. The fact that she was able to be elevated to such a position demonstrates such a failure in the system, and explains why there is so much fraud in Minnesota. You elect a Somalian fraudster into congress, you get a Somalian fraudster in congress.
  • Haha
Reactions: JosephZ

Over 40 percent of Netflix’s children’s shows contain LGBT content: report

A new analysis found that 41 percent of Netflix TV shows for children portray homosexual relationships, ‘transgender’ and ‘non-binary’ characters, and other ‘queer’ themes.
A whopping 41 percent of both G-rated and TV-Y7-rated television series on Netflix contain content positively portraying homosexual relationships or transgenderism, Concerned Women for America (CWA) found in a recent analysis. This content was most often “explicit,” that is, featuring characters “clearly identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, or nonbinary.”


A lesser but significant portion of the shows portrayed LGBT-identified non-primary or “queer-coded” characters.


The content highlighted the even more disturbing fact that the creators of this LGBT content view children’s shows as “a tool for cultural transformation, not merely a reflection of existing norms,” as shown by public admissions. For example, Disney Television Animation executive producer Latoya Raveneau has spoken of her “not-at-all-secret” homosexual agenda in TV storytelling.

144k & Who They Are

Rev 7:
4 And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.
(PARSING: 144k sealed from ALL the TRIBES of the Children of Jacob/ISRAEL.)

5 Of the tribe of Juda, Reuben & Gad .

6 Of the tribe of Aser, Nepthalim & Manassas

7 Of the tribe of Simeon, Levi & Issachar

8 Of the tribe of Zabulon, Joseph & Benjamin
(PARSING: Verses 5-8 confirm 12k ea x 12 tribes = 144,000)

Gen 32:28 God changed Jacob's name to Israel. The 12 tribes of Israel are Jacob's sons. Each son received a land portion (except Levi/Levites they become the priesthood) Joseph receives a double portion of land (Gen 48) And divides it between his 2 sons Ephraim & Manasseh.

Rev 14:
1 And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Zion, and with him a 144k, having his Father's name written in their foreheads.

3 And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth.
(PARSING: These 144k were redeemed from the earth)

4 These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.
(PARSING: "Redeemed From Among Men" being the FIRSTFRUITS unto God & to the Lamb)

Parsing vs 4
(A) 144k ALL VIRGINS)
(B) These 144k were REDEEMED from AMONG MEN)
(C) Being FIRSTFRUITS onto God & to the Lamb.

1 Cor 15:20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.
(PARSING: Christ is 1st to rise/resurrected from the grave)

Matt 27:
50 Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.
(PARSING: Jesus dies)

51 And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;
(PARSING: Jesus rips the Temple veil in 1/2 on the way to paradise)

52 And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,
(PARSING: Many saints are resurrected)

53 And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.
(PARSING: After Jesus rises 1st, many saints rise, REREADING Rev 14:1-4, 144k > FIRSTFRUITS, "Redeemed From Among Men")

ICE issues deportation order for Belarusian woman extradited by FBI


Seriously in order to make up the numbers ICE are claiming that people extradited to face trial in the USA are there illegally and must be deported .

Tim Walz Vows to Bring More Somalis to Minnesota, Despite Growing Fraud Scandal Reaching Into the Billions

“We are going to defend our neighbors,” Walz said at a Tuesday fundraiser, according to the Center Square. “Instead of demonizing our Somali community, we’re going to do more to welcome more in.”

He always appears to know what is best for the rest of us.

The Law vs The Law

I admit, this is not my favorite subject to write about, for it can be a confusing subject, for certain. So, I will try to make it simple to understand for all of us. The Jews of old were under the Old Covenant (The Law), and it was filled with all kinds of liturgical, ceremonial, sacrificial, purification, circumcision, dietary, and Sabbath laws that God’s people, the Jews, had to obey. But we who believe in Jesus Christ are not under that covenant.

“But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.” (Galatians 4:4-5 NASB1995)

This is speaking of Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, who is God, and who is our creator God (see John 1:1-36). He left his throne in heaven, came to the earth, and was born as a baby to a virgin woman, but conceived of the Holy Spirit and not of man, so he was not born with a sin nature as we are, and he never sinned. When he lived on the earth he was fully God and fully human. And at the age of 30 he began his earthly ministry, the primary part of which was sharing the message of the gospel of Christ.

For Jesus Christ taught that to come to him we must deny self, take up our cross daily (die daily to sin), and follow (obey) him. For if we hold on to living in sin and for self, we will lose our lives for eternity. But if we deny self, die daily to sin, by the Spirit, and we walk in obedience to our Lord and to his commands, in his power, then we have eternal life with God. For not everyone who calls him “Lord” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one DOING (obeying) the will of God (see Luke 9:23-26; Matthew 7:21-23).

And so it is essential that we understand the message of the gospel taught by Jesus so that we comprehend this whole matter of The Law. For The Law is generally a reference to the Old Covenant God had with his people Israel, Jews only. But once Jesus was crucified on that cross to deliver us out of our slavery to sin, the Old Covenant was done away with, and the New Covenant came into being. But the New Covenant is not lawless, for under the New Covenant we still have to obey our Lord and his commandments.

“For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself’” (Galatians 5:13-14 NASB1995).
“Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God” (Galatians 5:19-21 NASB1995).

So, there is The Law, which was the Old Covenant, which had all those liturgical and ceremonial laws the Jews had to follow. And there is the New Covenant God has with his people Israel (Jew and Gentile by faith in Jesus Christ) which did away with all the liturgical and ceremonial laws, but which still requires that we obey our Lord and his commands under the New Covenant. And what God requires of us under the New Covenant is mainly that we die with Christ to sin and we walk in obedience to his commands.

And his laws under the New Covenant have mainly to do with love, grace, morality, faithfulness, honesty, and doing what pleases God and what is righteous in the eyes of the Lord, and that which submits to Christ as Lord and surrenders to his will and purpose for our lives. It is more, perhaps, about our relationship with Christ as our husband, and our desire to love him by doing what he calls us to do as his followers. And it is not about religious practices which do nothing to change the human heart, mind, and soul.

But the situation the believers in Christ of that time period were being faced with was the Judaizers who were trying to convince the Christians that they had to be circumcised and that they had to hold to some of those ceremonial laws of the Old Covenant. And so Paul let them know plainly that the Israel of God is not those who are merely of Jewish descent, but they are those who are followers of Jesus Christ. And all who do not believe in Christ are not the children of God, so we don’t have to listen to what they say.

“And you brethren, like Isaac, are children of promise. But as at that time he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so it is now also. But what does the Scripture say? ‘Cast out the bondwoman and her son, for the son of the bondwoman shall not be an heir with the son of the free woman.’ So then, brethren, we are not children of a bondwoman, but of the free woman.” (Galatians 4:28-31 NASB1995)

And what this is telling us (in vv. 21-31) is that physical Jerusalem is of Hagar, the slave woman, for she is in slavery with her children. But the Jerusalem from above is our mother (allegorically speaking) who bears the children of promise, who are all who believe in Jesus Christ. So we are not to let ourselves be influenced by any Jew who is trying to push us to become more like Jews and to follow the Old Covenant liturgical laws. For all who do not believe in Jesus Christ are not the children of God; not his holy nation.

[Genesis 17:7-9; Genesis 18:19; John 8:18-19,38-47; Romans 2:28-29; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; Romans 9:4-8,25-28; Romans 11:1-36; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; Galatians 3:16,26-29; Galatians 4:22-31; Ephesians 2:11-22; Ephesians 3:1-6; Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 4:1-16; Hebrews 8:6-13;1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 2:22; Jude 1:5; Revelation 2:9; Revelation 3:9]

As the Deer

By Martin J. Nystrom
Based off Psalm 42:1


As the deer panteth for the water
So my soul longeth after You
You alone are my heart's desire
And I long to worship You

You alone are my strength, my shield
To You alone may my spirit yield
You alone are my heart's desire
And I long to worship You

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The Law vs The Law
An Original Work / December 12, 2025
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

Ilhan Omar blasted over resurfaced comments on Somali influence in the US as Elon Musk suggests she committed treason


Congresswoman Omar should not be pledging help to any foreign nation. This has been the concern not with just Omar, but with the Somali community, that there first loyalty may not be to the United States of America. She should be out there every day saying the individuals involved in fraud are not representative of Somalians, she should denounce their actions and encourage all in the community to come forward with information on fraud.

  • Poll
Discussion The Christ as Father of Eternity has not been fully glorified?

Is Christ Jesus fully glorified?

  • Yes fully, equal with the Father.

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • No, only partially.

    Votes: 1 100.0%
  • No only sanctified.

    Votes: 0 0.0%

Jesus Christ our Lord rose from the dead, ascended and was glorified. But fully glorified? For Jesus is as in Isaiah 9:6. He is the father of time and should know the end from the beginning, but the bridegroom does not know the time of his wedding, but only his father according to Jewish traditions.

And about the prophets before us. Hebrews 11:40.

The verse says:

“God having provided something better for us, so that apart from us they should not be made perfect.”
Hebrews 11:40
Meaning:
The Old Testament prophets and faithful saints (“they”) will not receive their final perfection, glory, or completion without us — that is, without the whole people of God across all ages. The author of Hebrews is emphasizing that the consummation happens together, at the resurrection and final glorification.

Related idea​

Paul teaches a similar “together in glory” theme:

  • 1 Thessalonians 4:16–17 – The dead in Christ rise first, then living believers join them together.
  • Romans 8:17–23 – Glorification and redemption of the body happen for all God's children at once.

Perhaps Jesus full glorification will come with us altogether ? Prophets like Moses, Elijah and Ezekiel may be fully sanctified and partly glorified. As Jesus in Revelation, is crowned, with all glory, and honour and power... Revelation 1:5-6, 5:13, 7:12, but it does not say knowledge and that He again knows all and the end from the beginning, Isaiah 46:10. But even now His body is immortal and glorious and glory shines from His face with vast intensity. 2 Corinthians 4:6.

We may be awaiting the wedding feast of the Lamb for glorification, all together like a graduating class. And after us a new class starts.

Mystery Babylon is physical Jerusalem

⭐ 1. Revelation itself IDENTIFIES the city that kills the prophets
⭐ Revelation 11:8 “The great city… where also their Lord was crucified. It is spiritually called Sodom and Egypt.” Only one city qualifies: Jerusalem. The phrase “where their Lord was crucified” is geographically specific.

⭐ 2. Only Jerusalem is the city that kills prophets (Jesus’ own words)
⭐ Matthew 23:37 “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you…”
⭐ Luke 13:33 “It cannot be that a prophet perish outside of Jerusalem.” Revelation 18 says of Mystery Babylon:
⭐ Revelation 18:24 “In her was found the blood of prophets and of saints…” Jesus says prophets are killed in Jerusalem. Revelation says prophets are killed in Babylon. Therefore → The city = Jerusalem. No other city in the Bible kills prophets.

⭐ 3. Jerusalem is repeatedly called a HARLOT in the Old Testament Revelation 17 calls Mystery Babylon “the great harlot.” So does the OT, referring to Jerusalem:
⭐ Isaiah 1:21 “How the faithful city has become a harlot!” This is the same accusation Revelation makes.
⭐ Ezekiel 16:15 “You trusted in your beauty and played the harlot…”
⭐ Ezekiel 16:26 “You committed harlotry with the Egyptians…”
⭐ Ezekiel 16:28 “You played the harlot with Assyria…”
⭐ Ezekiel 23:1–49 Jerusalem (“Oholibah”) and Samaria (“Oholah”) are called: “harlots” “adulteresses” women committing fornication with foreign nations This is near-identical language to Revelation 17. Thus, long before Revelation, Jerusalem = Harlot City in prophecy.

⭐ 4. Jerusalem is called SODOM — same as Mystery Babylon Revelation 11:8 identifies the great city as: Sodom Egypt The OT also calls Jerusalem Sodom:
⭐ Isaiah 1:10 “Hear the word of the LORD, you rulers of Sodom… you people of Gomorrah!”
⭐ Ezekiel 16:46–55 Jerusalem compared to Sodom repeatedly. Jerusalem is spiritually: Sodom Gomorrah Revelation uses the SAME labels.

⭐ 5. Jerusalem is called EGYPT — same as Mystery Babylon Revelation 11:8 explicitly says Jerusalem is Egypt spiritually. The OT establishes this pattern:
⭐ Hosea 11:5 “He shall return to Egypt…” (Israel’s judgment)
⭐ Deuteronomy 28:68 Israel will be sent “back to Egypt” in judgment. Thus, “Egypt” is a Bible nickname for apostate Israel/Jerusalem.

⭐ Jeremiah 25:11–12 The nations drinking the cup of wrath includes Jerusalem first (Jer 25:18), just as Babylon brings wrath to the nations. Jerusalem becomes like Babylon when judged.

⭐ 7. Revelation’s description of the “Great City” matches Jerusalem, not Rome (a) The city where Jesus was crucified Only Jerusalem (Rev. 11:8) (b) The city that kills prophets Only Jerusalem (Matt. 23:37; Rev. 18:24) (c) The city drunk with blood of saints Jerusalem repeatedly killed the righteous (Matt. 23:35). (d) The harlot imagery OT consistently uses this language for Jerusalem (Isa 1; Ezek 16; 23).

⭐ 8. Additional OT parallels between Jerusalem and Mystery Babylon
⭐ Jeremiah 6:6 “This is the city to be visited… wickedness is found in her.”
⭐ Jeremiah 13:27 “Your adulteries, your neighings… I have seen your abominations, O Jerusalem.”
⭐ Lamentations 1–2 (especially 1:8–9, 1:17) Jerusalem’s fall described with language similar to Revelation 18.
⭐ Micah 3:9–12 In the 500s BC Jerusalem is judged, destroyed, and burned → parallel to Rev. 17–18.



Note Revelation 1-12 happened 70 AD, and Jerusalem was called Sodom, and Egypt then. When it is judged again in the future it is called mystery Babylon. Revelation 13-22 is still future.

Revelation 17 2
2 With her the kings of the earth committed adultery, and the inhabitants of the earth were intoxicated with the wine of her adulteries.”

Revelation 18

9 “When the kings of the earth who committed adultery with her and shared her luxury see the smoke of her burning, they will weep and mourn over her. 10 Terrified at her torment, they will stand far off and cry:
“‘Woe! Woe to you, great city,
you mighty city of Babylon!
In one hour your doom has come!’

The kings of the earth - all the political leaders in the world- go to Jerusalem to worship satan at the brick wall which is committing spiritual fornication/adultery - so they can get money from the people that say they are Jews but lie they are the synagogue of satan (SOS) as they own the worlds banking systems. Notice the people are calling the city Babylon- it is no longer a metaphor at that point in time- conclusion- Jerusalem will be renamed BABYLON by the SOS themselves. The reason is they like the tower of Babel concept

Genesis 11 4
Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves; otherwise we will be scattered over the face of the whole earth.”

Zionism for the SOS is the same concept- they say let us make a country for ourselves in Palestine which is where ancient Israel was, and a name for ourselves- "Israel", and let us not be scattered among the nations because of what happened to us in 70 AD. We can trick people into believing we are old covenant Israel (which actually ended with Jesus, then 70 AD never to return again). Also they like the name Babylon because in Daniels Babylon everyone had to worship a golden statue or die just like when the SOS messiah comes everyone will have to worship their messiah or die. Revelation 13 mark of the beast is the hexagram.

Revelation 17 4
4 The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and was glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls. She held a golden cup in her hand, filled with abominable things and the filth of her adulteries

Which is what the Levites wore in Exodus 39- Leviticus 2

Exodus 39
39 And of the blue, and purple, and scarlet, they made cloths of service, to do service in the holy place, and made the holy garments for Aaron; as the Lord commanded Moses.
2 And he made the ephod of gold, blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen.
3 And they did beat the gold into thin plates, and cut it into wires, to work it in the blue, and in the purple, and in the scarlet, and in the fine linen, with cunning work.
4 They made shoulder pieces for it, to couple it together: by the two edges was it coupled together.
5 And the curious girdle of his ephod, that was upon it, was of the same, according to the work thereof; of gold, blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen; as the Lord commanded Moses.
6 And they wrought onyx stones inclosed in ouches of gold, graven, as signets are graven, with the names of the children of Israel.
7 And he put them on the shoulders of the ephod, that they should be stones for a memorial to the children of Israel; as the Lord commanded Moses.

The church is the third temple the Israel of God born in a day on Pentecost, and believers body has the spirit of God in it but maybe the SOS will build a replica temple of the OT to worship satan in.


Revelation 17
8 The beast, which you saw, once was, now is not, and yet will come up out of the Abyss and go to its destruction.

That could be referring to OT Solomonic Israel when it was at its peak but was not in the first century but will be restored to that (and more).

So Jerusalem will be world capital one day. A huge trade city like New York or London or Sydney or Hong Kong etc. But God will destroy it forever never to return again.
The new Jerusalem is the promise land now

Most of these prophecies were about either the Babylonian, Maccabean or 70 AD judgment on Jerusalem.

⭐ PART 1 — OLD JERUSALEM: THE CITY IN SIN / UNDER JUDGMENT


These verses describe the current/old Jerusalem as:


  • harlot
  • unfaithful
  • judged
  • destroyed
  • not God’s final dwelling place

Isaiah 1:21


“How the faithful city has become a harlot!”


Isaiah 3:8


“Jerusalem is ruined, Judah has fallen…”


Isaiah 29:1–4


Jerusalem (Ariel) will be:


  • besieged
  • humbled
  • brought low

Jeremiah 4:14–18


“O Jerusalem… your wickedness”
Judgment is coming.


Jeremiah 6:6


“This is the city to be punished…”


Jeremiah 13:27


“Your adulteries… I have seen your abominations, O Jerusalem.”


Jeremiah 19:3–11


Jerusalem will be smashed like a potter’s vessel.


Jeremiah 22:5–9


Jerusalem will become a desolation.


Jeremiah 26:18


“Zion shall be plowed like a field…”


Ezekiel 4–5


Jerusalem judged for iniquity.


Ezekiel 12:19–20


Jerusalem becomes waste and desolation.


Ezekiel 16 (entire chapter)


Jerusalem =


  • harlot
  • adulteress
  • worse than Sodom
  • judged by foreign nations

Ezekiel 23 (entire chapter)


Jerusalem (Oholibah) commits harlotry with nations → judged violently.


Micah 3:9–12


Jerusalem will be destroyed, Zion plowed, temple burned.


Lamentations 1–2


Jerusalem sits desolate, destroyed, judged.


Zechariah 7:11–14


God scattered Jerusalem because she refused to obey.


Matthew 23:37–39


“Your house is left to you desolate.”


Luke 19:41–44


Jesus weeps over Jerusalem → predicts its destruction.


Luke 21:20–24


Jerusalem will be


  • surrounded by armies
  • trampled by Gentiles

Revelation 11:8


The old Jerusalem is:


  • the city “where the Lord was crucified”
  • spiritually Sodom and Egypt

This identifies it as the apostate Jerusalem.




⭐ PART 2 — NEW JERUSALEM: THE FUTURE / HEAVENLY CITY OF GOD​


Now the contrast transitions: old city judged → new city replaces it.


Isaiah 2:2–4


Jerusalem in the last days =


  • mountain of YHWH
  • nations come for teaching
  • peace, not war

This is future, restored Jerusalem (fulfilled more fully in New Jerusalem).


Isaiah 4:2–6


A purified remnant in Jerusalem under a cloud of glory → Eden restoration imagery.


Isaiah 12:6


“Great is the Holy One of Israel in your midst.”


Isaiah 52:1–9


Awake, O Zion — restored, redeemed.


Isaiah 54


New covenant Jerusalem =


  • barren woman now fruitful
  • never forsaken again

Quoted by Paul in Galatians 4.


Isaiah 60–62 (major New Jerusalem chapters)​


Highlights:


  • “Arise, shine, your light has come.”
  • Nations bring wealth to Jerusalem.
  • “Your walls Salvation, your gates Praise.”
  • Jerusalem gets a new name from the Lord (Rev. 2:17, Rev. 3:12 connection).

Isaiah 65:17–19


“I create new heavens and a new earth
I create Jerusalem to be a joy.”


This is directly fulfilled in Revelation 21.


Isaiah 66:10–14


Jerusalem as the comforting mother of God’s people.




⭐ PART 3 — NEW JERUSALEM IN THE NEW TESTAMENT​


The NT draws a sharp contrast:


  • Earthly Jerusalem = bondage
  • New Jerusalem = freedom, mother of believers
  • Heavenly Jerusalem = true city of God

Galatians 4:24–26


“Now Hagar corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in bondage
But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother.”


Clear distinction:


  • “Present Jerusalem” = cursed, enslaved
  • “Jerusalem above” = the true people of God

Hebrews 11:10, 16


Abraham sought a city
“whose builder and maker is God.”


Not earthly Jerusalem.


Hebrews 12:22–23


“You have come to Mount Zion and to the heavenly Jerusalem,
the city of the living God…”


Believers already belong to the heavenly city, not the old earthly one.


Revelation 3:12


Jesus promises believers:
“I will write on him the name of the New Jerusalem.”


Revelation 21:1–2


“I saw the New Jerusalem, coming down from heaven from God.”


Revelation 21:9–27; 22:1–5


New Jerusalem =


  • bride of the Lamb
  • no temple
  • glory of God is its light
  • nations healed
  • river of life
  • tree of life

This is the final and eternal city, replacing the old.




⭐ PART 4 — DIRECT OLD vs NEW JERUSALEM CONTRAST VERSES​


Here are the clearest direct contrasts:


Old Jerusalem = judged​


  • Isa 1:21
  • Jer 6:6
  • Ezek 16
  • Matt 23:37–39
  • Luke 19:41–44
  • Rev 11:8

New Jerusalem = redeemed, heavenly, eternal​


  • Isa 65:17–19
  • Isa 66:22
  • Gal 4:26
  • Heb 12:22
  • Rev 21–22

Old Jerusalem = slavery​


New Jerusalem = freedom​


  • Gal 4:24–26

Old Jerusalem = earthly​


New Jerusalem = heavenly​


  • Heb 12:22
  • Rev 21

Old Jerusalem = harlot​


New Jerusalem = bride​


  • Ezek 16 (harlot)
  • Rev 17 (harlot)
    vs
  • Rev 21 (bride of the Lamb)

Old Jerusalem = desolate​


New Jerusalem = rejoicing​


  • Matt 23:38
    vs
  • Rev 21:3–4



⭐ SUMMARY​


OLD JERUSALEM​


  • sinful
  • adulterous
  • kills prophets
  • judged
  • desolate
  • symbolically Egypt, Sodom, Babylon
  • destroyed in AD 70 (Luke 21; Matt 22; Rev 11)

NEW JERUSALEM​


  • heavenly
  • bride of Christ
  • free
  • transformed
  • holy
  • eternal dwelling of God with His people
  • descends from heaven (Rev. 21)

Everything in Scripture points to a transition:


Old covenant Jerusalem → removed
New covenant Jerusalem → established forever

Revelation 18
4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.

5 For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.

Christians are not supposed to be unequally yoked with Babylon Jerusalem, "Israel" (Christians are Jews Israel Romans 2 28 29 Galatians 6 16), and the synagogue of satan. They should be ignored.
Jesus on the pharisees whom the modern day synagogue of satans religion goes back to

Matthew 15:14

King James Version

14 Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.

Hello all.

Good evening, morning, afternoon, new day to all viewing my post.
My name is Jasmine, and I am a devoted follower of our Lord and Savior Yeshua Messiah. I hope to connect with fellow believers, have meaningful conversations with non-believers, and to learn alongside you as we peruse through the forums.

I have an inquiry regarding employment, job seeking that may be out of place for "Introduce Yourself, but I was hoping to place a personal summary for my job experience in hopes of securing employment. If anyone could offer advice as to which forum would best for this purpose (Prayer requests, Christian advice, Christian Forum Community Life, Chat with Staff, Young Adults, Christian Forums Blogs, Business, Administration & Management, Christian Forums Marketplace, etc)? I'd like to streamline this effort as to not risk spamming.

I wish everyone well. Here is to the conversations that are to come.

Experiencing heaven on earth?

I have heard some Christians and videos/books talk about Christians being able to experience heaven on earth.
I currently believe in the following:
Life is a never-ending stream of problems that must be confronted, surmounted, and/or solved. If at any point, Life runs out of problems to give us, then as players, we will unconsciously invent problems for ourselves.
There are also related words like "abundance" and "manifesting". I was wondering if Christians believe heaven on earth can be consistently experienced and if that is Biblical. I think it's related to prosperity gospel but maybe involves even stronger blessings.

I have experienced feelings of heaven on earth myself but they turned out to be manic episodes and I've been hospitalized. At the same time I had missed out on a lot of sleep and if that happens I start taking sleeping tablets. In those cases when my life seemed perfect I ended up unconsciously inventing problems for myself (resulting in hospitalization, etc)

Church is, Church isn't

The Church isn’t (to be)

• A building built by humans with or without a steeple on top​
• A place you go to once or twice a week and then you leave​
• A business of human origin being marketed to the world​
• Incorporated under (joined, included, united with) the state​
• Merged, combined, partnered with the world and the ungodly​

[Matthew 21:12-13; John 2:13-17; Acts 5:27-32; 1 Corinthians 1:10-13; 1 Corinthians 3:1-9; 2 Corinthians 6:14-18; Philippians 3:18-19; Revelation 2:1-29; Revelation 3:1-22; Revelation 13:5-8; Revelation 18:1-5]

The Church is (to be)

• The universal body of believers in Jesus Christ, by faith in Christ​
• A gathering of people of like faith in Jesus Christ as their Lord​
• For the purpose of mutual participation and encouragement​
• For mutual edification, exhortation, and sharing of Spiritual gifts​
• For the spiritual upbuilding of the body of Christ to spiritual maturity​

[Acts 2:14-18,42-47; Romans 12:1-8; 1 Corinthians 12:1-31; 1 Corinthians 14:1-5; Galatians 6:1; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:1-16; Ephesians 5:15-21; Ephesians 6:10-20; Philippians 2:1-8; Colossians 3:12-16; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 3:13; Hebrews 10:23-25; James 5:19-20]

Therefore, when we gather together as the church, the body of believers in Jesus Christ, by God-gifted and God-persuaded faith in our Lord, it is for the purpose of our mutual encouragement and edification where each part is able to do its work, as we have been gifted by the Holy Spirit in spiritual gifts, and as we have been given our assignments by God as to our specific body parts (roles, ministries) within the body of believers in Jesus Christ.

So, this is not a “one man show,” where one man does all the preaching, and leads every gathering, and whose sermons are never tested to see if they are of God or not… And where the “pastor” is treated more like a CEO of a corporation, or more like a cult leader who is surrounded by a faithful few who are protecting him and his position, regardless of whether he is right or wrong, or if he is living the Christian life, or not, which is all about running a business. And it is not about a show, period, where a few gifted and talented people (in speaking and in music) put on a stage production intended to draw in large crowds of people from the world into their gatherings.

Yes, the early church had overseers, but they were overseers of the entire church (the body of believers in Christ) within a particular city, so they were not the singular pastors of all these gatherings, which usually met in people’s homes, which is where the people were able to share their gifts and mutual encouragements. And since the body of Christ was to meet daily, and to encourage one another daily, and they met in people’s homes, it may be that there wasn’t always an overseer at every one of their gatherings.

Now, the body of Christ cannot function as the biblical body of Christ in large gatherings where a few people put on the show while the rest of the people largely sit in pews or chairs as spectators, and then they go home and live their normal lives until the next week. The Bible, in fact, teaches that we are to be speaking the truth of God’s word to one another in love, and we are to be speaking to one another in spiritual songs, and we are to be admonishing and teaching one another, and exhorting one another EVERY DAY.

Do we need overseers? Yes! But the shepherds of the people are not to be the only ones doing the talking and the preaching and sharing of gifts. But they are to be those who are leading the sheep in how they are to live and operate together as the body of Christ, who are training and equipping the saints of God in the work of the ministry. For all of us are to be ministers, not just one person. And those who are overseers need to meet the spiritual qualifications of an overseer, and they need to be accountable to the church.

“Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love” (Ephesians 4:15-16). “But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body” (1 Corinthians 12:18-20).

No Less

An Original Work / March 19, 2012
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love


I can do no less than praise You,
Lord, for all You’ve done for me.
You died for my sins to save me,
So I would be set free.
I adore You! Lord, I praise You!
Jesus, Savior, King of kings!
You provided my redemption.
Your grace has pardoned me.

I can do no less than serve You.
Lord, Your witness I would be,
Telling others of Your love,
And why You died on that tree.
Tell of how You gave of Your life,
So from sin we’d be set free,
So we could worship You forever,
And live eternally.

I can do no less than love You,
Lord, for You have first loved me.
You gave of Your life so willing,
Because You cared for me.
Turn from my sin! Obey freely!
Live for You each passing day.
Read Your word, and follow Your lead,
Lord, as I humbly pray.

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Church is, Church isn’t
An Original Work / December 11, 2025
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love
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Reading ancient texts

⭐ 1. METHOD FOR EVALUATING ANY ANCIENT TEXT​

Use these 6 steps.
Historians and scholars do exactly this.


Step 1 — Identify What the Text Is

Ask:

  • Is it history?
  • Prophecy?
  • Myth?
  • Liturgy?
  • Polemic?
  • Legal text?
  • Apocalyptic?
  • Commentary?
Apocalyptic texts (like Enoch, Revelation, 4 Ezra) do not operate like history.
Polemic texts exaggerate.
Legal texts idealize.

Understanding genre prevents misreading.


Step 2 — Date the Text (Range, not exact)

We almost never know exact dates.
So we estimate:

  • earliest possible date (terminus a quo)
  • latest possible date (terminus ad quem)
Everything in antiquity has ranges, not precision.

Example:
1 Enoch Book of Watchers → 200–160 BC, maybe older.
We don’t need exactness — just the window.


Step 3 — Identify the Audience

Ancient texts were written for:

  • a sect
  • a king
  • a court
  • a temple
  • exiles
  • a religious movement
  • a theological agenda
Knowing the audience explains why certain things are emphasized.


Step 4 — Compare Parallel Sources

Ask:

  • How does it line up with Josephus?
  • With the Septuagint?
  • With DSS?
  • With archaeology?
  • With inscriptions?
  • With internal logic?
Agreement strengthens reliability.
Disagreement means we must be cautious.


Step 5 — Separate Claims From Interpretation

“Text says X” is different from
“Therefore X means Y.”

Write them separately:

  • Observation = what the text actually says
  • Interpretation = what you think it means
  • Speculation = what might be intended
This protects you from confusing ideas with evidence.


Step 6 — Give a Probability, Not Certainty

Historians think in levels of confidence:

  • High probability
  • Moderate probability
  • Low probability
  • Unknown
Not everything is a yes/no answer.


⭐ 2. CHECKLIST FOR DETECTING BIAS OR OVERCONFIDENCE​

Use this on yourself any time you form an idea.


Internal Bias Check

Ask:

  • Am I only reading sources that agree with my conclusion?
  • Am I ignoring information that challenges my idea?
  • Am I too emotionally attached to a theory?
If yes → pause.


Complexity Check

Ask:

  • Does my explanation seem too simple for a massive ancient world?
  • Am I assuming one cause, when ancient history is multi-causal?
  • Am I forgetting cultural diversity?
If your theory feels “perfect,” it’s probably too simple.


Expert Check

Ask:

  • Do actual scholars agree even partially?
  • If not, why?
  • Am I interpreting texts in ways professionals find unlikely?
If 0% of experts support an idea → proceed cautiously.


Evidence Check

Ask:

  • Do I have multiple independent sources?
  • Or just one obscure passage?
Single-text conclusions are dangerous.


⭐ 3. HOW HISTORIANS AVOID FALSE CERTAINTY​

Professional historians use these principles:


Rule 1 — Always distinguish evidence from hypothesis

Never say “This happened” unless there is direct evidence.
Say “This is a hypothesis based on X and Y.”


Rule 2 — Treat silence as silence

If a text doesn’t mention something, we cannot infer it exists.
Ancient writers omitted a lot.


Rule 3 — Remember we don’t have autographs

Every text is a copy of a copy.
So historians:

  • expect transmission errors
  • expect missing details
  • expect later interpolations
  • avoid dogmatic use of a single manuscript

Rule 4 — Use the principle of minimal assumption

Prefer explanations that require the fewest leaps.


⭐ 4. HOW TO THINK WHEN YOU HAVE NEVER SEEN THE ORIGINAL AUTOGRAPHS​

This is VERY important and humbling.

No one on earth has seen:

  • the autograph of Genesis
  • the autograph of Isaiah
  • the autograph of 1 Enoch
  • the autograph of Jubilees
  • the autograph of Matthew
  • the autograph of Paul
  • the autograph of Josephus
Not one.

So you are in the same position as every other human on earth — even the scholars.

Because of this, we must:

  • assume copying errors exist
  • assume scribes sometimes harmonized or expanded
  • assume theological motivations sometimes shaped transmission
  • compare manuscripts rather than rely on one
  • stay humble in interpretation
Every ancient text is an echo, not the source.

This protects you from overconfidence.


⭐ 5. HOW TO HANDLE UNKNOWN TRANSMISSION HISTORY​

Transmission history is rarely fully known.

But here’s how to approach it:


Principle of Textual Layers

Almost all ancient texts have:

  • older core
  • later expansions
  • editorial shaping
  • translation effects
  • commentary inserted in margins that eventually got copied into the text
Never assume a text is uniform.


Principle of Cultural Drift

Beliefs change over time:

  • Jewish religion changed between 1000 BC and 100 BC
  • Christianity changed between AD 30 and AD 200
  • Scribes add interpretations
  • Traditions adapt to new eras
So a text often reflects its final community, not the original event.


Principle of Lost Information

We have lost maybe 90% of ancient writings.
This means:

  • we often see only one side of debates
  • we lack counterarguments
  • we misunderstand context
  • we guess more than we know
The correct mindset is:

“Here is what we can know from surviving evidence —
but the full picture is certainly bigger.”

⭐ 6. A PRACTICAL MINDSET FOR STUDYING ANCIENT TEXTS RESPONSIBLY​

Here is a grounded, healthy internal posture to adopt:


Humility

“I don’t know everything — and that’s okay.”


Curiosity, not certainty

“I want to understand, not prove.”


Slow conclusions

“If something seems obvious, I need to slow down and double-check.”


Comfort with ambiguity

“Some questions simply cannot be answered.”


Differentiate faith from history

Faith asks “What does this mean for me?”
History asks “What does the evidence show?”

Both can coexist as long as you don’t mix the tools.


Expect your views to evolve

If you’re doing it right, you will rethink things many times.
This is not failure — it is growth.


⭐ Final reassurance​

You said:

“I have never seen the autographs and I don’t know the transmission history.”
Exactly — no one has.
Not scholars, not pastors, not rabbis, not historians.

You are not behind anyone.
You are simply honest — and honesty is the foundation of wisdom.

You’re already doing the thing that keeps people from going off into strange, isolated interpretations:

You are willing to be corrected, cautious, and humble.
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Indiana Senate rejects new House map, defying Trump

The Indiana Senate failed to pass a new GOP-favored House map on Thursday, dealing a major blow to President Trump after he had publicly pressured state lawmakers to approve the new lines.

The upper chamber voted against the map on a 19-31 vote, drawing applause from some within the chamber. [The GOP holds 39 of the 50 seats.]

Trump’s allies immediately slammed the vote, saying they would follow through on that threat to challenge GOP holdouts.

Trump adviser Alex Bruesewitz: “We’ll be launching primary challenges against every last traitor who voted no, effective immediately! Pack your bags, your time is up!”

Indiana Senate Republicans reject Trump’s redistricting push


Indianapolis —
The Indiana Senate on Thursday voted down a plan to redraw the state’s congressional districts to produce two more GOP-friendly seats, rejecting President Donald Trump’s months-long campaign to pressure the Republican supermajority in the deep-red state to bend to his will.

The 31-19 vote saw 21 Republicans join 10 Democrats in voting down the proposed map that would have positioned the GOP, which currently holds seven of Indiana’s nine US House seats, for a sweep of all nine seats in next year’s midterm elections.



I wonder how much of this "Hoosier defiance" from the Indiana state GOP could be a little bit of payback for the way Trump treated (presumably) their former friend, and pretty popular GOP governor, Mike Pence.
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US facing second measles surge this year as outbreak accelerates in South Carolina

As multiple measles outbreaks simmer across the United States, cases are accumulating nearly as quickly as when the West Texas outbreak was at its peak this spring. There were 84 new measles cases reported in the past week nationwide, according to data posted Wednesday by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That’s more cases than have been reported in a single week since April, when there was an average of about 100 new cases per week. Texas hasn’t reported any new measles cases since state officials declared that the outbreak there was over in mid-August. Now, case counts are growing quickly in South Carolina, where state health officials say more than 250 people are in quarantine after possible exposure and 16 are in isolation because of illness. Some of them are in quarantine for a second time because they did not acquire additional protection — through vaccination or natural immunity from an infection — since the first exposure, state epidemiologist Dr. Linda Bell said at a briefing Wednesday.-CNN
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What does one expect to happen when cocktail of antivaxxers and conspiracy theorists are in control?

Bible distribution amidst floods. Prayer counters fear. 11 sentenced to 3 to 15 years.

Bible distribution continues in Pakistan despite devestating floods.

While flooded rivers and fields have made travel difficult in Pakistan, some Christian teams continue to carry on the important work of distributing Bibles there. Devastating floods have led to the deaths of more than 800 people and forced over 1 million Pakistanis to evacuate their homes and villages. “Please pray for them,” said a front-line worker. “It is very difficult, and they need to know where they can go because of the many flooded areas and also because of ongoing security threats.” Around 2% of Pakistan’s population, roughly about 4 million people, are believed to be Christians. Even during dry seasons, Christians must use care in distributing Bibles, knowing the opposition they could face at the hands of fanatical Muslims.

Click here to find out about Christian persecution in Pakistan and learn how to pray.

Commitment to prayer counters fear.

For Christians in Buddhist-dominated Bhutan, fear of the government and the reaction of neighbors to Christian witness runs deep. Anti-conversion laws can bring punishments up to life imprisonment for carrying out the activities of the Christian faith. However, many faithful brothers and sisters in Christ remain committed to him despite the risk. A front-line worker shared the example of one Christian woman dedicated to praying continuously. Seven days each week, she comes to the church to pray, returning home only to sleep. “Her trust and passion for the Lord was humbling,” the worker said. Pray for Bhutanese Christians to have strength and courage to persevere in the face of fears and pressure. Pray also for protection and encouragement for those who are facing opposition, imprisonment or family rejection.

Click here to find out about Christian persecution in Bhutan and learn how to pray.

Sentenced for practicing their faith.

Eleven Christians in Libya have been sentenced to 3 to 15 years in prison for practicing their faith. The 11 were arrested in March 2023 and sentenced in April 2025. Members of the group, which includes 9 Libyan men, one woman and one Pakistani national, were sentenced on several charges including “insulting Islam” and “calling for the establishment of a banned group,” according to various reports. They also faced charges of apostasy for converting from Islam and could have been sentenced to death, but the court did not pursue that penalty. Pray that our imprisoned brothers and sister will stand firm in their faith amid the challenges of prison; that they will have opportunities to share the gospel with their fellow inmates; and that they will be released. Pray also for their families to experience God’s comfort and provision.

Click here to find out about Christian persecution in Libya and learn how to pray.
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Federal grand juries in Chicago are also rejecting Trump's Justice Department

U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro is no stranger to losing grand jury cases, but now that federal agents have moved into Chicago, prosecutors there are being blocked from prosecutions, too.

The first time it happened in November, a magistrate judge said that until recently, he'd only ever heard of a grand jury rejecting a prosecution once in the "early part of this century." Now it's happened three times in the past few months.

Nathan Griffin, who is a manager of the Lake View comedy club, the Laugh Factory, was accused of assaulting a U.S. Border Patrol agent who was involved in the operation. He was accused of trying to shut a car door when the agent was getting out of the car.

While grand juries have cleared three people, at least 13 defendants have had charges against them dropped that are connected to the "Operation Midway Blitz" efforts.

Thus far, prosecutors have not secured a single conviction of individuals arrested for charges connected to "Midway Blitz," the report said.

Netflix's promotion of LGBT themes, sexual preferences in kids' shows 'pervasive': report

At least 41% of G-rated series and 41% of TV-Y7-rated series on Netflix feature LGBT content, including trans-identifying characters and same-sex couples, according to a new study.

The new report, "LGBTQ Messaging Pervasive In Netflix Children's Programming," compiles references to LGBT-related messages and storylines across 326 Netflix shows aimed at children.

The study, released by the Washington-based Christian conservative advocacy group Concerned Women for America, analyzed licensed and original shows on the streaming platform, with ratings ranging from TV-G, TV-Y or TV-Y7.

The study, released by the Washington-based Christian conservative advocacy group Concerned Women for America, analyzed licensed and original shows on the streaming platform, with ratings ranging from TV-G, TV-Y or TV-Y7.

"Netflix's anti-child, anti-family agenda has finally been exposed — its children's programming has been infiltrated by adult preoccupations with sexual preferences and gender identity," CWA President and CEO Penny Nance said in a statement shared with The Christian Post.

Continued below.

Skipping 'The Skipper' Sanctions: A blatant theft? And, an international act of piracy??

The Skipper. That is the name of the sanctioned, Venezuelan oil tanker which the US Coast Guard seized yesterday.

Pam Bondi feels like it was headed to Iran, to help perfect their terrorism against USA interests.
Do you think this was legal, or it was blatant theft by the Trump DoD? And, an international act of piracy??

The Venezuelen GOVT feels it was those things, if you go by the report from an NBC News affiliate: Login to view embedded media

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