GENESIS 28:10-22


In this study, we see that Jacob is on his way to Haran to find himself a wife (or two). He is tired after a long day's journey. He stops to rest outside of a city called “Luz” (almond trees), and scripture says that he settles down for the night and takes “of the stones” (m'avenei) and puts “one” under his head for a pillow. I am sure that he chose a large, flat one, wrapped his tunic around it, and put his head down. Perhaps the stone was still warm from the heat of the day, and he went to sleep and dreamed.....

But before we get to the dream, I'd like to note that in all English translations, the number “one” appears which states that he took “one” stone, yet the Hebrew does not give a certain number, the word “m'avenei” is used meaning “of the stones” It could be that he took one “of the stones” or a few “of the stones”. All we know is that he went to sleep and dreamed a strange dream. We all know the story of “Jacob's Ladder”; we have read it in Bible storybooks and from the Torah itself. Yet I think that the title is misleading; it wasn't “Jacob's Ladder” at all, it was “God's ladder.” Jacob was just a witness to seeing it, and the activity that surrounded it.

The Word says that the ladder was grounded on the earth and the top reached Heaven, and angels went up and down the ladder. Then it says that YHVH stood at the top of the ladder and spoke, saying, “Ani YHVH. Elohei Avraham, Elohei Yitzchak” (I am the LORD, God of Abraham, God of Isaac). The same promise that was given to Abraham and Isaac is now being repeated to Ya'akov.

The word “ladder” in Hebrew is “SULAM” in gematria, which equals the sum of 136. The words “Tzom” (fasting) “Kol” (voice), and “Mammon” (money) also sum to “136”. So how do these words speak of Yeshua? Yeshua “Fasted” for 40 days and 40 nights in the desert, he “voiced” his prayers to His Father in Heaven, and he taught about money, and “Tzedakah” (deeds of kindness) “it is more blessed to give than receive” he taught that we must put money in its proper perspective, since the “LOVE” of money is the root of all evil, he taught that one should be “content” with the wages received, (when speaking to the Roman soldier).

The land where he is currently located will be his possession and that of his descendants. The title and deed of the Land of Israel pertain to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. YHVH said it, case closed! The rest of the people who live there are “residents,” not owners! YHVH likens the descendants of Jacob to the “dust of the earth.” Why dust? Dust cannot be counted, ever try to count a “speck of dust?” dust will “last forever” also, lay something out in the desert for 1000 years, a car for example, in 1000 years, the car will be no more, probably not even a trace of it will be left, because the “dust” will have, in a way of speaking, “eaten it”. The dust is also “trodden upon.”

“Am Yisrael” (The people of Israel) will be forever, as our faith in our “Mashiach m'Yisrael” (Messiah from Israel) is an everlasting faith, which will endure forever. Israel has also been “trodden on,” stepped on, and mistreated, yet when all is gone and vanished, Israel will be forever. Scripture also says that Israel will be spread abroad to the North, South, East, and West. In other words, “All over the world,” and we have seen just that today.

We have Jewish people in all nations of the world, integrated among all the nations, taking the Torah with them, and the belief in ONE GOD (Echad). We have three major Jewish peoples: “Sephardim” from Spain, North Africa, and the Middle East. “Ashkenazim” from Germany and Eastern Europe, and “Falashim” from Ethiopia and other African countries. The Torah says, “In thy seed will all the families of the earth be blessed.

Who is the Seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob? Yeshua! He was of the seed of these patriarchs! And we are all blessed by HIM, whose one-time sacrifice for sin saved us all from eternal separation from YHVH. His name “YESHUAH” is “Salvation” from YAH.

When Jacob awoke from his dream, he stood the “stone” that he placed as a pillow, “upright” and anointed it with oil, calling that place “Beit-El” (House of God).

The word “stone” in Hebrew is “AVEN,” which is a combination of two words, AV (father) and BEN (Son), Father and Son as ONE (Echad). The anointing of the “Stone” reminds us of the anointing of YESHUA as Messiah, teacher of Torah, healer, and redeemer. He is the SOLID ROCK.

Something else we might notice is that the "stone" was laid flat as a pillow for Jacob's head. It must have absorbed the heat of the sun during the day, and at night, when the temperature drops, served as a "heated pillow." Once Jacob awoke, he put the stone upright. We might see some symbolism in Messiah Yeshua/Jesus, placed "flat" in the tomb, lying down upon the stone floor, and then, being "raised up" from the dead, to life again. He is the "Aven", he is the "Solid Rock" of Salvation.

The ladder itself is symbolic. The sages and rabbis of old liken the ladder to “Moshe climbing up to the top of Sinai to receive the Commandments carved in STONE, and later, went up again for 40 days and nights to receive the whole Torah, which he later wrote down. He went UP, and YHVH came DOWN. We liken this unto “Yeshua the Living WORD, the living TORAH”. Other rabbis imagine the ladder as having 22 steps, each step being a letter of the Alef-Bet, the Hebrew Alphabet. Since all letters form words, we look again at Yeshua, who is the “living WORD, the living TRUTH The ladder is the “WAY up, and the WAY down. Yeshua said, “I AM the WAY, the TRUTH, and the LIFE, no one comes to the Father but by ME.”

We can also see the first coming of Messiah Yeshua/Jesus to Earth. He came DOWN to live among men and women, to teach the Torah, to heal the sick and raise the dead, and to die for our sins. He went UP from the grave, conquered the curse of sin and death, and returned UP to heaven from the Mt. of Olives

The word “ladder” in Hebrew is “SULAM” in gematria, which equals the sum of 136. The words “Tzom” (fasting) “Kol” (voice), and “Mammon” (money) also sum to “136”. So how do these words speak of Yeshua? Yeshua “Fasted” for 40 days and 40 nights in the desert, he “voiced” his prayers to His Father in Heaven, and he taught about money, and “Tzedakah” (deeds of kindness) “it is more blessed to give than receive” he taught that we must put money in its proper perspective, since the “LOVE” of money is the root of all evil, he taught that one should be “content” with the wages received, (when speaking to the Roman soldier).

How do these words speak of our relationship with Yeshua? We first come to “Salvation” (Yeshuah) through “Prayer” (voice) of repentance (tefilah/ teshuva), and there are times when we must “fast” to get prayers answered, and we fast on Yom Kippur. We “give money” through tithes and offerings to our local church/synagogue to keep it going. But who or what is the ladder really? Is there a correct answer? It is in the Brit HaDashah (New Testament). JOHN 1:51: Then He said,

“I assure you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the 'Son of Man'.

What is this “ascending and descending” mean? Could this have a meaning? All things, activities, and actions have meaning. One way we might look at this is that all angels are at the disposition of our Messiah. They serve Him day and night; they are also in our service, which is why we each have “guardian angels”. The angels going up the ladder might be because they are receiving instructions from Yeshua, and the ones going down might be carrying out the instructions (just an idea). This also reminds us of John 14:6;

"I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father but by Me."


Who was at the top of the ladder? YHVH (God himself), and if the ladder is "Yeshua" himself, then John 14:6 makes complete sense. He is the "way" to the "Father". Have you chosen to climb that ladder? Not to worry, you won't fall off. Our relationship with the LORD is "one step, one rung at a time."

Hi, I'm just perplexed about how I come across in real life to some people. It was the final day of one of my formation courses, and there are people who have commented how funny I am and they have laughed vivaciously at the things I said from time to time, and I made a joke in front of all the parishioners who attended that really cracked them up and the priest seemed to get a kick out of it too. They don't know the misery and emptiness I feel, the ideation, the things I feel about/against myself, yet I have the ability to make others smile and laugh and they would never know. How the heck am I supposed to know what is the real me? People at my table were really wanting to see me come to more things with them. From one extreme to the next, I am lonely, yet I may not be able to keep up with people asking me to attend things. The kind of effect that I described that I had on people tonight is not the first time, at all.

Dice likes the terms anti-white racism, and anti-whiteness. I disagree with him there. I think all racism is just racism.

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I know we're not supposed to talk about fasting but I hope we can discuss it here without bragging. Have any of you attempted a 40 day fast? Did Jesus drink water during His 40 day fast or no? What happens when you complete the 40 day fast?

John the Baptist was called of God, even before he was formed in the womb of his mother, to be “a voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as Isaiah the prophet said.” But he was no one of any prominence or notoriety. He was just called of God, and he believed God, and he answered that call, and he did what the Lord called him to do.

But the Pharisees, who were Jews and people of prominence in the Temple, who taught the Scriptures, but who were skilled in hypocrisy, and did not practice what they preached, sent priests and Levites to ask John who he was. And they didn’t like John’s answers. So they asked him, “Why then are you baptizing, if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”

And what this immediately brought to my recall is how so many people today get hung up on titles and diplomas and denominational positions, as though that is what qualifies someone to be a servant of the Lord in taking the message of the gospel to the people of the world and in ministering to the body of Christ what will encourage us all in our walks of faith in obedience to the Lord and to his commands. But it doesn’t qualify anyone.

And yet, people who have religious diplomas from religious institutions, and thus now have titles before their names, are often raised up to some superior status above all other Christians. So, if you have gone through religious training via a church denomination, and now you have received your ordination or consecration, and so you are now an “official worker” in any church denomination, people will usually regard you as now qualified.

But biblically speaking, that is not what qualifies any of us for service to our Lord and to one another. What qualifies us is that we are called of God according to his will and purpose for our lives, and that he is the one equipping us and training us in what he has called us to do, his way, in his timing, and for his purpose, and that we are walking in obedience to his commands, living holy lives, pleasing to him, and that we are willing to do what he has called us to do, even if it gets us hated and despised in return.

For some people with titles and diplomas and notoriety may not even believe in Jesus, and they may not even be listening to the Lord and following his calling, but they may just be following their training and going through the motions of religious practice. And they may not even be teaching the truth of the gospel, but they may be following business people and their marketing gimmicks for how to draw in large crowds of people into their gatherings. And so they could be those who are teaching lies, which are not of God.

So, just because someone is an official worker of a church denomination, it does not qualify them for the Lord’s service. Just because they are called “Reverend,” or “Pastor,” or “Missionary,” it doesn’t mean at all that they are called of God and that they are being led by the Lord in what to do, as John the Baptist was. He didn’t have to be “the Christ,” or “Elijah,” or “the Prophet” to do what God called him to do. He just had to be obedient to God’s call on his life, operating under the control of God empowering him.

So, just know that God does not require college or seminary degrees or titles or church denominations’ stamps of approval on you. All he requires is that you love God with your whole being, that you are obeying the Lord, in practice, and sin is no longer your practice. And that you are willing and available to be used of the Lord, as John the Baptist was, in doing whatever God calls you to do with your life. And then just follow the leading of the Lord in being and in doing what he has called you to be and to do, and leave the results to God, even if it means you don’t have approval by some others.

[Matthew 5:13-16; Matthew 28:18-20; John 4:31-38; John 13:13-17; John 14:12; Acts 1:8; Acts 2:14-18,42-47; Acts 26:18; Romans 10:14-15; 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 5:11-21; 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; 1 Peter 2:9,21; 1 John 2:6]

What the Lord Says

Based off Isaiah 43:1-44:5
An Original Work / February 24, 2014
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

This is what the Lord says to you:
Fear not, for I have chosen you.
I have summoned you by your name.
You are mine. I died, you to save.

When you go through your trials, so deep,
I will be with you; you will not sink.
You are so precious always to me.
Trust in your Lord, Savior and King.

This is what the Lord says to you:
He who gave salvation to you;
Who delivered you from your sin;
Takes your burdens now upon Him:

Forget the former things of your life.
Give of your heart not now up to strife.
See all the new things I have for you.
Walk in vict’ry. Trust in what’s true.

This is what the Lord says to you:
He who made you; who will help you:
Do not fear what humans may do.
Walk in freedom. Follow what’s true.

Drink of my Spirit given for you.
Trust in my mercy, for I love you.
I have a plan for all of your life.
Follow my ways. Do what is right.

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Qualifications for Christian Ministry
An Original Work / December 1, 2025
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

YouTube Channel Video Devo
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“The Time Will Eventually Come”
Proverbs 4:20-22 NIV
My son, pay attention to what I say; turn your ear to my words. Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; for they are life to those who find them and health to one’s whole body.

At my job, we often have computer updates pop up with a message that a restart is needed for updates to take effect. There is usually an option to either restart immediately or to select a later time in the day instead. The times that these notices pop up are usually when I’m in the middle of my day and I have multiple programs open, so it’s not very convenient timing for me to close out of everything, restart and then have to open everything back up after the restart. So, every time the pop up comes up, I keep selecting the longest time I can wait to put off the restart.

The options I’m given are usually 4 hours, then 1 hour, then 10 minute segments until finally I am given the notice that I cannot wait any longer and the pop up will NOT go away until I restart. In the past I’ve tried to work around that pop up and it’s very annoying. Basically, there comes a point where I can’t put it off any longer and I have to restart my computer. I’m actually just putting off the inevitable. I’m trying to wait for a more “convenient” time for me to restart so that it’s not a time that disrupts my agenda.

This reminds me so much of our walk with God. There are changes that God wants to make in our lives and He wants to improve how we go about our daily lives. However, so often, we are content with what we are doing and we just want to put things off until we feel like changing. Or, we keep saying, “just a little longer and I’ll do it”. Yeah, how’s that working for us???

We are all so guilty of putting off the inevitable. We procrastinate, make excuses and keep going until we absolutely are forced to make a change. Man, we are stubborn, aren’t we?? We sure are! Friends, we need to understand that the time will eventually come to make changes in our lives that God needs to make. These changes are vital for us to live better lives. We get convicted by a message at church or a song we hear on the radio or by something someone else says to us and we know we need to make the change. However, so often we just keep going and say we’ll do it later.

Often, later never comes. And, just like the computer pop up, eventually something will come up in our lives to remind us that we cannot avoid the inevitable. It would really be better if I just closed out of all the programs, restarted my computer, and went with the changes to avoid future program issues. Just like life, we need to heed when God says we need a different route or we need to make changes. Putting it off usually won’t help us at all and can even hurt our relationship with Him and others in our lives.

The time will eventually come, so why not just stop putting it off and make the change?

Things have gotten laughably insane for me in a very short amount of time. It's not like I'm struggling with my faith, in fact I feel more detached from the world than ever. I am likely going to be living in a truck pretty soon. It seems to me that Jesus was homeless during His ministry. Are there any other writings about feeling closer to God during homelessness besides Matthew 8:20 and Luke 9:58? Are there saints or church fathers who wrote anything about it? Is anyone here homeless?

Can anyone help me with getting the bible on SD card or on something that I can listen to the Bible with head phones, MP3 player perhaps?

I'm useless when it comes to computers and gadgets so keep that in mind when dealing with me

In this dream, I visited USA in LA as a tourist. We have relatives in LA so I stayed at their house. Then I saw live news of an attack also in LA just several blocks away our relative's house.

At first the authorities say a gas line had ruptured in small business compound and they sent firetrucks and police to handle the situation but they were quickly overcome by what seemed like a deliberate attack and then they sent the National guard who started shooting heavy ammunition towards the compound and they themselves were defeated as well.

It seems whatever they're shooting at inside the building is invulnerable to heavy machine gun fire which penetrated the building structure but not whatever is attacking inside. The National guard then retreated and attack seemed to cease.

With my utter curiosity, me and my sister walked towards ground-zero of the attack which has been cleared of all police, fire trucks, and the army as if nothing had happened. There were people (civilians) who are already at the building that's the source of the attack who appeared friendly and surprisingly invited us in.

We met the owner of the building who is an old man. He had lots of big dogs who barked at us at first but eventually became friendly. Then the old man showed us the source of the attacks and they were 9 to 10 ft tall ape-like creatures with dark gray hair who stood upright who looked like yetis and were very muscular.

They attacked with an unknown energy beam that came from their bodies. The creatures were gathering at the grounds of the building. We approached them but they seemed indifferent. Ironically, they looked harmless and didn't seem to care about our presence.

We then spent the night in one of the nearby houses of one of the people were there who gathered with the creatures. Past midnight, me and my sister returned to the compound where the creatures are gathering. The big dogs came to welcome us. and we saw the creatures who were now in formation, poised to do something. Then simultaneously, they fired their energy beams towards the neighborhood where we took a nap. The ground collapsed beneath the entire neighborhood, including the ground beneath the compound. It caused a massive landslide and took us with it. Incredibly, nobody died but I lost everything we brought with the trip, including my work laptop and phone! I worried a lot about my work that I'm going to miss a day or more and finding a way to let my bosses know without my stuff and having to guess their emails!

It's really ironic when I'm worried about my work more when it seems the world is about to ended by a bunch of bullet-proof Yetis with superpowers.

The yetis then vanished somehow but with the entire USA in panic and the army mobilized expecting another, possibly bigger attack.

Please pray that my husband Robb is healthy and happy mind and body and that nothing is wrong. Please ask God that if it is His will He gives my husband good health, less stress and anxiety. I also please ask that you pray for my son Jakeb's health mind and body. I ask in the name of Jesus. Thank you and God bless you. Carmen

He had been sentenced to seven years in prison after an August 2024 conviction for his role in what the Justice Department at the time described as a scheme to defraud more than 10,000 investors by misrepresenting the performance of three private equity funds.

[He had just reported to prison in November when the sentence was then commuted by the president.]

Keep in mind this report was written by an pro Trump FBI Alliance so much, that it was only submitted to Chuck Grassley and Jim Jordan, but not their counterparts Dick Durbin and Jamie Raskin.

1. Patel “refused” to leave a plane until someone found him a medium size FBI jacket belonging to a female agent

The director, according to one unnamed agent, “refused” to leave a plane that had landed in Utah, following the murder of Charlie Kirk, until someone gave him a size medium FBI jacket. The agent said there were plenty of large and extra-large jackets available, but Patel insisted on a medium sized jacket — which sent agents scrambling to find him one while they were “busy working” on the shooting. Eventually a female FBI Special Agent gave him a jacket that fit his requirements.

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2. FBI agents “laughed at” Patel for ordering the removal of pronouns and messages from email signatures — even though his email signature contained his own message

Another unnamed agent said several agents “laughed at what was perceived as hypocrisy” from Patel, after he emailed agents in August, telling them to remove all pronouns and special messages from their email signatures.
The agents mocked him, because Patel did not follow his own orders — his email signature included “#9,” which FBI personnel interpreted as Patel pointing out he was the bureau’s 9th director.

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3. Patel’s FBI is infected by a “culture of mistrust and uncertainty”

The bureau is “paralyzed” by a lack of confidence in leadership and a general feeling of “mistrust and uncertainty,” multiple anonymous sources said in the report. That mistrust, one agent said, has been exacerbated by Patel’s criticism of the FBI before he took over.
Agents are “afraid of losing their jobs and are making operational decisions based on that fear,” one agent said.
Another unnamed agent said “everyone… is on ‘pins and needles’ about what they are required to do next, who will get fired, and who will get re-assigned for non-specific reasons.”

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4. Feds are tired of Patel and Bongino’s “obsession” with social media

A number of feds said they were sick of the “frequent use of social media” by both Patel and Bongino. One agent lamented they often find out about FBI news first on social media, rather than via internal communication, and another blasted both leaders, saying they are “too often concerned with building [their own] personal resumes” via X

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5. Patel ordered agents to take a polygraph test after they discussed whether he should be issued an FBI firearm

Patel was “upset” after catching wind that a few dozen FBI agents discussed his request to be issued an FBI firearm. Those agents had mixed opinions on the matter — some agreed he should have one, others did not, and still others were “indifferent,” according to one source.
The director, after the discussion was “leaked” to him, ordered those agents to “submit to polygraph examinations to determine their involvement in the discussion and any actions they may have taken after the discussion took place.” The unnamed agent described it as “punitive”; the report does not mention what came of the polygraph tests.

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6. Bongino disgusted agents when he declared “The truth is for chumps”

Several FBI agents were “shocked” when Bongino told personnel at a western FBI office that “The truth is for chumps.” It is unclear what the context was for the statement, but one agent was “offended” and “appalled” by the comment, while several others said they were stunned by it.

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These are the people in charge of keep America safe. May want to say a prayer or rub a rabbits foot.

Just one day before the Terrorist attack against our @NationalGuard, another Afghan national who was paroled into the United States under Biden’s Operation Allies Welcome was arrested for threatening to blow up a building in Fort Worth.


Mohammad Dawood Alokozay

Pastor and bestselling author John Piper recently addressed how Christians should view their body image without falling into a state of dishonor when it comes to obsession with one's own outward appearance.

In an episode of the podcast "Ask Pastor John," posted to the Desiring God website last Thursday, an unnamed listener asked whether it was "sinful to enjoy how I look as I continue this healthy routine."

“I know it's good to be healthy, as it gives me more energy and makes me feel better day-by-day, but I don't want to fall back into obsession or dishonor God with my focus," the listener noted.

"I understand He should be first in all things, including my fitness. But if I notice my body changing, is that wrong? And if so, how can I turn away from that?"

Piper, chancellor of Bethlehem College and Seminary in Minneapolis, Minnesota, who served as pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church for over 30 years, encouraged listeners to reject statements like, "I enjoy how I look," or "Is it OK to notice how I look?" when talking about one's own appearance.

"Even though both of those sentences might be totally innocent in general, that way of talking is going to go hand in hand with a perception — maybe not a reality, but a perception — that this person is a little excessively concerned about personal appearance, even if that's not true," Piper said.

Continued below.

Minnesota is drowning in fraud.

Billions in taxpayer dollars have been stolen during the administration of Governor Tim Walz alone. Democratic state officials, overseeing one of the most generous welfare regimes in the country, are asleep at the switch. And the media, duty-bound by progressive pieties, refuse to connect the dots.​

​

In many cases, the fraud has allegedly been perpetrated by members of Minnesota’s sizeable Somali community. Federal counterterrorism sources confirm that millions of dollars in stolen funds have been sent back to Somalia, where they ultimately landed in the hands of the terror group Al-Shabaab. As one confidential source put it: “The largest funder of Al-Shabaab is the Minnesota taxpayer.”​

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Who is this? An Islamic group that follows a strict Salafi-jihadi ideology. They are seeking to establish an Islamic emirate in Somalia governed by its extreme interpretation of Sharia law. It is strongly anti-Western, anti-African Union, and opposes the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS), which it considers apostate.

This coming from a State governed by someone who could have been VP.

"A Muslim father and his two sons tied up his teen daughter and drowned her in a swamp because they believed her “Western behavior” was shaming their family, according to Dutch prosecutors.

The body of Ryan Al Najjar, 18, was found gagged, bound with tape and submerged in a marsh May 28, 2024, six days after she vanished from the family’s home"

The Maduro regime is not going to surrender power, and so now a showdown is looming.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro escalated his confrontation with the United States, rallying tens of thousands of supporters across Caracas as he framed the moment as a historic battle for national survival.

Last week, Maduro held up a sword and urged his supporters: “We must be ready to defend every inch of this blessed land from imperialist threat or aggression, no matter where it comes from.”

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A Catholic nun was stabbed with a sharp object in Croatia’s capital by a man who allegedly shouted “Allahu akbar” during the attack. She survived and is receiving treatment at a Zagreb hospital.

The victim, identified as 34-year-old Sister Marija Tatjana Zrno, was attacked in the Malešnica neighborhood on Friday afternoon and later transported to the Sisters of Charity University Hospital, Narod.hr reported.

She was admitted with injuries to the abdominal area. While some Facebook posts claimed she had died, hospital staff told local media she was not in a life-threatening condition.

Police confirmed the hospital notified them that a woman had been brought in with injuries consistent with a sharp object wound, and they have opened a criminal investigation to determine the circumstances of the attack.

Continued below.

Three elderly nuns who broke into their former convent after fleeing a Catholic Church-run care home may remain there, but only if they give up social media, cease contact with the press and dismiss their lawyers. Church authorities have laid out the conditions in a written proposal.

Sister Bernadette, 88, Sister Regina, 86, and Sister Rita, 82, have refused to sign the agreement, Agence France-Pressereports. On Friday, Church officials said the nuns would be allowed to remain in the convent "until further notice," provided they accept a list of conditions set by their superior, Provost Markus Grasl.

The proposal reportedly requires the nuns to immediately cease all social media and media contact, terminate any legal representation, and limit access to the convent's enclosed areas to members of their order.

The sisters returned to the Kloster Goldenstein convent in Elsbethen, near Salzburg, in September, with the help of supporters and a locksmith, months after denominational authorities relocated them to a Catholic care facility, citing concerns about their health. The nuns said they had been taken there against their will and felt isolated and unhappy.

Continued below.

From airports to churches, America’s epidemic of childish attire signals a deeper collapse in standards.

Somerset Maugham once said that the well-dressed man is the one whose clothes you never notice. U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy would probably settle for “no slippers at TSA.” Has America turned into a nation of slobs? Duffy seems to think so. He recently launched a campaign encouraging travelers to dress like adults, arguing that sartorial choices influence behavior, especially on airplanes.

“Whether it’s a pair of jeans and a decent shirt, I would encourage people to maybe dress a little bit better, which encourages us to maybe behave a little better,” he said. And, more bluntly: “Let’s try not to wear slippers and pajamas as we come to the airport.” He’s spot-on: sloppy dress reflects a lack of self-respect and projects immaturity, which, in turn, sets a poor example for youth.

But Duffy’s proposals transcend air travel. Too many adults dress as if childhood never ended. Pajamas, hoodies, sneakers, and far too many ironic novelty tees have become standard — especially for men, who no longer see value in presenting themselves as grown-ups. There was a time when appearance conveyed responsibility, discipline, and self-respect. Today, comfort and irony carry the day.

What do we make of the 48-year-old father/accountant wearing a Pokémon T-shirt to parent-teacher night, or the 31-year-old commuter programmer sporting a Saquon Barkley jersey at 8 o’clock Mass? These attacks are too easy, and too fun, and seem almost too mean-spirited to be justified. But they are not — and Duffy is on to something. Dressing like a sixth grader conveys a lack of attention to what it means to be an adult.

Continued below.

By now it is old news that Tucker Carlson is splitting the MAGA world by interviewing a racist podcaster who praises Hitler and Stalin. But few if any have challenged Carlson’s claim in that softball interview that Christian Zionism is “Christian heresy.”

Christian Zionists say that Jews have a right to a homeland, and that this right is supported by the Bible. They say this support is not only in the Hebrew Bible (which Christians call the Old Testament) but also in the New Testament.

The apostle Paul, for example, wrote that “the gifts and calling of God are without repentance” (Romans 11:29). Paul was writing about Jews who had not accepted Jesus as messiah. He wrote that “as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers’ sake” (Romans 11:28). In other words, they were still the Chosen People because of the promises He made to the patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac and Jacob). And the “gifts” he gave to them were irrevocable.

What did Paul mean by “the gifts”? In the first century Jewish thinkers such as Philo the philosopher and Josephus the historian wrote of God’s gifts to the Jewish people, and the land as one of the greatest of those gifts.

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Supporting Scriptures: [John 1:1-36; John 8:24,58; John 10:30-33; John 20:28-29; Romans 9:5; Philippians 2:5-11; Colossians 2:9; Titus 2:13; Hebrews 1:8-9; 1 Peter 1:20-21; 2 Peter 1:1]

Jesus Christ always existed with God and he always was/is God, the second person of our triune God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. But he wasn’t always the man Jesus who was fully God and fully man when he lived on the earth. But one day, over 2000 years ago, he left his throne in heaven, and he came to earth, and he was born as a human baby to a virgin mother, but he was conceived of the Holy Spirit, and not of man. So he was not born with a sin nature as we are, and he never once sinned his whole time on the earth.

And Jesus Christ is our creator God. All things came into being through him. And he is the one who formed us in the wombs of our mothers. And in his book were written all the days that were ordained for us, when as yet there was not one of them (see Psalm 139:13-16). And he was the spiritual rock from whom the Israelites drank when they were in the wilderness for 40 years (see 1 Corinthians 10:1-4). He was not with them in body, but he was with them in Spirit. For Jesus Christ always existed with God, and he is God.

And Jesus Christ is the Light which shines in the darkness. And the Light is truth, righteousness, holiness, and godliness. The Light is all that is pure, upright, godly, and moral. And the Light is opposed to the darkness, for the darkness is all that is evil, immoral, wicked, sinful, and of the devil. But the Light shines in the darkness to expose all that is evil, and to show the truth in contrast to what is evil, and in contrast to Satan’s lies. So the Light is also the gospel of our salvation which puts sin to death so we can live for Christ.

Jesus Christ lived on the earth about 33 years. And while he was on the earth, particularly in his last 3 years, he healed the sick and afflicted, raised the dead, delivered people from demons, fed the hungry, and he performed many miracles. He also spread the message of the gospel of our salvation. For he taught that we must deny self, die to sin daily, and follow him in obedience to his commands if we want to have eternal life in him and have salvation from our sins. For giving him lip service only will save no one.

But in his great love for us, he willingly gave his life up for us on that cross to put our sins to death with him, and to be raised from the dead by God, so that, by God-gifted and God-persuaded faith in him, which is not of our own doing, we will die to sin and live for God/Christ Jesus in walks of holiness and righteousness, in obedience to our Lord and to his New Covenant commands, empowered by God. For this purpose Jesus came to the earth to save sinners from their slavery to sin so they can serve God with their lives.

[Isaiah 53:1-12; Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Matthew 26:26-29; Luke 9:23-26; Luke 17:25; John 1:1-36; John 6:35-58; John 8:24,58; John 10:27-33; John 20:28-29; Acts 26:18; Romans 5:8; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; Romans 9:5; 1 Corinthians 11:23-32; 1 Corinthians 15:1-8; Ephesians 2:8-10; Philippians 2:5-11; Colossians 2:9; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 1:8-9; Hebrews 2:14-15; Hebrews 4:15; 1 Peter 1:20-21; 2 Peter 1:1]

Our Eyes on Jesus

Based off Hebrews 12:2-13
An Original Work / April 23, 2012
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus.
Our faith starts and grows in Him,
Who for the joy set before Him
Endured all our sin.
Scorning the shame of the cross,
He sat down beside God above.
He was willing to die for us,
To save us, in love.

Think about the opposition
He endured from sinful men,
So when you go through life’s trials,
You stay strong within.
Knowing all He went through for us
Helps us not grow weak of heart;
Not grow weary; don’t give up;
And not from Him depart.

In your struggle against sin’s ways,
Resist not to shed your blood.
Have you forgotten the words
God spoke to us in love?
“My child, don’t ignore it when
The Lord corrects you; do faint not,
Because the Lord disciplines those
That He loves, of God.”

God rebukes us all for our good;
Share with Him in holiness.
It produces a harvest of
God’s own righteousness.
Therefore, strengthen all within you
That is weak and might give way.
Stand firm in the faith God gives you;
Trust Him and obey.

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The Deity of Christ Jesus
An Original Work / December 1, 2025
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

I have been trying to approach christianity and lately orthodoxy after many readings and meditating on spiritual matters.

I was raised in italy within the catholic church and thats where as a child i felt and learned about Christ. I never got baptised though as my family decided to go back from where we migrated initially.

Keeping it short during my life (now approaching my 40s) i had my moments of ups and downs (spiritually) but i was always interested in religion in general. I like to read theology too which i enjoyed even during faith crisis and thats connected to my love of philosophy.

Now to the main point. After the pandemic hit i got more and more interested in orthodoxy due to a series of events and 2 theologians i discovered, namely Sergius Bulgakov and Vladimir Lossky (the former through David Bentley Hart and the latter through Rowan Williams).

When i was a child i used to open the new testament and put the finger randomly somewhere through the text and read from it. I did it 2 years ago and stumbled upon John 5 (the story which Jesus heals the invalid which was sick for 38 years). I dropped the book. I was 38. I still think of this..

I tried to get closer to my local church (there is no need to name which one) i also emailed the main Orthodox church in the city I'm moving to in January, but I have not yet received a response. Everytime i tried to express an idea or "something more" i get this feeling of a system to hermetic or closed to new people outside to what is expected.

I just wanted to put this up here since i may be wrong in feeling this (or maybe not) and would like to know and hear your experience.

Love you all!

I am comforted to read that others are like me with my OCD and doubt of salvation. I just read the post “Constant Thoughts of Condemnation with No Hope” by 333grace, and the responses. This makes me feel better: not that people have problems but that I am not alone in this OCD-Salvation thing. It actually gives me, at least briefly, at the moment, some hope.

I see two arguments, one for my salvation and the other against it. For my salvation: I have dozens or hundreds of times tried to turn to Christ and in sincerity say, “Take me!” That is what a Christian friend of mine (now in heaven) said ONCE, and he was saved from then on. I think I mean it. I think that possibly, in a sincere moment and action such as that, Jesus saves a person. Even if the sinner, like me, turns away from Christ at the very next moment. Even if the sinner’s faith wavers so severely that they can turn to Christ at one moment and away the next. Jesus saves in a moment and He does not waver. Ephesians 1:13 says that those who HAVE trusted Christ, past tense, have been sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise. James 1:17 says that in God there is no variation or shadow of turning.

Against my salvation: I wonder if, in my heart of hearts, I have a death-grip on myself and will not let go. If my self has a death-grip on the throne of my life and will not give it to Jesus for REAL. In this case, all my “turnings to Christ” are pantomimes and I do not REALLY give my heart to Jesus. I just go through the motions and say the words. In this case, even though I know I am heading for hell and even though I really do want eternal life, my SELF has a grip on me that will not let go, no matter what.

One person on the thread I mentioned said that once, God interacted supernaturally with them and gave them assurance. I think it might take that to convince me of my salvation. OTOH, Satan could give someone a supernatural experience to fool them.

Can anyone relate? Please pray for me and I’ll pray for you.

Pope Leo XIV concluded the first half of his six-day apostolic journey to Turkey and Lebanon by praying with Orthodox Christian communities in Istanbul, before departing for Beirut, Lebanon, for the rest of his historic trip.

Watch LIVE the major events of Pope Leo’s apostolic journey Nov. 27 to Dec. 2 at youtube.com/@ewtnnews and follow our live updates of his historic visit:

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