Donald J. Trump
@realDonaldTrump

It is terrible what they are doing in Israel to Bibi Netanyahu. He is a War Hero, and a Prime Minister who did a fabulous job working with the United States to bring Great Success in getting rid of the dangerous Nuclear threat in Iran. Importantly, he is right now in the process of negotiating a Deal with Hamas, which will include getting the Hostages back. How is it possible that the Prime Minister of Israel can be forced to sit in a Courtroom all day long, over NOTHING (Cigars, Bugs Bunny Doll, etc.). It is a POLITICAL WITCH HUNT, very similar to the Witch Hunt that I was forced to endure. This travesty of “Justice” will interfere with both Iran and Hamas negotiations. In other words, it is INSANITY doing what the out-of-control prosecutors are doing to Bibi Netanyahu. The United States of America spends Billions of Dollar a year, far more than on any other Nation, protecting and supporting Israel. We are not going to stand for this. We just had a Great Victory with Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu at the helm — And this greatly tarnishes our Victory. LET BIBI GO, HE’S GOT A BIG JOB TO DO!

(Orthodoxy) Salvation of the soul. The meaning of life.​

Wake up man from the vanity of this world, you are in danger!
It is so determined by God that man is born, and after a certain time dies. "ye that know not what shall happen tomorrow: for what is your life? a vapour appearing for a little while, and then vanishing away." (Bible: Epistle of James chapter 4:14 verse). Immersed in the mundane hustle and bustle of the world (in any form), not every person thinks about what will be on the other side of life. The truth is that a man, having once died, passes into another spiritual world and spiritually continues to live, leaving this temporary earthly world with nothing to gain except his conscience - good or bad deeds. It is from his deeds that his subsequent fate is decided, where he will stay forever, with God in the Kingdom of Heaven or without Him in hell, according to his sins. The works of righteousness and sin form the soul of man throughout his life. This is what the soul takes with it to the Last Judgement of God, "And as it is appointed unto men once to die, and after this the judgement," (Bible: Hebrews 9:27). For everything, how a man lives his life will be answered to God. Therefore, a person should first of all think about saving himself, only after that he will be able to help his relatives and friends in the matter of salvation, "Save yourself and thousands will be saved around you", so said Saint Seraphim of Sarov. Being immersed in the vanity of this world, a person forgets the spiritual side of life, completely carelessly thinking about salvation and the meaning of life on Earth, not thinking about the main, the ultimate goal of existence, to which man is destined by the Creator. Ignorance of spiritual laws does not exempt one from responsibility. "Do not be deceived: God is not scolded. Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap: he that soweth to his flesh from the flesh shall reap corruption, but he that soweth to the spirit from the spirit shall reap eternal life." Galatians 6:7-8. "What good is it to a man if he gains the whole world, but harms his own soul? or what ransom will a man give for his soul, Matthew 16:26" Man does not live on earth to make himself comfortable, but to pass the spiritual examination of self-improvement in goodness, love, virtues and to live forever in bliss with the Lord. "The smelter is for silver, and the crucible for gold, but the Lord tests the hearts." (Proverbs 17:3).
Holy Scripture Bible, reveals to us the history of the entire universe, its Genesis, how evil penetrated into man. evil gave birth to sin, behind every sin is a spirit of evil demon. Light angels who went to the side of the slanderer and man-killer Devil, became fallen malicious devils and demons, each sin and sinful addiction patronised by his demon, behind the demons is the prince of this world Devil, man-killer and torturer, aka Satan, the root of all evil, aka the former light angel, Lucifer, overthrown into the underworld by God for pride and desire to become like the Almighty. Satan slyly seduced the first people created by God, Adam and Eve, perturbed the universe and sinful evil was born on the Earth, which began to torment all mankind. "For our wrestling is not against blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against the spirits of evil under heaven." (Ephesians 6:12). It was sin that separated man from the Creator. Thus, the devil has gained power over sinners. According to spiritual laws, in order to destroy the kingdom of darkness and the power of separation of man from the Creator, God the Father gave His beloved Son Jesus Christ to be tortured and crucified on the cross, His divine innocent blood was shed to redeem from the power of sin for each person personally: "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Gospel of John 3:16" For according to spiritual laws the sinner belongs to the devil and the righteous to God, according to the free will of man with whom he shall abide. "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23). "As witnesses before you I call heaven and earth today: life and death have I offered you, blessing and curse. Choose life, that you and your offspring may live," (Deuteronomy 30:19). God loves the sinner but does not love the sin. "Love is from God, and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love has not known God, because God is love" (1 John 4:7-8). The Lord Jesus Christ has created a "ship of salvation" for all those who accept His saving sacrifice, this ship is the true One Holy Soborna Apostolic Orthodox Church "and I say to you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it" (Matthew 16:18), in which are all the instruments of salvation, these instruments are the sacraments of the Church, which are described below.
For more than 2000 years the Orthodox Church has undergone schisms, heresies sent by the devil to confuse people with different false religions and wrong understanding of God and His honour, but all in vain, the gates of hell cannot overcome it. The Church has reached us in its true form, for the Lord, through the holy fathers, has protected and preserved it and will preserve it until the end of the age.



What do I do to save myself?
"The beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord." Proverbs 1:7. Believe and realise that there is a God! "I am the resurrection and the life; he that believeth in Me, though he die, yet shall he live." Gospel of John 11:25, to rethink your whole life, to understand what sin is, to realise your weakness and sinfulness, for this is where all the problems of life, including disease, come from... "For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies" Gospel of Matthew 15:19, in order to be cleansed from sin and to commit no more, a decisive change of thought, life and hatred of sin - repentance - is necessary. "A sacrifice to God is a broken spirit; a broken and humble heart Thou wilt not despise, O God. Psalms 50:19", "Therefore, stand girding up your loins with the truth and putting on the armour of righteousness," Ephesians 6:14 It is important to start churches, try to go regularly to the Orthodox church for services every week and be a partner in the holy sacraments, in time you will begin to understand what happens in the temple at church services. You can always approach the priest and ask questions. You can find literature for churching as "The basics of Orthodoxy", and for a better understanding and research in the sin itself "Help to the penitent", absolutely free to find on the Internet or buy in the temple, if there are close acquaintances believers, you can ask to help to become on the path of formation. Start communicating with God, addressing Him with prayer, with your own words from your heart. Also buy an Orthodox prayer book, which will help in this communication, it is a prayer charter of a Christian, like a military soldier, which should try to fulfil, which includes different prayers, including morning prayer and evening prayer, you can discuss it with a spiritual father, who will tell you how to make the right spiritual prayer food for the soul for each day to be able to. If time is short and it is difficult, there is a prayer rule of Seraphim of Sarov for laymen. Know the prayers "Our Father" by heart, the "Creed"..... "But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy room, and having shut thy door, pray to thy Father, who is in secret; and thy Father, who seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly. Matthew 6:6" It is very important to understand that a Christian's faith must be matched by good righteous works with keeping the commandments "For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead. Epistle of James 2:26." Formal prayer is not godly. Prayer is a spiritual labour. God does not help the lazy. "...Unclean demons are in the habit of abiding with those and disturbing those more, who relax themselves with laziness and do not care about prayer..." Rev. Nilus of Sinai. "...Do not listen to the devil when he whispers to you: give to me now, and to God you will give tomorrow. No, no, but spend all the hours of your life in a way that is favourable to God, keeping in mind that after this hour you will not be given another, and that for every minute of this hour you will have to give the most detailed account. Remember that there is no price for the time you have in your hands, and that if you waste it, the hour will come when you will seek it and not find it. Consider lost the day in which, although you did good deeds, you did not overcome your worst inclinations and desires."- Venerable Nicodemus the Saint.

And simultaneous nuclear war amongst the rest of the nations of the earth?

All are invited to watch this short vid and chime in! God bless.

So last year things happened to me that really messed me up both spiritually. It's a long story but I believe it had to do with demonic oppression. I began to have blasphemous intrusive thoughts and even though I have tried to resist it, it's like those blasphemous thoughts have become a part of me. Now I feel I cannot undo the damage the demons did to my soul and I feel like a ruined soul, like what's use of trying. I have asked the Lord for healing but I don't get it, I cannot discern his voice anymore, it's like I am so mentally unwell. I just want the pain to end. I have had my dreams crushed over and over again. I'm also afraid over the state of my soul and that God will send me to Hell because sometimes I feel like I am going there but then again maybe that's my insanity talking. I attend confession almost every week. My life has been one big nightmare, only a few glimpses of consolation and light, and I do not understand why this is. I don't understand myself anymore. I don't understand why God won't heal me through the Eucharist and Confession, because even though I attend the sacraments and pray the Rosary regularly there is no change or healing. I feel like I cannot feel the Holy Spirit anymore and no matter what prayer I do, it just doesn't do anything for me. Currently I feel so dark in my soul and my body is not well either. I don't understand why God would let me go through all of this nightmare (because there was some demonic stuff last year) just for nothing. I'm still sick, depressed, schizophrenic and spiritually unsound. I'm not strong enough to go to Heaven, it would take several miracles with my soul and health for me to get there but God refuses to grant those miracles. My prayers are not working. I need a breakthrough that has been due for 5+ years now. I'm considering switching denominations because I want to encounter the Holy Spirit (like in the pentecostal movement) and I do not get anything from the Catholic Mass, I want healing and deliverance and breakthrough. But my Catholic guilt keeps me away from those denominations like there is this fanatic subconscious voice that tells me "The Catholic Church is the only true church and if you go to another one you are committing a mortal sin and you will go to Hell". What should I do?

Scotus upheld the Tennessee ban on affirmative care for kids. This is a great ruling to protect the kids from ruining their lives. Its been proven that neither kids or parents understand the ramifications of such folly. They don't give informed consent.

Now we just need a federal ban. But for now I'm happy to let the states deal with this. In some states they actually care more about kids welfare than they do about ideology.

"God does not call us to worship Him for His sake, but to worship Him for our sakes."

If God were proud in the human sense, He would not expend so much effort patiently serving US.

To respond to Him in gratitude by actually desiring to know Him, is the opening He longs for to establish an intimate, personal relationship with us. It is only then when we discover Who He really is, and who He designed us to be.

And wouldn't you know? As we allow Him to mold us into the image of His Son, we actually begin to realize all of the core things we long for - peace with ourselves and others, *genuine* faithful sacrificial love, purpose, dignity, confidence in our identity that cannot be shaken by anyone else, hope for this life and certainty about the next.

There is a joy so profound to be had... in hearing His voice through His Word, through His Spirit to our spirit, through His creation, and through others who likewise hear His voice.

No pleasure on earth can match that. And the beauty of it is - this joy of the Spirit lasts through all trials and decay beyond death, and survives into a new eternal reality so wonderful it is beyond our imaginations!

There is a major obstacle in His way to leading us there, however. While we are precious to Him, because of our sins we are separate from Him.

"All we like sheep have gone astray." "There is no one righteous, no not one." "The wages of sin is death."

And due to this inherited sin nature we, like automatons, gravitate towards worshipping anything or anyone other than God. That is called idolatry, which Gospel veteran Cliff Knechtle elaborates upon so well in the accompanying short video.

It is our inherent pride that desires self-autonomy, and seeks out to fill our minds with the words of anyone who reinforces that quest - who indeed worship themselves as well.

God has made it clear Who alone is worthy of such adoration - the only One Who lived a sinless life, suffered far beyond what we can imagine, spoke Words of Life, and had the courage to - like His Father - humble Himself to offer the ultimate act of service in taking the punishment we deserve upon Himself.

We are each called by our Creator, every day of our short time here, to stop and gaze intently at His Son, and embrace His gift of Love. How many will tragically continue to turn away in indifference to Christ's agony suffered at our hands - preferring to cling to all of our idols that we will ultimately lose anyway, including ourselves - as we are not the source of life and love ourselves.

If we choose not to decide, unfortunately, we still have made our choice, and will endure the horrifying consequences of choosing self over Him.

God bless us all who do, and shall, repent and trust Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and Lord, and obey Him. To Him alone belong all glory, honor and praise!

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"What exactly did I evolve from? What exactly am I evolving into? Who am I???"

The linked article is an opinion piece. That said, what I want to direct attention to is professors requiring work to be turned in handwritten and completed in class. That's to combat the use of AI to compete work. I don't know if this is why the state of Georgia now intends to stress cursive in grades 3, 4, and 5. Note: Back in the old says, we learned cursive in the 2nd Grade.

The part about professors reminded me of a college chemistry professor did what he could to combat the then new and expensive programmable calculators from TI. Since memory then was volatile, you stored the programs on magnetic cards, which you then ran through the calculator each time you turned it on. Should also note we had exactly one student in class who had one, a gift from an older brother.

Anyway, here's the article The article also has a link to the Georgia story:

Cursive is making a comeback

Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg appeared on Father James Martin's podcast "The Spiritual Life" on June 24, 2025. | Screenshot/YouTube/The Jesuit Review

Father James Martin, a liberal Roman Catholic Jesuit, described former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg's homosexual parenting as "beautiful" and likened it to the relationships within the Trinity during a podcast earlier this week.

During a wide-ranging, hour-long discussion that touched on Buttigieg's upbringing and faith, the former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, told Martin that embracing homosexuality brought him closer to God.

"As a friend of mine put it when he was going through this process, there's two things I'm really sure about: one is that God loves me, and another is that I'm gay," said Buttigieg, who is Episcopalian.

Continued below.

Are you okay with America becoming a Communist and or Socialist country? Yes or No? And why?

'K.I.L.L. him': Group of 5th-grade girls plotted to murder boy who 'cheated' by luring him into bathroom and planting fake suicide note

The shocking plan to stab their fellow student to death was concocted during lunch and recess in October 2024, according to police.

The killing would have taken place at the Legacy Traditional School's West Surprise campus in Surprise — a large city in Maricopa County and part of the broader Phoenix metro area. The girls in question ranged from 10 to 11 years old, according to the Surprise Police Department.

The video is short in case you don’t want to read the article. Given the seriousness of the crime how should they be punished in your opinion?

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Some methods have been around a very long time. What have you used? Was it helpful. Do you still use it?

They still make new vinyl records.

What if they had a new movie on VHS ?

We are living in the Trump era’: White House Report Card

He’s only been back in the White House for 159 days, but this week will be a hard one for President Donald Trump to top in his remaining 1,302 days.

1. SCOTUS win on Activist Judges
2. Stock Market at record high
3. Israel-Iran Cease Fire
4. Unprecedented Rwanda/Congo Peace
5. Gas Prices at a four year low.
6. NATO 5% Agreement

Consider also the Pakistan/India cease fire orchestrated earlier this year.

Does the Bible command Christians to support the State of Israel? This is an important question for our time.

Let me answer the question from the outset: No. Christians are not under a biblical command to support Israel. However, they are under a biblical command to not be arrogant towards Israel. Whatever one thinks of Israel, Christians are absolutely under the biblical command to love Jews, just as they commanded to love people of any race. Christians are called to love their neighbor and their enemies (cf. Matt 5:43-48).

But why is this even a question? What is behind all of this?

For those paying attention, there’s a growing number of Americans taking an anti-Israel stance, and with this comes an all-out assault against any thinking that inclines one to believe that Christians have a biblical obligation to support Israel. “The Church is Israel,” they’ll retort! The message is, “God’s chosen people are Christians. Love the Church! Not the State that rejects Christ and was responsible for His very crucifixion!”

Coupled with this is a strong stance against Dispensationalism that teaches that Israel remains “God’s chosen people.” It follows a literal approach to the text — when God told Abraham, “I will bless those who bless you, And the one who curses you I will curse” (Genesis 12:3); meaning if Christians bless Israel, they’ll be blessed, and if Christians don’t, they’ll be cursed. No one wants that, right?

Continued below.

SCOTUS Limits Federal Judges’ Ability to Block Executive Actions Nationwide​

In Free Speech Coalition, Inc. v. Paxton the Supreme Court ruled in favor of a Texas law that requires pornography sites to use age-verification in order to prohibit distribution to children (and all minors). The porn companies claimed that this violates the free speech rights of adults by forcing them to verify their age before accessing online pornography. The 6-3 opinion written by Justice Clarence Thomas rules that the law does not violate the free speech rights of adults. His reasoning, in short, is that we require adults to verify their age when they buy alcohol, cigarettes, and pornography at brick and mortar stores, so why can't we require adults to verify their age when they access online pornography? As long as there is a compelling interest to prohibit minors, there is a legitimate reason to require age verification.

This is a wonderful and very important ruling from SCOTUS. It not only protects children from pornography, but it also provides legislators with the ability to protect minors from other forms of dangerous online content. Kudos to Thomas and the five justices with good sense.

The Texas law can satisfy intermediate scrutiny, Thomas said, because “it advances important governmental interests unrelated to the suppression of free speech and does not burden substantially more speech than necessary to further those interests.” The state’s interest in protecting children from sexual materials is, he said, “important, even ‘compelling.’” And the law uses “plainly legitimate” methods to achieve those goals, he wrote: States have used age-verification requirements like this one to enforce age restrictions “while at the same time allowing adults full access to the content in question after the modest burden of providing proof of age.”

Court allows Texas’ law on age-verification for pornography sites

Click to expand...

Last week, a guy (US citizen) rear ended a Border Patrol vehicle while it was engaged in an operation. He was released at the scene.

This week, Border Patrol sends an entire tactical unit to his house to arrest him, using explosives to breech his front door, when he wasn’t even home. But his girlfriend and two little kids were. He was at work.

ETA: There are a bunch of videos on tiktok of the aftermath of the accident. This was the best angle I saw:

I know body damage can be expensive, but that hardly looks like an alleged “ramming” that would “total” a vehicle. It looks like the result of the agents’ brake-checking that Hernandez’ family claims happened.

One of the most famous verses known by Christians, agnostics, and even atheists is John 3:16.

““For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life.”
‭‭John‬ ‭3‬:‭16‬ ‭NASB2020‬‬

If universalism is true and all will be saved “after an age” then why did God sent His Son to die for the sins of those who believe? Why would the Bible spend so much ink teaching us that faith is necessary for salvation?

“But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our wrongdoings, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the boundless riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”
‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭2‬:‭4‬-‭9‬ ‭NASB2020‬‬

WASHINGTON/PARIS/KINSHASA, June 27 (Reuters) - Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo signed a U.S.-brokered peace agreement on Friday, raising hopes for an end to fighting that has killed thousands and displaced hundreds of thousands more this year.

Apparently circumcision started with Abraham and is part of Abrahamic religions like Judaism and Islam.

It also can be a part of Christianity such as part of my Australian Lutheran heritage.

I guess it can be an inappropriate topic even though apparently the creator of the universe commanded it.

Then Paul was saying that it is no longer necessary - perhaps so that more gentiles would want to convert to Christianity.

I sometimes get curious and want to ask people I know whether they are circumcised but usually I don't ask them - sometimes I have but then I had forgotten what their answer was and don't end up asking them again.

So anyway it is part of the Bible and I was curious about what Christians think about it.

Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, who is God, was put to death on a cross by his enemies nearly 2000 years ago. On the third day, God the Father resurrected him from the dead. In his death Jesus took our sins upon himself, putting them to death with him, so that by God-gifted and God-persuaded faith in him, we will now die to sin and walk in obedience to his commands. For in his resurrection he rose victorious over sin, Satan, death, and hell so that we could be delivered from Satan’s control and now follow our Lord in surrender to his will and to his purpose that he has for our lives.

Before Jesus left this earth to go back to the Father in heaven, he appeared to many people for about 40 days, I believe. And he promised that one day he would return for those who are his faithful followers (his bride) and that, in the meanwhile, he is preparing a place for us. This parallels with the Jewish marriage of old where the husband would prepare a place for his bride, and then he would come and get her, and then their marriage would be consummated. For our salvation and our marriage to Christ will not be complete until Jesus returns and he takes us to be with him for eternity.

[Romans 8:24; Romans 13:11; 1 Corinthians 1:18; 1 Corinthians 15:1-2; Philippians 2:12-13; 2 Timothy 1:8-9; Hebrews 9:28; 1 Peter 1:5,9]

He has not yet returned for his bride, though, and there are people who mock his words of his promise to return because he has not yet returned. But when he does return, all who have died, who were of genuine faith in Jesus Christ, will be gathered up, and we who are still alive when he returns will be taken up with him, too, and we will be given glorified bodies, not like our human bodies, and we will forever be with our Lord. And where we are going there will be no more death, no more sin, no more sickness or injuries or crying, but only rejoicing that we are with our Lord forever and forever.

[Isaiah 53:1-12; Matthew 24:30-31,42; Matthew 25:13; Matthew 26:26-29; Luke 17:25; John 1:1-36; John 6:35-58; John 8:24,58; John 10:27-33; John 14:1-3; John 20:28-29; Romans 5:8; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 9:5; 1 Corinthians 11:23-32; 1 Corinthians 15:1-8; Ephesians 2:8-10; Philippians 2:5-11; Colossians 2:9; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17; Titus 2:13; Hebrews 1:8-9; Hebrews 2:14-15; Hebrews 4:15; Hebrews 9:28; 1 Peter 1:20-21; 2 Peter 1:1; 2 Peter 3:10; Revelation 1:7; Revelation 22:12]

So, why has Jesus not yet returned for his bride? – For all who have forsaken their sins to follow him in obedience to his commands, by God-gifted and God-persuaded faith in the Lord Jesus? – He is slow in his promise to return, for he is patient, not wishing (or willing or wanting) for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. For this is why God the Father sent His only begotten Son to the cross to die for our sins and to rise from the dead, that we might, by faith, die with him to sin and now live to him and to his righteousness, in obedience to his commands, in the power of God.

So many people in this world of ours today, even if they have professed faith in Jesus Christ, have not genuinely repented of (denied, died to, forsaken) their sins to now follow Jesus in obedience to his commands in holy living. And if Jesus would come back today, which he certainly could, so many people, even many who profess faith in Jesus, will die without Christ because they did not deny self, die to their sins, and follow Jesus in obedience to his commands. But they held on to their sinful practices, and they continued to live for self and not for God. And they will not inherit eternal life with God.

So, for all of us who profess faith in Jesus Christ, who are still living on the earth, what sort of people ought (must, is necessary for) we to be? We must be those who are living in self-denial, in death to sin, and in walks of obedience to our Lord, in practice, by the grace of God. And we must no longer be those for whom sin and disobedience to our Lord are what we practice, by habit. We must be living holy, godly, honest, faithful, morally pure, and obedient lives to God, in the power of God, by his grace, by God-provided and God-gifted faith in Christ as Lord and Savior of our lives.

[Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Luke 9:23-26; John 1:12-13; John 6:44; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Romans 2:6-8; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; Galatians 5:16-24; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 4:1-13; Hebrews 12:1-2; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 1:5-10; 1 John 2:3-6; 1 John 3:4-10]

My Sheep

Based off John 10:1-30 NIV
An Original Work / June 24, 2012
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

My sheep hear me. They know me.
They listen to my voice and obey.
I call them and lead them.
They know my voice, so they follow me.
They will never follow strangers.
They will run away from them.
The voice of a stranger they know not;
They do not follow him.

So, I tell you the truth that
I am the gate, so you enter in.
Whoever does enter
Will find forgiveness and will be saved.
Nonetheless whoever enters
Not by the gate; other way,
He is the thief and a robber.
Listen not, the sheep to him.

Oh, I am the Good Shepherd,
Who laid his own life down for the sheep.
I know them. They know me.
They will live with me eternally.
The thief only comes to steal and
Kill and to destroy the church.
I have come to give you life that
You may have it to the full…

They know my voice, so they follow me.

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How Should We Be Living?
An Original Work / June 28, 2025
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

I wasn't sure where to put this so here it is
One teacher defines cessationism as “the gifts and senior ministries have ceased as normative following the apostolic age”. In other words they are not part of the church anymore.
I think that defies common sense. Why would the Holy Spirit put all this instruction and teaching in the bible if 99% of the church would never have any benefit from it? It could easily have been taught in the early church without taking up all this room in the bible. Why did the early church get these blessings but not us? Is God playing favourites? I've heard some say they were only to get the church going. My response is what do the gifts of 1 Cor. 12 & 14 have to do with getting the church going

The same teacher said this:
Those who believe the gifts have continued up till today say there is nowhere in the bible that says they will stop. His answer was there is nowhere it says they will continue either. My response is both are specious. The very fact they are in the bible is the evidence they will continue.

My question is why are we encouraged to seek the best gifts, be zealous for and stir up excel and desire the gifts if the gifts are no longer there for us? It just simply defies all logical explanation.
The history of the church shows these gifts and ministries have continued right down through history A good book on that subject is:
2000 Years of Charismatic Christianity By Eddie L. Hyatt Its available on Thrift Books as well as Amazon.
I sometimes hear that there were only three main times in history when God moved supernaturally on the earth. However it would be more true to say that whenever the bible takes a detailed look at the world we see God moving supernaturally.
John Knox, George Fox, Martin Luther, The Wesleys, All functioned to some degree in the supernatural with some being considered prophets by their contemporaries. I think Saint Patrick of Ireland and some of those who followed him were Apostles.

Lets look at Apostles and Prophets.
Did they cease at the end of the apostolic age.?That belief really shows a serious lack of understanding of the purpose and role of these ministries. We're told that Apostles “were there” to get the church going. My contention is they “are there” to keep the church going.

Just to point out one issue among many.

Eph. 6/12
Apostles deal with the powers in the heavens. They have authority to to deal with the spiritual rulers of this world. One reason the early church was so successful is they overcame principalities and powers that keep this world in darkness. They also have authority to protect the church. I think it was a common office in the early church and will be common again in the last days. An apostle is all 5 of the ministry gifts.

What about prophets? Just an abysmal lack of understanding on their role in the church. Again just one issue. One of the ways God brings his will to pass in this world is through the prophesying of a prophet. He (or she) is not just foretelling the future but causing it to happen. There is a reason why Amos 3/ 7 says . . . “Surely the Lord God will do nothing except he reveals his secrets unto his servants the prophets”

Revelation 10/8-11
Notice verse 11 “thou must prophesy” MUST. The Greek word is the same as the English. Meaning: obliged, required, commanded, necessary, compelled, urged. In other words it had to be done. It was important and necessary.

Here's another one.
Jeremiah 1/5 ordained a prophet unto the nations
Jeremiah.1/10 set thee over nations kingdoms, to root out to pull down to destroy to throw down to build to plant”
You also see that said in various ways in the rest of the prophets.
Both 1 Cor. 12/28 and Eph 4/11-14 show God has set these ministries in the church ”until” we get to the same maturity Jesus walked in. Where does someone get the authority to take them out? Let alone the common sense!

If you're interested in more teaching concerning these ministries someone did a couple Youtube sermons on them. Also some good original music there. Warning. He is not a great orator. But like Paul he may be rude in speech but not in knowledge





The reality of Apostles and Prophets
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Tests for True and False Apostles/Prophets
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What about the gifts? Have they passed away? Why have all this info and instruction in the bible that does not apply to 99% of the church age. Cessationism shows a serious lack of understanding of the purpose of the gifts. They are there to edify the church and help those who are part of it. Do you enjoy helping your kids? Do you think God is any different? Everyone gets a gift. Contrary to what I've read over the years these gifts are 100% supernatural. They are not innate abilities or talent or wisdom as useful as that is.
There are different kinds of gifts and different ways they happen. Paul said having gifts differing. So there are no hard and fast rules. What Paul gives is a general outline with some mostly general thoughts. 1 Cor 12/7 Why would he say its given to every man if its only given to all in the early church? Here are a few thoughts on some of the gifts and again these are supernatural gifts. Not someones talents or abilities.

Romans 12/6-8
The gift of mercy. Someone I know found out he had this gift. A very manly fellow. Someone was in a painful physical trial and very little the medical could do. He sat with him sharing scripture and praying and comforting. Obviously anyone could do that out of a compassionate christian heart but this was a supernatural ability with supernatural results. He found out he had this gift. He used it to help and minister to another member of the church.

1Cor 12/28
The gift of Helps. Again a supernatural gift. It not a paid position by a junior minister in a mega church to take care of all the mundane tasks. Picking up visiting teachers from the airport for eg. Someone in a church I'm familiar with has this gift. He would be going about his business and being prompted by the Holy Spirit in some way. Would get in his car drive out to some back road where there was a sister in the church with a flat tire no phone and no idea what to do. Gift of helps is a supernatural gift

1Cor 12/8
How about word of wisdom/knowledge. Word of wisdom deals with the future while word of knowledge deals with the past or present. On occasion this has happened to me. The Holy Spirit wanted me to be aware of something and so be careful. Or to see clearly a problem with someone to help them. These are absolutely clear supernatural understandings not some vague sense or feeling or impression or thought. It is a definite action of the Holy Spirit that you can clearly see and understand

1Cor 12/9
Then there are gifts of Healing. Its in the plural as there are many diversities and kinds. A good eg is Acts 8/7. Phillip had gifts of healing for palsies and lameness. It has often happened in meetings I was in that someone would have word of knowledge that God wanted to heal something. It was always right on and sometimes for multiple people. I've seen the same thing with someone having a vision.

1Cor. 12/10
The discerning of Spirits .This is where you see into the spiritual realm to see personalities (good and evil) that normal eyesight won't give you. Here is a good eg. Some time ago I was sitting in my chair and a little girl my wife was watching ran down the hall in front of me. I saw with my eyes wide open clear as day a demon of child abuse following along behind her. Later when I was praying I took authority over it. (Luke 10/17-19) Do you think that little girl and her family would be grateful if they knew the Lord had intervened on her behalf?

1Cor. 12/10
What about the gift of Prophecy. We're told in 1 Cor 14/39 to “covet” to prophesy. Some well known theologians tell us these are the “very words of God” and need to be put on a par with scripture. The point being that prophecy today isn't valid. I'm not going to address that except to say I think it is nonsense. Why are we then encouraged by Paul to do it. Are all of us disciples going to add to scripture? We ordinary disciples prophesy by inspiration. A prophet prophesies by revelation. They see and participate in their prophecies. Read the prophets in the bible. A simple prophecy is designed to edify encourage exhort and comfort. Two times that I can remember I came to church feeling very down and then a simple prophecy came that just encouraged and lifted me. As it was intended to. By some simple disciple.

Receiving the Holy Spirit.
He was poured out at Pentecost to start the church. They all received and spoke in tongues. Including Jesus mother.
Poured out in Acts 10 to bring the gentiles into the church.
From that point on in the bible every time it is the laying on of hands or a prayer of faith
Acts 19/1-7 disciples at Ephesus
Acts 8/15-16 Phillip in Samaria
Galatians 3/2 received by faith (or asking)
Paul himself received by the laying on of hands Acts 9/15
Jesus said he will give the Holy Spirit to those who “ask him” Luke 11/13

If the Holy Spirit comes automatically at conversion or salvation then when and where did this change occur? Where is it in the bible?

Praying in the Spirit
12 Cor. 14/2 praying in tongues is praying in the spirit
Eph. 6/11-18 The armour of God Do only some of us have the opportunity to pray in tongues as part of the armour.
Rom 8/26-27 Do only some of us have the right to have the Holy Spirit pray through us according to the perfect will of God?
Jude 20 Praying in the spirit (or tongues) builds/strengthens/helps ourselves
1 Cor. 12 & 14 is almost entirely giving guidance on the gift of tongues used in the church. He contrasts it several times with the simple ability to pray in tongues. His expectation is that everyone would be praying in tongues

Why would Paul say forbid not to speak in tongues? Probably because he and the Holy Spirit knew there would be so much opposition to it. The reason being it is a marvelous gift and the Devil has no defense against it.

It is a known language. That is clearly said in Acts 2. Its not gibberish or ecstatic. It is a language that was, is or will be spoken in our world. Its just an unknown language to the person speaking it. My professor taught in a major seminary and prayed for many hundreds to receive the Holy Spirit. On occasion he would hear them speak Hebrew (which he taught) or Greek or German. Sometimes French or Arabic which he knew enough to recognize. My pastor visited a church with his family and Korean sister in law. Someone gave an utterance in tongues with the interpretation. She heard him speaking perfect Korean and the interpretation was the same. They are known languages.

Why did God intend us to speak in tongues?
One reason is so we know we have the Holy Spirit and not just some vague feeling. Paul said in the Spirit we speak mysteries. It completely bypasses our mind and intellect so God can deal with deep things inside us. More time in tongues means less time in counseling. He can deal with issues that our mind can't comprehend. Or complicated issues so he doesn't have to give long explanations. In interceding for others he can deal with issues without giving us all the info we don't need about someones else s life. Paul said over and over in Corinthians that by praying in tongues we edify ourself.

The bottom line is God does not play favorites. If you are hungry for more of God. Then the Holy Spirit with tongues is available to all. Just as God intended.

Why don't some Christians want the Holy Spirit and especially tongues
They are wrongly taught that it is not for today.
They're not hungry and don't care.
One very big reason is they think it is low class.
They are too proud and don't want to be a peculiar people. 1Peter 2/9
They are educated and don't need it like the common rabble out there.
One very big reason is fear. That's what they are taught. Jesus said he wouldn't give you a snake if you ask for a fish. Luke 11/11-13
Some think it is unclean or of the devil.
One very well known minister's entire ministry is built on his anger at the charismatics usurping the teaching ministry of the church. He wrote an entire book on it.
Another well known minister fasted 40 days to get it and couldn't overcome the fear his Baptist upbringing taught him.
One very well known mega church minister was a tower of opposition to the charismatic experience. A hungry person close to him asked him about it. His response was (quote) “if you get this experience that will end our relationship” So he knew it was real. One can only wonder what was going on deep inside him.
The cost is too great` What will others think? Other ministers/family/friends!

Well I know what God will think! Its those who hunger that are filled. Losing friendships being put out of your church being peculiar or whatever simply won't matter anymore. You will be close to Jesus and the world will fade into insignificance!

Question remains: Why is all this in the bible if it is of no value to 99% of us in the church age?
Dwight Moody said (paraphrasing and going by memory here) When he first started preaching it was like carrying buckets of water out to the people. When he received the Holy Spirit he was carried along in a great river.

If you're hungry for more of God and interested here are several short messages on how to receive the Holy Spirit. Jesus himself said he will give the HS to those who “ask him” The laying on of hands isn't always necessary.

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