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Fellowship The gifts of healings (Read the ruleset before you post)

From my experiences is we don’t own the gifts.

Those eager to serve filled with and a strong desire to love the Lord and others through His help…
Are like the servants who have talents and do not bury them but increase the Lords love poured out for others.


peace
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I want to engineer a Catholic version of the "Free State Project" on a smaller scale

What is the situation of the Catholic Church in that location? If it's really something special then maybe it's a good idea. If it's moribund then fixing that would be the first step, maybe by bringing in like-minded Catholics. A good Catholic parish will be a healing balm for a neighborhood or a town. A not so good parish and the neighborhood will go downhill unless the evangelicals have a big presence there.

I saw a list once of best places to be Catholic. It can vary by state or by county or by diocese. And of course if we live in some of the not quite best locations it can still be OK if we are in a good parish with a good priest.
Speaking as objectively as possible, my parish is tied for the most thriving parish I've been a part of since my conversion. Including parishes I attended/joined in Virginia, Maryland, and New York during my east coast stint.

They've kinda rewritten (or restored perhaps?) the book on RCIA and it's been tremendously successful, evident by classes of 30+ receiving their sacraments on Easter Vigil. The person responsible for reforming the program has kind of passed the torch and gone on to develop something new called RCIF (Rite of Christian Initiation for Families) that encourages parents who want their kids to be baptized and receive their sacraments to learn what their kids are learning for support, but it's also kind of a sneaky way of winning more souls, and it works. I'm co-teaching a class of adults whose kids have been at it for a bit and there's some enthusiastic parents who are excited to become Catholic themselves.

Beyond that the five Sunday Masses (counting Saturday vigil) are typically full, in some cases standing room only. I haven't been to daily Mass in years but I assume the attendance there is about average, or slightly above.

Parish events like the KOC crab feed and the parish picnic, etc are always sell out crowds.

I would characterize the Catholic community here as "brimming with vitality".

This kind of goes with my theory that some of the best places to be Catholic are actually embedded in more broadly "hostile" states. I hear the Archdioceses of San Francisco and Portland are amazing and those cities are notoriously liberal. I suspect the goodness of the Churches there stems from a sense that the Catholics need to bond more closely as a community to withstand the temptations and opposition to God's work.

My thinking was I hope we get to a place where the richness of the Catholic community here extends beyond my parish. There's another parish here but it's not as vibrant. What I hope to see is maybe 1-2 religious communities established here, we have Trappists and Carmelites close by but they're not like Franciscans or Dominicans who are "out there" in the community. One thing I really wish I could do is help the Sisters of Life open a west coast chapter here, their presence is overwhelmingly in NY with a smaller chapter in Colorado, but I see incredible potential for their ministry here in CA and where I'm located it would be easy to find a place within shouting distance that could be built up as a retreat in the mountains or something.

With that kind of growth then hopefully other kinds of growth are inspired, like the creation of more shrines and the establishing of new regular events that bring Catholics together like Catholic Underground in NYC.

Obviously this would all happen incrementally, not at once but these are some big picture ideas I've hoped and prayed for.
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Catholic manifesto calls on faithful to act coherently in the face of societal crisis

The Congress of Catholics and Public Life, which is scheduled to celebrate its XXVI edition in Madrid in November, calls on Catholics to act coherently to offer solid foundations to a society in crisis that lives “as if God did not exist.”

Organized by Spain’s Catholic Association of Propagandists (ACdP, by its Spanish acronym), a manifesto has been issued for the Congress titled “Quo Vadis? Thinking and Acting in Times of Uncertainty.”

The manifesto points out that “the greater the loss of permanent references, the more political and social disorder there is” and refers both to “the concealment of everything that expresses the transcendence of the human being” and to the construction of a society that lives “as if God did not exist.”

In contrast, Catholics are encouraged to make “a redoubled effort in defending their foundations” against moral relativism, in an attitude that “is not an exercise in fundamentalism but, on the contrary, means being at the vanguard of the main debate on the future of our societies.”

Demoralization in the face of imposed social disorder​


Continued below.

Jerry Falwell Jr. returns to Liberty University for the first time in over 3 years

Former Liberty University President Jerry Falwell Jr. visited the campus for the first time since he reached with a settlement with school officials regarding disputes over his 2020 resignation.

Falwell and his wife, Becki, attended a football game at the Lynchburg, Virginia-based Evangelical institution founded by his father on Saturday, having previously been banned from the campus during the litigation.

"It's so wonderful, after spending the better part of 40 years imagining and building what's here, to be able to come and enjoy it without all of the responsibility on my shoulders," Falwell told WSET News.

Continued below.
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Michigan pastor arrested, fired after camera found in bathroom

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Police refute reports that explosives were found near Trump rally

Authorities have refuted reports circulating online that explosives were found near the location of a planned rally for former President Donald Trump days after he survived an apparent assassination attempt.

Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, was slated to hold a campaign event at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, New York, on Wednesday. Unverified reports surfaced claiming that explosives were found in a car parked at the venue.

However, Nassau County Police Department Commissioner Patrick Ryder released a statement Wednesday denying the claims, labeling the earlier reports as "unfounded."

Continued below.

True Church vs Denominational fake Church

False. Christ describes his coming as "immediately after the tribulation of those days"
Five Happenings of the 2nd Coming of Jesus (6th Vial)

Mat 24:29 (1) Immediately after the tribulation of those days (6Vial) (2) shall the sun be darkened, (3) the moon shall not give her light, (4) and the stars shall fall from heaven, (5) and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:


The 2nd Coming of Jesus

Mat 24:30 (1) And *then shall appear the sign of the Son of man (Matt 24:24, 27, 37, 44) in heaven: (2) and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, (3) and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven (4) with power and great glory.

  • *then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: Time Gap between tribulation and the 1000 year Kingdom.

Elect Gathered Between Tribulation and the 1000-year Kingdom

Mat 24:31 (1) And he (Jesus) shall send his (Jesus) angels with a great sound of a trumpet, (2) and they (angels of Jesus) shall gather together his (Jesus) elect from the four winds (angels), (4) from one end of heaven to the other.
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Gravitons?

Go ahead and watch ST V. Unlike II, III, IV, and VI it may be your only viewing. It's not dire, and it is definitely not dull (like TMP). Just remember as "Shatner" said in Futurema "Where No Fan Has Gone Before": "and I got such a great performance out of me in Star Trek V because of how much I respected myself." :) (There might also be gravitons...)
Well then, I might just have to try out Star Trek V. Plus, I can not miss out on the gravitons.
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Once I saw this guy on a bridge about to jump.

I said, "Don't do it!"
He said, "Nobody loves me."
I said, "God loves you. Do you believe in God?"
He said, "Yes."
I said, "Are you a Christian or a Jew?"
He said, "A Christian."
I said, "Me, too! Protestant or Catholic?"
He said, "Protestant."
I said, "Me, too! What franchise?"
He said, "Baptist."
I said, "Me, too! Northern Baptist or Southern Baptist?"
He said, "Northern Baptist."
I said, "Me, too! Northern Conservative Baptist or Northern Liberal Baptist?"
He said, "Northern Conservative Baptist."
I said, "Me, too! Northern Conservative Baptist Great Lakes Region, or Northern Conservative Baptist Eastern Region?"
He said, "Northern Conservative Baptist Great Lakes Region."
I said, "Me, too!" Northern Conservative†Baptist Great Lakes Region Council of 1879, or Northern Conservative Baptist Great Lakes Region Council of 1912?"
He said, "Northern Conservative Baptist Great Lakes Region Council of 1912."
I said, "Die, heretic, and pushed him over.

2024 Sees Significant Decline in OD Deaths, First Decline Since 2020

Evolutionary forces are at work here. Kill off all the dummies. The people who are left either don't take the drugs or change behavior. It looks like more people are just changing behavior: Take the drugs but have a friend around with naloxone.

All those people who want to casually take drugs alone will have to stop or risk death.
  • Agree
Reactions: Servus
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Will the Antichrist be a cloned being ?

I don't know what the "Image of the Beast" will be. Antichrist will not be a clone--he will be a man, in my opinion. There isn't enough time in history to perfect the science of cloning simply to fulfill prophecy. Antichrists have existed all through NT history--all without cloning. It is, I think, a bit of a distraction. Let's focus on what the Scriptures say, instead of getting too speculative about modern science.
The Image of the Beast could be made up of multiple components? The technologies we got today, like communication and surveillance, AI and so on. All the necessary components have to be put into place before the "mark" is required.

As for the Antichrist being a man, in the case of a single individual, I don't feel this is the case, but that is my opinion.
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Are We Asked To Earn Money?

I would never associate either with the Lord or claim His influence for their establishment. Social Security and SSD are man's creations. That's why they're rife with abuses and funding woes.

@Gregory Thompson is correct. This is the worst time to be financially dependent because everything is changing and we're moving to a new system. Those who've heard from the Lord are making back up plans. They're not putting their eggs in one basket or relying on governmental sustenance. They've read the times accurately.

Of the tribe of Issachar, men who understood the times, with knowledge of what Israel should do. --1 Chronicles 12:32

Sow your seed in the morning and do not be idle with your hands in the evening, for you do not know whether morning or evening planting will succeed, whether this or that, or whether both alike will be good. --Ecclesiastes 11:6-7

Give a portion to seven, or even [divide it] to eight, for you do not know what misfortune may occur on the earth. --Ecclesiastes 11:2

He who watches the wind [waiting for all conditions to be perfect] will not sow [seed], and he who looks at the clouds will not reap [a harvest]. --Ecclesiastes 11:4

The Proverbs 31 woman is an excellent example of this principle. Industry has many guises and the Internet provided more. Most people are using computers or smart devices. There's numerous ways to increase your income from home that people can explore.

The government is in the world's hands and his master is mammon. You can put yourself in his clutches if you want to. But don't complain when he betrays you.

~bella
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Kamala Harris slammed for deploying a ‘fake accent’ in Detroit speech

Obviously the left eat it up. It must be what they want.
Well now that I stop and think about it, I can see how riding the shifting political winds might be exciting for a Liberal.

This one could take them on an exhilarating ride; but she might wear a wrist compass; so she can figure out where she is going.
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White House falsely claims grocery prices have ‘come down’ under Biden — while Harris revives price-gouging claim

Harris says ‘very few’ companies are price gouging, despite her pledge to eradicate it​


Vice President Kamala Harris on Wednesday acknowledged that corporate price gouging is not widespread, despite her campaign’s instance that it’s rampant and tackling it would bring down costs for Americans.


So she changed her position again?

That seems to be the one thing that we can count on with her.
  • Agree
Reactions: Vambram
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Ukraine-Russia war – latest: Moscow ready to strike French troops as UK sends Kyiv 1,000 drones

NATO is likewise terrified of Russia. Look at the Baltic states paranoid about Russian invasions if they win in Ukraine. NATO knows just as Russia knows that if one launches nuclear weapons, and there is a counterstrike in kind, it could easily escalate out of control. Russia could certain damage NATO severely, and completely conquer the US. Granted, Russia would likely have many smoldering cities as well. Some see the scenario opposite, that US would have smoldering cities but retain a rural population, while Russia was conquered.

But then there is the God factor and His sovereign will.

Russia has used up much of its Star Wars potential fending off drones and its air defences are full of holes. Ukraine has been using last-generation equipment in its war with Russia and the supply of this and new finance has meant that NATO countries have been upgrading their stocks and weaponry. Given that Russia, with all its resources, can only achieve a draw with Ukraine why do you think they would fare better in a war with NATO? This is just misinformed propaganda. The fact is that Ukraine carrying the war to Russia with these drone and missile attacks is weakening Russia's capability to fight a real war with NATO. The longer this war goes on the weaker Russia becomes. NATO has been watching Russia fight, they know all its tricks and secrets now.
  • Prayers
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Another Day

Another day on this world called earth
Another day that has been started

What will you do?
Where will you go?
Will you be carded?

As freedoms slowly ebb away
Will you be different?
As mass confusion hits the scene
As we become the offering
Are you indifferent?

Do you know your master’s name?
Or are you playing unfair games?
He’s the answer!
Got a clue?
Will the truth be up to you?

Day to day we face the storms
Chaos! Chaos! Much alarm!
Here their idols on display
Making choices, much dismay!

The time is now! The day is here!
Will you to God your will adhere?

Something’s missing, but do you see it?
It’s in the air, but can you breathe it?

The will of man
Is on the stand
You think he’ll make it?

Not a chance! No happenstance!
In his flesh, he’s got no chance.

Watch him in his flesh
Speaking his address
Telling all his lies
Nothing he says flies
Wisdom he defies
Lust is in his eyes
God not magnifies

Will he continue in this madness?
Oh, his eyes, do they need glasses?

What will the answer be?
Do you know?
Or are you just following the show?
Are you aware of what’s in store?
Or else the truth, do you abhor?

Times are changing
Do you see it?
We’re not the same
No turning back
No time for wasting
No time for slack

No more time for being lazy
For this world is going crazy
Time for you to make decision
Will you follow Jesus’ vision?

The line is now drawn in the sand
There’s no more standing in the middle
Will you give your life to Christ?
Or now your thumbs will you still twiddle?

The global force is on a mission
They’re following their preplanned vision
Their plan to make us all their captives
To get us to bow to their objectives

You can read about in the book of Revelation
There’re no surprises, it has all been told us
The beast and his false prophet – elevation
And Christians on the chopping block, they’ll scold us

So, give your hearts to Jesus
Let him hold you
In his tender arms
Let him enfold you

Turn away from your sins
Trust him with your life
And obey him right now
Both day and the night

An Original Work / October 8, 2021

Whoever Desires to Love Life

“Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing. For
“Whoever desires to love life
and see good days,
let him keep his tongue from evil
and his lips from speaking deceit;
let him turn away from evil and do good;
let him seek peace and pursue it.
For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
and his ears are open to their prayer.
But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.” (1 Peter 3:8-12 ESV)

These instructions are to us who believe in Jesus Christ to be Lord and Savior of our lives, in truth, and in righteousness, and in godly living. We are those who have been crucified with Christ in death to sin and raised with him to walk in newness of life in him, no longer to live as slaves to sin but now as slaves to God and to his righteousness. Sin is no longer to be what we practice, what we obey. Righteousness and obedience to our Lord and to his commands are now to be what we obey (see Romans 6:1-23; 1 Peter 2:24).

Collectively we are the body of Christ, his church. The church is NOT a place we go to. It is not a building. It is not a church denomination. It is not a social club nor a civic center. And it is not a corporation under the state and a business being marketed to the people of the world. And it is not a place we visit for an hour or two once or twice a week and then we leave until the next week. And it is not a place for us to be spectators while a few people do all the ministering. But that is what many have made “the church” to be.

The church is us who believe in Jesus Christ, in truth and in righteousness. We are the temple of God in whom God dwells by his Spirit. And we are to gather together for mutual encouragement and edification, as each body part (that’s us) does its work. All of us are to be exhorting and teaching and encouraging and urging one another to live holy lives pleasing to God and to no longer walk in sin, and to serve the Lord Jesus with our lives. And we are to be warning each other against the lies of deceitful false teachings, too.

So this unity of mind that we are to have with one another is not the mind of the flesh nor the mind of men in their marketing gimmicks and deceitful scheming. So if you hear “unity” stressed in the gatherings of what are called “churches,” test what that “unity” is all about. Is it unity with business plans and goals of human making? Or is it unity with Christ and with his gospel message and with his plan and purpose for our lives? For Peter is talking about unity with the mind of God/Christ and with his purposes.

And we can only be united in mind with one another if we are first of all united with God and with his mind and purpose for our lives. And when we are united with Christ in heart and mind and actions, all these other things will be the outgrowth of our relationship with Jesus Christ. We will be people who love one another as Christ loves us and gave himself up for us. We will not be proud, but we will be humble, not bragging on ourselves for our own accomplishments, but humbly giving God the glory for the good within us.

We will not be people who feel as though we have to get even with those who we believe have done evil to us. But we are to love even our enemies. And we are to do good to them, and pray for them, and say to them what will be beneficial to them in the eyes of God. And even if they do evil to us continually, we are to love them in return, and to keep doing good to them. And if those who oppose us are those who profess faith in Jesus Christ, but they are walking in sin, we should warn them of the consequences of sin.

[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]

When we come to faith in Jesus Christ it is not of our own doing – not of the will of the flesh nor of human origin. So we don’t get to decide what that faith should look like. God does! His word does! But we have to read the Scriptures in their context. For many liars and deceivers are teaching Scriptures out of context to make them say what they do not say if studied in the appropriate context. For the faith that comes from God will result in us dying with Christ to sin and walking with him in obedience to his commands.

So, faith in Jesus Christ is not forgiveness of all sins and a promise of heaven when we die while we go on living like we did before. Faith in Jesus Christ results in us dying to self and to sin and now following our Lord in obedience to his commandments. So sin is no longer to be what we practice. Lying, cheating, stealing, committing adultery, slandering, gossiping, and living in sexual immorality, and the like, are not to be what we practice. For we are now to turn away from evil and do what God requires that we do.

And the peace that we are to pursue is not world peace. For us to have world peace, that will involve all of us compromising our faith and convictions in order to unify with the people of the whole world. So we will become like minions, all believing and doing the same things under the control of some type of tyrannical government. And this is what is coming (Revelation 13). But we are called by God out of the world to be different so that we, by God’s grace, are now being conformed to the likeness of Jesus Christ.

For those who are righteous in the eyes of the Lord are all who are living righteously, by the grace of God, for whom righteousness is their practice. And to be righteous is to live under the guidance and direction of the Holy Spirit of God in following our Lord and his commands. For it means to be right in the eyes of God, i.e. what he deems as righteous, holy, morally pure, upright, faithful, and submissive to God and to his will for our lives. This is how we are to live as followers of Jesus Christ.

But if we should choose to continue living in (walking in) sin, in practice, and not in walks of holiness and righteousness and obedience to our Lord, the Bible teaches us that we will die in our sins. We will not inherit eternal life with God regardless of what our lips profess. For Jesus said that not everyone who says to him, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but the one DOING (obeying) the will of God the Father in heaven. So if sin is what you practice, heaven is not your eternal destiny.

[Matt 7:21-23; Lu 9:23-26; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14; Rom 12:1-2; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 1 Co 10:1-22; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; Gal 5:16-24; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-32; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:1-17; Titus 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1:5-10; 1 Jn 2:3-6,15-17; 1 Jn 3:4-10; 1 Pet 2:24; Heb 3:1-19; Heb 4:1-13; Heb 10:23-31; Heb 12:1-2]

In Harmony

An Original Work / September 2, 2012
Based off Ro. 12:9-21; 1 Pet. 3:8-17


Love each other truly.
Cling to what is good.
Hate all that is evil.
Never lack in zeal.
Serve the Lord with fervor.
Joyful in hope be;
Patient in affliction;
Praying faithfully.
Honor one another.
Live in harmony.

Share with all God’s people
Who are found in need.
Do not be conceited.
Sympathetic be.
Love, and show compassion
In humility.
Keep your tongue from evil.
Peaceful you must be.
Honor one another.
Live in harmony.

God sees who are righteous;
Listens to their prayers.
But He’s against evil –
Is His to avenge.
Do not fear what they fear.
Suffer patiently.
In your hearts, make Christ Lord.
Serve Him faithfully.
Honor one another.
Live in harmony.

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Steadfast in Trials and Persecutions

“Deliver me from my enemies, O my God;
protect me from those who rise up against me;
deliver me from those who work evil,
and save me from bloodthirsty men.
For behold, they lie in wait for my life;
fierce men stir up strife against me.
For no transgression or sin of mine, O Lord,
for no fault of mine, they run and make ready.
Awake, come to meet me, and see!” (Psalms 59:1-4 ESV)

For we who are followers of Jesus Christ, who are our enemies? They should be the same as those who are enemies of God – Father, Son Jesus Christ, and Holy Spirit – in truth. And if truth be told, God’s enemies are all who are still walking in deliberate and habitual sin against the Lord and who are not walking in his holiness and righteousness, in obedience to his commands. And they are all who alter his character and his gospel message to make them more acceptable to human flesh and to the ungodly of this world.

And among his enemies are many who profess faith in Jesus Christ, some of whom are preachers and teachers of the word and who serve as pastors and elders in what are called “churches,” but which are really businesses of men being marketed to the people of the world, incorporated under the state. One with the world, they are following the business models for how to “grow their churches” and for how to “draw in large crowds of people from the world” into their gatherings (their businesses). The Holy Spirit is pushed out.

So, because they are followers of man and of marketing schemes and of diluted gospel messages which appeal to human flesh, because their goal is to attract the world to their gatherings, and/or because they want to continue in deliberate and habitual sin while claiming Jesus as Savior and heaven as their eternal destiny, many are those who are wolves in sheep’s clothing whose purpose is to deceive and to trick and to manipulate. They willfully deceive, make false promises, and betray others routinely.

“Each evening they come back,
howling like dogs
and prowling about the city.
There they are, bellowing with their mouths
with swords in their lips—
for ‘Who,’ they think, ‘will hear us?’
But you, O Lord, laugh at them;
you hold all the nations in derision.” (Psalms 59:6-8 ESV)

Now, God does not promise to keep us from being mistreated, hated, rejected, and falsely accused by our (and his) enemies. In fact, in the New Testament, he and his NT apostles told us that if we follow Jesus Christ with our lives that we will be hated and persecuted as he was. Those who are enemies of God will not like (approve of) us if we are following Jesus Christ in obedience to his commands. And so they may look for ways to try to trip us up so that they will have cause to accuse us, as Jesus’ enemies did him.

But the Lord will deliver us through our times of mistreatment and persecution and rejection. Sometimes it may be physical removal from such as this, while other times it will be the strength and endurance and wisdom and grace that we need to walk through these difficult situations in the power of God. For our God is completely sovereign and in control over everything that he has made, and nothing can thwart his purposes, and evil people are only able to do evil if God allows it to happen, for a time.

But we need never to fear what evil other humans might do to us, or attempt to do to us, for if God allows it, he will see us through it. God will accomplish his purposes in and through our lives for his glory if we remain steadfast in trials and persecutions, and if we keep trusting in him to work all things for good for us who love (obey) him, who have been called according to his purpose. We have to just keep believing that he has all things under his control and that it is all going to work out for our ultimate good.

[Matt 5:10-12; Matt 10:16-25; Matt 24:9-14; Luke 6:22-23; Luke 12:49-53; Luke 21:12-19; John 15:1-21; John 16:33; John 17:14; Acts 14:22; Rom 5:3-5; Eph 6:10-20; Phil 3:7-11; 1 Pet 1:6-7; 1 Pet 4:12-17; 2 Tim 3:12; 1 Thess 3:1-5; Jas 1:2-4; 2 Co 1:3-11; Heb 12:3-12; 1 Jn 3:13; Rev 6:9-11; Rev 7:9-17; Rev 11:1-3; Rev 12:17; Rev 13:1-18; Rev 14:1-13]

“O my Strength, I will watch for you,
for you, O God, are my fortress.
My God in his steadfast love will meet me;
God will let me look in triumph on my enemies.”
“But I will sing of your strength;
I will sing aloud of your steadfast love in the morning.
For you have been to me a fortress
and a refuge in the day of my distress.” (Psalms 59:9-10,16)

Now, under the New Covenant, we are taught that we are to love our enemies. We are to pray for them, and do good to them, and say to them what will be of benefit to them in the eyes of God. And we are to forgive them and to not retaliate, and not get even, no matter what they do to us or how often they do it. But forgiveness is never permission to keep on in deliberate and habitual sin. Forgiveness says, “Go and sin no more.” So forgiveness of sin is never free license to keep on in deliberate sin.

And God will give us that (agape) love for our enemies. And he will give us the power and the desire to forgive. For Jesus loved us while we were still his enemies, and he gave his life up for us on that cross to forgive us and to deliver us out of our slavery (addiction) to sin, for those who are repentant and who obey his commands. So if God (the Son of God), who is perfect and without sin, can love and forgive us our sins, how can we who are sinners by nature not forgive others their sins? And how can we not show them love?

In Harmony

An Original Work / September 2, 2012
Based off Romans 12:9-21; 1 Peter 3:8-17


Love each other truly.
Cling to what is good.
Hate all that is evil.
Never lack in zeal.
Serve the Lord with fervor.
Joyful in hope be;
Patient in affliction;
Praying faithfully.
Honor one another.
Live in harmony.

Share with all God’s people
Who are found in need.
Do not be conceited.
Sympathetic be.
Love, and show compassion
In humility.
Keep your tongue from evil.
Peaceful you must be.
Honor one another.
Live in harmony.

God sees who are righteous;
Listens to their prayers.
But He’s against evil –
Is His to avenge.
Do not fear what they fear.
Suffer patiently.
In your hearts, make Christ Lord.
Serve Him faithfully.
Honor one another.
Live in harmony.

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Marriage initiative helps couples, families ‘radiate love’ to the world

(OSV News) — As more U.S. adults are delaying marriage — or simply saying, “I don’t” — the Catholic bishops of California have launched a new initiative to inspire and encourage the vocation.

“Radiate Love” provides an array of resources such as monthly reflections, prayers, videos, homiletic guides and even social media graphics, all designed to “help families become witnesses of God’s love” as it is expressed through marriage and family life, according to the initiative’s website.

Shifting the narrative on marriage​

Launched in July, “Radiate Love” seeks to “shift the narrative” on marriage, especially in light of the U.S. bishops’ three-year National Eucharistic Revival, Kathleen Domingo, executive director of the California Catholic Conference, told OSV News.


“The (California Catholic) bishops had this great idea that it would be a fantastic outgrowth of a year spent talking about the Eucharist to talk about marriage, and for them to kind of lead the conversation — to lead some education, reflection, information and prayer; to share some resources to help people who are already married; and to give encouragement to people who would like to be married,” she said.

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