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

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

Double Standard

I ran across this idea today and whats interesting is that most people hold to a double standard between us and Christ.

Matthew 3:7
But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?
Pretty harsh coming from Christ right? But what about these verses?

1 Peter 3:15-16
But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.
Or

2 Timothy 2:24
And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful.

Now we know we're allowed to be angry.

Ephesians 4:26
“Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath,

Soooooo the question is, can you be angry and repeat what Christ did against the pharisees and it be okay when dealing with other Christians? Because it seems like people hold a double standard that it was okay for Christ to do it, but we are never allowed to because "its wrong". But if it was wrong, then Jesus would have been wrong because either something is wrong or something is right and there is no double standard in Gods rules. Specially since we are supposed to imitate Christ.

My thought is that the verses talking about conduct is a general teaching. Not necessarily an all or nothing idea. Because if its all or nothing you would have to say then that Christ was in the wrong by just raising his voice and calling them vipers. So in general, here is the behavior but be slow to anger (James 1:19-20) and if angry, do not sin.

What do you guys think?

Trump replaces Admiral in charge of Office of Naval Research with a 33-year old Rhodes Scholar & DOGE alum with no military experience

DOGE staffer set to replace admiral leading Navy’s research office

Rear Adm. Kurt Rothenhaus was booted as chief of naval research for Rachel Riley, a former partner at the consulting firm McKinsey & Company who joined HHS as part of the unofficial Department of Government Efficiency in January, The Bulwark first reported Thursday.

Rothenhaus, who had been in the top post at the Office of Naval Research since June 2023 overseeing billions of dollars in grants, has been moved to an unknown position.

His replacement is highly unusual given that the office — created by Congress in 1946 to fund Navy and Marine Corps research — is typically run by a two-star admiral with extensive experience in technology, science, and engineering.

Riley, a Rhodes Scholarship recipient, has no apparent naval experience and has reportedly had a tumultuous several months working in the Trump administration.

Man pleads guilty to killing Catholic priest in Nebraska rectory

A man accused of fatally stabbing a Nebraska Catholic priest has pleaded guilty to the murder of Father Stephen Gutgsell and other charges.

Gutgsell, 65, died after deputies found him stabbed in December 2023. Gutgsell had been serving as the parish priest at St. John the Baptist Parish in Fort Calhoun, Nebraska. Deputies charged Kierre L. Williams in the attack that took place in the rectory next to the church.

Williams filed a notice in December 2024 that he would argue he is not responsible for the murder by reason of insanity and filed a “not guilty” plea in February 2024. Williams changed his plea to “guilty” of murder, burglary, and weapons charges on Oct. 21.

“We are glad that Mr. Williams chose to hold himself accountable and not put Father Gutgsell’s family, relatives, friends, or this community through a trial,” Scott Vander Schaaf, a county prosecutor, said in a statement.

Continued below.

What is the meaning of Total Depravity?

Total Depravity (the first of the five points of Calvinism)

I've heard Calvinists like RC Sproul and say "Total Depravity" can be misunderstood, and a better term might be "Total Inability".

What is the biblical basis for Total Depravity or Total inability.

And what can a person do before they become a christian.

In Which You Formerly Walked

“And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest. But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, 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 surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.” (Ephesians 2:1-7 NASB1995)

Please pay close attention to the wording here and to the verb tenses. This is speaking to the church in Ephesus, to the faithful in Christ Jesus. And the description it gives of the faithful in Christ Jesus is of those who were (past tense) dead in their trespasses and sins, in which they formerly (past tense) walked (in conduct) according to the course of the world. They formerly (past tense) lived in the lusts of their flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were (past tense) by nature children of wrath.

So, what that is saying is that they were no longer living like that. They were no longer doing those things. So they were no longer children of wrath, but children of God, chosen by God to live holy lives, pleasing to God. Their faith in Jesus Christ, by the grace of God, changed them from the inside out, and it turned them about so that they now walked in the opposite direction of what they walked before. They turned from their sins to now follow Jesus Christ in obedience to his commands in holy living, in the power of God.

But how did that happen? They didn’t do it in themselves. Only by the grace of God, in the power of God, in submission to the Lord, in surrender of their lives to Jesus Christ, by God-gifted and God-persuaded faith in the Lord, were they able to die to sin and now live for God and for his righteousness, in obedience to our Lord’s commands. For we can do nothing in ourselves to earn or to deserve our salvation from sin and eternal life with God. But it takes our cooperation with God’s grace for our hearts to be changed.

And please do not misinterpret these words when it says, “even when we were dead in our transgressions, God made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved).” What this is saying is that we can do nothing to earn or to deserve our own salvation. No amount of fleshly good works will gain us salvation from sin and eternal life with God. But the words above this make it clear that those who are saved by grace are transformed of the Spirit of God out of their lives of living in sin to now live holy lives to God.

So this is not teaching that we can remain in our sins and still have salvation from sin and eternal life with God. That is antibiblical teaching. For God’s grace, which is bringing us salvation, is training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives while we wait for Jesus’ return. For Christ “gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.” (see Titus 2:11-14)

But sadly there are many people today who are teaching God’s grace as a free gift of salvation from sin and eternal life with God based on lip service only to God, with no mention of God’s requirements that we die to sin and obey him in practice if we want to be saved from our sins and to have eternal life with God when Jesus returns for his faithful bride, his church. And so we have many who profess faith in Jesus Christ but who have never died to sin and are not now walking in obedience to our Lord’s commands.

For they are listening to the lies of “wolves in sheep’s clothing” who are deceiving them into believing a lie which says that all they have to do is “believe” (not usually defined biblically) in Jesus and now all their sins are forgiven, and now they are guaranteed entry into heaven when they die.

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

So, please embrace the teachings of the Scriptures, taught in their appropriate context, on the subject of salvation from sin and eternal life with God and what God requires of us in the way of thought, word, and deed. For if sin is our practice, and not obedience, we won’t have life in Jesus Christ.

[Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Luke 9:23-26; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Romans 1:18-32; Romans 2:5-10; Romans 3:23; 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 10:19-39; Hebrews 12:1-2; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 1:1-10; 1 John 2:3-6; 1 John 3:4-10; Revelation 2:1-29; Revelation 3:1-22]

As the Deer

By Martin J. Nystrom
Based off Psalm 42:1


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

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

Login to view embedded media
Caution: This link may contain ads

In Which You Formerly Walked
An Original Work / October 30, 2025
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

Tucker Carlson calls Christian Zionism ‘brain virus, heresy’ during interview with avowed antisemite Fuentes

Former Fox News host and analyst Tucker Carlson continued his descent into rank antisemitism on Tuesday, publishing an interview with far-right podcaster Nick Fuentes, who has engaged in open holocaust denial and praised Hitler in the past.

Despite former disagreements between them, Carlson and Fuentes bonded over their shared suspicion of “these Jews,” as well as their distaste for Christian Zionism and its supporters among the Republican Party.

The self-identified lapsed Episcopalian Carlson lauded Fuentes for his criticism of Israel and U.S. support for it, “because it’s insane and it hurts us. We get nothing out of it. I completely agree with you there.”

Continued below.

AI’s growth is exponential: What are the implications for humans and the Church?

SEOUL, South Korea — AI is changing the world as we know it, and the Church has a responsibility to be ahead of the curve, says Christian technologist Nick Kim.

Kim, who has spent over 20 years working in the technology sector, including time at Google and YouTube, says AI is unlike anything else ever invented because while these “make our lives easier, they don’t really challenge what it means to be human.”

“AI is fundamentally different from any other invention because it is taking our most prized asset, our intelligence, and we are now outsourcing it to a machine,” he said.

Continued below.

Giving Some Thought to Amnesty

President Reagan agreed to an illegal alien amnesty in exchange for tougher laws on immigration and border control. It was not anticipated that successive administrations would actively or negligently fail to enforce these laws. That an amnesty was given with no penalty perhaps contributed to the continuing flood of immigrants to the US, escalating under the Biden administration.

At present the deportation of criminal aliens is supported by most. However, after the number of egregious criminals has been significantly reduced, consideration will have to be given to those illegal aliens who have resided here for as much as forty years and have been otherwise law abiding and tax paying residents. This opens the subject of the spectrum of penalties for law breaking.

Illegal aliens are by definition law breakers. Our legal system can provide a spectrum of penalties from community service to the death penalty. For people who exceed the speed limit, usually a fine is imposed. The idea of a financial penalty may be an appropriate response for those illegal aliens who have been otherwise law abiding. The assigning of a $15,000 fine for each illegal alien might provide an incentive to others to not enter illegally.

The use of a financial penalty for law breaking might be the best approach as the blanket amnesty of the Reagan administration seemed to not discourage further law breakers. We want ot be compassionate, yet we still need to maintain a deterrence. This could also be advanced by making provision for temporary work visas with a $10,000 fee. If the cartels were making that much for smuggling people in, it might make a dent in the cartel business model.

An interview was made several years ago of a Texas rancher who loved close to the border. He commented that most of the people that were crossing the border in the past were the type of people you might invite to Sunday dinner. However, he observed that the type of people coming across at the time were not the same type of people. The implication was that there had been a sharp increase in the criminal element.

Our national policy should be to rid ourselves of criminals and show compassion for those who we would not mind to have over for Sunday dinner.
  • Like
Reactions: Richard T

What is your Motivation to Discuss/Debate Things Online?

I saw this question asked on another platform.

I find those who's opinions truth disagrees with, that they live in another universe, one of their own making and can't be reasoned with in any way. They think point blank that their reality/opinions are not optional regardless of the truth that opposes it. They bulldoze truth and don't adhere to it or respect it.

In most situations people already have their minds made up. And that's fine if that's where they sit, since we all are like that in general.
Even those I've found who like to make it sound like they are "undecided" eventually reveal their bias, side, they lean toward.

I've been online "discussing" things with people for many, many years in various platforms.
Not one person in those years has ever said in any of those discussions that I've been in or witnessed.....oh, ok, I get it, thank you all for sharing that. It's caused me to change my mind on that. I appreciate you all sharing the truth and showing me I was wrong.....or something to that leaning.

Platforms are just ways for all of us to voice our opinions, just like we did before the internet when we'd talk face to face with others, but online it's to a broader audience.
One thing we forget to keep in mind...we shouldn't expect to change anyone's opinion anymore than they will change our opinion!!

So what is your motivation to discuss/debate things online?

Using AI vs. Talking To Humans

I don't post a whole lot here, but I like this sub-forum. I'm no kind of scientist, but a couple or few times a year, a science-related question will arise in my mind that I don't know the answer to, so I'll create a thread asking about it in this forum. Or maybe make a thread about a topic that I think would be interesting to discuss.

But these days, when I think of a question or topic, my immediate thought is "go ask Chat or Grok" (I've grown tired of typing the uppercase GPT).

I guess what I'm trying to say is, I don't need you guys anymore! Compared to AI you're all worthless and weak! You won't have Chesterton to kick around any more!

;)

Thoughts?

EDIT: I just remembered that I suffer from mind-numbing, soul-crushing loneliness, so I'll probably stick around here. :)

All Praise, Thanks, Glory & Honor to Jesus Christ for ensuring that US & Chinese leadership reached a foreign trade deal

All Praise, Thanks, Glory & Honor to Jesus Christ for ensuring that US & Chinese leadership reached a foreign trade deal:

Created in Christ Jesus For Good Works

“For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:8-10 NASB1995)

If you are used to hearing Ephesians 2:8-9 taught independent of verse 10, please start reading it with verse 10 included, for verse 10 is a continuation of the same conversation, and it helps combat many misconceptions which are being taught by removing verse 10 from the mix. For leaving verse 10 out of the conversation would be like someone pulling a sentence out of one of my writings, which is critical to what is being communicated. And without it, it can give an entirely different message, perhaps one not intended at all!

Only, in the case of the Scriptures, removing contextual Scriptures which are necessary to correct biblical interpretation from the intended context can lead to misinterpretations and to false doctrines of salvation, resulting in false professions of faith in Jesus Christ. And that is exactly what has been happening for many years now by removing verse 10, which is critical, not only to correct doctrinal teaching, but to people having sincere biblical faith in Jesus Christ resulting in salvation from sin and eternal life with God.

How so? Well, let’s start at the beginning and work our way down.

“For by grace..” “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds” (Titus 2:11-14).

“Through faith.. not of yourselves..” For by God-gifted faith in Jesus Christ, which is not of our own doing, we are crucified with Christ in death to sin and raised with Christ to walk in newness of life in him, no longer to live as slaves to sin but as slaves to righteousness in walks of obedience to God’s commands. We are no longer to permit sin to reign in our mortal bodies to make us obey its desires. For if sin is what we obey, it results in death. But if obedience to God is what we obey, it results in sanctification, and its end is eternal life with God (see Romans 6:1-23).

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

“It is the gift of God..” “Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith” (Hebrews 12:2). “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day” (John 6:44). “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God” (John 1:12-13). “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).

“Not as a result of works..” This needs to be read in context. For we are saved by grace, through faith, and not of ourselves, but it is the gift of God. Basically we are all born with sin natures, in the image of Adam, and incapable in our own flesh to be acceptable to God. So there is not anything that we can do in our own flesh to earn or to deserve our own salvation. It all originates with God, it is gifted to us by God, but it is also persuaded of God (the meaning of faith) to die with him to sin and to obey his commands.

“Created in Christ Jesus for good works..” This is what we can’t leave out. Yes, not one of us can do anything in our own flesh to be approved by God. But Christ Jesus gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds. And we are created by God, in Christ Jesus, for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk (in conduct, in practice) in them. So God has works he wants us to do which give evidence that our faith is of him and it is genuine biblical faith (Ephesians 2:10; Titus 2:14).

[Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Luke 9:23-26; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Romans 1:18-32; Romans 2:5-10; Romans 3:23; 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 10:19-39; Hebrews 12:1-2; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 1:1-10; 1 John 2:3-6; 1 John 3:4-10; Revelation 2:1-29; Revelation 3:1-22]

As the Deer

By Martin J. Nystrom
Based off Psalm 42:1


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

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

Login to view embedded media
Caution: This link may contain ads

Created in Christ Jesus For Good Works
An Original Work / October 30, 2025
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love
  • Like
Reactions: A_JAY

Baltimore Officer Suspended After Trying to Run Over Citizen



The person who recorded the video, Slick Brown, exclusively told WBAL-TV 11 News that he and his friends were hanging out along Wylie Avenue in Park Heights when the officer went up and told them to move.

"(The officer) told him, 'Come here,' for no reason, Brown told WBAL-TV 11 News. "So, my man said, 'No,' so he kept walking. He walked through the alley. As soon as he walked into the alley, (the officer) hopped back into the car and started chasing him. Automatic, full speed, trying to hit him and all of that. So, my man started running. He was running for his life. He isn't going to stop, (the officer) was trying to hit him with his car."​

I linked this article because of the ones I checked, it had the most of the original video. It's worth checking out the full video (which is easy to find on /r/baltimore but I can't link to it because of swears), because it makes the officer's actions look even more unhinged. The commentary is kind of funny, too.

When You Lose Interest In A Series You Once Liked

Not new episodes of series you like, but when you revisit an episode you once did. I was a Star Trek fan from when the original episodes first aired. Tonight I found one of my favorite TOS episodes on, The Trouble with Tribbles. I watched it and didn't enjoy it that much. There were mildly amusing moments, such as Spock declaring himself immune to the trilling effect of tribbles, all while he was stroking one (and this was noticed by his shipmates), and Kirk's dressing down of Scotty for the brawl. But...I didn't enjoy it. This is was an episode that never failed to delight, until now. Obviously it's myself that changed, not the episode.

Has this happened to you? Have you gone back to an episode of a series or a film that you once liked, but now find it kind of "meh?"
  • Prayers
Reactions: eclipsenow

The government shutdown and keeping the government open, or re-opening it, etc. My prediction now.

Im an Independent, first of all, and try to give a 100% neutral, obejective opinion always about these things, and am going to try to give you my prediction right now about this specific subject/thing, etc.

The government shutdown and keeping the government open, or re-opening it, etc. My prediction now.

While it might have been to the Democrats advantage at first politically to not cooperate with the Republicans to keep the government open, I now predict that is now going to change, and very, very soon here, or really, really soon actually, it's no longer going to be their political advantage anymore, and they are actually going to start to lose points now politically, and are going to start to get blamed.

And that's it, or is all I have to say right now really, etc. And so it will now be to their political advantage now to start cooperating with Republicans on re-opening the government now, or keeping the government open now actually, etc.

Guess we'll have to see if my prediction holds true or not actually, etc.

Opinions change when actual Americans start feeling it actually, etc.

God Bless.

Nobel peace prize nominee restarts nuclear testing

Trump orders Pentagon to resume testing nuclear weapons 'immediately'

It's hard to be a peace loving president and Nobel Peace Prize nominee without restarting nuclear testing.


I look forward to being baraged with "how can we be at peace! We have to intimidate those who aggress towards us".


Coocoo.coocoo.

My Public Library Card

I guess I have bad luck with printers. They seem to have a working life span of about six months for me. I own four of them, and none of them work, so I drive to the nearby library a couple of times a year when I need to print or copy something.

Many years ago, my local public library went high tech. It used to have a copy machine where if I needed to make a paper copy, I put a dime in the slot and pushed "Copy". It was blissfully easy. Now to make a copy or print from online, I have to set the new machine up by pushing a bunch of icons I don't understand and have to ask for human help with, but worse, I have to enter my password and my user ID. The user ID they gave me is 14 numerals long. That represents tens of trillions, which I think is just shy of the number of stars in the observable universe, or at any rate, a good deal larger than the population of my city.

I asked some AI why the number needs to be so long, and it gave me strange answers with contradictions in it. Anyway, this is just a rant. I hate the modern world. I still love the library, though. :)
  • Like
Reactions: Richard T

175th Anniversary - England restoration RC Church

In fellowship...

"Last month marked the 175th anniversary of the legal restoration of the Catholic Church in 1850. Pope Pius IX issued the papal bull Universalis Ecclesiae, restoring the Catholic hierarchy in England and Wales and creating 13 new dioceses."

"Earlier this year, the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales published figures revealing that mass attendance in 2023 — the most recent statistics available — grew from 503,000 in 2022 to 555,000.

Figures released for the number of adults completing the rite of Christian initiation for adults have indicated a significant rise. For example, the Southwark Archdiocese noted a 164% increase in new Catholics during 2024 compared to the previous year. Westminster recorded receiving 500 new entrants, most of whom are new converts. Many of these new Catholics are in their twenties and thirties."

Whole article here - Amid Youth Resurgence, England’s Catholic Church Marks Milestone

Weekly Devotional: Finding Grace in Fragile Seasons

Week 1

Encamped in the Shelter of the Most High

Opening Prayer – Week 1


Lord, as I enter this quiet space, I come beneath Your wings—seeking refuge, comfort, and peace. Encamp me in Your presence and let Your Word be a balm to my soul. May Your promises in Psalm 91 awaken trust within me, and may Your nearness calm every storm. I surrender this time to You, believing that You are my shelter and my strength. Amen.

Devotional Message

To be encamped in the shelter of the Most High is to live surrounded by divine presence, even when life feels uncertain or fragile. Psalm 91 reveals a God who commands angels to guard us, who responds to love with deliverance, and who satisfies us with eternal promises. His protection is not passive—it is personal, active, and all-encompassing. In every season, whether we feel strong or weary, seen or forgotten, God is near. He hears our cries, knows our name, and walks with us through every valley. This is not a distant hope—it is a present reality. We are not alone. We are encamped by Heaven.

Psalm 91:11 NKJV
“For He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways.”

Meaning This verse reveals the unseen realm of God’s care. His angels are not distant or decorative—they are assigned to guard, guide, and protect. The phrase “in all your ways” speaks to the totality of life: every step, every season, every sorrow. It is a promise of divine oversight and spiritual companionship.

Application Trust that you are never walking alone. Whether you’re navigating grief, illness, or daily responsibilities, God’s angels are present. You may not see them, but their presence is real. Reflect on moments where you’ve been spared, comforted, or strengthened—these may be glimpses of angelic intervention. Let this verse remind you that Heaven is actively involved in your journey.

Psalm 91:14–15 NKJV “Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has known My name. He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him…”

Meaning These verses reveal the intimacy God desires. To “set your love” upon Him is to choose Him above all else. Knowing His name means knowing His character, His mercy, His justice, His faithfulness. God responds to love with deliverance and to relationship with elevation. This is not a distant deity—it is a personal Father who answers when called.

Application Cultivate a love for God that is intentional and personal. This isn’t about performance, it’s about presence. When you call on Him, He promises to answer. Let this be your assurance: your prayers are heard, your love is seen, and your relationship with Him is honored. In seasons of silence, this promise becomes a lifeline.

Psalm 91:16 NKJV “With long life I will satisfy him and show him My salvation.”

Meaning This verse is God’s final promise in the psalm—a declaration of satisfaction and eternal assurance. “Long life” may speak to earthly years, but it also points to spiritual fullness and eternal life. To be shown His salvation is to be invited into His presence forever.

Application Let this verse be comforting when life feels uncertain or brief. God’s definition of satisfaction is not limited to time—it includes peace, purpose, and eternal reunion. For those who dwell in Him, life is not measured only in years, but in grace and glory.

Closing Prayer

Father, thank You for meeting me here. Thank You for Your angels who guard me, Your love that delivers me, and Your voice that calls me by name. As I rise from this sacred moment, let Your truth remain—You are with me, You are for me, and I am encamped by Heaven. May I walk forward in peace, knowing I am never alone.

In Jesus’ name, Amen

Journaling & Questions to Ponder


Reflect gently on these questions as you dwell in the shelter of the Most High:

  1. Where have you felt God’s shelter in your life?
________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

  1. What does it mean to you, to do not visit His presence?
________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

  1. How can you speak truth aloud when fear tries to take hold?
________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

  1. Have you ever sensed divine protection in a moment of danger or uncertainty?
________________________________________________________________________

  1. What does “setting your love upon God” look like in your daily life?
________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

Feel free to share your reflections below, or simply hold them in your heart. This is a space of grace.
This is part of a growing ministry I’ve begun—gentle words for weary hearts. You’re welcome to stop by and visit at:
https://medium.com/@frommyhearttoyoursbygodsgrace
  • Like
Reactions: mourningdove~

Trump White House Defends Misleading DHS Propaganda Because They Are ‘Engaging Content and Banger Memes'

The Post identified at least six DHS-produced videos over the last three months that misrepresented where and when scenes were filmed. The most striking example was an August montage touting DHS’s supposed success in securing Washington, D.C. It featured dramatic clips of federal agents battling what one official called a “battle for the soul of our nation,” but the footage was neither recent nor from the nation’s capital. Instead, significant portions were shot months earlier in Los Angeles, West Palm Beach, and even off the coast of Nantucket, roughly 400 miles from Washington.

The investigation found a broader pattern of deceptive editing. In one case, footage promoted as showing “Antifa terrorists” attacking federal facilities in Portland was actually filmed outside an ICE building in Broadview, Illinois — 1,700 miles away.

A DHS spokesperson did not dispute the inaccuracies. The White House also declined to offer corrections; instead, spokesperson Abigail Jackson said the administration would continue highlighting its successes via “engaging content and banger memes,” the Post reported.

Eddie Perez, a former Twitter civic integrity leader, said the administration was behaving like “filmmakers” focused on emotional manipulation rather than truth, calling the trend “the collapse of government accountability through communication based on facts.”

Misleading propaganda is now officially what we can expect from the administration. Truth takes a backseat to 'narrative'.

Also, these are not serious people.

Refuting Losing Salvation!

Galatians 5:4 “Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.” “Whosoever” is not a confirmation but a supposition, thus it can be, it’s as if you have fallen from grace. These Galatians were attempting to be saved by the Law and Christianity. From what Paul said it can be seen that these Galatians had not fully decided to continue this error, mixing the Law with Christianity, which is impossible (Gal 5:10). It’s obvious they were more vulnerable than the other Galatians. Although they were still saved (but ignorant), it should also be realized that Christianity and the Law were new to all the Galatians, and they were also obviously susceptible to the knowledge of the Law. “Who did hinder you from obeying the truth?” The disobedience to the truth was, again, that they were trying to mix law with grace, which I believe they finally understood the impossibility of, from Paul showing them truth. “Should not obey the truth” is less convicting than “did not obey the truth.” “Should not” is not confirmative as “did not.” (NC)



Albert Barnes: Gal 5:4 “Ye are fallen from grace" "This passage does not prove that anyone who has ever been a true Christian has fallen away. The fair interpretation of the passage does not demand that. Its simple and obvious meaning is, that if a man who has been a professed Christian should be justified by his own conformity to the Law, and adopt that mode of justification, then that would amount to a rejection of the mode of salvation by Christ, and would be a renouncing of the plan of justification by grace. The two systems cannot be united. The adoption of the one is, in fact, a rejection of the other. Christ will be “a whole Savior,” or none. This passage, therefore cannot be adduced to prove that any true Christian has in fact fallen away from grace, unless it proves also that man may be justified by the deeds of the Law, contrary to the repeated declarations of Paul himself. The word “grace” here, does not mean grace in the sense of personal religion, it means the “system” of salvation by grace, in contradistinction from that by merit or by works."

Albert Barnes: Heb 6:6 “If they shall fall away . . .” “That is, this would amount to apostasy from the religion of the Redeemer, and would be in fact a rejection of the grace of the gospel. That this had ever in fact occurred among true Christians the apostle does not affirm unless he affirmed that people can in fact be justified by the Law, since he makes the falling from grace a consequence of that. But did Paul mean to teach that? Did he mean to affirm that any man in fact had been, or could be justified by his own obedience to the Law? Let his own writings answer; see, especially, Romans 3:20. But unless he held that, then this passage does not prove that anyone who has ever been a true Christian has fallen away.

“It is not an affirmation that any had actually fallen away, or that in fact they would do it; but the statement is, that “on the supposition that they had fallen away,” it would be impossible to renew them again (it would require re-sacrificing the Lord Jesus, an impossibility—NC). It is the same as supposing a case which in fact might never occur: as if we should say, “had a man fallen down a precipice it would be impossible to save him,” or “had the child fallen into the stream he would certainly have been drowned.” But though this literally means, “having fallen away,” yet the sense in the connection in which it stands is not improperly expressed by our common translation. The Syriac has given a version which is remarkable, not as a correct translation, but as showing what was the prevailing belief in the time in which it was made, (probably the first or second century), in regard to the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints. “For it is impossible that they who have been baptized, and who have tasted the gift which is from heaven, and have received the spirit of holiness, and have tasted the good word of God, and the power of the coming age, should again sin, so that they should be renewed again to repentance, and again crucify the Son of God and put him to ignominy.

“Here it means undoubtedly to “apostatize from” (apostates were never saved—NC) and implies an entire renunciation of Christianity, or a going back to a state of Judaism, paganism, or sin. The Greek word occurs nowhere else in the New Testament. It is material to remark here that the apostle does not say that any true Christian ever had fallen away. He makes a statement of what would occur on the supposition that such a thing should happen - but a statement may be made of what would occur on the supposition that a certain thing should take place, and yet it be morally certain that the event never would happen. It would be easy to suppose what would happen if the ocean should overflow a continent, or if the sun should cease to rise, and still there be entire certainty that such an event never would occur.

“To renew them again” - Implying that they had been before renewed, or had been true Christians. The word “again” - πάλιν palin - supposes this; and this passage, therefore, confirms the considerations suggested above, showing that they were true Christians who were referred to. They had once repented, but it would be impossible to bring them to this state “again.” This declaration of course is to be read in connection with the first clause of Hebrews 6:4, “It is impossible to renew again to repentance those who once were true Christians should they fall away.” I know of no declaration more unambiguous than this. It is a positive declaration. It is not that it would be very difficult to do it; or that it would be impossible for man to do it, though it might be done by God; it is an unequivocal and absolute declaration that it would be utterly impracticable that it should be done by anyone, or by any means; and this, I have no doubt, is the meaning of the apostle. Should a Christian fall from grace, he “must perish,” he never could be saved.

“They crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh . . .” “It means that such an act of apostasy would be equivalent to crucifying him in an aggravated manner. Of course this is to be taken “figuratively.” It could not be literally true that they could thus crucify the Redeemer (again, impossible to re-crucify Christ—NC). “The meaning is, that their conduct would be “as if” they had crucified him; it would bear a strong resemblance to the act by which the Lord Jesus was publicly rejected and condemned to die. The act of crucifying the Son of God was the great crime which out-peers any other deed of human guilt. Yet the apostle says that should they who had been true Christians fall away and reject him, they would be guilty of a similar crime. It would be a public and solemn act of rejecting him. It would show that if they had been there they would have joined in the cry “crucify him, crucify him.”

Albert Barnes: 2Pe 2:22—“The sow that was washed . . . “This proverb is not found in the Old Testament, but it was common in the Rabbinical writings, and is found in the Greek classics. See Wetstein, in loc. Its meaning is plain, and of the truth of what is affirmed no one can have any doubt. No matter how clean the swine is made by washing, this would not prevent it, in the slightest degree, from rolling in filth again. It will act out its real nature. So it is with the sinner. No external reformation will certainly prevent his returning to his former habits; and when he does return, we can only say that he is acting according to his real nature - a nature which has never been changed, any more than the nature of the dog or the swine. On the characteristics of the persons referred to in this chapter, 2 Peter 2:9-19, see the introduction, Section 3.

“This passage is often quoted to prove “the possibility of falling from grace, and from a very high degree of it too.” But it is one of the last passages in the Bible that should be adduced to prove that doctrine. The true point of this passage is to show that the persons referred to never “were changed;” that whatever external reformation might have occurred, their nature remained the same; and that when they apostatized from their outward profession, they merely acted out their nature, and showed that in fact there had been “no” real change. This passage will prove - that there are abundant facts to confirm - that persons may reform externally, and then return again to their former corrupt habits; it can never be made to prove that one true Christian will fall away and perish. It will also prove that we should rely on no mere external reformation, no outward cleansing, as certain evidence of piety. Thousands who have been externally reformed have ultimately shown that they had no religion, and there is nothing in mere outward reformation that can suit us for heaven. God looks upon the heart; and it is only the religion that has its seat there, that can secure our final salvation.”

Albert Barnes: Heb 10:26 “For if we sin willfully,....]” “Which is not to be understood of a single act of sin, but rather of a course of sinning; nor of sins of infirmity through temptation, or even of grosser acts of sin, but of voluntary ones; and not of all voluntary ones, or in which the will is engaged and concerned, but of such which are done on set purpose, resolutely and obstinately; and not of immoral practices, but of corrupt principles, and acting according to them; it intends a total apostasy from the truth, against light and evidence, joined with obstinacy.

“After that we have received the knowledge of the truth;” “Either of Jesus Christ, or of the Scriptures, or of the Gospel, or of some particular doctrine, especially the principal one, salvation by Christ; of which there may be a notional knowledge, when there is no experimental knowledge; and which is received not into the heart, but into the head: and whereas the apostle speaks in the first person plural, we, this is used not so much with regard to himself, but others; that so what he delivered might come with greater weight upon them, and be more readily received by them; when they observed he entertained no hard thoughts or jealousies of them, which would greatly distress the minds of those that were truly gracious. Moreover, the apostles use this way of speaking, when they do not design themselves at all, but others, under the same visible profession of religion, and who belonged to the same community of believers; see 1 Peter 4:3 compared with Acts 22:3. Besides, these words are only hypothetical, and do not prove that true believers could, or should, or do sin in this manner: to which may be added, that true believers are manifestly distinguished from these persons, Hebrews 10:38.”



Albert Barnes - Heb 10:39. “But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition,....”. There is a drawing back which is not unto perdition; persons may be attended with much unbelief, may be very cold and indifferent to Gospel ordinances, may fall into great sins, and may greatly backslide, and yet be recovered, as David, Peter, and others: and there is a drawing back to perdition; when Christ is rejected as the alone Saviour; when he is not held to as the head; when false doctrines and damnable heresies are given into; and when men draw back, and never return, nor are they, nor can they be returned, and their apostasy is total, and final: but true believers do not, and cannot draw back in this sense; because they are held fast in the arms, and with the cords of everlasting love, are chosen of God unto salvation, are given unto Christ, and secured in him; they are redeemed and purchased by him; they are united to him, and built upon him; they are interested in his prayers and preparations, and are his jewels, and his portion; they are regenerated, sanctified, inhabited, and sealed by the Spirit of God, and have the promises and power of God, on their side.”

Filter

Forum statistics

Threads
5,878,136
Messages
65,412,890
Members
276,364
Latest member
rodtrent