Hi, you may think that you can't develop a craving simply by sipping alcohol but I think that even with the little sip of wine after Communion, I'm developing a craving for that wine. When I go up to the person with the Chalice, and take a sip, I want to drink more than what I'm supposed to, and yet I don't even like the taste of wine per se. I kind of wish I never started sipping the wine, because the sting of it is imprinted in my system. I don't remember when I first started taking the wine after Communion. It is not offered at every parish.

But wait you may tell me that it is the Blood of Christ, not the wine anymore -- ok then, I don't know what to say

ps I am NOT making this thread to debate anything about hygienic reasons. That is NOT the purpose of my thread...please.

I have taken the wine (blood of Christ) after Communion because frankly, it dissipates the aftertaste of the Eucharist IMHO and I like to do that.

And: Why Institutions Are Hemorrhaging Legitimacy; Scott Alexander's Antichrist​

So, what do you know about 3I/Atlas? It is a large interstellar object detected by astronomers this summer. They think it’s a comet — but Harvard’s Avi Loeb thinks it could be an alien spaceship. He’s an excitable one, that Avid.

But the story has taken an interesting turn in the past few days. Here is a quiet announcement from two days ago: the activation of the International Asteroid Warning Network, around 3I/Atlas. The idea is that all the world’s astronomers need to get ready to focus entirely on this comet that is behaving in ways never observed with comets. Nobody knows why.

Some people believe the warning is an attempt by authorities to control the narrative around this weird object. This is interesting:

Continued below.

The Senate is waking up. Perhaps they are listening to their constituents, and noting Trump's poor polling numbers.

SEOUL, South Korea — Pastor Stephen Tong preached a fiery sermon at the World Evangelical Alliance’s General Assembly, rebuking hypocritical pastors who indulge in sin yet step up to the pulpit on Sundays to preach God’s holy word.

Tong, the founder and senior pastor of the Reformed Evangelical Church of Indonesia, known as the “Billy Graham of Asia” for his global evangelistic work, preaching to more than 37 million people over more than 66 years of ministry, admonished “hypocritical” pastors leading double lives.

“Shame on this kind of servant of God," he said.

In his sermon titled “to be a holy servant," Tong focused on the holiness of the Gospel message.

“If you want to be a servant of God, you promise to God to lead a holy life,” the 85-year-old declared, detailing the purity of mind, speech and actions required of pastors to lead exemplary lives above reproach.

Continued below.

Days after a group of around 50 protesters at Catholic University of America disrupted an event featuring two Israeli Defense Forces soldiers, the school's Student Government Association Senate proposed a resolution to ban any club from campus that supports Israel.

Felipe Avila, a nursing student at CUA and the president of the school's Students Supporting Israel group, told The Christian Post that the organization has only received "dismissive responses" from the university administration after repeatedly expressing concern about "the hostile environment and selective policy enforcement."

"The administration's failure to act created a vacuum, which is now being filled by students who feel empowered to push bigoted legislation built on outright deception," Avila stated.

Continued below.

So, I want to explore political philosophy and how it relates to Christianity.

Ideally, our faith should inform our politics, but not the other way around. Yet, this unfortunately not the case in reality. I don't intend to turn this into a finger pointing game between the left and the right, I just want to explore options here.

Should the government enact policies that reflect Christian policies?

One could argue yes, since a Christian government could provide a moral foundation for an otherwise secular society and arguably improves everyone's lives. On the other hand, one can say that the government would just bastardize Christianity and use it as a weapon for social control.

What about libertarianism? The Bible says to help the poor and needy. Yet, does that mean we should petition the government to do it, or is charity a personal responsibility for us as Christians, and thus we should not outsource it to the state?

Should there be a government? There are verses that seem to advocate for submitting to earthly authorities. Then again, many of these earthly authorities have, and sometimes still do, put innocent people to death. It can also be argued that the government has a monopoly on force and violence.

What are your thoughts?

I'm personally undecided, but that's why I made this thread. I want to see what others think to help me find out where I stand.

I might be losing my job in a couple weeks unless my company can find a new position for me within the company. Please pray that it works out, thank you.

Those who rejected Jesus of Nazareth rejected John the Baptist first.

Luke 7:28 For I say to you, among those born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he. 29 And when all the people heard Him, even the tax collectors justified God, having been baptized with the baptism of John. 30 But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the will of God for themselves, not having been baptized by him.

John 1:6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John...6:29 Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.

The Question: Does the Church look for the coming of Elijah? Would he come to Israel, or to the remnant of Judah who remain in Iran?

Iran still hosts the largest Jewish population in the Middle East outside Israel. The community maintains an active religious and cultural life, with synagogues, Jewish schools, kosher food, and even a Jewish hospital in Tehran.

I don't know if you bothered to watch the Netflix limited series "The Messiah", if not, you must not be that concerned with what deceptions Satan has been presenting to the world. First of all, he was of Iranian/Persian descent. Most interesting was that there was more controversy among practitioners of Islam, at least those who issued complaints to Netflix.



AI Overview



Yes, the Netflix series Messiah generated significant controversy, particularly from Muslims who called it "evil and anti-Islamic propaganda". Critics pointed to the main character's name, "Al-Masih ad-Dajjal," which translates to "the False Messiah" or "the Antichrist" in Islamic tradition, creating a premise they found deeply offensive and blasphemous. Petitions were launched to boycott the show, and some countries, like Jordan, called for Netflix to ban it.

• Allegations of anti-Islamic sentiment: Many viewers and officials, particularly in Muslim communities, considered the show's premise an attack on Islam.
• Character's name: The main character's name, "Al-Masih ad-Dajjal," was seen as a direct reference to the Dajjal (the Antichrist) in Islam, which is a figure of deception and evil.
• Petitions and calls for a ban: Multiple petitions were started to boycott the series, with one on Change.org garnering thousands of signatures. The Royal Film Commission of Jordan also called on Netflix to ban the series.
• Netflix's response: Netflix defended the series by stating it was a work of fiction and not based on any single religion or character, while also noting that the character's name was not specified as his real name.
• Director's perspective: The show's director, Kate Woods, stated that the show was intended to be provocative and generate controversy.
• DUH!

The clocks in the U.S. will be "falling back" on Sunday, Nov. 2, marking the end of daylight saving time for 2025. If you could decide, would you abandon it forever?

Many countries observe daylight saving time (DST), in which clocks get pushed ahead one hour in March to gain more hours of daylight in the spring and summer. In the U.S., all but two states, Hawaii and Arizona (except for Navajo Nation) observe DST and thus are preparing to make the switch back to standard time on Sunday Nov. 2.

Not everyone is happy with this routine change, however, with recent surveys showing that 54% of Americans and 42% of Britons want to scrap DST altogether.


The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) favors permanent standard timebecause it is better aligned with our circadian rhythm, the body's internal clock. Because light exposure regulates the circadian rhythm, a mismatch between our body clock and the environment can lead to problems such as reduced sleep, higher heart rate and blood pressure, and impaired immune function, AASM representatives wrote in a position statement.

Continued below.

Please Please pray that Jesus Christ some how Miraculously Stops a socially liberal progressive from being elected Mayor of New York:

I got into an argument today, and I'm super frustrated about it. The most frustrating part is this isn't the first time this has happened; it's actually fairly regularly that I get hate from this particular group of people.

The topic was modern media and how it's perverted.

The first thing I did was come to the aid of the person being picked on, because that's what I do. You're never going to change someone's heart by being cruel and unkind.

I admitted that I don't agree with a lot of stuff I see out there (mainly this person's lifestyle that was in question) and that's why I don't watch it. I also then stated that it isn't our job to outlaw sin. Every sin out there is there to tempt us. That it's free will that makes our fellowship mean something. So, if someone wants to engage in this type of behavior then it is my job to be patient and kind with this person and try to develop repour, and if that can't be done at least let them know they aren't hated and there's always a place for them. Singling out one sin and making it appear worse than another isn't fair, and no one's sin is better or worse than mine.

I got accused of being woke by one party for defending the weak and accused of being a bigot by the other because I don't agree with their lifestyle. Honest truth is I was not offended about being called woke because I kind of shut this person down, and I guess I expected this as kind of a retort, but I was super frustrated that I defended this other person and the way they thanked me is to call me a bigot because I don't share in their views. This puzzles me because the whole thing they preached was inclusion and yet they were treating me poorly because I was different than them, even though I just defended them.

I have to be honest. For a long time, probably since I joined the military anyway, I lived by a code of protecting the weak, even if I think they're wrong. When you protect someone and then they treat you poorly for not being open to their lifestyle it really makes me want to quit helping people, especially this particular group of people.

My question I guess is pretty straight forward. Should I stop trying to defend these people when I see them being persecuted or is it my job to continue to plant a seed and hope they find salvation in the future? I have to be honest this makes me not very keen on being nice to them. For clarification I'm talking about physical conflict. If I see someone getting pushed around (I'm a big guy/I have the means to intervene and stop it) should I just turn a blind eye and mind my own business, or should I continue to intervene even if I don't agree with this lifestyle?

Is me continuing to help these people being "lukewarm"

or am I doing the right thing, and continue doing it in spite the hate and cruel comments I get in return as a thank you?

From the horses mouth: https://x.com/realDailyWire/status/1983207310005555318

BIG ANNOUNCEMENT:
@RealMattFradd
& Pints With Aquinas are coming to the Daily Wire in 2026! We're excited for Matt to continue inspiring our culture to think more clearly, live more virtuously, and love God more deeply. Pints isn't changing. It's just getting bigger.

Click to expand...

The Lord repented to have made man, both man and beast, the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air.

Noah FOUND GRACE in the EYES OF THE LORD. ( for they shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel, with THOSE SEVEN; they ARE THE EYES OF THE LORD, which run to and fro THROUGH THE WHOLE EARTH. Zechariah 4:10.)

Noah was a JUST man and PERFECT in his generations and NOAH WALKED WITH GOD.

The earth also was CORRUPT BEFORE GOD, and God looked upon the earth, (A LAMB AS IT HAD BEEN SLAIN, having SEVEN HORNS AND SEVEN EYES, which are THE SEVEN SPIRITS OF GOD SENT FORTH INTO ALL THE EARTH. Revelation 5:6.) and BEHOLD, it was CORRUPT, for ALL FLESH HAD CORRUPTED HIS WAY UPON THE EARTH.

God said unto Noah, that the end of all flesh is come before Him, THE EARTH FILLED WITH VIOLENCE, through them, and BEHOLD, He will destroy then WITH THE EARTH.

Make you an ark of Gopher wood.


(According to the Lords abundant MERCY, He has BEGOTTEN US AGAIN, unto a lively HOPE by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. To an inheritance INCORRUPTIBLE, that does not fade away/PERISH, reserved in heaven, by the power of God through faith, to be REVEALED IN THE LAST TIME.)

(Call on the Father and pass your time here in FEAR, as you know you were NOT REDEEMED WITH CORRUPTIBLE THINGS, but with the precious BLOOD OF CHRIST, as A LAMB WITHOUT BLEMISH AND WITHOUT SPOT, manifest in these LAST TIMES for us, by Him we believe in God that raised Him up from the dead, giving Him glory.)

(Being BORN AGAIN, NOT OF CORRUPTIBLE SEED, but OF INCORRUPTIBLE, by THE WORD OF GOD, which LIVES AND ABIDES FOR EVER.)

(By the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished.)

(The heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.)

(By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; BY THE WHICH HE CONDEMNED THE OLD WORLD.)

(Noah became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.)

(we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, LET US HAVE GRACE, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.)

(The day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. We, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.)




Zechariah 4:10 For who hath despised the day of small things? for they shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven; they are the eyes of the Lord, which run to and fro through the whole earth.

Hebrews 11:7 By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.

Hebrews 12:28 Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:


1 Peter 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,
5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

1 Peter 1:17 And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear:
18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;
19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,
21 Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.

1 Peter 1:23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

2 Peter 3:5 For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water:
6 Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished:
7 But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.

2 Peter 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?
13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.

Revelation 5:6 And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.

Genesis 6:7 And the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.
8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.
9 These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.

Genesis 6:11 The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.
12 And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.
13 And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.
14 Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch.




God tells Noah of the flood He brings of water upon the EARTH, to destroy all flesh that has the breath of life from UNDER HEAVEN, but with Noah He would establish His covenant, and they shall come into the ark, his sons, his wife and his sons wives, and of every living thing of fall flesh, two of very kind male and female, and to take all food tat is eaten for them all, and Noah did according to all that God commanded him, so he did.

The Lord said unto Noah, for him and all his house to come into the ark, for Noah God had seen righteous before Him in that generation.

God tells Noah, for yet seven days and He will cause it to rain upon the earth, forty days and forty nights, and every living substance that God has made, He will destroy from off the face of the earth. Noah did according to all that the Lord commanded him.

It came to pass after seven days, the waters of the flood were upon the earth, and the rain was upon the earth forty days and fort nights.

In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, the same day, all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened.

In the selfsame day entered Noah, and Shem, and Ham, and Japheth, the sons of Noah, and Noah's wife, and the three wives of his sons with them, into the ark;, them and every kind of all flesh of beast, creeping thing and very fowl, every bird of every sort.

They went in male and female of all flesh, as God had commanded Noah.

The flood was forty days upon the earth, the waters increased and BARE UP THE ARK, and it was LIFT UP ABOVE THE EARTH.

The waters prevailed, increasing greatly upon the earth, and the ark WENT UPON THE FACE OF THE WATERS.

(now is the judgement of THIS WORLD, now the prince OF THIS WORLD, shall be cast out. If I BE LIFTED UP FROM THE EARTH, I will draw all men unto me. They asked how the Son of man MUST BE LIFTED UP.)

Sometimes disobedient, the longsuffering of God WAITED IN THE DAYS OF NOAH, while the ARK WAS PREPARING, few, eight SOULS WERE SAVED BY WATER. The like figure, BAPTISM NOW SAVES US, the answer of a good conscience, BY THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST, who is GONE INTO HEAVEN, on the right hand of God, angels, authorities and powers being MADE SUBHECT UNTO HIM.)





Genesis 6:17 And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; and every thing that is in the earth shall die.
18 But with thee will I establish my covenant; and thou shalt come into the ark, thou, and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy sons' wives with thee.
19 And of every living thing of all flesh, two of every sort shalt thou bring into the ark, to keep them alive with thee; they shall be male and female.
20 Of fowls after their kind, and of cattle after their kind, of every creeping thing of the earth after his kind, two of every sort shall come unto thee, to keep them alive.
21 And take thou unto thee of all food that is eaten, and thou shalt gather it to thee; and it shall be for food for thee, and for them.
22 Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he.


Genesis 7:1 And the Lord said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation.

Genesis 7:4 For yet seven days, and I will cause it to rain upon the earth forty days and forty nights; and every living substance that I have made will I destroy from off the face of the earth.
5 And Noah did according unto all that the Lord commanded him.

Genesis 7:10 And it came to pass after seven days, that the waters of the flood were upon the earth.
11 In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened.
12 And the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights.
13 In the selfsame day entered Noah, and Shem, and Ham, and Japheth, the sons of Noah, and Noah's wife, and the three wives of his sons with them, into the ark;
14 They, and every beast after his kind, and all the cattle after their kind, and every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind, and every fowl after his kind, every bird of every sort.
15 And they went in unto Noah into the ark, two and two of all flesh, wherein is the breath of life.
16 And they that went in, went in male and female of all flesh, as God had commanded him: and the Lord shut him in.
17 And the flood was forty days upon the earth; and the waters increased, and bare up the ark, and it was lift up above the earth.
18 And the waters prevailed, and were increased greatly upon the earth; and the ark went upon the face of the waters.


John 12:31 Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.
32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.
33 This he said, signifying what death he should die.
34 The people answered him, We have heard out of the law that Christ abideth for ever: and how sayest thou, The Son of man must be lifted up? who is this Son of man?

1 Peter 3:20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.
21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:
22 Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.

A few decades back, a Wall Street Journal editor named James Taranto posited what he called “the Roe Effect.” The idea was spawned by data showing a correlation between a woman’s political views and her views and actions regarding abortion.

Taranto argued that, over time, conservative women and families would have more children and liberal woman, accepting abortion, would have a lower birth rate, and this would lead to diminishing popular support for legal abortion.

Writing in 2005, Taranto said, “The RoeEffect ... refers specifically to the nexus between the practice of abortion and the politics of abortion. It seems self-evident that pro-choice women are more likely to have abortions than pro-life ones, and common sense suggests that children tend to gravitate toward their parents' values. This would seem to ensure that Americans born after Roe v. Wade have a greater propensity to vote for the pro-life party — that is, Republican — than they otherwise would have.”

Taranto believed that this differential was real, and his analysis of electoral data from that period supported a Republican advantage. But he also believed that even if this population trend led to a more pro-life nation, the result would be a reversal of Roe v. Wade that would force both major political parties to moderate their messages and pursue policies at the state level, avoiding the national stage and resuming the “status quo ante Roe.”

Taranto’s writing proved prescient, and as of 2022, the national abortion right was ended in the Dobbs ruling. National political players in both parties, meanwhile, while not completely avoiding the topic, have largely adopted a states’ rights perspective that de-emphasizes national debate and votes in the Congress. With the strongest messages on both sides muted, Taranto wrote, both Roe and the Roe Effect contained “the seeds of their own demise.”

Continued below.

Please pray for my emotional healing and comfort and that God gives me faith, in Jesus Christ’s name, Amen.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sued the makers of Tylenol, Johnson & Johnson and Kenvue, claiming that they deceptively marketed the over-the-counter medication to pregnant women despite alleged links to autism and other disorders.

“Big Pharma betrayed America by profiting off of pain and pushing pills regardless of the risks," Paxton said in a statement on Tuesday. "These corporations lied for decades, knowingly endangering millions to line their pockets.

Bill Gates, the Microsoft co-founder who has spent billions of his own money to raise the alarm about the dangers of climate change, is now pushing back against what he calls a “doomsday outlook” and appears to have shifted his stance on the risks posed by a warming planet.

he wrote. “People will be able to live and thrive in most places on Earth for the foreseeable future.”

It arrives a week before world leaders gather in Belém, Brazil, for the United Nations annual climate summit, known this year as COP30. Mr. Gates, who turned 70 on Tuesday and has attended the event in previous years, will not be participating.

Phillis Wheatley. Her actual name was and is not known.

Her story starts around the age of seven when she was just a child in Africa somewhere between what is now Senegal and Gambia, she was cruelly abducted. Like Joseph, God used the evil done to her for his glory.

A 7 year old child abducted and on a slave ship must have experienced unimaginable terror and the distress at knowing she will never see her mum again would have been suffering unknowable.

She was purchased by the Wheatley family and unusually for a servant girl they educated her in Latin and Greek.

In her own time she enjoyed writing poems glorifying God (I would highly reccomend reading them) and in a notable one she praises the revivalist preacher George Whitefield. She also kept in contact with many revivalist preachers.

Phillis Wheatley was finally emancipated in 1778 and she married a fellow freed slave, John Peters. Happily ever after? Shall I misquote Jeremiah 29:11?

No. Both Phillis and her husband suffered with ill health, low income and poor work, leading to the death of two of their infant children.

The situation above only worsened and her husband got sent to jail for debt, forcing her to work as a scully maid for a boarding house.

At the age of 31 Phillis died- alone, uncared for and 'reduced to a condition too loathsome to describe'. She was buried with her last child, who also died.

I can only imagine what was going through Phillis's mind on her deathbed- memories of her mum singing to her as a child in Africa? The day she was kidnapped at 7 by wicked slave traders? Her time in America? Her imprisoned husband? Her children who she lost at their young age? Her journey from Africa to living with a wealthy American family, to ultimately dying in poverty in a foreign land, never to return to Africa on this earth?

One thing we know on her death, despite the poor state of her body, she is now in eternal bliss, worshipping the God she loved so much and if the new earth mirrors this one (but in a perfected state) I can imagine her setting foot at the place where she was abducted, but now praising God for the glory of the new earth and the fact she will no longer suffer again.

Hi there,

Can anyone shine light on the promise to restore Sodom.

They were totally destroyed as a people.

They were exceedingly wicked.

So when will the restoration occur ?

How do you see this happening ?

Comments greatly appreciated.

EZ 16
49 Behold, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had arrogance, plenty of food, and carefree ease, but she did not help the poor and needy.
50 So they were haughty and committed abominations before Me. Therefore I removed them when I saw it.
51 Furthermore, Samaria did not commit half of your sins, for you have multiplied your abominations more than they. So you have made your sisters appear innocent by all your abominations which you have committed.
52 Also, bear your disgrace in that you have made judgment favorable for your sisters. Because of your sins in which you acted more abominably than they, they are more in the right than you. Yes, be also ashamed and bear your disgrace, in that you made your sisters appear innocent.

53 “Nevertheless, I will restore their fortunes, the fortunes of Sodom and her daughters, the fortunes of Samaria and her daughters, and along with them your own fortunes,
54 so that you will bear your disgrace and feel ashamed for all that you have done when you become a consolation to them.
55 Your sisters, Sodom with her daughters and Samaria with her daughters, will return to their former state, and you with your daughters will also return to your former state.

In this biblical context, “weaknesses” appear to be specifically targeted toward the subject of temptation to sin. But it can also refer to disease, infirmity, sickness, and physical ailments of the human body.

For example we read in 2 Corinthians 12 about Paul’s “thorn in the flesh,” which was not sin, for God will never refuse to remove sin from our lives, and God’s power is not perfected in sin. But even though Paul pleaded to the Lord to have the “thorn in the flesh” removed from his body, God’s answer was, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.”

And Paul’s response to this was, “Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.” Amen! He had the right heart response to God.

And in Romans 8, in the context of Paul speaking of the sufferings of this present time, which are “not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed in us,” he stated, “But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it,” in reference, I believe, to the return of our Lord when we will no longer be in these flesh bodies suffering physically and/or emotionally, for various reasons, but we will be with our Lord.

And then he said, “In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:26-28 NASB1995)

Paul also spoke in 1 Corinthians 2 of when he came to the church there, that he was with them “in weakness and in fear and in much trembling,” and his message and his preaching were not in “persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.” Since Paul did suffer much physical persecution and trials and tribulations, this could have included physical weakness as well as humbleness of mind and modesty in preaching.

And Jesus Christ himself knew what it was like to be physically weak when his enemies arranged for his arrest and trial and death on a cross on false charges, and they had him beaten and whipped beyond recognition, and then they nailed him to a cross to suffer and to die, as though he was a common criminal. But it was in the will of God that he should suffer and die on that cross, for in his death he put our sins to death with him so that, by faith in him, we can now die to sin and walk in obedience to our Lord.

[Luke 23:33-46; Romans 6:1-23; 1 Peter 2:24; 2 Corinthians 5:15,21; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20; Titus 2:11-14]

So, our time of need might be in a time of physical ailments and sufferings which have nothing to do with sin in our lives, but which God has allowed in our lives for his purposes: To produce within us endurance, godly character, hope, steadfastness, and spiritual maturity. To test the genuineness of our faith. To give opportunity for us to bear witness for Jesus Christ. That we might comfort others in their sufferings. To make us rely not on ourselves, but on God. Because God disciplines those he loves for our good that we may share in his holiness, that it might yield the fruit of righteousness.

[Luke 21:13; Romans 5:3-5; 2 Corinthians 1:3-11; 2 Corinthians 4:17; Hebrews 12:3-12; James 1:2-4; 1 Peter 1:6-7]

And this is very personal to me right now because of the sufferings that my Lord is allowing me to go through physically and emotionally, and for many of the same reasons as are listed above. For in the past 40 days the Lord has had me going through a series of tests to see what is going on inside of my body due to chest pain, chest pressure, and difficulty breathing, which has not ceased. And so far I have been diagnosed with a lung tumor (nodule), which is possibly cancerous, a breathing disorder where I am only breathing at 44% of 100% breathing capacity, heart failure, a possible cancerous brain tumor, and a breast nodule which also could be cancerous.

So more tests are needed. And I am tired physically and emotionally. But I am trusting the Lord that he has allowed all this in my life for my good and for his purposes, and that good will come out of this somehow. And so I rest in him, and I take this all one day and one step at a time, believing that God will work all this out for his purposes, and for his glory, and for my good.

His Tender Mercies

An Original Work / January 26, 2014
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

Fear not! I’m with you.
Be not dismayed!
God watches o’er you.
Trust Him today.
He’ll lead and guide you;
Give you His aid.
He’ll love and keep you
With Him always.

Walk in His footsteps.
He’ll lead the way.
Trust in His love;
Believe that He cares.
He will not leave you.
Faithful He’ll be.
His tender mercies
Now you will see.

Fellowship with Him
Throughout the day.
Tell Him your heartaches.
He’ll heal always.
Rest in His comfort.
He is your friend.
Your faith He’ll strengthen,
True to the end.

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Sufferings Have a Purpose
An Original Work / October 27, 2025
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

“I would love to do it: I have my best numbers ever,” the 79-year-old told reporters on Air Force One during a trip to Asia. Pressed on whether he was not ruling out a third term, he said, “Am I not ruling it out? I mean, you’ll have to tell me.”

Apart from him lying yet again about his numbers (they are in the toilet), how about we get a consensus on this?

A judge released him on a personal recognizance but ordered him to wear a GPS monitor. . .
The suspect has a rap sheet that includes convictions for a July 2022 stalking case in Dakota County and a domestic battery charge in Polk County, Florida, in August 2016, the affidavit said. He also has a 2019 misdemeanor battery case out of Dakota County "which appears to have been reduced from a felony domestic assault by strangulation," the court document showed.

This is how the justice system works in Minnesota.

There has been ongoing debate about who is the best guitarist with the likes of Jimmy Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page, Stevie Ray Vaughan ect. Who do you think is the greatest guitarist. I think all the above are great each in their own way.

But I am also interested in other guitarist not as well known who may even be better. Even Youtubers or buskers. Whoever. I love the guitar and not just lead but also rythm, bass and all sorts of stringed instruments. The Banjo is great as well.

In recent years I came across Derek Trucks. He is actually the nephew of the late Butch Trucks, drummer for the Allman Brothers. So he grew up around the band and that era of blues and rock guitarist.

Derek plays the slide guitar which I love and think of Gilmor in classic songs like the Great Gig in the Sky. Its great because not only is the note played but all sorts of notes inbetween are bent into each other. Its almost like a violin and yet he still comes back to classic blues rock guitar.

Enjoy.

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Hi,

I grew up in a christian home, and my dad was a missionary, but I struggled a lot with christian faith and questions about predestination etc. and I took refuge in some sort of hypercalvinistic belief I think. This I believe made it difficult for me to experience conversion. There were times I recall an inability to yield to the Holy Spirit during meetings. I got into Gnostic spirituality too, and existentialism as well as reading modern theologians like Barth and Bultmann.

A good few years ago I was starting to come back to christianity, after having got into some errors about faith, and had begun to go to a church. At the same time I was reading a book by John Owen (17th century Puritan theologian). One Sunday at church all of a sudden I felt I came under a very intense pull, that seemed to be the Holy Spirit, but I wouldn't yield. It stayed with me all the way home, and yet still I wouldn't give in. It was a good few years ago, but I am not sure what keeps me from yielding. Up to that point I thought I was seeking again and yet when it came to it I wouldn't yield. I'm not sure why this is except it seems to suggest an unwillingness on my part to be right with God by faith in Christ?

Forgive me if I’ve asked this before. My OCD is better but it’s still there. I’m just really high strung most of the time. I know meditating can be wrong, but what about relaxation exercises and emptying the mind of thoughts, you know, quieting the mind? Is that ok?