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Latinos are using personal credibility to fight online rumors.
In the early hours of a Saturday morning in April, a man in a bar fight in the Miami suburb of Doral shot and killed a security guard who tried to intervene. Soon residents started sharing a rumor over WhatsApp and Telegram. The killer, conspiracists asserted, must have belonged to a criminal gang from Venezuela infiltrating the United States. Known as Tren de Aragua, the criminal organization has become a recurring boogeyman in anti-immigrant conspiracy theories circulating in Spanish-speaking diaspora communities over the past year.
By the time the Miami-Dade Police Department released the name of the actual shooter — who was not an immigrant from Venezuela or anywhere else and whom police also shot and killed — the lie had already penetrated community gossip circles. Lost in the early rumor mill was that an immigrant family was the victim of the crime: The 23-year-old fallen security guard was George Castellanos, an aspiring police officer and the father of an adorable little girl.
I recently spoke with the leader of a community organization in South Florida called We Are Más who also dreads this future [of misinformation amplified on social media in an environment that is fairly lax even for English-language content] — and spends her days fighting to prevent it. Evelyn Pérez-Verdía works to quell rumors in Spanish-speaking diaspora communities, using the same group chats where they already are and drawing on trusted community voices to influence them. As part of a collaboration with the Information Futures Lab at Brown University, Pérez-Verdía recently recruited 25 local messengers — including the head of a YWCA chapter and a Colombian American hairdresser — to swat rumors as they start flying in South Florida.
The local influencers began by listening for questions and narratives taking hold in the community. They ranged from how safe it was to get the shingles vaccine to whether President Biden had a body double, from how to get a mammogram if underinsured to whether the 2024 presidential election had been canceled — a notion now circulating among Latinos in swing states thanks to a social media post translated into Spanish featuring the Sandy Hook conspiracy theorist Alex Jones.
The impact of this kind of work on community awareness is still being documented, but it offers a useful counterpoint to the latest trend in investment to fight online rumors, which is far too focused on technological fixes for what is fundamentally a human problem. What resonates most are the stories that speak to people emotionally and that they feel engaged in — whether or not they are true. Bad information meets people where they are when they are afraid and in the dark.
So I apparently have extremely severe autism, will be diagnosed very a soon. But before you say somthing about how you know about autism you have to realize its a SPECTRUM. If You don't know what that means, google it(watching videos on youtube can be somewhat useful). But basically it means that just because we have autism does not mean that it affects us all the same way. I have things going on that I haven't heard of any autistic person having. I guess one thing that sticks out to me is that I have many of the same thoughts replaying over and over like a broken record(way my dad describes it I wouldn't have realized if he wouldn't have said that) can't spell well and cant understand alot of basic words. People keep telling me if I try hard enough I can figure all this out( which hurts more than helps). I have been trying to figure out how to learn and remember all of my life and gotten basically no were. Doctors say that autism doesn't get worse over time...well..they haven't met me. I know people say there is no cure and I say yes with man it is impossible but with God...
They may not have heard of the name Jesus, but everyone has heard of the way, the truth, or the life. An ancient Chinese philosophy called Taoism literally means Way. The founder of Taoism, Laozi, never claimed to be the Way, but he pointed people to the Way, which, according to John 14:6, is Jesus himself.
Revelation 20:
13 And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done.
Jesus said, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life." Really?
Yes, really. If you know the way, the truth, or the life, you indirectly know Jesus. If you directly know Jesus now, you have the Paraclete in you while alive.
This is not an actual OP. This is going to be used throughout this series for reference. These pictures will get copied and used to show a point as it arises.
AD 29 - AD 50 Jesus' followers are with him. They follow him where he goes, and preach the gospel of the kingdom with him, as they are instructed.
Luke 8:1-3 1 Now it came to pass, afterward, that He went through every city and village, preaching and bringing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with Him, 2 and certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities—Mary called Magdalene, out of whom had come seven demons, 3 and Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and many others who provided for Him from their substance.
Luke 10:1, 2 1 After these things the Lord appointed seventy others also, and sent them two by two before His face into every city and place where He Himself was about to go. 2 Then He said to them, “The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.
Many disciple leave Jesus.
John 6:66 ...many of His disciples left, and would no longer walk with Him. The twelve (12) remain.
John 6:67, 68 Then Jesus turned to the Twelve and asked, “Are you also going to leave?” Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life,
Jesus celebrates the last Passover before his execution, with the twelve.
Matthew 26:20 When it was evening, he reclined at table with the twelve. Judas Iscariot abandons Jesus, betraying him.
Mark 14:10 Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve disciples, went to the leading priests to arrange to betray Jesus to them.
At Jesus arrest, all his followers abandon him and flee for fear of their lives.
Matthew 26:56 ...At that point, all the disciples deserted him and fled. Jesus is alone, but he is not alone, as his father is with him.
On Jesus' resurrection, he seeks company with his friends - his followers, and they are united again.
Matthew 28:16 Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. Jesus gives them instruction to continue the work they were doing before his death.
Matthew 28:18-20 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Jesus' followers have been doing that work, since. On their own? No.
Acts 1:8 ...you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be [c]witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. Jesus is directing them from heaven, and blessing the increase. The workers are increasing, and more people are being reached, in all the earth.
Acts 2:4 And everyone present (120 followers - Acts 1:15) was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability.
Acts 2:41 So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.
Acts 4:4 But many who heard the message believed, and the number of men grew to about five thousand.
Acts 5:14 And more believing in the Lord were added, multitudes both of men and women,
Nothing could stop the work Jesus assigned, because he was backing his followers, who were on fire with zeal. Acts 5:27-29; Acts 8:4; Acts 17:17
Jesus is with his followers, as promised. Matthew 28:20. The gospel has to be preached to all nations. Matthew 24:14
AD 2024 Who are Jesus' followers, and what identifies them as Jesus' followers, according to scripture?
I like the post in the thread Are you unapproachable?
It indicates that you are a very open-minded person, and I like about you that you, share openly from the scriptures.
It suggests that you are opened to having your words tested, and being corrected.
I'll like to ask a few questions on what you said, and relating to this thread.
Are there any particular scriptures you can think of, which gives the mark of true disciples of Christ? Are there any in the OP?
How do we identify followers of Christ?
Can you think of any scripture(s) which show we can study the scriptures for ourselves under the guidance and direction of the Holy Spirit?
I really would greatly appreciate your participation. Thank you.
2 Peter 1:16-18 [RSV] For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. (17) For when he received honor and glory from God the Father and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased," (18) we heard this voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain.
2Peter 1:16-18 [NWT] 16 No, it was not by following artfully contrived false stories that we made known to you the power and presence of our Lord Jesus Christ, but rather, we were eyewitnesses of his magnificence. u 17 For he received from God the Father honor and glory when words such as these* were conveyed to him by the magnificent glory: “This is my Son, my beloved, whom I myself have approved.” v 18 Yes, these words we heard coming from heaven while we were with him in the holy mountain.
Saint Peter recalls the mount of Transfiguration and the Father's testimony to (and about) Jesus Christ. It's interesting that even Jehovah's witnesses fairly accurately translate this passage, with the exception of "coming" which they do not use substituting "presence" in its place.
Saint Peter regards the Father's testimony as a guarantee of the truth which is even more reliable than holy scripture, insofar as it relies on God alone rather than being mediated through a prophet and writings left by the prophet. He continues saying the following:
2 Peter 1:19-21 [RSV] And we have the prophetic word made more sure. You will do well to pay attention to this as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. (20) First of all you must understand this, that no prophecy of scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation, (21) because no prophecy ever came by the impulse of man, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.
2 Peter 1:19-21 [NWT ]19 So we have the prophetic word made more sure, and you are doing well in paying attention to it as to a lamp w shining in a dark place (until day dawns and a daystar x rises) in your hearts. 20 For you know this first, that no prophecy of Scripture springs from any private interpretation. 21 For prophecy was at no time brought by man’s will, y but men spoke from God as they were moved* by holy spirit. z
I think the main reason for me is because I don't have much money due to a chronic illness. I'm not sure what to do about this to be honest. I have thought about approaching women in my neighborhood but haven't due to lack of confidence because of lack of money. If I had money I would approach women with no problem. So I'm not really sure what to do about this but what about you guys? Whats the main reason you're single?
Hello folks. What is your favorite Catholic Bible version? Mine is the NRSV-CE, which would be between "word-for-word" and "thought-for-thought" on the first chart. Sadly, these charts are missing a lot of Catholic Bibles.
Hello folks. How can we discern if a church is worldly (idolizes the world) or spiritual? Have any of you encountered a "worldly" church? What were some warning signs or red flags that helped you decide to leave a church?
Here is a 10-part checklist to help aid us on our church journeys.
1. Lack of emphasis on prayer and the study of scripture. If a church does not prioritize these spiritual disciplines, it may indicate a drift toward worldliness.
2. Emphasis on entertainment or popularity rather than holiness and worship. A church that focuses more on providing an entertaining experience than cultivating a holy and reverent atmosphere may be becoming too worldly.
3. Compromise on biblical truth for the sake of inclusivity or cultural relevance. Churches should strive to be welcoming and relevant, but not at the expense of abandoning core Christian beliefs.
4. Materialism or wealth-focused messages. A church that places undue emphasis on material possessions, financial success, or prosperity may be drifting into worldliness.
5. Toleration of sinful behavior among members. A truly biblical church will uphold God's standards for morality and sexual purity, and will lovingly confront and correct any member who persists in sin.
6. Lack of accountability or transparency from leadership. Church leaders should be above reproach and subject to oversight by other mature Christians. Any hint of secrecy or deceit could suggest worldliness.
7. Focus on self-help or personal fulfillment rather than discipleship and obedience to Christ. While personal growth is important, it must always take a back seat to following Jesus and obeying His commands.
8. Worldly associations or partnerships. A church that allies itself with unbelievers or secular organizations without careful discernment may be compromising its witness for the gospel.
9. Watered-down preaching or teaching. Messages that avoid controversy or challenge listeners to repentance may be catering to worldly sensibilities instead of proclaiming the full counsel of God.
10. Absence of true community or fellowship. A church that emphasizes individualism over unity and interdependence may be reflecting a broader trend toward worldliness in society as a whole.
Does it make you angry that you can't get women as easily as women can get men? This was just on my mind and I don't know if it makes me angry but it is the reality is all I know. I'm in a situation where if I were female I could get at least someone. But being male theres expectations of me I can't fulfill due to being disabled and low on money. I really feel like if I just approached people in my neighborhood I could find someone but I just don't feel the pull to do so. I kinda have it good since all my needs are met and I don't have any responsibilities or anything to do but I do like being in a relationship.
Jehovah Witnesses have been knocking on my door. I was hoping there was a polite way to turn them away. I don't want to get into a debate with them, but I want them to understand that I have no desire to study their bible.
1 Long ago God spoke to the fathers by the prophets at different times and in different ways.
From Genesis to now, God had spoken to the Lineage of Adam to Noah, Noah to Shem, Shem to Abraham, Abraham to Isaac, Isaac to Jacob, Jacob to Moses, Moses to Joshua, Joshua to all following men of Israel through these chosen Men, all the way up to the "MAN" of Dt 18:17,18,19 who the very Law of Moses prophesied to clarify many things about Himself and His direct relationship with mankind and nation kind. God used Prophetic Actions, Shadows (Types), Words, Repeating Analogies, Entire Stories that were Parables and Real occurrences, simultaneously, Foretelling Words, dreams and so forth.
2 In these last days, He has spoken to us by His Son. God has appointed Him heir of all things and made the universe through Him.
Now, as of these very days, following the long historical lead up to Jesus, God has revealed the "Final Prophet" foretold within MOSES.
Deuteronomy 18:17 The Lord said to me: “What they say is good. 18 I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their fellow Israelites, and I will putmy words in his mouth. He will tell them everything I command him. 19 I myselfwill call to account anyone who does not listen tomy words that the prophet speaks in my name.
Red - YHWH, and YHWH speaking
Purple - His Royal Prophet
Green - Humanity
John 1:3 All things were madethrough him, and without himwas not any thing made that was made.
1 Peter 1:20He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you
The SON has NEVER, not Existed. The Father has KNOWN the SON and the SON has known the Father forever and INFINITY. Long before this Universe was Created by The Father, through the Son, THEY had ONE Another. Now, at this very time, the SON was REVEALED to us, for the selfless sake of US.
2 But now,in the acharit-hayamim, he has spoken to us through his Son, to whom he has given ownership of everything and through whom he created the universe.
acharit-hayamim "A term in Jewish theology that refers to events that will occur at the end of days, such as the coming of the Messiah, the afterlife, and the resurrection of the dead. This area of Jewish theology is known as Jewish eschatology."
In modern english translations, the term gets transliterated to "These Last Days"
Hebrews is written to the Jews who have witnessed the Fulfillment of the OLD COVENANT! The FIRST coming of the Messiah was a direct fulfilment of what JEWS considered to be "THE LAST DAYS". There's a lot more to this in reference to the NEW COVENANT and the Literal People and Land of Jacob, but that is another day and another study.
3 The Son is the radianceof God’s glory and the exact expression of His nature,
Colossians 1:15 He is the image of the invisible God
Revelation 4:11 “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.”
John 14:9-10 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seenthe Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwellsin medoes his works.
Colossians 2:9 For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are completein Him, who is the headof all principality and power.
Gold - Tri-Unity (2320[e] / Theotētos / Godhead / Θεότητος / Deity / N-GFS) <- This word is a single occurrence word in the Greek.
There are 4 main camps of thought involving the BEING of God.
1: Trinity - HARD Division of the Being of God, of ONE Substance (Essence), Three "Distinct" subsistence's that share the SAME Essence (Substance)
This is a very impersonal way to show the matter. It's like showing up on your wedding night and pulling out a math equation that is your intended plans for the celebration. It is the collective result of combatting Unitarianism that originated around 260 AD from a theologian named (Arius). The collective Body that understood the critical importance of understanding the mechanism of Salvation as revealed by Jesus Christ to us knew that it was CRITICAL to understand that God is SIMULTANEOUSLY ONE, YET THREE. All of the Body infighting over this matter led to some unfortunate events. Arianism isn't actually indicative of slaughtering someone as a heretic, but, alas, it happened. So, what happened next? Everybody and their Brother gave up on showing that God is Utterly ONE, as surely that HE is utterly THREE. The Hardline stance that was adopted, was to indoctrinate those that didn't personally study with the "TRINITY" Doctrine.
Trouble is, people that only memorized the idea had utterly no idea how God is also genuinely ONE. It was decided that not only would the Body double down on the Trinity doctrine, but that it would continually legally evaluate words on a level that became disastrous. Theological nerds that memorize all of these various "Heresies" get so flush full of all of the doctrines of man, that they forget everything spoken of has to do with Biblical Canon and is contained within Biblical Canon. If you find yourself excited to reveal what the Holy Spirit of Christ has revealed to you about the amazing Being of God and some Doctrine of Men warrior desires to label you with some Heretical "ISM"... ask them to build Doctrine from Canon Alone to proof that God is Three, then turn around and build the Doctrine to prove that God is One from Biblical Canon, Alone. They'll fold their cards every time, because you just can't do it without violating one of the umpteen thousand (Exaggerating to make a point) Trinity Heresy accusations! Why is this? Because everyone was, at a point, trying to defend an extrapolated man made doctrine that was essentially full of so many eraser marks that the paper got worn thin and weathered. It happens! This doctrine can get you through scripture, but it won't reveal the very Romance and Love that God intended us to see within scripture! MAKE NO MISTAKE, the Bible is God's LOVE LETTER to His Cherished Creation.
Allow me to share the woes that Brick and Mortar based believers that don't dive into scripture run into with the inability to proof this in scripture, during witness. Father, Son and Holy Spirit, One God, Three Persons. Same Essence, but distinct subsistence's. Three Personalities, but not three Persons, well, kind of Three Persons, but Not actual divided Persons, just One God with Three Personalities, Well, not Personalities, but subsistence's... wait, did I just commit heresy? Hold up, let me read through the 7 trillion pages of opinions on the one single page... wait... which Creed do I use?!? Um... yeah... Father, Son and Holy Spirit. 3 but 1. Give this to someone in good faith and they will be able to hobble around with it, but put them in front of a Unitarian Jew, Muslim, Christian Adoptionist or Atheist with actual Biblical questions that understand Greek, Manuscripts, Hebrew, Aramaic and the squishy words that are a result of the Post Diaspora Jews blurring the Name of God, within scripture to prevent their enemies from learning it... and they will be eaten alive.
2: Unitarianism- Bottom line, this doctrine always has some way to insinuate that Jesus was "Created" and usually that the HOLY SPIRIT is just a "Force, Will or Power" of the Father towards creation. It's named "Unitarian" because it is a simple way of saying that the adherents to this belief Believe that ONLY THE FATHER is God. Every other mental gymnastic that occurs beyond this is simply a flowing way of defending that ONLY God the Father is Actually TRUE God. Side note... the most advanced form of Unitarianism is Adoption... and let me tell you, though I can't agree with this view, due to all scripture, they are typically 100 notches above your typical believer, when it comes to biblical knowledge! These folks are deadly accurate at defending their position in scripture, by going to the codex's, manuscripts, fragments and every known source of scripture on God's green earth. If Adoptionist's would accept church positions to teach the Tri-Unity of God, they would be better at it than MOST! They would then go home and go back to Adoption. I'm not kidding, I respect the living daylights out of these theologians! Do I disagree with them... You bet ya. Do I take them for granted? Nope! They studied to earn their theological chops!
Um... I'm having to edit this. I met a new covenant Adoptionist, today! So, there's that. I don't even know where to put this!
3: Modalism- Bottom line, this flat out says that God is Jesus, period. The Father, Son and Holy Spirit are all identically ONE and not distinct. Ironically, this actually has more supporting scripture than the final understood Trinity doctrine, but it runs into theological walls at more difficult passages.
4: Tri-Unity of God (This is my opinion and I'll just slap a Link in that shows how I have actively gone about proofing it within scripture). If it was to become a label, it would be TriUneitarian. The e must remain in place to ensure the One of the aspect is understood.
Fair warning, before you click on this Link <- Link Here, it will be attacked by some folks because it is directly from scripture, which is now foreign to many who have never searched out this matter within scripture for themselves.
3 continued- sustaining all things by His powerful word.
The Son is referred to as the LOGOS or MEMRA, which are words that mean the very summation of Wisdom, Existence, Origin, Truth, ALL Things... Logos is Greek and Memra is Hebrew, but in short, these words get translated to WORD. This is a direct way of saying that The very Physical Presence of God is the summation of all things GOOD, intellectually incomprehensible and meaningful that define TRUTH. To get direct, just as we use our Bodies to accomplish our Purposes, The BODY of the FATHER is the SON. Once this concept is fully "grasped" <- theological pun, it becomes obvious that it is the Son who sustains ALL of existence known, and unknown. This doesn't mean "Micro Manage". What it means is to provide the very Love, energy, substance and interaction required to maintain All of All that God has EVER Created! Want an idea of what that looks like?
Colossians 1:20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.
2 Corinthians 5:18,19,20,21 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
3 He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.
1 Peter 3:22who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him.
Acts 7:56 “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”
Isaiah 41:13: “For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.” Right hand – Hebrew: Yamen – right hand.
In ancient culture, the right hand was always a symbol of strength as the right hand for most people was one’s dominant hand. It was the right that you extended when you shake hands with someone as it was believed your heart was in your right hand. Hence when you shake hands you are sharing your heart with someone. The handshake had a much stronger meaning in those days.
All that is considered good came from your right hand. Before the advent of toilet paper, it was your left hand that performed the tasked. Hence the left hand came to represent all that is bad, corrupted and soiled.
As the right hand was, in most cases, the dominant hand it was considered the most powerful hand and when speaking of a metaphor the right hand in Hebrew culture represent strength and power. The word for right hand in Hebrew is “Yamen” and means, get this, right hand. Do you ever have the problem of looking a word up in the back of Strong’s or your Lexicon and having it tell you what you already know? There are some other ways to get insight into a Hebrew word. For instance, the word is spelled “Yod, Mem, Nun.” The Yod speaks of a message from heaven, the Mem speaks of a revelation from heaven and the Nun tells you that this revelation will give you strength and power.
Tomorrow, we will have to dive in to a simplified pictorial representation of the Jewish Tabernacle. This is How deep Hebrews really is! We are only 3 verses in and it is full of things that are the very deepest depths of the Gospel. It is by far, the most Revelatory book in the New Testament! See you there, tomorrow.
14 I am convinced and fully persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for him it is unclean. … 20a Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean.
Excavations in Israel are offering a rare window into Christian pilgrimage in the Byzantine era.
Finds from the dig at a Byzantine-period church in Rahat, in the Northern Negev, have revealed a trove of wall art by pilgrims featuring ships.
"These intriguing drawings may have been left by Christian pilgrims arriving by ship to the Gaza port — their first inland stop was this Rahat church; continuing from here on to other sites throughout the country," excavators from the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) explained.
One drawing depicted what appeared to be a two-masted ship, and its exacting details testified to the artist's familiarity with maritime life, but "since the drawing was found upside-down, it seems the person placing the stone during construction was either unaware it bore a drawing, or did not care."
The IAA has been conducting excavations at the site for several years.
"This is a greeting from Christian pilgrims arriving by ship to Gaza port," the IAA said.
Excavations in Israel are offering a rare window into Christian pilgrimage in the Byzantine era Finds from the dig at a Byzantine-period church in Rahat, in the Northern Negev, have revealed a trove
Do you have to learn Greek and Hebrew to understand the bible fully?
No one can fully understand the Bible. Studying the Koine Greek and ancient Hebrew languages will help you understand some verses better. It is not a prerequisite to know God, who dwells in you.
Should you study Koine Greek and ancient Hebrew?
If you are interested in grammar and syntax, then yes. If not, then no. Would you read something like Grammatical Mood on a daily basis?
Some claim:
I was listening to a wonderful Bible scholar and he said you should at least know the Greek and Hebrew alphabet to appreciate the deeper meaning of scripture.
That's superficial. Knowing the spellings does not give you that advantage. Worse, it makes you think that you have that advantage over people who can't spell in Greek or Hebrew.
The best way to learn Greek or Hebrew is to study it in a classroom setting from a professor.
Studying grammar is a serious business. If you enjoy doing lexical-syntactical analysis, then go ahead.
10 and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now.”
Did Jesus create good wine that the wedding guests got drunk on?
No. Barnes explained:
We should not be deceived by the phrase "good wine." We often use the phrase to denote that it is good in proportion to its strength and its power to intoxicate; but no such sense is to be attached to the word here. Pliny, Plutarch, and Horace describe wine as "good," or mention that as "the best wine," which was harmless or "innocent" - poculo vini "innocentis."
Pliny expressly says that a good wine was one that was destitute of spirit (lib. iv. c. 13). It should not be assumed, therefore, that the "good wine" was "stronger" than the other: it is rather to be presumed that it was milder.
The wine referred to here was doubtless such as was commonly drunk in Palestine. That was the pure juice of the grape. It was not brandied wine, nor drugged wine, nor wine compounded of various substances, such as we drink in this land. The common wine drunk in Palestine was that which was the simple juice of the grape.
According to Barnes, what the wedding banquet MC called "good wine" was what we call "grape juice" today. So according to Barnes, everyone serves the grape juice first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the grape juice until now.
That does not make very good sense. Particularly, the Greek word for "drunk" is G3184.
48 But suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself, ‘My master is staying away a long time,’ 49and he then begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards [G3184].
Mark 7: 20 And He said, What comes out of a man, that defiles a man. 21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornication, murders,
22 thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. 23 All these evil things come from within and defile a man.
One of many disturbing facts about the world is the taking of ideas from the Bible and applying them in a contemporary way that clouds the truth. The evil eye is not a stare or giving someone a dirty look. Consider this statement by the owner in the parable of the vineyard for insight.
Matthew 20: 14 Take what is yours and go your way. I wish to give to this last man the same as to you.
15 Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things? Or is your eye evil because I am good?
Now, hear the words of the prophet Isaiah.
Isaiah 5:20 Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light,
and light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
At a most basic and essential level, every believer must address the carnal tendency
to see every fault in others, while making every excuse to downplay or own shortfalls. A fine example from the teachings of Paul to elaborate.
Romans 14: 4 Who are you to judge another’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls.
Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand.
10 But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother?
For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.
11 For it is written: As I live, says the Lord, Every knee shall bow to Me,
and every tongue shall confess to God.
12 So then each of us shall give account of himself to God.
13 Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this,
not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother’s way.
This becomes a critical issue when we understand that an evil eye clouds our ability
to perceive and follow the Spirit in every area of our Christian walk.
Luke 11: 34 The lamp of the body is the eye. Therefore, when your eye is good, your whole body also is full of light.
But when your eye is evil, your body also is full of darkness.
35 Therefore take heed that the light which is in you is not darkness.
36 If then your whole body is full of light, having no part dark,
the whole body will be full of light, as when the bright shining of a lamp gives you light.
The “good eye” receives the light of Truth, and the Lord’s discipline
Proverbs 6:23 For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light;
and reproofs of instruction are the way of life.
This is central to receiving the “sure mercies of David”.
Psalm 132:17 There will I make the horn of David to bud:
I have ordained a lamp for mine anointed.
On May 22, a day after the state's primary, Adams sued the board and the county’s elections director, lodging accusations that she was "unable to fulfill her oath of office” and demanding that she get access to “essential election materials and processes."
Adams, who also serves as director for the Tea Party Patriots, is one of two board members nominated by the Fulton County Republican Party to the five-member board and was sworn in back in February.
Can't wait to see how many knuckleheads like this we have in November.
“The burden of proof is an important one to remind everyone: It’s on the prosecution, right? They need to prove beyond reasonable doubt that he commit — that Donald Trump broke the law. And you think after listening to all of this, you think they fell short. How?” host Kate Bolduan asked.
Zelin responded, ““They fell way short, because let’s start with reasonable doubt. What is reasonable doubt? And it’s not simply a doubt based upon reason. Any time a human being needs to make an important decision in life, if you have enough information, for example, doctor says you need open heart surgery. ‘Doc, go ahead and schedule. I don’t have a reasonable doubt.’”
“Conversely, if I say ‘I appreciate it, but I need a second opinion, I need more information,’ that is having a reasonable doubt. There is reasonable doubt all over this case,” he added.
Has anyone read Neale Donald Walshe and of his revelation of God, so is it the same God as the Holy Spirit? Is God revealing Himself apart from the Bible and church history? Or is this fake or a deceiving spirit?
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