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Christsfreeservant · Apr 21, 2024

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.” (Philippians 4:8-9 ESV)

When I was a young adult, young in my Christian faith and practice, I was discerning and picky about what I would allow myself to watch on TV. I can’t say I did that perfectly, but I was guarded about what I watched and about what I would allow my children to watch. But little by little the influences of the world were introduced into my home via movie rentals, and then my husband and I became avid movie watchers. And little by little we allowed a little bit more than we did before until eventually we compromised too far.

And then the Lord convicted me that I needed to stop watching stuff that was dishonoring to him, and so I did, and then a few years later I asked my husband if he would do something with me, and if he would pray about it, for he professes faith in Jesus Christ. I asked him if he would take all of our movies, and we had a hundred of them, probably, and if he would examine each one of them with me against this Scripture in Philippians 4. So, we did that, and I think we only had two movies left that passed the test.

That was in 2008, I believe, which is when we also got rid of our TV. We didn’t have a TV again until just recently. Then a neighbor of ours was moving out and he could not take one of his TVs with him, and my husband asked him if he could have the TV. But at first we were using it for Wii bowling, which is bowling with a remote and not a real live ball, and on a TV screen, and not live and in person. For this is exercise for us, which we need, and physically it is the only bowling I can do because I have neuropathy in one leg.

But then he started looking at movies, and then I asked him about looking at Christian movies to see if there were any decent ones. For I had tried “Christian” films many years ago which were not much better than the non-Christian films because they were trying to be too realistic, and they were putting in my mind things I did not want there. And most of them that we saw that were called “Christian” didn’t even mention the name of Jesus, but they seemed more ecumenical with a generic “all fit” god.

Anyway, we found a group of movies on YouTube TV by the Christiano brothers, which have been clean cut, honoring to God, and promoting the truth of the gospel, from what I have seen so far. For in their stories they present faith in Jesus Christ as us repenting of our sins and then turning our lives over to Jesus Christ to follow him with our lives, under his command, and resulting in changed lives which are following Jesus in obedience and which are no longer living for the sinful pleasures of the flesh. Refreshing!

So this evening we watched another one of their movies called, “Power of the Air,” which is on YouTube, and is a Dave Christiano Film. And in this movie we were presented with the reality of the spiritual condition of the church in America, at large, and how so much (probably the majority) of what is called “church” is so far from God and from who he saved and called us to be and to do. For so many professing Christians are so worldly and they are living not much different from those non-professers of faith.

And the film largely centered on movie watching and how so many people who call themselves Christians today are busy entertaining themselves with the garbage that the world is putting out and so their lives are not surrendered to Jesus Christ, and they are not walking in obedience to his commands, and so they are not the light of the world and the salt of the earth shining the light of the gospel to the people of the world, because they are joining in with the world in being entertained by the world.

And as I was thinking about all of this, and how that used to be me, too, but how the Lord has turned my life around – all glory to God – then the Lord put the lyrics to a secular song in my mind which describes how many professing Christians today approach faith in Jesus Christ. It is much like some of the lyrics to the secular song, “I Have Nothing,” which was famously sung by Whitney Houston:

“Share my life, take me for what I am

'Cause I'll never change all my colors for you

Take my love, I'll never ask for too much

Just all that you are and everything that you do.”

[By Carlo Donida / Giulio Mogol Rapetti / Jerry Leiber / Mike Stoller

They want Jesus Christ, but on their terms, not on his terms. And they want him to do for them whatever they want him to do, but they want Jesus to take them just as they are, for they don’t intend to change who they are and what they do, because they don’t believe they have to. For many are being taught that they don’t have to do anything. But while it is true that we can do nothing to earn nor to deserve our own salvation, in our own flesh, true biblical faith in Jesus Christ requires death to sin and living to God.

For Jesus said that his true sheep listen to (heed) him, he knows them, and they follow him in obedience (John 10:27-30), and they have eternal life, and they will not perish, etc. And he also taught that if anyone would come after him, he must deny self, take up his cross daily (die daily to sin and to self) and follow (obey) him. For if we hold on to our old lives of living in sin and for self, we will lose them for eternity. But if for Jesus’ sake we deny self, die daily to sin, and walk in obedience to his commands, then we have the hope of salvation from sin and eternal life with God (Luke 9:23-26).

[Matt 7:21-23; Lu 9:23-26; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14; Rom 12:1-2; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 1 Co 10:1-22; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; Gal 5:16-24; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-32; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:1-17; Titus 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1:5-10; 1 Jn 2:3-6,24-25; 1 Jn 3:4-10; 1 Pet 2:24; Heb 3:1-19; Heb 4:1-13; Heb 10:23-31; Rev 21:8,27; Rev 22:14-15]

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The Spirit Calling

An Original Work / November 12, 2019

Hear the Spirit calling.
He’ll keep you from falling.
Tenderly He’s calling,
“Come and follow Him.”

Walk with Jesus daily.
Don’t give in to lazy.
Folks may call you crazy.
Fellowship with Him.

Follow where He leads you.
Eat what Jesus feeds you.
His love will renew you
If you follow Him.

Do what Jesus tells you.
Don’t let your faith fail you.
His love will avail you
If you walk with Him.

Jesus, Lord and Savior,
Reigneth now forever.
He gave us His favor
So we’d live with Him.

Turning now from our sin,
Holy Spirit live-in.
Holiness we walk in,
Purified by Him.

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returntosender · Apr 21, 2024

Recently, i like the Allegra commercial where the girl walks fast toward you singing very fast. Walking and singing fast, amazing

Kokavkrystallos · Apr 21, 2024

So says this article:

"We are already fighting World War III. No, it is not empires marching armies through countries, conquering continents. And no, it isn’t millions of young men (and now women) pressed in uniform on scales of nearly 100 years ago. And no, in most societies where war is a constant, the public doesn’t even have to feel the pain of war, except in that the military dominates everything and robs everything else of resources: programs to fight poverty, food, housing, health care, transportation, climate change.

World War III instead is all around, a planet that is aflame with armed conflict and awash in arms sales, an overlapping Venn diagram of killing that engulfs the globe, and a constant bonanza for national security “experts” and the military–industrial complex.

Let’s take a tour of the battlefield.

In the Middle East, the U.S., Turkey, Iraq, and even Iran all have footholds in Syria as their internal civil war continues unabated. And all of it goes unremarked most of the time as people look elsewhere for World War II-like battles. Iranian; Iranian-funded or backed or inspired; or independent militias in Syria and Iraq target U.S. troops in Syria, Iraq, and now Jordan. The United States bombs, but so does Israel, and Turkey, and other silent partners of Washington in the war against Iran, and Syria, and ISIS, and Hezbollah. The fight against ISIS, Operation Inherent Resolve, the U.S. says, involves 80-plus “partners” fighting not just in Syria and Iraq, but also in Afghanistan and Libya. A coalition of 80-plus countries — but the U.S. is loath to name them all, especially the allied “special” operators who are clandestinely working on the ground.

What we do know is that 10 countries have been involved in airstrikes on Houthi targets in Yemen, including the U.S., United Kingdom, Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Netherlands, New Zealand, and South Korea. Like so many other conflicts, it’s not altogether clear who bombed who or from where, nor other members of the supporting cast. The U.S. bombs from aircraft carriers and from the Gulf states, and from Kuwait and Jordan, and possibly even from Saudi Arabia and Oman. But World War III is about keeping things secret, so who knows.

In the Red Sea, these same countries — plus France, Italy, Norway, Seychelles, Spain, Greece, Finland, Australia, and Sri Lanka — have joined to fend off Houthi attacks at sea. Even more countries are allegedly participating in the coalition in secret, given the sensitivities surrounding support for Israel during its war with Hamas. But then there’s also the war against pirates, and the war against nuclear proliferation, and the war against arms smuggling, and the Middle East war even against drugs, all carried out by a vast international maritime fleet involving dozens of countries.

While Israel’s war in Gaza, and its back and forth with Iran, is atop the Billboard charts for now, in Ukraine, a trench war and a standoff has now dragged on for more than two years. Here as well, all eyes have been on some kind of decisive victory or defeat, but World War III is more characterized by Ukraine or its proxies regularly attacking targets inside Mother Russia, attacks that Moscow downplays. Russians fighting on the Ukrainian side are now making regular incursions into Russia’s Belgorod and Kursk regions. Meanwhile, the real World War III is NATO already at war with Russia, increasing its activities adjacent to the enemy, expanding its ranks, building up its military, and supplying arms to Ukraine. The United States, meanwhile, is deployed from Norway to Bulgaria, and has in the past two years built up a major new base in Poland. Meanwhile, Iran and North Korea have played their part in shuttling drones, missiles, and artillery shells into the Russian war effort.

Though the blatant Russian invasion seems to embody the old-fashioned concept of occupying armies and World War II, the reality is that Ukraine never turned into “the largest tank battle” ever, as some predicted, nor did it “escalate” to nuclear war, nor has it even been decisive.

The war in Ukraine is certainly the world-altering event of the past five years, but even here, without more borders crossed, without escalation, and without Russia and NATO shooting at each other directly, some mighty lessons can be learned. Armies clashing is an illusion. World War III is thus not some conquering army sweeping its way across the continent. At no time have more than 300,000 soldiers been on the battlefield in Ukraine at any one time; in World War II, it was nearly 10 million facing each other on a daily basis (and some 125 million mobilized overall). Because of the greater lethality of weapons, military casualties in Ukraine have been enormous. But most of the ground engagements have taken place at the company or even platoon level; massing too many troops in one place is just too dangerous in today’s world. And this has all unfolded while neither Russia nor Ukraine have been able to harness airpower in the same way the United States has. Other than Vladimir Putin’s heartless offensive that used young Russian men as cannon fodder, few nations want to fight this way, preferring long-range air and missile (and now drone) attacks.

South of Ukraine, Azerbaijan and Armenia continue to simmer. Last year, Azerbaijan attacked the breakaway republic of Artsakh. With the backing of Turkey and Israeli weapons, Azerbaijan attempted to permanently squash the ethnic Armenian enclave, successfully driving tens of thousands of civilians into neighboring countries.

Past the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean, the South China Sea is also brimming with maritime conflict. Constant Chinese naval passes around the borders of Taiwan are supplemented with close calls with South Korea, Japan and the Philippines (and the United States). Meanwhile, Myanmar’s civil war continues unabated.

On the Korean Peninsula, North Korea continues nuclear testing and the unannounced firing of ballistic missiles into the ocean, and tensions are a constant background noise of war games, military incursions, and cross-border incidents. Thousands of artillery batteries stare each other down across the Demilitarized Zone, as South Korea points the finger at North Korean technology used in Iranian missiles launched toward Israel. And, of course, the United States and other “partners” are active on the ground.

In a world of supposed “international order,” India and Pakistan continue to fight over their common border, as they have been doing for decades. And India and China face off, another flashpoint that could spell World War III to some but one that is already here in reality.

In Africa, military forces, terrorists, militants, mercenaries, militias, bandits, pirates, and separatists are active, according to the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project, in Angola, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Mali, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Sudan, and Sudan. China and Russia scramble for bases and influence (China already has a base in Djibouti). Russia’s Wagner Group is active in Africa and involved in combat, and in the past two months, Rwandan military forces have attacked targets in the DRC, and Morocco has conducted drone strikes on Polisario fighters near the Western Sahara border.

On the African continent, the U.S., France, and the U.K. have been engaged in expansive yet clandestine fighting, supposedly against Islamic terrorists, while all around the continent smolders and neither can claim any long-term wins on the dual fronts of counterterrorism and peacekeeping. American troops operating in Niger are stuck as the country’s U.S. government-trained junta claims America’s footprint is illegal. The United States has also been bombing targets in Somalia for years now, and the African Union mission in Somalia has been actively involved in combating al-Shabab.

U.S. forces continue to fan out across Latin America and the Caribbean, using missile cruisers to intercept drug smuggling submarines, sending marine anti-terrorism teams into a fully destabilized Haiti, and fast-tracking exports of helicopters, aircraft, and naval drones to Guyana as its neighbor Venezuela hungrily eyes its oil reserves. Senior Biden administration officials have floated sending U.S. troops into the treacherous swatch of jungle connecting South and Central America known as the Darién Gap to stem the flow of migrants and drugs across the U.S. southern border.

And what even happened to neutrality in the past few years? Switzerland and Austria have provided arms to Ukraine. Sweden and Finland have joined NATO. Only little Costa Rica, Iceland, Mauritius, Panama, and Vanuatu have no formal armed forces, but even there, Iceland is a very active member of NATO and Panama is a close military ally of the U.S. Speaking of small countries taking on big fights, Fiji and Luxembourg both count themselves as members of the global coalition to defeat ISIS.

Ubiquitous warfare, our World War III, paints a worldwide picture that is overwhelming, leaving little room to imagine that something can be done about it. And it’s hard not to conclude that the superpowers and the national security “community” aren’t somehow satisfied with the status quo. But as with addiction, the first step toward recovery is admitting you have a problem — or in this case, a global war.

Israel Attack on Iran Is What World War III Looks Like

Like countless other hostilities, the stealthy Israeli missile and drone strike on Iran doesn’t risk war. It is war.

theintercept.com

And they forgot to mention the US could erupt into civil war like 2020 or worse, and it's an election year with the same players talking and acting more ugly than they did in 2020

And a war over the border between Venezuela and Guyana could also occur

orbiter · Apr 21, 2024

Peace in Christ.

The world passes away…NOW….as God judges those on the outside world. The people of this world mortally die (perish) from off this earth under the wrath of God that arises (like the sun) upon all people.

But he that does the will of God ABIDES here in this world to the coming age in which the heavens and the earth will be free of His wrath. That person REMAINS here....alive and remaining just as Caleb who remained alive in the desert while the rest passed away.

1Jn 2:17 KJV
(17) And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

Young's Literal Translation
and the world doth pass away, and the desire of it, and he who is doing the will of God, he doth remain -- to the age.

The wrath of God IS REVEALED from Heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who hold down (suppress) the Truth in their unrighteousness. The understanding of the gospel of our Lord Jesus is being held down by men who are preaching themselves for their own earthly necessities….handling the Word of God deceitfully for their own gain.

Rom 1:18 KJV
(18) For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;

The gospel is hid to those “preachers” that are mortally perishing away from this earth under God’s wrath that they are still abiding under. They do not understand the gospel and so they are not preaching it with its true meaning to those that are being led astray by them.

2Co 4:3-5
(3) But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost (PERISHING):
(4) In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
(5) For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake.

The Lord is not willing that any should perish (mortally die from this earth under His wrath) but that all (His people) should come to repentance.

2Pe 3:9 KJV
(9) The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

He turns man to destruction and says “return, you children of men”….come to repentance. He is not willing that man should “perish” ( mortally destroyed under His wrath) but to come to repentance and have an age-lasting life ….to be delivered from the wrath to come by crossing from death unto life now in this earth.

His wrath on us (the house of God...the dwelling place) is described in Psalms 90. His wrath cuts down our mortal bodies. We flourish in the morning of our lives and grow up…but in the evening, we are cut down and wither (under the sun of His arising wrath).

Psa 90:3-7 KJV
(3) Thou turnest man to destruction; and sayest, Return, ye children of men.
(4) For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night.
(5) Thou carriest them away as with a flood; they are as a sleep: in the morning they are like grass which groweth up.
(6) In the morning it flourisheth, and groweth up; in the evening it is cut down, and withereth.
(7) For we are consumed by thine anger, and by thy wrath are we troubled.

Our days of our years are 70…or maybe 80+. But we are soon cut off (from this earth) and fly away because of His wrath that comes upon us.

Psa 90:10-11 KJV
(10) The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.
(11) Who knoweth the power of thine anger? even according to thy fear, so is thy wrath.

But this is the promise that He has promised us: an age-lasting life. We are delivered from that wrath to come by Jesus.

1Jn 2:25-26
(25) And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal (AGE-LASTING) life.
(26) These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you.

Jesus delivers us from the wrath to come….the cutting down of our mortal bodies from this earth. We shall abide here and not be removed.

1Th 1:10 KJV
(10) And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.

We are to continue to mortally live here….abiding… until the redemption of our mortal body which happens at the “last trump”….and we enter into the coming age.

But some will hear the Word of Truth….the gospel of our mortal salvation….and will scoff “where is the promise of His coming”? Where is the promise of an age-lasting life for all have mortally died since the beginning of the creation?

Those who will continue to walk after their own lusts will not be able help themselves when they will hear the truth of the gospel of our Lord and Savior.

Their response will be exactly the same among all of them. It will be their default response. You will hear it over and over again from all of them. Where is this age-lasting life as it hasn’t happened yet? It has not been made manifest in this earth because of their unrighteousness which blinds them to the true gospel. They still abide in death…under the wrath of God…and have not passed from death unto life.

2Pe 3:3-4 KJV
(3) Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,
(4) And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.

The “day of the Lord” in this context in 2nd Peter 3 speaks of our own personal death…the day the Lord comes to take us away from this earth…the day that we perish from this world. It comes as a thief in the night as we do not know when it will happen.

2Pe 3:9-10
(9) The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

The KJV is a horrible translation of 2nd Peter.

The heavens COME NEAR (not “pass away” as translated) to us in the day we “fly away” from this earth.

The Greek word is “parerchomai” which means to “come near” or “approach or arrive”. The heavens approach to take us away in the day of our mortal death. They come near with a great noise….that is, a whirring sound (rhoizēdon = a whir, whizzingly).

That “whir” is the sound of whirlwind.

The “elements” (the founding principles) that burn are the works of the church handwritings of ordinances. They do not save us from His wrath as they burn us up with the using up of them. We mortally perish with the using of them. They are “dissolved” from our lives by our departure from this earth. They were meaningless to keep and serve.

The earth burns up because we are removed from it. This is from the perspective of our mortal death. T

This earth remains….it is our mortal bodies that burn up from it under the wrath of God. We wither away and are cut down from it in death. Church works do not keep our mortal bodies here in this earth. They are “dissolved” as we shall no longer keep them when our mortal bodies are removed from here.

(10) But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away (come near) with a great noise (whirring sound =whirlwind), and the elements shall melt (that burn) with fervent heat (shall be dissolved), the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

As the passing by of a hurricane (whirlwind), so the wicked is not. The passing by of the heavens that approaches with a “whirring” sound comes to take the wicked away from this earth in the day of the Lord that comes to remove each of us because of ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who hold down the gospel of Truth.

But the righteous are left here in this earth until the coming age. The righteous is a “foundation” age-lasting.

Proverbs 10:25
Young's Literal Translation
As the passing by of a hurricane, So the wicked is not, And the righteous is a foundation age-during.

How many wish for the “day of the LORD” for themselves. They think it will be glorious time when they “get to Heaven”…. “what a rejoicing it will be”.

But not so. Why desire that day of the Lord for what end is it for/to you (singular)? It is darkness not light. It is not a day for rejoicing. It is a day of darkness and not light.

Amo 5:18-20 KJV
(18) Woe unto you that desire the day of the LORD! to what end is it for you? the day of the LORD is darkness, and not light.

It comes with a “sting”…the sting of death…a realization we have died without knowing the true gospel of our Lord.

We have been “bit”…that is, STUNG…by the serpent who deceived us and we had mortally perished by believing in the false prophets version of the “gospel”.

(19) As if a man did flee from a lion, and a bear met him; or went into the house, and leaned his hand on the wall, and a serpent bit him.
(20) Shall not the day of the LORD be darkness, and not light? even very dark, and no brightness in it?

We will then have the realization (the “sting” ) that we had been duped by the false prophets into serving the sin which led to our mortal death. The sting of our death is because of the sin we had served. The wages of the sin is the death….the death of the mortal body.

1Co 15:56 KJV
(56) The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.

We had been serving IMAGES (idols)….the church handwriting of ordinances …whereby we had judged others (serving the sin unto death).

We must turn from images to serve the living and true God. Jesus delivers us from the wrath to come (our mortal death).

1Th 1:9-10 KJV
(9) For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God;
(10) And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.

So where did 2nd Peter 3:10 come from? Elisha was allowed to see this manner of being removed from this earth as Elijah went up by a whirlwind into Heaven.

The heavens come with the sound of whir….as in a whirlwind…to take us away from this earth. This is the not the way we want to go there. We are “saved”…but only as by fire…by the wrath of God that burns us up so that our spirit is saved.

2Ki 2:11-12 KJV
(11) And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.

Elisha mourned this sight as he took hold of his clothes and rent them in 2 pieces.

(12) And Elisha saw it, and he cried, My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof. And he saw him no more: and he took hold of his own clothes, and rent them in two pieces.

Our works shall be burned up….and our mortal bodies also ((the temple of God is destroyed). We shall suffer loss….our souls and our mortal body…but our spirit shall be saved yet so as by fire.

1Co 3:15-17 KJV
(15) If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
(16) Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
(17) If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

Rather it be this way….not seeing death at all and be transferred over in due time…to the vanishing point.

Heb 11:5 KJV
(5) By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.

Michie · Apr 21, 2024

Transgender activist and influencer is scheduled to speak at St. Louis University, a Catholic institution, on Monday.

The university recently barred the College Republicans from hosting women’s sports activist Paula Scanlan, according to the student group.

According to a report from College Fix:

The event will be hosted by the private institution’s Student Activities Board and its Great Issues Committee, which works to “spark dialogue, engage in critical thinking, and have fun,” according to its Instagram bio.

Mulvaney is slated to “talk about her experiences as a trans actress, activist, and content creator,” according to the university’s website.

Continued below.

Transgender Activist and Influencer Dylan Mulvaney to Speak at Catholic St. Louis University | The Gateway Pundit | by Cassandra MacDonald

Transgender activist and influencer is scheduled to speak at St.

www.thegatewaypundit.com

Hazelelponi · Apr 21, 2024

The video was taken Saturday night at Columbia University, less than 24 hours ago, of woman below holding a sign pointing to the Jewish students and their friends who were holding Israeli and American flags and singing songs religious. It was their attempt at a small counter protest on campus, not that they have any numbers.

columbia-university-protester-calls-on-al-qasam-hamas-to-v0-NWQwMmxjaHJpcnZjMeEE2vgnCeX7FuDQ7...jpeg

The sign says

Al-Qasam's next targets

For those who don't know Al-Qasam brigade is the military portion of Hamas who operates in Gaza and the West Bank.

So here we have someone on a university campus in America making a specific terrorist threat. Openly and without any fear.

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as for the Jewish students the whole group was attacked and run off in the end by the openly professing terrorists who are operating freely on Columbia's campus.

The local Rabbi associated with the students has now told all the Jewish students to leave campus and go to their homes and stay at home until the situation on campus has changed because neither the school nor the police are providing for the safety of the Jewish students.

I'll quote here from FOX news:

In a WhatsApp message sent to hundreds before the start of Passover, Rabbi Elie Buechler, director of OU-LJIC at Columbia/Barnard, told students to leave "as soon as possible" until the situation improves, noting that "what we are witnessing in and around campus is terrible and tragic."

"The events of the last few days, especially last night, have made it clear that Columbia University’s Public Safety and the NYPD cannot guarantee Jewish students’ safety in the face of extreme antisemitism and anarchy," Buechler wrote. "It deeply pains me to say that I would strongly recommend you return home as soon as possible and remain home until the reality in and around campus has dramatically improved.

The rabbi added: "It is not our job as Jews to ensure our own safety on campus. No one should have to endure this level of hatred, let alone at school."

Redirect Notice

Plus this begins Passover. The FBI is on heightened alert and is supposedly watching every Jewish Center in America in the hopes of keeping them safe from terroristic attacks.

(If Biden even really cares to since Hamas appears as his new voting block the Democratic party is currently appeasing)

Politico also recently published an article detailing an anti semitic sentiment at levels never seen in the history of the school.

https://www.politico.com/news/2024/04/21/uc-berkeley-antisemitism-00153463

What are we doing here? Why are we allowing this?

They are turning students into anarchists and terrorists and Marxist's at these American Universities.

University professors who are pushing this anti American and anti Jewish sentiment needs to be fired immediately and deported if they are not American citizens, as well as the university leadership who turns a blind eye.

We also need to end all Qatari funding of American Universities, it should be illegal for Iran's proxies to be funding universities in order to create good little American terrorists on American soil.

We need to be putting a stop to this and not simply saying oh that's fine. It's not fine and it will never be fine.

This is not American.

Pop D. · Apr 21, 2024

If praying to God for healing, but you keep desperately trying new medications and supplements, does that show a lack of faith on your part?

AlexB23 · Apr 21, 2024

With Earth Day just around the corner, on April 22nd, it is imperative for us Christians to be good stewards of the Earth. These are three verses straight out of the Bible that urge us to take care of Creation. Rules: No debates allowed.

Date	April 21, 2024
Verse	Genesis 2:15: "The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it." Isaiah 24:4-6: "The earth dries up and withers, the world languishes and withers, the heavens languish with the earth. The earth is defiled by its people; they have disobeyed the laws, violated the statutes and broken the everlasting covenant. Therefore a curse consumes the earth; its people must bear their guilt. Therefore earth’s inhabitants are burned up, and very few are left." Jeremiah 2:7: "I brought you into a fertile land to eat its fruit and rich produce. But you came and defiled my land and made my inheritance detestable."
Explanation	These verses from the Bible, Genesis 2:15, Jeremiah 2:7, and Isaiah 24:4-6, speak to the relationship between humanity and the Earth, highlighting our role as stewards and the consequences of disobedience and neglect. Genesis 2:15 sets the stage for God placing Adam in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it, indicating a divine mandate for humans to tend to the Earth. This responsibility extends beyond just working the land but also involves taking good care of it. Jeremiah 2:7 emphasizes God's provision of a fertile land for His people to enjoy its fruit and rich produce, but they defiled it instead. This verse serves as a reminder that we are not the owners of the Earth but rather caretakers, and our actions have consequences on the land and future generations. Isaiah 24:4-6 speaks of the Earth being defiled by its people due to their disobedience and violation of divine laws. The passage suggests a curse upon the Earth, leading to scarcity and destruction. This verse relates to modern issues such as anthropogenic global warming and pollution in that human actions are causing detrimental effects on the Earth, ultimately affecting its ability to sustain life as intended.
Life Anecdote	In the context of our modern world, these verses call us to be good stewards of the Earth and apply biblical principles to mitigate environmental degradation. Here are some ways we can apply these verses to our lives in 2024: 1. Cultivate a mindset of care and respect for the Earth as God's creation, acknowledging our responsibility to tend to it. 2. Reduce our carbon footprint by using renewable energy sources such as wind and solar and adopting ecological practices in daily life (ex. composting, using energy efficient LED bulbs, riding a bike to the store, driving small fuel-efficient Japanese hybrids/crossovers). 3. Support and advocate for environmentally sustainable policies, including reducing plastic use, promoting recycling, investing in public transport & mixed-use urban developments, and minimizing waste. 4. Practice conservation by preserving natural resources and protecting habitats for various species. 5. Educate ourselves and others about the importance of caring for the Earth as a moral imperative, rather than just an environmental concern. 6. Pray for God's guidance in our efforts to be good stewards of the Earth and ask for His help in overcoming challenges related to caring for creation.

Michie · Apr 21, 2024

‘Hannah’s Children’ offers a glimpse into countercultural women having five babies — or more.

Populations are collapsing globally. The total fertility rate (TFR) during a woman’s childbearing years has declined by more than 50% over the past 70 years, from around five children for each female in 1950 to 2.2 children in 2021, with more than half of all countries and territories (110 of 204) below 2.1 births.

According to the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, in the U.S., since 2007, the total fertility rate has declined from 2.12, which is just above the replacement level set by demographic tradition at 2.10 births per woman, to 1.67 in 2022, leading many to speculate that our country has entered a sustained period of what is considered below-replacement fertility.

This situation captured the attention of Catherine Pakaluk, Ph.D., director of social research and associate professor at The Catholic University of America.

“Growing up, I heard people complaining that the world would be overpopulated, but in the last 25 years, it has become clear that we don’t have enough children,” she told the Register. “When a country is shrinking, economic output shrinks along with family sizes. Most sociologists and economists around the world are studying the reasons why people won’t or can’t have children. I thought that I could add to the conversation by talking to those who are having children.”

Continued below.

Meet the Women Defying the ‘Birth Dearth’

‘Hannah’s Children’ offers a glimpse into countercultural women having five babies — or more.

www.ncregister.com

essentialsaltes · Apr 21, 2024

Robocalls were focused on ‘xenophobic’ statements in communities dealing with tragedies

A federal court in Montana last week imposed a nearly $10 million penalty against a Libby man who sent thousands of harassing and malicious spoofed robocalls that targeted people and communities in several states specifically following tragedies that included people’s murders.

“In placing thousands of harassing and malicious spoofing calls to consumers across the country, Rhodes showed a blatant disregard to caller ID and telephone consumer protection laws designed to prevent this sort of conduct,” District of Montana U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said in a statement.

According to the FCC and U.S. Department of Justice, Rhodes would spoof local numbers and use recorded messages to target specific communities in Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa and Virginia in 2018 with nearly 5,000 robocalls made with false caller identification information.

When self-avowed neo-Nazi James Fields Jr., was arrested for running over and killing Heather Heyer with a vehicle during a protest against the Unite the Right white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Va., Rhodes sent robocalls to the area making racist statements about the city’s mayor and police chief and denigrating statements about Heyer.

Rhodes ... also spoofed robocalls attacking gubernatorial candidates in Florida and Georgia.

See also:

Racist robocall targets Andrew Gillum in Florida governor's race

Christsfreeservant · Apr 21, 2024

“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.”

“So Jesus again said to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.’” (John 10:1-5,7-10 ESV)

The sheepfold is a gathering of the sheep (followers of Jesus Christ), i.e. a gathering of the church, the body of Christ. The way in which we enter into this gathering of sheep, so that we are one of the sheep, is via genuine God-gifted and God-persuaded faith in Jesus Christ whereby 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 now as slaves to God and to his righteousness. So we are not to let sin be in control in our lives anymore.

But there are those who are not Jesus’ true sheep who disguise themselves as though they are his sheep in order to deceive the people of God. And these are called “wolves in sheep’s clothing.” And in this passage of Scripture they are referred to as thieves and robbers and strangers and as hired hands who care nothing for the sheep (vv. 1-13). For these are false shepherds of the sheep who today are leading many people to a false half-truth gospel which alters the character of God, his church, and the gospel message.

Jesus Christ is both the one who enters by the door, who is the true shepherd of the sheep, and he is that door. And God the Father is the gatekeeper who opens that door. For the door is the way into heaven with God, into salvation from sin, and into eternal life with God. And Jesus is the one who made the way for us to enter into fellowship with God/Jesus Christ, which is the way of the cross. And the way of the cross is death to sin and following our Lord in walks of obedience to him (Romans 6:1-23).

And if we are the Lord’s true sheep, by God-persuaded faith in Jesus Christ, who have died with him to sin and who are living to his righteousness in obedience to his commands (New Covenant), then we should be those who are listening to the Lord, and who are walking in his ways in holy living, and who are discerning the lies of these false shepherds of the people who are deceiving the masses into believing that they can “believe” in Jesus and be on their way to heaven, but regardless of how they live.

And we should, thus, not be people who are following after these “wolves in sheep’s clothing” who are leading the people to believe that a mere profession of faith in Jesus Christ, or just “praying the prayer,” will be enough to secure them salvation from all sin and eternal life with God in heaven. But we should be students of the Scriptures who study them in their full context, and who understand that true faith in Christ is to result in us dying to sin daily and us walking in obedience to our Lord in holy living.

For it is true that these thieves and liars and manipulators of truth, who are out to deceive the masses, are out to steal, kill, and destroy. For they are of Satan, and they are leading the masses to believe in a false gospel message which, if they follow it, will land them in hell, and not in heaven. For if sin is what we practice, and not righteousness, and not obedience to our Lord, we will die in our sins. We will not inherit eternal life with God, regardless of what we have professed with our lips. So please know and believe the truth.

[Matt 7:21-23; Lu 9:23-26; Jn 6:35-58; Jn 15:1-11; Rom 1:18-32; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14; Rom 12:1-2; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 1 Co 10:1-22; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; Gal 5:16-24; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-32; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:1-17; Titus 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1:5-10; 1 Jn 2:3-6,24-25; 1 Jn 3:4-10; 1 Pet 2:24; Heb 3:1-19; Heb 4:1-13; Heb 10:23-31; Heb 12:1-2; Rev 21:8,27; Rev 22:14-15]

A Believer’s Prayer

An Original Work / July 31, 2012

With my whole heart, Lord, I pray
To be Yours, and Yours always.
Lead me in Your truth today.
May I love You, and obey.
Lead me in Your righteousness.
When I sin, may I confess;
Bow before You when I pray;
Live for You and You always.

Love You, Jesus, You’re my friend.
Life with You will never end.
You are with me through each day,
Giving love and peace always.
You will ne’er abandon me.
From my sin You set me free.
You died on that cruel tree,
So I’d live eternally.

Soon You’re coming back for me;
From this world to set me free;
Live with You eternally.
Oh, what joy that brings to me.
I will walk with You in white;
A pure bride, I’ve been made right
By the blood of Jesus Christ;
Pardoned by His sacrifice.

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QuestionQuest74 · Apr 21, 2024

Christians date with the intentions of marriage so with that being said should a Christian person date a person they are not sexually attracted to even when they are celibate until marriage. Considering the person has good Godly qualities and they connect

Always in His Presence · Apr 21, 2024

Matt5 · Apr 21, 2024

NASA Veteran’s Propellantless Propulsion Drive - That Physics Says Shouldn’t Work - Just Produced Enough Thrust to Overcome Earth’s Gravity - The Debrief

If this turns out to be true, then it would be revolutionary. It uses electric fields based on electrostatics. Once a drive is charged up then the force remains.

Is this Cold Fusion for rockets? Too good to be true because it isn't true? Too early to tell, but something to keep an eye on.

ChatGPT Summary of Key Points:

1. **Discovery of Propellantless Propulsion**: Dr. Charles Buhler, a NASA engineer and co-founder of Exodus Propulsion Technologies, has developed a propulsion drive that seemingly defies known physics laws, producing enough thrust to counteract Earth's gravity.

2. **Nature of the Discovery**: Buhler emphasizes that their discovery represents a fundamental breakthrough, utilizing electric fields to generate sustainable force without expelling mass.

3. **Background and Expertise**: Buhler's background in electrostatics and extensive experience with NASA's programs contributes to his understanding of this new force.

4. **Development Process**: Over two decades, Buhler's team explored various avenues before settling on electrostatics as the key. They meticulously conducted experiments, eliminating alternative explanations and obtaining a patent in 2020.

5. **Breakthrough Thrust Measurement**: Between 2022 and 2023, the propulsion drive exhibited significant thrust increases, eventually surpassing one full Earth gravity.

6. **Nature of the Force**: Buhler explains that asymmetry in electrostatic pressure or fields can generate force on an object, marking a departure from traditional propulsion methods.

7. **Comparison with Other Concepts**: While similar concepts exist, Buhler's team claims their work explains effects observed in other propulsion drives.

8. **Future Directions**: The team seeks funding for space tests to further understand the force and its implications, potentially addressing complex scientific questions.

9. **Implications for Science**: Buhler hopes their discovery will spur scientific inquiry into phenomena such as dark energy and space/time.

10. **Call for Collaboration**: Buhler invites companies interested in propellantless propulsion to explore licensing opportunities, emphasizing the need for expertise in electrostatics.

11. **Conclusion**: The discovery presents a significant opportunity for scientific exploration, with implications reaching beyond propulsion into fundamental physics questions.

reddogs · Apr 21, 2024

We saw the attack by Iran on Israel...
'CNN — Almost all the ballistic missiles and drones Iran launched at Israel in an unprecedented attack late Saturday were intercepted and failed to meet their mark, according to Israeli and American officials, highlighting the formidable, and multi-layered missile defense deployed by the two allied partners.

Most of the more than 300 Iranian munitions, the majority of which are believed to have been launched from inside of Iran’s territory during a five-hour attack, were intercepted before they got to Israel, more than 1,100 miles (1,770 kilometers) from their launch points.'.... https://www.cnn.com/2024/04/14/midd...le-defense-iran-attack-intl-hnk-ml/index.html

Now Israel has responded and interestingly hit beside where a Nuclear facility is located as Iran is enriching uranium almost to the level needed for Nuclear Weapons........its getting to that..

'Israel carried out limited strikes in Iran early Friday in retaliation for Tehran firing a barrage of missiles and drones at Israel last Saturday.

Here are the key facts you need to know about the latest escalation of violence between the two countries.

Fox News confirmed there have been explosions in Iran's Isfahan province, which is where Natanz, one of Iran's nuclear facilities, is located.

A well-placed military source has told Fox News that the strike was "limited."

Israel strikes back at Iran: Five key questions

Valletta · Apr 21, 2024

The students are demanding the university divest from Israel.
“We demand that Columbia sever academic ties with Israeli universities and we demand that Columbia stop censoring and intimidating students who are standing up and advocating for Palestinian liberation,” one student yelled through the gate to the crowd that had gathered on the other side outside of campus.

Anti-Israel Yale protesters joining Columbia students in 'tear down our society' Ivy League movement: Law prof

Video shows students and protesters at Yale University in Connecticut setup a liberation zone to show solidarity with activists at Columbia University.

www.foxnews.com

What you teach children does matter.

Diamond72 · Apr 21, 2024

The first word of the Hebrew text of Genesis is “בראשית” (Bereshit). Traditionally vocalized, it means “In a beginning.” However, tradition gives it the meaning and translation “In the beginning.” The literal meaning is considered as contradicting reality.

Interestingly, when we delve deeper into the Hebrew letters that compose this word, we discover profound insights:

Tav, Yud, Shin, Alef, Resh, Beit:
- These are the Hebrew letters that form Bereshit (בראשית).
- Let’s explore their meanings:
  - Beit (ב): The first letter represents a house in Hebrew. In the Torah, the enlarged first letter emphasizes that the foundation of the world is focused on God’s house.
  - Alef (א): The first letter of the Hebrew alphabet, representing Elohim (God). Elohim is the plural form of El and is the first name for God given in the Torah.
  - Shin (שׁ): It has various meanings, including “thorns” and “appointed.” Thorns symbolize the crown of thorns worn by Jesus, and “appointed” refers to the Son’s purpose.
  - Resh (ר): Represents the “head.” It signifies authority and leadership.
  - Beit (ב): Again, the letter for “house.”
- Combining these meanings, we get:
  - “The Son of God, crowned with thorns upon His head, on a tree, a gift of the covenant.”
A Deeper Interpretation:
- The literal translation of the first sentence in the Bible can be understood as:
  - “In the beginning, God created the Hebrew alphabet, and then He created the heavens and the earth.”

Valletta · Apr 21, 2024

Climate campaigners have praised the Biden administration for parts of the Inflation Reduction Act and a recent pause on liquefied natural gas exports but blasted the president for skipping last year's United Nations summit, continuing fossil fuel lease sales, and enabling the Mountain Valley Pipeline, Willow oil project, and construction of the nation's largest offshore oil terminal.

'The Pressure Is Working': Biden Weighs Climate Emergency Declaration | Common Dreams

Campaigners urged the president to "keep listening to the millions of young, people of color, and working-class voters who are demanding climate policy that meets the moment."

www.commondreams.org

Perhaps just after the election the administration will limit each individual to one airline flight per year with anything over having to meet administration criteria. They too could limit the miles for gasoline powered vehicles, and perhaps eliminate gas mowers and stoves/ovens.

HARK! · Apr 21, 2024

The following video walks through the history of advancements in long guns, from the hand cannon to the AR-15.

It details the importance of not endangering the weakest of our people, by forcing them to defend their own lives with "old," "clunky," "difficult to use," "relics."

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totallylovedbygod · Apr 20, 2024

To see all my reach and teach devotions in Chinese/English and hundreds of devotions in English, please click on this link.

我们有了一种分享灵修的新方式，要查看我所有的中文/英文灵修以及成百上千的英文灵修，请点击以下链接。

TBL China – The Bottom Line, Ministries

Daniel 9:17-19– Now therefore, O our God, listen to the prayer of your servant and to his pleas for mercy, and for your own sake, O Lord, make your face to shine upon your sanctuary, which is desolate. O my God, incline your ear and hear. Open your eyes and see our desolations, and the city that is called by your name. For we do not present our pleas before you because of our righteousness, but because of your great mercy. O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive. O Lord, pay attention and act. Delay not, for your own sake, O my God, because your city and your people are called by your name.”

但以理书第9章-但9:17】我们的　神啊，现在求你垂听仆人的祈祷恳求，为自己使脸光照你荒凉的圣所。【但9:18】我的　神啊，求你侧耳而听，睁眼而看，眷顾我们荒凉之地和称为你名下的城。我们在你面前恳求，原不是因自己的义，乃因你的大怜悯。【但9:19】求主垂听，求主赦免，求主应允而行，为你自己不要迟延。我的　神啊，因这城和这民，都是称为你名下的。”

Continue to lift up our church, thanks be to God for allowing us to serve him in relative freedom.

请继续为我们的教会祷告，感谢上帝让我们在相对自由的环境中事奉他。

Thank God for Pastor Z and his wife, pray for him, he shepherds five churches.

感谢上帝赐给了牧师 Z 和他的妻子，为他们祈祷，他牧养着五个教会。

Pray for the seven small groups as they meet daily and weekly. Pray especially for the group leaders, all are women. Pray for many men to be activated to lead these groups.

为七个小组祷告，因为他们每天和每周都聚会。特别为小组的领袖祷告，她们都是女性。祈求许多男性能够被圣灵感动领导这些小组。

Please pray for the sisters who have unsaved husbands, keep praying for the salvation of many of these dear men, especially Hur, Fung and others.

请为那些有未信主丈夫的姐妹们祷告，持续为这些亲爱的人的得救祈祷，特别是胡（Hur）、冯（Fung）等人。

Continue to pray for our little prayer meeting at 8pm every evening, please join us at that time in your time zone.

请继续为我们每晚 8 点的小祷告会祷告，请在你所在的时区加入我们。

Please pray for X, she loves to dance and sing, she uses these gifts to form a dancing group and shares the gospel. Please pray for her as she is not well educated but loves to share gospel and to dance.

请为 X 祷告，她喜欢跳舞和唱歌，她利用这些恩赐组建了一个舞蹈团队并分享福音。请为她祷告，因为她受过的教育不多，但喜欢分享福音和跳舞。

Please pray for LP, a group leader, who holds many meetings and serves God fervently, but who is a bit like Martha, always serving. Many co-workers alienate their husbands/children by constant service. Please pray that God may give them the wisdom of balance.

请为 LP 祷告，她是一个小组领袖，组织许多聚会并热切事奉上帝，但有点像马大，总是在事奉。许多同工因为过多地侍奉而疏远了他们的丈夫/孩子。求神赐给他们平衡的智慧。

Pray for establishment of powerful Christian homes, where the whole house is serving the Lord, usually one of the people in the house is saved.

祈求建立有力的基督徒家庭，在这样的家庭中，整个家庭都在事奉主，通常家庭中只有一位是得救的。

Pray for our young people, we have several teenagers in the church, please pray they would follow Christ, with their whole heart.

为我们的年轻人祈祷，我们的教会有几个青少年，请祷告他们全心跟随基督。

Please pray for E, my dear student, she is 15. Her father J has lost his job, he is very technically gifted at repairing things, also his wife A, suffers some ill health. They have had to move house recently. Keep this dear family in prayer. E is very gifted and has God’s deep anointing on her life. Pray also as she starts an online course of study.

请为 E 祷告，我的亲爱学生，她今年 15 岁。她的父亲 J 失去了工作，他在修理事物方面很有技术天赋，他的妻子 A 有些健康问题。他们最近不得不搬家。请继续为这个亲爱的家庭祈祷。E 非常有才华，上帝在她的生命中有深深的恩膏。也请为她开始的在线学习课程祈祷。

Please pray for her friend and Christian sister H, who is seeking God’s will for her life.

请为她的朋友和基督徒姐妹 H 祷告，她正在寻求上帝对她生命的旨意。

These people are real people, I only give their initials to protect their identity.

这些人都是真实存在的，我只给出他们名字的首字母以保护他们的身份。

Xeno.of.athens · Apr 20, 2024

I believe that all of the ancient churches (Catholic, Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, and some others) accept and teach the real presence of the Lord, Jesus Christ, in holy communion.

Catholics believe and teach that the elements of bread & wine are changed during the Eucharistic Prayer. The change is called transubstantiation among Catholics.

John Paul II wrote an encyclical entitled "ECCLESIA DE EUCHARISTIA", available here Ecclesia de Eucharistia (17 April 2003) | John Paul II, in which is written:

15. The sacramental re-presentation of Christ's sacrifice, crowned by the resurrection, in the Mass involves a most special presence which – in the words of Paul VI – “is called 'real' not as a way of excluding all other types of presence as if they were 'not real', but because it is a presence in the fullest sense: a substantial presence whereby Christ, the God-Man, is wholly and entirely present”.22 This sets forth once more the perennially valid teaching of the Council of Trent: “the consecration of the bread and wine effects the change of the whole substance of the bread into the substance of the body of Christ our Lord, and of the whole substance of the wine into the substance of his blood. And the holy Catholic Church has fittingly and properly called this change transubstantiation”.23 Truly the Eucharist is a mysterium fidei, a mystery which surpasses our understanding and can only be received in faith, as is often brought out in the catechesis of the Church Fathers regarding this divine sacrament: “Do not see – Saint Cyril of Jerusalem exhorts – in the bread and wine merely natural elements, because the Lord has expressly said that they are his body and his blood: faith assures you of this, though your senses suggest otherwise”.24

Adoro te devote, latens Deitas, we shall continue to sing with the Angelic Doctor. Before this mystery of love, human reason fully experiences its limitations. One understands how, down the centuries, this truth has stimulated theology to strive to understand it ever more deeply.

These are praiseworthy efforts, which are all the more helpful and insightful to the extent that they are able to join critical thinking to the “living faith” of the Church, as grasped especially by the Magisterium's “sure charism of truth” and the “intimate sense of spiritual realities”25 which is attained above all by the saints. There remains the boundary indicated by Paul VI: “Every theological explanation which seeks some understanding of this mystery, in order to be in accord with Catholic faith, must firmly maintain that in objective reality, independently of our mind, the bread and wine have ceased to exist after the consecration, so that the adorable body and blood of the Lord Jesus from that moment on are really before us under the sacramental species of bread and wine”.26

This thread is intended for discussion about the real presence. If you or your denomination teach a metaphorical or symbolic presence then this thread is not for you.

Valletta · Apr 21, 2024

“At a time when our soldiers are fighting terrorist monsters, the intention to issue sanctions against a unit in the IDF is the height of absurdity and a moral low,” he (Netanyahu) added, committing to fight the move.
Centrist war cabinet minister Benny Gantz joined the criticism, saying the infantry unit was “an integral part of the IDF” and was bound by military and international law. He added that Israel has “strong and independent” courts capable of dealing with alleged violations.
“We have great respect for our American friends, but imposing sanctions on the unit is a dangerous precedent and sends the wrong message to our shared enemies at a time of war,” Gantz said, while pledging to “take action so this decision does not pass.”

https://www.timesofisrael.com/israel-aghast-as-us-said-poised-to-sanction-notorious-idf-unit-netanyahu-a-moral-low/

People need to be deeply concerned about foreign influences on our country. The Biden administration, in fact the Democratic Party, as well as our universities have been infiltrated by those pushing radical Islam and those pushing spinoffs of Marxism. Countries from Qatar to China have tried to undermine our government. The U.S. is in absolutely no position to dictate to any country's military, let alone a country that was attacked in such a savage manner. It seems like foreign interference is behind this ill-advised decision by the Biden administration.

JohnB445 · Apr 20, 2024

No vague answers please, do you know what God exactly expects of Christians, and what he wants them to do?

David Hunter · Apr 20, 2024

Out at Medina Square with my friend doing some sign evangelism and this one lady got convicted by one of the signs and drove off. Then, 30 minutes later, she drives on by again, as we were about to pray for her, this time calling us losers giving us the big 'ole 'L' sign (Though, I didn't get the 'L' captured on camera). Some people are more vocal about their hate for Jesus than others...

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Kokavkrystallos · Apr 20, 2024

(Not what you might think. I like how this teaches. It puts to rest any arguments about other so called "revelations" in addition to the Bible, or any authority of any man in place of Scripture, or adding to Scripture, other than anointed preaching and teaching that corresponds with the Scriptures.)

Apostolic Authority

Benjamin B. Warfield (1851-1921)

Christianity is often called a book-religion. It would be more exact to say that it is a religion that has a book. Its foundations are laid in apostles and prophets, upon which its courses are built up in the sanctified lives of men; but Christ Jesus alone is its chief cornerstone. He is its only basis; He, its only Head; and He alone has authority in His church. But He has chosen to found His church not directly by His own hands, speaking the word of God, say for instance, in thunder-tones from heaven; but through the instrumentality of a body of apostles, chosen and trained by Himself, endowed with gifts and graces from the Holy Ghost, and sent forth into the world as His authoritative agents for proclaiming a gospel that He placed within their lips and which is none the less His authoritative Word, that it is through them that He speaks it. It is because the apostles were Christ’s representatives that what they did and said and wrote as such comes to us with divine authority. The authority of the Scriptures thus rests on the simple fact that God’s authoritative agents in founding the church gave them as authoritative to the church that they founded. All the authority of the apostles stands behind the Scriptures, and all the authority of Christ behind the apostles. The Scriptures are simply the law code that the lawgivers of the church gave it.

If, then, the apostles were appointed by Christ to act for Him and in His name and authority in founding the church (and this no one can doubt); and if the apostles gave the Scriptures to the church in prosecution of this commission (and this admits of as little doubt), then the whole question of the authority of the Scriptures is determined. It will be observed that their authority does not rest exactly on apostolic authorship. The point is not that the apostles wrote these books (though most of the New Testament books were written by apostles), but that they imposed them on the church as authoritative expositions of its divinely appointed faith and practice. Still less does the authority of the Scriptures rest on the authority of the church. The church may bear witness to what she received from the apostles as law, but this is not giving authority to that law but humbly recognizing the authority that rightfully belongs to it, whether the church recognizes it or not. The puzzle that some people fall into here is something like mistaking the relative “authority” of the guidepost and the road; the guidepost may point us to the right road, but it does not give its rightness to the road. It has not “determined” the road—it is the road that has “determined” the guide-post; and unless the road goes of itself to its destination, the guidepost has no power to determine its direction. So, the church does not “determine” the Scriptures but the Scriptures the church. Nor does it avail to say in opposition that the church existed before the Scriptures and therefore cannot depend on them. The point is, whether the Scriptures are a product of the church or rather of the authority that founded the church. The church certainly did not exist before the authority that Christ gave the apostles to found it, in virtue of which they have imposed the Scriptures on it as law.

Apostolicity thus determines the authority of Scripture; any book or body of books that were given to the church by the apostles as law must always remain of divine authority in the church. That the apostles thus gave the church the whole Old Testament, which they had themselves received from their fathers as God’s Word written, admits of no doubt and is not doubted. That they gradually added to this body of old law an additional body of new law is equally patent. In part, this is determined directly by their own extant testimony. Thus, Peter places Paul’s epistles beside the Scriptures of the Old Testament as equally with them law to Christians (2Pe 3:16); and thus Paul places Luke’s Gospel alongside of Deuteronomy (1Ti 5:18). Thus, too, all write with authority (1Co 14:37; 2Co 10:8; 2Th 2:15; 3:6-14)—with an authority that is above that of angels (Gal 1:7-8), and the immediate recognition of which is the test of the possession of the Holy Ghost (1Co 14:37; 2Th 3:6-14). In part, it is left to be determined indirectly from the testimony of the early church; it being no far cry from the undoubting universal acceptance of a book as authoritative by the church of the apostolic age, to the apostolic gift of it as authoritative to that church. But by one way or another, it is easily shown that all the books that now constitute our Bible and which Christians, from that day to this, have loyally treated as their divinely prescribed
book of law, no more and no fewer, were thus imposed on the church as its divinely authoritative rule of faith and practice.

Now it goes, of course, without saying, that the apostles were not given this supreme authority as legislators to the church without preparation for their high functions, without previous instruction in the mind of Christ, without safeguards thrown about them in the prosecution of their task, without the accompanying guidance of the Holy Spirit. And nothing is more noticeable in the writings that they have given the church than the claim that they pervasively make: in giving them, they are acting only as the agents of Christ; and those who wrote them, wrote in the Spirit of Christ. What Paul writes he represents to be “the commandments of the Lord” (1Co 14:37), which he therefore transmits in the name of the Lord (2Th 3:6); and the gospel that Peter preached was proclaimed in the Holy Ghost (1Pe 1:12). Every Scripture of the Old Testament is inspired by God (2Ti 3:16), and the New Testament is equally Scripture with the Old (1Ti 5:18); all prophecy of Scripture came from men who spake from God, being moved by the Holy Ghost (2Pe 1:20); and Paul’s epistles differ from these older writings only in being “other”—that is, newer Scriptures of like kind (2Pe 3:16). When we consider the promises of supernatural guidance that Christ made to His apostles (Mat 10:19-20; Mar 8:11; Luk 21:14; Joh 14 and 16), in connection with their claim to speak with divine authority even when writing (1Co 14:37; 2Th 3:6), and their conjunction of their writings with the Old Testament Scriptures as equally divine with them, we cannot fail to perceive that the apostles claim to be attended in their work of giving law to God’s church by prevailing superintending grace from the Holy Spirit. This is what is called inspiration. It does not set aside the human authorship of the books. But it also puts a divine authorship behind the human. It ascribes to the authors such an attending influence of the Spirit in the process of writing that the words they set down also become the words of God; and the resultant writing is made not merely the expression of Paul’s or John’s or Peter’s will for the churches, but the expression of God’s will. In receiving these books from the apostles as law, therefore, the church has always received them not only as books given by God’s agents, but as books so given by God through those agents that every word of them is God’s Word.

Let it be observed that the proof of the authority of the Scriptures does not rest on a previous proof of their inspiration. Even an uninspired law is law. But when inspiration has once been shown to be fact, it comes mightily to the reinforcement of their authority. God speaks to us now, in Scripture, not only mediately through His representatives, but directly through the Scriptures themselves as His inspired Word. The Scriptures thus become the crystallization of God’s authoritative will. We will not say that Christianity might not have been founded, propagated, and preserved without inspired writings or even without any written embodiment of the authoritative apostolic teaching. Wherever Christ is known through whatever means, there is Christianity, and men may hear, believe, and be saved. But God has caused His grace to abound to us in that He not only published redemption through Christ in the world but gave this preachment authoritative expression through the apostles; [He] fixed it with infallible trustworthiness in His inspired Word. Thus, in every age, God speaks directly to every Christian heart and gives us abounding safety to our feet and divine security to our souls. And thus, instead of a mere record of a revelation given in the past, we have the ever-living Word of God; instead of a mere tradition however guarded, we have what we have all learned to call in a unique sense “the Scriptures.”

From a short essay published in the Westminster Teacher, September 1889.

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Benjamin Breckinridge Warfield (1851-1921): Presbyterian professor of theology at Princeton Seminary; born near Lexington, KY, USA.

The apostles themselves have passed to their eternal reward, but we have their authoritative writings. In these writings, we still hear the apostles speaking with a power that was invested in them exclusively. No man today possesses the authority of, say, the Apostle Paul. Only such an one could write to the church of God at Corinth and say, “What will ye? shall I come unto you with a rod [a scepter of authority], or in love, and in the spirit of meekness?” (1Co 4:21). The divine authority conferred upon Paul (and, of course, the same is true of all the other apostles) ended with his death…Writings given by inspiration through [the apostles] possess a permanent authority. “For the prophecy came not in old
time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost” (2Pe 1:21). The words of the New Testament possess for the church of God today all the authority of faraway apostolic times.—Arthur W. Pink

Jesus marveled at the humility of the Roman centurion who said, “For I also am a man set under authority, having under me soldiers, and I say unto one, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it” (Luke 7:8). While possessing authority to command others, he himself was under superior authority. In reading the New Testament, we must ever remember that while the apostles with authority commanded, charged, ordained, and willed, they were under the supreme authority of Christ. As the authority of the Roman centurion, an officer over one hundred men, was only the expression of the authority of his general, even so, divine authority expressed in the writings of these holy men is but the transmission through them of the absolute authority of the risen Christ and Lord, the supreme authority to be obeyed.—Arthur W. Pink

Paul says that Christians “are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets” (Eph 2:20). Now you and I are built upon that foundation. We do not regard as authoritative anything that has been said subsequent to the New Testament canon. Here is our foundation, and we do not accept any teaching of any church or of any tradition as being divinely inspired. This is the basis, and the church is to be built upon this teaching because of its unique authority.—David Martyn Lloyd-Jones

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Transgender activist and influencer is scheduled to speak at St. Louis University, a Catholic institution, on Monday.

Racist robocall targets Andrew Gillum in Florida governor's race