Hopefully I am posting this in the right place. Forgive me if I'm not.

I've been thinking about my attempts of evangelism over the years and while I've never once been successful at leading someone to saving faith, I've noticed a similar theme. Every time I have convinced someone to come to church or a gospel outreach event, or anything, there is always something that comes up that either prevents them from coming or hearing the gospel.

For example. The last time I got someone to come to church, they received notice that a family member had died and had to take a phone call right as the preacher was getting to the gospel. They never came back to church. Another time, a friend of mine wanted to go, but it was a Sunday when I was scheduled to serve in the Sunday school, and since I wouldn't be there for the service, he decided not to go. Still yet, another time I convinced a friend of mine to come to my church's weekly volleyball meetup where the gospel is preached halfway through. But sure enough, something came up and he had to leave right before that happened. I can't tell you how many times someone has expressed desire to come to church or a bible study and continually remind me that they want to go, only to not show up and ghost me the day of. I could go on and on.

This is not just limited to me. There are friends of mine at the church who will often ask me to sit with a coworker of theirs who is visiting because they're up for serving in Sunday school/nursery. These people again leave before the gospel is preached. I can even think of someone who got a coworker to sign up for and pay to go on our yearly men's retreat. This is a 2 hour drive away, but when they arrived, his coworker realized he had accidently taken his wife's car keys with him and had to go back.

This happens so much that it surely cannot be a coincidence can it? There must be some kind of spiritual things at play here given the nature of it. Am I crazy? What do you all think?

Let's hope that Microsoft and other important tech companies improve their cyber security.

So many people these days have this idea that we should keep all of our sufferings to ourselves, well, unless it is physical suffering. That kind is acceptable to share, like if you are having surgery or you have cancer or you are in the hospital. But if you are suffering persecution and mistreatment, like Paul and the other apostles did, and like Jesus did, it is not generally acceptable to share that with others. They usually want you to just keep that to yourself. But that isn’t biblical.

Now we should not be gossipers and whiners and complainers who just go around complaining about anything and everything. But we are to bear one another’s burdens, and we are to pray for one another, and we are to encourage one another, and that can’t be done if we are prohibited from sharing our sufferings and our persecutions with others. And another aspect of that is if no one else shares their sufferings and their persecutions with us, we will not know how to pray for them and how to support them, either.

So, what happens in these cases is that many hurting people are suffering in silence because they are being told not to share their sufferings, if they are in the realm of persecutions and mistreatments. And so they feel all alone. And I can still remember the first time I watched a video series of married couples talking about the same situation I have been going through and how much that encouraged me and validated me, too, to know that others out there understood what I was going through and gave me some hope, too.

So, I really like how Paul starts this off with, “For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia.” Why did he not want them to be unaware? He needed their prayers. He needed their spiritual support. And some of them would suffer in much of the same ways, and so this was to prepare them for that eventuality so that they were not surprised when it happened, and so that they were encouraged in advance in how to handle that suffering. For it is terrible to have to go it alone.

And then there are people who will just advise you to get out of those situations, but easier said than done, and that isn’t necessarily God’s plan. For God allows us to be in these situations to grow us in him, and to teach us perseverance, so that we can encourage others who are going through similar trials, and so that we learn to rely on the Lord and not on ourselves. And it is to humble us, to mature us in Christ, and to make us stronger and more determined to follow the Lord. But we still need prayer.

I know that for myself, if I had not gone through all that I have gone through, I would not be spiritually prepared for what the Lord has been having me do these past 20 years. And that is biblically supported. For we are promised that if we follow Jesus with our lives that we will be hated, rejected, abandoned, cast aside as unwanted, forsaken, forgotten, fought against, falsely accused, mistreated, and the like. So we don’t run away from it all and look for our own comfort, unless God leads us to leave.

We remain faithful to the Lord, we learn what he wants to teach us through it all, and we keep pressing forward in doing the will of God. And we ask for other believers in Christ to pray for us, and this is biblical. This is what Paul did and the other apostles did. They went into situations where they knew they were going to be persecuted, but in order to lead other people to genuine God-persuaded faith in Jesus Christ and to holy living. They didn’t run away unless the Lord directed them to go someplace else.

And through it all, through all the sufferings and persecutions, we are to be people of integrity who behave in the world with simplicity and godly sincerity, not by earthly wisdom, but by the grace of God, and in the power of God and in his wisdom and understanding. We are to remain strong in the Lord without wavering even in the face of much suffering and persecution and rejections. And we are to keep on doing the will of God in sharing with others the truth of the gospel and in refuting the lies of Satan.

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

All Through the Night

An Original Work / December 7, 2013
Based off Various Scriptures

Blessed are you when you’re persecuted
Because of your faith in Jesus Christ.
Blessed are you when people insult you,
And falsely say what leads folks to doubt.
Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is
Great in the heavens. You’re not alone.

When you are persecuted in one place,
Flee to another. God will be there.
You will be hated by all the nations
Because you testify of God’s grace.
Many will seize you and persecute you,
And put to death the foll’wers of Christ.

Yet do not fear what humans may do to you,
For I’m with you all through the night.
I tell you, love your enemies with my love,
And forgive as I forgave you.
Pray for those who do evil against you.
Rest in my love and grace from above.

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The mountains and rock faces are what I believe to be the remnants of the Giants from the great flood of Noah, we see faces, animals, mushrooms etc....

Here are some great video's that gives proof of this.

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It seems bizarre to me how the western, mainly evangelical Christian community sits so comfortably in the liberal democratic tradition.

The thinking goes that the more individually atomized or "open" a society becomes, the more freely the "simple Gospel" message can pass in between individuals, free of any other coercive cultural or religious structures found in pre-Enlightenment society. Ironically, when the Church is cleansed from public life, this is supposed to make the sharing of the Gospel of Jesus more fluid and effective.

You can see this attitude dominate in post-Enlightenment, Americanized Christianity. The Church no longer has any place on a societal or communal level. Society is now nothing more than atomized individuals, therefore the new concept of Church can never rise above the level of individual. In our society there is no longer a Christian Family ruled over by the husband, because this would go against the now sacred tenets of Liberalism, which dictates that a man cannot have any dominant role over a woman in any capacity. They are both equal individual units. The American Church (both Conservative and Leftist) now adopts this essentially satanic dogma into their way of life.

Privately, American Christians can say that they respect the Biblical hierarchy of man and woman, and yet they simultaneously promote a Liberal Democratic order which directly opposes such a hierarchy. This is just one example of many, but it really highlights the double-mindedness of American/western Christianity. In one sense, the Gospel message flows freely throughout the individualized west, and yet it flows within the confined spaces of an ideology that hates and rejects the Heavenly order that that the Gospel descends to earth from. ("...Thy Will Be Done, on Earth as it is in Heaven") And the same Evangelizers that spread the Gospel, turn around and promote the Liberal order as a result of divine providence, and a source of "Freedom" for humanity.

American Christianity wants to combine the Cross with the Statue of Liberty, they want to combine the ultimate hierarchy of Heaven with the perpetual revolutionary shattering of hierarchy via the liberal democratic order.

From what I am seeing, the Gospel of Jesus is inherently hostile to classical liberal ideology in fairly obvious ways. (not only the "Woke" liberal, but the "conservative" 18th and 19th century American style of liberalism also)... The Liberal Democratic order actively promotes the structure of sin (or the rejection of God's order)

I think many American Christians are beginning to realize this but just don't know what to do about it. There does seem to be a 'Reformation out of Liberalism' taking place.

What bothers me is that there are so many other (mostly Boomer generation) Christian leaders who completely drank the Kool-Aid on Americanism and believe that we basically inaugurated a kind of Millenial kingdom of God when America became a hegemonic power after World War 2. They have divinized modern individual American Liberty as a sacred force for good in the world, and the "Spirit of Democracy" as equal with the Holy Spirit itself. They made secularism sacred, which explains why our sense of morality seems to be dictated from the secular world now, instead of the church, (which now begs the secular world for its approval.)

In all likelihood, our way of life is so enmeshed with the liberal order, that it's probably going to take a major social collapse in order for the Church to come out of this. That seems to be the general pattern we see in the Bible as well. We aren't willingly going to give up our Liberty idols.

An Ohio man is behind bars after officials say he traveled across states to meet and sexually assault a teenager.

Stacy Lee Austin, 49, drove over 400 miles from Belmont, Ohio, to Rowan County, North Carolina, according to a Facebook post from the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office.

On March 5, the 15-year-old’s parent called 911 after he came home and found Austin inside his house, officials said.

When [investigators] questioned Austin, he admitted to engaging in sex acts with the juvenile, according to officials.

What we know from scripture is that Nicodemus at the very least recognized Jesus as a prophet because he recognized that only God or someone sent by God could do the miracles and teach as he did. We know that he was open to listening to Jesus and we know that he was astonished and bewildered by many of the things that Christ had taught him.

He also was at Christ's crucifixion and made sure that Jesus got a typical Jewish burial so he clearly had a high view of Christ and perhaps considered him a friend and a fellow Jew worthy of such a sacred burial. But after that the Bible is kind of silent on what happened to Nicodemus. Was the man saved and chosen by God? Did he believe in the things that Jesus taught him or did he only respect him?

Since Nicodemus could recognize that Jesus was sent by God and should have had divine authority it might be likely that he believed in him or at the very least believed in the things that Jesus said and considered him to be a prophet. But really Nicodemus's ultimate fate can only he guessed and nobody aside from God and those currently with God know for sure exactly what Nicodemus believed in. But since the Bible mentioned him and gave us clues in John 3 I think it might be possible that he believed in him.

I'm initiating a prayer challenge for the group and inviting everyone to share their requests.

You can ask for 5 things related to marriage (companion, qualities, etc.). And I'll pray them for a month on your behalf.

You must post by March 17th which gives you time to consider. I'll begin on March 19th when Nisan begins.

As you receive the things you asked for post an update.

God Bless,

~bella

This video from Lifesite is - I think - worth hearing and taking to prayer:

A message for some of our clergy.

Comments?

Sometimes in life we have questions for which we don’t have answers. Sometimes we pray and we can’t hear God speaking, i.e. he seems silent concerning our requests. And, so we cry out for him to hear us, even though we know he does, and for him to answer. Yet, he doesn’t always give us the answers we desire, nor does he explain all of his ways to us.

Sometimes he just says “Trust me;” “Believe me;” “Rest in me.” And, he reminds us that his ways are greater than our ways and his thoughts greater than our thoughts, i.e. he doesn’t think and work like we do. He has purposes for what we go through in this life far beyond our human comprehension. We may even desire the right things, but he may have planned for us to go through injustice or heartache, and so he asks us to just trust him that he knows best.

Believe Him

An Original Work / July 15, 2013

My heart cries: Lord, won’t You hear me
Seeking You for the answers
To my heartache and questions
I have concerning my life?
Speak, Lord, to me right now.

“Oh, dear one, why don’t you trust Me
With your life’s circumstances?
Give your all on the altar
In submission of your will
To My purpose for you.

“Surrender your life completely
To your Lord and your Savior.
He has all things planned for you
For His glory and honor.
He’ll work all things for good.

“Believe Him. He will fulfill all
Of His promises to you
For your life and your future.
Trust Him. Rest in His love.
He’ll give you peace from above.”

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Trump tells us the "leader of the Taliban" called him "Your Highness" among other gaffes:
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A teacher had to resign for wearing a dress.
https://news.yahoo.com/teacher-resigns-viral-libs-tiktok-120233672.html?guccounter=1https://news.yahoo.com/teacher-resigns-viral-libs-tiktok-120233672.html?guccounter=1

In my mind this would be akin to being harrassed for him dressing up as a woman for Halloween.

So...does he deserve it?

So I have a few serious questions about the ELCA churches and what they do and what they believe. By posting this, I do not mean to offend anyone, who may be an ELCA pastor, server of some sort, or anyone who is in an ELCA congregation, I love you like I love everyone else. Not too long ago, I heard rumors that all ELCA churches not only teach contrary to what the bible says, but they also marry homosexuals and allow people, who are actively living in sin, such as homosexuality, adultery, fornication, and transgenderism serve in the church or lead or teach in the church. I also heard that they pay for mothers to have abortions. I hope it's not true and I can't imagine any Christian church allowing sinful things to happen or encouraging sin, especially if they know what the bible says. I understand we need to love everyone, including the LGBTQ and the people, who get abortions, but wouldn't we want to help people turn away from their sins rather than encouraging them to stay in their sins? Wouldn't correcting our brothers and sisters be the way to show them love rather than enabling their sinful behaviors? This has me concerned because I have a friend, who I guess is Lutheran and used to go to St. John's in Jim Thorpe, PA, which I found out is an ELCA church. I remember him saying he didn't go there all the time, but I know now he can't go there or anywhere because he has stage 3 lung cancer and he can't be around anybody so he doesn't get exposed to anything else, he's doing kemo right now. This church he went to is the church that's using raffle tickets to pay for his treatment. Anyway, I'm worried that if these things I heard ar true, that he's getting the wrong message about what God says and what he wants and what he doesn't want and I'm worried if he goes back there (if it's true), he'll keep hearing the wrong messages and will never truely know the Lord. I know he is not gay, however I worry that he'll think there's nothing wrong with that or with abortions. I also worry for the ELCA churches themselves and hope they know the Lord and if the rumors are true, I hope they would repent, change their ways, and teach God's word the right way, not allow sin, and help people out of their sins in a loving way, but if they're not true, then that's good. I also worry for the congregations of those churches that they, too, are getting the wrong messages, if it is true. I guess what I want to know is are these things I heard true? If they are, how do I convince my friend to not go back there and find a bible-based church, unless or until they turn from their evil ways and repent? Also, I would like to either do a basket for the raffle tickets or give money to that church for his treatment, but if the rumors are true, I really wouldn't want to go near that church, so would do you think I should do in that situation? And if they're not true, what is the truth and what do ELCA churches really believe, stand for, and do? I did invite my friend to listen to the sermons from my church on facebook, since he can't go anywhere now and he didn't say anything back, but I also don't know, if I should wait to address this with him till after he heals or talk to him about this now while he has cancer, that's if what I heard is true.

.

Friends I am interested in why Mary the Mother of Jesus hardly gets a mention by Paul and didn't seem to have a significant role in the early church.

These are the three verses with the name Mary - some of which may be referring to others.

Acts 1:14
All these were continually devoting themselves with one mind to prayer, along with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.

Acts 12:12
And when he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John, who was also called Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying.

Romans 16:6
Greet Mary, who has worked hard for you.

Do we have any other credible evidence that Mary had a role in the church ?

Good day, I'm asking for prayer for Dwayne St George to get a new job and everything associated with the job he has asked the Lord for. Thank you for all your prayer.

Biden drained strategic oil reserves to the lowest - since 1984


Biden added 5 Trillion to US debt to help with his admin
Biden spiked National Debt up by 5 Trillion

Thank you "Bidenomics".

America now has a chance to say "Thank you , may I please have another?"

===========================

Under the Trump Admin - US unemployment hit a 50-year low of 3.5 percent in December 2019.
The price of gasoline has been rising fairly consistently since the end of April 2020, when it was selling for $1.77 a gallon, the lowest weekly price under Trump

RESPONDING TO THE PROPHET

```TEXTEUTERONOMY 18:14-22```

```KEY VERSE:``` _"I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him" (DEUTERONOMY 18:18).

Man's response to God's servants over the centuries points to the depth of their obedience to Him. Receiving them and obeying all the commandments He gives His messengers to deliver to man would indicate respect and honour for Him. On the other hand, rejecting those who bring His word amounts to rejecting Him, an action that would not go without commensurate punishment.

While the children of Israel approached the Promised Land, the Lord reminded them that although Moses, their leader would not be with them in their new country, a greater Shepherd would be provided, who would not only be available for Israel, but for humanity throughout all generations. The Lord promised a Prophet greater than all the previous ones and those to come. He said He would "put [His] words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that [He] shall command him."

Jesus Christ is that Prophet. No other one before or after Him has matched the description in our passage. He acted with the authority of the Father in heaven. He spoke as no man ever spoke. He performed astonishing miracles that broke all records. He told the world He could forgive sins here on earth, thus proving that He possessed divine powers. He predicted He would die for sinful man and rise again the third day, and it was fulfilled.

Since Christ met all these conditions needed to believe in Him as the true Prophet of God, our reaction to Him is to submit, believe and obey His words. One of His declarations shortly before He left the world was that He would go to prepare mansions in heaven for those who believe in Him and then return to take them to live there forever. As believers, we are to "occupy till [He] come".

```THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:``` _Believe in Jesus Christ, the final Prophet.

```THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:``` LEVITICUS 12-14

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Are you all watching? It just started

When it is ready, the U.S. military will initially lead the operation, but other countries and groups are expected to join in, the officials said.
This is such a bad idea. American lives should come first, not politics. Americans are going to be involved, although the article says no troops will land in Gaza. If the United States is involved in Gaza it should be to help return American hostages.

Colossians 3:2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

Jonathan Edwards appealed to peoples 'affections," of which he had a far greater grasp of their meaning than I. However, this is worthy of exploration, for as it is written: "Set your AFFECTION on things above, not on things on the earth."
It immediately goes on to say in the next verse, "For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God." Thus, the "killing" of one affection, while yet the quickening of another affection that hungers for the things of God; the things that are of God, yea, ALL things that are of God.
Indeed, David when preparing for his son Solomon to build the temple, said, "Moreover, because I have set my affection to the house of my God, I have of mine own proper good, of gold and silver, which I have given to the house of my God, over and above all that I have prepared for the holy house. (ratza= delight, favor, pleasure) -1 Chronicles 29:3
He further prays, "I know also, my God, that thou triest the heart, and hast pleasure in uprightness. As for me, in the uprightness of mine heart I have willingly offered all these things: and now have I seen with joy thy people, which are present here, to offer willingly unto thee. O Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, our fathers, keep this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of thy people, and prepare their heart unto thee: And give unto Solomon my son a perfect heart, to keep thy commandments, thy testimonies, and thy statutes, and to do all these things..." (1 Chronicles 29:17-19)
See how David in his own affections, his delights, and pleasure, not only set them up on the house of God, but has gone over and above?

Of Titus it is said his inward affection was more abundant toward the Corinthians: that being also translated elsewhere as "bowels" - not as we think of bowels today, but of a deep inward part, the seat of the tender emotions. 2 Corinthians 7:15 "And his inward affection is more abundant toward you, whilst he remembereth the obedience of you all, how with fear and trembling ye received him."
Gal 5:24 "And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. This is "pathema", as "pathos" : an affection of the mind, to suffer; a passionate desire. But one does suffer when they have such an affection unfulfilled: even a pining away due to an unfulfilled affection - a longing, which is not sinful itself, as one were missing a loved one who is parted from them. It can become a harmful affection, as Galatians warns, when it's an obsession, such a sinful relationship of the flesh, an addiction where one pines for the things they're addicted to, whether or not a physical addiction like nicotine, alcohol, drugs, or a psychological addiction such as pornography, gambling, thrill seeking, even overworking. After all, "pathos" is where we get the word pathological from.

"Splanchon" is a Greek word often translated "bowels," heart or tender mercies, is also affections, so that we see in Philippians 1:8 "For God is my record, how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ." That's the deep inner compassion and longing for out of pure desire. And here, the Apostle is referring to Christs affection, thus showing we are to be in Christ, put on Christ, and Christ in us: the union of Christ and the believer, as the Scriptures so command.
And Philippians 2:1-2, "If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind."

In Philemon 20 Paul writes, "Yea, brother, let me have joy of thee in the Lord: refresh my bowels in the Lord." - Refresh my bowels, that is affections: that he is beseeching, which is like urgently and fervently asking someone to do something- he is beseeching Philemon to receive Onesimus even as he, Paul, himself (vs 17) This is an example of true deep fellowship and Christian brotherhood; That is hugely lacking in the church today. In fact, there seems to be a "wall of separation" among believers: a distance, and it is not of God!
I can write this in tears, that I have been in churches where the Pastor will tell everyone to shake everyone's hand, or hug someone, or hug 10 people, and only a few handshakes or hugs are exchanged. And why should the Pastor even have to tell the congregation to do this? Wasn't that way 35 - 40 years ago. Oh, how this affection of loving the brethren is so lacking!
People just stare strait forward, even avoid others, or they get in their little cliques, or just leave in a hurry to go about their day. It seems some just can't wait to get out of church. They go, they feed, they leave. Almost like a dog or a cat rushing to it's bowl, gobbling down the food, and when done, off they go. And, I've noticed this in MANY a church, of differing denominations. And I've got to admit, I'm sometimes guilty of this myself, though I do try to reach out to those around me, nor am I the first out the door. More often I like to remain and fellowship if possible.
I just don't see too much of Philippians 2: the fellowship of the Spirit, bowels, or affections of mercies, having the same love, being of one accord. No wonder the church is weak, and the world calls us hypocrites. Sometimes, you know they are not just mocking, they are making a rational observation that happens to be correct! John 13:34-35, Jesus says, "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another."

You know in the 1980s I saw this a lot more? Maybe from 85 till the mid 90s. Everyone seemed truly glad to see one another. Pastor rarely had to tell anyone to shake hands or hug because it was naturally being done, and there was genuine fellowship, and it was sweet. But alas, as it is written, the love of many has waxed cold, they are without natural affection: in fact Paul goes on to warn in the last days they will also be heady and high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God. And the Scriptures warn about being haughty, thinking yourself above others, conceited...
So what must we do with 1 John 2:8-9? "He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now. He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him." Or 3:18 "My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth." And how about 1 John 4:21 "And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also..."
I didn't even expect this message to go here where it did. I think it turned down this road at Philemon, which I was led to go to specifically because I rarely go to it. I set out to explore affections, and to explore some various aspects of affections. I stuck to the Bible only, and did not consult any other preachers written works, though I did use the Strongs and the Vines dictionaries and lexicon. I only made mention of Jonathan Edwards appealing to affections at the beginning.
Yet I fear, and it is a grave concern, that many may not be in Christ, for their affections are not in the right places, but rather on self: heady, high-minded, even haughty. Spiritual pride can be a soul crusher, and I know this from experience. I speak to myself as much as anyone. Why are so many without compassion? "For they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love: yes they'll know we are Christians by our love..." The song goes. We used to sing that all the time in the 80s. I've heard it in church once in the past 7 years, maybe twice. That song goes right along with John 13 we read earlier, " By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another."
Then there's John 15:12 & 17, "This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you...These things I command you, that ye love one another." In fact in John this thing is commanded thrice, which shows the extreme importance of it. Jesus was explicitly giving it as a COMMAND that His followers love one another.

Look at Ruth 1:16-17. She is moved in affections when she bonds with her mother in law Naomi. In this same way we should bond both with the LORD, and there should also be such a bond of fellowship in the local assembly of the saints. Ruth 1:16-17 "And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the Lord do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me." Powerful! Powerful stuff here!
We see in Acts 2:44-47, "And all that believed were together, and had all things common; And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved."

Oh now I must pray Isaiah 29:24, "They also that erred in spirit shall come to understanding, and they that murmured shall learn doctrine." And, Deuteronomy 16:20 "That which is altogether just shalt thou follow..." Is not Christ calling upon His people to be in more unity: is He not stirring the affections of some, and I would pray all? Let Him in! Quench not the Spirit of the Living God! O Spirit of the Living God, fall afresh on me! There is a worthy song to sing right there.
I will leave off with 1 Peter 3:8, "Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous..." Amen.

• Note:

I only looked up Jonathan Edwards Affections after writing this, so that this message could be purely in the Spirit, where He wanted to take it, which I'm convinced is what happened.
Here is what Edwards believed: Edwards is clear: 'the affections are no other, than the more vigorous and sensible exercises of the inclination and will of the soul' (Edwards 1957: 96). An affection, for Edwards, is not an emotion, but is a certain kind of willing (ie., a vigorous and sensible willing)
The soul is capable of perception and speculation, which he names as the understanding, and the soul inclines or is averse to what is beheld, which he names as an act of inclination or will. While he freely uses the term ‘faculties’, it is a mistake to think of the understanding and the will as ‘faculties’ that understand and will respectively; a person does not have an understanding and a will as distinct entities in the soul. Rather, persons understand and persons will. One of the important implications of this focus, Edwards claims, is that there cannot ‘be a clear distinction made between the two faculties of understanding and will, as acting distinctly and separately, in this matter’ (Edwards 1957: 272). Furthermore, the difference between a normal act of the will and an affection is simply ‘the degree and manner of exercise’ (p. 97). As an act of willing, an affection can be negative or positive, but to qualify as an ‘affection’, it must be a vigorous inclination of the will. (On the union of the body and the soul, and the bodily response to affections, see Edwards 1957: 98.) Affections are not synonymous with passions, therefore, because passions are more sudden and violent to the body (i.e. violence to the ‘animal spirits’ and the ‘motion of fluids’ according to Edwards’ understanding of human physiology), whereas affections are a more abiding movement of the will.
True religious affections are formed only through spiritual understanding or enlightening of the mind by the illumination of the Holy Spirit. True religious affections are grounded in the conviction of the historical truth of the gospel, not subjective reasonings or imaginings.
Because religious affections are only possible through the infusion of the Spirit in the soul, when issues of discernment arise, one cannot simply address the teleology of an affection, but must attend to the inner movement of the heart. In Edwards’ words, ‘True religion is evermore a powerful thing; and the power of it appears, in the first place, in the inward exercises of it in the heart, where is the principal and original seat of it’ (Edwards 1957: 100). As a movement in the heart, and because the fount of this work is the Spirit in the soul, Edwards turns to the language of sense and perception to articulate the phenomenology of this event. The problem this creates for discernment concerns the nature of this new sense of the heart given in regeneration. He claims that there is a ‘new inward perception or sensation of their minds, entirely different in its nature and kind, from anything that ever their minds were the subjects of before they were sanctified’, and argues that this ‘new sensation’ is discovered in the ‘faculties’ of the soul but is available only through the work of the Spirit in the elect.

... around the Capitol, for the stou address

I found this story to be very interesting. What do y'all think about it?