China’s economy is struggling: Many young people can’t find jobs, the nation’s real estate market is in trouble after two major property development companies failed, and China’s stock market has seen a $7 trillion decline in just a few years. But Beijing has a plan to do something about it.

When the “green energy” movement began, China recognized an opportunity, Erin Walsh explains. Beijing saw an “opening because they don’t have oil, so they had to come up with something else,” said Walsh, senior research fellow for international affairs in the Asian Studies Center at The Heritage Foundation. “Because, how do you electrify and grow, and become No. 1 in the world, which is their goal; how do you do that if you don’t have energy?” she asked. (The Daily Signal is the news outlet of The Heritage Foundation.)

China has “hijacked the agenda” of the green movement, because the Asian giant is on the forefront of developing electric vehicles, batteries, and solar energy, according to Walsh.

So I haven't been to church in months because my wife hasn't had a Sunday off in a very long time. She's been working pretty much nonstop to support me and I just go and hurt her financially and to top it all off a member of our congregation has been in the hospital since Feburary 7th.

Our pastor and his wife went to visit her and her husband in the hospital yesterday afternoon and she is not doing very good. She was originally in the hospital for something in her small intestine and she's grown gradually worse. She's been in massive pain since December and doctors mostly cant figure out what is wrong with her. The hospital sent her to Buffalo to get surgery in early Feburary sent her home and as of a few days ago they took her back to Buffalo yesterday night.

She is having yet another surgery early this week and doctors think whatever is wrong with her might be life threatening. My Elder/Pastor said that he will keep my wife and I updated as her husband continues to update him.

Please pray for both of us. God knows exactly what's wrong with both cases and I'm hoping for the miracle he gave me.

Well, I’ve been Orthodox for over twenty years. Coming in as a middle-aged adult, I was humble enough but excited to join a Church where people maintained the same shared beliefs since the foundation of the Church. For the first new years, as a new convert, learning what was what, how we ought to live, and thinking that I could slowly come to live a more holy life. But before ten years had passed, the first disillusionment happened. The married couples of the parish, one by one, began to divorce, most notably, among women who sang in the choir. I began the translation of Chesterton’s “The Superstition of Divorce”, not being a pastor, but wishing to contribute what was in my power to fight the epidemic. But it didn’t end there. By the 15-year mark, it became clear that many of my fellow Orthodox Christians did not share beliefs which to me had obviously been held by all Christendom up to the end of the 20th century. There were many issues, from small to big, from headcovering to ecumenism. At the time, the liberals stood out most, especially regarding sexual morality, and it seemed self-evident, from Scripture, the fathers, and the historical universal acceptance across Christendom that many stood in need of correction. The issue of the authority to do so became apparent, and it seemed to come down to personal opinion, something I found intolerable and wholly inconsistent with Tradition, and the only form of mediation that seemed authoritative was the consensus of the fathers. If one didn’t accept that, then we were just another bunch of Protestants, deciding for ourselves what “Holy Tradition” was, dividing the word of truth by no means always rightly.

I wound up joining with the traditional-minded members of the church, as they seemed to stand for sanity amidst the chaos of the world that the liberals were bringing into the Church. However, I observed some things that ranged from odd to mildly concerning among the conservatives. Some dreamed of restoring the Tsar and Russian imperialism, others the USSR, and eventually, to my alarm, some turned out to be admirers of Stalin. Eventually I came to realize that people were falling away in different ways from Church teaching, and that hardly anyone shared all of the same beliefs regarding Church teaching and Tradition. Some went so far as to say that all needed to agree only on the Symbol of Faith, which seemed insane to me. At the same time, the other confessions, Catholic and Protestant, were and are falling away even faster. I began to feel as if maybe the Church was not really the Church. But none of my original convictions and knowledge of facts had changed. I simply saw no alternative, and Lewis and Chesterton, who had so thoroughly convinced me of the Faith, were still, so to speak, standing right there.

From the isolation of Covid I had already felt plenty of loneliness and despair, despite praying almost without ceasing. When I had that fateful confrontation with the Stalinists at the end of 2021, those feelings kicked into high gear. When Russia invaded the Ukraine, it was almost too much to bear. I kept a hip flask close by, to “medicate” the worst of it, against Chesterton’s solid advice. When a school offered to hire us in Montenegro (and made promises that, as it turned out, it couldn’t keep regarding how much money we could make), we decided to leave our long home for the duration of the crisis, hoping to return after a year or two when things settled down. We were driven by fear of having our son conscripted to fight a war we opposed, and the fact of my being American might make me a target of some ambitious ”civil servant” sooner or later willing to frame something on me to advance his career, among other things. For a short time, the change really did me good. But as it became clear that we weren’t being paid enough to fully support ourselves, and I was putting in 40 hours a week in class, and it was killing me. Not having a confessor I could really talk to, let alone a spiritual father, made things worse. But in fleeing the crazy conservatives, so to speak, I found myself among the liberals that had driven me into the conservatives’ arms in the first place, and they likewise were not monolith in their beliefs, though they did have broad trends in common, some of which I still found unacceptable. I learned to keep most of my thoughts to myself, and to talk to no one about my thoughts and feelings. With all men being on the average twenty years younger than me, along with the other issues of native language and personal interests, finding friends proved impossible. So spiritually, emotionally, intellectually, I found myself completely on my own, responsible for a wife and children, but not really part of any community. The Church, for me, turned out to be an institution that can offer the Sacraments, but fellowship was no longer on the table. When the nation changed its laws and rules for immigrants, and quadrupled and back-dated our taxes, we lost our residency and legal status.

Even here, it feels like there is little left to say, as if everything has been said and now we are all waiting, waiting… for what? The Second Coming? I wish. In some ways, I suppose it seems like the hand of God is still working. We are miraculously being left alone, no authorities seek us out or trouble us. But we live day to day, with no particular hope, just trying to make it to tomorrow. Where is the Church? I don’t know. I’m just going to go to church on Sundays, take Communion and confess when I can, and hope that God will deliver us.

The light being spoken of here is Jesus Christ/God, and it is the light of truth and righteousness, the words of God, his gospel. It is the life manual for all of us who are followers of Jesus Christ. This is what we are to live by, but with regard to what agrees with the New Covenant. In other words, we are not under the Old Covenant liturgical, ceremonial, sacrificial, purification and dietary laws and restrictions that the people of God of old had to follow. And we need to always apply the Scriptures in their context. This is critical!

[Matthew 4:12-17; Matthew 5:14-16; Matthew 6:22-23; John 1:1-9,19-21; John 8:12; John 9:5; John 12:35-36,46; Acts 26:18]

And the message of the gospel is not what is being popularized today. We don’t get to just pray a prayer to receive Christ and now all our sins are forgiven and heaven is guaranteed us when we die, but regardless of how we live. For Jesus died that we might die to sin and live to righteousness, and live for him and no longer for self. He died to free us from our slavery (addiction) to sin so that we can now live holy lives in obedience to his commands and no longer under the control of sin.

[1 Peter 2:24; 2 Corinthians 5:15; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20; Romans 6:1-23]

And this is not optional, either. We don’t get to choose whether or not to obey the Lord Jesus if we want to have salvation from sin and eternal life with God. For the faith that is required for our salvation comes from God, it is authored and perfected by Jesus Christ, it is persuaded of God, and it is gifted to us by God. And it is not of our own doing – not of the will nor of the flesh of man. So we don’t get to decide what that faith looks like. God does! And his word does, especially his gospel message.

[Hebrews 12:1-2; John 1:12-13; John 6:44; Ephesians 2:8-10]

Sadly, not many people these days, at least here in America, are teaching what the Scriptures teach regarding our salvation from sin and eternal life with God. And so we have many professers of faith in Jesus Christ who, instead of receiving the light into their lives, and instead of applying the light to their lives, are covering up the light with all sorts of garbage of this sinful world to where the light can no longer get through. So, instead of the light getting through, darkness is what they are taking in, instead.

For these are people who prefer the darkness to the light and who will not come into the light because their deeds are evil. For they are the self-indulgent, the hypocritical, liars, adulterers, and the sexually immoral, etc., who are intoxicated to sin. And they are worldly people who are captivated by the world and by other worldly people and their way of thinking, and so they are easily persuaded by what the world has to offer. And so they flitter from one thing to the next, while continuing to block out the light.

But some of the darkness that they are taking into their minds daily is disguised as light, but it isn’t the light. It is a lie! But it sounds good and it feels good and it frees them from any feelings of guilt over their sinful lifestyles and so they accept the darkness as light while they end up rejecting the light as though it is darkness. Thus, the altar they pray at is not the spiritual altar of God, but it is a man-made altar to be enjoyed by the masses who make outward professions of faith in Jesus Christ.

So, please make sure that what you are receiving as “the light” is the true light and not darkness disguised as light. And the only way you are going to know what that light is will be through the study of the Scriptures, in their context, as led by the Holy Spirit, and/or by the Holy Spirit living within you (if you are somewhere where you don’t have access to a Bible). But if you are on the internet, you should have access to the Scriptures, especially if you can read what I am writing now. But read them in context, please!

For Jesus Christ said, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself? For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.” (Luke 9:23-26)

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

As the Deer

By Martin J. Nystrom
Based off Psalm 42:1

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

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

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Please pray that I will experience peace by Jesus Christ.

In Daniel 7, we have the following four beasts: the lion with eagle wings, the bear, the leopard with 4 heads, and the strong and dreadful 4th beast that has 10 horns.

These are separate entities that are all existing simultaneously in the end times.

These four beasts are kingdoms that war with each other in the end times.

• The lion with eagle wings is end times equivalent of Babylon.
• The bear that devours much flesh is the end times equivalent of Medeo-Persia.
• The leopard with 4 heads is the end times equivalent of Greece that has split into 4 units and the Daniel 8 Little Horn has emerged (Daniel 8:8). This is Daniel 8:9-12 and is the Assyrian which we know because Daniel 11:30-31 (describing the placement of the abomination of desolation) has this individual attacked by the ships of Kittim. The Assyrian is the person attacked by the ships of Kittim in Numbers 24:24. This leopard, the Assyrian, is the one given dominion/ authority to rule. (Dan 7:6)
• The dreadful 4th beast with 10 horns becomes ruled by the Daniel 7 Little Horn who pulls up 3 out of 10 horns. These 10 horns are the 10 countries of the Psalm 83 coalition in Psalm 83:5-8 (Ammon and Moab are the sons of Lot). These 3 horns from the Psalm 83 coalition would be Edom, Moab, and Ammon (Isaiah 11:1-15). The Daniel 7 Little Horn is the 'king that shall arise in Daniel 8:23-25 who destroys many by peace during the transgression/ apostasy. (In other words, the abomination of desolation that cuts off the sacrifices from the Assyrian in Daniel 8:9-12 kicks off the 1290 days of Daniel 12:11-12 until the arrival of the abomination idol at the 7th Trumpet (the living image of Rev 13:14-15) (30 days of the great tribulation that started on the 'winter Sabbath' (dusk March 14, 2025) then the arrival of the covenant that ends the wars (on Passover April 13, 2025) and subsequent breaking of it after 1260 days = 1290 days on September 24, 2028.)

The order of end times events would be as follows:

• The (Lion with eagle wings) Assyrian attacks Ephraim at the start of the Trumpets. This is the start of the 'flood' of Daniel 9:26 which begins in northern 10 tribed Israel (Ephraim and also known as Samaria) and flows south into Judah and Jerusalem. We can see the pattern of first the Assyrian 'lion' attacking Israel then the Babylon 'lion' will attack Israel.

This event is the same as in Isaiah 8:

Again, the 'locusts' of the 5th Trumpet are the 'people of the prince to come' (Daniel 9:26). The 'locusts' are a symbol that symbolizes both the sword and famine at the same time (real locusts would cause a famine, 'locust' armies would kill with the sword). Here is an example of this:

The 'locusts' last for 5 months (Rev 9:5) because the 'flood' of Gen 7:24 lasted for 150 days.

• (The Lion) Assyria attacks Jerusalem.

At the end of the 5 months, this 'flood' reaches Jerusalem (at the 6th Trumpet). This is the 'great tribulation in Judea' of Matt 24:15-18 and is the equivalent from Luke 21:20-24's 'Jerusalem is surrounded by armies'. This is the attack of the Assyrian, the Daniel 8 Little Horn of Daniel 8:9-12, and is the same as the Leopard with 4 heads of Daniel 7.

• At the 2nd Trumpet (the burning mountain), The Bear (Medes/ Persia) attacks the Lion (Babylon).

This is the same from Jeremiah 51


Meanwhile, back in Jerusalem, they are aligning with Egypt (spiritual Egypt enslaving them) and receiving a splintered reed into their hands (Isaiah 36:6). Assyria (the Leopard) takes over Egypt at this time. Egypt is attacked twice during the end times - first by the Assyrian, then by Babylon.


Here is at the end where Egypt is hit the second time by Babylon, breaking 'both arms' (Assyria having broken Egypt's 1st arm).
After the Assyrian (the Leopard) starts war in Jerusalem at the 6th Trumpet (the great tribulation), when the 'flood' reaches it, then there will be peace when the 4th beast with 10 horns gets the Daniel 7 Little Horn who confirms the covenant and ends the wars (Daniel 9:26-27) (Isaiah 11:1-15). This is when the saints are given into the Daniel 7 Little Horn's hand (Daniel 7:25 He will speak out against the Most High and oppress the saints of the Most High, intending to change the appointed times and laws; and the saints will be given into his hand for a time, and times, and half a time.)

This is the time of Daniel 8:


This 'time, times, half a time' of Daniel 7:25 is the first half of the Daniel 9:27 covenant. This covenant is broken after 1260 days (the same 1260 days as the 2 witnesses of Revelation 11) at the 7th Trumpet (the end of 1290 days - 30 days of great tribulation + 1260 days).

After these 1260 days ('time, times, half a time'/ 3.5 years) of the insolent king that has arisen, then he is cut off:

Which beast is slain here? It is the 4th beast. The rest of the beasts have their dominion removed (why? because the kingdom of heaven has arrived in authority at the 7th Trumpet). Who are the rest of the beasts? The Leopard, the Bear, and the Lion - the same beasts mentioned in the Beast from the Sea in Revelation 13
Why is the dragon giving it his throne? Because the lion, bear, and leopard have lost their dominion and have a need for a throne. This extension will only last a season and a time - not the full 42 months that the dragon says it has authority for in Rev 13:5.

That is why Jesus says in Matt 24:22 If those days had not been cut short, nobody would be saved. But for the sake of the elect, those days will be cut short.

This 'season and a time' is Daniel 9:24's literal 70 weeks to end the transgression. Which transgression? The one that started at the 6th Trumpet and arriving at the start of the 7th Trumpet, the same transgression/ rebellion/ apostasy mentioned in Daniel 8:9-12 and Daniel 8:23.

“Deleted”

So what is your view was Jesus the Word (LOGOS) made flesh, incarnation that He became the Son of God on His birth in this world/or death and Resurrection as a few Protestant churches teach (before this He existed as the LOGOS) which is my view? Or do you believe Jesus Christ is the Eternal Son of God? If the latter could you show some Scriptures to support the Eternal Sonship?

At the Medina Ice Festival this past weekend, I attempted to "write" a police officer a ticket to Heaven! He caught me off guard by his response... Also, I'd love to know your thoughts on this as comments are starting to roll in and they're either good or saying it sounds like a threat. I did have the tract in hand (hard to see from this short video, but it can be see better on the main video which I haven't posted. I also waved as I came up to him.

I think this is also good for Russia and China to learn about NATO's weapon systems, especially the captured ones.

"American officials speaking with the Washington Post described the ongoing war in Ukraine as providing Washington with ample information about Russian war-fighting strategies. The report comes as Kiev struggles to field enough forces to prevent Moscow from capturing more territory."
"According to a soldier who escaped the Avdiivka and spoke with the Associated Press, the Ukrainians were outnumbered five to one."
"Additionally, the AP explained that the manpower shortage is precluding military operations. The outlet reports, “[Ukrainian] Commanders say they don’t have enough soldiers to launch offensives, and barely enough to hold positions amid intensifying Russian assaults.”

We underestimated Russia's ability and at the cost of tens of thousands of ethnic Ukrainian lives.

"Washington and its NATO partners have viewed Ukraine as a proxy war to weaken Russia. While the Joe Biden administration has touted this policy as “for Ukraine,” it has severely harmed the country."

I see Washington but I keep hearing the name of Boris Johnson is what kept this going. Also, other news sources said that Russia wanted Ukraine to pledge neutrality.

"In the early months of the war, Kiev nearly reached an agreement with Moscow to end the conflict and Russian forces would withdraw to the pre-invasion lines. However, Washington and London pressured the Ukrainian leadership to abandon the diplomatic path."

As I lay in bed last night, pondering the Word of God, these Scriptures came into my mind.

Lev. 19: 17 Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart: thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him. 18 Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD.
Jesus brought these Scriptures up when HE was pointing out what the corrupt priests "Them of old time" had omitted in their religious philosophy (Matt. 5). I thought about the qualifications or guideline God used concerning what kind of "LOVE" I was to show others. To Love them, "as I Love myself". And also, that I was to "Rebuke" others, and not suffer (Stay quiet about, in my understanding) Sin upon them.

I never really thought about this before in a deeper sense. But this scripture is a commandment to make a judgment regarding the behavior of others and God is calling this "Love", but puts a qualifier on it, "As I love myself". I believe Jesus spoke to this very thing.

Luke 6: 41 And why beholdest thou the mote (Sin) that is in thy brother's eye, but perceivest not the beam (SIN) that is in thine own eye?

42 Either how canst thou say to thy brother, Brother, let me pull out the mote that is in thine eye, when thou thyself beholdest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to pull out the mote that is in thy brother's eye.

Think about this for a moment. Is it not "God's definition of Love" to rebuke His Children so as not to Suffer sin upon them? And so, it is exhibiting God's LOVE for my neighbor to warn him of transgressions. But look what Jesus exposes here. I must "First" Love Myself, before I can Love my Neighbor "As Myself".

42 Either how canst thou say to thy brother, Brother, let me pull out the mote that is in thine eye, (How can I Love My Brother) when thou thyself beholdest not the beam that is in thine own eye? (When I have not shown the same Love for myself) Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye, ( First Love myself) and then shalt thou see clearly to pull out the mote that is in thy brother's eye. (Then, knowing the Love of God, I can Love my Brother)



The Scriptures started pouring into my head after these thoughts about "How do I Love myself" according to God?

Deut 30: 19 I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live: 20 That thou mayest love the LORD thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.

Ez. 18: 31 Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel? 32 For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord GOD: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye.

Luke 13: 3 I tell you, Nay: but, except "ye repent", ye shall all likewise perish.

John 6: 53 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except "ye eat" the flesh of the Son of man, "and drink" his blood, "ye have" no life in you.

Rom. 2: 7 "To them" who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:

Rom. 6: 16 Know ye not, that to whom "ye yield yourselves" servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?

Rom. 12: 1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that "ye present" your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

Eph. 4: 23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; 24 And that "ye put on" the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

2 Cor. 9 Wherefore "we labour", that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him.

Matt. 6: 33 But "seek ye first" the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Click to expand...

These Scriptures and many more define for God's People how we "Love ourselves" first, so we can know how to Love others, not with fleshy man's love, but with the Righteous Love of God.

This is what the trans world is inflicting on sports. The article speaks for itself.

I am in my mid 40s and not in the position of having a tight knit family. I'm currently housebound/bedridden and living with my parents who are extremely elderly. I became ill suddenly on a mission trip as a minor.

I do NOT have siblings who are compassionate, believe in following medical science rather than pushing the body in unhealthy ways in "faith," and in housing situations that would be suited to my particular needs. My SSDI barely covers my out of pocket medical expenses and food--not housing, property taxes, or utilities. Yet I'm ineligible for more helps.

I've been advised that it is extremely crucial to have my parents purchase some sort of small real estate for me in a trust or something like that. It's one of the few things I can legally own without it effecting my eligibility for the program that pays the premium for basic medical insurance.

But I'm still just not seeing how to pull this off, especially if I'm going to be within a couple of hours of ANY family member, as my family members who don't live overseas live in extremely pricey areas of the east coast. Property taxes are HIGH. Suitable housing for my needs (first floor living and laundry only, no carpeting, quiet bc of both my long hours in bed and nervous system issues, etc.) but still small is rare and usually involves steep HOAs (and is usually 55+ to boot!).

Has anyone else faced this? Even though I've connected w disabled folks online, including those w my illness, there was only one person within a couple of hours of me. And she did not succumb to the illness until after she'd had enough years in a successful corporate job as to go 50/50 w a relative on building a new home. She had both savings and insurance from her job in addition to SSDI. My only resources are SSDI. I certainly don't know anyone to go in on housing with. And although I did have some years where I could get out to church while I was living in a different part of the country, I literally don't know anyone in the state I'm now (a state whose border edge is close-ish to some of my siblings) other than medical providers or persons who've been hired at times to assist me.

There is also that matter that I really do need regular help with a variety of things and don't know how to predict the future on the front, as I've gotten weaker trying to do to many things without sufficient understanding support.

Has anyone else sorted these things out?

Has anyone perhaps been in a situation where you were trying to rent out part of your residence perhaps as to cover costs--but a residence that's not on the rental market specifically?

The people of God were under the judgment of God for a period of 70 years. So, the Lord was giving them specific instructions for them only. For they had false prophets lying to them about the 70 years, and so the Lord was correcting those errors. And then the Lord told them that when the 70 years were completed that he would visit them, and that he would fulfill his promise to them to bring them back to their homeland. Then he said:

Jeremiah 29:11-14 ESV


Far too many people are quoting Jeremiah 29:11 out of its original context, and they are interpreting it in ways not consistent with the context, and not consistent with the teachings of the Scriptures overall. For this is not a promise for all people of all generations who claim to believe in the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob – Father, Son (Jesus Christ), and Holy Spirit – that no harm will ever come to us but only good.

And yet we read in 2 Timothy 3:16-17 ESV these words:


So, what is this saying? We can learn something from all Scripture, even if it doesn’t specifically apply to us, for there are often general contexts, as well as specific contexts, that we can turn into biblical lessons as long as we are not, in the process, teaching something contrary to Scripture. Like we can use the story of David and Goliath to encourage us in our own battles against our enemy Satan, to use the armor of God to fight our battles.

So, is there a general context that we can use here that will be consistent with the whole of Scripture? I believe there is. For God has plans for all of us who are of genuine God-gifted and God-persuaded faith in Jesus Christ. But it isn’t that no harm will come to us but only good. For the Scriptures are abundantly clear on that issue that, as followers of Christ, we will have trials and tribulations and persecutions and we will be hated, rejected, forsaken, and forgotten because we follow Jesus and we share his gospel message.

[Matt 5:10-12; Matt 10:16-25; Matt 24:9-14; Lu 6:22-23; Lu 21:12-19; Rev 6:9-11; Rev 7:9-17; Rev 11:1-3; Rev 12:17; Rev 13:1-18; Rev 14:1-13]

But what is that gospel message? It is not that we can “pray a prayer” to receive Jesus Christ into our lives and now all our sins are forgiven and heaven is guaranteed us when we die, but regardless of how we live. It is that Jesus died that we might die to sin and live to righteousness, and live for him, and no longer for self, and that he died to free us from our slavery (addiction) to sin so that we will now honor God with our bodies in walks of moral purity and faithfulness and obedience to our Lord and his commands.

[1 Peter 2:24; 2 Corinthians 5:15; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20; Romans 6:1-23]

And none of this is self-generated. All this comes from God. Even the faith to believe in Jesus is authored and perfected by Christ, is gifted to us by God, is persuaded of God, is empowered of God, and it is not of our own doing – not of the will nor of the flesh of man. So we do not get to determine what that faith looks like. God does. And the faith he provides dies with Christ to sin and lives to God and to his righteousness in obedient walks of faith and in moral purity, honesty, faithfulness, and in true worship of God.

[Hebrews 12:1-2; John 1:12-13; John 6:44; Ephesians 2:8-10]

So, if we want to know the plans that God has for our lives, and the good that he has planned for us, and not the evil, we need to read the New Testament books from beginning to end, in context. For his plan is that we die with him to sin, not just once, but daily, and that we walk in obedience to his commands in holy living, and that we no longer make sin our practice. For if sin is what we practice, and not righteousness, and not obedience to our Lord, then we will not inherit eternal life with God.

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

As the Deer

By Martin J. Nystrom
Based off Psalm 42:1

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

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

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Hubby and I went to my church Fish Fry for dinner tonight. Fish Fries area big thing here in my town. How about yours? Is this a big Midwestern thing or are they popular everywhere? All or almost all of the Catholic parishes I know of have them here on Ash Wednesday and Fridays during Lent.

The assistant director of Chaparral Baptist Assembly Camp in Iowa Park has been jailed on charges of Indecency with a Child through Sexual Contact.

Nathan Lee McDonald was arrested Wednesday by Wichita County Sheriff’s deputies.

Sheriff David Duke said the accusations came from an underage girl who is associated with the camp.

A monitored phone call earlier in February revealed McDonald making apologies to the girl and saying, "I know you trusted me and I betrayed that trust," according to the affidavit.

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This is what I have so far.

This paper below shows what I now believe to be the correct number of Israelites in the exodus from Egypt, etc. And instead of 2 million, it shows, and proves in my opinion, that the number was closer to 20 thousand, rather than 2 million, etc.

I could only read all of it by creating an account, and to download it costs money, but it is more than well worth creating an account, and/or doing so in my opinion, etc.


I never believed those numbers of the amount of people in the exodus from Egypt, as they created a lot of logic problems for me, but I now believe this paper is accurate, and shows the true numbers, etc, which is about 20 thousand, rather than 2 million, etc. You'll need to get a look at the whole paper to know how they reached this conclusion, etc, which will require you to at least make an account, etc, but it is well worth it in my view, etc.

This solves the problems of around 2/3 of the Egyptian population being all of the sudden gone, or disappearing, and of the building projects still going on afterwards, and a whole host of other logic problems or issues, etc, a lot of which the paper I linked gets into, or explains thoroughly, or a lot of, etc. And it partially solves the problem of not finding many Israelite dead in the Sinai wilderness today also, etc. And there are also other possible ideas/theories as to why we might not find any Israelite dead at all, etc, which I will name or list for you or post for you if you really want me to, etc.

Pinning down the exact dates of the Exodus from Egypt, and who was Pharaoh at the time is difficult, and there are many different views or possibilities, and the most challenging thing about them is, a lot of them are giving several or multiple different possibilities, and are adding that each one has pretty much equal support both biblically and scientifically and archaeologically, etc. The best I could provide you with right now is maybe a possible range of dates maybe, and of possible different Pharoahs for those time periods, etc.

Why we find no animal remains? The Israelites seem to have lost the animals they took with them from Egypt shortly after the Red Sea, etc, exactly why that is is anyone's guess, but they didn't seem to have them anymore shorty after the Red Sea, when they began quickly complaining that they were going to die of starvation without any food, and that the Bible records is when God started feeding them with heavenly mana supernaturally, etc.

And as mentioned earlier, why not any other archaeological evidence of campsites, or camping activity, etc? Well, they had no need of fire according to the Bible, as they were being provided with food, and fire/light/warmth at night supernaturally according to the Bible, etc. And they also were nomadic, and never stayed in one single place for very long, and dwelt in tents, and never built any more permanent structures, and took everything with them when they went, etc. And firewood, especially in great, or even moderate quantities, etc, is also very hard to come by in a desert, etc.

This is what I've come up with so far, etc.

I will provide more if and when I find more, and will now respond to posts/replies regarding this, but please read the paper I provided before responding if you can please, ok. It really is key, etc. And you tell me if you either accept or maybe reject it, and perhaps maybe why, etc.

God Bless.

I'm just curious, is the SDA the only Adventist denomination currently in existence?

Are there other smaller Adventists?

Blessings

Merrimack Superior Court Judge Andrew Schulman on July 7 approved the consolidation of over 640 civil cases filed by individuals who, as children, were court-ordered to state-run and private contracted juvenile facilities where they allege they suffered physical, sexual and emotional abuse by employees.

Legislators approved a $100 million settlement, but attorneys for the plaintiffs say the offer is inadequate and that they intend to proceed to trial with the majority of the cases.

[Just one] example of a failure to correct occurred around the same time as DCYF’s SYF investigation, when one of YDC’s counselors was prosecuted for criminal sexual misconduct.

Wesley Oates was accused of engaging in sexual misconduct with an adult female victim. The allegation was deemed credible by police, resulted in a temporary order of protection issued against Oates, and was later reported to the YDC administration in 1999. Despite a misdemeanor conviction arising from the criminal conduct, which was reported to a supervisor at YDC in 2000, YDC continued to employ Oates for another 20 years, during which he committed multiple acts of physical, sexual, and emotional violence against numerous child victims at the YDC and the YDSU, the lawsuit alleges.

The crowd, or lack thereof, at the Conservative Political Action Conference outside of Washington, DC raised eyebrows on Thursday as journalists and pundits across the political spectrum documented the poor turnout.

CPAC’s relevance has come under question in recent years as the event no longer includes a cross-section of the GOP and many of the speakers this year are fringe right-wing media figures like Steve Bannon, Mike Lindell, and conspiracy theorist Jack Posobiec.

The conference, which used to draw top elected Republicans and every GOP presidential contender, is only attended by one sitting governor and a handful of members of Congress this year. Vivek Ramaswamy is the only 2024 candidate – other than Trump – who is set to address the conference.

Matt Schlapp, the chairman of the American Conservative Union that puts on CPAC, addressed the conference Thursday. Schlapp is currently facing multiple accusations of sexual assault and a $9 million lawsuit from a former male staffer over alleged sexual misconduct.

...
“I’m here, and it hasn’t been empty. Lara Trump just said that it’s always darkest before the DON. Standing ovation,” wrote one CPAC attendee in response to Kassam, who replied:

You’re posting a picture from halfway up the room. My image shows the whole room. CPAC used to have 13,000 attendees. Your picture shows several hundred. Thank you for making my point. Enjoy your waste of time.

Click to expand...

I'm just curious, it's my understanding that alligators are safe for lents during Friday, but DUCKS are not.

What else is considered safe to eat during Friday?

Its clear in the Bible, you do not go to Heaven or to Hell, when you die..

Scripture says it plainly, you dont go to Hell or Heaven, you go back to dust in the grave, nothing more.

"19 By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” Genesis 3:19.

"21 Why then do you not pardon my transgression and take away my iniquity? For now I will lie down in the dust; And You will seek me, but I will not be." Job 7:21.

"10 But man dieth, and wasteth away: yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he?..12 So man lieth down, and riseth not: till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep." Job 14:10&12.

"17 The dead praise not the Lord, neither any that go down into silence." Psalm 115:17.

"4 When his breath departs, he returns to the earth; on that very day his plans perish." Psalm 146:4.

"19 For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity.20 All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again." Ecclesiastes 3:19-20.

This tells us that what happens to man and what happens to the beasts is the same, as one dies, so dies the other. They all have the same breath, and man has no advantage over the beasts. They all go to one place, which is the same. All are from the dust, and to dust all return. Solomon decleares in Ecclesiastes:

"5 For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten. 6 Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun." Ecclesiastes 9:5-6.

Over and over again the Bible says that the dead know nothing. These are only a few examples. The dead don’t think. They don’t praise the Lord. They have no consciousness. They return to the earth, as dust. The dead are in a completely unconscious state without thought or feeling, just as they would be if they were asleep.

Once people die, it’s like if they were to fall into a deep coma or sleep. They aren’t aware of anything at all, or passage of time in any form or communicating with those they left behind. If they return to dust as scripture says, its clear that the dead aren’t taken straight to Heaven, or to Hell for that matter. If they were with God as soon as they died, there would be no need for a Savior or Christs death at the cross. And if they went straight to Hell, there would be no need for the Second Death at the Lake of Fire as the scripture clearly shows us.

"15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire." Revelation 20:15.

The wicked are not found in the book of life and only at the lake of fire at the end do they find their punishment.

"8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death." Revelation 21:8.

Referring to death as a sleep is what we find throughout the Bible and when someone falls asleep, eventually they wake up again. So, what does it say in scripture as if the Bible describes death like a sleep, like something temporary, we can deduce that there must be some way to come back from death, to ‘“wake up,” as it were. But how does one “wake up” from death?

"14 And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just." Luke 14:14.

The idea of resurrection, of someone “waking up” from the dead, is throughout the Bible. Elijah and Elisha, through the power of God, raised people from the dead. Jesus did the same during his time on earth, bringing back a widow’s son, a young girl, and his dear friend Lazarus, proving that God’s power is greater than death. He can get us out of this first death, from this deep coma or sleep in the grave, to life everlasting.

"24 Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day." John 11:24.

Its called the resurrection of the just which scripture tells us will happen at the Second Coming for saints and Christ has the power and has promised to call us from the grave like Lazarus and take us to heaven to be with Him in His Heavenly Kingdom.

"15 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:" John 11:25.

We will be raised in the resurrection of the saints at the first resurrection, and the wicked will have to await the resurrection of damnation. No one goes to Heaven or Hell until these events at the very end at the Second Coming for the first resurrection for the just, and after the 1000 year Millennium, the resurrection of the unjust.

Let me get a few things straight. One I'm being totally serious. 2. I'm not talking about ALL Arminians. And 3. I'm not calling Arminian Protestants, Orthodox, Catholic or any other Christians thst believe in the fundamental basics of Christian theology not Christian. I'm talking about the ones that give Arminianism a bad name. They generally don't believe in repentance and they don't ask God for forgiveness. They just think that they're saved because a pastor told them so because they prayed a prayer once in their life and then never touched Christianity again. Never prayed to Jesus again or God and they go to church every Sunday thinking that they believe in a Biblical God when they in fact, don't believe in the God of the Bible because the real God of the Bible is way to "harsh" for them. Because of that they generally don't read the Bible or they twist it to say whatever their itching ears want to hear. They generally attend a church with a pride flag on it or to a church that completely waters down Christianity and they generally fall away from Christianity because they have no roots in Jesus because God is looking for repentant sinners not prideful "Christians" who love to twist the Bible to say whatever it is they want it to say. They generally sin without remorse and without thinking of the consequences of sin. They generally cling to verses like John 3:16 or some areas of the book of John but completely ignore the rest of the Bible and/or twist it.

If this describes you than I encourage you to defend why this kind of Christianity is biblical. Without twisting the Bible. Without saying that a loving God would never send a person to hell and without spitting in the face of the God of the Bible because that offends me SO much.

Such people are IMO heretics and generally give Arminianism a bad name. It's one thing to claim that God died for the world. Although that is borderline heresy but I'm mostly talking about the people I've described above. This is not a reformed vs Arminian theology thread. The Bible does have one verse that seems to suggest that which is where Jacob Arminius got the idea.

No im talking about a vast majority of the Arminian Christian population who do not believe in God but believe in a God of their own making because that's what Christianity has become these days. Just because you prayed a prayer once in your life does not mean that you are a Christian. It is heresy and God finds it offensive.

Does anyone have any interesting ideas as to what Jesus may have written?

John 8:6 NLT - "They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger."

All ideas are welcome, bickering and fighting is not.

Thanks!