It's been called the largest Christian event in Egypt's history as more than 17,000 attended a Gospel crusade and more than 7,800 people made a decision to put their faith in Jesus Christ.

Dr. Michael Youssef's Leading The Way ministry held the evangelistic event in Cairo last month and told CBN News he is praising God for the thousands who came forward seeking hope, healing, and change.
"It was an amazing experience," he recalled. "Past midnight, people did not want to leave and said, 'We just feel the Holy Spirit here' and it was a foretaste of Heaven. Just praising God."
The 75-year-old pastor of the Church of the Apostles in Atlanta, Georgia said he was invited to Egypt to preach by a cross-denominational coalition of pastors and leaders nearly a year ago.
"Twelve months ago I received an invitation from pastors and leaders representing 27 denominations and they said, 'We have never had an evangelistic outreach of that kind of magnitude. Would you pray about it?' I prayed about it and I felt, 'Of course, I will come.'"

Youssef said nearly a year of prayer went into preparing for the event. At the start of the Israel-Hamas war, he was urged to cancel because of mounting pressure in the Middle East.
"God knew 12 months ago when this was planned that this [war] was going to happen," he explained. "This is not taking Him by surprise. Can you imagine an announcement made that the evangelist is not coming because he is concerned about the situation in the Middle East?" Youssef asked. "What kind of a God do I worship? I am going no matter what. And I knew that I could trust God, this was God's plan and we want to be on His plan."
The executive president of Leading the Way went to Cairo last month on a mission to share a message of hope with Egyptians.

"I think there are many things that are going on right now. The war on the Northern border with Hamas, inflation is 40% in Egypt. People are really suffering and some are losing hope and they want something to hang their hope onto. They want to have peace and this is exactly the message I brought them. You can have peace in Christ, regardless of the circumstances and regardless of the surroundings, and it just resonated with them and I praise God for that because it was a simple message of the Gospel and the hunger was there," Youssef said.

Youssef attributed the event's unprecedented attendance to the power of prayer.
"There have been people who have been praying around the clock for nearly 12 months," he explained. "I always say this is God's answer to the prayers of the faithful people there....He responded to their prayers and their faith and gave them what is going to be now an igniting of a movement that is going to continue. It's not going to stop. We praise God for all those people."

Youssef, a native Egyptian who lived in Lebanon, says he is passionate about seeing the Middle East embrace Jesus Christ.
"The church is booming. It is amazing what God is doing. The evangelicals and Protestants may have been 250,000 or 300,000 back when I lived there 55 years ago. Now there are over 2 million evangelicals in Egypt and about 10 million Coptic Orthodox [Christians]. God is doing an amazing work and bringing people to Himself," he said.
Youssef added, "Please pray that God will keep that movement that was ignited to keep going for many years to come."



I praise the Lord that people are coming to a saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Gospel of Christ is far more powerful than anything else in the world. Please pray that more and more and more people in the Middle East, and all over the rest of the world, accept the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Savior.

Hello,
Asking for prayer that I would be able to move past some mental and emotional struggles that I have been going through recently. Lately, I have been feeling overwhelmed with regret and bitterness over bad choices that I have made in my life particularly a few years ago during a season where I was being rebellious toward God. During that time, I rejected Christian faith and lived a very destructive life and allowed many toxic relationships into my life. The choices I made during that time came with negative consequences that I am still dealing with to this day though God has graciously restored my life since then and even used my bad decisions and even their consequences for good.

Maybe I am just in a very emotional state right now or just overwhelmed with life in general, but lately I've just been so, so upset with myself over those bad choices. There are so many problems that I have to deal with on a daily basis, so much stress that I would not have if I had just not done certain things or not allowed certain relationships into my life. I know that I have been forgiven for my mistakes by God. I know that those mistakes were not the end of my story, but I am so bitter over the things that I did and how I am now still suffering as a result of them. It doesn't help that I have many people around me who are constantly reminding me of my past mistakes and trying to rub them in my face.

I've been on CF since the early 2010s. It's a shame I don't know what my old account is if it even exists. Well I'm looking for support but I can't post for some reason. This too shall pass I guess. Anyway, God bless you all.

I listed ten items of faith that Christians may regard as essential to salvation. It will be nice to know everyone's opinion. If I missed a necessary condition of salvation, please list it in your comments.

It is believed that a recent TikTok trend that spotlights a letter written by bin Laden 20 years ago could be contributing to the shocking results.
I believe the cause is propaganda from social media and our educational system.

What happens when the word "couple" is made the object of a verb?

I consulted the oracle Chat GPT.

Please provide example sentences in which the word "couple" is the object of a verb.

1. Invite:
   • "They decided to invite a couple to join them for dinner, hoping to share good food and conversation with friends."
2. Introduce:
   • "At the party, Sarah took the opportunity to introduce a couple she thought would get along well, sparking an instant connection."
3. Support:
   • "The community rallied together to support a struggling couple, offering assistance in various forms during a challenging time."
4. Counsel:
   • "As marriage counselors, their primary goal was to counsel couples facing difficulties and guide them toward healthier relationships."
5. Photograph:
   • "The photographer captured the essence of love as he photographed a couple sharing a tender moment during their engagement session."
6. Advise:
   • "Jane, an experienced matchmaker, was often asked to advise couples on navigating the complexities of modern dating and relationships."
7. Celebrate:
   • "Friends and family gathered to celebrate the engagement of the couple, showering them with love and well-wishes for their future together."
8. Witness:
   • "Their closest friends were honored to witness the couple exchange vows, pledging their commitment to each other in a heartfelt ceremony."
9. Surprise:
   • "For their anniversary, he decided to surprise his wife by arranging a romantic getaway for the couple, complete with a candlelit dinner and scenic views."
10. Interview:
    • "The journalist had the opportunity to interview a couple who had been married for 50 years, gaining insights into the secrets of a successful and enduring relationship."

Please provide more examples.

1. Visit:
   • "The couple decided to visit a charming bed and breakfast for their weekend getaway, exploring the picturesque town together."
2. Gift:
   • "As a gesture of goodwill, the neighbors decided to gift a couple a homemade meal to welcome them to the neighborhood."
3. Mentor:
   • "The seasoned couple volunteered to mentor younger couples, sharing their experiences and offering guidance on navigating the complexities of marriage."
4. Host:
   • "They volunteered to host a couple from out of town, providing them with a comfortable place to stay and showing them around the city."
5. Teach:
   • "The dance instructor patiently taught the couple the steps of a romantic ballroom dance, ensuring they were well-prepared for their wedding dance."
6. Comfort:
   • "In times of sorrow, friends and family gathered to comfort a grieving couple, offering support and condolences."
7. Challenge:
   • "The adventure-loving couple sought to challenge themselves by embarking on a daring backpacking trip through the rugged mountains."
8. Guide:
   • "The financial advisor took the time to guide the couple in managing their finances, helping them make informed decisions for a secure future."
9. Encourage:
   • "Friends encouraged the couple to pursue their dreams, providing the motivation and support needed to overcome obstacles."
10. Join:
    • "The book club invited the couple to join their discussions, fostering a shared love for literature and creating lasting friendships."

What if there will be little to no aid for Ukraine coming from Washington anytime soon? What does that mean for Kyiv in 2024? What does it mean for Russia?
The answers to these questions hinge on what one means by “anytime soon.” Much of the Western commentariat appears to assume the worst and that U.S. assistance will dry up completely. But such a scenario is improbable. The White House needs to keep funding Ukraine, and Congress needs to curb the flow of immigrants. Despite the bluster and chest-beating, a compromise is all but inevitable as neither side wants to “lose Ukraine” or fail to “stop the flood” of immigrants in an election year. The only question is whether the funding will resume in a few weeks or months.
Given such circumstances, Kyiv’s strategy is clear: to keep doing what it has been doing very effectively. That means degrading Russia’s navy, air force, transportation networks, and strategic infrastructure and inflicting high casualties on Russian soldiers.
The reality is that Ukraine’s counter-offensive was sputtering almost from the very beginning. It’s not as if the Ukrainians had been relentlessly attacking for the last few months and suddenly realized a few weeks ago (when General Valery Zaluzhny openly spoke of “stalemate”) that they’re making little to no progress. On the contrary, the Ukrainians have long since assumed the same defensive positions that Western policymakers and analysts recommended. The Russian side has been attacking along much of the front while simultaneously engaging in human-wave tactics that have produced few territorial gains and huge casualties.

How should Christians relate to homeless people, and how should they help? Should they help?
Is it a matter of prayer only, or what else should be offered?
Should non-Christians be helped?
What are your opinions? And what does the Bible say?
Are you, as saved Christians, under any obligation to help others?

Here is a video about one woman's experience of homelessness..
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In Western modernity the day begins and ends at midnight...
What about in Christianity, and in the early church?
At what time, or at what point does Sunday become Monday... Or Tuesday become Wednesday?
When exactly does one day end and another begin?

Good day I'm asking for prayer for the salvation of the persons attending Minakshe Marie Amen Devi Temple, Rama Krishna Blenheim Mandir, Riverstown Mandir, Hampton Court Mandir, Affiance Vishnu Mandir, Unity Shiv Mandir, Stewartville Mandir, Meer-Zorg Vishwa Jyoti Mandir, New Forest Hindu Temple, Nigg Kali mandir, Topoo Lakshmi narayan Mandir, Vidya Dhan Mandir, Fyrish Hindu Mandir, Hampshire Sanatan Mandir, Reliance Settlement Sanatan Mandir and Edinburgh Shree Krishna Mandir. Please pray for them and the salvation of their families. Thank you for all of your prayer.

Background information leading up to the vision:
I never believed in any more prophets after Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ, referred to as "seal of the prophets" by Tertullian, paid the price for sin and there was no need for more prophets to tell of His (The Word Jesus Christ) coming. I am here to discuss a vision I had October 5th, 2023. Two days before the massacre in Israel-Gaza. I have been addicted to many things my entire life, but I had gone completely cold turkey off of everything for some reason, I wondered why. Then October 5th happened, and I had a vision. I classify this as a vision instead of a dream because of how real it was, my memory of it, and the prophetic nature. I am not saying I am a prophet. I do believe that people prophesy, according to God's will, but there are no more revelations in order to be saved, just prophesy that the LORD allows us to have based on the holy scriptures. After this vision, I had went on medication for schizophrenia, I could not handle this vision and the truth it meant for me. I still cannot fathom the depths of the mind of GOD after this experience. It changed a lot for me. I have been addicted for almost 15 years, and it was impossible for me to get off, let alone cold turkey off everything. The setup for this vision to me had to be planned by GOD in order to receive this prophetic vision, I was sober for three months, before going back to schizophrenic medication, prescribed by my Doctor, today I cannot even get off my medication for 1 day or 2 days without feeling so sick, so this to me, was truly a gift to experience, but also took a toll on my mind being revealed a truth from the LORD.

The vision:
White male in suit gives woman diamond jewelry shining so bright all over her. Man goes into house with woman. Door closes, demonic chant starts "Mark of the beast" and "Satan's Call" over and over, while a red upside down pentagram was being shown on the door.

This happened on October 5th, 2023.

That is all.

Thank you for listening.

I have my own interpretation but I won't go deeper unless asked based on the responses to this post. If I see positive responses, I might be more forthcoming on my interpretation of what happened. If there are negative responses, then I don't feel the need to share more.

Born as a cradle catholic, turned into gospel believing born again Christian (not affiliated with any particular denomination). I worship Jesus Christ as my Lord and my God. As a baby I was baptized, completed all roman catholic sacraments except confirmation and marriage. I started reading the bible and could not find a denomination or church close by that I could connect with so I worship in my room with my door closed like Jesus said in the holy scriptures. God bless you and may Jesus Christ save the world. Amen!

Where can I get a book or Bible with John 10 for a 12-year-old?

It's made very clear in Psalm 139:16 whether you read it in Hebrew or whether you read it in your favorite Bible translation. God has predetermined the lives of humanity. It's not just declared by King David the entire Bible confirms it.

While God has predetermined the lives of humanity this does not mean the following:

1. That humanity will not be judged for and held accountable for their own actions.
2. That humanity are robots who have no will and are incapable of making their own decisions.
3. That God is in any way, shape, or form Evil or unrighteous.


After all Paul answers this very question in the book of Romans with. "Who are you to answer back to God?"

Paul recognized this very subject as people interpreting to be "unfair" or "unjust". But nowhere in the Bible does it say that anyone will get injustice. We cannot tell God what to be or who to be God just is as he is. I know many people will say "I don't want to worship a God like that" and come up with their own ideas of what God is and can be but the God of the Bible is the God of the Bible. You cannot hide from the God of the Bible and ultimately it is the God of the Bible that is real and will one day judge the world.

But lets try to answer this question differently than how Paul answered it. If God has already determined the lives of humanity why exactly are we held accountable for our actions? Afterall God declared that they happen right? Well, yes that's correct. God DID declare that they happen.

The simplest way to answer this question is because they're OUR actions. Just because God has declared what we will do and nobody can overwrite God doesn't mean that we did not in fact do the actions. It also doesnt mean that God has no right to do with his creation whatever he wants to do with them. God also is a God who knows the entire lives of humanity and how they will react and what they will do. But God not only knows the actions of mankind, the Bible says that he predetermined them and that he also will judge the wicked based on what they have done.

So why are we held accountable for actions that God declared in the first place? Afterall it was God who made us all sinners right? Wrong. While God predestined the actions of Adam and Eve he did not actually make them do those actions. Adam and Eve brought sin into the world on their own accord and by their own "free" will. They after all, ate the forbidden fruit because they believed lucifer when he said that they will become God's if they ate it. That is how sin entered a "perfect" world. Not just because God predetermined it to happen.

It's like this and I can use myself as an example. I weigh over 400 pounds. I'm a glutton who enjoys eating unhealthy food. I eat unhealthy food because I want to and because it tastes good. God may have predetermined that I be morbidly obese but it is my own actions and "free" will that cause me to eat tasty and unhealthg food and thus sin and thus make myself slowly fatter. It's also been the will of God that I lose almost 40 pounds (I weigh 420 pounds now and weighed almost 455 at my heaviest). I did the actions of losing the weight despite God declaring " you will lose 40 pounds."


This may not be "fair" but this is how things are run. God to a lot of people is "unfair" but we see God at the moment as sinners. One day we will see God for what he truly is whether we spend eternity in heaven or hell. Not one word will be spoken on judgement day except from God because we will ALL see that God was right all along and that we deserve to be punished because we've sinned against a completek Holy and righteous God.


Paul really does answer this very question perfectly "who are we to talk back to God and tell God how to be?" It's about time we stop looking at God as unrighteous sinners and worship him for what he truly is, the God of the universe!

A pro-Texas independence movement has said it will take the state Republican party to court after it rejected its proposal to put the question of secession on the ballot in 2024. [The proposal] would not be legally binding and would serve only as an advisory vote.

Republican Party of Texas Chairman Matt Rinaldi said the vast majority of the 139,456 signatures delivered to the Republican Party headquarters in Austin earlier this month were invalid.

In a statement, TEXIT leader Daniel Miller said: "We hereby reject the decision of the Republican Party of Texas and fully intend to litigate to secure the rights of the petition signers as guaranteed by the Texas Election Code," Miller added.

Questions approved by the Texas GOP to appear on the March ballot include if a 'Border Protection Unit' should be created, urging Congress not to grant amnesty for illegal aliens, and banning the sale of state land to buyers from China, Iran, North Korea and Russia.

[It seems odd to me that these proposal go through the parties, but I guess it's the Texas way? In California, you get your signatures, and the Secretary of State puts your cockamamie idea on the ballot.]

see also

Ok,some of you know that I recently bought an ESV Study Bible for Christmas. Now I’m wondering if I should get a Catholic Study Bible at some point as well. (Gift card)
If so, what do you suggest? I’d be concentrating my study on Genesis mostly, but really would like something that’s teaches the entire Bible, but with good footnotes or essays on the OT.
Most of the Catholic Study Bibles are individual books. If I buy one, I’d want an entire Bible.
Is The Catholic Study Bible NABRE second edition or third edition by Donald Senior helpful? Any other recommendations?

Being my first post I thought I would start at the beginning.

It seems that as we progress through time, more info is revealed to us. As such I enjoy finding or hearing about clues or information regarding biblical history and what the future holds for us.

Do we have any clues to the Adamic Language, or the language methods used by Adam and Eve which probably would have been passed down a few generations. The Tower of Babel created or separated languages biblically.

Do we know how many years ago Genesis occurred? I often see the 5500-6000 year range.

I feel like the more we study the beginning, the better chance of returning to certain qualities of it like lifespan and perhaps a better connection like Adam and Eve once had. A better balanced nature.

To reason together means to prove, decide, judge, rebuke, reprove, and correct. It means to exercise common sense and to not go by our feelings. And how do we do this with God? We must be those who are willing to listen to him and to what his word teaches us we must do as his followers. For we cannot reason together with the Lord if we are holding on to our own stubborn ways and opinions and if we will not consider the teachings of the Scriptures in their full context. We cannot shut God out!

For reason has to do with wisdom and with good sound judgment and considering all the facts and having our minds and hearts open to having our thinking changed if our thinking has been wrong because of sin or because we have been deceived or because of brainwashing and/or human tradition, etc. For many of us were taught things wrongly early on in our lives. So if we are reasonable people we will be willing to see where we have gotten things wrong and we will be willing to change course.

For if we hold on to what we have always believed or been taught, and if we are not willing to read the Scriptures in their full context and to accept that we maybe had some things wrong, if we did, indeed, then we are not being reasonable, but we are being bull-headed and stubborn. For to be reasonable people is to be sensible, rational, practical, realistic, fair, logical, and levelheaded. But it is to be openminded, too, not to contradicting the Lord, but willing to see if we have maybe gotten some things wrong.

And what was the Lord asking them to be reasonable about? Well, they were those who professed his name and that they were his children, but they were living in open rebellion against the Lord. They were living in sin. They were evildoers who dealt corruptly. They had forsaken the Lord. They were utterly estranged from him. But they were those who went through the motions of religious practice, which God sees as hypocrisy. And so he counseled them to cease to do evil and to learn to do good.

So, what is the Lord asking of us who profess his name today to reason with him about? Well, for one, many who are professing his name are still walking in sin, still making sin their habit, their practice, deliberately and habitually. And many are doing this without conscience for they have accepted the lies as the truth and they have rejected the truth as though it is a lie. So he wants them to examine with him what the Scriptures teach, in full context, so that they can see that he is not okay with them living that way.

For many are teaching today that we can make a profession of faith once in our lives and now all our sins are forgiven (past, present, and future), and heaven is now secured for us when we die, and nothing can take that away from us, but regardless of how we live. But that is not what Jesus taught. And it is not what his NT apostles taught. For Jesus taught that if anyone would come after him he must deny self, die daily to sin, and follow him in obedience. And if we don’t, we will not inherit eternal life with God.

So, it is not those who merely profess faith in Jesus Christ who are forgiven of their sins and promised heaven as their eternal destiny. It is all who are willing and obedient to the Lord who have forgiveness of sins and the hope of eternal life with God. For Jesus said that not everyone who says to him, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one DOING the will of God the Father in heaven. And many will stand before him one day claiming him as Lord and all that they did in his name, and he is going to reject them.

And this is not just OT teaching. This is what the NT teaches. We must walk (in conduct, in practice) according to the Spirit and not according to the flesh. We must deny self, die daily to sin, and follow our Lord in obedience. We must forsake our lives of living in sin and for self, and we must surrender our lives to the will of God to now walk in his ways if we want to have eternal life with God in heaven. For if we rebel, and we continue in deliberate and habitual sin, we will not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

[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 3:5-11; 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]

Oh, to Be Like Thee, Blessed Redeemer

Lyrics by Thomas O. Chisholm, 1897
Music by W. J. Kirkpatrick, 1897

Oh, to be like Thee! blessèd Redeemer,
This is my constant longing and prayer;
Gladly I’ll forfeit all of earth’s treasures,
Jesus, Thy perfect likeness to wear.

Oh, to be like Thee! full of compassion,
Loving, forgiving, tender and kind,
Helping the helpless, cheering the fainting,
Seeking the wandering sinner to find.

O to be like Thee! lowly in spirit,
Holy and harmless, patient and brave;
Meekly enduring cruel reproaches,
Willing to suffer others to save.

O to be like Thee! while I am pleading,
Pour out Thy Spirit, fill with Thy love;
Make me a temple meet for Thy dwelling,
Fit me for life and Heaven above.

Oh, to be like Thee! Oh, to be like Thee,
Blessèd Redeemer, pure as Thou art;
Come in Thy sweetness, come in Thy fullness;
Stamp Thine own image deep on my heart.

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What To Do Before We Die

Every few weeks, I go to our local library and peruse their book sale tables. Recently, I found 1,000 places to see before you die, by Patricia Schultz. A much-travelled freelance writer, she compiled a list of places that would "impress upon the visitor — and the reader — some sense of the earth's magic, integrity, wonder, and legacy".

In the last twenty years, I've been blessed to travel in many areas of the world, and I love to read about others' travels, so I deposited my quarter and took the book. I was curious to see how many places she chose that I've either travelled to or read about. I didn't agree with all her recommendations, but on the whole, it was enjoyable to see what this travel expert determined were important places to see and experience "before you die" as compared to my own travel and reading experiences.

However, I think that a more important list would be "How to live for Christ before we die", or in other words, how to live with an eternal perspective.

2 Corinthians 4:18 – We look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. (ESV)

James 4:14 – Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. (ESV)

Ecclesiastes 3:11 – He has put eternity into man's heart. (ESV)

We have a limited time on earth, but what we do with that time affects eternity. This eternal perspective should govern our lives: our interactions with others, the words that we speak, our thoughts, and our behaviour in times of grief and stress. All of this should reflect our confident belief that God is real and faithful and that He is the answer to every need in anyone's life.

Psalm 48:14 – For this is God, our God forever and ever; He will be our guide even to death. (NKJV)

If we trust in Him, He will guide us as we seek to focus on what is most important to do before we die:

list of 5 items
• Acts 16:31 – Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved. (ESV)
• Proverbs 3:5 – Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. (ESV)
• Mark 16:15 – Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel. (ESV)
• 2 Corinthians 9:7b – God loves a cheerful giver. (ESV)
• Galatians 6:9a – And let us not grow weary of doing good. (ESV)
list end

As we enter a new year, let's determine to concentrate on living for Christ and paying attention to our actions and thoughts to make sure that they reflect this eternal perspective.

Prayer: Father, we get so bound up in our daily tasks and events that we forget where our focus should be. Help us to live with an eternal perspective, so much so that it draws others to You. Amen.

Why do I do what I do each day?
Why do I trust God and to Him pray?
Why do I give my life up to Him?
Why do I live for Him, not for a whim?

I have learned many things in my life.
Some things I learned from Him, learned in strife.
Empty, hurting I was, needed Him.
Needed the light of truth, not what’s dim.

Needed a fortitude, strength within.
Needed my sins forgiv’n, life in Him.
Needed a purpose, a plan for life.
Needed lies not believe that are rife.

In Christ I found what my life’s all about.
My faith increased in Him, not with a doubt.
Living for Him I now do ev’ry day,
Doing what He says to do and to say.

I find fulfillment in my life in Him.
And that is not going out on a limb.
For I do not operate now in myself.
In Christ, I find in Him, all of my wealth.

An Original Work / December 30, 2023

as a physically disabled person, an ugly, deformed physically disabled person at that, how can I see those words and believe them? I feel like I'm of such poor worksmanship that if I'm truly in the image of God, then it reflects badly on His abilities. Why would God create such an horrible image? I feel so badly made that I feel like I make Him look bad just by existing, much less my inability to do things that other people take for granted.

There's a point of humility where it just becomes self depreciation and feeling worthless.

The children of Israel were in a unique situation unlike we who believe in Jesus Christ are today. For they were God’s chosen people by physical birth as physical descendants of Abraham and Sarah. But this did not mean that all of them believed in the Lord with genuine faith, and it did not mean that all of them followed the Lord in righteousness and in holy living and in obedience to the Lord and to his commands. And that was evident, too, during the time that they wandered in the wilderness for forty years.

Now we are God’s chosen people only by genuine faith in Jesus Christ, a faith which is evidenced by us dying with Christ to sin and us living to God and to his righteousness. But it is possible for a true believer in Christ, at some time in his life, to wander and to need to be brought back into fellowship with the Lord. And we do have many professers of faith in Jesus Christ, too, who give lip service to him only, but who have never died to sin and who have not, thus, been born again to new life in Christ.

So, presently within the gatherings of the church we have those giving lip service only to the Lord but whose lives have never surrendered to Jesus Christ. And we have those whose lives are committed to the Lord to walking in faithfulness to God and in holy living. And we have those who once walked with the Lord in holy living but who have fallen back into sin and who are presently wandering like many did in the wilderness. And then among us are also those who have never made a profession of faith in the Lord.

But the people being spoken of here, in today’s world, are those who have knowledge of God and of his word and of what he expects of us who profess him as Lord and Savior. They are not the spiritually ignorant, but they are the spiritually void of genuine faith and/or of walks of obedient faith in the Lord Jesus in holy living. Many of them are wandering. Some of them make strides towards obedience to the Lord, but in the flesh, and so they always fail. They always come up short because they are not yielded to God.

So these are people like the Israelites who wandered in the wilderness for forty years, who did not obey the Lord but who went their own way, instead. They know the truth, but they are avoiding having to obey the truth. For they are those who, even though they know the right way, have chosen to go the wrong way, for they are those who desire evil and not God, and not his righteousness and holiness. For they are the sexually immoral, the idolaters, the revelers, the worldly, and the rebellious who go their own way.

But they are also the unsettled, always looking for something that will satisfy the deep longings of their souls, but who are looking for fulfillment and peace and satisfaction in all the wrong places. They know the right way, and they know what they need to do to walk in the ways of the Lord, but they continue to go the wrong way, instead, for that is what their flesh craves. That is what their hearts really desire. And they don’t follow the Lord because they know that means giving up their sins. So they don’t.


Those who know the way of righteousness but who refuse it are miserable people. They are the wanderers in the wilderness who know there is a promised land on the other side, who can see it, and who sometimes make strides that direction, but who ultimately fail because they are still walking in the flesh, still trying the “my do it” approach that never produces anything good. And it is because they don’t want to let go of their pride and their lusts and their sinful practices. But we cannot live in both worlds.

So they are not at peace. They are unsettled in heart and mind. They are the angry, the resentful, the bitter, the unforgiving who hate what they cannot achieve themselves in the flesh. And so they hate those who are walking in holiness and in righteousness and in obedience to the Lord. For the truly righteous are an offense to them. For the truly righteous are always a reminder to them of where they should be but are not. And that bitterness comes out in how they may treat those who are walking in faith.

And so the counsel here to these wanderers is to wash themselves, not physically, but spiritually, and not in their own strength and power, but by yielding control of their lives over to the Lord to now submit to his will and purposes and to walk in his ways and in obedience to his commands. But this involves them first dying with Christ to sin so that they can be reborn of his Spirit to new lives in Christ. And then they can walk in his ways in his power by the grace of God in the strength of the Lord.

[Matthew 7:21-23; Luke 9:23-26; Romans 2:6-8; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10,19-20; 2 Corinthians 5:15; Galatians 5:16-21; Galatians 6:7-8; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Hebrews 10:23-31; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 Jn 1:5-10; 1 Jn 2:3-6; 1 Jn 3:4-10]

Seek the Lord

An Original Work / July 20, 2012
Based off Isaiah 55

“Come to Me all you who thirst; come to waters.
Listen to Me, and eat what’s good today,
And your soul will delight in richest of fare.
Give ear to Me, and you will live.
I have made an eternal covenant with you.
Wash in the blood of the Lamb.”

Seek the Lord while He may be found; call on Him.
Let the wicked forsake his way, in truth.
Let him turn to the Lord, and he will receive mercy.
Freely, God pardons him.
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,”
declares the Lord, our God.

“My word that goes out of My mouth is truthful.
It will not return to Me unfulfilled.
My word will accomplish all that I desire,
And achieve the goal I intend.
You will go in joy and be led forth in peace.
The mountains will burst into song… before you,
And all of the trees clap their hands.”

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I am bothered by the hunger and homelessness in America. I believe part of the problem is the Federal reserve's monetary policy from the GFC. They kept interest rates low which allowed corporations and investors to buy up assets thus creating inflation. Home prices has risen thus causing property taxes and insurance to increase thus hurting people who were living paycheck to paycheck. Then we had COVID.

"One out of every five children in the U.S. does not have enough food to eat, but the reality of the suffering that is now taking place just isn’t sinking in for many of those that are still living the high life.

Meanwhile, homelessness in the U.S. is increasing at the fastest rate ever recorded…"