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Another day another western "progressive" (use very loosely) individual or corporation think their believes override local norms and laws. Getting real tired of these kind of nonsense. There are a few things I find perplexing about this:

1. Why did the band accepted the invitation in the first place knowing full well what Malaysia is like?
2. Why after knowing full well the laws and customs here did they perform live a gay kiss?
3. Why later complain online about being invited to a country that doesn't accept your ideology?

Surprisingly all these can be answered the same: Disrespect. They hated our customs and laws so they accepted the invitation so they can disrespect our country live in person then while going away poured oil unto the fire by dissing us online. Great attitude.

I personally don't like how my country has broad laws against LGBT people. You know what I USE (no longer) do about it? Be respectful and try to change opinion thru reasoning. There is a saying that you attract more flies with honey than vinegar. Bringing people into common ground. Pulling a stunt like this undoes all the good moderate people here have achieved. In a blink of an eye all the good will built up burnt down.

And who do we have that to thank for? Western "progressive" ideologs. Thank you The 1975 and Swatch. For every painstaking brick we put up, you ignorantly torn down two whole walls. But I guess it is a good thing. A blessing in disguise. After all the things I see and read happening in the west currently, maybe it is for the better.

How well do you think the people at your congregation are versed in the Bible beyond the traditional stories that are commonly taught to kids?

It’s 8 years old, but a lot of you might have missed this one - an animated Orthodox flick that deals with Stalinism and faith on a children’s level, “The Unusual Adventures of Seraphima”, set in Stalinist Russia during the war, it follows the experience of the daughter of a priest whose family was suppressed, and father murdered, living in a Soviet orphanage for girls. The movie is fine for children to watch. It’s actually fairly sophisticated, and you can pick up interesting clues and Easter eggs if you understand what things are. only a couple of things aren’t translated, the dates on the calendar and they briefly show letters that a girl is using the blank backs of to draw pictures on, and if you can read the letters, you can see that they are denunciations of people, the sort that got people imprisoned or executed.

The subtitles are less than perfect, but you can generally make out what they mean. (One more obvious point is when they have the girl saying, “you missed me” when it’s obvious that she meant “I missed you”. The translator sometimes writes the stuff in what I call “Russlish”. But it’s totally watchable and worth it.

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Right now I feel like everything I think is the unpardonable sin is and if I say for example scootering is the unpardonable sin then it is and I will commit the unpardonable sin b using a scooter. Help me please

Dun Briste, an Impressive Sea-Stack in Ireland.



Dun Briste - an Impressive Sea-Stack - Unusual Places

Heard this on The Wonder Years and it was really convicting and it made me think about evangelism (Back story, Kevin and some friends are planning a 'walkout' at school to protest the war and the principal told them anyone who walks out will be suspended and it will go on their permanent record)...

"In a way you're lucky to have opposition, that's the way life is. It's easy to take a stand on something if there's no risk involved. It's easy to give a quarter to a poor man if you keep a dollar for yourself. It's easy to take a stand against the war so long as nobody asks you to make a real sacrifice."

I feel that's the same way with Christianity... So many people will do the things that don't take any risk, they'll take the easy road. But when it comes to evangelizing and actually putting ourselves out into the harvest field, that's where the real sacrifice comes into play and it's where only a few people are willing to go.

Are you willing to take a risk and make the sacrifice?

LINK

On Friday, federal prosecutors in Virginia said James Gordon Meek, 53, admitted using an online messaging service to send and receive images of children engaged in sexual acts.

Federal authorities searched Meek’s home last April, and he took a leave of absence from ABC News.

The raid on Meek’s house was first noted in an article published by Rolling Stone last year, which suggested the search was somehow connected to Meek’s work as an investigative reporter covering various security-related matters. It was later revealed that the magazine’s editor, Noah Shachtman, knew Meek was being investigated on child pornography charges, but worked to cover up those details because he had a personal connection with the journalist. The cover-up was exposed by NPR earlier this year.

I listen to as many of Met. Neophytos's homilies as possible. They have helped me through much of what's been going on. I'm so glad this video popped up in my youtube subscriptions this morning. As always, his homilies are crucial at this time (and all times, really). I wrote down the prayers he strongly recommended, and took heed of his recommended practices, which should be more often.

Brothers and Sisters, I hope his homily fortifies and inspires you as it did me.

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The other day I found a quote from brother Yun (Chinese Pastor). Since then, I have been thinking a lot about his quote and I have also been reading Acts where the disciples were given the gift of tongues.
Here is the quote:

“The church today lacks this. The Holy Spirit descended as a tongue. It is the Spirit that transforms our tongues. Those that couldn’t talk became preachers. The disciples received a message. They received power, clarity and boldness and they started preaching the Gospel.”

Before the Holy Spirit comes on the early disciples in the upper room, and before Jesus ascended to heaven, Jesus said in Acts 1:8 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” So, those who received the Holy Spirit, will tell everyone about Jesus. They will be his witnesses. They will not hold back, and God will give them the gift of speech. The Holy Spirit gives us a drive to fulfil the great commission.

We see in Acts 2:11 that, when the believers received the Holy Spirit, that they spoke about the things of God. And since the people listening were from all over the world, the Spirit also gave the believers the ability to speak in foreign languages so that others may know about the wonderful works of God.

Today, we who have the Holy Spirit, we will speak to everyone about the goodness of God. Just as Acts 1:8 says. We have received power, clarity and boldness to tell of the Good News to those that do not believe, and we will do it in such a way that those listening will understand. Thus, we have the gift of tongues, albeit, in our native language, English. So, I believe that those who have the Holy Spirit will go and tell as many people in our country about the Good News as possible. It is a fire that God has put there within us. And it does not need to be in a foreign language. (Though, God can bless someone to be able to speak in another language if needed)

Acts 2:1-11 says, “When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance.
Now there were Jews living in Jerusalem, devout men from every nation under heaven. And when this sound occurred, the crowd came together, and were bewildered because each one of them was hearing them speak in his own language. They were amazed and astonished, saying, “Why, are not all these who are speaking Galileans? “And how is it that we each hear them in our own language to which we were born? “Parthians and Medes and Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the districts of Libya around Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs—we hear them in our own tongues speaking of the mighty deeds of God.”

So, I believe that all who have the Holy Spirit will speak forth the Good News. The Holy Spirit was given so that we would be His witnesses to the ends of the earth. We are to go outside the church and speak to as many as possible.

NOTE: Even though we speak with clarity and unbelievers understand, they can still choose not to believe. Some love their sin more than God and some are not wise. Others will have deaf ears, hearing it clearly but not perceiving it.

Concerning wisdom (BSB) Proverbs 8:

22 The LORD created [H7069] me as His first course, before His works of old.
23 From everlasting I was established, from the beginning, before the earth began.
24 When there were no watery depths, I was brought forth, when no springs were overflowing with water.

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Brown-Driver-Briggs:

H7069 occurs 85 times. The word is ambiguous.

ESV:

22“The LORD possessed me at the beginning of his work, the first of his acts of old.

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NIV:

The LORD brought me forth as the first of his works, before his deeds of old;

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Brenton Septuagint Translation:
The Lord made me the beginning of his ways for his works.

The Greek word in LXX is not ambiguous.

Pulpit Commentary:

Even if wisdom was created. The Word was not.

Notice it says the people of the prince to come , not the nation. Who were the people that came to destroy the sanctuary in 70 AD?

The Histories​

by​

Publius Cornelius Tacitus​

Book 5 - (A.D. 70)​

[5.1] EARLY in this year Titus Caesar, who had been selected by his father to complete the subjugation of Judaea, and who had gained distinction as a soldier while both were still subjects, began to rise in power and reputation, as armies and provinces emulated each other in their attachment to him. The young man himself, anxious to be thought superior to his station, was ever displaying his gracefulness and his energy in war. By his courtesy and affability he called forth a willing obedience, and he often mixed with the common soldiers, while working or marching, without impairing his dignity as general. He found in Judaea three legions, the 5th, the 10th, and the 15th, all old troops of Vespasian's. To these he added the 12th from Syria, and some men belonging to the 18th and 3rd, whom he had withdrawn from Alexandria. This force was accompanied by twenty cohorts of allied troops and eight squadrons of cavalry, by the two kings Agrippa and Sohemus, by the auxiliary forces of king Antiochus, by a strong contingent of Arabs, who hated the Jews with the usual hatred of neighbours, and, lastly, by many persons brought from the capital and from Italy by private hopes of securing the yet unengaged affections of the Prince. With this force Titus entered the enemy's territory, preserving strict order on his march, reconnoitring every spot, and always ready to give battle. At last he encamped near Jerusalem.

You can see by this that the people were Romans, Syrians and Arabs. So which group of people do you think Daniel 9:26 is referring to ?
My guess is the Arabs based on what is happening today. They seem to be the one signing peace treaties with Israel and in the process of signing the Abrahamic Covenant.
Why would the Romans need to sign a peace treaty, with someone that they are not hostile toward or at war with?

Nicolas Notovitch in 1896 published a translation form Tibetan of an account of Jesus in India and Tibet. How can this be verified and how well is this account regarded?

The record of healings and turning people from their idols... are they more than legend?

Here are two YouTube videos:
Notovitch's Account of Jesus in India

Translation of Account of Jesus in India

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Many Christian men are still hooked in the idea that the traditional wife or the traditional marriage is something still common today. And they end up in a very bad shape, when they realize it is not.

Be careful not to project old ideas into the world in which these ideas no longer exist. So that you will not be destroyed. The justice system will be against you, will not hold to the same values as you do and will not care about any traditional values.

If you have any doubts or see some red flags about your woman, do not marry her.

Red-state education restrictions leave textbook publishers in a bind​

For many educational publishing companies and book sellers, sales are plunging as districts shy from purchasing content they fear might fall afoul of state laws restricting education on race, sex and gender — or draw complaints amid a historic surge in book challenges. Meanwhile, frazzled firms are spending months negotiating with education departments, politicians and school officials to ensure the books they sell won’t leave them imprisoned, slapped with onerous fines or banned from doing business in a state under the raft of new legislation.

In Texas, publishers and sellers must spend the next year screening every book they’ve sold to public school districts in order to recall any “sexually explicit” titles — defined as material that “describes, depicts, or portrays sexual conduct … in a way that is patently offensive” — under a law signed June 13. In Tennessee, book publishers, distributors and sellers who provide “obscene” material to schools could face six years in jail and a roughly $100,000 fine per a law that took effect July 1.

And in Florida, textbook publishers weary from last year’s contentious back-and-forth with the Education Department over allegedly racist content in math textbooks are now fighting over social studies textbooks. The department rejected more than 30 such tomes this spring and sought edits to an additional 47, partly in compliance with a year-old state law that prohibits making students feel “guilt, anguish, or … psychological distress” because of their race during lessons about America’s past.

Publishers ‘desperate’ for clarity

McGraw Hill emailed asking about a new requirement for Florida K-12 social studies materials: that “primary source documents … be included and unedited.”
“What does ‘unedited’ mean? Does it mean that we must include the entire primary source?” the executive wrote. “If we are allowed to use excerpts, what constitutes editing? For example, can we use ellipses?”
The Florida Education Department does not appear to have responded directly, per the email records; a staffer forwarded the queries to two superiors.

other states are undertaking novel, intensive examinations of educational materials, in part by mandating more “community reviews” of educational books and textbooks before schools and school districts can purchase the material.
In at least one state that wound up rejecting some of his company’s textbooks last year, the executive said, negative community reviews appear to have played a role.
[States obviously can't even provide any clarity to textbook publishers if individual citizens have power to reject textbooks for reasons of their own.]

Booboisie populism is throttling small government conservatism within the GOP.

I went to Jesuit University and I am not Christian, but most my family is and I talk to a lot of them. This would have been not a softball question to a practicing Christian, but a T-ball question. Trump blows it because he knows not one thing about nor practices the faith he claims to maintain. It is just a conduit to get where he was to go. It's worse than his "two Corinthians" answer.

Yes, if you believe their worldview. No, if you believe in Paul's worldview. The same can be said about karate.

Make sure you hold on to 1 Corinthians 8:

4 Therefore, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that “an idol has no real existence,” and that “there is no God but one.” 5For although there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth—as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”— 6yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.

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If your spiritual conscience is weak or insecure, I advise against practicing Yoga. Try some neutral fitness exercises instead. Personally, I have tried Yoga, tai chi, karate, etc. but I don't practice any of them. I practice Psalm 1:

2 But his delight is in the Law of the LORD, and on His law he meditates day and night.

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Should Christians bow down before other gods?

No, Exodus 23:

24 Do not bow down before their gods or worship them or follow their practices. You must demolish them and break their sacred stones to pieces.

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Still, there was an exception according to Elisha in 2 Kings 5:

17 Then Naaman said, “If not, please let there be given to your servant two mule loads of earth, for from now on your servant will not offer burnt offering or sacrifice to any god but the LORD. 18In this matter may the LORD pardon your servant: when my master goes into the house of Rimmon to worship there, leaning on my arm, and I bow myself in the house of Rimmon, when I bow myself in the house of Rimmon, the LORD pardon your servant in this matter.” 19He said to him, “Go in peace.”

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Your conscience plays a role in these issues. If it bothers your conscience, then it is a sin to you.

Can a Christian swear an oath?

Matthew 5:

33 “Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill to the Lord the vows you have made.’ 34But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; 35or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. 36And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. 37All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.

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Jesus warned against easy and routine oath swearing practiced by some Jews at the time. There were proper occasions, 2 Corinthians 1:

23 But I call on God as witness against me: it was to spare you that I did not come again to Corinth.

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Galatians 1:

20 In what I am writing to you, before God, I do not lie!

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Can a Christian swear an oath?

Yes, swearing before a judge is okay. A marriage vow is okay. Etc.

Let proposition P1 = Everyone who calls himself a Christian should follow the example set by Jesus and obey his teachings.

I claim that P1 is true.

Ephesians 5:1-2

Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.

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ESV John 14:15

“If you love me, you will keep my commandments.

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For some strange reasons, Diamond7 keeps insisting that I claim that P1 is not true despite my several protests. So I post this to make this clear to everyone who reads this.

Pray for health concern to go away and to have peace of mind body spirit Amen

Recently some Preterism has relied on Strongs to define whether the temple is physical or the body of Christ, the church. They are attempting to use this to defend their flawed doctrine, believing that the temple AND the city in Matthew 24:1-2, Luke 19, Luke 21, Mark 13, etc. are literal so that it should fall in 70AD.

Well, the problem is the Greek term used there is NOT relevant to identifying the Spiritual nature of what Christ was speaking about. It simply means "Holy or Sacred place" and can include the entire precincts (Remember Jesus spoke about leveling even with the ground, not only the Temple Sanctuary but the entire city). It would be akin to us saying that we are a member of the assembly, church, and congregation. The terms are synonymous and speak of every congregation everywhere. As I have demonstrated in John chapter 2 where both those Greek terms are used.

Besides, I have no problem with them saying the disciples spoke of the literal temple (G2411 - hieron). In fact, we can see it's quite OBVIOUS! Keep in mind that the disciples were not greatly enlightened as yet so were still thinking in terms of the Old Testament dispensation, as the Holy Spirit of "revealing" had not been poured out at Pentecost yet.

John 16:12

• "I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.
• Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
• He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you."

John 14:26

• "But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you."

Revelation is NOT instant, as many things were revealed to the Disciples progressively. We can see remnants of this "even" after Pentecost as Peter was talking about requiring circumcision in the church, and his poor understanding of the lawfulness of eating unclean meats. We're talking about progressive Revelation here people! Like the Jews, the chosen Disciples were STILL thinking in terms of Old Testament Temple, when Christ was revealing the mystery of new and Spiritual things that the temporal merely "represented." Christ is illuminating (to them, and by extention, us, the True Church) the fall of the Old Testament Temple as a type of the Old Testament congregation, and the coming restoration/rebuilding of the Temple and Holy City in the New Testament type of the New Testament body of Christ--which is the church (Acts 15:14-17).

Now, note the language as Christ "went out of the Temple," and He "departed from it." Granted, it may seem coincidental language that this is when they pointed out the SAME physical temple buildings. But it has a Spiritual meaning. The Disciples are illustrating the great pride they (of course, they were being Jews) had in this glorious building, and such reverence for the greatness of it as the pride of Israel. They put so much stock in their bloodline and Jewish traditions, when without Christ their Messiah, this was all meaningless. The truth is what it represented would be thrown down. Many of the Jews (and their cousins the Premillennialists, Dispensationalists, Preterists, and even some amillennialists today) had put all their trust in the natural/physical/temporal, and God was prophesying in the Spiritual--which isn't an anomaly since this is what Christ did throughout His ministry. Just like when the disciple's brethren, the Jews, asked Jesus for a sign. And He gave them one, even though they didn't even realize it or its significance. They missed it because they were thinking like many in the church and on this forum today, in terms of a literal Temple being destroyed, and Christ was responding to their question by prophesying in spiritual terms. Not one stone left standing one upon another is very specific illustrating that it is completely vanished, totally 100% GONE! It no longer represented the Holy One of Israel. The Disciples in that episode were glorying over a physical building, and Christ is saying what it represents will be taken away completely in God's economy. His words are not ever coincidental, they are deliberate. Again, as is His promise of the sign to the Jews (which they asked for) was fulfilled, and all they could think about was a literal building--just like the congregation and people here on this forum today. But whether or not men ever understand what Temple Christ was speaking of, doesn't mean that he spoke of a physical, literal, brick Temple. Because the Holy Spirit being poured out at Pentecost would eventually reveal the "real" deeper Spiritual truth of His words--to His people. For example, when Christ threw the buyers and sellers out of the Temple (G2411 - hieron)

John 2:18-21

• "Then answered the Jews and said unto him, What sign shewest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things?
• Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.
• Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days?
• But he spake of the temple of his body."

See that word Temple Christ used there is a different word (G3485 - naos), but it is obvious that the words are interchangeable in the context as the Jews spoke of the physical building, declaring it took 46 years to build. No question about that. And note Christ NEVER told them that He spoke of the Temple of His body, because it remained a MYSTERY to them and to some of you, too! But it is written by the Apostle John for us, who would come after and receive the deeper Spiritual truth of His words. True to His words, the Jews did destroy the Temple, and Christ did raise THAT TEMPLE up in three days, and it was the sign that Jesus had the power/authority to do these things--as they had asked. A sign that many are blinded to from that day to this very day.

The truth is many Jews looked upon the Gentiles as Dogs and Swine and gloried in the fact that they were the chosen seed of Abraham that could never fall from that (in their minds). Even as many in the premillennial/Dispensational church today think the New Testament church can never fall. But the fact is, the old testament congregation DID fall and the New Testament congregation today is no better than the congregation was then! Why? Because their eyes were on the temporal rather than the Spiritual, even as the Disciples were admiring the great buildings of the Jewish nation in Matthew 24:1-2. The Premillennial and Dispensational church, as well as the Pretersits today feel the very same way about the nation of Israel's position because their hermeneutic is almost identical in its looking at God's word only literally (John 3:4) and to some degree having great disdain for God authored Spiritual truths. It's simply the other side of that "exact same" coin of methodology. Many people forgot that the stones represent the people--BOTH those who fell and those BUILDERS who would be raised up/ built again, when we understand the builder and maker is God. I can see that many of you does not realize that Christ specifically said about the stones. For example:

Matthew 3:9-10

• "And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.
• And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire."

Yes, God was able of those stones to raise up children unto Abraham, And He Did! Not literal stones as you thought, but SPIRITUAL ONES! The ones that build the spiritual temple!

Galatians 3:29

• "And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise."

Nothing coincidental about the language of God raising up stones as the children of Abraham, though it may seem so to many who seem antithetical to the Spirit of truth. Nothing coincidental about stones being the building of the New Testament church, or the stones being made of wood hay and stubble, or of gold silver and precious gems "when we gracefully receive God authored Spiritual truths!" The word temple (G2411 - hieron) used by the Disciples does NOT preclude Christ from talking about a spiritual Temple any more than the word temple (G3485 - naos) that the Jews used in saying it took 46 years to build it precluded Christ from speaking of His body and not whatever building the Jews spoke of. Interchangeable! See... the Disciples were Jews also and because of their carnal minds, they were talking about the physical temple building there. But Christ was NOT! Just as the Jews were talking about the physical temple in another passage saying it took them 46 years to build, but again, Obviously, Christ was not. Selah.

In close, with the truth of the deeper spiritual meaning of Scriptures--Not that it will matter most times. There are not many Berean-like Christians today who will do anything but ignore the Spiritual facts and argue the Hebrew, Greek, and Strongs nuances, neglecting the most crucial part of interpretations--which is that it belongs to God. No one is privately interpreting stones of the Temple to represent God's people because Christ Himself did! The idea is not what the Jews or the Disciples thought at the time, but what Christ says all throughout Scripture. Christ is the only prophet who is never wrong, and He said not one stone would be left standing one upon another in both the city and the Holy Temple. You might ask them (if these things were to be understood literally) how come there are stones left standing one upon another in the city and of the Temple foundations today.

Not that this truth will matter much to those who turn to the right hand and to the left to avoid the truth of that matter.

As I said, there are not many Berean-like Christians who will do anything but ignore the facts, and argue the Hebrew, Greek, and Strongs nuances with me, and neglect the most important part of interpretations--which is they belong to God.

Isaiah 8:14

• "And he shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem."

It is written, the Stone the builders rejected, is become the head of the corner--of a new building after the fall. Christ is THE cornerstone, and we are the STONES that were built again. Selah! So were the remnant Jews of Israel. But for those who are not part of that restoration, not one of them was left standing one upon another in that Old Testament Temple. 70 A.D. notwithstanding!

Isaiah 61:1-3 ESV


Who is the person speaking here? It is certainly Isaiah who is writing this, but who is the speaker? Could it be Isaiah was writing this about himself? It could be. Isaiah was a prophet of God, and it appears to me that at least half of the book of Isaiah are prophecies with regard to the last days about Jesus Christ, the Messiah, and the Messianic age. And certainly Isaiah was anointed of God and empowered by God’s Spirit to bring forth the messages of God and to turn the people from darkness to the light of God.

But then we read in Luke 4 where Jesus applied these words to himself, only he stopped reading after he read, “to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” And then he said, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” And then we read in Isaiah 42 where it appears God was speaking about Jesus Christ, for he said, “I will give you as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations, to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness.”

So, is Jesus Christ the only one anointed of God to bring the “good news” of our salvation to the poor in spirit, or to the people of this world? Is he the only one to bind up the brokenhearted and to proclaim liberty to the captives and the opening of the prison to those who are bound? Is he the only one to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness? No, he isn’t.

For we read in Acts 26 where Jesus Christ assigned the apostle Paul (then Saul, a persecutor of Christians) the task or responsibility “to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.”

[Parallels to Isaiah 61: Luke 4:17-21; Isaiah 42:6-9; Acts 26:14-18]

So, does this only apply to Isaiah, perhaps, and to Jesus, definitely, and to the apostle Paul, at least in part? Are we not, as servants of the Lord, to also open blinded eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in Jesus Christ? Surely, we are, for that is the essence of the message of the gospel of our salvation.

We are to be those who are proclaiming to the people that Jesus Christ died on that cross that we might die to sin and live to righteousness, that we might now live for him and no longer for ourselves, and that he might buy us back for God (redeem us) out of our lives of sin so we would now honor God with our bodies. He died to deliver us out of our lives of slavery to sin so we will now be slaves of God and of his righteousness, and that we might now walk in conduct according to the Spirit and not according to the flesh.

For it is not enough to just make a profession of Christ as Lord of our lives, but we must walk in obedience to our Lord and to his commands under the New Covenant. Sin must no longer be our practice, but righteousness, holiness, and godliness must now be our practice. Now our bodies are to be living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, and we must no longer be conformed to the ways of this sinful world. We must put off our former lives of living in sin and now put on Christ and his righteousness.

For the grace of God, which is bringing us salvation, trains us to renounce ungodliness and fleshly lusts and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives while we wait for our Lord’s soon return. For if sin is what we practice, and if righteousness and obedience to our Lord are not what we practice, we not only do not know God, and we are not in fellowship with God, but we are not born of God, and so we will not inherit eternal life with God regardless of what faith in Jesus Christ we profess with our lips.

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

But for those who receive Jesus Christ as Lord in truth, and in righteousness, who have forsaken their former lives of living in sin and for self to now walk in fellowship with the Lord in obedience to his commands (New Covenant), they are blessed of God. They have been delivered from their lives of slavery to sin, and they are now empowered of God to live righteously. And now they are comforted by the Lord, for they have been turned from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God and so they have received forgiveness of sins and a place among those sanctified by faith in Christ.

But this is not a one-time deal and then we are “in” guaranteed. The Scriptures teach that daily we must die to sin and to deny self and to walk in obedience to our Lord’s commands. Daily we must say “No!” to the flesh and to sin and “Yes!” to God and to his righteousness. Daily we must walk by the Spirit and not by the flesh, and we must continue in these walks of faith until the very end if we hope to receive salvation from sin and eternal life with God. For our salvation is progressive and it will not be complete until Jesus returns for his bride and he takes us to be with him for eternity.

[Matt 24:9-14; Luke 9:23-26; Rom 8:1-24; Rom 13:11; 1 Co 1:18; 1 Co 15:1-2; 2 Tim 1:8-9; Heb 9:28; 1 Pet 1:5; Jn 8:31-32; Jn 15:1-12; Rom 11:17-24; 1 Co 15:2; Col 1:21-23; 2 Tim 2:10-13; Heb 3:6,14-15; 2 Pet 1:5-11; 2 Pet 2:20-22; 1 Jn 1:5-10; 1 Jn 2:3-6,24-25; 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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The world is as full of wonders as it is wide, and we’ve rounded up some of our most astonishing geography facts to show you just how many wonders there are. From the world’s tallest waterfall being underwater to there being four North Poles, these facts may help you see the globe in a new light — a light possibly even brighter than Las Vegas, the brightest city on Earth. Read on for 25 of our most mind-blowing geography facts from around the website.

The Entire World Population Could Fit Inside Los Angeles​

Credit: Marek Masik/ Shutterstock

The world population grows larger every year, but we aren’t exactly running out of physical space. In fact, all 7.8 billion of us could easily fit inside Los Angeles. Research has shown that you can fit about 10 people into a square meter, crowded-elevator style; Los Angeles is about 1.2 billion square meters, which means that if we all squeezed together, the city could theoretically fit around 12 billion people. However, we couldn’t do much more than pose for a quick photo before going our separate ways, since there isn’t enough space in L.A. for everyone to actually live in such close quarters.

Asia Is Bigger Than the Moon​

Credit: Viacheslav Lopatin/ Shutterstock

The moon isn't as big as it looks. It’s around 27% of the size of Earth and has 14.6 million square miles of surface area. Although this seems like a lot, it’s significantly less than the total surface area of Asia, which is 17.2 million square miles — making Earth's biggest continent larger than the moon.

Continued below.

Hi I was diagnosed with Chronic Kidney Disease when I was 9 caused by Vesicoureteral Reflux which is a birth defect. Since it was not caught in time I lost both my kidneys by the time I was 16 and had to go on Peritoneal Dialysis until I got my first kidney transplant which lasted 11 years. Then I was back on Peritoneal Dialysis until I ended up with a very bad case of Peritonitis and had to switch to Hemo Dialysis. Then I got my 2nd kidney transplant (forgot to mention I had to have both my native kidneys removed at the age of 16 as they were badly infected from the VR) it lasted 10 years until I got my 9th case of pneumonia but was so bad I ended up in Septic Shock and intubated for 3 days. The Septic Shock caused that kidney to die from lack of oxygen carrying blood. I ended up back on Hemo Dialysis until I got my 3rd and final (due to too much scar tissue and extremely high antibody count) kidney transplant and I am not even 50 yet. I really hope this kidney will last longer than the first 2 or I will be spending a LOT of time on dialysis in the 2nd half of my life.

Does anyone else here have Kidney Disease. I believe that praying to God has helped me remain uplifted and encouraged to keep moving forward and that any bad things in my health just give me an opportunity to humble me and make me more understanding to better serve others through Christ our Lord.

Started a new job 3 days ago and my health is making almost impossible, please Lord give me health and strength to do this job.

Thank you for prayers.