Rescued One seems to be missing in action. She hasn't posted since June 28, when she posted recipes in the Cooking forum. This is very unlike her. Has anyone heard from her or is in e-mail contact with her?

John 7:37-39 ESV


If any of us thirsts, if any of us desires earnestly and longs for and yearns after what? Maybe we don’t even know what. Maybe it is just that empty feeling or that sense that something is missing or it is that lack of fulfillment and that sense that there is something more to life than what we have experienced. Perhaps it is that sense that we are not complete, that there is a void somewhere that needs to be filled, and nothing has yet satisfied, and so we are searching for meaning to life.

If that is where you are, Jesus is saying to come to him and drink. So, what does that mean? Drink what? Drink from his well of salvation. And what does it mean here to drink? It means to swallow, and to swallow is to accept, to believe, to trust, to have faith in, to take into your life. And biblical faith is of God, it comes from God, it is gifted to us by God, and it is God-persuaded, and it is not of our own doing, not of the flesh nor of the will of man. For it is God-defined and God-determined faith. And faith = obedience.

[Eph 2:8-10; Heb 12:1-2; Jn 6:44; 1 Co 10:1-22; Heb 3:1-19; Heb 4:1-13; Acts 5:32; Tit 2:11-14; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14; Eph 4:17-32; 1 Jn 3:4-10; Lu 9:23-26; 1 Pet 2:24; 1 Co 6:19-20; 2 Co 5:15,21; Matt 7:21-23]

So, since our faith comes from God and is gifted to us by God and it is God-persuaded faith, then that faith is going to take on the character of God, and it is going to be according to the will of God, and not according to the will of man. And it is the will of God that we die with him to sin, not just once, but daily, that we deny self, and that we follow him in obedience. And it is God’s will that we walk (in conduct, in practice) according to the Spirit and not according to the flesh and that we honor God with our bodies.

So, to believe in Jesus Christ is not something we can create in our own minds and hearts, especially not for the purpose of making up our own gospel and creating our own salvation message. For by God-given faith in him we are crucified with Christ in death to sin, and we are raised with God to walk in newness of life in him, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. And now we must walk according to the Spirit and no longer according to the flesh, if we want eternal life with God.

And when we hunger and thirst after the Lord and for his righteousness we will be filled. Out of our hearts will flow rivers of living water. Out of our hearts will flow love for God and for his word, for our lives no longer belong to ourselves, but to God, and now our purpose in life is to serve him and to do his will, and not our own will. Now God will dwell within us in the person of the Holy Spirit, and we will have salvation from sin and eternal life with God, but provided that we continue in those walks of faith and obedience.

And the Scriptures teach us that, “The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks” (Luke 6:45 ESV). And “out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a person” (see Matthew 15:17-20). So, our hearts reveal where our true devotion lies and whether or not Christ is truly in our hearts.

And Jesus taught us that, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’” Matthew 7:21-23 ESV

[Matt 7:21-23; Matt 24:9-14; Lu 9:23-26; Rom 1:18-32; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14,24; Rom 12:1-2; Rom 13:11; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; 1 Co 1:18; 1 Co 15:1-2; 2 Tim 1:8-9; Heb 9:28; 1 Pet 1:5; Gal 5:16-21; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-32; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:5-17; 1 Pet 2:24; Tit 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1:5-9; 1 Jn 2:3-6,24-25; 1 Jn 3:4-10; Heb 3:6,14-15; Heb 10:23-31; Heb 12:1-2; Rev 21:8,27; Rev 22:14-15]

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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Does the current version of the teachings of Calvin forbid commending one's peers (individually, when in need) to the providence of Christ and Holy Spirit?

Wasn't Calvin reputed to be laissez faire? That when there is a prayer request one ought to just say, "it'll work out"?

Are one's peers in need, God's providential gift to us also?

That they are in need, doesn't mean they don't have insight? That they have insight, doesn't mean they are not in need?

"I thank Thee O God that I am not a loser like that loser over there"?

Has the wrong kind of literalism made a materialist kind of moralising into the deciding principle (now that it is no longer badged "prosperity gospel")?

Is faith really "pragmatism" debased into manoeuvring?

Does anyone have any resources on Anglican thinking on concelebration (perspectives either in favour or not)? I've had a bit of a search, but haven't been able to find anything specifically Anglican addressing the question.

My favorite pastor at my church who has always been there for me and answered my endless questions is leaving for another position as a chaplain for a school.
I’m bummed but at least he’ll remain a member of our church.
Has anyone here been in a similar position?

Anyone else get attached to their pastors?

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Mesha Mainor has left the Democratic Party to join the Republican Party.

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SHE SAID IN A TWEET "I DIDN'T

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LEAVE THE DEMOCRAT[ic] PARTY, THE

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DEMOCRAT[ic] PARTY LEFT ME" WHEN IT

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EMBRACED LEFT WING RADICALISM,

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LAWLESSNESS AND PUT THE INTEREST

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OF ILLEGAL ALIENS OVER THE

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INTERESTS OF AMERICANS.

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I HAVE NOTHING TO APOLOGIZE

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FOR."

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GEORGIA'S STATE REPRESENTATIVE

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MAYNOR IS THE FIRST BLACK

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REPUBLICAN WOMAN TO SERVE IN THE

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GEORGIA GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

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SHE REPRESENTED ONE OF THE

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BLUEST PARTS OF THE STATE.

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THE NEWLY MINTED REPUBLICAN

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DELIVERING A MESSAGE FOR BLACK

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AMERICANS VOTING FOR DEMOCRATS.

She said in an interview about this decision:

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THE DEMOCRAT[ic] PARTY HAS NOT

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BEEN FOCUSES ON BLACK AMERICANS

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FOR QUITE A WHILE NOW.

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WE CANNOT SAY THAT WE CARE ABOUT

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PEOPLE IN THE MARGINALIZED

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COMMUNITIES IF WE WANT TO KEEP

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THEM SUPPRESSED AND OPPRESSED.

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ONE OF THE THINGS THAT BOTHERED

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ME THE MOST, WHEN I WOULD ASK

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THEM WHY ARE WE DOING THIS?

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WHY IS IT OKAY FOR KIDS TO NOT

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BE ABLE TO READ?

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THEIR RESPONSE TO ME WAS WE HAVE

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GOT TO GIVE THEM HOPE.

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IN RESPONSE I WOULD SAY SINCE

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WHEN IS A LIE HOPE?

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IF YOU REALLY CARE ABOUT BLACK

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PEOPLE, THE BLACK PEOPLE THAT

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ARE ELECTED NEED TO DO SOMETHING

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ABOUT THE ISSUES FOR THE BLACK

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PEOPLE THAT THEY REPRESENT.

Jacob & his successful giving model is recorded pre Mosaic law giving.

A couple of background notes.

1st: If God has placed giving a tenth or whatever on you heart, do it!

2nd: Money itself isn't good or evil. Many of the OT patriarchs (Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob Solomon etc) were uber rich. Although, I can find no place where NT believers are required to Tithe (I read lots on being a cheerful giver). I believe when the first portion is made holy, so will the whole batch become (Rom 11:16)

3rd: Jacob flees town in fear of Esau (Gen 27:41–46). See & falls in love with Rachel (Gen 29:16–20). Makes a deal with her father, to give 7 years of labor for her hand in marriage.

After 7 years, Rachel’s father tricks Jacob, invoking a custom that the oldest daughter is given in marriage 1st. He then offers Rachel for an additional 7 years of labor. Jacob loved Rachel & agrees. Jacob winds up having 12 sons 4 by Leah, 2 more by Leah's maidservant, 2 by Rachels maidservant & 2 more by Rachel. Rachel dies giving birth to his 12th son Benjamin.

Jacobs 12 sons become the leaders of the 12 tribes of the nation of Israel. Jesus is a decedent of Jacobs 4th son, Judah. And becmes the prophesied (Gen 49:9-12) LION from the tribe of Judah (Rev 5:5)

Jacobs pre-law tenth vow

Gen 28:
18 So Jacob got up early in the morning, and took the stone he had put under his head and he set it up as a pillar [that is, a monument to the vision in his dream], and he poured [olive] oil on the top of it [to consecrate it].

19 He named that place Bethel (the house of God); the previous name of that city was Luz (Almond Tree).

20 Then Jacob made a vow (promise), saying, “If God will be with me and will keep me on this journey that I take, and will give me food to eat and clothing to wear,

21 and if [He grants that] I return to my father’s house in safety, then the LORD will be my God. 22“This stone which I have set up as a pillar (monument, memorial) will be God’s house [a sacred place to me], and of everything that You give me I will give the tenth to You [as an offering to signify my gratitude and dependence on You].”
(MY NOTE: The vow here is: Lord if you will continue prosper me, I will give/return a thanksgiving tenth!)

God remembers Jacobs vow & blesses him for it

Gen 31:
11And the Angel of God said to me in the dream, ‘Jacob.’ And I said, ‘Here I am.’

12 He said, ‘Look up and see, all the rams which are mating [with the flock] are streaked, speckled, and spotted; for I have seen all that Laban has been doing to you.

13 ‘I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed the pillar, and where you made a vow to Me; now stand up, leave this land, and return to the land of your birth.’”
(MY NOTE; Rachels father/Laban had continued to trick/cheat Jacob. The Lord still made Jacob prosper greatly, because of the TENTH/vow he had made & kept years earlier)

A few places I believe we should consider to support: Your local place of worship/Church (1 Cor 16:2), the poor (Psa 41:1, Pro 14:31, 19:17, 22:9, 27:27, 28:27), the fatherless, the widow, food banks, sound evangelical outreach ministries.

A promise the the most faithful person that ever lived (Lk 6:38 Give, and it will be given to you, pressed down, shaken together & running over!

“Ok, folks spread the word! As soon as the president is done speaking, we go to the Capitol. The Capitol is this direction,” he said on the video.

He was also seen on video the night of Jan. 5, 2021, asking other people to “go into the Capitol” the next day before others began chanting “Fed, Fed, Fed” at him.

The theory that Mr. Epps was an undercover agent has been fueled by the fact that he is not among the hundreds facing criminal charges stemming from the attack. Proponents of this theory say that’s because the Justice Department is protecting him.


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Look at Wray's eyes as he gives his testimony. He's not looking into the camera. He's reading a script.

I wonder what this is all about.

Allowing 13-year-old Becky Pepper-Jackson to compete in girls’ sports “harms no one,” according to the family’s lawyers, but some of the 100 girls beaten by the transgender teen might disagree.

The West Virginia seventh-grader had a breakout track-and-field season this spring, defeating more than 100 girls in the discus and shot put. She beat out competitors 280 times and took one of the three coveted spots available to Bridgeport Middle School in both events for the conference championships, according to a court filing.

West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey brought a motion Tuesday detailing Becky’s march up the track-and-field rankings, saying the statistics show that Becky “is throwing farther than ever before — and improving much faster — than biologically female classmates.”

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa’s Republican-led Legislature passed a bill banning most abortions after roughly six weeks of pregnancy during a marathon special session Tuesday that continued late into the night.


The Governor said that she will sign this into law on Friday.

Joshua 1:8

This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.

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H1897-meditate occurs 25 times.

Brown-Driver-Briggs:

1 of inarticulate sounds:
a. growl, of lion growling over prey
b. groan, moan, in distress (like dove)

2 utter

3. a. (soliloquize) meditate, muse
b. imagine, devise

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It was an active verb with the mouth or mind. Even with our eyes, Psalm 119:

15 I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways.

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Is it okay to empty for mind when meditating?

No, Matthew 12:

43 “When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, but finds none. 44Then it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when it comes, it finds the house empty, swept, and put in order. 45Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there, and the last state of that person is worse than the first. So also will it be with this evil generation.”

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By emptying the mind, I mean you create an empty spot in the mind, waiting for it to be filled by anything while quieting the mind means to fill your mind with peace. Quieting the mind is okay.

Instead of emptying your mind, Philippians 4:

8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

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1 Corinthians 2:

16 for, “Who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.

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We engage our mind and spirit to meditate on the word of God so that we will act according to his words.

Jeremiah 12:1 Righteous are You, Lord, when I plead my case with You;
Nevertheless I would discuss matters of justice with You:
Why does the way of the wicked prosper?
Why are all those who deal in treachery at ease?

[H7951] sala=at ease, secure, tranquil.
sala is used in Psalm 122, and is translated prosper.

Psalm 122:6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:
they shall prosper (be at ease and secure) that love thee.

The Lord has made Jerusalem a cup of trembling for the world and an ever present flash point for not only regional instability
but also global conflict. And yet, we are assured that when watchman intercessors lift up Jerusalem to the Lord, they are
sowing unto their spirit an inner tranquility by means of fervent prayer and supplications.

The calling of watchman for Jerusalem

Isaiah 62:1 For Zion’s sake I will not hold My peace,
And for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest,
Until her righteousness goes forth as brightness,
And her salvation as a lamp that burns.

6 I have set watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem;
They shall never hold their peace day or night.
You who make mention of the Lord, do not keep silent,
7 And give Him no rest till He establishes
And till He makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth.

Prayer for Jerusalem

Daniel 9:16-19 O Lord, according to all Your righteousness, I pray, let Your anger and Your fury be turned away from Your city Jerusalem, Your holy mountain; because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and Your people are a reproach to all those around us. Now therefore, our God, hear the prayer of Your servant, and his supplications, and for the Lord’s sake cause Your face to shine on Your sanctuary, which is desolate. O my God, incline Your ear and hear; open Your eyes and see our desolation, and the city which is called by Your name; for we do not present our supplications before You because of our righteous deeds, but because of Your great mercies. O Lord, hear! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, listen and act! Do not delay for Your own sake, my God, for Your city and Your people are called by Your name.

Sowing and Reaping
James 3:18 Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

Isaiah 32:
17 The work of righteousness will be peace,
And the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance forever.
18 My people will dwell in peaceful habitations,
In secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places.

Spiritual prosperity is found through Spirit-filled intercession.
1 John 3:10 In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest:
Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God,
nor is he who does not love his brother.

A man in Kentucky recently found a buried cache of gold coins from the Civil War period rumored to be worth millions of dollars.

Consisting of nearly seven hundred $1, $10, and $20 gold dollars issued by the US Mint between 1840 and 1863, the discovery is being called the “Great Kentucky Hoard.”

“This is the most insane thing ever: Those are all $1 gold coins, $20 gold coins, $10 gold coins,” said the finder in a camera phone video.

Many wealthy Kentuckians are rumored to have buried large quantities of gold and silver in advance of the Civil War, and Ryan McNutt, a knowledgeable archaeologist with a specialty in conflict areas, suggests that since these gold coins were federally issued, it meant that the original owner might have been wary of being identified as a collaborator with the feds during a time when Kentucky was still neutral.

“Given the time period and the location in Kentucky, which was neutral at the time, it is entirely possible this was buried in advance of Confederate John Hunt Morgan’s June to July 1863 raid,” McNutt told LiveScience.

Continued below.

NY principal allegedly seeking sex with teen on Snapchat brought chicken nuggets, shake to remote location prior to arrest​

Erickson made multiple attempts to meet with the girl — even showing up at her house — but the teen never came outside to see him, officials said.

Authorities said they were made aware of the situation Wednesday.

Two days later, Erickson allegedly agreed to meet with the student in a remote location with the intention of engaging in sexual relations.

I do not have the authority to decide who is a Christian or not. If someone calls himself a Christian, I would assume that he is and hold him to the Christian standard of Jesus.

What about people who believe that Mary was the Mother of God? Same answer.

I am not trying to determine whether someone is a Christian or not. I leave that to God.

I have run into a few Mormons personally. Other than the theological stuff, I didn't see much sin practiced by them. My experience was limited. If you know of any blatant sins committed by the Mormons as a group, let me know. Other than theological stuff like baptizing for the dead, etc. There are plenty of theological differences between the Bible and the Mormon books. If you wish to argue with them, I am not against such acts. In fact, I did exactly that. From my previous experiences, I don't find that profitable to them.

I attended their Bible study and temple service. I should point out that when they asked me questions on theology, I did not hesitate to contradict them based on what I understood from the Bible. I got a free meal out of the meeting

See How does God perform thinking?

In the early 1700's a librarian from the Vatican discovered an ancient codex containing the 4 Gospels of the New Testament written in Aramaic. On its last page the scribe made a note that it had been completed on December 18th, 78 AD. This information was forgotten until around 1889 when a biblical scholar republished this information. However, still to this day no one knows if this ancient codex is still in the Vatican Library or not. Could this truly be the oldest manuscript from the New Testament?

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Concerning Selective Rapture upon the church in the end times:

This thread is a challenge to those who believe there could be no Christians left in the fulfillment of these passages.
If you cannot believe that the two in each case refers to two eternally saved Christians, prove why.

The aim of the thread is to exalt Christ and warm up our hearts towards the Lord Jesus.
If the discussion does not do that for you, please do not read it.
(You may rebuke me before you leave. Might help)

At that time two men will be in the field; one is taken and one is left.
Two women will be grinding at the mill; one is taken and one is left.
Watch therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord comes. (Matt. 24:40-42)

I tell you, In that night there will be two on one bed; the one will be taken and the other will be left.
There will be two women grinding together; the one will be taken but the other will be left.
Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other will be left. (Luke 17:34-36)

I am looking for resources to the church fathers - both written volumes and or internet resources. Thanks in advance!

Hillary Clinton was in lawful possession of "Top Secret" information, she through gross negligence permitted this to be removed from its proper place of custody, and put on her private unsecure servers, computers, and mobile phones "Fact"

Hillary Clinton had full knowledge that this "Top Secret" information was removed from its proper place of custody, and placed on the private insecure devices mentioned above

Hillary Clinton was/is in violation of The Federal Espionafe Act, Section18 U.S. Code 793 (f) punishable by fine or maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, or both

18 U.S. Code § 793 - Gathering, transmitting or losing defense information​

(f) Whoever, being entrusted with or having lawful possession or control of any document, writing, code book, signal book, sketch, photograph, photographic negative, blueprint, plan, map, model, instrument, appliance, note, or information, relating to the national defense, (1) through gross negligence permits the same to be removed from its proper place of custody or delivered to anyone in violation of his trust, or to be lost, stolen, abstracted, or destroyed, or (2) having knowledge that the same has been illegally removed from its proper place of custody or delivered to anyone in violation of its trust, or lost, or stolen, abstracted, or destroyed, and fails to make prompt report of such loss, theft, abstraction, or destruction to his superior officer—
Shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both.

​

FBI.GOV NEWS​

Statement by FBI Director James B. Comey on the Investigation of Secretary Hillary Clinton’s Use of a Personal E-Mail System​

From the group of 30,000 e-mails returned to the State Department, 110 e-mails in 52 e-mail chains have been determined by the owning agency to contain classified information at the time they were sent or received. Eight of those chains contained information that was Top Secret at the time they were sent; 36 chains contained Secret information at the time; and eight contained Confidential information, which is the lowest level of classification.

For example, seven e-mail chains concern matters that were classified at the Top Secret/Special Access Program level when they were sent and received. These chains involved Secretary Clinton both sending e-mails about those matters and receiving e-mails from others about the same matters. There is evidence to support a conclusion that any reasonable person in Secretary Clinton’s position, or in the position of those government employees with whom she was corresponding about these matters, should have known that an unclassified system was no place for that conversation. In addition to this highly sensitive information, we also found information that was properly classified as Secret by the U.S. Intelligence Community at the time it was discussed on e-mail (that is, excluding the later “up-classified” e-mails).

None of these e-mails should have been on any kind of unclassified system, but their presence is especially concerning because all of these e-mails were housed on unclassified personal servers not even supported by full-time security staff, like those found at Departments and Agencies of the U.S. Government—or even with a commercial service like Gmail.

We also assess that Secretary Clinton’s use of a personal e-mail domain was both known by a large number of people and readily apparent. She also used her personal e-mail extensively while outside the United States, including sending and receiving work-related e-mails in the territory of sophisticated adversaries. Given that combination of factors, we assess it is possible that hostile actors gained access to Secretary Clinton’s personal e-mail account.

1 John 4:1-6 ESV


Random Thoughts?

Sometimes what seems like random things just come into my mind seemingly out of nowhere. Yesterday was one of those days, and what was coming to mind was the alma maters (anthems) from the two Junior High Schools I attended, and the one from my high school, back in the 1960s. But the only one I was remembering the lyrics for was the one from 7th grade from 1962/63. And I am not going to quote the lyrics, but I am going to mention some of the words and phrases, for it fits with this passage.

I will begin by saying that sometimes what I think are just random thoughts are actually prompted by the Lord for a reason because he is going to use them as an illustration to go along with a bible lesson, and I believe this is the case with this particular song. For this passage of Scripture is about testing the spirits, and as I read back over the lyrics to this alma mater I could see that it was filled with messages of idolatry. For the song was literally a song of praise and worship to the school, I believe.

The song began with an “all hail” to the school, followed by “we sing your praises,” and a wish for the qualities and character traits of that institution to ever be shining on our face. And then there was a prayer to God that we would be loyal to the school and that we would share in its wisdom and pride, that this is how we should live. And then there was the message that God was giving some sort of respect and honor to the school, as well, from best as I can recall and understand what the lyrics are saying.

And that brings to mind our national pledge of allegiance here in America to our nation and its government, and with a similar idolatrous message:


For a pledge is a vow or a promise or an oath, and allegiance is loyalty, devotion, fidelity, and obedience. Are we to obey our governing authorities? Yes, but with biblical exceptions and limitations and as a matter of law and not of undying loyalty and devotion. For words such as “faithfulness, devotion, allegiance, trustworthiness, fidelity, and steadfastness” are words which are to describe our relationship to God, not to man. No man and no human institution should get that kind of worship, for that is what that is.

And then, in both the alma mater from my Junior High School and the pledge of allegiance to my nation, there is the message that somehow God puts his stamp of approval on this kind of idolatry, and not just approval, but as though God honors these human institutions which are promoting idolatrous worship of themselves. And in the pledge it suggests that we are one nation under the one true God, as though our nation is a godly nation serving the one true God, and we can see that is not true.

In Context

But before I move forward with this, I want to say that we must also be careful in how we interpret the Scriptures, that we read them in their immediate context, such as the whole of the book in which they are written, and then in the context of the teachings of the New Covenant, as a whole. For Scripture passages pulled out of context can be made to say what they don’t say. And I think we talked about this a little bit within the last week, too.

For it is not verbal confessions of Jesus as having come from God alone which determine whether or not the speaker is of God or not. And this is evident when we read the Scriptures warning us about false teachers and prophets who come to us in sheep’s clothing but who inwardly are ravenous wolves. So, not only will nations claim to be of God when they are not of God, but people will profess with their lips their beliefs in Jesus but not be of true faith in Christ at all.

For remember that Satan’s servants will disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. And so many of them are going to confess with their lips their belief in Jesus so that Christians will listen to them and so that they have the opportunity to insert lies into the truth in order to deceive people. And the antichrists are those who deny Jesus by how they live while many of them profess him with their lips in order to gain the trust of the people so that they can lie to them and so the people will believe their lies.

So, we can’t just go by what someone professes with their lips in the way of confessions of faith in Jesus, but what we go by is if their lifestyles match their profession. For like this says, they are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and the world listens to them. So, we watch how they live, in practice, and we listen to what they teach, in doctrine, and we examine their practices and their teachings against the Scriptures to see if they agree with the Scriptures.

Testing the Spirits

So, going back to the alma mater and the pledge of allegiance, we need to be discerning people there, too, and we must be careful that we don’t just go along with someone or some institution because that is what we were taught as children, or because that person or that institution is in a position of rule and authority over us. We must be people who test what we hear against the Scriptures, particularly those under the New Covenant, and in context, to see if what we are being taught agrees with God’s Word.

So, above all else our loyalty and devotion and fidelity must be to God and to God alone. So, if anyone is trying to lead us to give our worship and undying and unquestioning devotion to anyone else, we must stand back and look at what the Scriptures teach, particularly on this subject of idolatry and of putting our trust in human beings. For no human being and no human institution should get our praise and worship and loyalty and devotion like we are to give to God alone.

And where we are taught to obey human authorities we obey unless what they are asking us to do contradicts God’s will for our lives, or when it becomes idolatrous, or when they command that we disobey God. For we are living in a world now where the beast is rising, I believe, and where we are going to be pressured more and more to compromise faith and convictions in order to comply with what is not of God. And so we need to be people who test everything and everyone, but against the truth of the Scriptures in their context, so that we are not led astray.

Testing the Spirits: [Matthew 7:15-23; Matthew 24:11-14; John 10:1-15; 2 Corinthians 11:13-15; Philippians 3:2; 2 Peter 2:1-22; 1 Timothy 1:3-7; 1 Timothy 6:3-10; 2 Timothy 3:1-9; 1 John 4:1-6; Jude 1:1-25]

No Less

An Original Work / March 19, 2012

I can do no less than praise You,
Lord, for all You’ve done for me.
You died for my sins to save me,
So I would be set free.
I adore You! Lord, I praise You!
Jesus, Savior, King of kings!
You provided my redemption.
Your grace has pardoned me.

I can do no less than serve You.
Lord, Your witness I would be,
Telling others of Your love,
And why You died on that tree.
Tell of how You gave of Your life,
So from sin we’d be set free,
So we could worship You forever,
And live eternally.

I can do no less than love You,
Lord, for You have first loved me.
You gave of Your life so willing,
Because You cared for me.
Turn from my sin! Obey freely!
Live for You each passing day.
Read Your word, and follow Your lead,
Lord, as I humbly pray.

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Add beauty pageants to the list of women's spaces that are no longer, well, women's spaces.

The new Miss Netherlands, crowned on Saturday, is a transgender model named Rikkie Valerie Kollé.

Kollé's next stop: the Miss Universe pageant, now owned by transgender Thai business mogul Anne Jakrajutatip.

And we biological women are expected to cheer, to be exhilarated by this latest theft.

Take a look at the faces of the runners-up.

More than a few look as if they're in shock. Rightly so. Women in beauty pageants have every expectation of losing — to another woman. But to a biological male? Who has invaded yet another event that, in its very founding and mission statement, is specific to women?

This is not to disparage Kollé herself. She changed her name at age 11, from Rik to Rikkie, and said she suffered constant bullying, often coming home from school in tears.

Shortly before she was crowned Miss Netherlands, Kollé said no matter the outcome, she had already won.

'As a little boy I conquered all things that came through my path and look at me now,' she said. 'Standing here, as a strong, empowering and confident trans woman. Love is love. Be who you want to be and never forget – always celebrate your pride.'

Continued below.