I was looking again at a book by John Piper - called Future Grace. I had just picked it up and hit upon a sentence, and I started to think about his choice of words. I have to say I am muddled in my own thinking at times, and could not write a book. I am also struggling with my own beliefs and thinking. I am probably more towards Neo-orthodox views on Scripture (and this is something I am re-thinking also). So I just was wondering about his choice of words at one point.

Anyway he writes about anxiety and unbelief in a chapter. And there is this paragraph:


The word "therapy" got me thinking. Is the action of God's Word properly termed "theraputic"?

So it got me thinking what does therapy, theraputic mean?

What I came to is that there are such practices as physio-therapy, psycho-therapy etc. For something to be theraputic it seems to assist one in doing something that would otherwise be difficult. A psycho-therapist for instance might help one to talk about an unpleasant or traumatic event they have been through.

So what I was thinking was is the action of God's Word and Spirit theraputic, or is it more like surgical, or maybe its theraputic sometimes, and more surgical (like a surgeon might cut and remove some diseased growth) at other times?


----------
Another thing I want to ask is what is God's Word? Is it an object, a thing? Karl Barth would say that The Bible becomes God's Word. His theological mentors - Wilhelm Hermann, Harnack, Ritschl - rejected the idea of the Bible as the Word of God written. Barth broke with his early theological liberalism.

I think the fundamentalists use the term inscripturated, The Bible is God's Word inscripturated- so its a case of God has spoken, and that word is now inscripturated. They therefore use the Bible build theological systems. But does the Bible not have a human element too? Anyway I cannot recall now exactly why years ago I moved towards the neo-orthodox view, it may just have been my thinking through about the Bible and what i had read, and that I probably am somewhat influenced by modern thought.

Colin Brown in his book writes:

Donald Bloesch has written: "The position of fundamentalists on the Bible is monophysite: it sees only one nature - the divine. In contrast, many liberal and some neo-orthodox embrace a Nestorian position - affirming two natures but failing to discern their indivisible unity."

A question I have is how does one come to have a view of the Bible as the Word of God? I mean it seems like one could ask someone "is this [the Bible] God's Word?" - you'd get different answers however from different individuals? In my childhood I asked my dad - and he answered in the affirmative - that it was. So does it come down to an authority outside the Bible?

.

This information has remained “closed-up” and “sealed” to all saints – until it’s revealed to the Last Saints


The Last Saints


The Bible uses the word “Saint” to refer to “saved” people. Many of the Epistles of the New Testament
are specifically addressed “to the Saints” in different areas and, by extension, to “all the Saints” throughout
the “Church Age”. These Epistles were written to “the churches” of the day, and they were for “the churches”
existing throughout the Great Commission of the Christian “Kingdom”… until the “End of the Age” [Mt 28:18-20].
The Great Commission of Christian “Saints” continues until the “End of the Age”. The question now becomes:
When is this “End of the Age” and what happens to the “Saints” after that? This is all explained a little later.


Mat 28:18-20
And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth.
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto
the End of the Age. Amen.


The term “Last Saint” is limited to only the “Saints” who are still alive when the Lord Jesus Christ Returns.
The CONTEXT of the Last Saints is the “Time-of-the-End”. Only the Last Saints can reveal the fulfillment
of prophetic events (“signs”) about the Great Tribulation period and the 7-Headed Revelation Beast - including
truths about the “Mark of the Beast”, the “Image” which must be worshipped… and the Battle of Armageddon.
The Last Saints are even able to NAME the person which the Bible calls the “Little Horn” or “False Prophet”,
the “Man of Sin”, which is eventually “revealed” [2Thes 2:3, 8], a man most commonly known as THE Anti-Christ.


2Th 2:1, 3, 8
1 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,
3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for THAT DAY shall not come, except there come a falling away first,
and that Man of Sin be revealed, the son of perdition; 8 And THEN [at the time of the great falling away]
shall that Wicked [Man of Sin] be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of His mouth,
and shall destroy with the brightness of His coming:


(1) The Bible makes several promises about these Last Saints. It promises the Last Saints continue on earth until
the Lord’s Return. In fact, the Last Saints never die. Instead, we are “changed” into our incorruptible and immortal
spiritual bodies “in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye”, at the sound of the Last Trump and resurrection of the dead.
There are real “Saints” on earth right now! And there will be real “Saints” on earth until the time of the Lord’s Return.
This has always been an essential doctrine in Christian theology, this is NOT new information, it’s accepted revelation.


1Co 15:51-53
Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep [die], but we shall all be changed,
In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the Last Trump: for the trumpet shall sound,
and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we [Last Saints] shall be changed. For this
corruptible [body] must put on incorruption, and this mortal [body] must put on immortality.


* The Last Saints are living on earth when the Lord Returns, they are “changed” without dying


(2) Since the Last Saints are living at the Last Trump and the resurrection of the dead, that means they
were able to be eyewitnesses to the historical fulfillment of ALL prophecies about the “Time-of-the-End”.
In fact, that’s exactly what Jesus promised within His end-time prophecies in Matthew chapters 24 and 25.
Jesus said the Last Saints “shall see ALL these things”, meaning historical fulfillment of ALL His prophecies.
The Last Saints “shall see” the historical fulfillment of all Great Tribulation and Revelation prophecies, since the
historical fulfillment of those prophecies all occur sometime before the Last Saints are “changed” at the Last Trump.


Mat 24:33
So likewise ye [Last Saints], when YE SHALL SEE ALL THESE THINGS,
[He just prophesied] know that it [His Return] is near, even at the doors.


This means the Last Saints “shall see” the historical fulfillment of Daniel’s “Abomination of Desolation” [Mat 24:15].
They “shall see” the historical fulfillment of all prophecies about the Great Tribulation “Kingdom of Heaven” [Mat 25:1],
including historical fulfillment of events “immediately after the Tribulation of those days” [Mat 24:29]. These Last Saints
are called the “Wise Virgins” [Mat 25:1-13] and they see the historical fulfillment of “Time-of-the-End” events which
were prophesied about themselves … events prophesied as happening while the Last Saints are living on earth.


Luk 21:28
And when these things BEGIN to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads;
for your redemption draweth nigh.


Because the Last Saints “shall see all these things”, they are able to explain the fulfillment of all the prophecies
about Daniel’s Fourth Kingdom – the Revelation Beast – or the Great Tribulation “Kingdom of Heaven” [Mat 25:1].
They can explain, with great specificity, details about the fulfillment of all prophecies on Satan’s “Little Season”.
Their testimony (Gospel) provides NEW details on the who/what/when/where of “Time-of-the-End” prophecies.


They reveal the “Mark of the Beast”, the “Image” that’s worshiped and details on the Battle of Armageddon.
The Last Saints even NAME the person the Bible calls the “Little Horn”, “False Prophet”, or “Man of Sin”.
a person commonly known as THE Anti-Christ. Jesus promised they “shall see all these things” fulfilled
long before they’re “changed” at the resurrection. This is an important concept we must understand.


* The Last Saints are living on earth when the Lord Returns, they are “changed” without dying.
* The Last Saints “shall see all these things” that Jesus prophesied about His Return.


(3) The Last Saints are also able to understand the historical fulfillment of prophecies which the Bible promised
would remain “closed-up” and “sealed” to all the “Saints” until the “Time-of-the-End” (or “Season and Time”)
after the destruction of the Fourth Kingdom on earth. Only the Last Saints “shall understand” the historical
fulfillment of prophecies about the Fourth Kingdom on earth – and about events in the “Time-of-the-End”.


Jewish Saints never understood “Time-of-the-End” prophecies and the Christian Church never understood
“Time-of-the-End” prophecies. Those prophecies remained “closed-up” and “sealed” from all the “Saints”,
until the Last Saints “shall understand”. There is no way to Biblically refute this critically important PART
of the Gospel, because the Bible is so absolutely clear about WHEN the (Last) Saints “shall understand”.
The Last Saints “shall understand” Biblical mysteries at the “Time-of-the-End”. That is very clear.


Dan 12:4
But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the Time-of-the-End:
many shall run to and fro, and knowledge [about sealed prophecies] shall be increased.


Dan 12:8-10
And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the END of these things?
And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the Time-of-the-End.
Many [Last Saints] shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly:
and NONE of the wicked shall understand; but the wise [Last Saints] SHALL UNDERSTAND.


The Bible promises understanding of “Time-of-the-End” prophecies would remain “closed-up” and “sealed”
to all the “Saints” until understanding is revealed to the Last Saints [Dan 12:8-10]. History confirms this reality
as Jewish “Saints” thought “Time-of-the-End” prophecies applied to their (2nd) Jewish “Kingdom of Heaven”
[Mat 22:2]. And the Christian “Saints” thought “Time-of-the-End” prophecies applied to their (3rd) Christian
“Kingdom of Heaven” [Mat 13]. In fact, only Saints in the (4th) Great Tribulation “Kingdom of Heaven” [Mt 25:1]
can understand the fulfillment of prophecies on the “Time-of-the-End”, since all “Time-of-the-End” prophecies
are about events occurring during, and after, Daniel’s Fourth (Revelation and/or Great Tribulation) “Kingdom”.


* The Last Saints are living on earth when the Lord Returns, they are “changed” without dying.
* The Last Saints “shall see all these things” that Jesus prophesied about His Return.
* The Last Saints “shall understand” prophecies about the “Time-of-the-End”.


(4) The Last Saints are called the “Wise Virgins” that “went forth” from the (3rd) Christian “Kingdom of Heaven”
as they followed the “Little Horn” or the “False Prophet” into the (4th) Great Tribulation “Kingdom of Heaven”.
The Last Saints were saved during the Great Commission of the Christian Kingdom, then they are “harvested”
(with foolish virgins), when the last “wheat and tares” departed their churches, following the Anti-Christ
into Daniel’s Fourth “Kingdom/Beast” on earth.


Mat 25:1-2
THEN shall the [Great Tribulation] Kingdom of Heaven be likened unto [look like] TEN VIRGINS,
which took their lamps [their Gospels], and WENT FORTH [from the 3rd Kingdom, into the 4th Kingdom]
to meet the Bridegroom [Jesus]. And five of them were wise [saved wheat], and five were foolish [unsaved tares].


The "THEN" in Matthew 25:1 is NOT the start of the (2nd) Jewish Kingdom or (3rd) Christian Kingdom
(at Pentecost). Instead, it's the start of Daniel's Fourth (Great Tribulation) "Kingdom of Heaven".
It's the start of Satan’s “Little Season”. It’s the rising of the 7-Headed Revelation Beast.
It begins the reign of the Anti-Christ for 3.5 “times/days/years/watches of the night”.


The “THEN” in Matthew 25:1 is when all of the Last Saints “went forth” with the Fourth Beast.
Before we can understand when, in history, the “THEN” occurs… we must first be able to discern
where the Last Saints “went forth” from (3rd Kingdom), and where they “went forth” into (4th Kingdom).
We must be able to discern the context of the passage, as it relates to Daniel’s Fourth “Kingdom of Heaven”.


Unfortunately, the Bible promises no Saint would ever understand the context of Daniel’s Four Kingdoms until
the Last Saints “shall understand” these things, during a time specifically named the “Time-of-the-End” [Dan 12:8-10].
Therefore, an important PART of the Gospel of the Bible remained “closed-up” and “sealed” to all the “Saints” in both
the (2nd) Jewish “Kingdom of Heaven” [Mat 22:2] and (3rd) Christian “Kingdom of Heaven” [Mat 13:24, 31, 33, 44, 45, 47, 52]
until those “sealed” Biblical mysteries are finally revealed to the Last Saints during a period named the “Time-of-the-End”.


* The Last Saints are living on earth when the Lord Returns, they are “changed” without dying.
* The Last Saints “shall see all these things” that Jesus prophesied about His Return.
* The Last Saints “shall understand” prophecies about the “Time-of-the-End”.
* The Last Saints “went forth” into the Fourth “Kingdom of Heaven”.


We have seen how Christ promised He would be with the Christian “Saints” throughout the Great Commission
of the Church Age – until a time named the “End of the Age”. And we have seen how the Gospel of the Bible
teaches mysteries about the Fourth “Kingdom/Beast” on earth would remain “closed-up” and “sealed” to all the
Jewish “Saints” and all the Christian “Saints” until the mysteries are revealed to the Last Saints during a period
of time specifically named the “Time-of-the-End”.


Already we can now see the Gospel of the Bible teaches the “End of the Age” (end of the Great Commission)
precedes the time when understanding about Daniel’s Fourth “Kingdom/Beast” is revealed to the Last Saints
during the “Time-of-the-End”. Therefore, we can know that the “Time-of-the-End” comes sometime after the
“End of the Age”, or sometime after the end of the Great Commission of the Christian Church Age.


Moreover, we have seen how the Gospel of the Bible teaches the Last Saints “shall see” historical fulfillment
of prophecies of the Fourth “Kingdom/Beast” on earth. How the Last Saints “shall understand” Biblical mysteries,
about the Fourth “Kingdom/Beast” during a period named the “Time-of-the-End”. And how the Last Saints continue
to live on earth until they are “changed” (without ever dying) at the Return of the Lord and the resurrection of the dead.


Soon we will explain more “sealed” mysteries about the Four “Kingdoms/Beasts” on earth, showing how
the History of Man is simply a reflection of God’s Salvation Plan over four temporal “Kingdoms” on earth,
before He establishes the (5th) Eternal “Kingdom of Heaven”.


.

After pondering and observing the behavior of my fellow men and women I was frustrated at not being able to understand why women have contrary feelings. After failing to find the answer in the world, I started chatting with my sister's about the subject...got a little farther with them, but it seemed they were stumped at the question.

So I pulled out my Bible and started reading about Eve...and when I got to her punishment I realized that the answer was staring us in the face the whole time!



These are the only two English translations which don't leave you with an ambiguous reading of the text--aside from the Septuagint which says the woman will have an aversion towards her husband...some others use the words submission and recourse--and seeing that the context of this part of the story is a punishment of Eve (and all women): God made it clear that not only would Eve have a positive desire for her husband, but also a negative one. This is why women since Eve have all tried to change and control men, and why they have a natural aversion that comes out towards the man.

With this fresh understanding it makes sense why God gave man the authority to rule over the woman, because she misused her power and influence to cause Adam to disobey God with her instead of checking in with her husband to see if the serpent was correct. After today it makes complete sense why women are so emotional: it was to serve as a reminder of their mother's punishment.

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My dad has Strep Throat and just started taking antibiotics about 24 hours ago. He was really bad off, having a urinary tract infection from it. I think his infection is getting better but has cough that seems worse and seems to be getting laryngitis.



Last night I got something that I think is a minor cold. I don't get sick very often. I often go 3-5 years without missing work or getting seriously sick.



My mom I think has something similar to what I got, but she has got lots of bigger problems already, e.g. - using a walker, taking heavy pain meds etc.


Thanks for all the past previous prayers! Happy New Year!

Hello. First of all, to go into the great detail on my hurtful experience would take me probably 2 pages to write. The reality is that I had a resurge of faith over Covid lock downs. I read the whole Bible and made a habit of daily study. I started attending Church again and I also started attending a small group (My wife came too).


Last October, something happened in our small group, and I just can’t go back. I was really let down by several members of the Church. It is very hard to find a new Church (we live very remotely and commuted 1 hour and 30 minutes to this Church).


The big problem that I need to get over now is that I can’t really do any bible study (This includes daily bible readings, listening to sermons on podcast). Anytime I think about doing bible study It all brings back this pain.


I think one of my problems may have been that I put in too much passion, too fast. I was wondering if there are any Christian authors who write in styles that are kind of simple and funny and I could use this as a way to kind of get back on track for the moment.

BTW: I have no idea what the long-term solution will be. Where I am at currently is that the idea of any Bible study is just too painful. My belief and personal faith are fine. I still pray. I have a picture of Jesus as well as some crosses handing up in my house. Just seeing Jesus really calms me.

It might also be that I feel like I failed. Studying the Bible perhaps is a reminder of my failure. But in reality there was nothing I could have done.



Thanks so much for reading, listening, and any suggestions that come through.

Republicans are attempting to pass a new House rule to block materials compiled by the panel that investigated the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection from immediately going to the National Archives.

Although the House committee investigating the insurrection has released a trove of transcripts and underlying information backing up its report, the vast majority of raw information the panel collected is slated to be sent to the National Archives, where it could be locked away for up to 50 years.

But the proposed rules package the new Congress will vote on Tuesday orders that any record created by the panel must instead be sent to the House Committee on House Administration by Jan. 17 and orders the National Archives to return any material it has already received.

I turned to Christ this past summer, so pardon my ignorance pls.

Anyhow, Ive recently been thinking about heaven. And I was getting excited about it and exploring the new earth, meeting Jesus, doing things with Jesus, etc. But ive recently started getting these "experiences" I dont really know how to put it, where im pretty sure God is basically telling me "No, you stand around my throne and sing in worship forever". No im not crazy, although I sure feel crazy rn XD. But anyways, this causes me alot of distress cause if thats all we do, I dont really look forward to heaven tbh. I mean, I love God, and most def dont mind bowing before him, but thats ALL we do? Im kinda just in dispear to be honest, cause if thats all we do, whats the point in building skills now? If they are just discarded in the next life.

Anyhow im going off topic. My question is this, HOW do I tell if God is the one saying this? I dont know what to do tbh. But its really stressing me out

I'm curious to know what your average worship services looks like every Sunday (or on a different day if your church-body fits this exception).

Our services start at 10:00, and roughly finishes somewhere between 12:30-1:00. We begin and finish with:

1. Public Greeting and Opening Prayer
2. Scripture Reading
3. Congregational Singing
4. Catechism Reading
5. Public Announcement/Praise Report/Prayer Request
6. Corporate Prayer
7. Lord's Table with Admonition
8. Fellowship Break
9. Sermon
10. Closing Hymn
11. Closing Prayer

I'm sure this kind of format is very common for a Baptist congregation, but yours may be entirely different.

Hebrews 13:8, Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

Is this verse…

(1) A capstone expression for the author’s admonitions in verses 1-7?
(2) A pause (that really feels more like a thunderclap) to express the greatness of God?
(3) A grand opening for what the author explains in verses 9-19?
(4) A purposeful and glorious lynchpin between what is emphasized in verses 1-7 and 9-19?

I have always read verse 8 as described in (2). But today, I sense that while (2) is a blessed and inevitable reaction (which I will always enjoy!), there is also the matter of context that makes (1), (3), or (4) reasonable approaches for understanding Hebrews 13.

Have you ever had similar thoughts about verse 8?

Stuff that you just can't foresee.....

No, I am no prophet, don't claim to be. But I am super excited about 2023.

• My home church is growing faster than ever with two sister churches, both having to build out to handle eveyone.
• The organization I minister with is growing exponentially
  • 20,000 students world wide
  • 282 campuses
  • over 3,500 affiliate churches
• Our personal ministry in 2022
  • Ministered a total of 208 times in 7 different nations
  • published our second book
  • helped train ministers in 19 different nations
• What I believe is the coming mover of God. When people step into the priesthood of the Believer and begin to minister to others at home, in the workplace, in the market places - it will dwarf the revivals of the past because of the sheer number of people ministering His Grace.
• Other ministries growing and reaching the lost at an unprecedented rate.

The time for being huddled in our little group - being a spectator - or staying away from church is drawing to a close. Harvest time is coming!

【Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. 】Matthew 16:16~17

Please pray for me(sangeun) and all of my family members(junghee dohan jieun hochul jeolja nosun zzomi) to know the Jesus and Gospel and the truth by Spirit of God and accept the Gospel and Jesus christ and believe in Jesus christ. and not to give up on Jesus christ and faith at any situation and repent of all our sins and be free from all our sins and be forgiven all our sins by Jesus and go to heaven surely.

Please pray for me(sangeun) and all of my family members(junghee dohan jieun hochul jeolja nosun zzomi) to believe that the Father is in the Son Jesus and that Jesus is in the Father. And to know the true father God. And Jesus Christ directly reveal the name of God the Father to all of us. And that God fulfil the Bible verses above for all of us. May God make impossible to make possible for all of us.

I have an ongoing problem with my emotional imbalance mom, She cannot control her temper and would appear to be hostile, can talk to her about reasoning. I should learn to keep quiet regardless of how unpleasant and unrespectful her critics could be, Being a Christian, I regret I can't and in some way, I respond. making it worst. I have been a poor witness of God. Forgive me.

Please continue to pray for my overall well-being and for being able to stay at peace with God while managing my chronic illness
Sleep Nerve, Digestion, thyroid. I need a holistic check-up, if it is not available in my place, may the lord place His direct healing hand on me just like He heals the blind, the leper, etc during the age of new testament where there is no hospital, and no medical doctor like today. It is faith that heals

Cause' I have no idea ._.

Is Cannibalism ok?

How do we know if it's right or wrong?

Where do we find such knowledge?


Now if that doesn't answer the questions where else can we look?
How about in Leviticus 11?


How about in Leviticus 20? Where it tells us why.


There of course is mankind and there is beast. But the distinction here is if this living being has two identifiers,

1. It has cloven hooves (hooves that are split. )
2. It chews the cud (has multiple stomachs)

Man has neither.

We can also look to the NT and read this:


No majik is needed to interpret this properly. When one is familiar with Torah they understand that in the wilderness where the LORD had gathered his chosen people and married them there at the foot of the mountain he also made provision for them, not only giving them words to live by but also water from a rock (that was the living water) and the manna or Bread from Heaven.

Yeshua here is saying that He is that living water and that bread from Heaven, he is also the Word of God which is Torah.

So still no allowance for eating another human being. Many may remember the Donnor group but that was not a precedent as to what honors God. The Creator of man in His own Image.


So what do you make of this group?

humanmeatproject.com yes, you read that right, Human Meat Project​

I ask that you give me, my people(Ha-young, Ye-young, Ui-seop, Jung-won, Hye-ok, Yul-bin, Suzy, Eun-tae, In-sook, Im-hak, Tan-ae), and all who read it and pray revelation by the will of God’s son and let us know the true father God. Please send us workers for the harvest. I desire for what you wish to gather as the following recorded Word be gathered through our lives, so Jesus, please come to us quickly with your sovereign power and take away all the armament of those who stole from us all this time and let us divide the spoil.

-

"But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. Or how can anyone enter the strong man’s house and carry off his property, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house. He who is not with Me is against Me; and he who does not gather with Me scatters.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭12:28-30‬ ‭

Last night I took my wife to the hospital around 6pm for what we thought was a second kidney stone and thus began a crazy series of events. We took my stepdaughter with us at the behest of my mother-in-law because she wanted to stay informed. But soon after they admitted my wife they said my stepdaughter couldn't stay because she's under 18. Meanwhile, I'd been fighting a migraine all day, so when I took her home it got the best of me and I started throwing up on the drive (had to pull over at a gas station at one point). Got home intending to lie down just for a bit to help the headache. Around 9 my stepdaughter let me know my wife is doing fine and that they dropped my mother-in-law off at the hospital to be with her so I could rest.

I talked to my wife again around 1:15am and she said the kidney stone is actually an ovarian cyst and our OB wants to do a c-section between 7am and noon to get the baby and remove the cyst.

Then I get a frantic text from my stepdaughter saying my mother-in-law wants us to come right away because they just wheeled my wife out of the room. Except we can't come, we were told not to come before visiting hours at noon because the patient is only allowed one support person (her mom right now) outside visiting hours. This took a while to sort out because the nurse at the front desk couldn't reach the nurses in the Labor/Delivery unit.

I finally heard from my wife around 7:15am and I was right, they were concerned about the elevated heartbeat so the doctor moved quickly to deliver the baby and get the cyst out. I don't know his height or weight yet cause I can't go to the hospital for another hour and we haven't chosen a name yet but he's healthy and mom's doing much better.

Thanks for your prayers guys!

(tagging @Michie cause I'll know she'll wanna know)

We all like to believe that we are free to make our own choices. At the same time, many people think that psychological techniques are constantly being used to sway us—from social media trends to advertising. So how do we square this?

Surprisingly, it's a question most researchers have ignored until now. But in a series of recent studies, we asked people "where in your day to day life do you think psychological tactics are being used to manipulate you unconsciously?"—and investigated what that meant for their belief in free will.

In a 2018 study across four countries (Australia, Canada, U.K. and the U.S.), responses to the question above were remarkably similar. In fact, they cut across age, gender, religiosity and political affiliation.

Approximately 45% of the examples people gave of psychological manipulation referred to marketing and advertising—especially "subliminal advertising" (using images or sounds to entice or persuade people that they aren't consciously aware of). The next most common (19%) was research (such as using placebos), then political campaigning (7%), social media (4%) and hypnotherapy (4%).

People typically described methods that subtly change mood, emotions and thoughts in such a way they that they persuade us into choosing or doing things that we have not consciously consented to. For instance, shops can pipe the smell of fresh baked bread outside it to entice people in. In a speech, a politician may emphasize specific words to persuade people to support them. Despite knowing such a thing could happen, we typically can't be sure when we were being manipulating in this way.

But do methods such as subliminal messaging actually work? Psychological research has not settled on an answer to this. But it is interesting to ponder how all this affects our belief in free will.

Read More at MedicalxPress...

Amazing seeing the whole team coming together in prayer...


Damar Hamlin's toy charity takes in millions in the following hours


Currently at 3.4 million dollars...

911 call transcript, body cam videos, and police report were obtained by Open Record Requests. From that information investigators have learned that the police report was supplemented in contradiction of the facts.

This election event was disturbing to a lot of people. I am a huge advocate for transparency, and so it is great to see what one of the Georgia election ballot counting people who was actually there had to say, albeit over two years later. Her statements can be carefully compared in more detail to statements made to the January 6th select committee. Likewise the statements of the officers should be scrutinized.

It is often claimed that advances in medical science will extend our lifespans. Sometimes these claims are even that we will live decades or centuries longer.

What has medical science discovered and implemented into common practice recently? Let's define recently as since the year 2000.

I'm not opposed to mainstream medicine and do not advocate any alternatives, but I am skeptical about many of the longevity claims commonly made.

Epoch Times: Naveen Athrappully said:

The tool classifies the LGBTQ inclusivity continuum of schools into three groups: “Mostly A’s” who are seen as highly inclusive; “Mostly B’s” who are moderately inclusive; and minimally inclusive “Mostly C’s.”

Click to expand...

Epoch Times: Naveen Athrappully said:

A person who believes that gender, sexual orientation, and gender identity is unique and can be “experienced on a continuum” is given an A rating according to the tool, with those who do not agree with such a statement given a C.

Individuals who use inclusive terminology are seen as an A, with those who rarely use such terminology classified as a C.

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Epoch Times: Naveen Athrappully said:

School administrators who ensure that, (a) events like pep rallies and proms include same-gender and gender non-conforming couples, (b) bathrooms and lockers can be used by any student per their chosen gender, (c) athletics programs have mixed gender participation, and (d) students have access to age-appropriate LGBTQ specific online materials, resources, and information, are given an A rating.

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RIP American public schools. These policies are hurting and victimizing children and making their lives much worse.

Prayer: Grant me the discipline to Love You, the wisdom to know Thy will, and the strength to follow You. I will ask You no more.

Wonderings: Reality is what You want O Lord. Reality is what You desire. Break through and get to that and You will get to what is needed. Strike the rock, precious Lord, shatter it to pieces and you will get to what is real. The world needs to see such as that and so much less of us. All of creation waits for the true sons of God to be revealed. May your true light spring forth in a dark and thirsty land. Get to what is needed precious Lord. Get to what is real. Strike the Rock, break us open until the Son of God is revealed.

There is only one path that leads to truth. If Christ is not in front of you, you are not on it.

He sees the tangled twisted knot in all of us that cuts off the vine. What are you holding onto dear child? Give Him the entire tangled mess. He will know what to do.

The door of the cross ends all arguments, divisions and strife among us. Only the Pure, unpolluted water of Jesus Christ is allowed to flow free on the other side. This free flow is what He is after. Not the tangled mass of angry disharmony you see this side of the door.

The world is not Christ and Christ is not the world, let us not confuse the two. In our quest to love the world, let us not become it. Somehow this line gets more and more blurred by the day.



Wanderings: Nebo - Deuteronomy 34: 1-10

The first time Moses saw the promised land was the day He died. Moses went up on Mount Nebo a healthy man (Deuteronomy 34:7), yet he never came back down. Did Moses come up short? Did he fail God? Well it says of Moses, But since then there has not arisen in Israel a prophet like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face (Deuteronomy 34:10). Hmmm , as for me, I should think he did pretty well.

Sometimes things don't always turn out the way we expected, the way we hoped or had planned. The Lord Himself took Moses down into a valley the day he died, and the Lord Himself buried him there. Imagine that for a moment. One of the most touching passages in the Bible. Sometimes days are like that. Sometimes we come to Nebos. But it is not what we get out of it after all that truly matters. Sometimes we are only allowed to see things from afar. But if we went up there with the Lord it will be well. His path is never wrong, even if Nebo is its end. Let Him bury us there. We will go up healthy and if we are allowed to descend we will come back down never quite the same. Something will be lost there that God Himself will bury, but blessed be the name of the Lord, something will be gained that only Nebos can bring.

Only you dear reader will know what your Nebo truly is, and what this writing really means. May He open your eyes to see.



............More to follow soon