He was a devout Christian Scientist so i doubt he was ever baptized or received any sacraments.

Is it weird to pray for a famous celebrity?

What are your thoughts?

God bless

I have no energy, I’ve been working out but I just get worse, I’m eating healthy, but that isn’t working either, I feel like I’m just going more and more downhill. Does anyone have any advice on what I can do?

When I read scripture, I clearly see that the gifts are for today. I believe that Jesus taught healing by faith although I disagree with what kind of faith most charismatic churches teach.

I don't want to discuss whether or not the gifts are for today. I know where I stand on that point. My issue is finding teachers thar I can trust. As of now, I do not trust most of the teachers that agree with my doctrine stance. In my opinion, they are charlatans squeezing money out of their congregation. People like Andrew Wommack, Todd White etc align themselves with Kenneth Copeland and Benny Hinn. I just can't. Thry have turned the gospel in a merchandise empire and I've seen enough of their conferences to make me sick. The fake tongues and false healings followed with a guilt trip to give money are just too much.

The other option is teachers that go against what I find I'm scripture. Those who call out these charlatans are part of the other extreme. They tend to be cessacionist or calvinist. I wholeheartedly disagree with these beliefs.

As you can see, this leaves me all alone. I understand that we are to study on our own. I agree. Sometimes it's nice to listen and to glean off of others. I just can't find anyone. The ones who agree with what I see look like charlatans and the other side reminds me of the Pharisees.

Anyone here that beliefs in the gifts, healing etc and agree that most of gift teachers are frauds? If so, who do you go to? Also, what are your thoughts on all this? Why has the continuisism side of the church fallen into such a money hungry spectacle with barely any real signs of the gifts?

I hope I made some sense on where I'm struggling.

The Trump administration is planning a June 14 military parade through the streets of Washington, D.C., to mark the president’s 79th birthday.

It will also mark the Army’s 250th anniversary. A senior administration official confirmed the plans to NewsNation, The Hill’s sister network.

President Trump in his first term in 2018 ordered the Pentagon to plan a large military parade after he visited Paris and was inspired by a French Bastille Day event.

[That didn't happen, primarily due to costs and bad optics.] see also: Trump's military parade is now estimated to cost $92 million – $80 million more than estimate

But now, who will stand in President Trump's way? And the laid off federal workers of DC and seniors looking at their investments desperately need something to cheer them up.

I see Elon Musk broke with Trump in regards to tariffs, probaby because he is taking a big hit in personal income, as is Tesla taking a hit. But Musk is not alone.

It is no wonder that the White Supremacists backed Trump over Harris. They want their history white-washed.

China has cheated us long enough.

In the interests of talking about something else.
I’m fascinated in the stalwarts of this forum, mostly the professionals or trained people.
What was the trigger that got you into science , in a deeper sense than superficial interest .
Sure, most of us had telescopes , took things apart to see how they worked , but wht was the first “ taking it deeper”

For me it was when my dad bought “ Scroggie , foundations of wireless” , I was only just in junior school then.
I was hooked when I saw how all that math seemed to work in practice. I mended our christmas tree lights with a capacitor nicked from a radio. ( lights were Ac then , and the whole string added to mains voltage, nobody considered safety much! )
I wasnt long before I built a few valve circuits , then an oscilloscope. Transistors were rare back then.
from then on I got hooked on the maths of science.

what about others, what was the trigger to go deep?

"While the Holy Spirit is indeed essential for salvation, evangelism (sharing the gospel) is not useless, but rather a vital and divinely ordained means by which people are led to faith. The Holy Spirit empowers believers to share the message, and God uses both the message and the Spirit's work to bring about salvation."

I thought this was an interesting interview with Santi Ruiz, from the Institute for Progress. One point that stuck out to me early on was the argument that DOGE et al are going after the cheap stuff (e.g. grants, new hires) first as a way of building a coalition and support for bigger, harder cuts (e.g. entitlements) later. I'm not sure I buy that argument, but it's at least more internally consistent than a lot of others I've heard. Amassing power for Trump while attacking centers of liberal power strikes me as a much more plausible overarching goal. The lack of fast feedback loops are a critique that the "run government like a business" folks ought to take to heart IMO.

Will Trump Negotiate Tariffs? White House Claims Over 50 Countries Want To Talk​

Which Countries Have Offered To Negotiate With Trump On Tariffs?​

Cambodia: Cambodia’s commerce ministry sent a letter to the Trump administration pledging to cut tariffs on its U.S. imports from 35% to 5%

European Union: European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has suggested that while Europe is “prepared to respond” to Trump’s tariffs and could impose retaliatory moves in response, it was also hoping to negotiate with the president, holding off on announcing any immediate countermeasures and saying the bloc is “always ready” to talk.

United Kingdom: British officials believe they could reach a deal to remove or reduce Trump’s 10% tariffs on the U.K. “within weeks,” according to The Washington Post,

Vietnam: In a letter Saturday, Vietnam’s Communist Party offered to remove all tariffs on U.S. goods in hopes of lowering the 46% tax Trump imposed

India: Indian officials have suggested they’re likely to try and negotiate with Trump rather than impose any major retaliatory moves,

Taiwan: President Lai Ching-te said Sunday Taiwan will not impose any retaliatory tariffs on U.S. imports and he wants to negotiate with the Trump administration with a goal of “zero tariffs”

Israel: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to visit Trump on Monday and Israel canceled its tariffs on U.S. imports even before Trump’s tariff rollout last week,

Indonesia: Indonesia’s chief economic minister Airlangga Hartarto said Sunday the country will pursue a diplomatic solution to the 32% tariffs Trump levied on the nation’s goods rather than imposing retaliatory tariffs, Reuters reports, and the country is planning to send a delegation to the U.S. to negotiate with Trump.



Promises made - promises kept - the world is coming to us.

“He suffered from starvation that led to severe malnutrition and in combination with untreated colitis that caused dehydration and electrolyte levels disturbances in his blood which can cause heart rate abnormalities and death,” said Dr. Lina Qasem Hassan, the head of the board for Physicians for Human Rights Israel who reviewed the report at the request of the AP.

[Israel has not released its own autopsy results; this medical report was provided by an Israeli doctor allowed to observe the autopsy on behalf of the family.]

I semi seriously asked God how many Palestinians will the Israelites kill before they get what is coming to them.

And an answer instantly came to my mind instantly. 6 million. I almost laughed.

Whats your estimate?

Context, Context, Context

If we want to be those who correctly handle the word of truth, then we need to study and to discern the teachings of the Scriptures by reading them in their proper context. For too many lies are being taught as truth because people are teaching the Scriptures out of context and are twisting them to make them say what they do not say if taught in the appropriate context. So, make certain you understand the full context before you might end up reaching the wrong conclusion. And always read the Scriptures under the guidance and direction of the Holy Spirit and not as an intellectual exercise.

So, what is the context here? Gentiles, by faith in Jesus Christ, were now one in Christ with Jews who believed in Jesus – all one body, the body of Christ, the church, biblical Israel. But there were Judaizers, who were false brothers, who were trying to persuade the Gentile Christians that they had to be more like Jews, and that they had to obey some of the Old Covenant liturgical, ceremonial, dietary, and circumcision laws, which they were not under. For Jesus did away with the Old Covenant which God had with the Jews when Jesus died on that cross to deliver us out of bondage to sin.

[Genesis 17:7-9; Genesis 18:19; John 8:18-19,38-47; Romans 2:28-29; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; Romans 9:4-8,25-28; Romans 11:1-36; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; Galatians 3:16,26-29; Galatians 4:22-31; Ephesians 2:11-22; Ephesians 3:6; Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 4:1-16; Hebrews 8:6-13;1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 2:22; Jude 1:5; Revelation 2:9; Revelation 3:9]

But just because the believers in Christ, Jew and Gentile, were not under the Old Covenant, that didn’t make them lawless. It didn’t mean that they no longer had to obey God’s commandments. All throughout the New Testament writings we are taught the necessity of obedience to our Lord’s New Covenant commands as part of faith which saves, and that if we don’t obey our Lord and his commands, that we do not know God and we will not inherit eternal life with God. So “the law” being referred to here is in reference to the Old Covenant liturgical, ceremonial, dietary, and circumcision laws.


For, when Jesus Christ gave his life up for us on that cross, it was in order to put our sins to death with him, so that by faith in him we might now die with him to sin. And he was resurrected from the dead, in victory over sin and Satan, in order that we, by faith in him, might now walk in obedience to his commands, in holy living, and no longer as slaves to sin. Therefore, we are no longer to let sin reign in our mortal bodies, to make us obey its desires, for if sin is what we obey, it results in death. But if obedience to God is what we obey, it results in sanctification, and its end is eternal life with God.

And the grace of God, which is bringing us salvation, is what sent Jesus to that cross to put our sins to death with him so that, by faith in him, we will now die to sin and walk in obedience to our Lord’s commands. And his grace is training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives while we wait for Jesus’ return. For Jesus “gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds,” “which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.”

[Tit 2:11-14; Eph 2:8-10; Matt 7:13-14,21-23; Lu 9:23-26; Jn 10:27-30; Ac 26:18; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14; Rom 12:1-2; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 1 Co 10:1-22; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; Gal 5:16-24; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 4:17-32; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:1-17; Heb 3:1-19; Heb 4:1-13; Heb 10:23-31; Heb 12:1-2; 1 Pet 2:24; 1 Jn 1:5-10; 1 Jn 2:3-6,15-17; 1 Jn 3:4-10]

For us to be crucified with Christ so that it is no longer “I” who live, but it is Christ who lives in us, we, by faith in Jesus Christ, must submit ourselves to Christ and to the cross of Christ, and deny self, die with him to sin, in practice, and walk with him in obedience to his commands, in practice, in his power, by his grace. We must empty ourselves of ourselves and surrender our lives over to the will of God for our lives so that Jesus is now the one directing our paths, and no longer is the flesh ruling within us. We are not in charge, but God is, and we are to be following him in his ways.

So, don’t believe the lies which are telling you that faith in Jesus Christ frees you from having to obey the commands of the Lord, and that God’s grace is free license now to continue living in sin without punishment and without guilt. We are free from the Old Covenant liturgical, ceremonial, dietary and circumcision laws, but we are not free to keep sinning, and we are not free to disobey our Lord’s New Covenant commands. For if sin is what we practice, and not walks of obedience to our Lord’s commands, then we will die in our sins. We will not inherit eternal life with God.

Oh, to Be Like Thee, Blessed Redeemer

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

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

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

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

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

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

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No Longer I Who Live
An Original Work / April 7, 2025
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

A prayer request for my brothers and sisters in Christ.

My wife has been sent for urgent testing at hospital as she has been hacking up blood when coughing.

Please pray everything is ok and she knows God's comfort.

The Situation

When Jesus Christ gave his life up for us on that cross, to deliver us out of our slavery to sin, so that we can now serve God in walks of obedience to his commands, in holy living, he made Jew and Gentile into one people, one nation by faith in Jesus Christ, which had been prophesied in the Old Testament. All the Jews who refused to believe in Jesus Christ as their Messiah (the Christ) were cut out of Israel. And all the Gentiles who believed in Jesus Christ were grafted into Israel. Thus, biblical Israel is comprised of Jew and Gentile who believe in Christ to be Lord and Savior of their lives.

[Genesis 17:7-9; Genesis 18:19; John 8:18-19,38-47; Romans 2:28-29; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; Romans 9:4-8,25-28; Romans 11:1-36; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; Galatians 3:16,26-29; Galatians 4:22-31; Ephesians 2:11-22; Ephesians 3:6; Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 4:1-16; Hebrews 8:6-13;1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 2:22; Jude 1:5; Revelation 2:9; Revelation 3:9]

But there were people who were called Judaizers who were trying to convince the Gentile Christians that they had to be more like Jews, and that they had to obey some of the Old Covenant liturgical, ceremonial, dietary, and circumcision laws, which they did not have to obey under the New Covenant. These Judaizers who professed faith in Jesus, who Paul regarded as “false brethren,” were trying to convince the Christians, in particular, that they had to be circumcised as part of their faith in the Lord Jesus. So the book of Galatians corrects the wrongness of the Judaizers’ teachings.


So, what wrong did Cephas (Peter) do? He compromised his faith and convictions in order to be approved by other humans. And he rejected, at least in part, the Gentile believers in Christ in order to be approved by the party of the circumcision. He was more concerned about what these Judaizers would think of him than he cared about the truth of the gospel and the Gentile believers in Christ to whom he was called to minister and with whom he had been in fellowship and would eat with them. So, he was being unloving towards the Gentiles and hypocritical by trying to avoid rejection.

People who live like this, in practice, are called “chameleons,” for they have a strong tendency to adapt their behaviors, beliefs, and personalities to fit in with different groups of people or social situations so that they blend in with their environment, and in order to gain approval and acceptance of others, and/or to not be rejected by them. So, if they are with you alone, they may support you and share in your beliefs, but when around certain other people they may go against you, and not support you, and leave you hanging, for they are more concerned with being liked than with doing what is right.

And that is basically what Peter did, only not as a matter of practice, but out of fear of how he might be treated by “the party of the circumcision.” People who live like this, in practice, who are chameleons all the time, are not consistent in character or in behavior or in beliefs, but they will “change on a dime,” i.e. they will suddenly change into who they think others will accept, and will not be who they were in a different environment. And when Paul saw the hypocrisy of Peter in this situation, and how he was influencing others, he had to correct him, for Peter was doing great harm to others.

Don’t do what Peter did. Don’t be like “chameleons” who believe and practice and speak differently depending on who they are with, and who will slight and reject and not support you, like maybe they did before, if they are around people of a different belief and opinion, and so they want their approval. They will mistreat those they consider of lesser value to them if it means getting the approval of others whose opinions matter to them. Some of these “chameleons,” thus, become abusers who may be nice to you one minute but turn against you “on a dime” to meet the approval of others.

I think the case with Peter was a one-time incident that, after Paul corrected him, did not happen again. I believe Peter learned his lesson and he did not continue on that course. But there are people today professing faith in Jesus Christ who live like this all the time, as a matter of practice, to where they will slight someone to whom they were showing support in order to get the approval of others who they value more. And so they cannot be trusted to maintain a steady character or belief system or treatment of certain people. Don’t be like them! Be who you are all the time, no matter what!

[Matthew 6:1-6,16-18; Matthew 7:1-5; Matthew 15:1-9; Matthew 22:15-22; Matthew 23:1-39; Matthew 24:45-51; Luke 12:54-56; Luke 13:10-16]

Lead Me Gently Home, Father

By Will L. Thompson, 1879

Lead me gently home, Father,
Lead me gently home;
When life’s toils are ended,
And parting days have come,
Sin no more shall tempt me,
Ne’er from Thee I’ll roam,
If Thou’ll only lead me, Father,
Lead me gently home.

Lead me gently home, Father,
Lead me gently home;
In life’s darkest hours, Father,
When life’s troubles come,
Keep my feet from wand’ring,
Lest from Thee I roam,
Lest I fall upon the wayside,
Lead me gently home.

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Don’t Be a Hypocrite
An Original Work / April 7, 2025
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

The 20th Century Dutch Theologian Hendrikus Berkhof ?

Anyone know?

Peace in Christ.

Christ is the Head of all principality and power. We are complete in Him. We don’t need man’s codified writings of rules/ordinances to rule over us…only Christ Jesus our Lord is our Ruler.

But what do the man-based churches do?

They put their handwriting of ordinances/dogmas above His head (the "high places")….and they want to deceive us with it. They say we serve Jesus by the handwriting that they want us to keep and serve. They do not hold the Head of Christ though.

Mat 27:36-38
(36) And sitting down they watched him there;
(37) And set up over (ABOVE) his head his accusation written, THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

And those who are being deceived by them reckon that Jesus is among them. They are counting Him among them. He is not there among those who are "dead" in sins and trespasses.

(38) Then were there two thieves crucified with him, one on the right hand, and another on the left.

He was numbered with the transgressors by being crucified with the 2 thieves.

Notice that this Scripture was completely fulfilled 2,000 years ago. He is NO LONGER to be found among the transgressors in their present-day churches.

The verses pertaining to this does not say “might be fulfilled”…but “WAS fulfilled.”

Mark 15:27-28 KJV
(27) And with him they crucify two thieves; the one on his right hand, and the other on his left.
(28) And the scripture was fulfilled, which saith, And he was numbered with the transgressors.

That what was written had an end….a completion….accomplished in Him at Golgotha 2000 years ago.

Luk 22:37 KJV
(37) For I say unto you, that this that is written must yet be accomplished in me, And he was reckoned among the transgressors: for the things concerning me have an end.

We find that the Scripture “might be fulfilled” regarding other prophecies. This means it started back then 2000 years ago and is ongoing until its completion.

Joh 17:12 KJV
(12) While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.

Mat 4:13-15 KJV
(13) And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim:
(14) That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying,
(15) The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles;

The transgressors want you to come to their gatherings and keep and serve their handwritings rather than Christ who is the Head of the church body. They are “puffed up” in their fleshly minds and not having the mind of Christ.

They come forth to deceive…to spoil us through “philosophy” ( meaning “love of wisdom”) that is contained in their hand writings. The church handwriting of ordinances/dogmas are all man’s wisdom….man’s glory.

Col 2:8-10 KJV
(8) Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
(9) For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
(10) And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:

But our Lord forgives us for the handwriting of ordinances that is against us and is contrary to us.

He takes it out of the way and nails it to His cross. He nullifies the church handwritings making the “principalities and powers” powerless over us.

Col 2:13-15 KJV
(13) And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;
(14) Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;
(15) And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

We were once “dead in our sins and the uncircumcision of our flesh” while we attended the man-based-on-handwritings churches where we kept and served their handwritings. But He makes us alive together with Him having forgiven us all our trespasses.

We wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities, against powers (against the highly exalted….above the Head of Christ…church handwritings of ordinances) and against those who rule us with them.

Eph 6:12 KJV
(12) For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Again, beware of any man that wants to spoil you through his church handwriting (the tradition/transmission of men) which are patterned after the “rudiments” (the founding principles) of the outside world and not after Christ who is the Head of all principality and power.

Col 2:8 KJV
(8) Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

The outside world has their handwritings (such as “constitutions”) by which they govern and judge themselves with. They do not have God as their King.

We are not to copy them in these things. We are not to make any likeness (IMAGE) of their things…their handwritings...and place them inside our places of worship (the holy place). They are the "abomination" that desolates that place of God's glory as He will not give His glory to such who have church handwritings.

We…as His people…are not to do like the nations around us who have made their governing and judging handwritings for themselves to keep and serve. We are not to take it for ourselves and place like images into our churches.

Deuteronomy 7:

25 The carved images of their gods you shall burn with fire. You shall not covet the silver or the gold that is on them or take it for yourselves, lest you be ensnared by it, for it is an abomination to the Lord your God.

It is an “abomination” to the Lord our God ….our JUDGE. These things are devoted to destruction (the wrath of God…fire). If we have these nation-like handwritings in our churches, we also are destroyed… “devoted to destruction” like it.

26 And you shall not bring an abominable thing into your house and become devoted to destruction like it. You shall utterly detest and abhor it, for it is devoted to destruction.

The works…the church handwritings….are devoted for destruction. The works burn us up in His fire as our God is a consuming fire.

1Co 3:12-19 KJV
(12) Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;
(13) Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.
(14) If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
(15) If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
(16) Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

We must not defile the temple of God by having the handwritings of ordinances in them to keep and serve.

(17) If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.
(18) Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise.

The wisdom of this world is foolishness with God.

(19) For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.

We are our worst enemy because we think of ourselves as “wise” and go to a “church” and willingly and humbly submit to a church handwriting of ordinances…..the commandments and doctrines of men contained in them. They have a show of wisdom in our own will to go and keep and serve them. But we are engaged in our own “will worship” as we are seeing ourselves as “wise” to do these things. We PERISH with the using up of them. They are devoted to destruction and we also become devoted to destruction with the keeping and serving of them.

Col 2:20-23 KJV
(20) Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances,
(21) (Touch not; taste not; handle not;
(22) Which all are to perish with the using) after the commandments and doctrines of men?
(23) Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh.

Professing ourselves as “wise”, we become fools and exchange the glory of God for an “image” made like the outside man…the nations around us. The glory of God departs from all of those people who are doing such things. His glory does not appear over them.

Rom 1:22-23 KJV
(22) Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
(23) And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.

“Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth. We will know by this that we are of the truth, and will assure our heart before Him in whatever our heart condemns us; for God is greater than our heart and knows all things. Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; and whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight.” (1 John 3:18-22 NASB’95)

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Don’t call it love when it isn’t love.

If we say we know God, or that we love God, or that we are in fellowship with God, but while we continue in deliberate and habitual sin against God and against other humans, even those we claim to love, and while we do not walk in obedience to our Lord’s commands, in practice, then don’t call it love, because it isn’t love. Don’t say to God or to other humans that you love them and then turn right around and deliberately sin against them knowing full well that what you are doing is wrong and is against them to harm them.

Don’t say that you believe in Jesus, and that he is your Lord and Savior, and claim heaven as your eternal destiny, if you are deliberately and habitually sinning against the Lord, and if you are not keeping his commandments, in practice, but you are doing whatever your flesh wants, instead. That would be like someone who is married saying to their spouse that they love them, but then going right out and willfully committing adultery against them, premeditatedly plotting such evil against them, without conscience.

Therefore, love is not just words we speak, but love is shown in what we do. If we say we love someone, but then deliberately do the opposite of love, then the words are cheap, and they are an insult to the one to whom they are said. Love is action, and it is demonstrated by what we do. But this word “love” is not to be defined by human flesh. For it means to prefer what God prefers, which is what is holy, righteous, morally pure, upright, honest, faithful, and obedient to our Lord. So we love others like Jesus loves us.

And how did Jesus love the people of the world? Well, he willingly left his throne in heaven, humbled himself, and was born as a human baby to a human mother, conceived of the Holy Spirit. And he suffered like we suffer, and he was tempted in like manner as we are also tempted, yet without sin. And eventually he was put to death on a cross. And in his death he put our sins to death with him so that, by faith in him, we might die to sin and walk in obedience to his commands in holy living, in the power of God.

But while he lived on the earth he ministered to the needs of the people. He healed the sick and afflicted, raised the dead, delivered people from demons, fed the hungry, comforted the sorrowful, and he performed many miracles in the sight of the people. And he preached repentance (turning from sin, death to sin) and walks of obedience to his commands as necessary components of genuine faith resulting in salvation from sin and eternal life with God. And he spoke truth to the people, not lies to tickle itching ears.

And we should follow in his footsteps. And we should be sharing with the people of the world the same gospel message that he taught, which was that if we would come after him, we must deny self, take up our cross daily (die daily to sin) and follow (obey) him. For if we hold on to our lives of living in sin and for self, we will lose them for eternity. But if we die with Christ to sin, and walk in obedience to his commands, by the Spirit, then we have the hope of salvation from sin and eternal life with God in his heavenly kingdom.

So many people today are teaching a “gospel” of salvation message which is absent of repentance (death to sin) and walks of obedience to our Lord and to his commandments. They are teaching that all you have to do is verbalize faith in Jesus Christ and now heaven is secured for you when you die. But that is not what Jesus taught. It is not what his New Testament apostles taught, not if you read what they taught in their fulness in the correct biblical context. But so many are teaching love for God by lip service only.

But all throughout the New Testament writings we are instructed that love for God results in walks of obedience to his commands and the forsaking of our sinful practices resulting in holy living, or it is not love, and it is not faith, and it will not result in salvation from sin and eternal life with God. And so many people are teaching that you don’t have to do anything to be pleasing to God, but the Scriptures teach that we are to do the things that are pleasing in his sight. And this, because we love him, we want to please him.

[Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Luke 9:23-26; John 1:12-13; John 6:44; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Romans 2:6-8; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; Galatians 5:16-24; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 4:1-13; Hebrews 12:1-2; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 1:5-10; 1 John 2:3-6; 1 John 3:4-10]

Lead Me Gently Home, Father

By Will L. Thompson, 1879

Lead me gently home, Father,
Lead me gently home;
When life’s toils are ended,
And parting days have come,
Sin no more shall tempt me,
Ne’er from Thee I’ll roam,
If Thou’ll only lead me, Father,
Lead me gently home.

Lead me gently home, Father,
Lead me gently home;
In life’s darkest hours, Father,
When life’s troubles come,
Keep my feet from wand’ring,
Lest from Thee I roam,
Lest I fall upon the wayside,
Lead me gently home.

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Not Words Only, But in Action
An Original Work / April 6, 2025
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

A provocative title, I know... but it's actually a reference to Mark Noll's The Scandal of the Evangelical Mind.


I think this cuts both ways across the eclessial divide in the US. It's not like liberal churches are exempt from anti-intellectualism, or more commonly, pseudo-intellectualism. Particularly as Mainline Protestantism declines, it seems to be retreating into the same kind of hardened, defensive posture that Fundamentalist churches once hid behind, albeit one with prettier walls and bigger endowments.

I've recently been in the doldrums. The faith presented at my church is not intellectually engaging. In fact it seems to be intellectually shallow in so many ways, heavily burdened by vibes and 'common sense' born of a certain kind of cultural elite that drinks deep from the dank end of postmodernism.

I'd be curious to hear the perspectives from other Mainline Protestants. Is Christianity just a spent force, a dead letter for the intellectuals in our society, rendered devoid of vitality?

Words can be cheap
if not followed with action.
Words can be wrong
if just wanting reaction.

Words should be right
if they are led now by God.
Words should be good
if they are truth, not façade.

Words should be kind,
and not hateful in nature.
Words should be thoughtful,
not hurtful, which fracture.

Words ought to help others,
Lead them in right ways.
Words ought to guide others,
Not lead them astray.

Words should give good counsel,
Not tell people lies.
Words should speak truth of God,
Not on flesh rely.

Words can wreak havoc,
Cause widespread destruction,
If we’re not careful
To follow instructions.

Watch now what you say,
Let God guide all your words.
Speak truth to each other
From God you have heard.

An Original Work / April 6, 2025
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

More of the ever increasing dreams/Prophecy that are becoming so common....I have been thinking going to Las Vegas for a few days as a tourist...I live about a 10 hr drive from..I have driven thru on the Interstate many times but never stopped...city of sin....I even watched some videos on what's happening there on a weekly blog type show...I finally got a dream about Vegas..There was 2-3 scenes involved...the first showed an overzealous hotel salesman trying to get a deposit out of me before I saw a room but when I refused he showed me thru the back thru old and worn out facilities and then out the back door back on the street..he was mad and told me to get lost...next up a mall type scene with very nice upscale shops, modern and clean but it was very late in the day/evening and there were no customers...
some of the shops were massage type places but upscale. The feeling was notable because it seemed late in the day. The last scene was me seeing one other tourist nearby and asking.."is there anything under 100?"...referring to hotel rooms and the guy laughed out loud.
The message was clear..dont waste my time or money..but the interesting thing was that feeling like it was later...it seemed to be saying that maybe Vegas itself was at its last days or later days...like at the end of it as a tourist place it would run out of customers totally and fall away...thats the vibe I got. I thanked the Holy Spirit as I do most of the time for the efforts involved...You have to remember that this un usual city was built around evil...to some degree for sure..

Will Trump Negotiate Tariffs? White House Claims Over 50 Countries Want To Talk

Personally, I'm confused by this whole Tariff situation. (I can't even remember if it is spelled with two r's or one...) I'm wondering if you think it is possible that it isn't just the act of a "mad man", but a strategy to reduce tariffs across the board. Could this actually work and be beneficial to the U.S.?

Last night I had a mild anxiety attack and then early this afternoon I had to go to a wedding shower. I just popped in, said “hello”, wished the bride well, sat a few minutes and left. I was just so uncomfortable and couldn’t wait to get back home. i didn’t even say “goodbye” to the bride or her mom. Now I’m thinking I should have but they do know about my anxiety issues I’m hoping they arent offended that I slipped out so quickly. I already told the brides mom last night that I’d probably not stay long and that I was feeling so poorly and that there was a chance I might not show up at all. Was that ok? Would you be offended? I think some people are wondering what the heck is wrong with me.

my dad has been sick the last couple of days. Please pray for him and that he recovers