Reading Thomas Merton Ascent of Mt Carmel p 92-93. Help me wrap my head around this.


"But there exists no word, no idea, that can contain the reality of God. We must never talk about the wisdom and justice and power and even the being of God as if these divine perfections could be fitted into the definitions of these things as they are known to us. [ok. I get that.]

Saint Thomas says, of every concept of the divine perfections, that “the reality [in these divine names] remains unbounded, exceeding the signification of the term.” All the perfections of God are unlimited and they are therefore all one identical reality. [ I am not sure about that "one identical reality".]

It is impossible for us to understand the notions of justice and mercy unless they are somehow divided from one another and opposed. In God, justice is mercy, mercy is justice, and both are wisdom and power and being, for all His attributes merge in one infinite Reality that elevates them beyond definition and comprehension. [Sound like we are just playing with words now.]

Nevertheless, although all the Divine Names are objectively one identical reality in Him, they are not to be understood as synonymous by us. Like white light, broken up into different colors by the spectrum, the one Reality of God can only be attained by us under many different aspects."

U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee blasted the Israeli interior ministry for continuing to restrict visas issued to Christian organizations working in Israel in an exceptionally harshly worded letter that leaked to the Israeli press on Thursday.

In a response letter, Interior Minister Moshe Arbel of the ultra-Orthodox Shas party expressed his shock, claiming that his office had quickly addressed every request that was brought to his attention.

Arbel added he was “particularly surprised” about the manner in which Huckabee raised his concerns, as he sent copies of his letter to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Isaac Herzog, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer and Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana.

Continued below.

We know God's will for our life in the broad sense, of course:

1 Timothy 2:3–4 (ESV)
“This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”

2 Peter 3:9 (NIV)
“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise... He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”

1 Thessalonians 4:3 (NIV)
“It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality.”

Romans 12:1–2 (ESV)
“...present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God... Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

1 Thessalonians 5:16–18 (NIV)
“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

1 Peter 2:15 (ESV)
“For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people.”

Ephesians 2:10 (NIV)
“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

Micah 6:8 (NIV)
“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”

John 13:34–35 (NIV)
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples...”

Matthew 22:37–39 (ESV)
“‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

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BUT, WHAT ABOUT SPECIFIC EVENTS IN YOUR LIFE?

Specific daily events that are trivial compared to the concepts and commands in these Bible verses.

For example, if my car broke down as I was going to the coffee shop to get coffee, am I right in saying it was God's will for the car to break down?

What are your thoughts, guys?

Hi, I am from Ukraine and currently doing my duty in military service literally at war. I mention this only just to clarify why I have some restrictions and physically can't do something in the usual way. I can't attend offline (I am far away from civilization) or online (I don't have a stable schedule and have some other restrictions) groups/classes/services/etc.

Some time ago I was in a emmm really bad situation, and I promised (to myself) that if Jesus got me out alive, I would dedicate part of my life to religion. It wasn’t like a sudden conversion on the warzone or something, but maybe just the end of a long worldview and spiritual search that began long before the war.

But I have no idea how to grow in faith while on duty, since my schedule is unstable and I only have good internet from time to time (1-2 times on the week in random days)

It’s not crucial for me to follow a specific denomination, but I’m mainly looking towards the Western tradition like Episcopal/Anglican, Old Catholic or something similar. It's more important to spiritually growth educate systematically step-by-step, from the basics maybe.

If it matters, I'm 35 years old, baptized in Eastern Orthodoxy in childhood, but didn't attend church or anything like that. In civilian life I was a software engineer.

Thanks for any help

Gov't must form commission within 30 days

LAHORE, Pakistan — In what attorneys in Pakistan termed a “huge ray of hope,” a federal high court on Tuesday directed the government to form an inquiry commission within 30 days to investigate blatant abuse of blasphemy laws.

Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) ordered the formation of the body to investigate widespread misuse of the harsh laws, strengthened during the 1980s by military ruler Gen. Ziaul Haq in an apparent bid to win over Islamist groups and safeguard perceptions of Muhammad, the prophet of Islam, and the Quran.

Justice Khan issued the order while hearing a case involving multiple blasphemy cases that came with allegations of repeated patterns of abuse. Families of more than 100 victims of false blasphemy cases alleged that officials from the anti-blasphemy unit of the cybercrime section of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), lawyers and others conspired to honey-trap innocent people, including Christians, into sharing content deemed blasphemous, later using it to extort money by threatening legal action.

Continued below.

Former President Barack Obama suggested during an appearance on his wife's podcast earlier this week that men need gay friends to learn "empathy and kindness" while preparing for potentially fathering a son who identifies as gay or non-binary.

Appearing during an episode of "IMO," a podcast hosted by former first lady Michelle Obama and her brother, Craig Robinson, the former president discussed with the two how best to raise boys.

At one point during their hour-long discussion, Barack Obama — who noted he was raised by a single mother — suggested that boys need male figures in their lives other than their fathers to provide perspective, and then immediately pivoted to explain the influence one of his gay professors at Occidental College had on him.

Continued below.

Hello,
I'm struggling to find a church or group I could join where I live near Crail in Fife.
I have to work Sundays (9:00am start) and have failed so far to find any early services close enough to me that I could get back from in time. My days off are Tues/Weds and so far I haven't found any groups or services in the area on these days.
I don't know any other Christians to ask for help from.
I don't know what denomination I am, I guess I would be called a born again Christian. I would like to focus on Jesus and the bible. I'm a 40 year old man originally from England.
If anyone could advise or signpost me I would be grateful.
Thank you
Richard

I like a few ministries and listen everyday to several. Most of them have so much money now that when they travel they fly business class and stay at great hotels.
They go to Africa and take 10 friends along with them and don't pay a dime of their own money. They build a 20 million dollar bldg and have it paid for on opening day. I give the 10 dollars now and then. I wonder if that's too much.

If you’ve never heard the agony of a doubter and despair of a near apostate, I would like to provide you a glimpse. In 2013, I received an email from Jane [a pseudonym], a teenage girl in the final stages of doubt — marked by depression, despair, and nearly ready to depart. Here’s what she wrote:

Hello Bobby, my name is Jane Doe. I’m a 17-year-old Christian. I’ve been a Christian for many years. I’ve always had God inside of me keeping me comforted. There’s always been that comfort inside of me. But lately, I’ve been in what I would call a “crisis of belief.” Lately, I’ve been having doubts in my head about the Bible and what it says. For example: How’s it physically possible for one to rise from the dead? Is it really God or is it all in my head? Why isn’t God there to help me when I really need Him? Doesn’t the Bible have Scripture saying that He will help? Sometimes the doubts are statements that electrocute my mind and belief, such as: “You’re wasting your time.” Or “You’re believing a fantasy,” and “It’s only a part of your brain that makes you believe.”
…But it’s not like I want to believe these doubts. Because when I think of them, something burns in my heart and mind. My depression begins to act up badly. Lately, I’ve had many anxiety attacks about it along with other stress. It’s not helpful when atheists surround me in my school too. There really aren’t many people I can ask for help. So, I’m asking you. What do I do? Because I’m scared to say I’m lost.

Click to expand...

Can you sense her agony, emptiness, confusion, and split mind? Of course, I responded, but unfortunately, I never heard back. And many times, I’ve wondered how Jane turned out.

Continued below.

I am very thankful to God for my fellow Christians who are following the Lord Jesus with their lives. I am encouraged by their walks of faith and by their testimonies for the Lord Jesus. We mutually encourage one another in our walks of faith in obedience to our Lord, and we help strengthen one another in our walks of faith in the Lord. True biblical Christian fellowship is beautiful! And it helps us so much to remain faithful in service to our Lord, in sharing the truth of the gospel, and in living holy lives, pleasing to God.

For the Christian faith and practice is not an easy road to follow. And Jesus never promised us that it would be easy. He said it would be hard, and that we would be hated and persecuted for our faith and for our testimonies and for our walks of obedience to Christ as our only Lord. And that is the absolute truth! For if our lives are committed to Christ, to doing his will and purpose for our lives, not everyone is going to like us, and many may turn against us, even many who profess faith in Jesus Christ, too.

For not all who say, “Lord, Lord,” are truly of genuine biblical faith, walking in obedience to our Lord and to his commands. Many give lip service only to Jesus, but their hearts are far from him. For he is not truly Lord (Owner-Master) of their lives, for they are still masters over their own lives, choosing their own life course, living however they want to live without regard for what God wants for their lives. There really is not much difference between how they live and how those who do not believe in Jesus live their lives.

And it appears that they are largely in the majority, and it is the minority of those professing faith in Jesus Christ who are actually living for the Lord Jesus, doing his will, obeying his commands, in practice, and who are encouraging one another to walk holy, to live for Jesus, and to obey his commands. And this is not saying that there are some of us who have reached absolute perfection. We are still clay in the hands of the Potter being molded into the image of Christ, being perfected in him, by Christ our Lord.

But being in fellowship with other Christians who are truly following the Lord in obedience, in practice, who are living for the Lord, to do his will, and who are spreading the truth of the gospel of our salvation to the people of the world, under the leading of the Holy Spirit, helps to encourage us to do the same, and it lifts our spirits. Having like-minded followers of Christ in our lives, where we can mutually encourage one another, is such a blessing! And this fellowship can be long-distance, too, and not always face to face.

So, if you are a follower of Jesus Christ, living to please the Lord, be encouraged! Know that you are not alone, even if sometimes you might feel like you are all alone. There are others of us out in the world who love Jesus Christ and who are following him with our lives, some of whom are being persecuted for our walks of faith in obedience to our Lord. Many of us are going through trials and tribulations and we need encouragement, too. So just hang in there, keep pressing forward, and never give up hope!

[Matt 5:13-16; Matt 28:18-20; Lu 6:27-28; Jn 4:31-38; Jn 13:13-17; Jn 14:12; Ac 1:8; Ac 2:14-18; Ac 26:18; Rom 10:14-15; Rom 12:1-8; Rom 15:14; 1 Co 12:1-31; 1 Co 14:1-5; Gal 6:1; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:1-16; Eph 5:11-27; Eph 6:10-20; Php 2:1-8; Col 1:9; Col 3:12-16; Tit 2:11-14; Heb 3:13; Heb 10:23-25; Jas 5:19-20; 1 Pet 2:9,21; 1 Jn 2:6; Jude 1:22-23]

In Harmony

Based off Romans 12:9-21; 1 Peter 3:8-17
An Original Work / September 2, 2012
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

Love each other truly.
Cling to what is good.
Hate all that is evil.
Never lack in zeal.
Serve the Lord with fervor.
Joyful in hope be;
Patient in affliction;
Praying faithfully.
Honor one another.
Live in harmony.

Share with all God’s people
Who are found in need.
Do not be conceited.
Sympathetic be.
Love, and show compassion
In humility.
Keep your tongue from evil.
Peaceful you must be.
Honor one another.
Live in harmony.

God sees who are righteous;
Listens to their prayers.
But He’s against evil –
Is His to avenge.
Do not fear what they fear.
Suffer patiently.
In your hearts, make Christ Lord.
Serve Him faithfully.
Honor one another.
Live in harmony.

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Mutual Spiritual Encouragement
An Original Work / July 18, 2025
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

I've heard allegations that suspect Israel's attack on the Church in Gaza was retaliatory, now Cardinal Pizzaballa has expressed doubt that it was a mistake as Israel is officially suggesting. If we enter into the realm of the hypothetical for a moment, let's say Israel doesn't take kindly to His Eminence's comments leading to a tragedy that compels a fed up Pope Leo to call for the mother of all crusades.

Now in the 11th, 12th and 13th centuries the nations were properly Catholic and Kings would commit their armies to the cause of the Church, with at least some Kings themselves (like Richard I) leading their armies to the Holy Land. Today, however, that seems entirely unlikely to happen. Even with majority Catholic countries like Italy, Poland or Hungary.

So what do you think it would look like for a Crusader Army in the 21st century to organize? Would it have a naval and/or air component? Would it entirely rely on small arms and some light artillery like the Ukrainians against Russia? Or would it find backing from at least one nation to supply it with higher level arms like jet fighters, bombers, helicopter gunships, SAMs, JDAM, troop transport ships, maybe even some frigates or destroyers?

I dunno, what do you imagine it would look like? Cause I sure don't think it'd be marching on Jerusalem with swords and mail.

“This package eliminates $9 billion in unnecessary and wasteful spending at the State Department, USAID, and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. The American people will no longer be forced to fund politically biased media and more than $8 billion in outrageous expenses overseas. While Republicans continue to deliver real accountability, restore fiscal discipline, and protect taxpayer dollars, Democrats continue to defend waste, fraud, and abuse. This isn’t the end, it’s the beginning. We look forward to passing additional rescissions bills throughout the 119th Congress.”

The first rescissions package that has passed in over thirty years!

"We're trying to elevate the real food perception of Lay's. If you think about the simplest and most natural snack, it is a potato chip; it's a potato, it's oil, and it's a little bit of salt—the most simple, no artificial ingredients," said CEO Ramon Laguarta in a call with investors.
The company also said it was expanding use of avocado and olive oil across its brands, rather than the canola or soybean oil it uses. The MAHA movement has questioned the health benefits of certain food oils.

Kudos to Pepsi. C'mon the rest of you companies, get with the MAHA bandwagon.

YouTube Channel Video Devo
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“All That Matters”
Revelation 4:8 NIV
Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying: “‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, ’who was, and is, and is to come.”

In church this past Sunday morning, we sang one of my favorite worship songs, “Holy Forever”. As we were singing, I felt a strong reminder by God saying, “Zach, all that matters in life is that you worship Me and focus on Who I Am.” As we continued to sing the song, I felt chills from the reminder that God is absolutely beyond amazing.

The past couple of months I’ve been struggling with so many things on my mind and not completely focusing on positive things. I’ve shared that in the past months, I struggled with some depression and how worship music brought me out of that. Well, the struggle is off and on and I realize that I have to really be intentional big time all the time to make sure I am focusing on God. No matter what is going on in my life, nothing changes how amazing and awesome God is.

While singing this song on Sunday, I was reminded that all that ever matters in life is how amazing and wonderful God is. Nothing in my life compares to that! Does that mean that my struggles and things that are very concerning are not important? No, absolutely not! God certainly cares about all of the things going on. However, when I get so focused on certain things going on in my life and NOT on God, that’s my problem! God has reminded me of that. I need to let go and trust Him 100%. I haven’t been doing that.

All that matters in life is that we focus and worship God. That is where our total focus needs to be, no matter what is going on. Today I am reminded that nothing in all of life is more important than God and me worshipping Him daily. Everything else falls under that, period. Nothing that I am doing means anything if I am not fully focused on serving Him. I need to be locked in and focused every day.

These words from the song captured my attention today:
Your Name is the highest
Your Name is the greatest
Your name stands above them all
All thrones and dominions
All powers and positions
Your Name stands above them all

This is ALL that matters, period. There is so much power behind these words and what they mean. God is above and beyond everything we experience and all we struggle through in life.

If we completely focus on Him, then the rest of life will not overcome us. God is always with us.

Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott says city has fewest homicides in 50 years

Brandon Scott has cause some ridiculous drops in all crime rates. Every. metric dropped.


He invested in after-school programs, summer camps, literacy programs, extended hours of rec centers, planned block parties. IOW he was dealing with the causes of crime. And what a surprise
; he got reaults.

Two questions
If these reaults could be replicated in the area where you live, do you believe the investment would be worth it?

How long will it be before people recognize that policing does NOT prevent crime?

Should Christians condemn people to Hell?

After answering, explain why

So Jesus gave 2 great commandments:

Matthew 22

36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
38 This is the first and great commandment.
39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

Click to expand...

but then also
Luke 14

26 If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.

Click to expand...

So self denial and self hatred.. but love your neighbors as yourself? How do you love others as yourself when you hate yourself?
I find loving others properly difficult because I have trouble loving myself. It causes me to resent others, including at times God Himself (for creating me) because I resent my own existence.

Maurene Comey, a Manhattan federal prosecutor who worked on the criminal cases against Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, was abruptly fired on Wednesday by the Trump administration, according to six people with knowledge of the matter.

Ms. Comey was told of her firing Wednesday in a letter from a Justice Department official in Washington who cited Article II of the Constitution, which broadly describes the powers of the president, according to two people with knowledge of the matter. She said in her email that the letter did not give a reason for her termination.

A spokesman for the federal prosecutor’s office in Manhattan, where she has worked for nearly a decade, declined to comment.

“If a career prosecutor can be fired without reason, fear may seep into the decisions of those who remain,” she wrote in an email that was circulated to her colleagues within the federal prosecutor’s office in Manhattan. “Do not let that happen.”

Archbishop Alexios blesses the bodies of Saad Salameh and Foumia Ayyad, killed earlier in an Israeli strike that hit the Holy Family church in Gaza City, during their funeral ceremony at the Saint Porphyrius Church on July 17, 2025. An Israeli strike on Gaza's only Catholic church killed three people on July 17, the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem said, as Israel said it "never targets" religious sites and regretted any harm to civilians. | OMAR AL-QATTAA/AFP via Getty Images

The Israeli military will investigate reports that a tank strike on the sole Catholic church in Gaza killed three people and injured several others amid the war with Hamas, vowing to publish the results of the probe amid criticism from Catholic leaders.

In a statement Thursday, the Latin Patriarchate in Jerusalem decried the strike at the Holy Family Church in Gaza City, which has sheltered hundreds of people since the war began.

Father Gabriel Romanelli, the parish priest and confidant of the late Pope Francis, is among those who have been injured. Video shared online shows the priest sitting with his leg bandaged, while photos show damage to the church's roof, with a large chunk missing near a stone cross.

Continued below.

After years of appeals, depositions are underway in the sexual abuse scandal involving Strauss, a former Ohio State University doctor. It has been seven years since the first lawsuits were filed against the university.

Jordan is set to be deposed on Friday in Washington. Former Ohio State Athletic Director Andy Geiger was deposed on Wednesday in Los Angeles.

Neither have been charged with any crimes, but many have questioned what they knew about Strauss’ behavior.

The survivors of Strauss kept quiet for decades, internalizing their trauma, but back in 2018, they started talking.

Hundreds of the survivors of the 20-year-long string of sexual assaults by the Ohio State team doctor still have cases against the university pending in federal court.

--

Will this be harder to dodge than a Congressional subpoena?

Unbelievably, 48% of Hispanic voters supported Trump in the 2024 election.

Months later, only 35% approve of him. While I am sorry that this dawning of awareness did not happen earlier, I understand it completely.

Whether the Hispanic voter is an immigrant, a first-generation American, or possibly a second-generation American, I am sure that they realize exactly what life conditions they were fleeing, or how desperate they were.

Very few "waited in line." Most were grandfathered in under Reagan's amnesty. They themselves (or their parents) did exactly what many undocumented immigrants do today, and they were not punished.

And what about the Cubans? They know what it was like to be a refugee fleeing communism. I wonder what they think about Trump's lies about the Haitian refugees--"they're eating the dogs!" I wonder what they think about refugee status being cancelled--when the refugees have no home to return to?

I can empathize because my grandparents fled poverty in Ireland...but that was in the early 20th century. How must these immigrants (or first-generation) or refugees must feel--with the hunger, fear, and uncertainty embedded in their vestigial memories? They understand what a president born with a platinum spoon in his mouth doesn't. They know the truth. And that knowledge should forever disaqualify the people with ICE on their shirts and their leaders with ICE in their veins.

It's great that Congress is acting on President Trump Executive Order to defund these partisan organizations.

Patience and godliness. Two deal breakers for those in search of contentment. For this life does not offer a lot of either, especially godliness. But, no matter what stage of growth a convert is, ,if after a time of sowing to the Spirit like Paul (Romans 7:19), during which there is clearly no free will, but the mind of the flesh still remains hostile to any suggestion. But, after a season, the joy and peace he sought grows and breaks forth and also becomes accompanied with righteousness or, blessed into the Kingdom of God.

Who is it but the child of God that waits out that season to draw near and commune with the Holy Spirit of ''liberty'' (2Cor. 3:17), free will?

But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name. (John 1:12)

What do I think? Is it not conditional on the Father's timeframe, and not ours?/.

In 1873, Charles Finney wrote to pastors challenging them to raise the moral standards of the nation through preaching.

He concluded: “If Satan rules in our halls of legislation, the pulpit is responsible for it. If our politics become so corrupt that the very foundations of our government are ready to fall away, the pulpit is responsible for it.”

In 1980, a very similar argument was raised by Jerry Falwell, Tim LaHaye, and other leading pastors as they launched the Moral Majority. Churches had been lured into silence on moral issues that were prevalent in politics, and we were reaping unwelcome consequences from our inaction. Cal Thomas and I were both involved in leadership positions in the Moral Majority in 1980 and were—and I believe, still are—friends.

However, Cal’s recent column decries the idea that pastors exercise their right to fully preach about moral and political issues, along with giving their candid views on political candidates who have such a significant impact on these issues.

Continued below.