To see all my reach and teach devotions in Chinese/English and hundreds of devotions in English, please click on this link.

我们有了一种分享灵修的新方式，要查看我所有的中文/英文灵修以及成百上千的英文灵修，请点击以下链接。

TBL China – The Bottom Line, Ministries


1 THESSALONIANS 1 帖撒罗尼迦前书1章



2 We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers;

【帖前1:2】我们为你们众人常常感谢　神，祷告的时候提到你们。

3 Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;

【帖前1:3】在　神我们的父面前，不住地记念你们因信心所作的工夫，因爱心所受的劳苦，因盼望我们主耶稣基督所存的忍耐。

4 Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God.

【帖前1:4】被　神所爱的弟兄啊，我知道你们是蒙拣选的。

5 For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake.

【帖前1:5】因为我们的福音传到你们那里，不独在乎言语，也在乎权能和圣灵，并充足的信心，正如你们知道我们在你们那里，为你们的缘故是怎样为人。

6 And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost.

【帖前1:6】并且你们在大难之中蒙了圣灵所赐的喜乐，领受真道，就效法我们，也效法了主，

7 So that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia.

【帖前1:7】甚至你们作了马其顿和亚该亚所有信主之人的榜样。

8 For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak any thing.

【帖前1:8】因为主的道从你们那里已经传扬出来，你们向　神的信心不但在马其顿和亚该亚，就是在各处也都传开了，所以不用我们说什么话。

9 For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God;

【帖前1:9】因为他们自己已经报明我们是怎样进到你们那里，你们是怎样离弃偶像，归向　神，要服侍那又真又活的　神，

10 And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.

【帖前1:10】等候他儿子从天降临，就是他从死里复活的、那位救我们脱离将来忿怒的耶稣。



We hear every day about China, we hear about church growth in China, and we want to pray effectively and help the Chinese church.



我们每天都听到关于中国的消息，我们听说中国的教会在增长，我们想要有效地祈祷并帮助中国的教会。



How can this be done, in this article, with the help of my dear Chinese brother David, who has lived in China and the USA, both of us have a unique vantage point.

这可以通过怎样的方式完成，在本文中，通过我亲爱的中国兄弟大卫的帮助，他在中国和美国都生活过，我们俩都有独特的视角。



First of all you must have a deep concern for China:



首先，你必须对中国有深刻的关切：



God alone can place that burden on your heart, ask him to put that burden on your heart.



只有上帝能把这个担子放在你的心上，请他把这个担子放在你的心上。



Secondly, you must be PROPERLY informed. Knowledge of the harvest field is wonderful and up to date information is better, we need information that is effective and from the voice of the Chinese people themselves.



其次，你必须得到正确的信息。了解禾场的情况是很好的，最好是得到最新的信息，我们需要的是有效的信息，来自中国人自己的声音。



One of the best sources for information is:



一个最好的信息来源是：



We support an indigenous gospel movement in China - China Partnership



You can pray systematically and practically for the Chinese church using this website.



你可以使用这个网站系统地和实际地为中国的教会祈祷。



Other websites to help you:



其他帮助你的网站：



About - ChinaSource



There are many other sites , you can use, such as:



还有许多其他的网站，你可以使用，比如：



A CALL TO UPLIFT THE CHINESE CHURCH IN PRAYER - INcontext International



Voice of the Martyrs – Praying for Persecuted Christians in China



Before you start to pray effectively, you must understand these three things:



在你开始有效地祈祷之前，你必须了解以下三件事：



YOU MUST UNDERSTAND THAT CHINESE CULTURE IS DIFFERENT



你必须了解中国文化是不同的



The gospel is the power of God to all who believe to all the nations.. amen.



福音是上帝的大能，给所有信徒，给所有国家...阿们。



But in a different cultural setting, it must be refined, note I said refined, not changed.



但是在不同的文化环境中，它必须被精炼，注意我说的是精炼，不是改变。



The Chinese culture is one based on benevolence, they believe that they are basically good. So confronting them with sin and stating that they are a sinner, is a difficult concept, for a Chinese person to understand.



中国文化是以仁慈为基础的，他们相信自己基本上是好的。所以用罪恶来对抗他们，并声明他们是罪人，对于一个中国人来说是一个难以理解的概念。



Christ addressed several seemingly good people in the gospels, such as Nicodemus and Zaccheus. Paul spoke to Lydia and to Cornelius, who were good religious people.



基督在福音书中对付了几个看似好的人，比如尼哥底母和撒该。保罗与吕底亚和哥尼流谈话，他们都是好的虔诚的人。



Chinese people from an early age have been told that there is no God and that there is no morality.



中国人从小就被告知没有神，没有道德。



Atheism is a thin veneer for all kinds of sin as Paul stated in Romans 1, we have witnessed to many Chinese and had to explain the existence of God.



无神论是一层薄薄的外衣，遮掩着各种罪恶，正如保罗在罗马书1章所说的，我们向许多中国人作见证，并不得不解释上帝的存在。

Pray that God would move mightily in the hearts of the Chinese people, many who are saved come out of a life of atheism and Buddhism and they need a complete washing and renewing of their minds, as there are many alien concepts to them.



祈求上帝在中国人的心中大行其工，许多信徒来自无神论和佛教的生活，他们需要心灵的彻底洗涤和更新，因为有许多对他们来说是陌生的概念。



PRAY THAT THE CULTURE WILL BE CHALLENGED



祈求文化受到挑战



2 CORINTHINS 10 哥林多后书第10章



4 For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. 5 We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, 6 being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete.



【林后10:4】我们争战的兵器，本不是属血气的，乃是在　神面前有能力，可以攻破坚固的营垒，

【林后10:5】将各样的计谋，各样拦阻人认识　神的那些自高之事一概攻破了，又将人所有的心意夺回，使他都顺服基督。

【林后10:6】并且我已经预备好了，等你们十分顺服的时候，要责罚那一切不顺服的人。



Christianity in China, is still seen to some extent as a foreign religion, so the best things western Christians to do is to pray.



在中国，基督教仍然在某种程度上被视为外来宗教，所以西方基督徒最好的做法就是祈祷。



As mentioned earlier Chinese culture is based on Confucius teaching and atheism, it has to be challenged by the gospel.



正如前面提到的，中国文化是以孔子的教导和无神论为基础的，它必须受到福音的挑战。



Women in the home are seen as dominant and this along with other unbiblical ideas, must be challenged.



家庭中的女性被视为占据主导地位，这以及其他一些不合圣经的观念，必须受到挑战。



The word of God is God's agent of challenge, but many of the things that it says and makes clear are alien to the Chinese and go against Chinese culture.



上帝的话语是上帝挑战的工具，但圣经中许多教训并清楚陈明的事情对于中国人来说是陌生的，与中国文化相违背。



So there is a great need for a move of the Holy Spirit, in the hearts of the Chinese people. Many people including my Chinese wife come from a Buddhist background, so their minds must be washed by the word.



因此，中国人的心灵非常需要圣灵的运行。许多人，包括我的中国妻子，从小就接受了无神论和佛教的影响，所以他们的思想必须经过上帝的话语的洗涤。



This may take years, that's why we need prayer warriors to pray, leading a Chinese person to Christ, is the easy part, now begins the difficult part, as the discipleship process starts.



这可能需要很多年，这就是为什么我们需要祈祷勇士来祈祷，带领一个中国人去认识基督，这只是简单的部分，现在开始的是困难的部分，因为门徒训练的过程开始了。



Please pray that the Church, would be able to disciple in a biblical way and that God's people would grow in grace and love for his Word.



请为教会祷告，使它能够以合乎圣经的方式培训门徒，并且上帝的子民会在恩典和对他的话的爱中成长。



PRAY THAT THE CULTURE WOULD BE CHANGED



祈求文化将被改变



China is seeking to erase corruption from the country, this is virtually impossible, but there is a way that it could be, by changing people's hearts with the gospel.



中国正在试图清除该国的腐败，这几乎是不可能的，但有一种方式可以做到，那就是通过福音改变人们的心。



The first six chapters of Daniel, show how a society, can be challenged by four men, who stand truly for God.



但以理书的前六章展示了四个真正为上帝站立的人是如何挑战社会的。



We are not here to change the government, only God can do that, that is something which is in God's hand Psalm 2.



我们不在这里改变政府，只有上帝才能做到，这是上帝手中的事，诗篇2章所说。



How can we do this:



我们如何做到这一点：



TRUE CONVERSION



真正的皈依



Pray that people would come to be born again, like Paul, Nicodemus, Lydia etc.

祈求人们像保罗、尼哥底母、吕底亚等人一样重生。



Sad to say, many millions, have said the sinners prayers are still living in sin, because of false teaching such as The Shack and Purpose Driven Life. Pray that the true gospel, would be preached.



令人遗憾的是，许多人已经做了决志祷告，但仍然生活在罪中，因为有假教导，比如《小屋》（加拿大作家杨威廉著的书）和《标杆人生》（华理克牧师所著的书）。祈求真正的福音被传扬。



TRUE CLEANSING



真正的洁净



There has to be deep repentance Psalms 32/51, many people come to Christ, carrying so much baggage from their past, such as the burning of paper money to ancestors and other occult practices.



必须有深深的悔改，诗篇32/51，许多人来到基督面前，背负着过去的重负，比如烧纸钱给祖先和其他的邪教行为。



Again these things have to be addressed and defeated by prayer.



同样，这些事情必须通过祈祷来解决和战胜。



TRUE COMMITMENT



真正的承诺



In the parable of the Sower, only one seed bore fruit, pray that the seed of the gospel brings forth fruit and that this fruit grows. To do this, it must be watered by fervent intercessory prayer.



在播种者的比喻中，只有一颗种子结出了果实，祈求福音的种子结出果实，并且这果实长大。要做到这一点，必须通过热切的代祷来浇灌。



TRUE CHANGE



真正的改变



What is our aim by praying for China, it is to see not just the culture challenged, but people to be converted and changed. Only then can the culture be changed.



我们为中国祈祷的目的是什么，不仅是为了挑战文化，还为了使人们转变和改变。只有这样，文化才能改变。



People hearts need to be changed and the only agent of change is the gospel, I hope you will join us as we pray for China,



人们的心需要改变，唯一的变革者是福音，希望你能加入我们为中国祈祷，



In the second part of this article, we will be getting down to what we can pray for in specific terms.



在本文的第二部分中，我们将具体讨论可以为之祈祷的事项。



For now, I am going to hand over to my friend David, who will add his personal words of wisdom.



现在，我要把话让给我的朋友大卫，他将会加入他的个人智慧。



Over to you David



轮到你了，大卫。



My thoughts (from David, a Chinese Christian living now in the USA):



我的想法（来自大卫，一个现在在美国生活的中国基督徒）：



First of all, thanks for reading this. There are a lot of Christian information around, and your time reading this is appreciated. I will keep it short.



首先，感谢你阅读这篇文章。周围有很多基督教信息，你花时间阅读这篇文章，我很感激。我会保持简短。



To pray for China, please first pray for the Chinese leaders, such as President Xi Jinping. The Poliburo members are also very powerful people. They are the true decision makers in Chinese politics. Pray for Premier Li Qiang, and Poliburo member Cai Qi. No matter who becomes the next President, that person would have already been in the current Poliburo.



为了为中国祈祷，请先为中国的领导人祈祷，比如习近平主席。中央政治局成员也是非常有权势的人。他们是中国政治的真正决策者。为李强总理和中央政治局委员蔡奇祈祷。无论谁成为下一任总统，那个人都已经在现任中央政治局中。



As to prayers for the church, please pray that the house church leaders can petition the government to make house churches legal in China. This is an overdue issue. Some new laws need to be passed. Some prisoners released.



至于为教会祈祷，请祈祷家庭教会领袖能向政府提请使家庭教会在中国合法化。这是一个早就应该解决的问题。一些新法律需要通过。一些囚犯需要释放。



You should visit China. The western media paints China in a negative way. Therefore, come visit. Go to places like Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen and taste Chinese food. Unlike people in the west, Chinese people are generally more friendly towards foreigners. But please do not come in a condescending manner. Respect local customs.



你应该去中国看看。西方媒体以消极的方式描绘中国。因此，来访一下。去北京、上海、广州和深圳等地，品尝一下中国美食。与西方人不同，中国人通常更友好地对待外国人。但请不要带着傲慢的态度来。尊重当地的习俗。



I wish you all very well. God bless you.



祝愿大家一切顺利。上帝保佑你们。



David

大卫

J.K. Rowling has drawn pushback online after comparing a male who trans-identifies as female to "straight, white, middle-aged blokes" and suggesting that "crossdressing straight men" are one of the most "pandered to" demographics in society.

The 58-year-old author of the Harry Potter book series replied to a now-deleted post on X, formerly known as Twitter, by a handle called "PRIDE" about a trans-identifying referee named Lucy Clark making history as the first trans manager in the top five divisions of English women's football.

Rowling sarcastically tweeted: "When I was young all the football managers were straight, white, middle-aged blokes, so it's fantastic to see how much things have changed."

Although the post drew criticism from some users online and some in the media, Rowling, who has become a staunch critic of transgender ideology, doubled down by tweeting on Sunday that "Calling a man a man is not 'bullying' or 'punching down.'"


Continued below.

Living in Edmonton, it's unavoidable. But yes, the Oilers are doing well and good coaching seems to be covering more than a few of our weaknesses.

How about you? Who you rooting for?

From: https://www.worldchallenge.org/without-fault-throne-god​

WITHOUT FAULT BEFORE THE THRONE OF GOD​

“These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb. And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God” (Revelation 14:4–5).

My wife and I were having dinner with a family friend, a woman we’ve known a long time. Suddenly, in the middle of our meal, our friend began to voice the kinds of thoughts I’ve been hearing from Christians all over the country. She said to us:

“As you know, my husband is an oculist. He makes and fits glass eyes. We’ve both worked hard all of our lives, and we’ve been able to save some money. We’ve also built up a small retirement fund. But now, just as we’re beginning to think about retirement, we’re seeing things that scare us. Nations all over the world are falling into economic depression. America can’t help but be affected by all of this. And there are all kinds of terrorist acts taking place."

“My husband and I just can’t take hearing any more news like this. Every time we pick up a newspaper, another awful thing is happening somewhere. I know Christians are not supposed to fear, but it’s hard not to be scared when we see all these terrible things going on. I struggle with fear every time I think about our mortgage and car payments. After all, who knows if people are going to buy glass eyes when the economy takes a downturn?"

“I have to fight off these fears daily. I feel bad about even having such feelings, because I know I should be trusting the Lord. But, frankly, things are becoming so frightening, it’s hard to keep all of my fears at bay.”

I believe our friend was voicing what multitudes of other sincere Christians are going through: a struggle to keep fear out of their hearts. Like her, most believers who write to our ministry sense that our nation is disintegrating and that some kind of ominous disaster is looming on the horizon. Now, as they hear all these terrible reports of what’s happening in America and around the globe, they struggle just to rest in the promise of God’s keeping power.

Many Christians write to us that they can’t help being gripped by a very human fear. They think they’re not prepared for whatever perilous circumstances an economic collapse would bring. Others say they’re making preparations for their physical survival, because they’re convinced a financial holocaust will usher in social chaos as well.

The fact is, no matter how righteous we may be, no matter how strong our faith is, all of these frightful uncertainties coming to pass cannot help but affect our human emotions. It’s all very scary. And the worst part is, things are going to grow even more ominous in the days ahead.
But for the overcoming Christian, whose sins are covered by the blood of Jesus, there is very good news. And I believe if we keep our eyes focused on this good news, meditating on it night and day, no evil report will ever faze us. Here is the good news God wants us to know: We are all going to stand before the throne of judgment.

Now, if it seems bizarre to you that I’m calling this statement “good news,” I understand. But the truth is, if you’re a Christian, this kind of news shouldn’t sound bizarre at all. Let me explain.

God’s people have good reason to look beyond troubling times.

“It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27). As Scripture testifies, our lives here on earth are like grass. One day we’re here, growing and thriving, and the next day we’re fading away with the season. We’re like the vapor of breath we see on a frosty day: here one moment and gone the next. And I’m convinced that just one moment into eternity, we’ll all realize how unimportant and fleeting our present fears and trials have been. We’ll also see just how present the Lord has been with us the whole time, watching over us with his saving and keeping power.

At this point, I can imagine you’re thinking, “How can I be expected to accept this as good news? I’m trying to rid my heart of all my fears about a coming economic depression and all the violence that could follow. Yet you’re reminding me I’m going to die and have to stand before the judgment seat and give an account for my life. What kind of comfort is that? The day we stand before Christ’s throne is going to be a dreadful time. We’re going to have to give an account of our every thought and deed.”
I know many sincere Christians have this same feeling about the judgment. They tremble inside every time they think about that day to come: “How can I ever give an account of all the millions of sinful, un-Christlike thoughts I’ve had? How can I answer for all the thousands upon thousands of idle words I’ve uttered? How can I face all my evil deeds, my sins of omission, my carelessness, my complaining, my apathy, my sins against the light, the sins of my youth? How will I ever be able to look Jesus in the eye on that day? How can I avoid trembling in fear when such a time comes?”

I bring you good news — glorious news — that will help you combat all of the bad news you’ve been hearing. And I believe this news will keep your heart and spirit peaceful, even joyful, through all that’s coming upon the earth. Here is that good news:

If you have repented of any and all sins, and you are trusting Jesus — believing in his cleansing blood, submitting daily to his Lordship — you’re going to stand before his throne without fault or fear. In fact, you’re going to be acknowledged before everyone present — every human, every angel, every demon in hell — as the precious bride of Christ.

I hope to prove to you that you won’t have to face even a single sin against you, nor be exposed for any failure, but that you will be able to stand without blemish.

Not a single sin of yours will be mentioned. Instead, only your good works — including your faith in Jesus Christ — will be expressed to the multitudes gathered.

On the day of judgment, all your evil works will already have been judged and done away with.

I don’t want to get into a discussion of exactly what the judgment will be like — whether there will be one or two judgments, or other such subjects that biblical scholars continue to debate. (Some say there will be one judgment, while others claim there will be two: one for believers and a separate one for all others. The Puritans and other theologians throughout history have taught there will be one general judgment, and that the judgment seat of Christ and the “great white throne judgment” are one and the same.)

Suffice it to say, we all must give an account of our deeds, whether those deeds are good or bad. Scripture tells us, “God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil” (Ecclesiastes 12:14). You may say, “But you just told me the sins of the saints won’t be mentioned. How can this be, if the Bible says every work, good or bad, will be brought to judgment? How can we stand before God without fear if our bad works will be brought into the light?”

We have to keep in mind, there will be two groups at the judgment: sheep and goats. These two groups are going to stand before the Lord separately on that day, one group on the right and one on the left: saints and sinners, sons and slaves, the faithful and the unfaithful, the wise and the foolish, believers and unbelievers. And the bad works referred to, which will be exposed that day, are only those of the wicked.

Scripture says all of their evil deeds will be brought into the light and exposed. Every wicked thought, every secret desire, every lust, every vile imagination, every denial of Christ, every curse word — all will be proclaimed and judged. After these hidden deeds are made public, they will pursue their perpetrators into eternal damnation.

On the other hand, no evil deed of the righteous will be mentioned on that day. Instead, every good thing about their lives will be brought into the light: every holy thought, every charitable act, every sacrificial work. Our Lord is going to make known to all who are present every heart-cry, every morsel of bread given to the hungry, every piece of clothing given to the freezing and naked. He’s going to bring everything good out into the open. And that will be one glorious moment.

The fact is, as we stand before our Lord at the judgment, we will be complete in him. This means that everything we’ve ever done, including any sin we’ve ever committed, will already be covered under his blood and never mentioned again. In short, there is no condemnation to the righteous — none at all. Jesus tells us, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life” (John 5:24). The Greek word for condemnation here is “judgment.” Jesus is saying, in essence, “If you believe in me, you won’t come into judgment. Instead, you will pass from death over into life.”
Indeed, Scripture tells us from cover to cover that once the Lord forgives our sins, he wipes them from memory:

• “I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins” (Isaiah 43:25).
• “I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins; return unto me; for I have redeemed thee” (Isaiah 44:22).
• “I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more” (Jeremiah 31:34).
• “I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more” (Hebrews 8:12).
• “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; and their sins and iniquities will I remember no more” (Hebrews 10:16–17).
• “He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea” (Micah 7:19).

Here is abundant good news for every Christian who’s ever striven or worked to mortify the deeds of his flesh in his own strength. Does this include you? How many times have you tried to bite the bullet and plow ahead toward victory in the Christian life? How many promises have you made to God only to break them? How many times have you tried to please him by fighting off your lusts and habits, only to fail once again?

Here is your good news, reported in the book of Micah: “I, the Lord, will subdue all your iniquities!” God’s Word has given us image after image in these passages of how he wipes our sins from memory: He blots them out. He remembers them no more. He buries them in the sea. He subdues them, meaning he hunts them down and captures them. Isaiah even tells us God takes our trespasses and flips them over his shoulder: “Thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back” (Isaiah 38:17). This means God will never look at our sins or acknowledge them again.

Now let me ask you: if God forgets our sins, why don’t you or I? Why do we always allow the devil to dig up some muck or mire from our past and wave it in our face, when all of our sins are already covered by Christ’s blood? The cleansing, forgiving power of Jesus’ blood is all-encompassing. It covers our entire lives.

All the books are going to be opened and examined on that day.

John writes of the judgment: “I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away: and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works” (Revelation 20:11–12).

Notice that John says there are many books, and there is also a book at the judgment. What are the first books? They’re records of the life of every single sinner who stands before the Judge. You see, every unbelieving person has a book of works and deeds that’s being recorded in heaven. Every page of his book is a record of how he lives. Can you imagine what it’s going to be like for a transgressor when he stands before the Lord on that day? Every thought, word and action in his life will be brought out into the open, exposed for its evil.

But for the righteous, there will be only the book of life. And when that book is opened, we won’t hear one word, one account, one record of a single sin or failing of any of God’s people. Why? All of their sins are covered under the blood of Jesus. The only thing that will appear in that book will be our names. In fact, it will contain our new, heavenly names, and God himself is going to reveal to us what our new names are.

How do our names get recorded in the book of life? They are recorded the moment we believe, with all of our being, that Jesus Christ shed his blood for us. It happens as we claim the victory of his cross and determine to seek him with all our heart, mind, soul and strength, submitting to his Lordship in all things.

Moreover, God offers a wonderful promise to all who were guilty of horrible, “scarlet” sins: whose acts were bloodied with the stench of hell…who abused their bodies with alcohol, drugs, perversions, fornications…who blush when they remember their past …who gulp when they think of how close they came to falling headlong into hell. God’s promise to them is that they can stand assured, with great joy, on the day of judgment without a trace of fear. He pledges: “Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool” (Isaiah 1:18). Having repented and forsaken their sins, trusting in his forgiving grace, they were reconciled by faith to him.

No matter what your past is like, God no longer sees you as you once were. You’re no longer a junkie in his eyes. You’re not an alcoholic, an adulterer, a prostitute, a tax evader, a corporate crook. Instead, you’ve been transformed into his precious, lovely, spotless bride. And he is awaiting your presence at the jubilant marriage feast, where you’ll be joined to your bridegroom.
Tell me, would a bridegroom anticipating his wedding day suddenly charge his bride with iniquity at the judgment? No groom would do that. You may wonder, “But isn’t Jesus going to judge all wickedness? Isn’t he going to judge sin?” Yes, he is. But the Christ you’re going to meet on that day is the same Christ who has called you, saved you, forgiven you, purchased you with his own blood, cleansed you, branded you on your forehead as his own, and interceded for you all these years.

As you stand before Jesus, you’re going to see him as your husband, your redeemer, your friend, your advocate, your intercessor still. And, in that moment, you’re going to stand complete in him. You’re going to appear without fault, without spot or wrinkle, holy and blameless. “And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses” (Colossians 2:13). “Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy” (Jude 24).

We are Christ’s body: bone of his bone, flesh of his flesh. Do you think he’s going to mutilate his own body before all the hosts of devils and wicked people gathered before God’s throne? No, never. He’s going to love and care for us who comprise his body. He’s not going to suddenly sever a limb on that day. Besides that, Jesus is the cornerstone of the whole church. Do you think he’s going to remove himself from that building and bring the whole place down after he has placed you in it so strategically?
It is impossible.

2 stops away... Ahh, I have to go meet up with a friend. Should I stay or should I go? 1 stop... Oh boy, here it comes, I'm waiting!!! What's that I hear, it's the 'ole Amazon truck with my package! I see the young guy at my front door (that I don't use) and quickly grab a cold water and Gospel tract and run out the garage door to catch him before he drives off. Phew, caught him! I give him the water and tract, he's shocked and thanks me and we part ways (I head back to the house and he back to the van). Once inside, I was opening up the package but then it hit me, he was parked halfway up my driveway and I wasn't sure if he knew he could turn around so I run back outside before he backs out to let him know he can turn around. He starts to drive forward a little and yells out the window if he could talk to me for a minute. Absolutely! So I head on over and he said because of the tact he knows I'm a Christian. He said he's spiritual but not a Christian and mentioned how all day long he's been anxious and worried... Why, well he's married and has his first child on the way and he started tearing up. Everything is ok with his wife and son, he's just scared. So, I offered to pray with him right then and there. After prayer and the tearful moment, he mentioned he feels this was a sign from God and the tract that I gave him, has a $2 bill in it, really hit home because he said his wife collects $2 bills. We chatted some more, and I let him know he needs to surrender his life Jesus and look to Him and not the things of this world. It was an amazing, divine moment. I don't believe in coincidences, and the Lord kept me home for him.

So, please keep John, his wife Claire and his soon to be born son Nova in prayer. Who knows, maybe his whole family will be saved by the blood of Jesus!

And, remember, a simple Gospel tract can open the door to a weary soul.

After the 2020 presidential election, as some Trump supporters falsely claimed that President Biden had stolen the office, many of them displayed a startling symbol outside their homes, on their cars and in online posts: an upside-down American flag.

One of the homes flying an inverted flag during that time was the residence of Supreme Court Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr., in Alexandria, Va., according to photographs and interviews with neighbors.

The upside-down flag was aloft on Jan. 17, 2021, the images showed.

The justice blamed his wife and her beef with a neighbor:

”I had no involvement whatsoever in the flying of the flag,” Justice Alito said in an emailed statement to The Times. “It was briefly placed by Mrs. Alito in response to a neighbor’s use of objectionable and personally insulting language on yard signs.”

Hey something just came to me- it seems that there will be a time that we pass on from this life and enter heaven, but once we arrive there it is for eternity, we will never leave! I think this means something, but I am not sure what it is! Is anything coming to you? Let me know. It seems that there is a timeline in heaven, but maybe it is on a different timeline than the earth!

Psalms 121:8 The LORD shall preserve your going out and your coming in:
From this time forth, and even forevermore.

How would you describe your "going out and your coming in"?
Here is an instruction from Leviticus:

Leviticus 18:
1 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
2 Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them:
I am the Lord your God.
3 According to the doings of the land of Egypt, where you dwelt,
you shall not do; and according to the doings of the land of Canaan,
where I am bringing you, you shall not do; nor shall you walk in
their ordinances.
4 You shall observe My judgments and keep My ordinances,
to walk in them: I am the Lord your God.

Christians are said to be brought "out of the world",
but what are they brought into?
A megachurch environment? A home fellowship?
A traditional denomination?
Is there a point in common with these instructions?

Matthew 23:3 Therefore whatever they tell you to observe,
observe and do, but do not do according to their works;
for they say, and do not do.

The context for this is the Pharisees and Moses seat.
But many people enter the faith and into a church only
to immediately find fault with the leadership and members
of the church. There is no perfect church, because the church is people.
It takes faith to abide in where the Lord places.
"Look unto the Lord, maker of heaven and earth". "And grow in grace".

Were the Israelites not forever ‘coming out’ of Egypt?
It is a Memorial of the Torah every seven days!

Deuteronomy 5:15 And remember that thou were a slave in the land of Egypt,
and that the Lord thy God brought you out thence through a mighty hand
and by a stretched out arm: therefore the Lord thy God commanded you
to keep the Sabbath.

In regards to your going out and coming in, are you in a wilderness trek
to "a promised land", or returning to the tents of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob?

The "promised land" of course is the age to come:
2 Peter 3:13 Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens
and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.

In this age, we live as "strangers and sojourners".
Hebrews 11:
9 By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents
with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise;
10 for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

1 Peter 2:11 Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims,
abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul....

Hey this is a riot- I found this video on YouTube, a fake dog attacks real dogs on camera! If you want to have a look at this the link is here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEbb1tl5Qbk
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Jessica Tapia displays a sign outside the Garden Grove Unified School District board meeting on behalf of the Teachers Don’t Lie program. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Advocates for Faith and Freedom and Jessica Tapia

A Christian teacher settled in court for $360,000 earlier this week after suing a California school district board for firing her after she refused to comply with gender ideology rules that went against her religious beliefs.

After refusing to comply with a preferred pronoun rule, Jessica Tapia was fired by the Jurupa Unified School District from her job as a physical education teacher.

“It ultimately really does come down to my faith and how I believe that it’s always worth it to stand for righteousness and fight for truth,” Tapia told CNA in a phone call. “And ultimately, I believe the word of God is that truth and is the instructions we’ve been given to live our life upon. There’s really nothing else or no one else that I lean on for that.”

After students reported Tapia’s private social media account to the school district, an account where she shared her views, the school district placed her on administrative leave and investigated her in 2022.

Continued below.

“This money awarded by Congress was specifically to help ease the backlog and make it easier for the men and women who served our country and became injured or disabled to receive the compensation they deserve,” she said in a statement. “To instead see that money go toward lining the pockets of execs and not help those who served should upset a lot of people.”
The Biden administration will do what they wish with the money.

Professional scientists have relied on the average person in the street who have an interest in science but are not qualified to participate in research activities.
The activity is known as citizen science and in fields such as astronomy the research from citizen scientists is at times of such high quality, their work appears in peer reviewed journals.

Here is a general description of citizen science.

Here is a specific example of citizen science.

People hate me because of my religious beliefs, mental illness and sin.

I'm feel despised, rejected, scorned, mocked, walked on, lorded over, disliked and hated.

I have no friends but Jesus and I'm an imperfect sinner. I repent of everything but I struggle with lustful thoughts still. I'm pretty low. I have nothing but judges and haters

Matthew 7:22 MANY will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you workers of lawlessness!’

There are many people who say they do not have to follow the law of God. Is this what the Bible means by "lawlessness". Did they really prophesy, drive out demons and perform miracles? Or did they just think they did?

What happens during the 1,000 year reign of Christ, and beyond?

jonojim1337 said:
The Saints are given authority to judge during the 1000 year reign, but the final judgement, or the second resurrection, is at the end of the chapter, or after the 1000 year reign.

CoreyD said:

Okay, so you were referring to the final judgment, and not the judgment that takes place during the 1,000 years.
So then, tell me a little about the 1,000 years. What takes place during that 1,000 years, and can Isaiah 65:17-25 fit into there?

Why do you call the final judgment the second resurrection though?

Click to expand...

jonojim1337 said:

Because some will rise to shame and destruction and some to everlasting life.

The new heaven and the new earth are after the final judgement. Revelation 21 NLT

During the 1000 year reign, Satan is locked so that he cannot deceive the nations. The Beast, the prophet and the harlot are destroyed.

Click to expand...

If the new heavens are after the final judgment, when does 2 Peter 3:12, 13 take place, and does Christ's 1,000 year rule not begin after Armageddon, with a new heaven and new earth?

jonojim1337 said:

I think the clue being given here is that the Beast and the false prophet are overcome by "the first resurrection", but Satan is only defeated by "the second resurrection".

Click to expand...

I think you mean they are overcome at Armageddon. Revelation 19:17-21
Is that right?

The implications of this ruling are dire. Montgomery County Public Schools has explicitly stated that parental rights do not extend to the classroom, even if the classroom instruction violates the religious beliefs of the family. Effectively, the teacher has replaced the parent as the child’s primary educator.
We need vouchers for children so that they are not forced to attend classes with anti-Christian messages.

• RAND researchers reviewed 96 studies conducted over 20 years on the effects of granting same-sex couples access to legal marriage. The review found no reliable evidence of adverse consequences to the general U.S. population.
• On the contrary, the researchers found some evidence of an increase in marriage resulting from legalization of marriage between same-sex partners. This increase was not driven solely by newly marrying same-sex couples.
• The analyses found no evidence of a statistically significant increase in nonmarital cohabitation (living together while unmarried) by different-sex couples after states legalized marriage for same-sex couples.
• The researchers found no consistent changes in divorce as a consequence of legalizing marriage for same-sex couples.
• Finally, the researchers found no consistent evidence of a negative shift in young adults' attitudes toward the institution of marriage—and some evidence of an improvement—after states legalized marriage for same-sex couples.

The researchers' analyses suggest that the arguments available to opponents of legal marriage for same-sex couples today are narrower than they once were. Where once it was possible to speculate about the consequences of extending legal status to same-sex couples in the United States, now the consequences are known. There is no empirical basis for concerns that allowing same-sex couples to marry will negatively affect the intentions and choices of different-sex couples and families. The only empirical evidence of effects that the researchers found suggests that policies allowing marriage for same-sex couples lead to a renewed salience of marriage among the broader public.

Cable News Refused to Report Trump's Bombshell Quid Pro Quo Offer to Big Oil Execs

"The most under-covered Trump story is his complete selling-out of the American people on issues they care about most," one political insider said.

Major cable news networks Fox News Channel, CNN, ABC, CBS, and NBC all failed to cover former President Donald Trump's promise to Big Oil executives that he would reverse President Joe Biden's climate regulations if they donated $1 billion to his campaign, according to an analysis published by Media Matters for America late Tuesday.

When the news first broke, Philadelphia Inquirer columnist Will Bunch wrote, "You won't read a more important story today." Yet, in the four days after the story broke, it only received 48 minutes of cable airtime—all on MSNBC.

"The most under-covered Trump story is his complete selling-out of the American people on issues they care about most," Jesse Lee, a former Biden communications adviser, posted on social media in response to the report. "If gas prices go up soon, these same networks that ignored Trump's $1 billion oil bribe will cover it constantly—and crucify Biden."

"He is basically saying he's going to destroy the planet that our children... are growing up on just if these guys will write him a check."

The story of Trump's quid pro quo offer to fossil fuel executives was first reported by The Washington Post on May 9. It detailed a dinner the former president hosted at Mar-a-Lago in April attended by leaders of oil and gas firms including ExxonMobil, Chevron, and Occidental Petroleum. During the dinner, Trump told the executives that a $1 billion donation would be a "deal" for the industry "because of the taxation and regulation they would avoid thanks to him."

To assess how cable covered—or didn't cover—the story, Media Matters for America looked at the transcripts from May 9 to May 12 for CNN; Fox News Channel; MSNBC; ABC's "Good Morning America," "World News Tonight," and "This Week;" CBS' "Mornings," "Evening News," and "Face the Nation;" and NBC's "Today," "Nightly News," and "Meet the Press." They searched the transcripts for the words "Trump," "former president," or "Mar-a-Lago" close to the words "oil," "donor," "executive," "billion," "industry," "fossil," or "fuel," as well as any version of the words "environment" or "CEO."

Only the MSNBC transcripts turned up any results. These included:

1. Just over 18 minutes—or nearly 40% of the total—on "Velshi" on May 11, featuring interviews with climate activist Bill McKibben, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington president Noah Bookbinder, and The Atlantic's David A. Graham.
2. A discussion on the May 9 edition of "Alex Wagner Tonight" between host Wagner and guests former Obama Deputy National Security Adviser Ben Rhodes and former Biden Press Secretary Jen Psaki.
3. An interview on the May 10 edition of "All in With Chris Hayes" with New York Times climate reporter Lisa Friedman.
4. An exchange on the May 11 edition of "Alex Witt Reports" between host Witt and New York Times chief White House correspondent Peter Baker.
5. An interview on the May 12 edition of "Ayman" with Princeton University sociology professor Kim Lane Scheppele and New York Times columnist and analyst Michelle Goldberg.
6. Mentions on "The ReidOut" and "The Weekend."

Several of the MSNBC interviews did highlight the importance of the story—which has prompted an investigation by a top House Democrat.

McKibben told Ali Velshi that "in a very real sense this is the most important climate election ever."

Others focused on the blatant corruption of the exchange. Graham noted that it was particularly brazen.

"He is making it clear what the quid pro quo is without any kind of pretense. It's just right here, 'You give me money; I'll do what you want me to do,'" Graham told Velshi.

Rhodes called it "basic pay-to-play corruption," adding, "He is basically saying he's going to destroy the planet that our children... are growing up on just if these guys will write him a check."

There were also comments on what the news said about the fossil fuel executives themselves.

"These are the same executives who, in the wake of January 6, said, 'We're not going to support people who undermined our democracy,'"
Bookbinder pointed out. "And there they are, these couple of years later, meeting with Donald Trump, courting his support, hearing his offer—his demands—that they give a billion dollars to his campaign."

Baker told Witt: "I think it's going to confirm for a lot of people who are already suspicious of the fossil fuel industry that they have, over the years, bought off Washington writ large. That's been a longtime conviction on the part of people who think that the energy industry has too much power."

"It's going to cause a lot of cynicism, obviously, especially if Donald Trump were to win and then to try to roll back some of these climate initiatives," Baker continued. "People will make the assumption—and it will have some obvious evidence to back it up—that he is doing so in exchange for large contributions from an industry that's affected by it."

They will, that is, if they caught the 48 minutes of reporting the story received.

See Do Christians have to attend church?

Paul said that he didn't judge himself but waited on God to judge. How is it that this man the apostle Paul who built churches and judges them doesn't judge himself? It's a mystery, is it not?

It means that Paul seen his own mind as his enemy. In my opinion anyway. He had a messenger of Satan torment him. He called it a thorn in his flesh. He said that he and the apostles were out of their minds for God at timeS. Paul said that there was nothing good in his flesh.

So I wonder if Goliath doesn't represent our mind and pride? Paul said to be wise we must become foolish in the world's eyes. He said that the natural man cannot understand spiritual things. There is a war between flesh and spirit.


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Jn 1:29

29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

Now the sin of the world did involve unbelief. Eve didn't believe the truth of God. God had said in the day that you eat you shall surely die. Observe Gen 2:17

But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

Now Gen 3:2-4

And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:

3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.


4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:


as a result of unbelief:


5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.

6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.

Mine:

Mr. Biden: What was the inflation rate the day you took office?

I have psychosis and it may come from depression but I'm unsure. Anyway I've seen visions or something and I experience times of confusion and fear.

This experience leaves me scared but I put on Christ my redeemer and my older brother who is my friend and my God. He strengthens me. I don't comprehend his mystery but it's ok. He is surely with me.

Romans chapter 8. Nothing can separate me from God's love in Christ. Nothing can take me from Jesus hand as Jesus said in John 10:28