I thought this was a good video explaining why DEI (Diversity, equity,and inclusion....also known as Didn't Earn It) doesn't ever work.

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Although DEI is really just an political ideal to justify discrimination against white men, many people on the left don't genuinely believe that or understand it. Instead, they believe...

1. In diverse societies, businesses and employment should generally reflect the diversity of the population.
2. If #1 isn't true of a company...the reason is bigotry...or some sort of social oppression of whichever group is underrepresented.

I don't recall if the woman in the video is originally Icelandic or if her business is Icelandic and therefore race is far less of a factor than sex....but the general thrust of her argument is....

1. I hired women in IT because women are underrepresented in IT.
2. I no longer hire women (or perhaps no longer favors hiring women) because women are bad IT employees.

Are women bad IT employees....well no...of course not. It does appear that way to her though...because she tried to fulfill point #1 of DEI.

The problem is that far less women than men go into IT careers. Let's say it's 90% men...and 10% women (the actual percentages don't really matter as long as it's more men than women). Within that group of men who make up 90% of potential employees....competency or merit....can be expressed on a standard bell curve.

This is a bell curve.





If we were describing the merit of potential male employees....that first 15.8% describes the weak or bad employees. The middle 68.2% describes the average employees. The right side 15.8% will describe the exceptional employees.

The exact same curve applies to the smaller pool of female potential employees. The only difference is that for every one of them....there are 9 men.

So for this businesswoman to have a "diverse" group of employees where roughly 50% are men and 50% are women....she cannot simply hire the average or exceptional woman, as they will be in high demand by every other IT company that has bought into DEI.

No...she'll have to also hire the bad, weak, incompetent women....who she probably wouldn't have hired if they were men.

The end result of her "diverse, equitable, and inclusive" workplace is one where her typical male employees are far more competent and far more capable than her typical female employees.

I would usually believe that because she's in IT... she would understand this already because it's rather simple statistics. The fact that she's telling this audience quite honestly that her female employees are bad and she doesn't want to keep hiring women suggests that perhaps statistics aren't a strong point of hers.

Watching the video made me think perhaps my friends on the left don't really understand this either. Hopefully I've explained it well enough. DEI is a dismal ideal for most companies....but in sectors like medical professionals and pilots or even law enforcement....it should be terrifying.

The only way to achieve the goals of DEI (point #1) is to quite literally hire those underrepresented potential employees despite a lack of ability, competency, or merit.

I'm not suggesting that a black woman, for example, cannot be an excellent fighter pilot in the airforce. In fact, the first black female fighter pilot retired not long ago....and without any knowledge of her career, I'm inclined to believe she was at least competent if not exceptional....because she earned that job before DEI initiatives existed in the Air Force.

Thoughts?

The foundation to which Paul is referring here is a spiritual foundation, not a physical one, which is Jesus Christ and the gospel of our salvation. So by Paul stating that he laid a foundation, according the grace given to him, this is what he is speaking of. For he was called of God to preach Christ crucified, dead and buried, resurrected, ascended back to heaven, and coming again one day to receive his faithful ones (his bride) to himself for eternity. For he was called of God to preach the gospel of our salvation to the people.

And the gospel message that Paul taught was that Jesus Christ died on that cross, taking our sins upon himself, in order to put our sins to death with him, so that by faith in him we might die with him to sin and live to his righteousness, in walks of obedience to our Lord and to his commands, and in holy and righteous living – all for the glory and praise of God. By faith in Jesus Christ we are, thus, crucified with Christ in death to sin, and raised with Christ to walk in newness of life in him, no longer as slaves to sin.

Now obedience to our Lord, and righteousness and godly living, are to be what we practice. And daily by the Spirit we are to be putting to death the fruitless deeds of darkness. No longer are we to let sin reign in our mortal bodies to make us obey its desires, for if sin is what we obey, it leads to death. But obedience to our Lord leads to righteousness and to sanctification, and its end is eternal life with Christ our Lord. For Jesus died that we might not live for ourselves but for him who gave his life for us.

So, for us to first of all be those who are building on this foundation, we have to first of all have the correct biblical foundation. For many people are building upon false foundations of false and altered gospel messages which are not in agreement with the teachings of Christ and of his NT apostles with regard to the full message of the gospel. For the correct foundation is what was spoken of above, but many have diluted that to a mere profession of faith in Jesus Christ but absent of death to sin and walks of obedience.

And building on the correct foundation has to do with our walks of faith and obedience to our Lord in holy living, and the works which God prepared in advance that we should walk in them (Eph 2:10), and the fruit of the Spirit as evidenced in our lives, and our service to the Lord in ministry and in surrender to his will for our lives. But I admit that I find the wording here a little confusing, and even the old commentators don’t all agree on what it says. But what is clear is that both are building on the correct foundation.

So, this cannot, by that understanding, be saying that we can profess faith in Jesus Christ and then continue living in sin and wickedness and not in walks of obedience to our Lord, for that would not be the foundation that Paul laid – not according to the gospel that he taught and that Jesus taught. So this is not saying that we can live a wicked life and not walk in obedience to our Lord and that we can still be saved from our sins and go to heaven when we die, only as through fire. The other Scriptures refute that notion.

For what does it say next? If we destroy God’s temple, which is the body of Christ, his church, but which is our individual lives, too, that God will destroy us. For God’s temple is holy. It is not given over to willful and deliberate and habitual sin and rebellion against the Lord and in refusal to obey him and his commands. Yes, there will be believers in Christ who will bear more fruit than others, which is the kind of fruit that survives and bears more fruit. But we cannot refuse to obey the Lord and walk in sin and go to heaven.

For, if we say we have fellowship with God, but we walk in darkness (in sin), we are liars, and the truth is not in us. And if we claim that we know God, but we do not obey his commandments (New Covenant), in practice, we are liars. For it is those who practice righteousness who are righteous. And all those who practice sin are of the devil. And if we hold on to our old lives (of living for sin and self), we will lose them (for eternity), but if we die to sin and to self and follow Jesus in obedience, we will gain eternal life.

[Matt 7:21-23; Lu 9:23-26; John 10:27-30; Acts 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 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-32; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:1-17; Titus 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1:5-10; 1 Jn 2:3-6,24-25; 1 Jn 3:4-10; 1 Pet 2:24; Heb 3:1-19; Heb 4:1-13; Heb 10:23-31; Heb 12:1-2]

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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I am 68 years old and I presume you are much younger, yet you seem to long for the mass as it was in my early childhood. Why is that? Do you yearn for stability, believing it resides in the past rather than the present?

[NOTE: I understand that some younger individuals have been raised with the Latin Mass, and I do not presume that everyone who appreciates it, longs for it, or desires its continuity is driven solely by a longing for stability.]

I know this sounds oxymoronic, but I wonder if there is such a thing as moderate fundamentalis'?

I sometimes wonder whether I'm a fundamentalist.

I'm a firm believer in the inerrancy of Scripture, and hold to a lot of conservative views on theology, society and sexuality. I also lean premillennial in my eschatology.

I think only men should be pastors. While my denomination technically affirms this, the majority of lay members think women should be allowed as pastors.

However, I never bought concepts like Landmarkism nor KJV-Onlyism.

While I would consider many of my convictions to fall into the fundamentalist camp, but I strive to have a charitable and moderate attitude.

Is there anyone else here who is like this?

As the calls for unity in this nation grow stronger, it is important to think about how this unity can be achieved. When I survey the U.S. social and political landscape, one key attribute I see missing is empathy. If we wish to be unified, we must learn to love the person with opposing views, even if we hate a policy or behavior that person is promoting.

In politics, we don’t always understand the reasons for a movement and are prone to only address issues at the surface-level. For example, when discussing matters related to feminism, there is a tendency to only focus on some of the issues that have grown out of the movement, like the abortion question, rather than trying to understand the personal experiences or trauma that might have led the other person to hold a particular opinion. A deeper understanding would enable a more comprehensive, empathetic discussion on the underlying issues rather than just the visible outcomes.

As the nation grapples with the idea of unity, I propose that we hold onto truth but with an empathetic listening ear. Let’s make an effort to understand the circumstances that have led a person to hold a particular social or political position. As we listen, let’s ask God for the kind of wisdom and understanding that sets people free. As Proverbs 21:22 says, “A wise man scales the city of the mighty and brings down the trusted stronghold.”

What are the pros and cons of purchasing junk silver?
Consider the value of the $ crashes. Well, it already has; as we know, it only has value as long as people accept it. If the international market decides to reject the dollar and that sediment spreads to businesses across the US - all your cash may be wall paper. I think we might convert a portion of our $ to a more stable form that can still be used over-the-counter currency. Junk silver with 90% silver content may be a suitable medium. It is portable and could be used for local goods and services. Any thoughts?

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) - The Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) has reached a settlement on behalf of The Satanic Temple in a federal lawsuit filed in March against Memphis-Shelby County Schools (MSCS) over “serious” First Amendment violations.

the district assessed a “special security fee” of over $2,000 against the group and $250 for “field lights,” both fees that other organizations meeting regularly at the school were never charged.

The Temple paid the fees, and on January 10, the first After School Satan Club was held at Chimneyrock Elementary.

[But with the settlement] MSCS agreed the Temple is subject to the same rules and requirements as other nonprofit organizations seeking to rent or use the school’s facilities and vowed not to hold any more press conferences about the club.

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I'm not a country music fan, but this was really interesting about how John Rich used this interview to lay out a lot of biblical theology and eschatology, to Tucker Carlson, who is Christian, but is kind of like your average layman who is not very biblically literate and doesn't get into Eschatology very much himself, and just.. there was a lot of lightbulbs going off in Tucker's head.

Hello! It is very nice to meet you all here on the Christian forums, I'm glad to have found this space. To introduce myself, my name is Alexis, I'm 18 years old and I live in Canada. I have an interest in world cultures, especially Asian and European. I am a Christian, not part of any denomination, and am looking to devote my life to Christ.
I'm hoping good discussions and new friendships await me on this site.

Asking for prayer for healing from acid reflux and its complications. It's done a decent amount of damage to my body. Thanks!

Salvation, what would you trade fore it? This is a question you should ask yourself. The answer should be nothing. As you read through this lesson you will see people that would not trade their salvation for anything. If you can get to the point where these brothers and sisters were, you are standing on solid ground. In this class there are also brothers and sisters putting "the face of man"on God and they lost their life. Keep in mind, the same God back then is the same God today.

Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever. (Hebrews 13:8)

In this set of scriptures the LORD chose the tribe of Levi to execute the service of the LORD. Before he did that he had Moses clean them up. This should let you know when you come before the LORD you must be clean. Clean your act up first, and then go to the LORD. You cannot come to HIM as you are. We are no longer under the laws of sacrifice, Jesus is our sacrifice once and for all, and the water you must be cleansed by is His word. Here in Numbers, actual water was used to cleanse the Levites. The Lord does something physical to let you know later there is a spiritual side also.

Numbers 8:5 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Take the Levites from among the children of Israel, and cleanse them. 7 And thus shalt thou do unto them, to cleanse them: Sprinkle water of purifying upon them, and let them shave all their flesh, and let them wash their clothes, and so make themselves clean. 8 Then let them take a young bullock with his meat offering, even fine flour mingled with oil, and another young bullock shalt thou take for a sin offering. 9 And thou shalt bring the Levites before the tabernacle of the congregation: and thou shalt gather the whole assembly of the children of Israel together: 10 And thou shalt bring the Levites before the LORD: and the children of Israel shall put their hands upon the Levites: 11 And Aaron shall offer the Levites before the LORD for an offering of the children of Israel, that they may execute the service of the LORD. 12 And the Levites shall lay their hands upon the heads of the bullocks: and thou shalt offer the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering, unto the LORD, to make an atonement for the Levites. 13 And thou shalt set the Levites before Aaron, and before his sons, and offer them for an offering unto the LORD. 14 Thus shalt thou separate the Levites from among the children of Israel: and the Levites shall be mine. 15 And after that shall the Levites go in to do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation: and thou shalt cleanse them, and offer them for an offering. 16 For they are wholly given unto me from among the children of Israel; instead of such as open every womb, even instead of the firstborn of all the children of Israel, have I taken them unto me. 17 For all the firstborn of the children of Israel are mine, both man and beast: on the day that I smote every firstborn in the land of Egypt I sanctified them for myself. 18 And I have taken the Levites for all the firstborn of the children of Israel. 19 And I have given the Levites as a gift to Aaron and to his sons from among the children of Israel, to do the service of the children of Israel in the tabernacle of the congregation, and to make an atonement for the children of Israel: that there be no plague among the children of Israel, when the children of Israel come nigh unto the sanctuary. Here we have two of Aaron's sons, keep in mind that they knew the law, they are sons of the high priest. Look what happened.

Leviticus 10:1 And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the LORD, which he commanded them not. 2 And there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD.

Think about this. You have been given understanding of the scriptures and you know how dangerous the God Of Israel is, and you disobey his commandments anyway. You saw what happened to Nadab and Abihu, this could happen to you, me or anyone that truly understands the word of God.

In the scriptures it's written in Psalm 1: 1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, Nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. 2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; And in his law doth he meditate day and night. 3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, That bringeth forth his fruit in his season; His leaf also shall not wither; And whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. 4 The ungodly are not so: But are like the chaff which the wind driveth away. 5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
6 For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: But the way of the ungodly shall perish.

In judgment each one of us will give account for our own salvation. Therefore, we must not let anyone lead us down the wrong path, but should verify all of our teaching with the holy bible. YOUR SALVATION IS AT STAKE! "...work out your own salvation with fear and trembling" (Philippians 2:12).


Jesus warned us that the road to salvation is straight and narrow and that only a few of us will find it. Many are traveling down the wrong road, which leads to destruction. This is because many of us have heard about salvation but few of us want to do what is necessary to get salvation (many are called but few are chosen). (Matthew 7:13, 14) Many contend that Jesus did it all and now all we have to do is have faith.

Jesus knew, or found out, etc, that God in the OT (YHWH/Jehovah) was not always fully omniscient, and that he didn't have absolute power over man, or man's choices, and couldn't see past some of them sometimes, and couldn't ever see past any of them 100% absolutely all of the time, etc.

When he came to this knowledge/revelation/realization, or found this out, I do not know, but he spent long enough in it and with it that it changed his entire thinking, etc, and caused him to grow in understanding after that exponentially, etc.

He eventually claimed equality with the Creator God in the OT, and said that there was a Heavely Father God that was greater than Him or Them both (both Jesus Christ, and God in the OT) but at the same time, did not claim equality with this One, but did claim that the only way to get to or know this One was through him (Jesus) and did not include God in the OT in this at the time that he said it, etc.

John, and some of Jesus Apostles, claimed that Jesus was there in the beginning, and Jesus claimed that he was close to being there in the beginning "maybe", when he said "Before Abraham was, I am", etc. Whether this means he (Jesus) was claiming to be there in the beginning or not, no one really knows, etc, but it is, at least, another one of his instances where he was alluding to, or was claiming, to at least be equal to God in the OT, again, etc.

So, now we maybe have Two that are now claiming to be there in the beginning, or One that we actually know for certain was, and another One that might have been maybe, etc. The One we know for certain that was there was the One who created, or God in creation, and the One with Adam and Eve, and made Adam and Eve, who is God in the OT, etc. But if we are going to fully follow what John and Jesus Apostles said about this, then we now have Two there in the very beginning of Creation and who supposedly created/made everything there is just by speaking a Word and/or using their words starting out just right before anything was made in the OT, etc.

I believe it was YHWH or Jehovah God who made and was God in the OT, but also that Jesus was equal to Him, but was also not literally YHWH/Jehovah God in the OT, etc.

Where Jesus fits into this picture, if he was literally there, we do not know for sure at this point in light of all of this but can only speculate, etc. But his Apostles do claim that it is Jesus who was Creator God, or was the One who made, etc, but that also contradicts what we already know about YHWH/Jehovah God being the One who made, and Jesus own position is a little bit unclear on this, etc.

Jesus took over, that's for sure, and the whole entire religion might have died without him, etc. YHWH/Jehovah God might have gone completely forgotten without him, etc.

If Jesus was guilty of any kind of sin, it would have been in his claiming equality with God in the OT, and with proposing this "Higher God" actually, or in all actuality etc, but is that a sin if he was correct, etc? I guess only you can decide that, etc. But some think it could have been the same sin as the Devil, and might have been, or was bordering on being, the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit, etc, especially since that was going to be Jesus new name for God in the OT, and position in this new Trinity arrangement, etc. Some will claim he never had the authority to do that, and that it was the sin of the Devil, or that he was committing the same sin as the Devil, and was committing the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit, etc.

Either way, he did physically die, and then was brought back to life, and was resurrected, etc. And I don't think any of that could have happened if he was not right, etc, or was at least, or was in the very least, at least shows that he was 100% for sure 100% fully forgiven, etc.

I'll leave you with that much for now, for there is a lot, lot more to fully say, but just know that neither one of them (Jesus or YHWH) is the literal Devil, but that is another separate entity, but that's a story for another time, as it's a whole other story.

God Bless.

“Now, for me, I have a lot of faith in the American people,” Goldberg said during Thursday morning’s show.
“And I know his grandchild was up on the thing and they’re trying to humanize him and change your idea about who this guy is,” she said.

Hey my car just died (a toyota yaris) and I need a new one (a used car). My Yaris was terrible in the snow, I live in Pennsylvania and we have bad winters so I am looking for a sedan with 4-wheel drive. Are there any out there? I would prefer a Honda, Yoyota, Hyundai, or Kia if possible as they are my favorite brands and are very reliable. Any ideas?

This appears to be from March 2024

from; MSN: federal-court-blocks-biden-admin-from-diverting-funds-from-border-wall

"Federal court blocks Biden admin from diverting funds from border wall"

Interesting determination to bring in illegal immigration at all costs.

===============

hmm -- maybe that was in response to this event at end of year 2023


"Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) said in a release this week that it has removed the Iranian, who is also a permanent resident of Canada, a national security priority and wanted for assault, back to Canada."

Or this one six months ago​

MSN: iranian-with-terrorist-ties-apprehended-at-northern-border

For those who already know the difference, it can be summed up like this...

The Son of God, (Yeshua) Matthew 16:16
who's Father is A1pha and 0mega, (Yahweh) Revelation 1:8
Was born of his inorganic Father, Luke 9:35
6000 years before his organic incarnation. John 17:24
Yeshua, Started From the Top, "Father", and ended on the Cross (Prop) Mark 15:27
Yeshua, therefore had lived all 5 stages of life for every humanoid in the universe.

All for a lesson of course. The 5 stages are:

#1. Father
#2. Son
#3. Servant
#4. Slave
#5. Prop

The stages work as followed:

Deny the Father, and one will deny the Son, 1 John 2:23
Deny the Son, and one will deny the Servant.
Deny the Servant, and one will become a slave.
Become a slave, and one will be made a prop. 1 John 2:22

Now the Son of Man, (???) Revelation 19:12
who's Father is David, Mark 12:35
Was born of his Organic Mother.
5 weeks before his organic desecration. Revelation 12:5
(???) Started From the bottom "1st trimester death", and will end on the left side of the Father. Revelation 7:11
(???), therefore had lived all 5 stages of life lessons required to be immortalized for eternal life.

The reasons are clear. All 5 stages will exist for all humanoids. It is a mere attitude and lack of knowledge that keeps a humanoid on their cross.
If all things are done for the Father and Son, (which they are) any form of death will be greatly welcomed. But be certain, that the Son of Man, is the Lion and brings the worst form of death. Revelation 19:13

Because both the Lion and Lamb are heirs to the Kingdom, ( Daniel 8:13 ) , and because both Lion and Lamb can sit at the same table, Revelation 19:9 ) , they have become the watchman and holy one, respectively,( Daniel 4:23 ). Just that the only difference is the holy one comes from heaven and is inorganic, while the watchman comes from the Earth and is Organic.

The reward of the watchman is to be made inorganic like his brother the lamb. 1 John 2:25 He is also to inherit 49% of the slaves on Earth. (The other 51% belong to the Lamb) Since all have denied him, (The watchman), they have also denied the Son.
Therefore the world has but one servant, Him. (the Watchman) Revelation 5:4

However, just as to the Son of God, so to the Son of Man. Luke 6:31

But first must he suffer many things, and be rejected of this generation.
Luke 17:25

The 5 stages of attitude are again revealed when Peter denies Christ 3 Times (denied the father, denied the son, denied the servant) and becomes a slave and ultimately made an eternal example. Luke 22:34


Eternal life comes with eternal preparation and eternal lessons.

The Son of God, doesn't create contests for himself to win and win only.
The Son of God created a living lesson for those who want to help rule the Universe with him, who live forever. Unfortunately for the illogical "energy" and "church lover" crowd, the Bible clearly refers to inorganic humanoids as being our eternal masters. Genesis 1:27

Denying this will place one at the backyard of the church. (Marble Prop)

There is a difference between BibleLovers and ChurchLovers.
God knows I love the Bible, but despise the Church.
The Churches are their own masters and have denied the watchman.
The Bible has already warned all parties as to the consequence of such insubordination.

For those who don't know the difference or think there is a difference,

When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi,
he asked his disciples, saying,
Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?

And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist;
some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.

He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?

And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.

And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou,
Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee,
but my Father which is in heaven.
Matthew 16:13-17


Watchman->Son of David->Man Child Warrior->Lion of Judah->King of Organic Men
Holy One->Son of God->Comforter and Teacher->Lamb of World->King of Inorganic Men. (King of Kings)

Immigrants are “coming from prisons, they’re coming from jails, they’re coming from mental institutions and insane asylums.”

False.

“Caracas, Venezuela, really dangerous place, but not anymore. Because in Venezuela, crime is down 72%”

False.

Later in the RNC speech, Trump said, “Under my presidency, we had the most secure border.”

That’s Mostly False. Illegal immigration during Trump’s administration was higher than it was during both of former President Barack Obama’s terms.

During my presidency, we had “the best economy in the history of our country, in the history of the world … We had no inflation, soaring incomes.”

False.

Trump just keeps saying things which are false. It is almost like he can't help himself.

Last I read, the fix was to boot each machine into safe mode manually and delete a specific file. No word on how that’ll work with machines that use something like Bitlocker to encrypt their drives.

Oops.

Pray for Stephanie's (someone who works with me) uncle, Charlie, who passed away from Lung disease on July 16, 2024 and will have a service at St. Thomas Aquinas in my city.

A Catholic Mass consists of two primary parts: the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist. Additionally, there are three shorter segments: the Introduction, which includes the entrance procession, and the communion rite, and the Conclusion, which encompasses the recessional and hymn. Many may recognize this structure of the Mass.


There is also a second form of the mass which was the main form used from not long after the time of the council of Trent until not long after the second Vatican council.

JUDGES 11:1-33

This lesson is about “Yephtah” who was bullied and mistreated by his brothers and was excluded from his father’s inheritance, he ran away and got together with a gang of thugs and became like the “Jessie James gang” However, when trouble started back home, who did the brothers look for? Yes, Yephtah! Even though he was mistreated, he didn’t let a negative attitude take control, he returned and became their commander.

Then he “vows and vow” “If you deliver the Ammonites into my hands, whatever comes out of the door of my house I will offer up to you as a burnt offering” The Israelites won the war, and when Yephtah returned home and his “only daughter came out to greet him”. There are mixed emotions and opinions over this. Some suggest that He DID offer his daughter as a burnt offering, he killed her and burned her body on the altar. BUT… would the Holy GOD of Israel accept this kind of abomination? A human sacrifice? I would say NO! (my opinion)

So, what MIGHT have happened? Some believe that he did “offer up” his daughter, but to serve as a servant in the tabernacle of YHVH, perhaps helping the Levites or something similar. Again, just an idea, but no one knows for sure, we’ll find out the truth in Heaven! Others say that in the original translation, the words were misunderstood, and the phrase, “Whatever comes out of my house to meet me when I return in peace, it shall be the LORD’s and I will offer it up as a burnt offering” was really, “it shall be the LORD’s “OR” I will offer it up as a burnt offering! This explains why Yephtah might have offered up his daughter to serve in the Tabernacle. Had an animal, like a lamb or a goat come out, THAT animal would have been offered up as a burnt offering, but again, this is just an idea.

What does this teach us? Be careful of what we “vow” we might end up “swallowing” our words, best not to promise anything, and again, not to hold a grudge against those who have mistreated us, forgive those who have mistreated us.

How do Yeshua and all of us fit into this equation? Yeshua, who was 100% God and 100% man, lived a perfect, sinless life, and in the end, offered himself up as a sacrifice for sin. He was the "Lamb of God, who took away the sin of the world." He bore the weight of our sin on HIS shoulders. He died so we could have life, life eternal.

We, on the other hand, should offer up ourselves as "living sacrifices" to serve the LORD here on this earth, using the spiritual gifts that God has endowed to us, and using them to serve HIM and serve others, winning lost souls and leading others in the understanding of God's Word.

LUKE 21:1-38

Yeshua talks about the “end times” “Watch out” he warns, that things will get worse before they get better. Many think we will look forward to better times, yet Yeshua says just the opposite! Wars, rumors of wars, earthquakes, famines, etc., the world is going downhill fast, not only physically, but morality is taking a tailspin downward.

He is returning soon, but the Bible states that no one knows the exact date, hour, or minute of his second coming. To those who are lost or spiritually dead, he will come as a thief in the night. Yet to us who are spiritually alive and study the Scriptures, we have learned that he will return at the "Final Trumpet sound" of God. Many believe that during the times of Yom Teruah (Rosh HaShannah) and Yom Kippur, there is a final Shofar blast that announces the end of this period of repentance and returning. Could this be the time of the LORD's return? Something to think about!

We need to take heed and be faithful, await the coming of Messiah Yeshua, AFTER He returns, the world will enter a thousand-year time of real SHALOM. Yeshua taught all of this in the temple in Yerushalayim and would camp out on the Mt. of Olives during the night. What an interesting life! I think it would have been great to have seen and heard Yeshua in person back then. Yet we can still hear his voice through HIS WORD.

Shalom

The question of whether speaking in tongues and the manifestation of spiritual gifts continue today is not merely a theological inquiry but a reflection on the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit in the life of the Church. It beckons us to explore how these gifts, as described in Scripture, are perceived and experienced in modern Christian communities. Some view these gifts as integral to the vibrant expression of faith, citing biblical examples and personal testimonies of their transformative impact. Others approach these manifestations with caution, seeking discernment and biblical grounding amidst differing interpretations and practices across denominational lines. Engaging in this discussion invites us to reflect on the nature of spiritual empowerment, the role of tradition versus contemporary experience, and ultimately, how these gifts contribute to the edification of believers and the proclamation of the Gospel in our time.

This also happened before 911