John 3:

1 Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. 2 He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.”

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Unlike some other Pharisees, Sadducees, and teachers of the law, Nicodemus was humble when meeting Jesus.

3 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.”

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Jesus introduced the concept of born-again. Naturally, Nicodemus wondered what it was about and asked an innocent question.

4 “How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!”
5 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. 6Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit b gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”

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After hearing Jesus' answer, Nicodemus still had trouble understanding the concept and followed up with a further innocent question.

9 “How can this be?” Nicodemus asked.

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Nicodemus did not contradict Jesus. He seemed sincere in his questions.

10 “You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things?

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You are Israel’s teacher. You should have known. The idea can be found in the OT.

11 Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. 12 I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe;

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Nicodemus had not expressed unbelief. He merely raised questions, trying to understand what Jesus said. However, Jesus knew his heart: Nicodemus did not believe.

Jesus was more gracious in his encounters with, for example, the Samaritan woman at the well. Why didn't Jesus elaborate on his answer so Nicodemus could better understand born-again? The elaboration would have benefited us.

James 3:

1 Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.

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Nicodemus was an authoritative rabbi and was blessed with a lot of talents. Jesus expected more from him. Jesus expected him to believe immediately. Nicodemus was capable of it. That's why Jesus had more patience with the Samaritan woman than with him. He should have understood the idea of being born again quickly instead of questioning the words of Jesus.

In the end, Nicodemus did believe.

Pray that cooler heads prevails in regard to the military conflict between Israel & Iran:

Pray that a heathen lady named Holly comes to accept Jesus Christ as her Lord & Saviour

Iranian Press TV also reported that an explosion was heard “near Iran’s central city of Isfahan”, adding the cause of the blast was not yet known.
Reports of the explosion come hours after Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian told CNN that if Israel takes any further military action against Iran, its response would be “immediate and at a maximum level.”

Iran's largest nuclear research complex is at Isfahan, I hope that was the target. I have previously posted on how Israel needs to take out Iran's nuclear weapons capabilities.

The January 6 Committee has been caught repeatedly embellishing events from that day, withholding evidence and witnesses from their findings, and utilizing the public hearings to launch political attacks against Donald Trump in an attempt to handicap his presidential campaign. If Trump wins I expect that we will have a much more transparent government and that there will be great efforts to deal with corruption. For those who have not committed serious crimes there should be no worries.

Would you please tell me what glue I should use to reattach this corpus to this crucifix? (See photo.) Could you link me to the product from Amazon.com? Could you tell me what materials these appear to be? (Is it olive wood and stainless steel?)

So why did not Christ make Adam and Eve SINLESS .

Check Gen 1:31 and it says that Christ made all CREATION , GOOD ?

your thoughts ?

dan p

Whitehouse.gov

DECEMBER 13, 2023

FACT SHEET: Accelerating the U.S. – Africa Partnership After the 2022 U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit​

Since the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit in December 2022, President Biden kicked off an extraordinary year of U.S. engagement with Africa and made progress in delivering on our high-profile commitments announced during the Summit. The Biden-Harris Administration is over-delivering on our commitment to invest $55 billion in Africa over three years.

The best aroma of spring imo. Several of my bushes are just starting to bloom.

Snopes​

Did Daughter of Judge in Trump Hush-Money Case Work for Harris, Biden Campaigns?​

The case pursued by the Manhattan DA is being handled by New York County Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan.​

Alex Kasprak​

Published April 5, 2023​

Claim:
The daughter of the judge assigned to the hush-money criminal case of Republican former U.S. President Donald Trump worked for Democratic campaigns involving Vice President Kamala Harris and President Joe Biden.
Rating:

True
About this rating
Context
Judge Juan Merchan's daughter, Loren Merchan, was the director of digital persuasion for Kamala Harris' 2020 presidential campaign. His daughter has also worked, indirectly, for the Biden-Harris 2020 campaign through a communications firm that provides services for progressive campaigns.

Trump’s joint fundraising committee wrote three checks in February and one in March to his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, totaling $411,287 and another in March to Trump National Doral Miami for $62,337, according to a report filed to the Federal Election Commission this week.

Trump has been doing it for years, shifting millions in campaign cash into his sprawling business empire to pay for expenses such as using his personal aircraft for political events, rent at Trump Tower and events at his properties, which has included hotels and private clubs.

The payments Trump’s campaign has made to his businesses ... have been growing in recent months.

The Trump campaign and affiliated political committees paid businesses owned by Trump at least $4.9 million since the start of 2023, according to an analysis by USA TODAY. Trump's various campaign committees and a super PAC controlled by his supporters also spent at least $809,000 at his properties since the beginning of last year.

The primary thing Trump’s businesses need to do is charge his campaign and PACs the same amount they would charge any other paying customer for the services. But there’s also an ethical question of whether the campaign and PACs could get a better deal somewhere else.

“How much are they charging? And to what extent are they putting people up who might be staying someplace else that might be cheaper?” Briffault asked. “You could imagine that there could be cheaper venues to these things, but they’re purposely holding them there.”

Other GOP candidates also have been spending considerable campaign cash at Trump properties. Ohio Republican U.S. Senate candidate Bernie Moreno's campaign spent $109,000 on "event catering" at Mar-a-Lago in April, December and January of 2023, records show. Trump endorsed Moreno in December. Nevada U.S. Senate candidate Jim Marchant's campaign spent about $67,000 at Mar-a-Lago on "event venue rental and catering" in November and December.

A suspect has been arrested for allegedly throwing a pipe bomb that damaged The Satanic Temple headquarters in Salem, Massachusetts, where investigators found a letter addressed, “Dear Satanist” at the scene last week, prosecutors announced.

Sean Patrick Palmer, 49, of Perkins, Oklahoma, was arrested Wednesday morning and has been charged with using fire or an explosive to damage a building used in interstate or foreign commerce during the April 8 incident, the US Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts said.

The letter reads, in part, “Elohim send me 7 months ago to give you peaceful message to hope you repent. You say no, Elohim now send me to smite Satan and I happy to obey,” according to the affidavit.

About 7 months ago, on September 11, the Satanic Temple headquarters was vandalized with Bible verses spray painted in white, according to the affidavit.

In a statement on the arrest Wednesday, The Satanic Temple expressed thanks to police and federal investigators and “profound gratitude to the Salem community for the outpouring of support we have received during this challenging period.”

Please note: This is an EV free zone.

Are you better off financially today than you were four years ago.

Hi everyone, I have been pondering this, but I am not sure if this is scriptural and legit or not. Let me know what you think! My question is this- when did God create the universe? I think the answer is- never! God created time! The bible does say that God created the heavens and the earth in 7 days and I believe that, but when were the 7 days? Space and time are connected, there is space-time and the space-time continuum. I believe the "heavens" described in the bible are the universe. What do you think of this?

When Asna Tabassum learned that USC had disinvited her from speaking at next month’s graduation, she hadn’t yet planned what she would say in her remarks, beyond that she would convey a message of hope.

University leaders who announced the decision Monday, after pro-Israel groups criticized a link on Tabassum’s Instagram page as evidence of her being antisemitic, didn’t know the theme of her speech because she hadn’t shared it with them, the class valedictorian said an interview with The Times on Tuesday.

In keeping Tabassum from giving a three- to five-minute speech in front of 65,000 people during the May 10 ceremony, USC Provost Andrew T. Guzman cited the need to “maintain campus safety and security.” The university alluded to unnamed threats but has not publicly detailed them.

The backlash against Tabassum, who was chosen as valedictorian by a university committee from nearly 100 applicants with GPAs of 3.98 or above, was unusual, even at a time of intense campus strife between pro-Palestinian and pro-Israel activists, because it didn’t involve anything she said or did. The opposition appeared to stem mostly from a link on her Instagram profile to a website she did not create.

[And allegedly the actual college decision was based on 'safety', implying that it had nothing to do with her, but rather that if "anti-pro-Palestinian" (let's call them) groups complain loudly and threateningly enough, they can cancel speech on a college campus.]

Tabassum, who minored in resistance to genocide, suggested her opponents were mistaken about her views and her studies.

The program, an official minor at USC, requires students to enroll in five courses from a list that includes several on the Holocaust as well as on the Armenian genocide and other genocides, such as targeted killings of Tutsis in Rwanda in 1994.

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On Tuesday, Joel Curran, USC’s senior vice president of communications, said the “final decision” on the matter rested with university President Carol Folt.

Folt was not available for an interview.

[I wonder if the scene of various college presidents being haled before Congressional subcommittees may have affected her thinking.]

my mom is having surgery please pray for her

I just don't think I have EVER seen any other President ilicit death threats from his supporters.

I certainly have my reasons and a lot of it has to do with his cult leader like strategies he uses subconsciously often I'm sure IMHO, but I'm curious of everyone else's thoughts.


Why is Trump seen by his supporters as more a savior than president? Is it just because he repeats ad nauseum that he is the only one who can save America and they believe him?

I'm sorry but this picture is not typical "support your politician " behaviour and it seems very common

Episcopal bishops in New York state are vocally opposing a Catholic music group’s usage of a seminary facility in New York City, citing concerns over the purported position of the group’s founders on LGBT issues.

Episcopal News Service (ENS), the official news wire of the Episcopal Church, reported this month that the seven bishops who serve the Episcopal dioceses of New York and Long Island “are publicly opposing the potential long-term lease of General Theological Seminary’s property and facilities” to the School of Sacred Music (SSM).

SSM is “grounded in the Roman Catholic tradition,” the institute says on its website. It offers “support, development, and inspiration to all who value sacred music,” including through a professional choir.

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Over 112,000 Americans overdosed in 2023. Over 70,000 overdosed on fentanyl, a particularly dangerous synthetic opioid. While it’s easy to focus on numbers, we can’t forget that these aren’t statistics. They’re people. They leave behind parents, brothers, sisters and children. They’re futures lost. They’re lives squandered.

We owe it to victims of this epidemic to do everything we can to curb the flow of fentanyl from overseas (where the vast majority of it originates) into American cities and towns. This poison is a direct threat to the security of America’s citizens. And, though America’s borders are a point of grave concern, they are also the best opportunity we have to seize fentanyl and damage the cartels responsible.

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This seems like a good idea to me. What do you think?

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

DEALING WITH SHORTCOMINGS

From: Karen Parrish


For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works…Titus 2:11-13.”

因为　神救众人的恩典已经显明出来， 教训我们除去不敬虔的心和世俗的情欲，在今世自守、公义、敬虔度日， 等候所盼望的福，并等候至大的　神和我们（或译：　神－我们）救主耶稣基督的荣耀显现。 (提多书 2:11-13 和合本)
那把自己给我们，救赎我们这些他所拣选属自己独特的人群，脱离一切不法不圣洁，他是如此的热情和充满善行。

Wow! That is a mouthful of “right living.” In my early Christian days, I would have said, “no way can I do all that!” However, the longer I walk with Abba Father, I realize that I was totally right! The only way we can deny ungodliness and worldly lusts is to walk with Abba Father, make Him the Lord of every area of our life, and talk to Him constantly! Even doing those three obligations, we still miss the mark!
哇！这是说出了多么正确的生活方式。在早斯的基督徒生活中，我会说完全做到这些是不可能的。然而，当我越长时间的跟随天父，我认识到我是完全正确的。我们唯一可以远离不敬虔和属世的生活方式是与父同行，让天父上帝进入我们生活的每个领域，不断的向父说话。尽管我们做到了上述三种责任，仍然可能没有完成目标。
My dear brothers and sisters, it is a daily walk, one day at a time to keep our focus on our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I have said it before, and I will say it again, I believe Satan’s greatest “hit” on Christians is to keep them distracted from what is truly important in the Christian’s life. When we get caught up in this world, as well as the things of this world, and that includes relationships that supersede Christ, we get into big trouble. There should be nothing in our life that we value or love more than Christ. However, we constantly lose focus of that because we are such tangible human beings. Since Abba Father made us this way, I happen to feel He knows our shortcomings on a level we don’t comprehend.
我亲爱的弟兄姐妹，这是每天的行走，每天都要有特定的时间将注意力放在我们的救主耶稣基督上。我以前已经说过，我还要说，我知道撒旦对基督徒的重大打击是，是让他们不能集中注意力在对于基督徒的生活真正重要的事情上。当我们被世界和世界上的事抓住，取代了我们和神之间的关系，我们就有大麻烦了。在我们的生活中不应该有任何价值观或者爱超越了基督。然而我们不断失去对神的聚焦，因为我们是如此真实的人类。自从天父带领我们走这条路，我感觉到天父知道我们的短处，知道我们处在一个不能理解的水平。

My prayer is that I, and hopefully you, will comprehend our shortcomings from Abba Father’s perspective. Why? Because when I understand those shortcomings from His perspective, I can more easily deal with them, and hopefully eradicate them as problems. The closer we walk with Abba Father, we can rely on the Holy Spirit to intercede and interpret for us, and through our walk with Him, we will be able to deny the things of this world. Through the denial, we will be conforming to the image of Christ, and will know and experience peace beyond description! I love the last part of the above verse where you and I are called “special”! I am so thankful Abba Father sees you and I as special! Praise Father, Son, and Holy Spirit!
我的祷告是，希望你会领悟，从天父的角度看我们的短处，为什么？当我从上帝的角度看我的短处，对付它们会更简单一些。希望我们可以把它当做问题来根除他们。我们与天父走的越近，我们可以依靠圣灵来为我们调解和诠释，我们与父同行，就能抵挡这个世界，通过抵挡我们就会遵行上帝的旨意。我们就会经历难以描述的平安。我喜欢最后几句话，你我被认为是独特的，我如此感谢上帝视你我为独特，赞美天父，神的羔羊和圣灵的大能！




pastor john macarthur



Discernment Between Truth and Error

辨析真理与谬误

“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God; and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God; and this is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world” (1 John 4:1-3).
“亲爱的弟兄啊，一切的灵，你们不可都信，总要试验那些灵是出于神的不是，因为世上有许多假先知已经出来了。凡灵认耶稣基督是成了肉身来的，就是出于 神的；从此你们可以认出 神的灵来。凡灵不认耶稣，就不是出于 神，这是那敌基督者的灵。你们从前听见他要来，现在已经在世上了。”（约翰一书4：1-3）

God’s children are able to discern false doctrine.
上帝的孩子可以分辨错误的教义。

A sure mark of every false religious system is doctrinal error, particularly about the Person and work of Jesus Christ. Those systems deny that He is Savior and Lord, God in human flesh, the only way to the Father (John 14:6) because salvation comes only through Him (Acts 4:12).
每个错误的宗教体系的标志就是谬误教义，特别是关于耶稣基督的人性和事工。那些体系否认耶稣是救主和主、道成肉身、与父神连接的唯一道路（约翰福音14：6），因为只有藉着祂才能得救（使徒行传4：12）。

A sure mark, then, of all true children of God is that they believe the truth about Jesus Christ and do not deviate into doctrinal error. Although they may be temporarily duped by false teaching, they will not be permanently deceived by it. The apostle John wrote, “[False teachers] are from the world; therefore they speak as from the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God; he who knows God listens to us; he who is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error” (1 John 4:5-6).
而上帝真正儿女的标志是他们相信耶稣基督的真理，并不被错误的教义迷惑。他们虽然可能暂时地被假教导欺骗，却不会长久地被蒙蔽。使徒约翰写道“（假师傅）是属世界的，所以论世界的事，世人也听从他们。我们是属神的，认识 神的就听从我们；不属 神的就不听从我们。从此我们可以认出真理的灵和谬妄的灵来”（约翰一书4：5-6）。

When you were saved, you were clear about who Christ was. “Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ,” writes John, “is born of God” (1 John 5:1). Had you not passed that doctrinal test, you wouldn’t have been saved. God’s children distinguish spiritual truth from doctrinal error because the Spirit of truth (John 14:16) indwells them.
你若得救，你就清楚知道基督是谁。“凡信耶稣是基督的，都是从 神而生”约翰写道（约翰一书5：1）。如果你没有通过教义考试，你就没有得救。上帝的孩子可以分辨属灵真理和谬误教义，因为有真理的圣灵住在他们里面（约翰福音14：16）。

“O Timothy,” Paul exhorted his beloved son in the faith, “guard what has been entrusted to you, avoiding worldly and empty chatter and the opposing arguments of what is falsely called ‘knowledge’” (1 Tim. 6:20). I pray that you will guard the precious treasure of truth entrusted to you in the Scriptures and so assure your heart that you belong to the God of truth.
“提摩太啊，”保罗嘱咐他所爱的属灵儿子“你要保守所托付你的，躲避世俗的虚谈和那敌真道、似是而非的学问”（提摩太前书6：20）。我祈求你能保守圣经中赐给你的真理的宝贵财富，保证你的心属于真理的上帝。
【Copyright 2007, Grace to You. All rights reserved. Used by permission.】
Suggestions for Prayer 祷告建议

Thank God for revealing His truth to us in the Bible.
感谢上帝将祂的真理藉着圣经启示给我们。

For Further Study 进深研究


Read John 1:1; Philippians 2:5-11; Colossians 2:9. What do they teach about the Person of Christ?
阅读约翰福音1：1， 腓利比书2：5-11，歌罗西书2：9。他们是如何教导基督的人性？





SOAK IN SCRIPTURE

God is Eternal, Part 1

Paul Washer | Perfect will of God

HeartCry Missionary Society

sermonaudio.com/sermon/52219711143644

God is Eternal, Part 2

Paul Washer | Perfect will of God

HeartCry Missionary Society

sermonaudio.com/sermon/5221978313774


God is Eternal, Part 3

Paul Washer | Perfect will of God

HeartCry Missionary Society

sermonaudio.com/sermon/5221976387335

How can I not feel bad about it? Bible tells we are saved by grace and we are blamess, but part of me still want to fight the sin, and I feel iam powerless and I have fallen into same sins quiet many many times and I go and ask forgivness again, I feel like I just not sure if God hears me, and why doesnt I have strength?
Is falling into same sins form of tribulation? OR iam just weak christians who dont make it to heaven, coz I struggle with being obedient, I feel far from God, heart gets hardened. I dont want that, I did pray today free times and want to ask God why I fall into same sin, why cant it just be removed and takes away.. What is this all about I dont get that.. iam bit confused and question about if iam being even saved to start with

Jesus did so much for ini that cross, why cant we overcome and love him and be done with this sins allready..
I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. ..but how then

Conspiracy Theories and Modern Day Gnosticism

The concept of “conspiracy theory” has been thrust to the forefront of our national conversation over the course of the last four years largely due to the presence of a president who demonstrated himself to be extremely susceptible to the influence of what had previously been considered a bit of a freakshow phenomenon restricted to a minority fringe among most Americans. Donald Trump brought the concept to prime time, and in the process exposed a broad vulnerability to conspiracy theory within the American populace and particularly within the conservative Christian church in America. In fact a recent poll found that 15% of Americans (yikes!) and 25% of conservative evangelicals (double yikes!!) currently believe the central tenets of QAnon (15% Of Americans Believe QAnon Theory, Poll Says ). And 15% of Americans currently believe that “true American patriots may have to resort to violence” to save the country. That should scare the bejesus out of anyone who cares about truth and should be yet another high-volume wake-up call to the church that some serious rebuke and correction is direly needed (unfortunately, so many church leaders are caught up at the forefront of this phenomenon that the rebuke and correction may have to come from the grass roots of the church in many cases or simply by lay people of sound mind and heart voting with their feet).

For my part, I care deeply about “true knowledge” whether that knowledge is known to a few or to many. Unfortunately, much of the “secret knowledge” in circulation at any given point in time is false or misleading, such that the possessors of such “secret knowledge” are also purveyors of things that are opposed to truth and reality. As a Christian follower of the One who is “the way, the truth, and the life” and who is “faithful and true”, it is distressing to see so many who profess to follow Jesus so deeply invested in various conspiracy theories to such a degree that it would appear that their commitment to “secret knowledge” takes precedence over their commitment to Christ.

The temptations associated with “secret knowledge” have apparently been present among humans since the very beginning. In the Biblical origin story of the human race and the human fall into sin, Adam and Eve fall prey to this temptation when the serpent (later revealed to be Satan) claims that disobeying God’s command would give access to the “knowledge of good and evil” that God was purportedly withholding unfairly from mankind. The “forbidden fruit” depicted in this ancient story was at least in part the fruit of promised access into the inner circle of Divine knowledge. In the story, Eve notes “that the tree was to be desired to make one wise” in response to Satan’s sales pitch, “God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” From that time of beginnings to the present time, humans of all stripes have ever craved and been drawn to the temptations of having access to “secret knowledge” only known to an elite and favored few. As the old saying goes, “knowledge is power”, and possessing the upper hand of power over and against others has been a principal pursuit of many throughout human history. And of course, we all like to think we know something that nobody else knows — just seems to be an aspect of our nature in the present age that gives each of us some amount of perverse, selfish, prideful pleasure in our supposed superiority.

Continued below.

hi all my name is calvin i cannot remember when the last time i was here but many things have happened since im currently going thru some health problems it took me off the road from trucking now i got to do what i can to build up a income base so i have a print on demand store and if it is ok for me to provide the link to it i need to get as much traffic on there as possible i do wall art with bible verses etc. on canvas