Is this not recommended? I was thinking I will get a good idea when it comes to finishing the entire Bible. I will read scripture as the movie runs.

I have a prayer REQUEST and a PRAISE

So my praise is that that my mom has been able to sweat and my legs have been feeling 50% better! Oh and I was very constipated for awhile no and I am not any longer... It all started to get better after we received a prayer cloth and it has been a blessing from God for both of us

Now the request: we have told God that we will do a thirty day fast during this time( morning fast) and I would appreciate prayers that my moms faith which is wavering will increase and that I would continue to have the faith I need to see this through. I can barely function and my mom can't do alot of things like driving and other things much because of her issues.

Please pray for us. or faith is being tested so Greatly because all we go through.... I thank each and every one of you

Are you able to identify with this Psalmist in any way, either from a time in your past or in your present life? I definitely can from times past, and I can connect with parts of it in my life present. For if we are those who are followers of Jesus Christ, whose desire is for him, to do his will, we are going to go through times of difficulty, persecution, and rejection. And we will have people who will speak evil of us and who will mock us and who will deride us. And if we have compassionate hearts, that should bring us to tears.

And if our hearts are not guarded, our tears may turn to depression and to withdrawal and to us pulling away from doing the will of the Lord. And perhaps they may even lead us to questioning God and his sovereignty over our lives. And we may cry out to God and say, “Why, God, is this happening to me?” And that says that we have not yet reached that place of spiritual maturity in our lives to where we understand and accept the sovereignty of God over our lives, and when we can accept suffering as something good.

And that may lead many sincere followers of Christ to pull back and to no longer do what they were doing in ministry in obedience to the Lord, out of fear of rejection and persecution, or out of being convinced that all the doors that were open for them are now closed. So they get discouraged and downcast and they give up hope, at least temporarily, until they are able to work through their emotions in prayer to the Lord, and in counseling themselves, so that they will return to serving the Lord as they once had.

And if we ever get to that point in our Christian lives, and in Christian ministry, to where we are discouraged and disheartened, and our emotions are telling us to give up and to run away, we need to give ourselves biblical counsel. And we need to work through those emotions in prayer. And we must get into the Scriptures and study them in their context and let the Holy Spirit speak truth to our hearts, whether or not our emotions are yet there. For Satan is definitely hot on our trail to convince us to give up and run.

And we must remind ourselves of days gone by when we were following the Lord as we ought, and how the Lord carried us through every difficult circumstance, and how he supplied for our every need. And we should drag out the old hymns of the faith and sing them out loud. And if we journal, we should go back and read where the Lord has encouraged us before in our trials and tribulations. And we must reassure ourselves of our Lord’s provisions for us and how he will not leave us or forsake us.

For Satan will glory in these times in our lives when he can get us to be so downcast that we will desert God’s callings upon our lives, and when we will run from serving the Lord rather than to serving God with our lives. So, if your emotions are beginning to go that direction, stop! Pray! Read the Scriptures! Sing songs, hymns and spiritual songs out loud! Claim the promises of God that he has for his followers. Believe Him! Trust Him! And keep moving forward in the strength and wisdom and power of God!!

[Matt 5:10-12; Matt 10:16-25; Matt 24:9-14; Luke 6:22-23; Luke 12:49-53; Luke 21:12-19; John 15:1-21; John 16:33; John 17:14; Acts 14:22; Rom 5:3-5; Eph 6:10-20; Phil 3:7-11; 1 Pet 1:6-7; 1 Pet 4:12-17; 2 Tim 3:12; 1 Thess 3:1-5; Jas 1:2-4; 2 Co 1:3-11; Heb 12:3-12; 1 Jn 3:13; Rev 6:9-11; Rev 7:9-17; Rev 11:1-3; Rev 12:17; Rev 13:1-18; Rev 14:1-13]

A Believer’s Prayer

An Original Work / July 31, 2012

With my whole heart, Lord, I pray
To be Yours, and Yours always.
Lead me in Your truth today.
May I love You, and obey.
Lead me in Your righteousness.
When I sin, may I confess;
Bow before You when I pray;
Live for You and You always.

Love You, Jesus, You’re my friend.
Life with You will never end.
You are with me through each day,
Giving love and peace always.
You will ne’er abandon me.
From my sin You set me free.
You died on that cruel tree,
So I’d live eternally.

Soon You’re coming back for me;
From this world to set me free;
Live with You eternally.
Oh, what joy that brings to me.
I will walk with You in white;
A pure bride, I’ve been made right
By the blood of Jesus Christ;
Pardoned by His sacrifice.

Login to view embedded media

Something just dawned on me. Lebanon is the last place the diaspora will return from. Zechariah 9-10 talk about the return of exiles to the promised land from places like Egypt and Assyria. Then Zechariah 11 talks about Lebanon and oppressive shepherds. Zechariah wrote to the Jews in exile to encourage them to leave the lands of exile and resettle their own land. Zechariah 11 comes right before Zechariah 12’s passage about Jerusalem becoming a stumbling block to all nations.

Lebanon has a three part government that is, by Consitution, led by a Maronite Christian, a Sunni Muslim, and a Shia Muslim. And then there is Hezbollah, who has recently threatened the Christians and Jews in the country. It seems to me that Lebanon will soon undergo a coup where its three leaders (shepherds of the Jews) are removed in one month and replaced by a worthless shepherd who seeks to destroy the Jews.

Thoughts? Are seeing this fulfilled before our very eyes?

Luciano Anastasia's review of my first article on the Crusades

"The Crusades, often misunderstood in modern times, were primarily defensive wars initiated in response to centuries of Muslim conquests and the persecution of Christians. These conflicts arose from the need to protect Christian lands, pilgrims, and Eastern Christians from ongoing Muslim aggression. The article emphasizes that the Crusaders were driven by religious devotion and a sense of self-preservation rather than mere conquest. It challenges modern perceptions, advocating for a more nuanced understanding of the motivations behind the Crusades."



The second article in my series of seven on the Crusades has been published, both covering the topic of what motivated the Crusaders to go to the East.

Religious Motivators: Faith, Relics, and the Crusader States
Medieval History – Religious Motivators: Faith, Relics, and the Crusader States

The third article in my series on the Crusades has been published.

Sins of the Crusaders – For the Love of Money?​

My latest article on the Crusades addresses the claim that the Crusaders were racist and bigoted towards Islam.

Racism in the Crusades: Fact or Fiction?


Challenging Anti-Jewish Racism Claims in the Crusades by Jeb Smith

Hi. My name is Carmen and I was raised Lutheran but I currently don't go to church. I'm a wife, mom and grandmother. I'm looking for Christian friends and also other Christians who have a mentally ill adult child. Thank you for accepting me to your forums.

As Republicans and Democrats compete in a fractious American election cycle, a small third-party is trying to woo Catholic voters, with a political vision it says is drawn from the principles of Catholic social teaching.


Peter Sonski, right, eats with supporters. Courtesy photo.

Peter Sonski, 61, is a Connecticut grandfather, a former local public school board member, and the presidential nominee for the American Solidarity Party, which says it promotes human life, social justice, environmental conservation, and international peace.

With a growing number of Catholics feeling disenfranchised from major political parties, the American Solidarity Party has in recent elections attracted interest among some Catholic voters. Sonski talked with The Pillar about his vision, his campaign, and his party’s future.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.



Peter Sonski, left, with running mate Lauren Onak. Courtesy photo.

You are the presidential nominee for a third party which has gained some popularity among Catholics in recent years, the American Solidarity Party.​

What is the American Solidarity Party? What does it stand for?​

The American Solidarity Party is the U.S. or American manifestation of a political movement known as Christian Democracy.

Continued below.

The 2023-2024 campaign season is not just the strangest on record, it's also arguably the most anti-democratic. Ostensibly, the Democratic Party has claimed over the last decade that former President Donald Trump posed a continued and existential threat to the republic. That allegation subsequently justified a variety of anti-democratic means to neuter his first two presidential candidacies, his presidency, and now his third and final run for the White House.

Hello folks. We know how well my opening ceremony thread went (it crashed and burned). I actually enjoyed the Olympics, and was cheering for Simone Biles as well as whole host of other athletes (though, I thankfully never watched the Opening or Closing ceremonies). Now, there are three days until the Paralympic games, so I am excited. However, the regular Olympics closing ceremony was disturbing to me. I will not judge you if you guys were okay with it. For myself, it seemed a little dark, and borderline, if not full-blown idolatry of false gods.

First off, some science. Back in the summer of 1977, NASA launched the two Voyager spacecraft, which were used to explore the outer solar system. Onboard each spacecraft was installed a golden record, a time capsule storing hundreds of images and hours of songs on an LP record made out of gold-plated metal (those circular things that look like giant CDs, for those who never grew up with records). These records are a time capsule in case aliens come across the probes in thousands of years, so that ET could learn about the basics of human culture. Also wait, 1977 is already almost 50 years ago? I remember when those probes were only 33-35 years old back in 2010-2012. Man, I am getting older bro.

During the closing ceremony, a figure named the Golden Voyager dressed in fake gold descended from the stadium's ceiling, representing the Voyager probes. "Thomas designed the artistic character to represent the Voyager Golden Record, or the record of humanity sent to space by France in 1977, per the Associated Press, and it kept audiences very entertained during a section of the ceremony that paid homage to the history of France and the Olympics itself." - NBC / E!

Some Christians likened the closing ceremony to be demonic, with a headless fallen angel (or Greek god) named Nike taking center stage. For myself, I think it was a little disturbing and borderline dark (though not as bad as the opening ceremony), and should not be televised to children, cos this stuff is nightmare fuel. According to one X user, she said "The Olympics Closing Ceremony features a headless, and armless Angel with what appears to be an effigy of Lucifer (The Golden Voyager) standing in gold." - Times Now




PBS:

NBC / E!:

GB News (UK):

Times Now News (India):

Golden Record info for nerds such as myself:

I want to learn to better Obey God. Only for me learning from the bible is massively difficult. Some parts of the bible I find interesting other times it's boring (I'm not knocking the bible or trying to be rude or hurt Gods feelings.). It doesn't help I'm not book smart. I learn more from others then from books or just figuring things out for myself. Sadly the bible is not something I can figure out on my own. Some things I understand quickly but there lots of things I can't break down. So let me give you an example.

So take Genesis's. I can read the book of Genesis's and understand the surface layers of things. However when I try and learn what other hidden things are being taught I got nothing. My brain just doesn't work that way. It's why I did terrible in school. If some one explains something to me I can understand it. Trying to unravel the bible hidden stuff is way beyond my abilities. It actually makes me feel stupid. Some times I might pick up on something but most of the time I don't.

People given me advice on how to study the bible and that advice would probably work for most people but not me. For most people studying the bible is like going up a steep hill or a mountain hard but do able. For me its like defying gravity and learning how to fly. I don't know what to do. Right now I just try and learn from others and expand my knowledge that way. I don't know what to do?

In short, it's a real struggle for me to go to church and has been for years. If left up to me, I'd be inconsistent at best or absent, at worst.

God has told me that he wants me to attend church more and build relationships there. He communicated it in a way that said He considered it URGENT for me to address. Since then, Ive been attending. But if I'm being honest, it still feels like a weight around my neck everytime I'm getting ready to go. Once I'm there, I'm content. The battle is in the GOING.

Any advice? Thanks.

(PS. I know church is not the building. That's not the focus.)

Words of Faith and justification of belief for I am Christian ✝️

The Light-
2 Corinthians 6:11-12 KJV 11 "O ye Corinthians, our mouth is open unto you, our heart is enlarged."
12 "Ye are not straitened in us, but ye are straitened in your own bowels.
God is sufficient for me instead of death,punishment,and affliction

First the ruleset for a fellowship tag,...

Use this tag for any thread where you just want to share chit chat or discuss a topic with other like-minded members. There should be No debate at all, it is strictly fellowship in nature. The OP of these threads can report their own thread if it crosses the line into debate and staff will assist in a thread clean up (please see above for a definition of debate).

I've had this topic in one form or another keep coming up to me on here over the past year or more, so I feel The Holy Spirit wanting me to dig into it a bit and provide some food for thought on the nuances found in scripture associated with it. It will take me a bit to collect my thoughts on it and how I wish to approach the subject, but I will over time. It will involve experiences associated with scripture. It won't be some fruitless academic endeavor.

Again this is not a debate thread. You don't like the direction I'm taking on the subject, make your own thread. Don't clutter up mine with your disagreements.

There was no official confirmation from France of the arrest, which French and Russian media have also reported, saying that Durov was arrested shortly after arriving at Le Bourget airport on a private jet from Azerbaijan.

France's BFM and TF1 said that Durov, who has dual French and United Arab Emirates citizenship, was arrested as part of a preliminary police investigation into allowing possible criminality due to a lack of moderators on Telegram and a lack of cooperation with police. Reuters' police source could not confirm that.

Russia began blocking Telegram in 2018 after the app refused to comply with a court order to grant state security services access to its users' encrypted messages.

Telegram's increasing popularity, however, has prompted scrutiny from several countries in Europe, including France, on security and data breach concerns.

Hello folks. Today's devotional is extremely relevant in these turbulent times that the world has been going through over the past decade, and especially over the past few years. We must set aside some time each day to pray, and sometimes, we must pray for those who we do not like, or our enemies.

If you were duped by any of the following things and still trust the media, you trust them too much.

Login to view embedded media
Taurine gets 80% lower as we age. Therapeutic dosage seems to be between 1-3g daily.

I recently was informed by a credit bureau's monitoring service that my Social Security number had been exposed by the National Public Data breach. Please pray for everyone who has had their private data leaked by these breaches that God would protect us from identity theft.

Every wonder why human babies take so long to develop critical life abilities like, running, walking, climbing and jumping?
All other animals mature much faster, as is necessary to survive in the wild. Deer walk almost immediately, Birds fly quickly. But humans? Helpless for YEARS.

Scientists have tried to come up with outlandish tales to explain this obvious problem with evolution, but each answer they give is patently absurd.
Just remind your evolutionary friend of this fact the next time you talk.

I have no words to describe what I think about their challenge.

The National Federation of Republican Assemblies says that “The Constitutional qualifications of Presidential eligibility” states that “No person except a natural born Citizen, shall be eligible, or a Citizen of the United States, at the time of Adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of President.”

The document and the citing of the Dred Scott decision were initially noted by lawyer Andrew Fleischman on X, formerly Twitter.

The group goes on to argue in the document that a natural-born citizen has to be born in the US to parents who are citizens when the child is born, pointing to the thinking of Supreme Court Justices Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas.

Click to expand...

Why is Kamala promising to fix so many problems?

And remember - Joe & Kamala have been in office for close to four years.

Pray that Jesus Christ Immediately Stops the warring confrontation between Israel & Hezbollah:

Or more generally how can I live without fear of evil ?

Pray that India's government enforces policies that will Prevent sexual violence Against females, and Protect Females, but at the same time Stop false accusations against males that are meant to merely smear and/or slander males:

Was the garden of Eden in Africa? Genetic studies seem to point to humanity starting there. What do you think?