• Starting today August 7th, 2024, in order to post in the Married Couples, Courting Couples, or Singles forums, you will not be allowed to post if you have your Marital status designated as private. Announcements will be made in the respective forums as well but please note that if yours is currently listed as Private, you will need to submit a ticket in the Support Area to have yours changed.

What do I tell my friend?

A friend asked me why his mother died of covid. She was a true mother after God's heart. Her face glowed when she talked about the Gospel. When Mike came to me and said my mom believed and told everyone that God would protect her for she quoted Psalm 91 everytime someone asked her if she had the vaccine.He has been suffering for so long over his mother's death and then this morning he told me this. I am at a total loss of what to tell him. Here is Psalm 91.
My Refuge and My Fortress
Psa 91:1 Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
Psa 91:2 This I declare about the LORD: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him.
Psa 91:3 For he will rescue you from every trap and protect you from deadly disease.
Psa 91:4 He will cover you with his feathers. He will shelter you with his wings. His faithful promises are your armor and protection.
Psa 91:5 Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night, nor the arrow that flies in the day.
Psa 91:6 Do not dread the disease that stalks in darkness, nor the disaster that strikes at midday.
Psa 91:7 Though a thousand fall at your side, though ten thousand are dying around you, these evils will not touch you.
Psa 91:8 Just open your eyes, and see how the wicked are punished.
Psa 91:9 If you make the LORD your refuge, if you make the Most High your shelter,
Psa 91:10 no evil will conquer you; no plague will come near your home.
Psa 91:11 For he will order his angels to protect you wherever you go.
Psa 91:12 They will hold you up with their hands so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.
Psa 91:13 You will trample upon lions and cobras; you will crush fierce lions and serpents under your feet!
Psa 91:14 The LORD says, “I will rescue those who love me. I will protect those who trust in my name.
Psa 91:15 When they call on me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue and honor them.
Psa 91:16 I will reward them with a long life and give them my salvation.”

  • Poll
Arizona CA Refuses to Extradite Murder Suspect to NYC

Why is Maricopa CA Rachel Mitchell refusing to cooperate with the Manhattan DA?

  • Spite - Bragg is prosecuting Citizen Trump

    Votes: 1 50.0%
  • MAGA loyalty - NY has and is prosecuting President Trump unfairly

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Concern - the NY criminal laws are not enforced strenuously enough

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Showboating - making a national name for herself as anti-NY

    Votes: 1 50.0%
  • Procedure - the more serious AZ crimes need to be prosecuted first; maybe NY after

    Votes: 1 50.0%
  • Don't know/don't care

    Votes: 0 0.0%

NYT: Arizona Refuses to Send Murder Suspect to New York Over Bragg’s Policies

The Maricopa County attorney in Arizona said she would fight to keep a man who authorities believe bludgeoned a woman to death in a New York City hotel.
This week, the police announced that a 26-year-old man suspected of committing the crime had been arrested in Arizona, where he was accused of stabbing another woman a few days after the homicide in New York. A Manhattan prosecutor flew to Arizona to discuss bringing the man back to face charges...
Rachel Mitchell, the Maricopa County attorney, said at a news conference on Wednesday that her team would not work with Mr. Bragg, whose office is seeking to charge the man, Raad Almansoori, in the killing of 38-year-old Denisse Oleas-Arancibia.
Both prosecutors have national profiles: Ms. Mitchell, a Republican, was tapped in 2018 to play a key role in the Senate confirmation hearings of one of Mr. Trump’s Supreme Court nominees. Mr. Bragg, a Democrat, has been a lightning rod for complaints by Mr. Trump and his supporters that he is being persecuted as he seeks another term in the White House...
“New York’s murder rate is less than half that of Phoenix, Ariz., because of the hard work of the N.Y.P.D. and all of our law enforcement partners,” Ms. Tuttle said. “It is a slap in the face to them and to the victim in our case to refuse to allow us to seek justice and full accountability for a New Yorker’s death.”
Is someone running for office?

'We don't have the money.' Close the border. We don't care for people already here.

It's one thing when your country is affluent and has more than enough money to spread around. It's another thing entirely when your own citizens can't buy groceries because of inflation and your national economy is one disaster away from total catastrophe.

  • Agree
Reactions: sandman

Cooking, baking and boiling on the Sabbath

Hi,

Is cooking, baking and boiling prohibited on the Sabbath? I ask this question because of Exodus 16:23 which says, "then he said to them, "This is what the Lord meant: Tomorrow is a sabbath observance, a holy sabbath to the Lord. Bake what you will bake and boil what you will boil, and all that is left over put aside to be kept until morning."

The Hebrew word for "bake" is "אָפָה" which means to cook or to bake.

Does this verse mean we can't cook, bake and boil on the Sabbath or is it only referring to the context of the Israelites collecting manna at that particular time?

Thanks

An ectopic pregnancy put her life at risk. A Texas hospital refused to treat her.

Kelsie Norris-De La Cruz tried not to cry as the doctor in the emergency room delivered one of the most frightening diagnoses a pregnant woman can receive.

The 25-year-old college senior was told she likely had an ectopic pregnancy, a highly dangerous condition where the embryo implants outside of the uterus. Without immediate treatment, the fallopian tube can rupture — and the patient can die.

The law that has prohibited abortions in Texas since Roe v. Wade was overturned now explicitly allows doctors to treat ectopic pregnancies. But when doctors at Texas Health Arlington Memorial Hospital evaluated Norris-De La Cruz last week, they refused to terminate the pregnancy, saying there was some chance the pregnancy was still viable, Norris-De La Cruz recalled. Instead, they advised her and her mother to go home and wait, according to medical records reviewed by The Washington Post.

“Does this have anything to do with the abortion law?” [her mom] remembered asking the doctor.
When he didn’t answer, Lloyd recalled, she had to restrain Norris-De La Cruz as her daughter tried to launch herself at him.
“Whenever I [doggone] rupture,” Norris-De La Cruz said, “I’m giving my lawyers your [doggone] name.”

[After the refusal, she went back to the ER doc who wouldn't discharge her. “I do not feel comfortable discharging her home and do not think that is in her best interest,” the emergency room doctor wrote in her records. The next morning a second OB/GYN said no and discharged her.]

Four OB/GYNs who reviewed Norris-De La Cruz’s medical records for The Post, with Norris-De La Cruz’s permission, said she should have been offered emergency surgery.

Norris-De La Cruz ultimately received emergency surgery about 24 hours later at a different hospital in the area, at which point her ectopic pregnancy had already started to rupture. The OB/GYN who performed the procedure said that, if Norris-De La Cruz had waited much longer, she would have been “in extreme danger of losing her life.”

In the nearly two years since Roe fell, dozens of women have come forward with stories of medical care denied because of abortion bans, with the changes in treatment bringing some close to death or affecting patients’ future fertility.

“Treatment decisions are individualized based on a patient’s clinical condition and we believe the care provided to the patient in this case was appropriate,” [spox for hospital #1] wrote in a statement.

Is everyone angry? Toxic Outrage Culture is consuming society.

I came across this article this morning and feel it's a worthy topic for discussion. In some ways it does seem like everyone is angry nowadays. In reading the story it talks about the prevalence of social media worldwide. And how people like to be included in society.

Social media heightens emotions and strengthens convictions, which may compel us to join in the negative discourse. We don't see the damage we do as anonymous online voices. We can't see the hurt we might inflict on others. They have dubbed our "joining the crowd" of criticism "emotional contagion".

We are all seemingly affected by this emotional contagion online. It appears that the more we are exposed to one-sided negative discourse the less inclined we are to resist listening to alternative viewpoints. This "groupthink" phenomenon has likely been seen by most people online, especially those consumers using social media.

It even appears that algorithms used by social media might be skewed to shape the nature of discourse to further fuel the flames of negativity. Which makes sense because these companies are trying to profit from their platforms. And by appealing to the basest of human emotions sadly increases their profits.

But we humans have the capability to eschew the hate and outrage that is perpetuated on social media. We have the capacity but often we don't have the strength of will to avoid immersing ourselves in this culture of outrage. I have no agenda with this thread but a singular interest in bringing awareness and discussion about the pros and cons of social media on our society.

Feeling hopeless

I need help desperately. I grew up in a Bible believing household, went to a Baptist Church, and made many professions over the years. Without dragging it out with too much detail I got into willful sin (fornication, drunkenness, profanity) from about 14-23 (I’m 29). When I got my first tattoo at 18 that night it felt like something was ripped out of me and I was in a state of dread. Eventually this went away and I went back to my sins. I was convicted many times about it but thought “I’ll repent later”. Also the guilt and shame of my sins began to pile on and make it seem harder and harder to even consider turning to God. Long story short I’m living it up with God being the last thing on my mind when my mother who is a godly woman told me “there’s pleasure in sin for a season” and that small comment sent me into a tailspin. I went forward at the next service I attended and knew I had to get things right, truly right. I did the only thing I knew to do and asked Christ to save me, but still something felt off. I had no peace whatsoever and thought maybe I had tempted God too long and felt completely condemned. This went on for months and eventually (I really can’t explain it) I started to feel some peace about it. My life had definitely changed. I was no longer sinning in a deliberate manner. Fast forward 6 years and I can across something (an article, website, sermon, something) and all this came flooding back but I would say worse. Was I deceived these 5-6 years? I would occasionally have just a general anxiety that I couldn’t pinpoint. Maybe I was being given a short rest only to resume it later. It’s constant mental torment of differing degrees. I literally feel like I don’t sleep anymore. Like something is keeping me up. I don’t know how I’m functioning honestly. It’s like I’m kept on the razor thin edge of sanity. Just constant dread. It just ebbs and wanes. I talked to a preacher and he said “so there’s a lot of anxiety”. I almost had to stop my self from laughing if I could have even laughed. I told him anxiety/depression would be a RELIEF compared to this. At times I quite literally can’t even think. I’ve been praying and reading Scripture it just feels like I’m talking to myself. I WANT to be Christ-like and have fruits of the spirit and witness to people. I’m just holding out for some hope that God will deliver me. I don’t think a person could endure this for very long. I’m married and my spouse just can’t understand what I’ve got going on and that makes it worse. It feels like dying every day the torment is relentless. I know I was a fool for sinning against God in this way. I don’t know what I’m asking for here, I’m just about at the end of myself.

What if They Don't Receive You?

“Whenever you enter a town and they receive you, eat what is set before you. Heal the sick in it and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ But whenever you enter a town and they do not receive you, go into its streets and say, ‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near.’ I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town.
“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. But it will be more bearable in the judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you. And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? You shall be brought down to Hades.” (Luke 10:8-15 ESV)

Not everyone is going to like us and to receive us and our message with joy. So many have bought into a false grace gospel which does not require repentance and obedience to Christ as necessary components of genuine faith in Jesus Christ. They are being taught that all they have to do is pray a prayer and they have their ticket into heaven and no one can take it away. But if sin is still what they practice, and not righteousness, and not obedience to the Lord, then they will not inherit eternal life with God.

But so many people are not being taught the crucified life or that we have to die with Christ to sin and to self, that we must be born anew of the Spirit of God, and that we must walk in the Spirit and not according the flesh once we have been saved from our sins. So, if you try to teach what Christ and the apostles taught, you may be rejected even by those who profess to have faith in Jesus Christ, and even by church leaders who have watered down the gospel to make it more appealing to the people of this world.

Thus, if you share the gospel of salvation, and those who hear it reject it, then move on. We can’t force anyone to believe in Jesus Christ. All we can do is to share with them the truth, but it is up to them whether to accept it or whether to reject it. The Holy Spirit is the one who convicts hearts and turns people to faith in Jesus Christ. His word will never return empty. It will fulfill its purposes.

All we can do is to share with people the truth of God’s Word and trust that the living Word of God and the witness of the Holy Spirit will convict their hearts of sin and that they will humble themselves before God in turning from their sin and in turning to faith in Jesus Christ and to living for him by faith in the power of the Spirit of God within them. If they do repent of their sins and trust in Christ as Savior, then we must commit ourselves to discipling them to maturity, where possible, i.e. to also teaching believers in Christ what it means to be a follower of Jesus Christ and to help them to grow in their walks of faith.

Hears or Rejects?

“The one who hears you hears me, and the one who rejects you rejects me, and the one who rejects me rejects him who sent me.” (Luke 10:16 ESV)

When we are rejected for teaching the truths of scripture and for sharing the full gospel message of salvation, as was taught by Jesus Christ and by the NT apostles, we must know that it is not just us they are rejecting, but they are rejecting Jesus Christ and God the Father, too. Yet, if they hear what we have to say and they accept the gospel message, then it is because they hear the Savior speaking to their hearts via the living word of God and via the conviction of the Holy Spirit, and thus they respond to the Spirit’s voice.

If we have not already done so, we must all make a choice to either accept Jesus Christ and his gospel message or to reject them. One day Jesus Christ is coming back to judge the earth and to take his followers to be with him forever. But accepting his gospel is not a formality or an emotional decision or a formula we must follow. It means to be crucified with Christ in death to sin and raised with Christ to walk in newness of life in him, no longer to live as slaves to sin but now as slaves to righteousness (Romans 6:1-23).

When the day of judgment comes, if not before, many people will die in their sins, having never believed in Jesus Christ and having not made that decision to repent of their sins and to walk in obedience to their Lord who died for them so they would no longer live for themselves but for him who gave himself up for them. They will spend eternity in torment, punishment and eternal separation from God. Yet, if they hear the Word and receive it, repent of their sins and turn to walk in fellowship with their Lord, as his followers, then they have the hope of eternal life in heaven with God.

Time is running out. None of us knows what tomorrow holds for us. Don’t put off until tomorrow to make that decision, because you don’t know when you will breathe your last breath. Make the choice right now to bow before God, to turn from your sins, to allow the Spirit of God to transform you in heart and mind, and then to follow Jesus Christ wherever he leads you, from now to eternity. Your life depends on it! And, you will never regret it!

[Matt 7:21-23; Lu 9:23-26; Jn 6:35-58; Jn 15:1-11; Rom 1:18-32; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; Gal 5:16-21; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-24; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:1-11; Titus 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1:5-10; 1 Jn 2:3-6; 1 Jn 3:4-10; Heb 10:23-31; 1 Co 10:1-22; Heb 3:1-19; Heb 4:1-13; Rev 21:8,27; Rev 22:14-15]

Jesus, I My Cross Have Taken

Hymn lyrics by Henry F. Lyte, 1833
Music attr. to Mozart, 1831/ Arr. Hubert P. Main, 1872


Jesus, I my cross have taken, all to leave and follow Thee;
Destitute, despised, forsaken, Thou from hence my all shall be.
Perish every fond ambition, all I’ve sought or hoped or known;
Yet how rich is my condition! God and heav’n are still mine own.

Let the world despise and leave me, they have left my Savior, too;
Human hearts and looks deceive me; Thou art not, like them, untrue.
And while Thou shalt smile upon me, God of wisdom, love and might,
Foes may hate and friends disown me, show Thy face and all is bright.

Go, then, earthly fame and treasure! Come, disaster, scorn and pain!
In Thy service pain is pleasure; with Thy favor, loss is gain.
I have called Thee, “Abba, Father”; I have set my heart on Thee:
Storms may howl, and clouds may gather, all must work for good to me.

Man may trouble and distress me, ’twill but drive me to Thy breast;
Life with trials hard may press me; heav’n will bring me sweeter rest.
Oh, ’tis not in grief to harm me, while Thy love is left to me;
Oh, ’twere not in joy to charm me, were that joy unmixed with Thee.

Haste then on from grace to glory, armed by faith, and winged by prayer,
Heav’n’s eternal day’s before thee, God’s own hand shall guide thee there.
Soon shall close thy earthly mission, swift shall pass thy pilgrim days;
Hope soon change to glad fruition, faith to sight, and prayer to praise.

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A COUPLE OF REASONS THAT PAUL WROTE HEBREWS !!

I believe hat Peter said about Paul in 2 Peter 3:15-16 that Paul had written a letter to his people and if it as not Hebrews , then here is it .

and if it as lost , then the canon is not complete .

#2 Paul n did have a ministry to Israel in Acts 9:15

#3 Paul is the n only one in the New Testament who who wrote about the n passing away of the Law of Moses 2 Cor 3:11 !!

#4 As to why it why it as UNSIGNED ,because they are felt he was a TRAITOR .because Paul was a known Pharisee.

dan p

How to be saved and go to Heaven

Believe on Jesus Christ(who is God and Lord). Believe(accept it is true) that Jesus Christ alone will save you(save means eternal life in Heaven). Have faith and trust(rely on/depend) in Jesus alone to save you. You can also be saved if you believe and trust that Jesus(Lord and God) died for our sins, was buried and rose again the third day according to the scriptures for the justification(to make right/forgive)of all your sins and your salvation(you being saved).

Notes
-Hebrews 11:1 says (now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see).
-You repent when you believe on Jesus Christ.
-OSAS, you are given something eternal.
-Not of works as your efforts are not enough.

Bible verses supporting my statement:

-Regarding believe on Jesus, John 3:16 says (For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life).

-You should have faith in Lord Jesus to save you because you are saved through faith.
Ephesians 2:8-9 says (8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast).

-You should trust Lord Jesus to save you because trust is used interchangeably with believe in the bible.
In Ephesians 1:12-13 (12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. 13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise).

-You should believe Jesus died for our sins, was buried and rose again the third day because the gospel that saves says to believe this. 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 (Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; 2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. 3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures).

The Folly of Fools is Deceiving

Proverbs 14 Select Verses ESV

3 By the mouth of a fool comes a rod for his back,
but the lips of the wise will preserve them.
7 Leave the presence of a fool,
for there you do not meet words of knowledge.
8 The wisdom of the prudent is to discern his way,
but the folly of fools is deceiving.
13 Even in laughter the heart may ache,
and the end of joy may be grief.
17 A man of quick temper acts foolishly,
and a man of evil devices is hated.
22 Do they not go astray who devise evil?
Those who devise good meet steadfast love and faithfulness.
23 In all toil there is profit,
but mere talk tends only to poverty.
25 A truthful witness saves lives,
but one who breathes out lies is deceitful.
33 Wisdom rests in the heart of a man of understanding,
but it makes itself known even in the midst of fools.

Who are the foolish? They are those who act foolishly, who are dull in understanding, who are nonsensical, lacking a grip on reality (acting as though brainless) (source: bible hub). They are the unwise, the senseless, the ill-advised, thoughtless, irresponsible, self-indulgent, and reckless. But this doesn’t mean that they are lacking in smarts (knowledge), for many of them are very intelligent people who just behave unwisely. Many of them are well versed in the Scriptures, too, but who live the opposite.

For those who act foolishly are not necessarily lacking in knowledge. They know right from wrong, but they choose to do wrong instead of right. And, again, many of them know the Scriptures, for they were taught the Scriptures, and some of them were or still are teachers of the Scriptures, too. So, it is not what we know which makes us wise and discerning. It has to do with what we do with what we know, whether or not we put what we know to be the truth in practice, or if we are just talk but no action.

For the wisdom of the prudent is to discern his way, but those who act foolishly do not bother with discernment. But again, it is not that they are not capable of discernment but that they choose against it in order to do what their sinful flesh desires, regardless of the consequences. For they are the self-deceived, i.e. they are those who tell themselves lies in order for them to be able to do what they know is wrong but without conscience. But they may also be people who can readily recite the truth, when they desire.

So we need to be discerning people who test what we are hearing from others, in prayer, and against the teachings of the Scriptures. For there are many foolish people out there in positions of power and rule and authority and leadership, including many pastors of “church” congregations. And although their words may sound good, and feel good, it doesn’t mean that they are good, for liars and deceivers abound in our day and time, just like the Scriptures warned us that they would.

And then we need to leave the presence of those who are teaching lies which tickle itching ears and which distort the truth of the gospel to make it more palatable to the ungodly and to human flesh. We should not sit under the ministry of those who are knowingly and deliberately teaching what they know are lies, (because the Bible makes it clear that they are lies), who teach a very cheapened form of the grace of God and the gospel of our salvation which does not require death to sin and obedience to our Lord.

It should grieve us terribly that so many people professing faith in Jesus Christ, including many pastors, are living just like the ungodly or much like the ungodly, and they are excusing away deliberate and habitual sin while still claiming salvation from sin and eternal life with God. And it should grieve us terribly that this is the situation with many people who are our teachers and pastors who are then leading their people to a false faith which gives them permission to keep on in deliberate and habitual sin.

Now in verse 17 here it says that a man of evil devices is hated. That may have been true back then, but I would say that the opposite is true in this generation. Everything, it seems, is being flip-flopped. Good is being spoken of as evil, and evil is being spoken of as good. The one who follows the Lord in obedience and in submission to his will is regarded as a legalist or as judgmental while the habitual and deliberate sinner is raised up and praised and given honor and value and acceptance (not true in all cases).

But Jesus told us that if we follow him with our lives that we will be hated and persecuted like he was. So if you are someone who takes God and his word seriously, and you are walking in obedience to his commands, although not necessarily in absolute perfection, and if you are sharing the gospel truth as Jesus taught it and as his NT apostles taught it, and if you are refuting the lies of the enemy, then you should expect to be hated, rejected, cast aside, unwanted, avoided, ignored and/or fought against and attacked.

But we should not let that discourage us, for it is the truth that saves people’s lives, not the lies that make them feel good for a season, until reality finally hits. And so we must put other people’s lives above our own comfort and acceptance. And we must put God above all things and all people in our lives and follow him and his truth, regardless of how we get treated in return. For even if they hate us in this life, God’s word will not return empty, and we never know who might later on turn their hearts and their lives over to Jesus Christ because we dared to tell them the truth.

So, just know the truth of the gospel is that we must, because of what Jesus did for us on that cross, by his grace, and in his power, deny self, die daily to sin and to self, and follow our Lord in obedience to his commands under the New Covenant. For if we hold on to our old lives of living in sin and for self, we will lose them for eternity. But if for Jesus’ sake we deny self, die daily to sin, and follow our Lord in obedience, then we have the hope of salvation from sin and eternal life with God, provided we continue in that faith.

[Matthew 7:21-23; Luke 9:23-26; John 1:12-13; John 6:44; Romans 2:6-8; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; Romans 12:1-2; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10,19-20; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; 2 Corinthians 5:10,15,21; Galatians 5:16-21; Galatians 6:7-8; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Colossians 1:21-23; Colossians 3:1-11; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 10:23-31; Hebrews 12:1-2; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 Jn 1:5-10; 1 Jn 2:3-6; 1 Jn 3:4-10]

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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When do we receive the Paraclete?

The Paraclete indwelling operation was released for the first time only after Jesus had died on the cross, John 16:
7 But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate [Paraclete] will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.
When does a believer receive the Paraclete?
1 John 4:
13 By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit.
I.e., the Paraclete
14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. 16 So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.
John 14:
23 If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.
I understand the "we" above refers to the Paraclete. However, there is not exactly one consistent precise moment for all believers when the Paraclete will dwell in them. On the day of the Pentecost, Acts2:
38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
i.e., the Paraclete
39 This promise belongs to you and your children and to all who are far off—to all whom the Lord our God will call to Himself.”
Elsewhere in Galatians 3:
1O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified. 2 Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith?
I interpret the Spirit here as the Paraclete. Here, Paul didn't mention baptism.
Ephesians 1:
13 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14who is the guaranteed of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.
What happens afterward?
Sanctification, Galatians 3:
3 Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? 4 Did you suffer so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain? 5 Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith
The indwelling Paraclete is connected to our human spirit. This is our vital connection as we grow in the Spirit. Our spirit cannot grow without this connection.
From my personal experience, I list the following sequence of events:
  1. I heard the gospel for many years here and there but never believed it.
  2. One day, I heard it again and finally believed that Jesus is the Son of God. Presumably, the Paraclete took up residence in me at this time, but I was unaware of it.
  3. Some days later, a Christian friend led me into the prayer.
  4. A few months later, I could perceive the Paraclete speaking into my conscience now and then.
  5. A couple of years later, I was baptized.
  6. I started to read the Bible and pray daily.
  7. A couple of years later, I could perceive the Paraclete in me and sense peace every time at any time.
This is the role of the Paraclete in initial salvation plus daily sanctification.
When do we receive the Paraclete?
It is up to God. On our part, believe, repent, get baptized, and love and obey God.
Once the Paraclete has taken up residence in your spirit, you can sense him in your conscience/spirit. Every time you do, you will have peace. I have never once doubted God or my salvation since, not even for a brief moment, not even when I experienced the most terrible things in my life.
See also How to get closer to God and grow in faith.

If Jesus has bought you with his blood, will you inherit eternal life?

1 Cor 6:

19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, 20 for you were bought [G59] with a price. So glorify God in your body.
Glorify God in your body.

1 Cor 7:

23 You were bought [G59] at a price; do not become slaves of men.
Do not become slaves of men.

Berean Standard Bible, Revelation 5:

9 And they sang a new song: “Worthy are You to take the scroll and open its seals, because You were slain, and by Your blood You purchased [G59] for God those from every tribe and tongue and people and nation.
Will you inherit eternal life if Jesus has bought you with his blood?

Maybe not, 2 Peter 2:

1 But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. 2And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. 3 And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.
You are bought with a price, glorify God, don't be slaves of men, and don't be false teachers.
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Fox has it become the Trump channel

So while i am not a Trump hater nor supporter as a Conservative Republican I have notice Fox News as it’s seem to become bias toward Trump, just like msm is on the Democrats. I once liked Fox but this all Trump station is making me sick. I like must of Trump stand but the way he belittles others, hoping for Nikki Haley. Has anyone seen Fox give anybody beside Trump some good coverage?

  • Poll
Forbidden fruit

Which fruit is it?

  • Apple

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Orange

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Pear

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Fig

    Votes: 3 27.3%
  • Lemon

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Banana

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Other

    Votes: 8 72.7%
  • Peach

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Dates

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Horned melon

    Votes: 0 0.0%

What fruit do you believe is forbidden?
I'm not sure it could ever be a citrus since they have to be pealed.or any fruit that has to be pealed?

How tall were Adam and Eve?

So what do we have in scripture? Well we know about this text which many use..
Genesis 6:4
There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown.

and others..

Numbers 13:33
And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.

Deuteronomy 1:28
Whither shall we go up? our brethren have discouraged our heart, saying, The people is greater and taller than we; the cities are great and walled up to heaven; and moreover we have seen the sons of the Anakims there.

Deuteronomy 2:11
Which also were accounted giants, as the Anakims; but the Moabites called them Emims.

Deuteronomy 9:2
A people great and tall, the children of the Anakims, whom thou knowest, and of whom thou hast heard say, Who can stand before the children of Anak!

Joshua 13:12
All the kingdom of Og in Bashan, which reigned in Ashtaroth and in Edrei, who remained of the remnant of the giants: for these did Moses smite, and cast them out.

Joshua 17:15
And Joshua answered them, If thou be a great people, then get thee up to the wood country, and cut down for thyself there in the land of the Perizzites and of the giants, if mount Ephraim be too narrow for thee.

Deuteronomy 3:11
11 For only Og king of Bashan remained of the remnant of giants; behold his bedstead was a bedstead of iron; is it not in Rabbath of the children of Ammon? nine cubits was the length thereof, and four cubits the breadth of it, after the cubit of a man.

1 Samuel 17:4
And there went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span.

And we get more from How tall was Adam? | GotQuestions.org
'The presence of very large animals and insects in the fossil record lends support to the theory that Adam was very tall. In 1940, the fossilized wing of Meganeuropsis americana was unearthed in Oklahoma. This dragonfly-like insect had a wingspan of almost two and a half feet (Harvard Magazine, Nov-Dec 2007, “DRAGONfly,” www.harvardmagazine.com, accessed 5/20/20). In 2020, fossils of giant turtles were found in northern South America: the shell of Stupendemys geographicus measures nearly nine and a half feet long, about 100 times the size of its nearest living relative (The Washington Post, Feb 13, 2020, “Turtles the Size of a Car Once Roamed the Earth. Scientists Just Found Their Fossils,” Reis Thebault, www.washingtonpost.com/science, accessed 5/20/20). Those who conjecture that Adam was taller than modern man reason that, if the animals were extra big in “prehistoric” times, why not humans?

Another bit of “evidence” suggesting that Adam was of great height is the mention of “giants” in the Bible: the Amorites of Canaan, the Rephaim, and Goliath the Philistine, for example. When encountering the people of Canaan, the majority of the Israelite spies claimed that “the land we explored devours those living in it. All the people we saw there are of great size” (Numbers 13:32). Amos states how the Amorites were tall in stature, hyperbolically comparing them to tall cedar trees (Amos 2:9). A Rephaite, King Og of Bashan, who opposed the Israelites in Moses’ time, is also described as a giant in the Bible, having a bed that was “more than nine cubits long and four cubits wide” (Deuteronomy 3:11). If the bed matched his stature, then Og could have been around 13 feet tall. Furthermore, Goliath is described as being six cubits and a span, which is over nine feet in height (1 Samuel 17:4).'....

Then we have this from SOP..

"As Adam came forth from the hand of his Creator....He was more than twice as tall as men now living upon the earth....Eve was not quite as tall as Adam. Her head reached a little above his shoulders." (Spiritual Gifts, Vol. III p. 34).

Man was the crowning act of the creation of God, made in the image of God, and designed to be a counterpart of God.... Man is very dear to God, because he was formed in His own image.3The Review and Herald, June 18, 1895.

As Adam came forth from the hand of his Creator he was of noble height and of beautiful symmetry. He was more than twice as tall as men now living upon the earth, and was well proportioned. His features were perfect and beautiful. His complexion was neither white nor sallow, but ruddy, glowing with the rich tint of health. Eve was not quite as tall as Adam. Her head reached a little above his shoulders. She too was noble, perfect in symmetry, and very beautiful.(The Story of Redemption, 21.)

Man came from the hand of God perfect in every faculty of mind and body; in perfect soundness, therefore in perfect health.(Good Health, March 1883)

God endowed man with so great vital force that he has withstood the accumulation of disease brought upon the race in consequence of perverted habits, and has continued for six thousand years....
If Adam, at his creation, had not been endowed with twenty times as much vital force as men now have, the race, with their present habits of living in violation of natural law, would have become extinct.(Testimonies for the Church 3:138, 139.)

Created to be “the image and glory of God,” Adam and Eve had received endowments not unworthy of their high destiny. Graceful and symmetrical in form, regular and beautiful in feature, their countenances glowing with the tint of health and the light of joy and hope, they bore in outward resemblance the likeness of their Maker.(Education, 20.)

"Adam’s height was much greater than that of men who now inhabit the earth. Eve was somewhat less in stature;" (Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 45).

So SOP has that Adam was more than twice as tall as men today. Now take a look at this video..
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Giant crowns found in India and Ecuador that are fit for a human close to that in height. See right around the 11 minute mark.

James Comer duped by Alexander Smirnov


With Smirnov being an obvious Russian operative (although to to be fair to him he also betrayed Russia in the past) can the GOP be trusted to have America's safety a higher priority than their own personal political interests?

Two Alabama clinics pause IVF services after court rules that embryos are children

Three Alabama clinics pause IVF services after court rules that embryos are children

It's gonna be difficult but totally possible to not make this thread about abortion...but, let's try.

Really simple: What parts of this are a good thing and what parts of it are bad?

My thoughts: ALL bad.
The court rules embryo's are children? So child support? Child benefits?

The impact on families pursuing IVF: Mortifying that they have to be put through this.

And the organizations themselves? Well, they, I think I are taking very reasonable, intelligent steps to ensure they don't break the law. Of course the law is absurd, but they don't want to break it.

Some of these rulings just seem so utterly arbitrary and ill thought out. It seems absurd that people intelligent enough to sit on a Supreme Court could possibly be convinced that this is sensible legislation.

Don`t you think there`s lack of leadership in your country?

I mean, everybody walks around society thinking they're brains, and then they attack you mentally because they've never seen a normal person. And romance is gone, is just straight to sex. Constant nagging about finding a girlfriend too, they weren't even interested before, there's just been a change in the "brain" that makes you suddenly available. And then you are for the future then, technology and such, and become violent if someone is different and does not care to be in society. There is a total lack of leadership in the country, as confused as they seem, you learned to ignore people around you from early on, so there is no communication, no actions to improve others, so the rest of us have to take the brunt all the time when we talk to others. Aren't you tired of all this nonsense? There is constant word of mouth as well, something new every day that you have to ignore, you live in society then, not in nature anymore. I would be bored as hell if I was part of society :)

Why did the devil omit "to guard you in all your ways"?

Psalm 91:

9 Because you have made the LORD your dwelling place— the Most High, who is my refuge— 10 no evil shall be allowed to befall you, no plague come near your tent.
The psalmist used hyperbole.

11 For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways.
12 On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.
13 You will tread on the lion and the adder; the young lion and the serpent you will trample underfoot.
These were not absolute guarantees. The psalmist encouraged people to trust God using poetic exaggerations.

Satan tempted Jesus in Mat 4:

5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple 6and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written,
“‘He will command his angels concerning you,’
and
“‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.’”
The devil deliberately omitted the infinitive phrase. Why?

The omission was a distraction. With or without the phrase, the passage was about trusting God. Jesus was not distracted. He did not argue with the devil about the omission. As usual, Satan tried to provoke people to sin: Test this: If you throw yourself down and the angels do not catch you, then you are not the Son of God.

7 Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’”
Jesus was not distracted and was focused.

Why did the devil omit "to guard you in all your ways"?

He tried to distract Jesus' thinking with the omission. It didn't work. Jesus knew the difference between trusting God and testing Him.

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee signs law that allows people to refuse to ‘solemnize’ marriage licenses

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee signs law that allows people to refuse to ‘solemnize’ marriage licenses

Last week, Tennessee state lawmakers passed HB 878, which states “a person shall not be required to solemnize a marriage.”

[When this comes to government employees, there's a definite problem.]

“Tennessee House Bill 878 would be patently unconstitutional,” Taylor said in a statement to CNN. “Public officials don’t get to assume public office and then pick and choose which members of the public to serve.”

“My answer remains the same regardless of whether this bill was intended to target marriages of same-sex couples, interfaith couples, or interracial couples — it’s unconstitutional because the Constitution prohibits public officials from discriminating against members of the public based on their personal beliefs,” Taylor said.

Dating the Exodus

I have dated the Exodus to 1479 BC. This is 430 years after the birth of Isaac and 530 years before the Dedication of Solomon's Temple.
In 1479 BC a Pharaoh died named Thutmose II. He didn't leave a male offspring until year later to take the throne. His mummy was analyzed and bares scabrous wounds that are consistent with a boil plague. There were additionally other mummies during that time that were found with the same scabrous wounds.
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