• 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.

  • CF has always been a site that welcomes people from different backgrounds and beliefs to participate in discussion and even debate. That is the nature of its ministry. In view of recent events emotions are running very high. We need to remind people of some basic principles in debating on this site. We need to be civil when we express differences in opinion. No personal attacks. Avoid you, your statements. Don't characterize an entire political party with comparisons to Fascism or Communism or other extreme movements that committed atrocities. CF is not the place for broad brush or blanket statements about groups and political parties. Put the broad brushes and blankets away when you come to CF, better yet, put them in the incinerator. Debate had no place for them. We need to remember that people that commit acts of violence represent themselves or a small extreme faction.
  • We hope the site problems here are now solved, however, if you still have any issues, please start a ticket in Contact Us

  • The rule regarding AI content has been updated. The rule now rules as follows:

    Be sure to credit AI when copying and pasting AI sources. Link to the site of the AI search, just like linking to an article.

Let's evaluate the 'Charlie Kirk effect'

During the memorial service for Charlie Kirk, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said, “Charlie started a political movement but unleashed a spiritual revival.” Many people have, in fact, used the word revival to describe what has happened, especially among young people, since the September 10th assassination of the Turning Point USA founder.

According to a FOX News article published a few weeks after his death, pastors and religious leaders across the U.S., including Arizona where Kirk was based, reported a 15% to 30% increase in church attendance, and many of the new attendees referred to Kirk’s death as a wake-up call about mortality and faith.

JP De Gance, the founder and president of Communio, a ministry that helps churches strengthen marriages, told The Christian Post,

Continued below.
  • Like
Reactions: BobRyan

Trump Reveals American Forces Took Out ‘Big Facility’ in Venezuelan Pressure Campaign

We cannot give in to terrorism.

Do you get offended whenever a non-believer calls Christianity a cult?

I have heard some people say this and sometimes it has offended me because I was always taught growing up that Christianity was the truth of Jesus Christ, not just another cult existing on earth. That it was the truth itself. As Jesus said: I am the way, the truth, and the life.

*Sigh* People are brought up in so many different ways it seems. If my way of life offends you in some way, don't come and tell me. Keep it to yourself. I know nonbelievers would accuse me of being "indoctrinated" by Bible Scripture, but I say to them: What's so wrong about that? You make it sound like having divine knowledge is a bad thing.

I guess I am so tired of hearing this.

If the C of E pays for weddings....

That will allegedly restore the position of marriage in British society....

"Amid declining marriage rates, the Centre for Social Justice, a London-based conservative think tank, has urged the Church of England to remove wedding fees for low-income couples to help make the United Kingdom a “pro-family, pro-marriage nation.”

"The CSJ’s report draws on findings from Dr. Kathleen Kiernan’s “Families and Inequalities” and Harry Benson’s “We Need to Talk about Marriage.” In 1958, fewer than 10% of children did not live with both biological parents by the time they took their General Certificates of Secondary Education. That figure rose to 21% by 1970 and reached 45% by the early 2000s, reports Church Times."


Churches should pay for weddings to promote marriage, think tank says

I am puzzled that anybody thinks that the fees for church marriage are anything to do with this situation. As if consistently making divorce easier for a hundred years or so has not made any difference, as if legalising weddings in pretty non-religious locations made no difference. Could they have simply suggested that the church could take charge of publicising the advantages of marriage, and go back to actively nurturing marriage?

How Has Divorce Law Changed Over The Years? – Legal Developments

Why did this think tank not suggest that the state and the private secular businesses that provide wedding venues pay for people's weddings?

I have no idea why GOD paired he and I together really...

I won't say his name, but its more of like a long-distance relationship kind of thing. He and I don't even live in the same states.

But there seems to be something between us that I don't really understand that I can only describe as being God's power pulling us together. We seem to have more than just a romantic type connection, but a spiritual one as well that we seem to be feeling in our souls towards each other.

I have never been this close to a guy before. EVER. But our hearts seem to resonate somehow...on an intimate level...

I know its GOD doing this. I just don't know why. The spiritual power between us is incredible really. I think it may even be supernatural.
  • Optimistic
Reactions: Richard T

So many things going on

So many things are going on. Please pray for the returned health for my husband Robb today. The health and happiness of my son Jakeb and his girlfriend Lyric and that His protection from strong storms and wind that is coming our way for all of us. Please pray that if it is God's will storms and winds will miss us and that God please keeps our power on for us and my family. Please pray that God allows me to be healthy during all of this and they fill my meds on time. . Strong prayers please. Thank you. I ask in the name of Jesus and God bless you.

The devil in 1 Enoch Asael Azazel Gadreel

This one fallen angel in 1 Enoch seems to be all the same figure, and seems to be the actual devil the one in Revelation 12:9. It sounds like it should all be the same name.

Vanderkam 1 Enoch

chapter 54:1
And I looked and turned to another part of the earth, and
I saw there a deep valley with burning fire. {2/ And they
brought the kings and the mighty and threw them into that
deep valley.}a 3/ And there my eyes saw them making their
instruments, iron chains of immeasurable weight.
4
And I asked the angel of peace who went with me, “For whom
are these chains being prepared?”
5
And he said to me, “These are being prepared for the host of
Azazel, that they might take them and throw them into the
abyss of complete judgment, and with jagged rocks they will
cover their jaws, as the Lord of Spirits commanded.
6
And Michael and Raphael and Gabriel and Phanuel will take
hold of them on that great day, and throw them on that day
into the burning furnace, that the Lord of Spirits may take
vengeance on them, for their unrighteousness in becoming
servants of Satan, and leading astray those who dwell on the
earth.”

55

3 When I have desired to take hold of them by the hand of the
angels, on the day of tribulation and distress in the face of
my punishment and wrath, I will make my punishment and
wrath dwell upon them,” says the Lord of Spirits.
4
“Mighty kings who dwell on the earth, you will have to wit-
ness my Chosen One, how he will sit on the throne of glory
and judge Azazel and all his associates and all his host in the
name of the Lord of Spirits.”
56:1
And I saw there hosts of angels of punishment going, and they
were holding <chains> of iron and bronze.
2
And I asked the angel of peace who went with me, “To whom
are these who are holding (the chains) going?”
3
And he said to me, “To their chosen and beloved ones, that
they may be thrown into the chasm of the abyss of the valley.
4
Then that valley will be filled with their chosen and beloved
ones,
and the days of their life will be at an end,
and the days of their leading astray will henceforth not be
reckoned.”



chapter 69
the twenty-first is †Azazel†

chapter 6
7 ninth to him; Asael,

chapter 8
1 Asael taught men to make swords of iron and weapons and
shields and breastplates and every instrument of war.
He showed them metals of the earth and how they should
work gold to fashion it suitably, and concerning silver, to
fashion it for bracelets and ornaments for women. And he
showed them concerning antimony and eye paint and all
manner of precious stones and dyes.


6 You see what Asael has done,
who has taught all iniquity on the earth,
and has revealed the eternal mysteries that are in heaven,
<which the sons of men were striving to learn.>c


chapter 10

4
To Raphael he said,
“Go, Raphael, and bind Asael hand and foot, and cast him
into the darkness;
And make an opening in the wilderness that is in
Doudael.
5
Throw him there, and lay beneath him sharp and jagged
stones.
And cover him with darkness, and let him dwell there for
an exceedingly long time.
Cover up his face, and let him not see the light.
6
And on the day of the great judgment, he will be led away
to the burning conflagration.
7
And heal the earth, which the watchers have desolated;
and announce the healing of the earth, that the plague
may be healed,
and all the sons of men may not perish because of the
mystery that the watchers told and taught their sons.
8
And all the earth was made desolate by the deeds of the
teaching of Asael,
and over him write all the sins.”

chapter 13
13:1
“And, Enoch, go and say to Asael,
‘You will have no peace.
A great sentence has gone forth against you, to bind you.
2
You will have no relief or petition,
because of the unrighteous deeds that you revealed,
{and because of all the godless deeds and the unrighteous-
ness and the sin that you revealed to humans.’”}a
3
Then I went and spoke to all of them together.
And they were all afraid,
and trembling and fear seized them.


chapter 69 2
the tenth is Asael;



chapter 69 6
And the name of the third is Gadre’el. This is the one who
showed all the blows of death to the sons of men, and he led
Eve astray, and he showed the shield and the coat of mail
and the sword for battle and all the implements of death to
the sons of men. 7/ And from his hand they have gone forth
against those who dwell on the earth from that day and for-
ever and ever.

2 of the fallen angels list in 1 Enoch side by side

| Order | List A (First List) | List B (Second List) |
| ----: | ------------------- | ----------------------------- |
| 1 | Shemihazah (leader) | Shemihazah |
| 2 | Arteqoph | Arteqoph |
| 3 | Remashel | Remashel |
| 4 | Kokabel | Kokabel |
| 5 | Armumahel | **Turel** |
| 6 | Ramel | Ramel |
| 7 | Daniel | Daniel |
| 8 | Ziqel | Ziqel |
| 9 | Baraqel | Baraqel |
| 10 | Asael | Asael |
| 11 | Hermani | Hermani |
| 12 | Matarel | Matarel |
| 13 | Ananel | **Basasel** |
| 14 | Setawel | Ananel |
| 15 | Samshiel | **Turel** (second occurrence) |
| 16 | Sahriel | Shamsiel |
| 17 | Tummiel | Sahriel |
| 18 | Turiel | Tummiel |
| 19 | Yamiel | Turiel |
| 20 | Yehadiel | Yamiel |
| 21 | — | **Azazel** |

The two angel lists of 1 Enoch ordered into chart by chat gpt. One chart has Azazel as number 21 the other chart ends at 20.
The Vanderkam 1 Enoch version has a cross symbol either side of Azazel which in the introduction says that means it is presumed to be corrupt. Possibly Azazel is a later addition by a scribe? As Asael is in that same list, and if they are the same figure it should not be.

If Asael/Azazel/Gadreel is not the devil then they are some very powerful fallen angels high ranking like the devil.

Then here are a few of the other fallen angels

4
And the name of the first is Yeqon, this is the one who led all
the children of the angels astray and brought them down
upon the earth, and led them astray through the daughters
of men.
5
And the name of the second is Asbe’el. This one gave evil coun-
sel to the children of the holy angels, and led them astray so
that they ruined their bodies through the daughters of men.
6
And the name of the third is Gadre’el. This is the one who
showed all the blows of death to the sons of men, and he led
Eve astray, and he showeda the shield and the coat of mail
and the sword for battle and all the implements of death to
the sons of men. 7/ And from his hand they have gone forth
against those who dwell on the earth from that day and for-
ever and ever.
8
And the name of the fourth is †Penemue†. This one showed
the sons of men the bitter and the sweet and showed them
all the secrets of their wisdom. 9/ He gave humans knowl-
edge about writing with ink and papyrus, and therefore
many went astray from of old and forever and until this day.
10/ For humans were not born for this purpose, to confirm
their trustworthiness through pen and ink. 11/ For humans
were not created to be different from the angels, so that
they should remain pure and righteous. And death, which
ruins everything, would not have laid its hand on them.
But through this, their knowledge, they are perishing, and
through this power it devours us.
12
And the name of the fifth is Kasdeya. This is the one who
showed the sons of men all the evil blows of spirits and
demons, and the blows of the foetus in the womb, so that
it aborts, and {the blow of the soul,} the bite of the serpent,
and the blow that comes in the noonday heat, the son of the
serpent, whose name (is) Taba>et.

Michael Jackson

Growing up I wasn't allowed to listen to secular music, but as an adult now I can pretty much do what I want. My parents were really strict born-again Bible believing Christians.

Yes, I have decided that I like Michael Jackson's music. Isn't he called the King of Pop? Too bad he died. I hate it when people die. I think his doctor killed him. What an evil physician.

  • Poll
Who is the more a victim ? He who tried to to look like one or he that didn't ?

Did Judah die while being a victim ?

  • Yes

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • No

    Votes: 2 100.0%
  • Don't know

    Votes: 0 0.0%

Isn't there a competition for the status of victim ?

Do you believe, please, the answer to the questions of the title is rather Jesus or rather Judah ?

New Puerto Rico law says unborn babies are people from conception

“Puerto Rico’s action stands as a compelling reaffirmation that the protection of human life at all stages is a fundamental civil right,” said Tobias. “This measure underscores the essential truth that every human being—born and unborn—deserves equal protection under the law.”
Praise God!

Do you have a favorite season?

I like autumn simply because all the leaves change and turn some of my favorite colors. I've been in love with autumn for years. Even got a picture of it up over my bed in my room.

I'm not going to be surprised if you all say summer, I mean, a lot of people tend to like summer. But in my opinion its overrated. It gets way too hot for my liking.
  • Agree
Reactions: Tooti

About Lucifer

I feel like we as God's people don't discuss him enough. He's our mortal enemy you know. Heck, he's everyone's enemy to be precise. I know what you guys are going to say: You're going to tell me that I should put my focus on Christ only but we don't talk about how to defeat the Devil should he come. I find this to be a problem. We have no battle plan, no strategy. We desperately need one.

We know he is the Evil One, the Son of Perdition as mentioned in the Bible. Does anyone on here know some good spiritual warfare practices? Sorry, but I'm not an expert in this area. Any advice and help would be appreciated.

The Deceptiveness of Medjugorje

Disclaimer: I’m not purporting to prove or disprove these alleged apparitions, nor am I attempting to encourage belief or unbelief in them. The following are only my opinions and everyone is free to think and believe as they choose.

Medjugorje

In May 2004, my sister invited me to go with her to visit Medjugorje for seven days, although I was not a true believer. Our Spiritual Advisor, Father Richard Carey, who was a great proponent of Medjugorje and had been there several times, encouraged us. He had a sincere, childlike love for Our Lady and believed completely that she appeared in the small Croatian village. But Medjugorje never seemed authentic to me and Father and I had many serious rounds of debate on the issue.

We Almost Didn’t Make It

Continued below.
  • Like
Reactions: Tooti

‘Treated as a criminal’: Grandmother criminally charged for inviting people to chat outside hospital

A 75-year-old woman has been criminally charged in Glasgow for standing near a hospital with a sign inviting people to chat. She is accused of violating Scotland’s buffer zone law, which prohibits influencing behavior near abortion facilities.

Rose Docherty faces two charges under the Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) Scotland Act for displaying placards near Queen Elizabeth University Hospital between September 2024 and February 2025, The Sunday Times reports.

Continued below.

It is my common belief that...

...all of Christendom ought to be united with each other in one common goal: to oppose the Prince of Darkness and all that he stands for.

You agree?

Also, we have to rally around Christ Himself of course. For the time when the Final Battle comes. :)

Of course Jesus Himself is going to do the majority of the fighting I think.

I am talking about the Battle of Armageddon. See: book of revelation.

Mom and I used to talk about the Book of Revelation all the time. I told her that I was actually scared that some of the saints were going to have to fight off some of the demons ourselves, but she said if I just read the Scripture I'd see Jesus defeating Satan "With the sword of his mouth." That is some really powerful Scripture right there. This is why I fear the wrath of God.

My brother-in-law is having problems at his work

He's a really big fellow who works as a transmission mechanic. He is married to my older sister. But sometimes he comes over here and visits us and he tells us about all the drama going on in his workplace. Unfortunately his co-workers are not nice people to be around, some of them verbally abuse each other and it affects him negatively. One guy even yelled and screamed at him. It was not pleasant, he said. He said several times that if he didn't need the money so badly he would not work this job he is at right now.

What's worse is that his place does not have a Human Resources so there is no way to stop this stuff from happening. The lack of structured authority figures is astounding.

I can smell evil people from a mile away. If these people really are as bad as he makes them out to be, then I don't want to have anything to do with them. They sound like really toxic people.

Please pray his workplace conditions improve.

Palau to Take up to 75 Illegal Immigrants From US After Call on Transfer of Third-Country Nationals

Good news. The deportation problem is being solved one step at a time.

The Sabbath, Worship and the End Time

The Sabbath, Worship and the End Time

The Great Commission


Matthew 28:16-20 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

1. All power is given Jesus in heaven and earth.

  • Jesus is our Creator. See Colossians 1:16-20.
  • Before Abraham was, Jesus is I am. See Exodus 3:14, John 8:58.
  • Jesus' earthly ministry. See Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.
2. Teaching them to observe all things that He commanded.
  • Jesus was at creation and sanctified the Sabbath.
  • Jesus was at Mt. Horeb/Sinai and gave the Sabbath commandment.
  • Jesus taught the Sabbath during His ministry.
  • Jesus prophesied Sabbath observance at the start of the tribulation period before His return.
The Everlasting Gospel

3. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations.

The Bible repeats and enlarges:

Revelation 14:6 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.
  • The angel has the everlasting gospel to preach to every nation, kindred, tongue and people.
  • The angel says with a loudvoice (emphasis given; urgency).
    • Fear God and give glory to Him.
    • For the hour of His judgment is come.
    • Worship Him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.
The call to worship Him points back to creation.

What then can be found in the creation account that concerns worship?

Genesis 2:1-3 Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.

The account of the first Sabbath points to creation as the reason for the Sabbath institution. The Sabbath commandment also points back to creation and the institution of the Sabbath. See Exodus 20:11.

What makes the Sabbath worshipful? The fact that God blessed it and sanctified it, and commanded to remember to keep it holy. Worship then includes the Sabbath.

The Last Days

4. For the hour of his judgment is come.

There is an urgency to the first angel's call to worship, for the hour of His judgment is come.

The reason for the urgency is the issue of false worship in the last days, and the short time left before Jesus returns.

Revelation 13:15-17 And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

What is the opposite of the mark of the beast?

5. The seal of God.

If false worship causes the receiving of the mark of the beast, what then is God's seal?

Exodus 31:13-16 Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the Lord that doth sanctify you. Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you: every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death: for whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people. Six days may work be done; but in the seventh is the sabbath of rest, holy to the Lord: whosoever doeth any work in the sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death. Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant.
  • The Sabbath is a sign. Sign is synonumous with mark.
  • The Sabbath is a perpetual covenant.
  • Throughout generations. See Matthew 24:20-22.
A seal is a mark of authority. What does a seal consist of?

A quick Google search:

Key Components of a Seal
  • Entity/Individual: The name of the person, corporation, or government body.
  • Title/Role: Their official designation (e.g., Engineer, Mayor, Public Weighmaster).
  • Jurisdiction/Domain: The state, country, or specific area of authority.
  • Official Emblem/Mark: A unique design, insignia, or text (like "L.S." for locus sigilli).
  • Date/License Number (often): For professionals, license details for verification.
Where in scripture can we find the seal of God? The Sabbath commandment.

Exodus 20:8-11 Remember the sabbath day [Official Emblem/Mark], to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath [Official Emblem/Mark] of the Lord thy God [Entity/Individual]: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the Lord [Entity/Individual] made [Creator] heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is [Jurisdiction/Domain], and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

Conclusion

Emphasis is being given specifically to the Sabbath concerning worship.
  • Both the last call to worship and the Sabbath commandment point back to creation, to the institution of the Sabbath. See Revelation 14:6-7 and Exodus 20:8-11.
  • The account of the institution of the Sabbath points to creation itself as the reason it was sanctified. See Genesis 2:1-3.
  • The Sabbath being called a sign/mark. See Exodus 31:13.
  • The perpetuity of the Sabbath. See Exodus 31:16.
To those who say that the Sabbath is specifically for Israel.
  • We are Israel.
    • There is neither Jew nor Greek. See Galations 3:28, Colossians 3:11.
    • The grafting in. See Romans 11.
  • The seal of God concerns us all as does the mark of the beast. See Revelation 13:15-17.
  • The Sabbath concerns us all as it is observed in the new heaven and new earth, showing that it is indeed a perpetual covenant. See Isaiah 66:22-23.
  • The fact that Jesus stated that the Sabbath was made for man (again, pointing back to creation), and that because of this fact He is also Lord of the Sabbath. See Mark 2:27-28.
The last day events concern the Sabbath and worship.
  • The causing of all the earth to worship the beast and his image.
  • The receiving of the mark or the seal.
  • The last call to worship pointing to the Sabbath specifically.
  • The seal of God being the Sabbath.

Sunday Within the Octave of Christmas (Holy Innocents) (EF)

December 28, 2025

Our Morning Offering – 28 December – Salvete Flores Martyrum! – Hail, Ye Little Martyr Flowers!

One Minute Reflection – 28 December – ‘… They could not yet speak but already, they are confessing Christ. …’

Sunday Within the Octave of Christmas propers & commentary

Sunday in the Octave of the Nativity propers & commentary

Sunday Within the Octave of Christmas propers & commentary (Guenranger)

Commemoration of the Holy Innocents propers & commentary

Rev. Fr. Leonard Goffine's Instruction on the Sunday After Christmas

Scripture & Tradition: Sunday Within the Octave of Christmas

Beauty and strength: sermon on the Sunday in the Octave of Christmas

WDTPRS – Sunday in the Octave of Christmas (1962MR)

Daily Gospel

The Holy Innocents Martyrs at the time of the Nativity of Our Lord

The Hope of the Holy Innocents

Saints of the Day

Audio version of Gueranger
Login to view embedded media

Worldly, Not Godly Mindsets

“But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the market places, who call out to the other children, and say, ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.’ For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon!’ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds.” (Matthew 11:16-19 NASB1995)

We live in a generation of people much like this today, but not just the people out in the world who have no relationship with God at all, as these people appeared to be. But this way of thinking and behaving has worked its way into the gatherings of the church to where many who profess faith in Jesus Christ have taken on a similar attitude and way of thinking about life. For worldliness has seeped its way into the church’s gatherings, and so many people have taken on the ways of the world, and not the ways of the Lord.

So, if you are following the ways of the Lord, according to the teachings of the Scriptures, with sincere biblical faith in Jesus Christ, and by faith in Jesus Christ you are living separate (different, unlike) the world, because you are being conformed by God to the character of Jesus Christ, which is what it means to be holy, then you are likely to be faced with some of this same kind of treatment as what Jesus and John the Baptist faced. And it will be because you don’t conform to the ways of this sinful world. You stand out!

And so those who are worldly may find you odd because you don’t join in with them in all the things that they do, and in their conversations which they have about all that is of this world, which is not of God. You don’t think like they do, and so they may judge you falsely based off their own way of thinking and behaving. And they may judge you by themselves and by their own traditions and culture, because you stand out as different. Or they may judge you by their own self-made religious and legalistic standards.

But they can be fickle, too, in their judgments, like they were with Jesus and John the Baptist, judging them equally in specific areas where they appeared to be doing the opposite of each other. I had an experience like that where one church leadership was accusing me of acting like I had it all together, which I was not doing, but I did change. Then we moved, and we were part of a different church fellowship, and there they judged me because I didn’t have it all together, because God was doing a work of healing in my life.

So some people are not going to like you no matter what you do unless you conform to their image and you become like them in character, in word, and in deed. They just won’t be comfortable being themselves around you because you aren’t like them. For if you are serious about your walk of faith in the Lord Jesus, and if your life is committed to the Lord, to doing what pleases him, and in living different from (unlike) the world, living to please God, (and I don’t mean super weird or radical), you will appear odd to them.

The people of Jesus’ time, though not all of them, not only accused Jesus of being a gluttonous man and a drunkard, because he drank some wine and because he ate like normal people ate, but they also accused him of being a friend of tax collectors and sinners because he ministered his love and grace to all people, and so he ate with some of them in order to share with them the message of the gospel of our salvation. Jesus was not in intimate fellowship with the ungodly, but he loved them, and he ministered to them.

Therefore, many of the people who were bringing these charges against the Lord were hypocrites, for they were sinners themselves, for they were rejecting Jesus as the Christ. And they were bringing false charges against him in their arrogance and in their disapproval of him and of who he claimed to be, who was God. Although they may have claimed to be religious people who believed in the one true God, they fought against God when they fought against Jesus. So they didn’t know the God some of them claimed to know.

And that can be true today of all who profess faith in Jesus Christ, but who are still living worldly and ungodly lives for self-pleasure, and not for God.

For Jesus Christ taught that to come to him we must deny self, take up our cross daily (die daily to sin), and follow (obey) him. For if we hold on to living in sin and for self, we will lose our lives for eternity. But if we deny self, die daily to sin, by the Spirit, and we walk in obedience to our Lord and to his commands, in his power, then we have eternal life with God. For not everyone who calls him “Lord” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one DOING (obeying) the will of God (see Luke 9:23-26; Matthew 7:21-23).

(Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Luke 9:23-26; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Romans 1:18-32; Romans 2:5-10; Romans 3:23; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; Galatians 5:16-24; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 4:1-13; Hebrews 10:19-39; Hebrews 12:1-2; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 1:1-10; 1 John 2:3-6; 1 John 3:4-10; Revelation 2:1-29; Revelation 3:1-22)

For Our Nation

An Original Work / September 11, 2012
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love
Recording Via Gerry Peters, music producer and arranger

Bombs are bursting. Night is falling.
Jesus Christ is gently calling
You to follow Him in all ways.
Trust Him with your life today.
Make Him your Lord and your Savior.
Turn from your sin. Follow Jesus.
He will forgive you of your sin;
Cleanse your heart, made new within.

Men betraying: Our trust fraying.
On our knees to God we’re praying,
Seeking God to give us answers
That are only found in Him.
God is sovereign over all things.
Nothing from His mind escaping.
He has all things under His command,
And will work all for good.

Jesus Christ is gently calling
You to follow Him in all ways.

Men deceiving: We’re believing
In our Lord, and interceding
For our nation and its people
To obey their God today.
He is our hope for our future.
For our wounds He offers suture.
He is all we need for this life.
Trust Him with your life today.

Login to view embedded media
Worldly, Not Godly Mindsets
An Original Work / December 28, 2025
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

Filter

Forum statistics

Threads
5,883,449
Messages
65,496,332
Members
276,651
Latest member
GospelWitness