(I'll see if this passes the site's basic filtering guidelines.
I am concerned about what Christians perceive as our shared reality, lying, and the moral-ethical
effects of embracing conspiracy theories.)

When Trump demands that all who get his political support, must uphold his lie that the 2020 election was stolen with massive fraud (despite Trump's inability to find any substantive evidence for this), you MAY think that this is merely a perverse pagan aspect of American politics. OR, merely an artifact that non-Christian Americans hold who have no idea what reality is, or how to demonstrate that a personal opinion/belief is actually TRUE.

BUT,
given that many Trump supporters have swallowed huge conspiracy theories (some of them believed by ridiculous and twisted and oppressive groups through history), American Christians must come to a different conclusion.

American (and worldwide) Christians must conclude:

1 there is a shared reality
2 misrepresenting this shared reality, is what the Bible calls "LYING"
3 in Judaism and Christianity, LYING is a serious sin, and no continual liar will enter the kingdom of God
4 This means that Christians have a moral-ethical OUGHT to be very careful about what they call "reality", and have a moral-ethical OUGHT to carefully demonstrate that a proposition/opinion/belief is TRUE (according to evidence from our shared reality), before declaring it as a fact.

Donald Trump, despite his massive financial resources, has been unable to find ANY credible evidence that the 2020 election was stolen by massive fraud. His dozens of lawsuits trying to establish this assertion, have been rejected by judges as not containing ANY substantive and relevant evidence for Trump's claim.
---------- ----------

An average non-Christian American, who may not feel any moral-ethical OUGHT to carefully search out which opinions/belief/gossip are TRUE, and which are FALSE, may respond with a dismissing "So what?"

BUT, for Christians, this topic of embracing conspiracy theories, without carefully researching what is TRUE, is a matter of embracing continual lying, or rejecting patent systems of lies. This choice involves their future, after the final judgment, for ever.

The anti-intellectual Protestant Fundamentalists hardened their rejection of the intellect, and formal logic, during the European Enlightenment, and the emergence of modern science (100 years before Darwin lived). They rejected the goodness of the intellect, as a theological "slogan".

The embrace of conspiracy theories by many anti-intellectual Christians, underlines how a terribly dysfunctional theological trend, can lead to views of our shared reality, that have taken complete leave of our shared reality.

Anti-intellectual non-Christians, also fall into the same epistemological pit. The anti-intellectual blind, are trying to lead the anti-intellectual blind.

I am trying to point out that THIS IS NOT A SIDE ISSUE, THAT DEALS WITH MERELY PERSONAL PREFERENCES. Anti-intellectual Americans, who are not Christians, but who embrace conspiracy theories, suffer the same crippling effects as many of Trump's religious supporters.

Continual lying -- misrepresenting our shared reality -- will get us condemned at the final judgment. As the Bible presents to us, "There will be no liars in the kingdom of heaven."

This is not a simple case of political preferences, or personal opinions. Donald Trump is claiming an alternate reality, for which he has no evidence.

Christians have a moral-ethical OUGHT, NOT to embrace that other fantasy reality.

https://www.cnn.com/2024/04/11/politics/trump-johnson-election-falsehoods-analysis/index.html

This is the gospel of salvation that Jesus Christ and his NT apostles taught. But it is not what is commonly being taught today, at least not here in America. For this message has now largely been altered or not even referred to at all. For it has largely been obliterated and replaced with a message intended to tickle itching ears and to not offend the ungodly, and to be friendlier and more acceptable to the world and to human flesh. And this is deliberate, this demise of the truth in order to now replace truth with lies.

And this has been orchestrated at high levels, because this is what is being passed down from those in high up positions to those beneath them who are then passing a “new gospel” and the destruction of the old gospel down to their people. And this is widespread across the USA, and perhaps in other nations, as well. For this isn’t just about replacing the old gospel with a new gospel, but it is definitely about destroying the gospel that Jesus taught and that the NT apostles taught so that they can replace it with something new.

And since I am a teacher of the truth of what Jesus taught, as best as I understand it, by the grace of God, I do get opposed on a somewhat consistent basis when I teach what Jesus taught and what his NT apostles taught in contrast to what so many are teaching and are accepting today as “the gospel,” but which is just a replacement for the old gospel. For so many today are not teaching that we must deny self, die to sin daily, and walk in obedience to our Lord or that we will not inherit eternal life with God.

Even if they do teach true repentance (turning from sin) and obedience to our Lord, the way those are often being taught today are in a way in which they make them more optional, i.e. recommended, but not required for salvation from sin, and not required for eternal life with God. And others teach that we do not have to turn away from our sins and that we do not have to obey our Lord’s commands, for they call that “works salvation.” They say all that is required is “faith,” which is not usually biblically defined.

Therefore, the “new gospel” which is replacing the “old gospel” does not require biblical repentance (death to sin) nor walks of obedience to our Lord and to his commands, as required by God for salvation from sin and for eternal life with God. They do not require that we forsake our former lives of living in sin and that sin no longer be our practice. For they teach God’s grace as merely forgiveness of sins and the promise of eternal life with God based on a mere profession of faith in Jesus Christ once in our lives.

But Jesus Christ said that if anyone would come after him that he must deny himself, not continue to live for self and in sin. And he said that we are to take up our cross daily. And when Jesus took up his cross it was to put our sins to death with him. So if we take up our cross daily it means that daily we are putting our sins to death with Christ, that we are dying daily to sin and to self so that we can now live for God and for his righteousness, in the power, strength, and wisdom of God, by the grace of God.

And then we are to follow Jesus Christ in obedience and in surrender of our lives and our wills over to the will of God for our lives. As his followers, our lives no longer belong to ourselves, but they belong to God, and he is now to be Lord (Owner-Master) of our lives, and we are to serve him with our lives in doing whatever it is that he has called us to do. For we are now his possession and we no longer have mastery over our own lives. He is now Lord of our lives and he is to be the one directing our lives, not us.

But if we should choose to ignore his teachings and to go our own way, instead, and so we choose to hold on to (to save) our old lives of living in sin and for self, we will lose our lives for eternity. But if for his sake we deny self, die daily to sin, and we follow him in obedience to his commands in holy living – all in his power, strength, and wisdom, by the grace of God – then we will not lose our lives for eternity but we will have eternal life with God. For what does it profit to gain the world but to lose or forfeit oneself?

Then, lastly, Jesus stated (in these verses) that if we are ashamed of him and of his words, that he will be ashamed of us when he returns to judge and to take his faithful ones to be with him for eternity. For, even though many make verbal professions of faith in Jesus Christ, not many truly know God/Christ as Lord and as Savior of their lives, for they do not obey him. And so they will hear him say, “I never knew you. Depart from me you workers of lawlessness.” (Matthew 7:21-23; cf. 1 John 2:3-6)

[Matt 7:21-23; Lu 9:23-26; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14; Rom 12:1-2; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 1 Co 10:1-22; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; Gal 5:16-24; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-32; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:1-17; Titus 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1:5-10; 1 Jn 2:3-6,24-25; 1 Jn 3:4-10; 1 Pet 2:24]

For Our Nation

An Original Work / September 11, 2012

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.

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In his message "Trembling at the Word of the Lord", CH Spurgeon says,

"There is a song the Jubilee Singers used to sing, which begins, “Swing low, sweet chariot.” I am sure I do not know what the singers mean by the expression; and so I give it a meaning of my own, and say that I am right glad when a promise swings so low that I can get into it. Surely a promise from God is a chariot lined with love, drawn upward by winged steeds, which bear our hearts aloft; and it is a mercy when it swings as low as this text: “To this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.”

Note he says " I am sure I do not know what the singers mean by the expression." He then proceeds to give it a meaning of his own, which is good, but not what I've always thought the song to mean.

I note others give it spiritual meaning as Spurgeon,

"Jones describes Swing Low as a signal song: “On one level it’s about people hoping they can escape their misery by riding on this imaginary chariot to heaven, but another clear meaning is the idea that the chariot is a metaphor for escaping to freedom."

Another says this:

"Willis, who worked near the Red River, may have been reminded of the Jordan River and the death of the Prophet Elijah. The lyrics “Swing low, sweet chariot, coming for to carry me home” are reminiscent of Elijah in 2 Kings being taken to heaven in a chariot."

I don't know about the death of Elijah, but that's the meaning I always figured. It's possibly more symbolic of the rapture hoped for.
And there were the African American origins, which some think had a hidden meaning about being freed from the oppressor:

The double meanings encoded in “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot” are believed to be the Jordan River as representative of the first step to freedom from slavery, “home” as Africa, and Jesus as anyone who helps bring the enslaved to freedom

"Swing Low, Sweet Chariot" is a traditional African American spiritual song that originated during the period of slavery in the United States. It is believed to have been created by Wallace Willis, a Choctaw freedman who lived in the Indian Territory (present-day Oklahoma) in the mid-19th century
The song is attributed to Wallace Willis, a slave from Oklahoma; his inspiration was the land beyond the Ohio River.

(Of Course Spurgeon didn't have internet!)

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Hi everyone. I really need your prayers. For a month and a half, almost two months now, I've been struggling with a pretty serious knee injury as well as some pretty bad struggles with my mental health. I've received the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick due to this as well as some other health issues, such as my asthma, that I've been dealing with a couple of times in the past month or so. I have good days and bad days but every single day is at least somewhat of a struggle. My depression has been pretty severe at times but not to the point of needing hospitalization thanks be to God. I should also mention that I lost my SSI and Medicaid so I am unable to get to the doctor. I'm waiting to get my Medicaid approved again but it's taking a long time.

Part of the reason why I've been depressed is loneliness because my husband is working two jobs to pay our bills. I've also been overwhelmed with trying to keep up on taking care of my son and our apartment practically by myself which normally isn't much of an issue but it definitely is when my physical and mental health isn't the greatest. I've managed but just barely. Another issue is that our son is having some behavioral issues. We're getting him in with mental health professionals but his appointment isn't for a couple of months for the psychologist because of a wait list. He also has to get an autism screening but the waiting list for that is an entire year or more and they haven't yet scheduled us. I'm also experiencing a lot of scrupulosity which is something I've struggled with for a long time.

Anyway, if you would please keep me in your prayers, I'd greatly appreciate it. I could use the extra support.

Frances Collins wrote a book on how DNA is the language of God. He tends to be a Theistic Evolutionist even though he is very busy and often does not have time to think things through.

Dr. Francis Collins, the director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), made a decision to lift a three-year moratorium on funding controversial research involving genetically altering viruses in ways that could make them more contagious, more deadly, or both. This type of research is known as gain-of-function experiments. Dr. Collins’ decision to lift the moratorium has sparked debate among scientists, with concerns about biosafety, biosecurity, and the balance between potential benefits and risks.

As director of NIH he approved the money for the research on the virus that escaped the Wuhan lab and caused the pandemic. He retired after that although I think Biden fired him. For me the whole thing has payola written all over it. Otherwise if his reputation had not been tarnished he would be a leading expert and he does have a web site on theistic evolution.

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Hey everyone. I could really use some prayers. I'm really struggling with my mental health lately. Part of it is because my physical health hasn't been the greatest. I lost my SSI and my Medicaid and I have several health problems that I really need to see a doctor for but can't because we can't afford to pay out of pocket. I did reapply for Medicaid in the hopes that I can get approved again but it's taking forever and my injured knee is not getting any better. Neither are my other health issues. I also can't afford to buy most of my required medications out of pocket. I lost my Medicaid and SSI because Social Security says they overpaid me by $3000 and now they are demanding that I pay it back.

Another problem that I am having is behavioral issues with my son. I don't want to go into detail about it but we're getting all of the help we can. We're getting him into a psychologist but they don't have any openings until Summer. He also has to get screened for autism. That's all of the details that I feel comfortable providing.

The last thing that is causing my stress is the fact that my husband is working two jobs which leaves me to take care of our apartment and our son practically by myself. It also causes me to be quite lonely because I crave the time with my husband. Sadly, it's necessary that he works two jobs because if he doesn't, we won't be able to pay the bills. I can't work at all because of my disabilities.

Anyway, please keep me in your prayers. I'm really struggling.

There is no medical need for breast implants.

Breast implants are bad for your health,
and may need to be removed later.
The body rejects them.

It’s like those old ads with doctors telling you to enjoy
the smooth mild taste of cigarettes.

Proponents have framed ESA as the hallmark of parental choice. Critics fear having state money follow students to private education will further deplete public schools already in need. Some rural lawmakers noted their districts don’t have any private options to offer public school students.

In addition to private school tuition, the ESA money could be used for school uniforms, tutoring, textbooks and computers.

When fully implemented, the ESAs would provide $7,500 per year for each student from families with household incomes that don’t exceed 250% of federal poverty guidelines and at least $5,100 for all other enrollees, including those from wealthy households. The amount of the ESA increases to $15,000 for students with special needs.

I'm all for school choice with a voucher for each child.

We need to pray for Israel right now! I just ran across this video online, it looks like Iran may attack Israel within the next few hours! Iran has a huge missile force and they may launch them at Israel! I am praying now! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hbse6FCwj5o

I want some advice for this topic. Basically, I'm unsure whether or not Christians should make videogames like we do movies. But with that to say, If you do, then you still have basic access to all the other games with immorality in the sense of sexual promiscuity, violence, language, and others among these.

Do you think Christians should make/develop Christian videogames?

And with that to say, if Christians should then should it be blatantly Christian or just videogames with Christian values?

Christian videogames would need to have the quality mainstream ones have but morals and story-lines we can trust.

I’m almost 50. It hurts hearing men say that women hit the wall (which means get ugly) around 35-40. It also hurts to hear that men don’t want to date us because we can no longer have babies. It’s like I’m useless now. No one will ever want me.

I used to hear from others that I was pretty a lot and now if I tell someone my feelings hurt because I was called ugly no one says anything to refute that.

From the linked letter:
"Since 1797, twenty-one individuals have been impeached by the House of
Representatives. Trials were held in every single instance, except once when an impeached
judge resigned from office before trial commenced. Absent Secretary Mayorkas’ immediate
resignation, this impeachment should remain faithful to Senatorial precedent."

I fully agree that the American people deserve to hear the evidence against Mayorkas.

Medina, Ohio was having fireworks last Saturday to celebrate the Eclipse, so I decided to go to the square and do some sign evangelism and pass out tracts. Well, this guy called me out when he saw the sign. The conversation only lasted about 4 minutes but it felt like 20. Here's how it went... Please share your thoughts!

So I have OCD, growing up I had the typical "If you dont do that 4 more times X will happen" kind. But over the years it has morphed its way through many different styles.
However something weird happened today. I looked over at my second screen and saw somebody in my contacts and had a instant thought "if you dont do X before they message you Y will happen". I decided to follow through for some reason and attempted to do X, but literally 10 seconds later I get a message from them. OUT OF NOWHERE. There was no way I could have known they were messaging me or anything, just out of NOWHERE. What even happened? Was this demons trying to mess with me knowing they were messaging me? Coincidence? Like what was this???

The details have been sealed until recently. Where do you suppose that guy is now?

Naturally he's a state representative and Trump campaign county chair.

Documents: Rep. Jon Stone Threatened Mass Shooting and Rape After Investigation​

Republican Rep. Jon Stone’s New Hampshire law enforcement career ended when he threatened to kill fellow police officers in a shooting spree, and murder his chief after raping the chief’s wife and children, all while he was already under scrutiny for his inappropriate relationship with a teen girl, according to the internal investigation reports finally released this week.

While the two reportedly talked about sex together, there was no proof they had a physical relationship, according to Chase’s report.

...the investigation into his inappropriate relationship with a 16-year-old Stevens High School girl, started when she was 15, brought out a violent and deranged side of Stone that had other officers scared, according to the investigation

After Stone was terminated from the department, he appealed through the police union mediation process and came to an agreement with the department and city. In exchange for leaving his position and giving up his certification to be a police officer in New Hampshire, the department would purge his personnel file of the internal affairs reports. The department complied with the agreement, but kept copies of the reports separately in its internal affairs records.

Stone currently sits on the House Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee. After leaving police work, Stone got a job as a prison guard in Vermont, and he started a business selling guns in Claremont.

Police Report: Trump County Chair Threatened To Rape Boss's Wife, Then Kill Him​

Jonathan Stone, a former New Hampshire police officer, has been a part of Trump’s campaign since 2016, when he gave Trump an inscribed AR-15 assault rifle.

Hi, everyone! I'm new here at Christian Forums and thought I'd say hi. About a week ago, I was searching for a Christian forum site online as I've been going through some deep depression due to family and financial issues, and I thought something like this might help. Then I found you guys!
I'm a Catholic woman in my late twenties (but, really, I think I'm just a big kid at heart!). I'm currently trying to make a living off being an artist, writer, and entrepreneur. I primarily draw/write anime art and stories, but I also dabble in watercolor illustrations of nature and classic, feminine designs. If anyone is interested, i'd like to share some of my creations with you. My interests include Sanrio, anime (but I'm really selective), classic literature, fantasy/fairytales, music, old sitcoms and comedy, and nature (especially flowers and the beach) to name a few. Thanks for having me!

Transgender Hillsborough County teacher can use preferred pronouns at work, federal judge rules​

Chief United States District Judge Mark E. Walker, an Obama appointee, wrote that Wood is “substantially likely” to succeed on her First Amendment claims, and issued a preliminary injunction blocking the state from enforcing the law against her, pending her lawsuit. The injunction applies only to Wood, and not statewide.

"So, the question before this Court is whether the First Amendment permits the State to dictate, without limitation, how public-school teachers refer to themselves when communicating to students. The answer is a thunderous ‘no.'”

Walker’s ruling cites a 2022 decision by the U.S. Supreme Court in favor of a public school football coach, Joe Kennedy, who lost his job for praying on the football field.

O.J. Simpson — who became one of the most infamous figures in the US during his murder trial in the ’90s — has died after a cancer battle.

The former NFL star died Wednesday in Las Vegas, his family confirmed. He was 76.


“On April 10th, our father, Orenthal James Simpson, succumbed to his battle with cancer,” the family wrote on X on Thursday.

“He was surrounded by his children and grandchildren. During this time of transition, his family asks that you please respect their wishes for privacy and grace,” the brief statement added.

Continued below.

Perhaps laws could be changed in the West to correspond

When you see or experience an artistic work, what is it that occurs within you that draws your attention? is it visual complexity, or perhaps a hidden meaning or thought, that seems new?

This is a philosophical question, for people who aspire to, or appreciate further learning. Within the Catholic faith, which is what I'm personally familiar with, we tend to accept all facets of life as being within Gods creation, and thus, within Gods 'plan' for humanity. With that in mind, we tend to pursue greater understanding in various, and oftentimes, non-biblical areas.

The Persistence Of Memory by Salvador Dalí 1931

Enjoying him something to eat anyway...

If you work for an employer, you are, essentially, a servant of that employer. And as a believer in Christ, it is your responsibility to do your very best to do what your employer asks of you and to show proper respect to your employer, even if you disagree with what your employer is asking you to do. The only exceptions here are the same ones that we have examples of in the Scriptures, and that is if your employer asks you to do something sinful, illegal, and/or immoral, and/or if he asks you to deny your faith in Christ.

Now if you live in a country, like the USA, where presently you have a choice of where you can work, then if you don’t like the place where you are working, you are free to choose a different job and a different employer. Not everyone everywhere in the world has those same freedoms. So if you live somewhere where your job and your employer are chosen for you, and you have no choice in the matter, then you must be subject to the boss over you even if you are mistreated, but with the biblical exceptions named here.

And let me add here that the same applies with regard to what church fellowship that you attend. If you are attending a church fellowship that is not operating according to the Scriptures, and not under the direction of the Holy Spirit, and so it is very flesh and worldly and market driven, you do not have to stay there. You do not have to submit to worldly authority which is operating according to marketing schemes. But if you choose to remain, then it is your obligation to submit to that authority, but with the exceptions.

The bottom line in all of this is that we are to represent Jesus Christ in all that we are and do and say. We won’t all do it perfectly all the time, but we must do our best to serve our Lord and to serve our earthly masters (bosses) to the best of our understanding and to the best of our abilities (we can’t all do all the same things at all the same levels), but within the biblical guidelines set down for us by God as to what we should and should not do as followers of Christ, which is why we have biblical exceptions to submission to human authorities, which we are to follow as Jesus did.

For Jesus Christ and his NT apostles did not submit to the authorities if those authorities required of them that they disobey God. And they also did not have any problem standing up to human authority if those authorities were in the wrong in how they were treating them, either. So this is definitely not teaching that we shut up and that we compromise our faith and that we submit in everything and to everyone who is in position of authority over us. Jesus had regular words with the Pharisees of his day, as did his apostles.

But if we must confront wrongdoing, we should handle it respectfully, but not to the point of diluting or compromising the truth. For we are to be people of God who speak the truth in love to one another. And we are to be people of biblical and moral conviction and integrity and moral purity and honesty and commitment to Christ and to his word and to following Jesus Christ wherever he leads us, above all else. So, again, in all that we are and do and say we must be those who represent Christ well, as best as we know how.

So, if that is what we are doing, in practice, we are going to be hated, rejected, mistreated, and persecuted for righteousness’ sake. So we are to bear our cross gracefully for the sake of Christ and of his gospel, and not be people who get even with others who mistreat us. For we are instructed in the Scriptures to be those who love our enemies, who do good to those who hate us, who wish well to those who curse us, and who pray for those who abuse us (Luke 6:27-28).

We must be willing to suffer unjustly for the sake of the name of Jesus, and for the sake of the truth of the gospel, and for the sake of righteousness, just as Jesus suffered for us and died on a cross for us so that we might be delivered from our slavery to sin and so that we might now walk humbly before our God in walks of holiness and in righteousness and in obedience to our Lord and to his commands under the New Covenant. For when we stand on the truth of God’s word, we risk being hated and forsaken by others.

And the truth that we are to be spreading to others is the truth that Jesus Christ died on that cross that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. He died that we might be crucified with him in death to sin and raised with him to walk in newness of life in him, no longer to live as slaves to sin, but now as slaves to God. For if sin is what we obey, and not obedience to God, we will die in our sins. We will not inherit eternal life with God, regardless of what we profess with our lips. So, please take this to heart.

[Matt 7:21-23; Lu 9:23-26; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14; Rom 12:1-2; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 1 Co 10:1-22; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; Gal 5:16-24; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-32; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:1-17; Titus 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1:5-10; 1 Jn 2:3-6,24-25; 1 Jn 3:4-10; 1 Pet 2:24]

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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How many here read their Bibles on a regular basis? Among those who do, how do you read it? All the way through? Various books? How many here don’t like to read much of the OT, except for Psalms and Proverbs. I much prefer those two and the NT.

Not a cloud of guilt, nor any evil power of control remains for the believer in the Lord Jesus! The "old man," at rebirth, has lost both its "condemnation" (Ro 8:1) and "dominion" (Ro 6:14) on the believer. The guilt is gone because Christ has taken its curse; and its power to cause the believer to desire sin is annulled because "God works in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure" (Phl 2:13), instead of our evil pleasure.

Though the Christian possess the old man, which continues to tempt, the power of the Lord Jesus takes the place of the power to desire sin and do evil. This is where God is most glorified--in that from now on the believer is ever controlled by the indwelling Spirit of God, "against which there is no law (opposition - Gal 5:23); and knowing this is a permanent state gives the greatest encouragement and "exhortation" (Heb 10:25).

God causes believers to "reckon" on His Word so that there will be surety of guidance concerning living according to His "pleasure;" and He will not fail here in those who are His!



Albert Barnes (1798-1870) "But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust - That is, the fountain or source of all temptation is in man himself. It is true that external inducements to sin may be placed before him, but they would have no force if there was not something in himself to which they corresponded, and over which they might have power. There must be some “lust;” some desire; some inclination; something which is unsatisfied now, which is made the foundation of the temptation, and which gives it all its power. If there were no capacity for receiving food, or desire for it, objects placed before us appealing to the appetite could never be made a source of temptation; if there were nothing in the soul which could be regarded as the love of acquisition or possession, gold would furnish no temptation; if there were no sensual propensities, we should be in that quarter above the power of temptation.