Test

When I was a young man, I spent some time reading through the works of Kurt Vonnegut. I can’t say I am a fan of his, nor did I like his writing style. However, in his works, which in my opinion, could not be called optimistic in any sense of the word, or even humanistic, yet, there was a great deal of compassion for the human situation that always shone through. I guess that is why I keep reading his novels, and some essays.

I also understand his comment on AA, and why he thought the way he did. There are many critics of AA. However, from my relationships with the men and women who live the program, you could not find a more humble, loving, accepting people.

Why?

They have done what is very difficult to do, they faced themselves, took stock, accepted responsibility, did the steps, and have come out not perfect, but transformed. This takes a hefty dose of ‘love of self’, which opens up the heart to loving and accepting others.

Guilt has a bad rap today. Yes, neurotic guilt is a waste of time, but quilt that comes from ‘truth’, can energize the guilty party to make amends if possible, or if not, still to change behaviors that cause harm to oneself, and others. The 12 steps help do that. To try to live the program takes courage and commitment, as well as not fearing pain, struggle, and the setbacks that are the normal road to healing.

Trust in their ‘Higher Power’ is essential for many who walk this path. Here in the monastery, we have three AA groups who come here. Each is unique in how they do their retreats, but they have the same basic philosophy of life. We as a monastic community are honored to have them come here for their annual get-together. Many have been with their group for decades, and some have been sober for up to 50 years (or even more).

As in any group, there are all types who go to meetings. I tell those who plan on trying out AA, to watch what is going on, and try to find the core group and stick with them. There are some who go in and out on a regular basis, and hopefully over time will move to the core group. Some are on their way out but hopefully will come back. Others, like any normal group, are not sure what they want. Yet, all are accepted, and when anyone comes forward to get the white chip they are welcomed back and embraced.

Some go quickly to the core group, others take more time, which is ok, for their “Higher Power” is a work in their lives, in my life, and in your life dear reader, even if unknown. A Catholic maxim: “God works in secret”. BrMD

Many believers who study prophecy and last days events are aware that there was an archetype of the antichrist (Antiochus IV) who set up an abomination of desolation around 168 B.C in Jerusalem. Yet, few Christians are aware that he also imposed upon the people of God sexual abominations, eerily similar to what we see happening in our time.
A new book “The Last Days Pride Parade and the Return of the Lord” draws on Biblical historic sources such as Josephus, Tacitus, Hippolytus, and the books of the Maccabees. Some of these historic details and prophetic links have been overlooked since the early church. There can be shown a direct parallel and foreshadowing between the ancient Biblical antichrist to the modern LGBTQ worldwide movement and oppression. These major prophetic events were also described in the book of Daniel and mentioned by Christ pertaining to his future return. The church needs to both understand and be prepared for the challenges that lie ahead so we can stand firm in our faith and shine as lights in this present darkness. The Lord is coming soon.

Is anyone aware of the sexual abominations imposed upon the people of God at that time?


The Last Days Pride Parade|eBook

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Paul was an apostle of Jesus Christ through whom the message of the gospel of Christ was revealed, not only to the Jews, but also to the Gentiles. And through faith in Jesus Christ both Jew and Gentile were made into one people, by God. Therefore, if we belong to Christ, by genuine faith in him, we are Abraham’s seed, and fellow heirs according to the promise. So, we Gentiles by physical birth, through faith in Christ, now belong to Israel.

[John 8:18-19,38-47; Romans 9:4-8; Romans 11:17-25; Galatians 3:16,26-29; Galatians 4:22-31; Ephesians 2:14-18; Ephesians 3:6; 1 John 2:22]

Ephesians 3:14-19 ESV


Paul, as a minister of the gospel of our salvation, suffered much for his testimony for Jesus Christ and for his gospel, and also because he exposed the lies of the enemy for what they were, and he called out false apostles and prophets and teachers for who they were and for the false messages they were proclaiming. And this is the reason he bowed his knees before the Father and he prayed for the spiritual strengthening of these Ephesian believers in Jesus Christ, that they might be filled with the fullness of God.

Now, I am no apostle, and I am no prophet, but the Lord has called me to be a teacher of his word, and to be a minister of his gospel message, and to call out false teachers and their false teachings and to expose them so that the body of Christ will not be led astray from their pure devotion to Christ to follow after the lies of Satan. And one of the biggest ways in which these lies are being communicated today is via misimpressions (indirect lies). And these appear occasionally on social media. I read this one today:


So, what is this saying, in reality? Yes, we do have a free will to choose God or to not choose God, to choose to obey him or not (see Romans 1:18-32). But those choices all have consequences, which Joel does not mention. He also talks as though everyone is chosen of God, and that is not true. But it is true that none of us can thwart God’s plans and purposes. But what is also true is that we can’t just live however we want and that God is still going to hold up his end that he promised to those who love and obey him.

Now Joel doesn’t mention what God’s sovereign will and purpose for our lives is, but his suggestion is that it will be accomplished in our lives regardless of how we live. This is a twisting of the Scriptures. For what he is suggesting here, which is part of this “misimpression,” is that we, as the chosen of God, can go our own way, do our own thing, live however we want, but God will still save us from our sins, and we will still have eternal life in him, and heaven will still be our destiny, regardless of what we do. Please see this!

But in a twisted sort of way what he is saying is the truth, for yes, we can live however we want, and God’s will and purpose will still be accomplished. Yet, God’s will and purpose for us requires that we live holy lives, separate from the world, because we, as his followers, are to be being conformed to the likeness of Jesus Christ. And God’s will and purpose requires that we live righteous and godly lives in obedience to his commands (New Covenant) and that we no longer walk in sin, or heaven is not our eternal destiny.

And here is another twist. Yes, we cannot do anything to keep God’s sovereign will from coming to pass. But the misimpression here is that we can live however we want and God’s promises to those who claim to believe in him will still come to pass. And so many people are teaching this today, that a mere profession of faith in Jesus is enough to secure heaven and salvation from sin for us, but regardless of how we live. And that is a lie. So what clever Joel Osteen leaves out is the consequences of our actions.

But that isn’t the only thing he leaves out. He doesn’t explain God’s will and purposes for our lives, or who the chosen of God actually are, or the consequences of wrong choices if we should decide to not obey the Lord and to not do his will and to not serve his purposes for our lives. For all of God’s promises have conditions. But just like most misimpressions, this is willful, I believe, and the purpose is to deceive in very clever ways which are difficult to discern and to prove, actually. So, this is where we need to stick to the Scriptures and not listen to those who are misrepresenting the Scriptures.

[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; 2 Co 5:10; Gal 5:16-21; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:5-11; 1 Jn 1:5-10; 1 Jn 2:3-6; 1 Jn 3:4-10; Heb 10:23-31; 1 Pet 1:17-21; Rev 21:8,27; Rev 22:14-15]

Pray, Pray, Pray

An Original Work / September 6, 2012
Based off Various Scriptures

Pray that eyes may enlightened be,
So they may know Christ.
Pray that they may Him better know,
Strengthened by His pow’r.
Pray that they may grasp
How wide and long
And high and deep
Is Christ’s love.
Pray that they may be filled
To the fullness of God’s love.
Pray with thanksgiving.

Pray for an open door for me,
So I may share Christ.
Pray when the gospel is proclaimed –
Shared with clarity.
Pray words are given me so
I declare the gospel fearlessly.
I pray for you to be active
Sharing your faith, too.
Pray continually.

We oft not know for what to pray,
So we ask for help.
The Spirit intercedes for us –
Words cannot express.
Just keep on praying for the saints
With all kinds of requests to God.
Pray they may have faith to
Please their God in ev’ry way.
Pray with joyfulness.

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Do you do anything special on a Saturday or have a deeper devotion to Our Lady?

thanks in advanced

Matthew 7:13-14 ESV


I am presently reading through the book of Ephesians, but I believe the Lord is leading me to talk about these verses right now, instead. And this is another one of those passages of Scripture which lends itself to a careful analysis of what these individual words mean, for therein we have the message. So, without further ado, I will begin with the word “narrow.”

If something is narrow, it is restricted, limited, regulated, and controlled. It has rules and regulations. It is not open-ended, having no determined limit or boundary, such as the wide (broad) gate is. And, in this case, it is also a straight way, i.e. it is honest, law-abiding, aboveboard, upright, trustworthy, unadulterated and unmixed with the world. It is the “straight and narrow.”


And a gate is a door, an entrance into something. It is through the door that we gain access to something, for it is an opening, and it is a way into something. And Jesus told us that he is this gate, this door (see John 10:1-18). He is this door into a relationship with him and into salvation from sin and eternal life. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and no one comes to the Father except through him (John 14:6). And what did he say about this?


So, if we want to enter into eternal life with God, we must deny self, die daily to sin and to self, and follow our Lord in obedience to his commands (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 the sake of Jesus we die with him to sin and live to him and to his righteousness, then we have life in him. This is the narrow way. This is the hard way that leads to life eternal.

So, our salvation from sin and eternal life with God is not the easy way that the vast majority of preachers in America appear to be teaching today, but it is a hard way. And hard is firm, solid, unbending, strict, fixed, and sometimes painful. For the Scriptures teach that it is a life of suffering, a life of persecution and of being hated for our walks of faith. And it requires that we leave our lives of sin behind us and that we now walk in righteousness and holiness and in obedience to our Lord, in His power and strength.

For if we do not, and we decide that we can continue in deliberate and habitual sin, based merely on a one-time confession of Christ as Savior and Lord, then sadly we are very mistaken if we think that we are going to be saved from our sins and to have eternal life with God. For if sin is what we practice (by habit), and if righteousness and obedience to our Lord are not what we practice, then we don’t have eternal life with God. And that is why it says here that FEW (not many) find this narrow way to God. See:

[Matt 7:21-23; Matt 24:9-14; Lu 9:23-26; Rom 1:18-32; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14,24; Rom 12:1-2; Rom 13:11; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; 1 Co 1:18; 1 Co 15:1-2; 2 Tim 1:8-9; Heb 9:28; 1 Pet 1:5; Gal 5:16-21; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-32; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:5-17; 1 Pet 2:24; Tit 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1:5-9; 1 Jn 2:3-6,24-25; 1 Jn 3:4-10; Heb 3:6,14-15; Heb 10:23-31; Heb 12:1-2; Rev 21:8,27; Rev 22:14-15]

But there is another gate that the majority of people are entering, and sadly many of them are professing faith in Jesus Christ and are convinced that their salvation from sin and eternal life with God are secured them regardless of how they live. And this wide gate is open-ended, having no determined limit or boundary. And so many professing Christians have this mistaken idea that they can continue living life however they want to live it, for themselves, and not for God, and that heaven is still secured them.

But the wide gate and the easy way is all inclusive, and it is the opposite of narrow, and it is off course. So, it is not restricted and limited and controlled, and it does not require the following of rules and regulations. So it is also dishonest, untrustworthy, disobedient, immoral, adulterated, and mixed with the world. And sadly many professing Christians are on this easy path, entering through this wide gate, convinced they are on the right path.

But this is the way that many preachers (perhaps most) in America are teaching as the right way, and so it is the way that many (or most) professers of faith in Jesus in America are also following. For they are being told that they can “believe” (not usually biblically defined) in Jesus, have all their sins forgiven, have heaven guaranteed them, done deal, regardless of how they live from that moment forward. And that is a lie from hell! And what did Jesus say?


So, please take this seriously. The easy way is not the right way and the hard way is not the wrong way. But what is largely being taught today is that the right way is the easy way that the majority are following and that the wrong way is the hard way that few are following. But please know that if you are following the easy way and not the hard way that it will end in death, not life eternal, and you will not have salvation from sin, and you will not inherit eternal life with God, for you are headed to destruction.

[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; 2 Co 5:10; Gal 5:16-21; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:5-11; 1 Jn 1:5-10; 1 Jn 2:3-6; 1 Jn 3:4-10; Heb 10:23-31; 1 Pet 1:17-21; Rev 21:8,27; Rev 22:14-15]

Pray, Pray, Pray

An Original Work / September 6, 2012
Based off Various Scriptures

Pray that eyes may enlightened be,
So they may know Christ.
Pray that they may Him better know,
Strengthened by His pow’r.
Pray that they may grasp
How wide and long
And high and deep
Is Christ’s love.
Pray that they may be filled
To the fullness of God’s love.
Pray with thanksgiving.

Pray for an open door for me,
So I may share Christ.
Pray when the gospel is proclaimed –
Shared with clarity.
Pray words are given me so
I declare the gospel fearlessly.
I pray for you to be active
Sharing your faith, too.
Pray continually.

We oft not know for what to pray,
So we ask for help.
The Spirit intercedes for us –
Words cannot express.
Just keep on praying for the saints
With all kinds of requests to God.
Pray they may have faith to
Please their God in ev’ry way.
Pray with joyfulness.

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There are so many threads in this section about the woes and struggles of being single.

What's one thing - just one thing! - that you find you enjoy from your single status?

I'll go first.

I love being able to binge-watch TV shows, movies, Youtube videos, etc, without interruption

I think a common fear is the fear of total surrender to Jesus.


Letting go an allowing Him to take the wheel of your life.

The silly thing is that when He is in control the result is order rather than the chaos we fear. He is a God of order. We are safe with Him in control.

Being born again is about His presence coming into your life and making you into what you were created to be.

It is also a doorway to an exciting life that He always wanted us to enjoy.

You have nothing to loose and everything to gain.


Just tell him to come in and take control - say sorry for messing up your beautiful life with your own foolishness. We all did this. You are in good company.

We were designed to run on the spirit of life !!! We have been trying to drive on our own home made fuel and the motor has got clogged up.

Fill up with His Love and enjoy the ride.

There will still be steep hills but with Him it is a totally different and beautiful journey.

CNN —
Hunter Biden’s lawyers hope a recent federal appeals court ruling on access to firearms could help convince the Justice Department not to bring a gun-related prosecution against the president’s son, sources close to his legal team tell CNN.

The 3rd US Circuit Court of Appeals ruled on Tuesday that it was unconstitutional for a Pennsylvania man to be denied, under federal law, the ability to purchase a gun because of the man’s previous conviction for lying on a food stamp application.

In Hunter Biden’s case, federal prosecutors are weighing possible charges related to tax violations and to making a false statement related to a gun purchase.


In particular, investigators are looking at whether he lied on his 2018 application to buy a gun when he said he wasn’t a user of unlawful drugs. Hunter Biden has acknowledged his struggles with drug addiction.

Looking for testimonies, how did you gain your first revelation of God? You saw Him in nature, your secret thoughts revealed, God's love filled your heart, so scripture, then by faith presence actual and local, or you saw your guardian angel? Perhaps you came desperate in pain and were healed? And one revelation was built on another? Biblical examples, Abraham, Moses, Ezekiel, Peter, Paul and John.

And how did you receive power? What power is it?

COMMENTARY: Let your baby transform you like it has so many other mothers.

Each year for Pride Month, the sexual revolutionaries see how low they can go. For 2023, the prize goes to the UK edition of Glamour magazine, which presented on its June cover a photo of what it claimed was a pregnant man. I was all set to write an article stating that this article is pure propaganda, and everyone should disregard it. Then, I read the interview with Logan Brown, the allegedly pregnant man, as well as the letter she wrote to her newborn daughter. It broke my heart.

I discovered that she and her partner, Bailey Mills are not only both “non-binary.” They also have ADHD and are on the autism spectrum. Logan and Bailey are in their 20s, 40 years younger than my husband and me. I couldn’t help but look back over all the destruction the gender ideology has wreaked in our lives.

The gender ideology is the idea that the sex of the body is insubstantial and can be overwritten with enough medical, technological and social engineering. For me and my husband, the gender ideology meant that we were supposed to be “equal” in all things. In practice, this meant we had separate bank accounts. He was supposed to do half of all the household chores I considered important. We were each surprised every time one of us wanted something deeply different than the other.

I can honestly say, the first time it became real that men and women are different was when we experienced infertility. Being unable to conceive meant something very different to me as a woman, than it meant to him as a man.

Continued below.

Apart from TULIP, what are the highlights of Calvinism? What are the great quotes and chapters? I ask because I have a friend who likes parts of Calvinism, but doesn't believe in predestiny.

Calvinism has a hold on many fellows, one applied Jesus' sacred blood upon me, and I was at peace.

And there is Millard J Erickson author of Christian Theology, who holds to Sola Scriptura and disregards the Popes of old, so also the Nicene Creed. He does not interpret Peter's letters to mention Jesus' descent into Hell. He re-interprets them figuratively. Millard is a Calvinist.

What is Calvin's teaching on grace, what it is and if we receive it by faith...?

And does a baby have to be baptized in water to be saved in case of premature death?

I asked something similar in another post, but didn’t want to overcrowd it since this technically is a different question.

I understand now that Calvinism is not a denomination but a belief system. So my question is, is the Calvinist belief system, the only Christian belief system that denies free will? If not, what are the other(s)?

TAMPA, Fla. — A former U.S. Air Force intelligence officer was sentenced Thursday to three years in federal prison for keeping classified documents at his home and other unauthorized locations.
...
In 2017, law enforcement officers discovered that Birchum knowingly removed more than 300 classified files or documents, including more than 30 items marked top secret, from authorized locations, prosecutors said. Birchum kept these classified materials in his home, his overseas officer’s quarters, and a storage pod in his driveway.
...
There was no indication from investigators that Birchum ever distributed the classified material.

It looks to me as if Birchum did almost exactly the same thing that Trump did.

I have posted about something similar to this before, but just feel really drawn to seek advice around this so thought I would just share.

I am a bit confused as to how to feel about something...

Last Friday I went to bed later than I knew I should have at the time. I could have set my alarm later than I chose to as well, so did not allow myself as much extra time as I could have to get a little more sleep. I think I got around 4-5 hours sleep in the end over the night so not awful, but not ideal. I then drove to work as normal on the Saturday, knowing if I got buses in I would risk being late to open the shop I manage. In the day it occurred to me though that I could get buses home and leave my car somewhere until my next workday on the Monday. I felt this would be the most sensible, responsible, safest thing to do as even though I did not feel hugely tired, I have read on a number of websites that not getting a decent amount of sleep, especially under 5 hours, can considerably increase the likelihood of crashing, even if you don't necessary feel that tired. I really didn't want to get the bus home though, as the journey would take just over 2 hours, the fact I would have to find somewhere to leave my car over 2 nights and mainly because it would mean I would have to leave for work at around 7am on Monday when I usually leave closer to 8:30 (I have a set routine each morning, getting up around 1.5-2 hours before I leave for work, to get ready and also have time to pray for about half an hour. It unsettles me times it's not possible for me to have this prayer time in a quiet room at the start of the day, so the idea of getting public transport in early, especially at the start of the week, makes me a bit anxious. I could have just planned to get up at a time which would allow myself this time to pray before getting the bus, but this would mean being up at around 5am).

Anyway, in the end I did decide to just drive home, despite feeling it was the wrong thing to do. I felt guilty the whole drive, stopping along the way to look at bus options, thinking I could find somewhere to park my car on the journey and bus the rest of it. I always found a reason to just carry on though, despite still feeling guilty. I feel very bad that despite having looked up the risk of driving without much sleep many times before and so knowing it is not advisable, I still did so even though I had the option not to and so chose to risk hurting or even killing someone if I had crashed. I know God loves each of us unconditionally but I have since been somewhat anxious that considering I knowingly put others lives at risk, perhaps God will discipline me by now soon taking one of my loved ones away. I have asked for his forgiveness but felt cheeky to do so since I knew that at the time of making the decision to drive I felt guilty and I still don't know if I even regret it now and can definitely see myself doing the same thing again in the future. With all of this, feeling cheeky to ask God anything in prayer, I felt bad to pray the following day, the Sunday, although come to in the evening, feeling too worried to not considering I never miss them in a day. I've continued to pray each day since, but have continued to feel a bit uneasy doing so and cheeky, as I don't feel I can trust I am fully forgiven.

I know I can overthink and be over the top when it comes to some things but then, for example, the weekend prior a policeman had a word with me after seeing me doing my mascara whilst waiting at traffic lights - something I obviously also felt guilty about but differently, instantly knew I would never do again. But as I was told off, it shows that my actions obviously are at times very wrong and it is not just myself overthinking that they may be. Although this is obvious as I'm obviously only human so sin all the time. But it is getting to me the fact that although I feel sorry and very bad for having driven when I knew perhaps I shouldn't be doing so, I decided to take the option that, at the time, felt probably was not the right thing to do, knowing I was risking driving in a more careless manner, with potentially awful consequences and I don't think I feel sorry enough to feel sure that if I were in the same position in the future, I would opt to not drive and take buses instead. I also am worried for my loved ones, considering how I may be chastised.

Thank you for reading all this if you have got this far! If any thoughts jump to mind for anyone, I would be grateful to hear. Thanks so much, God bless.

Hi I am new to the forums here, but am not a new follower of Christ. I love the Savior and am grateful for His grace and mercy that I receive daily. One of my favorite scriptures from the New Testament is in Matthew 19:26: "But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible." It is very comforting to know that I have a loving God that is on my side. I know that God wants us to succeed and be happy and that He will help us in our daily endeavors. I have seen miracles in my life from prayer. I have seen myself and others healed of ailments that were not possible without divine help. I am grateful for a God who is involved in the details of our lives as we open ourself up to him. As we open ourselves up to Jesus, all things are possible through faith in His name. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Our current political system is a train wreck coming from both sides.

Not that is is possible, but are you open to compromise.

I would be willing to (from politics) eliminate Trump Jordan and Gaets if my Democrat friends would be willing to eliminate Biden, Nadler and Schiff.

These six are the biggest source of hatred and division.

This will never happen, but I thought it was an interesting hypothetical

I thought last month was lousy, but so far, June has really been much, much worse.

Everything has hit the fan, so to speak. The A/C system went to smithereens. $500 for a service call, only for the guy to tell us that the system is shot and needs to be replaced. Heaven alone only knows how much that'll cost. The window on my wife's vehicle went out; we had to get that repaired in case it rains.....we can't park it inside, because the garage is packed with the contents of my son's room, which is in the basement and suffered a surge pump malfunction back in March and has to be re-done---drywall, carpeting, paint, etc. Insurance is picking most of that up, but it's going to take them until the end of June to get it all done.

Last Sunday I took a spill from a bicycle and skinned up my left knee---an injury that should be left to 8-to-10 year olds; the day before yesterday I got hit with extreme vertigo and nasty nausea. Ended up in the ER last night because of it. They determined it's nothing major, gave me a bunch of drugs for it, killed the nausea, but this morning I'm still pretty loopy. Momma has to pick up a prescription for me later today to combat it. VA, fortunately, will pick up the tab for the hospital visit.

And just now, Momma came home from taking the dog to the vet and said that somehow or other, we are overdrawn at the bank.....last she looked, we had $3000.00 in there, now we have less than $200.00. She's on the phone right now, trying to figure out how this took place. $200.00 is not going to get us through the rest of the week, let alone the rest of the month.

I don't know. I'm a 100% disabled veteran on a limited income; I cannot keep up with the constant round of major repairs and malfunctions that keep happening, one right after the other. I need a break so I can build some of my income back up.

Does this look about right to the rest of you?

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Tim Mackie does a great job describing creation of the old testament. In its original context. Below are supporting passages:

He [Marduk] established the holy heavens. . . Creator of the earth above the waters, establisher of things on high… who made the world’s regions… He created “places” and fashioned the netherworld.
—Enuma Elish Tablet VII:16, 83, 89, 135

To him who spread out the earth above the waters, for his loyal love endures forever.
Psalms 136:6

Bless the Lord, my soul! Lord my God, You are very great; You are clothed with splendor and majesty, Covering Yourself with light as with a cloak, Stretching out heaven like a tent curtain. He lays the beams of His upper chambers in the waters; He makes the clouds His chariot; He walks on the wings of the wind;
Psalms 104:1‭-‬3

And God said, “Let there be a dome in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.”
Genesis 1:6

God made the dome, and separated the waters which were below the dome from the waters which were above the dome; and it was so. God called the dome heaven. And there was evening and there was morning, a second day.
Genesis 1:7‭-‬8

And God said, “Let there be lights in the dome of the sky to separate the day from the night; and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years,
Genesis 1:14

In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, on the seventeenth day of the month, on that day all the fountains of the great deep burst forth, and the windows of the heavens were opened.
Genesis 7:11

the fountains of the deep and the windows of the heavens were closed, the rain from the heavens was restrained,
Genesis 8:2

And God said, “Let the waters bring forth swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the face of the dome of the sky.”
Genesis 1:20

And he dreamed that there was a ladder set up on the earth, the top of it reaching to heaven; and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. And the Lord stood beside him [or stood above it] and said, “I am the Lord, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and to your offspring;
Genesis 28:12‭-‬13

“You shall not make for yourself a divine image with any form that is in the heavens above or that is in the earth below or that is in the water below the earth.
Exodus 20:4

and they saw the God of Israel. Under his feet there was something like a pavement of sapphire stone, like the very heaven for clearness.
Exodus 24:10

He has described a circle [earths shape] on the face of the water between light and darkness. “The pillars of heaven tremble, and they are astounded at his rebuke.
Job 26:10‭-‬11

Can you, like him, spread out the skies, hard as a molten mirror?
Job 37:18

Hast thou with him spread out the sky, Which is strong, and as a molten looking glass?
Job 37:18

can you join him in spreading out the skies, hard as a mirror of cast bronze?
Job 37:18

Have you entered the storehouse of the snow, or seen the armory of the hail,
Job 38:22 NET
God stores his weapons and mana in storehouses to help the isrealites in battle, and to give gifts to His people.

So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day.
Joshua 10:13

Yet in all the world their line goes out, and their words to the end of the world. In them he has pitched a tent for the sun,
Psalms 19:4

Yet he commanded the skies above and opened the doors of heaven,
Psalm 78:23

He causes the clouds to arise from the end of the earth, makes lightning bolts accompany the rain, and brings the wind out of his storehouses.
Psalms 135:7

To him who spread out the earth above the waters, for his loyal love endures forever.
Psalms 136:6

Praise him, highest heavens, and waters above the heavens. Let them praise the name of Yahweh, because he commanded and they were created. And he put them in place *forever and ever*, by a decree he gave that will not pass away.
Psalms 148:4‭-‬6

Praise Yah. Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty firmament.
Psalms 150:1

and all the host of heaven shall rot. And the skies shall roll up like a scroll, and all their host shall wither like the withering of a leaf from a vine, or like the withering from a fig tree.
Isaiah 34:4

It is he who sits above the *circle* of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers; who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them like a tent to live in;
Isaiah 40:22

Over the heads of the angels there was something like a dome, shining like crystal, spread out above their heads.
Ezekiel 1:22

And above the dome over their heads there was something like a throne, in appearance like sapphire stone; and seated above the likeness of a throne was something that seemed like a human form.
Ezekiel 1:26

And I looked, and look! On the dome that was above the head of the cherubim something like a stone of sapphire, and like the appearance of the shape of a throne it appeared above them.
Ezekiel 10:1

He made strong the skies above, When the springs of the deep became fixed, When He set for the sea its boundary So that the water would not transgress His command, When He marked out the foundations of the earth;
Proverbs 8:28-‬29

The sky vanished like a scroll rolling itself up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place.
Revelation 6:14

After this I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven! And the first voice, which I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet, said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.”
Revelation 4:1

“Where were you at my laying the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you possess understanding. Who determined its measurement? Yes, you do know. Or who stretched the measuring line upon it? On what were its bases sunk? Or who laid its cornerstone,
Job 38:4‭-‬6

The earth and all its inhabitants are shaking; I steady its columns. Selah
Psalms 75:3

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For the pillars of the earth are the LORD's, And he hath set the world upon them.
1 Samuel 2:8

Elaborate circles of sand and pebbles have been spotted off the coast of a Japanese island.

Prior to 2011, these strange, mandala-like circles found under the shallow sea were a mystery, and the identity of their architects was anything but expected.

They are constructed for an annual mating ritual by male white-spotted pufferfish, reports Japanese news. The 15-centimeter-long fish use their little fins to excavate the series of trenches during the mating season.

It takes the animal around 3 weeks to complete the sand mandala spawning nest, after which they escort the females there.

Continued below.

Is it right to remove bibles from elementary school libraries?

As you may have heard or seen in the media a Utah school district has voted to remove the bible from elementary school libraries because of inappropriate and violent content. Is that the right thing to do?