Please note - the AP has determined that the Tweet upon which I based this OP was fake and I fell for it. My only excuse is the case made about the extra space and my own viewing of the John Cornyn holiday Tweet in the blue section.

How did Ted Cruz respond to the latest mass shooting? By Tweeting* boilerplate that was copied, pasted and edited like a Mad Lib. We know this because there's a extra space after "horrific".

And the fact that he's* done it 12 times before.

*Most likely this is his social media person. We know he uses one because "he" once sent the exact same Tweet as John Cornyn.

What will tomorrow bring? And Monday? And Tuesday? Wednesday? Thursday...

I would like to apologize for my arrogant poem. I hope all of you are doing well. God bless you.

...

Operation Lone Star continues to fill the dangerous gaps left by the Biden Administration's refusal to secure the border. Every individual who is apprehended or arrested and every ounce of drugs seized would have otherwise made their way into communities across Texas and the nation due to President Joe Biden's open border policies.
The Biden border policies are madness and the human toll due to human trafficking and drugs are staggering. Democrats are going to have to unite to stop this. Texas alone will not be enough.

It is interesting writing prisoners. Each is of course unique in how they are accepting their situation. One prisoner that I am writing is named Gregory, and he comes across as very intense, but with a mind that is more childlike than adult. Not sure how far to go with this. Writing is a good vehicle for communication, but it does have some drawbacks of course.

He likes to write many small letters, mostly about one paragraph long, in big letters that look like a child’s handwriting. The writing is not cursive. Yet at the same time, when he writes on a serious note, he shows that there is a lot going on in his mind and heart.

When he writes about his faith in Jesus, he can share some profound insights in a very simple way, which only adds to the beauty of his words. His faith is simple, and direct, and seems to be constant for him. He does speak of struggles of course, and the burden of living in a prison with many different types of men. Some are very violent and need to be avoided. I do worry about him. He has an openness that is not present in the other prisoners that I write to, though they too are men who are seeking a deeper understanding of their faith.

Gregory is having some health problems, and he is having serious problems with one of his eyes. He has diabetes. He is in a special program, but they do not have it where he is at, so he is expecting to be moved soon to another prison.

I do not ask the prisoners why they are in prison, though some do tell me. Gregory has not told me but states that he will be out in a few years. Some of the men I write to are in for a long time, or even for life without parole.

Once you begin to know what their lives are like, and how they got into prison it quickly takes away from any simplistic judgment about what kind of people they are. I am not naïve, many in prison deserve to be there, even for life, but some, well I think it serves no purpose if they are not a threat to others and have proven that they can deal with the issues that brought them to prison in the first place.

When thinking about some of the situations that have led to a prison sentence, could in fact happen to just about any of us. Passions can run high in the human soul, which can lead to a spur-of-the-moment choice that can destroy more than one life.

I do fail in how I write to prisoners. Sometimes I let too much time go by before I respond. Working on that, but sloth is one of my struggles. Yet when I write, it does something deep in me that I do not understand. I think it is because no matter how limited communication can be by writing, it makes the men incarcerated real men and women. Though I have written one woman for a short time. It is mostly men who write to monasteries hoping someone will write to them.

One of my friends on Facebook contacted me for an address for one of the prisoners I wrote about. The prisoner was overjoyed and looks forward to letters from this loving person. He only has a couple of people writing him.

The older I get, the less I understand about life. Yet I am also at peace with that. Not sure it is just about getting answers, but more about living, helping, and growing in the ability to show compassion, and yes empathy for others. Still working on that.-Br.MD

Hi, I have been reading about Carl Jung, the swiss psychoanalyst and his inroads into christianity....the main critique I have read is by Leanne Payne, who didn't agree with the uncritical use or mixing of Jungian theory with Christian teaching on spiritual formation. However I already have read some of that through Morton Kelsey, who Payne was sharply critical of. And I don't feel comfortable reading more of Kelsey. There are other writers though and I am not sure about them, eg. John A. Sanford (son of Agnes Sanford). The issue seems to be does their Jungianism overshadow their Christian faith. The main problem Leanne Payne had with Jung was the neo-gnosticism in his writings. I was wondering whether or not John A Sanford might be a safer guide than Morton Kelsey??

Mason argued for the states option because "no amendments of the proper kind would ever be obtained by the people if the government should become oppressive," wrote another Virginian, James Madison.

Oppression is what we have now, Levin says.

"I see that as we move further and further away from constitutional government with more and more power centralized in Washington, DC, more and more power centralized in the Democrat Party," he said." You see the Democrats in Congress doing things the Framers could never have dreamed of: When they have a Democrat president, they can further legislative power to that president. When they don't, they try to destroy the Republican president who's in office.

Levin: Backing Convention of States is a no-brainer for conservatives

A move is under way, perhaps a quiet move, to give more governing authority to the man or woman you're prone to see at church, the grocery store or the community 4th of July fireworks celebration.

afn.net

It is obvious that Congress is not going to reform itself. Ross Perot was so right about health care for all Americans, he said that if you want a good health care system make sure your servants in Washington get the exact same health care plan. Likewise we see members of Congress getting wealthy in the stock market because they have an advantage over you and I. We can certainly MEET to discuss crucial matters, whether or not amendments can be passed is another story--but we need to try. The framers of the Constitution were so wise in giving us two methods to amend our U.S. Constitution.

Not Every Man Will Be As Dumb As Marcus Silva​

This controlling behavior didn’t stop during the divorce proceedings. Before she moved out, Silva went digging through Brittni’s phone and purse, and discovered that she was pregnant and seeking an abortion. Her two best friends, Amy and Jackie, had allegedly offered to help her get abortion pills. Silva got in touch with Jonathan Mitchell, the architect of Texas’ bounty-hunter abortion ban, who helped Silva file a lawsuit. It made a rather extraordinary claim: He sued his ex-wife’s two friends for wrongful death, demanding $1 million from each, claiming that the terminated pregnancy was a child, his child, and that they had caused its “murder.”

Silva is not the first man to use the courts to further his alleged abuse of a woman who was trying to escape his control. Domestic violence experts have coined the term “litigation abuse” to describe the tactic of using protracted, frivolous, and repeated lawsuits, unnecessary motions, and invasive, harassing discovery demands as a means of prolonging contact with victims and inflicting further distress and expense on them. Frequently, abusive litigation is pursued in the aftermath of a victim’s successful attempt to leave the relationship. It has the effect of maintaining the abuser’s control, and of punishing the victim for trying to escape it. This is exactly the strategy Silva deployed.

Now, with abortion bans on the books, abusers have a powerful new ally in their quest to inflict suffering, isolation, and private control over women: the state.

It was only after Brittni’s abortion was complete that Silva revealed he knew about the plan and, according to the lawsuit, threatened to turn her in if she didn’t submit to his continued abuse.

What happens now to Silva? While nothing that Brittni, Jackie, or Amy did was illegal, his own alleged conduct most assuredly was. According to the counterclaim, he repeatedly accessed Brittni’s password-protected phone without her consent, reading messages between the women that were meant to be private. Under Texas law, that’s an actionable invasion of privacy. Silva’s alleged snooping also violates Texas’ Harmful Access by Computer Act, which prohibits unauthorized access of any computer (including a smartphone). By showing photographs of Brittni’s text messages to the police, Silva inadvertently “admitted that he committed a crime in violation of Texas Penal Code.”

(see also)

My 21yo son broke up with his 3rd gf over a year ago and is "afraid" to date again because he doesn't want to break another girl's heart. He is a Christian and has only dated to identify a suitable wife. In each case, big issues arose about 1 yr in. By then, hearts were invested as it was difficult to guard their hearts for that long. He really listens to our advice. What advice can I give him. "Get back on the horse" isn't working...☹️ TYIA

There is an ongoing war in Sudan, I think some Christians are still in the Country and the situation seems bad. Please pray for an end to the war

"In reality, they're not after me they're after you I'm just in the way." - Donald J. Trump

Come'on President Trump, we represent the Body of Christ (be that honorable mention or not). Though we are a target, we are not thee target. They see neither what they are after nor why, we are just the most vulnerable, so they trample every legislative hindrance to remove our earthy salt and light in the world. But what they're after and may not see is to remove the Creator/King of kings himself by none other than the spirit of error himself.

Weapons of Their Warfare

Thoughts?

So who is the little horn of Daniel 8 prophecy? Is it symbolic of Rome or is a prophecy of Antiochus Epiphanes IV?

Here are some interesting opposing views of why it is Antiochus Epiphanes and why Antiochus Epiphanes is Not the Little Horn of Daniel 8...

"reasons why the little horn of Daniel 8 must be Antiochus. Here are some of them:

1. The little horn of Daniel 8 is a Greek horn. Unlike the little horn of Daniel 7, which emerges from the Roman beast, this horn is said to emerge from one of the four horns upon the Greek beast. It is crystal clear: while the horn of Daniel 7 emerges from the fourth world empire, the horn of Daniel 8 emerges from the third world empire. This fact is so plain and transparent that one can only wonder why some have overlooked it.

2. One of the first things that the angelic interpretation says about the little horn is that he is ??a king of fierce countenance?? (v. 23). According to the traditional Adventist view the horn represents a kingdom, namely the Roman Empire. It is hard to see how a kingdom could have ?a fierce countenance? and ?understand dark sentences.? The angelic interpretation allows no misunderstanding.

3. This king emerges from one of the fourfold divisions of the Greek Empire. ?Out of one of them came forth a little horn?? (v. 9). Antiochus emerged from the Seleucid horn which was a division of the Greek Empire. Rome did not; it emerged on the Italian peninsula to the west of the Greek Empire.

4. The horn would arise ?in the latter time? of the fourfold division, which pictures well Antiochus?s emergence. The fourfold division of Greece had passed the peak of its power when he emerged, and this is evidenced by the humiliation he suffered at the hands of the Romans while on his way to invade Egypt.

5. The horn would attack the south and east and the pleasant land i.e. Palestine. Antiochus did exactly that. However, when Rome came to power, it expanded in all directions including west to Britain and north to the germanic tribes. This little horn is clearly not Rome.

6. The horn would be noted for his cunning and intrigue. He would ?understand dark sentences? and ?cause craft to prosper? (v.25). Antiochus was renowned for his craftiness and cunning; Rome more for her brute strength and power.

7. The horn would destroy the mighty and holy people. History reveals that tens of thousands perished as Antiochus attempted to force the Jews to deny their faith.

8. The horn would take away the daily sacrifices (v. 11). Antiochus put a stop to the sacrifices for a period of over 3 years.

9. Antiochus ?cast down? the place of God?s sanctuary (v. 11) when he shut down its daily ministry and set up the abomination that caused horror, i.e. the image of Zeus Olympias, and slaughtered swine on the altar of burnt offering. The importance of the sanctuary service lay not so much in the building as in the daily sacrifices and offerings, and by taking these away Antiochus ?brought low? (NIV) God?s dwelling place.

10. Antiochus continued for approximately (possibly precisely, it is impossible to determine) 2300 days (v. 14) i.e. from the first attacks upon the sanctuary to his death in 164 BC. One of the world?s leading conservative scholars stated, ?In this year (i.e. 171BC) began the laying waste of the sanctuary. The termination would then be the death of Antiochus (164BC).?[2]

There is no convincing fulfilment of the 2300 days in the history of the Roman Empire and only by a fine-spun linking of the Roman Empire with the Roman church, and a further fine-spun linking of Daniel 8 with Daniel 9 (these two chapters are historically separated by at least 10 years) can Seventh-day Adventists arrive at a closing date for the 2300 days. This date is October 22, 1844 when Christ is said to have shifted his ministry from the first apartment of the heavenly sanctuary into the second to begin a work of judgment.

11. In his desecration of the sanctuary and his persecution of true believers, Antiochus did ?practice and prosper? and ?was exceeding great? (v.9 & v. 12).

One of the major objections to Antiochus as the fulfillment of the prophecy is the fact that he was a relatively minor player on the stage of history. It is sometimes asserted he is not big enough to fulfill the prophecy. This objection fails to take into account the simple fact that this particular prophecy centers primarily on the fate of the people and religion of God. The great theme of this vision is an unprecedented and successful attack upon the saints and true worship. It is IN THIS SENSE that Antiochus practices and prospers and becomes exceeding great.

Another important point is that there is much to imply that more than Antiochus alone is portrayed here. Almost all conservative scholars agree that Daniel 8 portrays Antiochus as a type of the final antichrist. Many believe that the prophecy will have a further, fuller and final fulfillment in the future.

12. That Antiochus is the little horn of Daniel 8 is convincingly confirmed by a comparison with the final vision of chapter 11. This final vision covers much the same ground as chapter 8. Various Persian and Grecian kings, including Alexander the Great, are referred to, but all are dealt with briefly in just one or two verses. As the vision moves towards its climax, Antiochus is once again centre stage, and no less than fifteen full verses are devoted to him (see 11:21-35). Antiochus is clearly no minor player in this vision. There then follows an almost imperceptible blending of Antiochus with the one whom most conservative scholars consider to be the final manifestation of evil (see v. 36 onwards). It is clear, then, that this Old Testament tyrant, in his overt and unbridled opposition to the true God, his truth and his people, is a remarkable and fitting type of the even more horrifying figure of the antichrist to come."....

Why the Little Horn of Daniel 8 Must Be Antiochus Epiphanes

Surprised nobody's talking about this.

“Daniel never intended to harm Mr Neely and could not have foreseen his untimely death,” said the statement from the attorneys, Steven Raiser and Thomas Kenniff.

A trained marine could not forsee that strangling someone can cause death? Don't make me laugh.

Did you watch the Coronation of Charles III?

A little bit of good news here in Canada; we are starting to see some availability on reloading components. We have had a pretty good availability of powders for a number of months. Projectiles are available, but not always the exact ones that individuals prefer. Primers were spotty and way over priced, however, in the last few weeks, we have been seeing shipments of Campro (Ginex from Bosnia) arriving, mostly small pistol and small rifle, and in the last week, some large rifle and pistol as well. Prices in most stores are < $100.00/1000; I got some small pistol for $85.00/1000.

Since our government lets us have a few firearms to use them in, our community is a bit happier.

We are also seeing more surplus ammo again from Eastern Europe and China, and .22 ammo mostly from Europe, but a bunch of Federal and a bit of CCI is becoming available again. Prices on .22 are 40% -80% higher than pre covid. Comercial CF ammo is still hard to find, pistol ammo is about double or more than it was, but since I reload, this does not affect me at all.

Are things starting to improve elsewhere?

Eph 5:2 And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour(G3744).


savor (savour)
G3744
ὀσμή
osmē
os-may'
From G3605; fragrance (literally or figuratively): - odour, savour.
Total KJV occurrences: 6

Does "savor" in English mean Olfactory or gustatory or both？Why Be the Lamb(Yeshua)'s fragrance of Death the most favorite of HaShem? HaShem likes to "Eat" His Only Son and us as an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour?

2 Corinthians 2:15 For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish:

阿凡提拜訪巴依老爺。巴依老爺正在燉雞。阿凡提聞到了香味，就說：“真香啊”。巴依說：“雞的香味是雞的一部分，所以要付錢”。阿凡提拿出一袋錢幣，晃蕩蕩作響，巴依伸手要接。阿凡提問：“聽到了嗎？”，巴依說：“聽到了”。阿凡提說：“錢的響聲是錢的一部分，所以我已經付過錢了”。

Avanti visited the Land Lord Bayi. Bayi was stewing chicken. Avanti smelled the fragrance and said, "It's really fragrant." Bayi said, "The aroma of chicken is part of the chicken, so you have to pay. "Avanti took out a bag of coins, swaying and making a noise, and Bayi reached out to pick them up. Avanti withdrawed the bag and asked, "Did you hear the sound of coins?" Bayi said, "I heard" . Avanti said, "The sound of money is part of the money, so I have already paid for the aroma of chicken."

Did anyone celebrate Cinco de Mayo? It's said that the defeat of the French at the Battle of Puebla affected our Civil War. In 1862, the Mexican government was pretty much bankrupt. It owed mucho dinero to European creditors, especially Great Britain, France, and Spain. Britain and Spain struck deals to eventually get paid. But the French emperor, Napoleon III, had a different idea. At that time, the US Confederacy was doing well against the Union forces. With better weaponry, the southern states might win full independence. Also, France wanted cotton, which the CSA could supply. But the Union blockade prevented such trading. So if the French could establish a foothold in Mexico, they could get cheap cotton, and the Confederacy could get modern weapons and ordnance. So in early 1862, France invaded Mexico. But on May 5, the French forces were soundly and unexpectedly defeated by a rag-tag Mexican army at Puebla. Which is southeast of Mexico City. A year later, France ultimately did prevail and occupy Mexico. But by then, the Union army was beating the Confederates. And it was likely that the CSA's days were numbered. Cinco de Mayo is much more celebrated in the US than in Mexico. If France had won the battle of Puebla in 1862, the US might be 2 separate nations today. Which is kinda is as far as politics. goes. But that's off-topic.

Video Talk

Matthew 15:1-20 ESV


There are two sides to man-made worship of God, both of which are based in the teachings of the doctrines of human beings and not largely in the teachings of Jesus and of his New Testament apostles. One side is the one the Pharisees were on which has to do with legalistic requirements that are of human traditions and that have nothing to do with morality or telling the truth or with love or kindness, etc., but which have to do with going through the motions of religious performance via what is external, not of the heart.

On the other side are those who are claiming to be opposed to legalism but they have gone the way of libertinism, which has to do with being lax in holding on to moral principles, and which is more permissive and lenient with regard to sinful practices, especially in matters of sexual immorality, it appears. But, although they claim to not be rule followers, like the legalists, they still have rules, they just don’t call them rules, but the rules give leniency with regard to continuing to live in sin, especially without guilt.

And they have rules, too, about not doing or saying what they consider to be offensive to the people of the world, who they are trying to attract to their gatherings. And so they say things like, “Stay in your own lane,” which means “mind your own business” and “don’t get in anyone’s face,” and “don’t talk about sin and obedience, because that offends people.” And if you are one who is holding on to the truth of the gospel, they might encourage you to go someplace else where you will be a “better fit.”

So, man-made religion is not just about legalism, but it is anything that is created in the minds of human beings and that deters from the truth of the gospel as Jesus taught it and as his New Testament apostles taught it, in context. And it produces followers who are followers of man who give lip service to the Lord but whose hearts are far from God. For they are following after the teachings of human beings over and above the teachings of Christ and of his NT apostles.

So, what is happening big time in the institutional market-driven “churches” (businesses) here in America is that they are diluting and altering the character of God/Jesus Christ and the character and truth of the gospel so as not to offend the people of the world and the flesh of humans. And so their leaders are the blind leading the blind, and both are falling into a pit which is sending them to hell on the promise of heaven and eternal life. And they are trying to get us to follow them in their hypocrisy.

So, we need to know that what is most important is that we love the people of this world enough to tell them the truth of the gospel even if it offends them. Now, don’t be brash. Be kind. Be loving. But do not dilute or alter or hold back on telling people the truth, which is the whole counsel of God that Jesus and his NT apostles taught. Do not hold back out of fear of what they will think of you, or out of fear of offending them, and out of concern that they may not like you. Tell them the truth, but say it in love, but please don’t water it down out of fear of offending them.

Login to view embedded media Caution: This link may contain ads

Should I Not Preach Jesus

An Original Work / July 4, 2013
Based off 1 Corinthians 9:16-10:13

Woe to me should I not preach Jesus.
I’m compelled to preach the full gospel.
I make myself a slave to ev’ryone
To win their hearts to Christ.
All this I do for my Lord Jesus,
And for the sake of His Name;
Do it for the sake of His gospel,
So that I, its blessings gain.

Scripture notates the sins of others;
Written down for us as examples
To keep us from setting our hearts
On evil as did those of old.
Do not worship other gods of man;
Do not give your hearts to them;
Not partake in immorality.
Do not test your Lord and King.

So, be careful if you think you are
Standing firm in your faith in Jesus.
God has given his word to warn us,
So through faith we will not fall.
No temptation has o’ertaken you
Except what is commonplace.
God is faithful to not let you be
Tempted past what you can bear.
He gives the way of escape.

Login to view embedded media

Basically I cannot move most items alone anyway. I cannot do Door Dash et al because every time my son and I have 2 cars, one dies. This has happened 3 times now.

Nobody volunteers these days unless they get something. Which is ok, I give a credit for clothes, discounts etc etc.
But they never last.
My sales have taken such a severe nose dive the last year or so.
Gas bills are way too high. I had to pay $174 for keeping it 40 degrees when I didn't open in Jan which was warmish BTW.

I made it a moving sale because the guy across the street who was nasty to me [talked stuff - lies of any sort just to close me] for asking if his girlfriend was ok, would feel smugly superior for 'closing me' as he promised he would do. I just do not think people like that should give themselves high fives for doing such things.

I don't know what to do now, but I guess I will refigure it and try to find a grant or such to build back up to do it from another angle?

I honestly wanted to help homeless children since college.
But I cannot do it if I am homeless.

Pray I figure things out and that the Lord help me know what direction I should go.

PRAY I sell all I need to sell ASAP.

Some say that God's alleged "eternal decree" encompasses everything in creation to the extent that God ordains everything, even down to the movement of the least subatomic particle, and that his decree, because it is eternal, precedes creation, thus effectively meaning that everything from the quantum uncertainty for each and every particle and up to the whole universe in its grandeur and slow movement are predetermined by God completely. Do you believe that?

My Uncle has Pancreas Cancer and needs healing.

My Brother Doc needs healing after his surgery

My Brother Greg needs prayer for cancer treatments.

O’ Sweet Life
by Zane Chandy

You wish to be like everyone else.
Some experience heaven, while you experience hell.
A lot has been lost in your passionate fight,
O’ sweet life, why does it smite?

You look around and stands every corner,
someone out to get you, though you’re a loner.
The nerve of those that possess an unearned life,
O’ sweet life, why does it smite?

You see the beauty within the light,
and then comes darkness and lack of sight.
Where is God with all his might?
O’ sweet life, why does it smite?

O’ sweet life, why does it smite?

O’ sweet life, why does it smite?

NYTimes
This is after the lawyer representing a number of witnesses neglected to tell their clients about the immunity deal the DA had offered. To wit:

This doesn't bold well for those the Georgia DA has her sights on. Fake electors were part of the scheme given Trump's statement of, “Just say it was corrupt and leave the rest to me and the Republican congressmen.” They don't offer immunity if the value of the information doesn't warrant an immunity offer. Not only that, I would bet dollars to donuts the attorneys representing those witnesses who weren't told about the immunity offer, are being paid for by Trump. That is if donuts don't already cost more than a dollar?