My son and his family are moving. I went over there to visit before they move. I felt a very negative force surrounding me. Then I looked over at a stack of books--all pertaining to witchcraft, spell casting, etc. I've always felt a negative feeling when I used to visit, but this was stronger.
My granddaughter already says things like "I'm making a spell" when she plays with her toys.
Please pray for deliverance from witchcraft for my DIL and the entire family.
Thanks,
C J

having a complicated day, please may I ask for a prayer, thank you for any prayers

The elderly mother of the wife is very ill with pneumonia(Iin serious condition) and taken to hospital and they are running tests to see
what is wrong. Currrently on machines and the Drs don't know if she is going to get through it ok.
And the husband turns to the wife and asks, "How long do you think you are going to be here because I am tired?"
Wife is very worried and on her own.
Husband says, ""l'll go wait in the car because I am very tired. Let me know by text what you are going to do
otherwise I'll go home" I have work tomorrow".
Wife eventually texts him and tells him she doesn't want to leave her mother until they find her mother a room
Husband leaves.
Meanwhile, wife's brother comes and is supporting his sister.
Husband leaves
Wife finds her way home by taxi and gets home at 3am.

Another case
Wife goes into hospital for cornea(eye) transplant.
Husband comes to visit and stays 10 minutes
Wife really needs his support.
She tells her husband, later, "I wish you could have stayed a bit longer
I really needed your support today"

Husband replies
"I couldn't cope and I went away to gamble"

Do you think the husband is non-supportive
or do you think he needs time out and it's ok if he doesn't cope so well.

Trump on Trial: A Model Prosecution Memo for Federal Election Interference Crimes
July 13, 2023

This model prosecution memorandum (or “pros memo”) assesses federal charges Special Counsel Jack Smith may bring against former President Donald Trump for alleged criminal interference in the 2020 election. The authors have decades of experience as federal prosecutors, criminal defense lawyers, and other legal expertise. We conclude that the evidence likely now meets Department of Justice standards to commence a prosecution.

Do any actions disqualify a person from being president?

The 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution prohibits anyone who has engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the United States from holding public office. The clause was written in the aftermath of the U.S. Civil War and makes no mention of other crimes.

Wiki:

Utilitarianism is a family of normative ethical theories that prescribe actions that maximize happiness and well-being for all affected individuals

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From the utilitarian viewpoint, God is not an absolute necessity for morals. However,

the theological utilitarians had the option of grounding their pursuit of happiness in the will of God; the hedonistic utilitarians needed a different defence.

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Why is it a popular belief amongst religious people that morals have to come from god?

Christians believe that man by nature is sinful and no good, Mark 10:

18 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone.

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Nature itself does not command or demand people to be moral. Do you think that the origin of morality can be explained from a natural worldview?

Yes, to some extent. It is called utilitarian ethics:

Utilitarianism promotes "the greatest amount of good for the greatest number of people." When used in a sociopolitical construct, utilitarian ethics aims for the betterment of society as a whole. Utilitarianism is a reason-based approach to determining right and wrong, but it has limitations.

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Is religion necessary for morality?

No, but it may work better if there is a righteous God who holds everyone accountable. Let me be clear: I am not promoting Utilitarianism. I am a Christian who loves Jesus. Christ is the standard for me.

I hope this FoxNews video counts as an article, it's a video article?

Anyway, this is a great video of an awesome video of a cartel submarine being captured by the Coast Guard.
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A branch whiplashed him in the eye when he was on the golf cart. He can’t see anything out of that eye now and the iris of the eye is a completely different color now. Asking for prayers that it’s nothing that is going to cause long term issues.

Thanks!

After Jacob wrestled with God in Genesis 32:

27 he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.” 28Then he said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed.” 29Then Jacob asked him, “Please tell me your name.” But he said, “Why is it that you ask my name?”

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That might be a preincarnate appearance of Christ. His name was not disclosed.

Many centuries later, before Samson was born in Judges 13:

17 Manoah said to the angel of the LORD, “What is your name, so that, when your words come true, we may honor you?” 18 And the angel of the LORD said to him, “Why do you ask my name, seeing it is wonderful [H6883] ?”

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That also might be a preincarnate appearance of Christ. Again, his name was not disclosed.

A few centuries later, Isaiah prophesied Messianically in (Aramaic Bible in Plain English) 9:6

Because the Child is born to us, and the Son is given to us, and his authority was on his shoulder, and his Name was called The Wonder [H6382] and The Counselor, God, the Mighty Man of Eternity, the Prince of Peace [and The Father of Eternity]

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With the word "Wonder", Isaiah seemed to link the coming Messiah with the angel of the LORD who spoke to Manoah.

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭30:4

Who has ascended to heaven and come down? Who has gathered the wind in his fists? Who has wrapped up the waters in a garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is his son's name? Surely you know!

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Again, there was the mysterious name.

Jesus spoke to Nicodemus in John 3:

12 If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 13No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man.

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Jesus seemed to be alluding to ascending and descending from heaven in Pro. 30:4.

A good case can be made that Jesus had some preincarnate interactions with some people on Earth. Back then, he ascended and descended from heaven and his name was wonderfully mysterious

Hosea 11:

1 “When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt, I called my son. 2 But the more they were called, the more they went away from me. They sacrificed to the Baals and they burned incense to images.

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Hosea was talking about the rebellious nature of the Israelites.

Matthew cites Hosea out of context in Matthew 2:15 and applies it to Jesus:

[Egypt] where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: "Out of Egypt I called my son."

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Did Matthew quote Hosea out of context?

Yes, I think so according to our modern sense of scholarship.

One can find quite a few such instances where the NT writers didn't cite the OT scriptures properly. What were they thinking?

In Jewish hermeneutics, there are four levels of interpretive principles:

1. Peshat is the simple, obvious, literal meaning of a biblical text.
2. Remez (hint) is the typological or allegorical interpretation.
3. Derash digs deeper to search for the intent of the divine author of the text.
4. Sod unveils the secret mystical meanings.

Context does not deter one from searching for the deeper truth. Moreover, Jesus encouraged his disciples to read the Messiah into the OT, Luke 24:

25 He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.

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Did Matthew quote Hosea properly?

Yes, according to Jewish hermeneutics.

Another case can be found when Jesus quoted Isaiah in Luke 4:

19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

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Here is the original context, Isaiah 61:2

to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor and the day of our God's vengeance, to comfort all who mourn

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Jesus didn't continue the verse and mentioned God's vengeance because the year of the LORD'S favor and the day of our God's vengeance are two distinct and separate events. They are his first and second comings.

Did Jesus quote Isaiah properly?

Yes, according to Jewish hermeneutics.

Paul did similarly in 1 Cor 9:

9For it is written in the Law of Moses, “You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain.” Is it for oxen that God is concerned? 10Does he not certainly speak for our sake? It was written for our sake, because the plowman should plow in hope and the thresher thresh in hope of sharing in the crop.

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Did Paul quote Moses properly?

Yes, according to Jewish hermeneutics.

But then there is the even deeper level that I haven't heard a lot of people acknowledge, which is, this is yet another reminder that science is mostly fake. And not that scientism or the politicization of science or whatever other squishy language the more centrist, kind of, people want to grant. But the whole endeavor, the whole endeavor of the scientific revolution, the premise of which is that reality is fundamentally physical, that is flawed. It's not true.

He goes on to thumb his nose at a roomful of strawmen, while generally eroding the concept of objective truth.

I tried to find a place for me But I couldn't... Im tired of churches where the lasers, drums, emotions are in the center, churches which doesn't understand difference between prozelitism and evangelism, with 50 minutes sermons full of jokes, full of blind fanatism and conspiracy theories. I left definitely Evangelical Christianity because of that. I respect evangelicals for many things, I became Christian in Evangelical Church too But I'm tired of this kind of Christianity and don't see there my place anymore

I was looking in more traditional churches like lutheran, reformed but unfortunately where I live (Europe) many of them are very liberal, with homosexual pastors, woman bishops etc. And I tried even accept this but I feel very often this churches are more focused on LGBT and Feminist movements than Gospel, you can sometimes find more posts about Pride than Bible in their social media.

So at the end I started to learn more about anabaptism and "proto-protestant" churches (it means Waldensians, Lollards/John Wycliffe and Hussites/Moravian). They are more focused on the Bible I feel, on simplicity, peace, all things I support, also more traditional than Evangelical, with structurized services, sermons etc. But I could be too beautiful to be real Mennonites are very small group in Europe and they represent mostly more liberal part of anabaptism (woman pastors etc). Waldensians today exist only in Italy and Argentina So this is only more like some "exotic" interesting thing rather than real option. At the end Lollards and John Wycliffe is what I was looking for but Lollards doesn't exist today, teaching of John Wycliffe was continued by Jan Hus and then his followers in Moravian Church existing today, now Im considering to join them but again problem is that they are small group in Europe, in my country not even one congregation. Also they have woman clergy in all level - deacons (which I accept and support) But also pastors and bishops (here is problem).

I don't know if I am the problem because I have unreal expectations to looking for a church which will be both based on christian tradition rather than "contemporary worship" and at the same time focused on Gospel and mission and will be conservative without homosexual and female bishops But at the same time not fanatic?

Or maybe its really not easy to find good church today...

This should be more widely shared , as a piece of apologetics.

One of the most succesful hacker groups in history is the turkish “ayyildiz team“

Their victories are legendary!
It has hacked Israel’s iron dome.
It put a turkish flag on a Russian ministry website.
it even hacked UN.
It hacked famous twitter accounts,including US state department accounts.

So when you look at it’s conquests they don’t waste on irrelevant minnows.

iIt makes it all the more amazing that

One of its targets was a small hidden church in Buenos airies , whose only claim to fame was three eucharistic miracles , the first of the modern group.

it blocked the site “ parroquiasantamariacaballito.com.ar“ for years. Now online again.

It seems the devil knows what is an important threat, even if christians and Catholics don’t!
the devil does not want you to know!
But neither do most Catholics I speak to!

People should be alarmed at the actions of our State Department.

The link is to an article about a Harvard Professor named Francesca Gino who was a celebrated researcher in Behavioral Sciences. She is now being accused of faking much of her research.

My question: Is the fact that she was caught an indication that the system is working to vet published research, or is it an indication the system is broken?

What is the right thing to do if a woman requests an abortion but during the procedure the baby ends up outside of her body and still alive? If a woman has the right to refuse to reproduce, and the baby is offered treatment as with any other live birth, has the woman's right to reproduce been violated?

Somewhat related:
If technology progresses to the place where a baby/collection of cells* can be removed early and implanted in another woman (or a bonobo?), would that affect the ethics of killing the organism in utero as opposed to extracting it and implanting it? Or the woman's right to reproduce (or not)?


*Attempting to use neutral terms

** I believe abortion is wrong in nearly all cases but hopefully the thread won't become a generic abortion thread

Without writing a novel here, I just want to praise our Father in Heaven for His faithfulness.

if we are faithless,
He remains faithful,
for He cannot deny Himself. (2 Timothy 2:13)

I have been a Christian most of my life. Started off in an Independent Fundamental Baptist Church, experienced God in a surprising new way and transitioned to Pentecostalism where for a brief time I was even a credentialled minister. But I fell away due to sin. My wife also fell away.

Well unexpectedly about 18 months ago, the Lord came to me in the middle of the night and reclaimed me. That morning I woke up and knew something was different, couldn't quite put my finger on it at first but I felt lighter and had hope. It didn't take long to realize that Jesus had forgiven me and delivered me. I turned and looked at my wife who was still sleeping and instantly I felt in my spirit the words, "I'm coming for her next!"

Well I told my wife what had happened and while she told me she was happy for me, she steadfastly refused to believe. Things seemed to get worse over the next few months as she veered ever so dangerously towards apostasy. But then just this last Sunday (about 18 months later), almost unexpectantly, she told me that she had reconciled with God! She said she wasn't entirely sure what to make of it, or really anything of the fashion, but she had prayed with her mother and she would start following Him again.

Our Heavenly Father is so good man. He is sooooooo good to us!

The following is from GotQuestions:

Simply put, to justify is to declare righteous. Justification is an act of God whereby He pronounces a sinner to be righteous because of that sinner’s faith in Christ. According to one theologian, “the root idea in justification is the declaration of God, the righteous judge, that the man who believes in Christ, sinful though he may be, is righteous—is viewed as being righteous, because in Christ he has come into a righteous relationship with God” (Ladd, G. E., A Theology of the New Testament, Eerdmans, 1974, p. 437).

Properly understood, justification has to do with God’s declaration about the sinner, not any change within the sinner. That is, justification, per se, does not make anyone holy; it simply declares him to be not guilty before God and therefore treated as holy. The actual change toward holiness in the sinner occurs with sanctification, which is related to justification but, for definition’s sake, distinct from it.

To witness is to see what God sees.

To bear witness is to tell it how it is.

This is not to be relegated to "mental health".

I was healthful in noting that I was witnessing.

I was healthful in noting that I was bearing witness.

Galatians' justified, being made righteous or deemed righteous in chapter 2 verse 17 is being spoken in the subjunctive mood. The mood of possibilities not the indicative, as a done deal, a fact. This is shown by the use of the word "might" in verse 16, in the clause "might be justified (made righteous)" as in not yet but can happen in the KJV. Couple that with verse 17 where it says, 'while we seek to be justified'. This is being spoken in the Infinitive mood. This is brought out by the use of the words "to be" as in not yet but to be. This shows us here in Galatians that justified, being made righteous or deemed righteous in Galatians is not a done deal it is a process. This justification (being made righteous) is not of ourselves but out of the faith of Christ and can only be done through us believing INTO Christ as verse 2:16 states. For we who have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ as verse 3:27 states and Romans 6. And we are not children of God or Justified by OUR faith but by the faith of Christ which we partake of in Christ having put Him on. Because we have His spirit as verse 3:2 states. And this is stated in relation to verse 2:20 where it says we are dead but live. Yet NOT US but Christ Jesus. And the LIFE WE now LIVE is BY THE FAITH OF the Son of God who gave himself. If we are living by the faith of Christ we are living by His spirit. For being In Him and He in us we are seeking to be justified, made righteous.

Living through Christ and His faith; the way He believed we are made righteous, But if we are found sinners while we are seeking to be made righteous, justified is Christ the minister of sin since we now have Him in us and we in Him? God forbid! How shall we who are dead to sin live any longer therein. If I build, sin again after it has been destroyed,Vs. 2:17 the old man being crucified with Him, that the body of sin be destroyed I make myself a transgressor.

We now live in the flesh through the Faith OF the Son of God, 2:20 For it is written, the Just shall live by His Faith not through the flesh and it's works. So let not the things of the flesh be once named among you. Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. So we can not do the things that we would. Amen
Gal 2:16 Knowing that a man is not justified by (OUT) the works of the law, but by (THROUGH) the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in (INTO) Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by (OUT OF) the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
Gal 2:17 But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid.
Gal 2:18 For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor.
Gal 2:19 For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God.
Gal 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
Gal 3:26 For ye are all the children of God by (THROUGH) the faith in Christ Jesus.
Gal 3:27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
Gal 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
Gal 3:29 And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

Rescued One seems to be missing in action. She hasn't posted since June 28, when she posted recipes in the Cooking forum. This is very unlike her. Has anyone heard from her or is in e-mail contact with her?

John 7:37-39 ESV


If any of us thirsts, if any of us desires earnestly and longs for and yearns after what? Maybe we don’t even know what. Maybe it is just that empty feeling or that sense that something is missing or it is that lack of fulfillment and that sense that there is something more to life than what we have experienced. Perhaps it is that sense that we are not complete, that there is a void somewhere that needs to be filled, and nothing has yet satisfied, and so we are searching for meaning to life.

If that is where you are, Jesus is saying to come to him and drink. So, what does that mean? Drink what? Drink from his well of salvation. And what does it mean here to drink? It means to swallow, and to swallow is to accept, to believe, to trust, to have faith in, to take into your life. And biblical faith is of God, it comes from God, it is gifted to us by God, and it is God-persuaded, and it is not of our own doing, not of the flesh nor of the will of man. For it is God-defined and God-determined faith. And faith = obedience.

[Eph 2:8-10; Heb 12:1-2; Jn 6:44; 1 Co 10:1-22; Heb 3:1-19; Heb 4:1-13; Acts 5:32; Tit 2:11-14; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14; Eph 4:17-32; 1 Jn 3:4-10; Lu 9:23-26; 1 Pet 2:24; 1 Co 6:19-20; 2 Co 5:15,21; Matt 7:21-23]

So, since our faith comes from God and is gifted to us by God and it is God-persuaded faith, then that faith is going to take on the character of God, and it is going to be according to the will of God, and not according to the will of man. And it is the will of God that we die with him to sin, not just once, but daily, that we deny self, and that we follow him in obedience. And it is God’s will that we walk (in conduct, in practice) according to the Spirit and not according to the flesh and that we honor God with our bodies.

So, to believe in Jesus Christ is not something we can create in our own minds and hearts, especially not for the purpose of making up our own gospel and creating our own salvation message. For by God-given faith in him we are crucified with Christ in death to sin, and we are raised with God to walk in newness of life in him, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. And now we must walk according to the Spirit and no longer according to the flesh, if we want eternal life with God.

And when we hunger and thirst after the Lord and for his righteousness we will be filled. Out of our hearts will flow rivers of living water. Out of our hearts will flow love for God and for his word, for our lives no longer belong to ourselves, but to God, and now our purpose in life is to serve him and to do his will, and not our own will. Now God will dwell within us in the person of the Holy Spirit, and we will have salvation from sin and eternal life with God, but provided that we continue in those walks of faith and obedience.

And the Scriptures teach us that, “The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks” (Luke 6:45 ESV). And “out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a person” (see Matthew 15:17-20). So, our hearts reveal where our true devotion lies and whether or not Christ is truly in our hearts.

And Jesus taught us that, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’” Matthew 7:21-23 ESV

[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]

Seek the Lord

An Original Work / July 20, 2012
Based off Isaiah 55

“Come to Me all you who thirst; come to waters.
Listen to Me, and eat what’s good today,
And your soul will delight in richest of fare.
Give ear to Me, and you will live.
I have made an eternal covenant with you.
Wash in the blood of the Lamb.”

Seek the Lord while He may be found; call on Him.
Let the wicked forsake his way, in truth.
Let him turn to the Lord, and he will receive mercy.
Freely, God pardons him.
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,”
declares the Lord, our God.

“My word that goes out of My mouth is truthful.
It will not return to Me unfulfilled.
My word will accomplish all that I desire,
And achieve the goal I intend.
You will go in joy and be led forth in peace.
The mountains will burst into song… before you,
And all of the trees clap their hands.”

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Does the current version of the teachings of Calvin forbid commending one's peers (individually, when in need) to the providence of Christ and Holy Spirit?

Wasn't Calvin reputed to be laissez faire? That when there is a prayer request one ought to just say, "it'll work out"?

Are one's peers in need, God's providential gift to us also?

That they are in need, doesn't mean they don't have insight? That they have insight, doesn't mean they are not in need?

"I thank Thee O God that I am not a loser like that loser over there"?

Has the wrong kind of literalism made a materialist kind of moralising into the deciding principle (now that it is no longer badged "prosperity gospel")?

Is faith really "pragmatism" debased into manoeuvring?