What If peaceful attendees were welcomed in by capitol police as they opened barricades for entrance, then welcomed them with escourt for a capitol tour?​

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NPR​

Capitol Police Suspends 6 Officers, Investigates Dozens More After Capitol Riots​

February 19, 2021

"The investigation into the January 6 attack remains under investigation. Our Office of Professional Responsibility is investigating the actions of 35 police officers from that day. We currently have suspended six of those officers with pay," the department said in a statement.

Capitol Police Acting Chief Yogananda Pittman further directed that any member whose behavior is not in keeping with the department's Rules of Conduct "will face appropriate discipline."

The department "has been actively reviewing video and other open source materials of some USCP officers and officials that appear to be in violation of Department regulations and policies," she said on Jan. 11.

Videos from the day of the attack appear to show some officers escorting rioters inside the building. In one video, USCP officers can be seen opening barricades allowing the mob to enter the Capitol complex without resistance.

Let proposition P1 = Paul demanded all Christians to keep the weekly Saturday Sabbaths.
P2 = Paul did not demand all Christians to keep the weekly Saturday Sabbaths.

Between 0 and 10, how much weight do you put on each of the above propositions?

Are you willing to bet based on your weighting scheme?

Demonstrate the strength of your belief by betting according to your Subjective (Bayesian) Probability.

For my logical reasoning on this topic, see:

• Did Jesus break the Sabbath?
• Should we keep the Sabbaths?
• Two kinds of Sabbath rest
• Did Abraham observe the Sabbath day?
• Pray that your flight will not take place in winter or on the SABBATH

In an email to Hunter and Archer on Nov. 2, 2015, one month before the speakerphone call, Pozharskyi explicitly demanded that they use their influence to “close down” the criminal investigation against Burisma.
Archer also is expected to detail other speakerphone meetings in his testimony, including a dinner at a restaurant in Paris where Hunter whipped out his phone and put his father on speaker to impress prospective investors.
Sonny’s go-to party trick
Hunter performed the same party trick as many as two dozen times in Archer’s presence, the Long Island-born father of three is expected to tell congressional investigators under oath.
Another former business partner, Tony Bobulinski, recalls Hunter offering to get his father on the phone during a meeting by the pool at the Chateau Marmont in LA.
“I am also aware of other Biden family business associates confirming that Joe would take phone calls from Hunter in the middle of business meetings and would weigh in via speakerphone,” says Bobulinski.
I just don't think Joe's statement about never discussing Hunter's business dealing with Hunter is going to stand.

We recently had a shooting in Central Auckland - the perpetrator shot two fellow workers then took his own life.

It was a tragic and alarming event.

However in our country, the indigenous spiritual elders visited the site and pronounced a blessing and a cleansing of the site.

What does the Christian world think about this - no such move is made by Christian leaders.

Are we missing something ?

I got a hone call tnight from a man I met at one of the two churches I attend. (Both churches consider me to be a member but that is not the ot here) The man told me that he needed money to get home, and was calling me to ask if I could help.

A mnth ago, I underwent a surgery Eerything went fine But as a part of the recovery period, I cannot work and make any extra money. Normally, there are many charities here which I try to help, and noramlly, I would have HAD money to get the guy home. But because I am not working, I have nothing.

Now do not worry about me. I have an insurance policy that covers my bills.
Pray not for me, I am fine Pray for those that I cannot help.

The pastor at one of the churches I attend understands my situation and how I cannot give any money to help others because I have no extra money to help others

But tonight when someone called and I had no money to help him... I lost it. I sad down and cried
Not for me, but for him.

Now my surgery was a success. I will be back to work soon enough and making money to help others But today, I feel like a failure Someone called and asked me for help, and I could not help him. I feel like a failure. but That is not the prayer request. Pray for those whom I cannot help, for they need it far more than I do.

So, I'm coming back to these forums for the first time since 2017 or 2018. A lot has changed in my life since then for the positive and I'm in a much, much better place mentally than I was all those years ago. Glad to be back!

I started doing faith based counseling in 2021 and was diagnosed with C-PTSD shortly afterward. Getting this diagnosis was a HUGE blessing, as it allowed me to not only get the help I very badly needed, but it also gave a name to what it was I'd been dealing with for most of my life and showed me that I wasn't beyond fixing. Unfortunately, this is a condition that doesn't get much attention in the mental health world as it should and I believe there are many, many people out there who have it without realizing it. Can anyone else relate?

St Ignatius of Antioch was a Bishop in the early Church circa 108/140 AD. He was a great saint and explains early Church thinking on the Jewish Sabbath.


From St Ignatius of Antioch's letter to the Magnesians


United in one prayer and one hope, in joy and holiness


Since I have met the persons I have just mentioned and seeing and embracing them I have seen and embraced your whole congregation, I exhort you — be zealous to do all things in harmony with God, with the bishop presiding in the place of God, and the presbyters in the place of the Council of the Apostles, and the deacons, who are most dear to me, entrusted with the service of Jesus Christ, who was from eternity with the Father and was made manifest at the end of time. Be all in conformity with God, and respect one another, and let no man judge his neighbour according to the flesh, but in everything love one another in Jesus Christ. Let there be nothing in you which can divide you, but be united with the bishop and with those who preside over you as an example and lesson of immortality.


Just as the Lord was united to the Father and did nothing without him, neither by himself nor through the Apostles, so you also must do nothing without the bishop and the presbyters. Do not attempt to make anything appear right for you by yourselves, but let there be in common one prayer, one supplication, one mind, one hope in love, in the joy which is without fault, the joy that is Jesus Christ, than whom there is nothing better. Hasten all to come together as to one temple of God, as to one altar, to one Jesus Christ, who came from the one Father, and is with one Father, and returned to one Father.


Do not let yourselves be seduced by foreign teachings or by old and worthless fables. If we continue to live according to Jewish law then we are simply showing that we have not received grace. Look at their holy prophets: their lives were filled with Jesus Christ and inspired by his grace to teach doubters that there is one God, and for this they were persecuted. That one God manifested himself through Jesus Christ his son, who is his Word proceeding from silence and in all respects was well-pleasing to the One who sent him.


You see how the followers of the ancient customs have come to a new hope. They no longer rule their lives by the Sabbath but by the Lord’s Day, which is our day also, the day on which also our life sprang up through him and his death. Though some deny it, it is by this mystery that we received faith, and for this reason also we suffer, that we may be found to be true disciples of Jesus Christ our only teacher. If all this is true, how can we possibly not give him a place in our lives, since even the prophets were his disciples in the Spirit and looked forward to him as their teacher? They waited for him in righteousness, and when he came he raised them from the dead.

I am in the process of scouting out colleges for my son, and we have looked at a few schools. But it is difficult to assess these institutions

Can anyone recommend a good Christian college? Ones that are reasonably affordable, relatively conservative, etc?

I consider myself a Christian, and know I have stuff to work on like most. I just moved, and transferred my job which is getting very stressful, but its hard to find jobs that I am interested in that are off on weekends especially Sunday. Trying to either switch shifts to see if that helps, or find a better job so I can at least go to Church on Sundays instead of working. I'd like to get baptised at some point, but its tough working Sundays.
I had a vasectomy years ago, cause my wife and I decided we didn't want kids. A big part of that is my wife was told by a DR. she might not pull through a pregnancy. Her parents both disabled when I met her, and so we travel, cause you never know what life will throw at you. I know the bible says to reproduce, and not to be selfish. I didn't really know that stuff when I got the vasectomy, and didn't know how evil this world was until a few years ago. I pray for forgiveness for my actions all the time. I avoid DR's and Hospitals as much as I can, cause I'd be dead from misdiagnoses years ago, but posted my symptoms on Facebook for a family member to tell my my uncle had the same symptoms at one point in his life, and it was BLACK MOLD, but they told me I had to be on a diet. I weighed about 130-150lbs at that time. I had a lot of pain in my knee for a while at one point in my life, and also had a lump. After a while I decided to grab a knife, and cut the lump off. Pain went away immediately, but had no blood or puss. So I started digging a little, and removed a blood clot. So many things have happened in my life where I look back, and am like how am I still Alive? But its all glory to the King (GOD.)

List of things I have been through: Fell off a motorcycle at around 4 years old, and that DR. Said I was close to dying that day. Been hit by a pickup truck while biking on a sidewalk at 15. Refused medical treatment even knowing I couldn't stand on my right leg. Drove down a mountain with no brakes due to a brake line rusting out.

I believe the Devil has it out for me, but GOD is STRONGER. I once stepped on the gas pedal, and my foot got stuck behind the brake pedal forcing the gas pedal down, and I was approaching a hair pin turn at about 45-55mph. I freed my foot right before the turn, and cut the turn sharp. I yanked the e-brake, and had to be a godly force saving me that day, cause the car was in the other lane, and the car just slid into the lane I was supposed to be in after the e-brake which seems strange. Skid marks about 1 and a half feet from the guard rail = back end had to be super close to the guard rail, and than would've been about a 15ft drop if that miracle didn't happen.

God has serious plans for my life, but I am still trying to figure out what that is.

Laughing in the face of Killer Goombas can pay $80,000 plus free house!

To any and all sabbath day-keepers out there, I have three questions to which I would like to have answers:

1. Do I have to keep the 4th commandment faithfully in order to be saved? (Yes or No, please.)

2. Heb 7:12 speaks to a "change of law" that is necessary. Do any of you know what the new law is that replaced the old?

3. Can medical professionals who must work on the sabbath perform that good work for pay? (Yes or No, please.)

There are times I've found myself in some heated debate or controversy regarding what the Word of God does and does not say regarding some moral or ethical issue. This is what I found bizarre: There have been times when I would advance some assertion in logical terms ("A implies B / A / Therefore B") and those who disagree with me would rebuke me not because my logic was flawed but apparently because I am using logical thought processes at all!

Has anyone else experienced this? We use logical thought processes when examining technical literature, game rules, or solving a mystery. Why then would it be inappropriate to do the same with the Word of God? Perhaps this can help us understand who we are dealing with whenever we encounter this kind of thing. I'm likely not the only one who has encountered this.

...

Washington Examiner​

FBI confirms there was no insurrection on Jan. 6​

August 20, 2021

The Cambridge Dictionary defines “insurrection” as: “an organized attempt by a group of people to defeat their government and take control of their country, usually by violence”

By that definition, there was no “insurrection” at the United States Capitol on Jan. 6, according to the FBI. Reuters reports:

The FBI has found scant evidence that the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol was the result of an organized plot to overturn the presidential election result, according to four current and former law enforcement officials.

"Ninety to ninety-five percent of these are one-off cases," said a former senior law enforcement official with knowledge of the investigation. "Then you have five percent, maybe, of these militia groups that were more closely organized. But there was no grand scheme with Roger Stone and Alex Jones and all of these people to storm the Capitol and take hostages."

I have this ongoing issue with watching any show or movie with my fiancé (will be married in a couple months) involving female nudity. We try to avoid the really gratuitous stuff but it seems like it’s in everything now…when it comes up I get really upset, and oftentimes angry with the situation/people who made the content in the first place.
My fiancé has told me that it doesn’t really ‘do anything for him’, that there’s no reason I should feel insecure, etc. He also has been making it a point to either look at me or at his phone during these moments. I really appreciate him.
But there are moments where he can’t look away without missing important content. Like if something is happening in the story and there’s also a very scantily clad woman also in the scene.
For some context, I have never had a very healthy relationship with sex. I grew up in the church with very mild-mannered parents who would answer questions if they ever arose but made it a point to keep their children away from that content for a long time. I started struggling with sexual desires when I was about 12-13 and instead of realizing that some of it was actually a normal part of growing up, I felt absolutely disgusted with myself. I spent several years being absolutely disgusted with myself for all of this, and as I grew up more and so did the content I was allowed to watch, I personally found myself very stimulated by any sexual content in movies or shows. And then I’d feel disgust and shame.
It wasn’t until recently (I’m 26 now) that I’ve been able to learn how to embrace the healthy sides of sexuality…but if something comes up while I’m with my fiancé, I get so protective, angry, and upset. Like if we’re on the beach and a woman is in a little bikini…I just feel so small, even though he really does his best not to look.
My fiancé was not a Christian until about 5-6 years ago. He engaged with hookup culture, and partied a lot in college, although he has also told me that for the majority of that time he was in committed relationships and so was not hooking up, also there was like 1 woman to every 14 men at his college. It was a very small school. I have also struggled a lot with his past, but do my best to put it to the side because it’s not fair to him to hold his past over him now.
I went on a couple dates in college/shortly after graduating but I never kissed anyone. I sent some photos I should not have sent. I’m not in the clear either and I know that.
My fiancé and I have been together for about 3 years now. At the beginning of the relationship I was adamant that I was waiting until marriage to have sex. My now-fiancé respected this. We still did some things that we probably shouldn’t have done. We did end up starting to have sex a year and a half into dating. I knew I was taking a risk but by that point we were 98% sure we’d be getting married. I’m not saying I’m not a sinner, because I am.
I’ve always been insecure about the fact that he’s been with other women. He had promised me he does not think about any past sexual moments with them. I’ve had some very unstable moments of breaking down over the pain these thoughts bring me, which in turn makes him feel terrible, because he can’t undo his past. It still hurts sometimes, but has gotten so much better.
I don’t want to continue to bring this issue into our marriage. I don’t want to have an issue any time we watch something with nudity. Like I said, we try to avoid it, but there are some really good shows that involve it. Like we’re watching Yellowstone right now and there was nudity. He made a point to look away for most of it. But I looked it up and there’s some more that will be coming up. I plan to tell him generally what kind of scene is coming up and just ask him to look away. But I also don’t want to be crazy, here.
Advice and wisdom is appreciated…I want to forgive his past. I want to be less bothered when these things come up. It hurts me and then I hurt him by making him feel terrible for his past. It’s not healthy.

The title is bad. He didn't just say he won. He actually won.

I guess you can't "try that in a small town," either.

I just moved and now I'm having to look for a new church, there is a KJV independent fundamental baptist church literally 2 blocks away from me but.. as is common for protestant denomination churches they are dispensationalist pretribulationists.

ever since meditating on Romans 11 for a significant amount of time, I can't take dispensationalism seriously anymore.
However because of meditating on Romans 11 for a significant amount of time I can't take Ammillenialists who parrot off "we're spiritual Israel, the church replaces Israel" seriously either.

Israel as branches of the olive tree were broken off from unbelief, and we, the wild branches, were grafted into the tree, but Paul says God will lift the blindness from Israel and they will be grafted back in.

So it's not a replacement, nor is it 2 separate plans. John in Revelation 7 makes a distinction between the 144,000 of the tribes of Israel, and the great multitude from every tribe, tongue and nation. I think there's a difference but it's not so hard line as dispensationalists tote.
Why is it so hard to find a church that doesn't swing to either extreme on this issue?

God does whatever he does, Isaiah 45:

9“Woe to those who quarrel with their Maker,
those who are nothing but potsherds
among the potsherds on the ground.
Does the clay say to the potter,
‘What are you making?’
Does your work say,
‘The potter has no hands’?
10Woe to the one who says to a father,
‘What have you begotten?’
or to a mother,
‘What have you brought to birth?’

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God used Satan to demonstrate the power of the cross, 1 John 3:

8 Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.

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If you are not on Satan's side but on God's side, you are okay, Romans 8:

28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

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See also the developmental/changing role of satan.

The summer of 2023 has been one of the hottest on record, with temperatures soaring well above average in many parts of the world. This has led to a number of extreme weather events, including heat waves, droughts, and wildfires. These record-breaking temperatures are a sign of a warming planet caused by climate change.

The Earth's average temperature has increased by about 1 degree Celsius since the late 19th century, and this warming is expected to continue in the future.
The impacts of climate change are already being felt around the world, and they are expected to become more severe in the years to come. These impacts include rising sea levels, more extreme weather events, and changes in agricultural yields.

To reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate the effects of climate change will require a concerted effort from governments, businesses, and individuals around the world.
Record-breaking heat events that have occurred in 2023:

• June was the hottest June on record globally.
• July 4 was the hottest day on record globally, with temperatures reaching 115 degrees Fahrenheit in Death Valley, California.
• The first two weeks of July were the hottest two-week period on record globally.
• More than 100 people have died in heat waves in the United States and India so far this summer.

These record-breaking heat events are a clear sign that the Earth is warming, and that climate change is having a real impact on our planet. We need to take action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate the effects of climate change, or the consequences will be severe.

The words "soul" and "spirit" in the Bible are polysemantic and ambiguous and their meanings overlap. Here I am interested in their distinctions.

Hebrews 4:

12 For the word [logos] of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

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What does logos separate?

it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit joints and marrow it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

The soul is likened to joints while the spirit is likened to marrow. The marrow produces blood, and life or animation is in the blood. The spirit directs the soul which controls motions.

The soul is likened to thoughts and the spirit is likened to attitudes. One's attitudes determine the kinds of thoughts one would like to think on. Again, the spiritual attitudes direct the soul which determines his thought life.

This describes the central role of the human spirit over his soul. The spirit is supernatural because it connects with the indwelling Spirit. In this context, they are distinct.

1 Thessalonians 5:

23 May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

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It is useful to think of the soul and spirit as different parts/faculties of a human being.

Sometimes I like to daydream about what I would do differently if i had the ability to change something. So what would you change?

It's not only emasculation by words from trolls off and online but by acts as well. Asian men are less likely to contribute to the gene pool than other men cause women for some reason don't see Asian men as masculine enough whether it's size or the babyface looks that is stereotyped in the media. Should I just get over it and accept it as reality and that there is no racism we face. Did God make the Asian man to be alone forever in this fight? Seems like I'm getting attacks from both the left and right wing media. One is making jokes about my masculinity the other is probably doing the same on top of criticizing my motherland, the land that God created for us. I'm not trying to make this a part of cancel culture, political correctness, or woke ideology, but are Christians telling me that the situation I'm in I should just accept it? That God created Asian man to be bossed around by other people and put women above Asian men vs other men? I just don't know what to do. Discuss.

Please pray Jesus Christ would carry out the following scriptures for you and us(Jung-won, Ui-seop, Ha-young, Ye-young, Eun-tae, In-sook):

“Plead with the Lord of the Harvest that he speed workers out to gather in his harvest.” ; ”The harvesters are angels. The Son of Man will send forth his angels, and they will collect out of his Kingdom all the things that cause people to sin and all the people who are far from Torah. and they will throw them into the fiery furnace…” ‭‭

Parashot: “D’varim” (Words) DEUTERONOMY 1:1-3:22


We start the final book of the original 5 books of the Torah, in which Moshe wrote down all the statutes, commandments, precepts, details, etc. that Adonai dictated to him to write. We must remember that Am Israel received the first 10 commandments directly from the mouth of Adonai, written down in stone, and given to the people, as a form of “Ketubah” or “marriage contract. Later, Adonai called Moshe back up to the mountain and there, dictated the rest of the Torah, the rest of the 603 commandments which he wrote down on the scrolls.

The word "Deuteronomy" comes from the Greek; "Deutero" which sounds like "duo" or "two" and "Nomos" which means "law" or "Torah". So, Deuteronomy, or Devarim is the "Second telling of the Torah" The Torah contains all the commandments.

603 were written down by Moshe, yet dictated by Adonai, and 10 were dictated and written by YHVH himself. All in all, we must conclude that ALL the TORAH comes from YHVH, whether directly or indirectly written. This book of Deuteronomy is the last. Moshe began writing it, and it was probably finished by Yehoshuah (Joshua) or another leader.

The book relates the travels and experiences that “Am Yisrael” took and went through in 40 years’ time. Moshe retells the experience somewhat as a father would relate to his son. Let’s say that father and son travel across the USA for 6 months, then, perhaps 10 years later, the father would remind the son of their trip by remembering their “experiences” “Remember son, the time when we were traveling through Texas and, well, you insisted in exploring that abandoned house, even when I said it would NOT be a good idea…….”

And...the time my own father told me; "Jimmy, stay away from the wasp nest" but Jimmy went close anyway, and Jimmy got stung" (This really happened, I think in 1961 or 62) And dad said; "I told you!"

The father tells both the good experiences and the bad experiences, the times when the son obeyed and the times when the son disobeyed. Moshe is doing the same thing. This is similar to last week’s parashah “Masei” (journeys) in which Moshe relates the journeys of Israel.

He reminds the Israelites (The second generation) of the failure to trust in the LORD, when 10 of the 12 spies returned with a negative report, from scouting out Canaan (The first generation. Now, the first generation has been buried). Perhaps he is saying; "Don't do as your fathers did!" "Trust in the LORD! He will provide and protect." The second generation also came out of Egypt, but they were under 20 years old then.

An interesting midrash is the difference and similarity between two words; “D’varim” (words) and “D’vorim” (bees) One could say that the words that Moshe spoke to the Israelites were like the “stings of bees” and after giving this message, a little later on, Moshe went up Mt. Pisgah a died, just like when a bee stings, it leaves the stinger in the victim and dies.

What can we learn from the beginning of D’varim? Are we mature enough to receive rebuke? From elders? From others who are in authority? When a believer or even a non-believer is rebuked, it is for his or her own good, either to bring that person to the knowledge of Messiah Yeshua or to turn that person from error to walk in harmony with the Torah.

Moshe tells the people the words of Adonai: “YHVH your Elohim spoke to us in Horeb saying “You have dwelt long enough in this mountain…turn you and take your journey…. (1:6)

It seems that the people of Israel were in their “comfort zone”. They were at Mt. Horeb. Perhaps they wanted to stay right there, yet it was NOT the promised land. It was where they received the Torah, it was where they received instruction, but now they have to go to where Adonai wanted them to be. It's like being part of a University. We are there to learn, but graduation day comes and we get our diplomas and then "move on" to the "job world" to put into practice what we have learned. But when we learn from the Torah (Bible) we put into action what we learn, yet continue to learn. Learning from God's Word is a never-ending experience

It is interesting that the word “Horeb” is written without a “vav”. The word “Horeb” in Hebrew has only three letters; “Chet” “Resh” and “Beit”. These are the same letters that spell out the word “Sword” which is “Cherev”. So we have “Chorev” and “Cherev” The only difference is the vowels “o” and “e”. Is there a “Remez” here? A symbolism? The sages say that in a way, Moshe is telling the people; “You have received the Torah at “Chorev” now, continue on towards the Promised Land, the Land of Canaan, and put into practice the Torah. If you disobey, a curse will fall upon you and the “Cherev” (the Sword) will pursue you. So, it is either “Obedience” which you learned from the Torah at “Chorev” …or…the “Cherev” will destroy you for “disobedience”. OR...we can look at this in a positive light. The WORD of God is also called the SWORD of the LORD. Do we know how to use it? We can use it to cut, or it can cut us. (two-edged sword).

Now, the Israelites were right at the border of Moab and Canaan; the Jordan River separated the two nations. It was time to leave their “comfort zone” and “cross over” and conquer the pagan peoples, and lay claim to the land! They had fought giants before, you know, the bigger they are, the harder they fall, especially if Adonai “falls” them.

Remember that it all starts in Egypt (Mitzraim) the land of “restriction”, Moshe leads them out, symbolizing a sort of Messiah, leading them to Mt Sinai, they receive the Torah, for 40 years they undergo instruction, go through both “good times” and “bad times” sometimes, “very bad times” when YHVH chastised and killed many of them for disobedience and rebellion. Yet now, it is time for the promise to be fulfilled, the “Promised Land”

We go through the same thing in our lives. We start out being liberated from our “Egypt” we are liberated from the “lost world and the ways of the lost” by accepting Yeshua as our Messiah and LORD. We grow in faith, in spiritual maturity, or…perhaps fail in our relationship with YHVH, going through valleys and dark places, yet always emerging into the light of Torah again. Sometimes we get comfortable in one place, or doing one thing, yet, God is saying…” turn now and take your journey” or “Continue your journey and continue to grow in faith, expose yourself to different “stuff” “situations” yet always trusting in HaShem.

Shalom

Ben Avraham