Veni said:

the greatest task in life is to find reality. better the hard truth than comforting fantasy.

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By that, do you intend, the 'practical now', as opposed to the 'sweet by-and-by'?

For that matter, practical as you may be, when you are gone, what will you have gained? But what I look forward to is indeed comfort, and that is practical for now. But better, it is happiness now, which all my efforts in this life cannot give me. THAT is practical now!

But don't think it is my being saved/ secure that gives me this comfort and happiness. It is being helpless in the face of God's infinite power and purity, so that I am completely at his mercy. That's the safest place to be. And if it is not safe, it is still happiness to acknowledge and enjoy his power and purity.

Maria Billingsley said:

Well I guess if one chooses not believe the most informed, "Doctors Without Boarders ", then there is no need to continue to convince.

FYI

MSF staff and patients are wasting away as mass starvation spreads across Gaza

More than 100 organizations are sounding the alarm and demanding the entry and distribution of lifesaving aid.

www.doctorswithoutborders.org

“Children tell their parents they want to go to heaven, because at least heaven has food.”

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The UN used to run 400 food aid points with multiple crossings into GAZA.
Israel scaled that back to 4 - and then shoot civilians and women and teenagers and children who dare 'crowd' at these places!

THEN doctors without borders noticed the Israeli 'accidental crowd control collateral damage' shootings were coordinated! One day it was headshots, the next day belly shots, the next day groin shots on the men. Doctors without borders basically said they were gamifying the killings - and using the civilians for target practice.

Tuur said:

Check the haircuts, the shades, and the build. You can always tell by that.

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Photo in the OP is (at least) five years old.

ozso said:

No, it's that I don't like the democrat liberalism side of things. It's full of hysteria and bizarre ideology in the opinion of many, who's numbers are growing.

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You may as well have finished is "It's just not fair - many people are saying it - we've never seen anything like this."

That’s ok. She already got a dishonorable “discharge”.

durangodawood said:

We havent had a proper debt reckoning because the rest of the world still seems to like the dollar. Cant see that going on forever tho.

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Yes! This. Default Dollar advantage and all that. (But economics quickly makes my eyes glaze over - I still can't quite visualise how it works - but apparently it gives all US consumers a greater advantage when buying overseas goods even than the rest of us OECD nations. That was - until Trump decided buying super cheap stuff from overseas with amazing Default Dollar advantages was a BAD thing - and put tariffs on it all.)

But I was hearing a concern that if America loses the Global Reserve currency status - the rest of the global economy could tank as well? I'm not sure how it works - but people I respect were saying this.

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These videos will help one understand that there are other things needed to create a cell other than just the simple proteins (peptides). Yes, this may be a small breakthrough (but I doubt it) but there are some real "mount everests" that need to be overcome also to create that first cell.

Chesterton said:

I tried to find an article with a clip with the least profanity.

Antifa Tried to Incite Violence Between Black and Jewish Neighbors – Watch How Their Plan Backfired

Antifa's attempt to incite violence fails as Crown Heights residents unite against them.

townhall.com

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How did the journalist(s) come to believe that ANTIFA was there?

joymercy said:

@CoreyD thank you Corey. that is an excellent example of the fireman, being surrounded on all sides by fire!

But going through it to save lives. Powerful!

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Thank you.
There is another good example, in the faithful man Noah.
Noah went to families whose family head were about three feet taller than he was.
That's not the end of it. Not one man, woman, or child, budged. Not a soul responded.

keras said:

The Christian Body of Christ are the Israelites of God, the Overcomers for Him. No one changes their ethnicity.

Your insistence on a Jewish Israel, shows your support of the 'rapture to heaven' false theory. You fail to see the many verses which tell of the virtual demise of Jewish Israel, Luke 19:27, and only a remnant will survive. Romans 9:27

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And there is NO , Greek word called RAPTURE in. the Greek text , unless that you know where one is inbthe KJV. ??

dan p

Now that we have established that homosexuality is considered a sin, let’s take a look at the Lord’s wrath being poured out because of this abomination. Let us direct our attention to Genesis 18:17.

And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do; (Genesis 18:17)

Why did the Lord stop to talk to Abraham? Make a special notation of the next few scriptures.

Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him. (Genesis 18:18-19)

The statement offered above gives us the explanation of why the Lord stopped to talk to Abraham. The reason is this, “that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.” Brothers and sisters if we do justice and judge righteously the Lord will also reveal His secrets to us. If we keep the commandments then we will be able to do justice.

Let’s continue:

And the LORD said, “Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous; I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know.” (Genesis 18:20-21)

Sisters and brothers, note what the verse says, “their sin is very grievous.” What is sin? Sin is the transgression of the law (I John 3:4). This indicates to us that the law was around long before the Prophet Moses came into the picture.

Let’s continue:

And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the LORD. And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked? Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein? That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right? And the LORD said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes. And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes: Peradventure there shall lack five of the fifty righteous: wilt thou destroy all the city for lack of five? And he said, If I find there forty and five, I will not destroy it. And he spake unto him yet again, and said, Peradventure there shall be forty found there. And he said, I will not do it for forty's sake. And he said unto him, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak: Peradventure there shall thirty be found there. And he said, I will not do it, if I find thirty there. And he said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord: Peradventure there shall be twenty found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for twenty's sake. And he said, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet but this once: Peradventure ten shall be found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for ten's sake. And the LORD went his way, as soon as he had left communing with Abraham: and Abraham returned unto his place. (Genesis 18:22-33)

Abraham was pretty bold don’t you think? Let’s go right into the 19th chapter and see this grievous sin that was being committed.

And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground; And he said, Behold now, my lords, turn in, I pray you, into your servant's house, and tarry all night, and wash your feet, and ye shall rise up early, and go on your ways. And they said, Nay; but we will abide in the street all night. And he pressed upon them greatly; and they turned in unto him, and entered into his house; and he made them a feast, and did bake unleavened bread, and they did eat. But before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men of Sodom, compassed the house round, both old and young, all the people from every quarter: (Genesis 19:1-4)

Abraham could have asked the Lord if there was one righteous. Notice the verse states, “people from every quarter.” We see that there were none considered righteous and all were worthy of death.

And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, where are the men which came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know them. And Lot went out at the door unto them, and shut the door after him, And said, I pray you, brethren, do not so wickedly. Behold now, I have two daughters which have not known man; let me, I pray you, bring them out unto you, and do ye to them as is good in your eyes: only unto these men do nothing; for therefore came they under the shadow of my roof. (Genesis 19:5-8)

Lot offered his virgin daughters to these sodomites? That’s deep! Let’s see what happen next.

And they said, Stand back. And they said again, This one fellow came in to sojourn, and he will needs be a judge: now will we deal worse with thee, than with them. And they pressed sore upon the man, even Lot, and came near to break the door. Genesis 19:10 But the men put forth their hand, and pulled Lot into the house to them, and shut to the door. And they smote the men that were at the door of the house with blindness, both small and great: so that they wearied themselves to find the door. (Genesis 19:9-11)

Note what the verse says, “they smote the men that were at the door of the house with blindness, both small and great: so that they wearied themselves to find the door.” They still made an attempt to break the door down to sodomize Lot and the two angels, after they were blinded. This is an example of James 1:14, where it states, “But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.” By the way brothers and sisters, if an individual commits any sin continually, after they have been informed or have the knowledge that it is sin; the Lord may kill an individual with the first death, which Adam past onto us all. And after that He may wake up the same individual in the second resurrection and will have an angel throw them into the lake of fire. So, we see that the men of Sodom were involved in homosexual activity. Let’s see this death that was brought about by the Lord because of sin. Let’s skip down to the 24th verse.

Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven; And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground. (Genesis 19:24-25)

The Lord destroyed all the inhabitants of the city and all the plain, nothing escaped but Lot and his two daughters. Why? Because of sin, which brings about death?

Such statements are so ignorant and insensitive in general and towards many people that vote for them. I tend to think that the “religious right” automatically pops up in their heads when they get all frantic about thoughts and prayers. Personally, I am a conservative but Christians have different political outlooks. For ex. Christians have all different views on the Second Amendment. Why get apoplectic towards Christians who support gun control & also offer thoughts and prayers?

These are not my general political views but realize that politics are of the world and not of faith although our faith & feelings will overlap at times.

fhansen said:

He knows all: the end from the beginning. We don't. So He gives us some ideas, such as in Matt 25:31-46 where the sheep, categorized that way based on what they had done "for the least of these", didn't even know they were sheep while the King said that their inheritance, the kingdom, had been prepared for them since the creation of the world.

“Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city. Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood." Rev 22:12-15

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“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons and daughters through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, with which He favored us in the Beloved. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our wrongdoings, according to the riches of His grace which He lavished on us. In all wisdom and insight He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He set forth in Him, regarding His plan of the fullness of the times, to bring all things together in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth. In Him we also have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things in accordance with the plan of His will, to the end that we who were the first to hope in the Christ would be to the praise of His glory. In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of the promise, who is a first installment of our inheritance, in regard to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.”
‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭1‬:‭3‬-‭14‬ ‭NASB2020‬‬

Who is Pail talking about? Who is us?

fhansen said:

If the believer remains in Him, if they persevere.

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“Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or trouble, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭8‬:‭35‬, ‭37‬-‭39‬ ‭NASB2020‬‬

“Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe; the works that I do in My Father’s name, these testify of Me. But you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep. My sheep listen to My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give them eternal life, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.””
‭‭John‬ ‭10‬:‭25‬-‭30‬ ‭NASB2020‬‬

All with saving faith will persevere.

fhansen said:

Were the Jewish leaders in John 12:42 necessarily saved by their belief, especially in light of such passages as Matt 10:32-33?
"Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven."

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Already discussed this. See the parable of the soils, in particular Jesus explanation of the parable.

fhansen said:

Faith is a subjecvtively self-assessed matter. And by itself it would be worthless. Augustine put it this way:
"Without love faith may indeed exist, but avails nothing."

And Paul:
"...if I have a faith that can move mountains but have not love, I am nothing."

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All that have saving faith have love so I don’t know what you are arguing about.

fhansen said:

Good fruit is the best evidence of faith, hope, and love, all three being important but with love being the greatest. 1 Cor 13:13. Here's an example of how mercy must be expresed, with the love God has shown to us being reciprocated:
"For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins." Matt 6:14-15

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The Bible is clear that God pardons sin by His grace based on Christ’s work on the cross alone, not on man’s actions. This is part of our daily prayers asking for forgiveness for our daily sins so Jesus is not referring to God’s initial act of forgiveness (reconciliation) that we experienced when we first believed the Gospel. We pray this prayer daily and daily we forget some of our sins including forgiving someone that did us wrong. God does not go back in His promises.

keras said:

Your belief of a Jewish Israeli redemption, is a contradiction of many scriptures; Isaiah 22:14, Jeremiah 7:29-34, Ezekiel 21:1-7, Amos 2:4-5, +
Also Jesus said: Bring those who did not want Me for their King and slaughter them before Me. Luke 19:27

The apostate Jews will be punished and only a remnant will survive. Romans 9:27, Isaiah 6:11-13

What the believers in a rapture to heaven imagine, is false and will never happen. Better to renounce such wrong doctrines before it's too late.

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And I read Deu 32:26 and found no mention of of Israel ??

And. Judah and split with Israel in 2. Kings 17:13-41 and NOT. as you wrote !!

dan p

essentialsaltes said:

Big League Brother is Watching.

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One of the drawbacks of not reading.

wing2000 said:

Btw, how does "cashless bail" contributed to crime?

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It means rich people and poor people are treated the same when accused of crimes. Which obviously offends some folks.

Big League Brother is Watching.

essentialsaltes said:

Both TN and OH have sent some of their own National Guard to DC.

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I guess their state governors are very concerned about crime in cities, um?

But I notice that repeated attempts by the administration to distract Americans from the issue have failed to make much of an impact so far.

rjs330 said:

You havent noticed anything.

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I have. And I'm not the only American to have noticed:

More than half of voters disapprove of Trump’s handling of Epstein files​

rjs330 said:

You dont have to suspect anything. We all know Trump had been friends with Epstien. And the wealthy who would be listed may try and cover but may face other issues if their name pops up. Also there are other international considerations besides just naming those involved.

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I can't say for certain, but I think you're right. But I don't care who is involved. If Bill Clinton and Prince whatshisname were involved in addition to Trump, they should all go to prison with Trump.

The Barbarian said:

Not even in the top ten most dangerous U.S. cities:

1. Memphis, TN
2. Cleveland, OH
3. Toledo, OH

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Both TN and OH have sent some of their own National Guard to DC.

rjs330 said:

Glad its down from unconscionable to just really bad.

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Not even in the top ten most dangerous U.S. cities:

1. Memphis, TN
2. Cleveland, OH
3. Toledo, OH
4. Little Rock, AR
5. Peoria, IL
6. Springfield, IL
7. Detroit, MI
8. Akron, OH
9. Beaumont, TX
10. Rockford, IL
11. Evansville, IN
12. Dayton, OH
13. Nashville, TN
14. Winston-Salem, NC
15. Springfield, MO
16. Chicago, IL
17. Salt Lake City, UT
18. Springfield, MA
19. North Charleston, SC
20. Corpus Christi, TX
21. Tulsa, OK
22. Albany, NY
23. Buffalo, NY
24. Kansas City, MO
25. Shreveport, LA
26. Baltimore, MD
27. Houston, TX
28. New Haven, CT
29. Las Cruces, NM
30. Lansing, MI

Full list of America's most dangerous cities as Trump cracks down on D.C.

Trump has indicated he could "go further" in his actions to address crime, though violent crime has dropped recently.

www.newsweek.com

Nine of 30 are blue state cities. Nineteen are red state cities. For reasons we've discussed. Washington isn't even int the top 30 crime cities. But when a deflection is needed, one uses whatever is handy, I suppose.

Valletta said:

So your primary goal is not to save lives? How about half way,, would you accept a maximum 35 mph speed limit on all roads? That would save many lives. The manufacturers could limit the maximum speed.

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I'm sorry, but this is just too ridiculous of a post for a response.

joymercy said:

Anyone else in urban missions?

Is there anyone else who is finding themselves surrounded on all sides by the enemy?

In particular, in the cities while evangelizing?

Its so hard some times to see the good that we might be possibly doing

Amidst the constant threats of crime, homelessness, gangs, hustling, prostitution and so on.

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It's good that you have mustered the courage to go out there and evangelize.
It's not going to be easy, and you are right... we are surrounded on every side.

I think of the people that are in the midst of it... surrounded on every side, and worst than us, "fainting with fear" or "faint from fear and anxiety", or "terrified at what they see" - Luke 21:26.

How much does our heart "bleed" for them?
A fireman will go through an environment - whether a building, or a field, surrounded on every side... by fire.
It's more than a job for him. It's a life saving work. People's lives and livelihood are at stake.

The disciples of Christ had a similar focus... even more so. So that Paul said...
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written:
‘For your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.’[j]
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[k] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:35-39

The Barbarian said:

I wonder if he actually realizes the impression this is making on normal American federal workers.

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He should have waited until after he implemented a maximum IQ to work for the federal government.

joymercy said:

Yes

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I think there will be more people in hell than heaven, based on what our Blessed Lord said.