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Texas AG Ken Paxton has fired or put on leave 4 of 7 whistleblowers accusing him of bribery

It's crazy to me that middle class citizens of Texas will vote foe this guy.

Say what you want but conservative leaders I. The US really seem to be acting like monarchs and seem to have about that level of culpability for their misdeeds.


Life would be easy as a conservative politicians I think.
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Broken People

After three wonderful years of being a member of St. Mary's Orthodox, I find that the more I learn about the Orthodox faith and the saints and martyrs of the Church, the less Orthodox I feel. In short, I can't seem to get my life in line with what appears to be a healthy relationship with God through Orthodoxy. This is not new to me, nor is it the fault of Orthodoxy. The problem, as I see and understand it, is my coming from a dysfunctional family and being a dysfunctional person myself as a result. As my former spiritual director once said (he was assigned to another parish quite far away) "Dysfunctionalism is the gift that just keeps on giving."

Here's the question du jour: is it possible that there are people who are just so messed up by life, by people, and by things that have happened to them that they will never get it right in this life?

I ask this because my sense is that I one of those people. I feel am stuck - that I am really going nowhere in my attempts to cooperate with the Holy Spirit in the work of theosis in my life. Yes, I am doing the things you might suggest to me: the fasts, regular attendance at Liturgy and the various services of the Church, keeping a prayer rule at home, etc. My priest knows of my struggles and the particular sin(s) that plague me since I make regular use of Confession.

The single biggest problem I have is in sensing a relationship with our Lord. My spiritual director used to remind me that God is not at all like my earthly father - cold, distant, unemotional and unexpressive of love, yet those are the very thoughts under which I labor. When I do something wrong, I find myself waiting to get whacked in some manner. It seems that this dysfunctional manner of relating to God and the world, while having lessened somewhat over the years, is going to be with me until I die. I just can't see to shake it off and enter into a place of fervent love for Christ. This is why I asked the question I asked.

Other than telling me to just keep on plugging away one day at a time, do you have any suggestions or thoughts?
So sorry you're going through this, but I somewhat understand from my own past with a controlling family member and an emotion, psychological, and spiritually abusive ex-husband (23 yrs with him). It's tough. I always have to monitor myself from not falling into despair, which is a sin in itself. I've gotten much better since being divorced and away from him (sons are healing day by day as well). What I try to remember and focus on is God just looks for our efforts. That is the most important thing to me. That I'm at least making an effort in my Orthodox Christian life. God knows your struggles and hardships better than anyone else. His mercy is immense. God bless.
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Fear, pain and hunger: The dire impact of shutting down USAID in Africa, leaving a vacuum for China and Russia

In case you didn’t know, our pets rely on us for their every need. How incredibly unkind it is to ridicule someone for caring for their pets in a proper manner.
How is it possible to misconstrue such as simple point as was being made? Really, how did you manage to do that?
...In the meantime, we have grown adults around the world who lack the capacity to produce a fruitful culture/ society.

You tell me who's in the wrong.
You are. Without any doubt whatsoever.
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ICE continues to arrest worst of the worst--one illegal with 21 criminal convictions

The problem is not the Trump administration "leading" people or "pushing buttons." Although outspent by Kamala by a margin of 2 to 1, and with the majority of the media spinning a negative view of Trump on immigration and woke discriminatory policies, the American people voted in Trump because of his stated policies. The Democrats had lied to the American people, claiming the border was safe, secure, and closed, while in reality people were entering out country at record rates and human trafficking rose to a level not seen here since the Civil War. No Christian should have supported this.
In general I agree with all of your message. I certainly did not support Harris. Stated policy and actual policy outcomes I think differ almost always, even with immigration. Trump never talked about deporting so many green card holders, or those on student visas. He over-emphasized the number of illegals he would be sending back, I think those deportations will come up short but yes he is trying. It is just hoped that ICE will show some restraint in their treatment of illegals and allow the beefs with the judicial branch to play out in the Supreme Court as needed.
My message though that some MAGA supporters have gotten too prejudicial is still likely though I doubt that occurs with you or many in CF. Trump himself seems very divisive but most pretty much knew that already. Anyway, MAGA supporters have much to cheer about, I just am more cautious.
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Ultra Dispensationalism and Right Division

I think he is linking you with SDA teachings on many definitions of "law"
And I do agree with what Aristarkos wrote in. POST #3. !!

And just meant that he wrote how many gospels there are , that anyone can do the same with the word Law !!

dan p
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'God created the nation of Israel': Pastor Robert Jeffress weighs in on Cruz-Carlson debate

Would that they would have the same passion for countries like Armenia or Christian communities like the Copts. But no, Israel first.

I would also note that megachurch pastors who say that it is a tenet of the Christian faith to directly support Israel are actually endangering the persecuted Oriental Orthodox, Copts, Syriac Orthodox, Armenian Apostolic Christians, and the persecuted Antiochian Orthodox and other Eastern Orthodox Christians in the region, such as the Greek and Arabic members of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem (which also has a surprising number of converts from Judaism), and the monks and Bedouin laity of the autonomous Church of Sinai at the Monastery of St. Catharine, and the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria, and the Phanariot Greeks in Constantinople. It should be noted by the way that in the Middle East, extremely good EO-OO relations exist (except at the Church of the Nativity where occasionally the Greeks and Armenians have had disagreements, but not recently, the last major dispute was in 2008) prevail, with ecumenical agreements between the Copts and Alexandrian Greeks and the Antiochians and Syriac Orthodox, the latter being particularly strong (to the extent that Old Calendarist schismatics like to whine about it on their numerous blogs and try to argue that the “world orthodox” are heretical.

Of course, if Israel suddenly collapsed, that would be bad for the Christians who live in Israel and Palestine and worse for religious minorities in Israel like the Druze, as the recent genocide against the Christians and moreso the Druze and Alawis in Syria indicates.

Additionally if Iran did obtain a nuclear weapon, there is a concern it would use it, even accepting Israeli nuclear retialiation, against Tel Aviv, which would endanger the Christian pilgrimage site of Mount Carmel.

Thus, we should neither support nor oppose Israel, but lobby Israel to adopt pro-Christian policies and not to adopt policies which could further endanger the Christian minority elsewhere in the region.
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Mother of Idaho murder victim forgives daughter's killer in court, expresses hope he finds Jesus

The mother of one of Bryan Kohberger's murder victims forgave her daughter’s killer in court Wednesday, expressing hope that he would find Jesus Christ and said she'd be praying for him.

Kohberger, who admitted to killing four University of Idaho students at their home in November 2022, learned his fate at his sentencing hearing. He was sentenced to four consecutive sentences of life in prison without the possibility of parole and ordered to pay a combined $200,000 in fines and $5,000 in civil penalties to the families of each victim. He was also sentenced to an additional 10 years in prison and ordered to pay a $50,000 fine in connection with a count of burglary associated with the crime.

As Kohberger appeared at the Ada County Courthouse, he came face-to-face with the families of the students he murdered. Cara Northington, the mother of murder victim Xana Kernodle, expressed confidence that “Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, now has her in His loving arms in Heaven, where she can never be harmed ever again for eternity.”

Continued below.
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Father shot twice in the face during Kentucky church shooting ‘devastated’ wife did not survive

Randy Combs (L) and his late wife, Christiana Combs, 32, appear in this family photo in happier times.
Randy Combs (L) and his late wife, Christiana Combs, 32, appear in this family photo in happier times. | Screenshot/GoFundMe

A father of five who was sedated in the hospital after he was shot in the face twice by a gunman at Richmond Road Baptist Church in Lexington, Kentucky, recently learned his wife did not survive the attack as he regained consciousness at a local hospital.

The father, Randy Combs, was among four people shot by the late 47-year-old Guy House, who went on a shooting rampage at the church after he shot and injured Kentucky State Police trooper Jude Remilien at the Blue Grass Airport on July 13.

Randy Combs and the church's pastor, Jerry Gumm, both survived their gunshot wounds. Combs' wife, 32-year-old Christina Combs, and her mother, 72-year-old Beverly Gumm, who is also the pastor's wife, were killed.

Continued below.

False messiahs

-

Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week;
But in the middle of the week
He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering.
And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate,
Even until the consummation, which is determined,
Is poured out on the desolate.”
Others believe the "he" in the verse refers to Jesus, who establishes a new covenant with humanity through his sacrifice. I guess we’ll have to wait and see who’s right.
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Hulk Hogan, icon in professional wrestling, dies at age 71

CLEARWATER, Fla. (AP) — Hulk Hogan, the mustachioed, headscarf-wearing, bicep-busting icon of professional wrestling who turned the sport into a massive business and stretched his cultural influence far beyond the ring, died Thursday in Florida at age 71.

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Post Millennialism safe house

Someone on x/twitter stated that Lindsey sold over 35 million copies of his books and was wrong on virtually all of it. Talk about getting rich off writing fiction!
Wild. Good theology never sells...goats are fed and entertained while sheep starve.
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Businesses are raising prices after tariffs — even on unaffected goods

Tariffs on imported cars and auto parts cost General Motors $1.1 billion in the second quarter, the nation’s largest automaker said Tuesday.

That hit to its bottom line was largely responsible for a 21% drop in net income for the period. The company said it expects tariffs to cost it between $4 billion to $5 billion by year’s end.


The industry so far has been able to weather those costs and remain profitable without raising car prices, in large part because it already has a backlog of vehicles built or imported before tariffs took hold.

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MS-13 Gang Member Kilmar Abrego Garcia Remains in Custody of US Marshals After Obama Judge Orders Him to be Released

Not MS13 and also not a terrorist. The character assassination of this poor man along with his repeated mistreatment by this administration has been absolutely disgusting.
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Establish My Footsteps in Your Word

“Your testimonies are wonderful;
Therefore my soul observes them.
The unfolding of Your words gives light;
It gives understanding to the simple.
I opened my mouth wide and panted,
For I longed for Your commandments.
Turn to me and be gracious to me,
After Your manner with those who love Your name.
Establish my footsteps in Your word,
And do not let any iniquity have dominion over me.
Redeem me from the oppression of man,
That I may keep Your precepts.
Make Your face shine upon Your servant,
And teach me Your statutes.
My eyes shed streams of water,
Because they do not keep Your law.” (Psalm 119:129-136 NASB1995)

The testimonies of God are the Holy Scriptures (Genesis to Revelation). They include God’s commandments (Old Covenant and New Covenant) for his people to obey. We who believe in Jesus Christ obey his commands to us under the New Covenant God has with his people Israel today, consisting of both Jew and Gentile by physical birth who have trusted in Jesus Christ to be Lord and Savior of our lives. We are the body of Christ, his church.

But Lord means that he is now Owner-Master of our lives, and our lives are now surrendered to him to do his will, committed to obey our Lord in all his ways. And Savior means that he has saved us out of our lives of slavery to sin so we will now follow him in obedience to his commands, and we will no longer walk in sin, making sin our practice. Now righteousness, holiness, moral purity, and obedience to our Lord are what we are living, in practice.

And not only are we to be living the word of God in our daily lives, but we are to be messengers of the Lord who take the message of his gospel to the people of the world. But the gospel message that we should be sharing with the people of the world is not the one which is so popularized in the USA today. But it is the one taught by Jesus and by his New Testament apostles in the New Testament Scriptures, taught in the correct biblical context.

So, what the psalmist described here about the Scriptures, and about his relationship with God, is so fitting to what our relationships with Jesus Christ should look like today, and how we should be viewing the Scriptures with regard to how we should be applying their teachings to our daily walks of faith in obedience to our Lord and to his commands. For he loved the Lord’s commands, and he obeyed the Lord and his commands, in life practice.

And this also parallels over to what Jesus and his New Testament apostles taught as the gospel of our salvation. For faith in Jesus Christ, which is biblical faith, will result in us obeying the commandments of God, in practice, and in us dying with him to sin, and us now living in holiness and in righteousness, and no longer as slaves to sin. For Jesus Christ truly is the Master of our lives, and our lives are committed to walking in his ways.

So we need to understand that faith in Jesus Christ, which is biblical, will result in us dying with Christ to sin, and us walking (in conduct) in obedience to our Lord and to his commandments, in practice, no longer as slaves to sin, but now as servants of the Lord who are doing his will, and who are sharing the truth of the gospel with others for their salvation. For if sin is what we practice, and not obedience to God, we don’t have life with God.

[Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Luke 9:23-26; John 1:12-13; John 6:44; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Romans 2:6-8; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; Galatians 5:16-24; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 4:1-13; Hebrews 12:1-2; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 1:1-10; 1 John 2:3-6; 1 John 3:4-10]

The Lord’s Anointed

Based off Isaiah 61
An Original Work / December 16, 2011
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love


The Spirit of the Sov’reign Lord on me;
Anointed to preach the Good News;
Sent me to bind up the brokenhearted;
Proclaim freedom for the captives.
He sent me to preach release for pris’ners
Who are walking in sin’s darkness;
Proclaim God’s grace to all men who’ll listen;
And tell them about God’s judgments;
Comfort all who mourn;
Give crowns of beauty;
Oil of gladness and thanksgiving.

They will be called oaks of God’s righteousness,
A planting of our Savior, God,
For the display of our Lord’s splendor, and
They will rebuild God’s holy church.
God will renew them, and will restore them,
And you’ll be called priests of the Lord.
You will be ministers of our God, and
You will rejoice in salvation.
The Lord loves justice;
He is faithful to
Reward those who are seeking Him.

I delight greatly in the Lord;
My soul rejoices in my Savior, God.
He has clothed me with His salvation,
And in a robe of His righteousness.
He has given me priestly garments to wear,
As the bride of Jesus Christ.
As the garden of our Lord and Savior,
He causes us to grow in Him.
He makes righteousness,
Praise, and thanksgiving
Spring up before all the nations.

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Establish My Footsteps in Your Word
An Original Work / July 24, 2025
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

Islamists displace 100s of Christians. Couple faithful in trials. Loses husband in Islamist attack.

  • Jul. 24, 2025 | Togo​

    Hundreds of Christians Displaced by Islamists

    [11] prayers in [1] nation have been posted for displaced Christians.
    Pray for Christians in Togo.
    Some 240 Christians have been displaced as Islamist militants have flooded into northern Togo from neighboring Burkina Faso. The terrorists, as they are locally called, have burned homes, clothing and Bibles and have stolen farm animals, causing many Christians to flee. The displaced believers are from near the towns of Sokode and Tchamba and are now living with other Christians. Read More.
  • Jul. 24, 2025 | Bhutan​

    Front-Line Couple Faithful in Trials

    [8] prayers in [1] nation have been posted for Tshewang and Umzey.
    Tshewang and Umzey are able to use a little shop like one of these to grow discipleship relationships in their Bhutanese community.
    A pastor and his wife remain firm in their faith despite persecution and family troubles. Because the government of Bhutan holds strict policies regarding non-Buddhist religions, Pastor Tshewang lost his government job and retirement benefits when he was arrested and refused to recant his faith in Christ. Since then, with the help of the global body of Christ, Tshewang and his wife, Umzey, have built a business that provides them with opportunities to share the gospel in their community. They have continued to disciple and baptize new believers, including five recent converts. Read More.
  • Jul. 24, 2025 | Nigeria​

    Young Christian Loses Husband in Islamist Attack

    [8] prayers in [1] nation have been posted for Nandi.
    Nandi was pregnant when her husband was killed in an Islamist attack.
    Nandi Tangkat, a 26-year-old mother of four, was widowed after her husband was killed by Islamic militants on May 16, 2023, near Jos, Nigeria. Nandi, pregnant at the time, was away when the militants attacked, but her husband, slowed by an injury that he had previously sustained to his legs, was unable to escape. Nandi's pastor and many other Christians were also killed in the attack. She has been trying to work at tin mining sites, but work is rarely available and pays very little, so she is learning to sew. Read More.

American Revolution was not Christian

The American revolution was civic, not religious; though Jefferson attempted to invoke "self-evident" truths in his defense.
There is no escaping the influence of religion upon politics. Even atheism and or secular humanism are religions. The assumptions and or presumptions of which, will unquestionably affect one's political views and or actions. To deny any connection between the many battles for freedom of religion leading up to and during the formation of this nation, is simply to choose to be ignorant of a great many facts. Nevertheless, we all have the freedom to choose to believe whatever we wish. Which exact freedom has been and still is contested in many places and times throughout history. This being a most basic foundation of freedom, so many others are based upon.

It is a small matter indeed, to provide many writings from our Founding Fathers, addressing their religious views which most obviously affected their politics. Which I would be happy to provide, should you be interested.
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