Honestly I've come across the opposite. That the majority of Christians I've run into believe in prophecy for today but they run off with it and think everything is from God and never test the spirits. When you critique their dream/vision/word, they get defensive and quote Acts 2.

I want to say too that I'm thankful that you mentioned prophecy just isn't about telling the future. A "prophet" is someone who repeats what the Lord tells them and that can be from corrections, warnings or comfort. Not a lot of people consider that and only associate prophecy with foretelling the future. I do believe prophecy is around today, its just not limited like it was to biblical times where certain people were called and recognized.

Mercy Shown said:

but what if true faith results in all of the rest of the things you have mentioned. What if all of the rest of the things you mention are the out growth of saving faith?

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Faith is all about acknowledging God's existence, His mercy, His love, His goodness, His trustworthiness, resulting in reconciliation with Him. It's to accept God as our God again, reversing, within ourselves, the alienation from God that was initiated for humankind by Adam in Eden. And we do that when we see and accept God as revealed through his Son who is the "express image of God", God incarnate. And as John 15 tells us, if we remain in Him we will produce much good fruit, and if we don't we're like branches that will be gathered up and put into the fire and burned. "Apart from me you can do nothing", John 15:5.

So faith is to be engrafted into the Vine. From that relationship, which is how man was created to be to begin with, hope and love will result as well, with love being the most important as per 1 Cor 13. Love is the real motivator behind good fruit. This is all something that we must participate in and grow in, and persevere in according to the Bible. If our faith, hope, and love are real, then our lives will show it. We can also fail to remain in Him, to walk in the Spirit; we can bury the gifts given as per the parable of the talents, we can return to the flesh in which case bad fruit will result.

RileyG said:

Lord have mercy!

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Thank you Riley.

That Ukrainian woman who was murdered in the subway has shaken me up.

Sitting here this morning and I got flashed back into my Navy days. I started thinking about CDR Rupe, who was an LCMS chaplain on my ship. He was the senior chaplain; we had 3. CDR Rupe had the secret code to the phone so you could dial out from anywhere in the world. His usual approach to people's problems was to dial the code into the phone, then dial the number of someone back home for the sailor, and step out of the office to "get some coffee" for about 10 minutes. Good dude. I suppose he's probably retired by now.

A morally centered society should be able to focus on contributing to the common good, not on a fracas over a restaurant’s logo.

Having spent most of July and August off the grid while teaching in Poland and vacationing in Canada, I missed a lot of the Great Cracker Barrel Logo Fracas. But from what little I have observed of this absurd “debate” over whether removing a white man from the company logo constituted another corporate cave-in to wokery, which was followed by the equally inane “debate” over whether Cracker Barrel’s restoration of that figure to its logo was a further step toward the end of democracy, I have to wonder whether our country has become fundamentally unserious.

War is raging in Ukraine, a beleaguered, brutalized country that looks to the United States for support in its struggle for survival — and Americans are obsessing over Cracker Barrel logos?

Continued below.

After days of vacation this summer, many people have returned to their usual routines, leaving behind long, peaceful days and that feeling of freedom from schedules or obligations.

The return to school, the early-morning rush, and the many responsibilities of work and family life can sometimes lead to fatigue and even a certain melancholy.

However, this time also offers the opportunity to begin anew and embrace Christian joy and hope with faith.

Father Juan José Pérez-Soba, a diocesan priest and professor of family ministry at the Pontifical John Paul II Theological Institute for Marriage and Family Sciences in Rome, offered some reflections on the end of summer and the beginning of fall.

He told ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner, that “our actions arise from the presence of the people we love and therefore create obligations in which we feel that our hearts are filled up.”

The obligations of the first days of September can be experienced as “a call from the Lord that contains a promise, … encouraging us to walk with the certainty of counting on the presence of God, who is a source of life,” he noted.

Continued below.

FredVB said:

Thanks for noticing and letting me know. She should have seen or yet see this response, clearly she did not know of those things by the dismissive way she spoke of 'evidence for any of it'. But others should see it too and they may still. I can still respond in forum threads I will see by not leaving her blocked by ignoring still.

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Hopefully she will return.

Desk trauma said:

Any agreement or alliance with Israel is strictly one way.

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At least it is readily broken for any perceived short-term gain.

I can see why some of the right wing people of the USA like it.

CerebralCherub said:

Hi there @Lotuspetal_uk!

Have you checked this website to assist you in your potential move to another church? Beliefs - FIEC and Find a church - FIEC

I appreciate that you don't want to move at this time and are undecided about the future but, when the Lord moves you to the correct answer, this link may be of assistance.

God bless.

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Thank you so much for this. I'll go and check it out

5 things every parent must know to protect their kids​

I (Katy) have told all four of my children once they were old enough to understand: “You may not be looking for porn, but porn is looking for you.”

It’s a hard truth in today’s hyper-connected world. As parents, we install filters, limit screen time, and require devices to be used in common spaces. But even with all these safeguards, one reality remains: it’s not a question of if your child will encounter pornography — it's when.

Unlike generations past, today's pornography is extreme, violent, and available 24/7 to anyone with a phone. Pornography isn’t just “bad content”— it’s a public health crisis. And it targets children.

If you’re a parent or even just care about and work with kids, here are five things you need to know about how porn not only poisons a soul but also threatens a child’s mental health.

1. Porn Rewires the Developing Brain​

Continued below.

Porn Will Rewire Your Child's Brain

5 things every parent must know to protect their kids

thembeforeus.substack.com

Last week I spoke about the fact that there are no "stuck souls," that is, there are no deceased souls who remain attached to this world and cannot pass on to the next life without help. The Church firmly teaches that upon death we are immediately subject to our own particular judgment and are consigned to heaven, hell, or purgatory.

But there are souls in purgatory who, at times by God's providence, contact us needing our prayers. There are even cases of priests in purgatory asking for our prayers. The following is a case in point...

One of our exorcists shared with me the following experience:



I was an associate pastor. The pastor told me that, before I arrived, a parish in the diocese was experiencing a strange phenomenon. Every morning when the sacristan came to prepare for Mass, he found the altar set up for Mass with the candles burning. He asked if anyone had prepared the altar for Mass, and no one admitted to it. The parish priest denied it, and the sacristan was the only one with access to the Church in the morning, aside from the pastor. Eventually, the bishop was notified because it was happening daily without any possible explanation. It was discovered that the previous parish priest, who had died, had a stash of Mass intentions for the dead that were never celebrated. The bishop asked the priests in his diocese to celebrate Masses for the dead for (I think one month) all the missing Masses. Once the month had passed, the altar was found normal again.



I find this especially interesting since, some years ago, a priest-friend told me a similar story. Years ago, after a priest-pastor died, the new pastor said there were a number of unexplained, apparently preternatural, phenomena in the rectory. After some discernment and searching, they found a drawerful of unsaid Mass intentions. Again, the pastor said all the Mass intentions and the preternatural phenomenon ceased.

Continued below.

Today is September 10, Wednesday of the Twenty-third Week in Ordinary Time.
We read at today’s Mass, “If you were raised with Christ, seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Think of what is above, not of what is on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ your life appears, then you too will appear with him in glory” (Col 3:1-3).

Carlo’s first mission field was his own family. Though his parents were not practicing the Faith, Carlo’s quiet devotion became a spark that reignited theirs. His mother later testified that it was her son who led her back to God. By his prayer, example and gentle encouragement, Carlo became a missionary in his own household.

Charity truly begins at home. Sometimes it is hardest to be a witness to those closest to us. They know our flaws, our weaknesses and our inconsistencies. Yet this is precisely where love and faith must shine most brightly. Carlo never pressured or preached harshly to his family. Instead, his authenticity and devotion slowly drew them back to Christ.

Continued below.

“It would have to be studied.” That was President Donald Trump’s take on the proposal to arm teachers in schools in order to counteract mass shooters.

The president made those remarks on Sept. 2, nearly a week after the deadly mass shooting at Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis. That attack claimed the lives of two children, injured many others, and once again raised the question of whether or not teachers should be permitted to carry guns in schools.

Policymakers will likely debate the matter for some time. In some cases it has already been decided: A handful of states, including Florida, Idaho, and Texas, allow for public school teachers to carry guns in some circumstances.

Whether or not it will be adopted broadly in Catholic schools is another question. Although the debate is deeply, and at times bitterly, contentious, Catholic Church teaching would appear to allow it.

Continued below.

The prophet Isaiah warned a wayward nation: “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness.” Right was condemned as wrong, and what darkened the soul was repackaged as enlightenment. Isaiah cautioned that rejecting God’s word would bring devastation. The warning still stands.

Two developments this past week expose the warning’s timeliness. For years, activists in media and government have advanced a gender ideology that tells even children they can choose an identity opposite of their biological reality. That confusion is not benign. In Minneapolis, a gunman opened fire during a school Mass at Annunciation Catholic Church, killing two children and injuring many others. Police identified the attacker as Robert Westman, who identified as transgender and, in notes posted before the attack, expressed regret and anger about “being trans” and deep confusion about identity.

This is not isolated. Recall the Covenant School massacre in Nashville, and now we have Minneapolis — both carried out by individuals who identified as transgender. The point is not to stigmatize anyone; it is to confront a reality our culture keeps trying to deny: ideas have consequences and masquerading a lie as the truth can be deadly. Yet rather than pause to reassess the narrative, legacy outlets scolded themselves for “misgendering.” NBC News even issued a correction after its initial report used what it called the wrong pronoun when referring to Westman as “he.” “She used female pronouns,” NBC sycophantically stated. This, despite law enforcement identifying the killer as male.

What a commentary on the press. Apologizing for mistakenly telling the truth reflects a deeper malady: trading evil for good and darkness for light. And when this deception is celebrated, children suffer. A civilization cannot protect what it refuses to name, and language becomes a veil for violence.

Continued below.

Steel worker

rocknanchor said:

Oh my yes! The last few decades of characters have rendered a detrimental effect upon so many countries, wherein here in the US, I could concur. Conversely, with the introduction of the tens of millions of romanticizing MAGA voters, I do anticipate a sharp uptick to those standings!

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Yes, we share the same conclusions I believe.

Bobthebomb, I empathize with you. I first heard and believed the gospel of Jesus Christ in sixth grade. I am now 67 and have only come to assurance of salvation in relatively recent days. I spent over forty years, most of the time figuring I was not a Christian and the past 14 years seeking salvation, seemingly unsuccessfully. If you were to read some of my posts on this forum from years back, you would see some of my struggles. I basically have spent my life knowing the gospel and understanding I was not going to heaven. Knowing that the Essence was missing from my life was a terrible burden. Only recently have I surrendered to Christ in such a way that I know I belong to Him. His promises will keep me, including Ephesians 1:13-14.

I am reading in Acts 8. I will summarize some and quote some. This was after the stoning of Stephen. Saul, who later became Paul, was in hearty agreement with putting him to death. And Saul began ravaging the church, entering house after house. And dragging off people, he would put them in prison. Yet, those who had been scattered went about preaching the word.

Philip, one of the seven deacons (it is presumed), was visited by an angel of God who spoke to Philip saying,


Philip then preached Jesus to the man, and the man believed in Jesus Christ, and Philip baptized the man. But when the man came out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away, and the eunuch no longer saw him, but he went on his way rejoicing, for he had believed in Jesus, the Christ.

Have you ever experienced such a “divine appointment” as this in your life? I have. But I think so many people who profess faith in Jesus Christ do not experience such divine appointments, for they have been taught that they cannot hear the Spirit speaking to them except through the written word. But how else will we know to whom we are to speak and what to say if we cannot hear the Spirit’s voice within us prompting us to go and to speak, and then giving us the words to speak? We cannot do this in our own flesh.

I just love this passage of Scripture because it encourages us who follow Christ with our lives to be on the lookout for those divine appointments the Lord has for us, which can come to us in many different ways. The Lord may even have us be ill so that we will go to a doctor, and the Lord may have us speak to the doctor about Jesus, or to his or her assistant. Or we may be sitting in a restaurant and overhearing someone near us in need of encouragement, and the Lord may send us over to their table to speak to them. But we need to be open to hearing the Lord’s voice.

We need to be on the lookout for those divine appointments the Lord has for us, never creating them ourselves, of our own flesh, but by being sensitive to the voice of the Holy Spirit and to the needs of the people so when the Spirit speaks, we will listen, and we will do what he says to do. God may sometimes have us in uncomfortable or difficult circumstances because he has someone he wants us to talk with about Jesus, who needs Jesus, and who needs to surrender their lives to him, die with him to sin, and walk with him in obedience to his commands, in the power of God, not of the flesh.

[Mark 13:11; Luke 2:26; Luke 4:18-19; Luke 10:21; Luke 12:11-12; John 14:26; John 15:26; John 16:13; Acts 1:8; Acts 2:17-18; Acts 11:12; Acts 13:2; Acts 20:23; Romans 8:9,14; 1 Corinthians 2:14-16; 1 Corinthians 12:7,11,18; Romans 12:1-8; Ephesians 4:1-16]

Willing

An Original Work / August 17, 2011
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

I am willing to obey You;
Have Your Spirit live within me;
Know Your power; be Your witness
To a world who needs You greatly.

Love within me spread to all men,
So that they might come to know Him;
Know His power; His forgiveness;
Be transformed into His likeness.

Holy Spirit, come in power,
Change our hearts within this hour.
May we be like Jesus always;
Be a light that shines in darkness.

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Divine Appointments
An Original Work / September 10, 2025
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

Anonymous0210 said:

To wrap it up how do i live with this issue of not being able to escape future stumbling blocks and battling perfectionism

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If you are in a practical situation where you are under pressure to do what is wrong > Jesus Christ is the Lord of all. Jesus is able to make you creative for handling any situation. He will have you doing what is good and this will fit in with all else that He is managing for good . . . of loving.

So, trust Jesus to do this with you, and pray this for all of us. We all need this and pray this for one another.

"'Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.'" (Matthew 11:29)

Jesus always could do what is good, right while evil people did not want Him to.

In my experience, it helps me to not trust any feelings and thinking which are not in God's peace > just don't trust that stuff, and depend on God to * get * rid * of * it *. God is almighty to easily and breezily and beautifully get rid of any nasty negative naughty cruel stupid nonsense in our emotions and thinking. And obey God in His peace >

"And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.:" (Colossians 3:15)

Jan001 said:

The letter of the law (Law of Moses) passed away after Jesus died on the cross. The spirit of the law (Christ's Law) will always be in effect.

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Uh, no. The laws are and remain fully against all evil within mankind, period.

Matt. 4:4, Luke 4:4, Deut. 8:3

Those who conspire to toss away the entirety or even part of the O.T. don't have a clue of what they talking about

We also know the scriptures, all of them, speak of Jesus. Do we then toss out what speaks of Jesus? Again, firmly, never. Not as believers.

John 5:39
Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.

Jesus WROTE the scriptures through the law and the prophets. Everywhere we read a RED LETTER statement of God it is in fact a statement of the Living Word, Jesus

1 Peter 1:10-11
10 Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you:
11 Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.

I would readily concede that it's difficult to get there, but tossing or elimination is NEVER a legitimate option. Those who teach such things should not be listened to as they have no idea what they are doing

Oompa Loompa said:

Likely not. Because it would require tearing down the Dome of the Rock. Something that would create chaos in the middle east. Something Trump wants to avoid.

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Trump love chaos. He just tells people, that its not his fault. It's a Democratic hoax.

stevevw said:

This is what I can't understand. These vases have the signatures of modern precision parts which we make with modern tech because its impossible and rediculous to make them by hand. But still some want to force everything into the primitive tools no matter what and some magical ability of an artist to feel their way to perfection.

View attachment 369750 View attachment 369754
They actually seperate the precision hard stone vases on the opposite wall in a seperate case to show they have two completely different signatures and from different times. You only have to look at them to see the start difference. That they come from the earliest dynasties and even predynasty as Djsor inhereted them from an earlier stage is amazing for that time.

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What nonsense are going on about now? All I see is a collection of vases of different sizes which is the stark difference.
Do you possess super vision and can discern micron level variations in an image??

This leads to my previous post.

The naivety you display in blindly accepting the results from some youtuber's amateurish efforts when compared to mainstream science who have never been able to reproduce micron levels on their certified museum samples.