I believe the Lord Jesus gave me this song as a letter from him to his church. This is about humbling ourselves before God and under his mighty hand, that he may lift us up in due time. We are to submit ourselves to God. We are to be self-controlled and alert, because our enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. We are to resist him, standing firm in the faith.

And we do that by putting on our spiritual armor, which God has given to believers in Christ, so that they can fight off the devil’s schemes. If we come near to God, he will come near to us. We do this by turning from our sin, and by allowing the Spirit of God to purify our hearts. Therefore, we can’t be casual about sin – we must grieve, mourn and wail over our sin.

To My Beloved

An Original Work / November 14, 2011
Based off I Pet. 5:6-9; Eph. 6:10-20; Jms. 4:4-10

Be strong in the grace of Christ, and
Put on His full armor in your fight
Against the enemy of your souls,
And resist him with all your might.
Take up the shield of your faith within you.
Salvation’s helmet – you put it on.
Put on the belt of truth,
And walk in the Spirit,
And you’ll not be ashamed.
Love your Lord Jesus; call His Name.

Call on your Lord and Savior, Jesus, and
Make Him Lord and King of your hearts.
Obey all of His teachings He has given
To you to follow in all His ways.
Repent of your sins. Return to your God.
Follow Him where’er He leads you now.
Humble yourselves in full
Surrender to His will
For your lives today.
Bow before Him, and humbly pray.

Be strong in the grace of Christ, and
Obey your Lord in ev’rything, always
Keeping His teachings in your hearts near you.
Walk with Christ in ev’ry way.
Resist the devil. He will flee from you.
Draw near to God, and He’ll be near you.
Wash your hands you sinners
And double minded.
Weep and wail o’er sin.
With Christ, your new lives begin.

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Questions:


The primary distortion of the gospel which was the issue Paul addressed in his letter to the church in Galatia was one that the Judaizers were trying to force upon the Christians. For they were trying to convince them that they had to hold to some of the Old Covenant liturgical and ceremonial laws and customs and that they had to be circumcised (men only, I believe), and that they had to adhere to the Old Covenant dietary laws and restrictions. And all this was to be added on to their salvation, as though required by God.

But that was not the only distortion of the gospel that was being dealt with here. But it had to do with being followers of man over followers of God and looking to the Jews as though they were superior to the Gentile believers and as though the Gentile believers were somehow less than them and/or that they needed to revere them and listen to them and obey them, as though they were to be God’s voice to the people, and not God. I had a pastor tell me once that he was to be God’s voice to me, and not God.

And then there was also the issue of many of them having this idea that now that they were free from the Old Covenant liturgical and ceremonial and dietary laws that they were free to live however they wanted, too. For they misinterpreted the meaning of “law” to include all of God’s moral laws, too. So Paul had to address that issue, too, to let them know that their freedom in Christ was not freedom to walk in sin, and that if they did walk in sin, that they would not have eternal life with God (see Galatians 5:16-21).

Now, all of these false and “different” gospels are still alive and active today. The most predominant of them all is this last one, where so many are being taught that they can continue living in sin after they profess faith in Jesus Christ because all their sins are forgiven, and heaven is guaranteed them, and it can’t be taken away from them regardless of how they live. But that is not the gospel message that Jesus taught and that his NT apostles taught. They taught that we die to sin or we die in our sins without God.

Now, there are many people today, at least here in America, who were brought up hearing the truth of the gospel, or at least something very close to the truth. And they know the Scriptures, and some of them have even taught the Scriptures. But with all this false teaching going on, and with all the free access to the world of sin via these smartphones, so many have deserted the true faith and are now following after the lies, so that they can continue in their sinful addictions without conscience and without remorse.

But God’s grace, which is bringing us salvation, is training us to renounce (say “No!” to) ungodliness and worldly passions and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives while we await our Lord’s return. For Jesus Christ “gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works,” the “good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” (see Titus 2:11-14; Ephesians 2:8-10)

And Jesus said that if anyone would come after him that he must deny self, take up his cross daily (die daily to sin) and follow (obey) him. For if we hold on to our old lives of sin, we will lose them for eternity. But if for the sake of Jesus we deny self, and die to our old lives of sin, and we now follow our Lord in walks of obedience to his commands, in holy living, then we have the hope of salvation from sin and eternal life with God, provided that we continue in walks of obedience and not in deliberate and habitual sin.

[Lu 9:23-26; Matt 7:21-23; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14; Rom 12:1-2; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 1 Co 10:1-22; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; Gal 5:16-24; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-32; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:1-17; Titus 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1:5-10; 1 Jn 2:3-6,24-25; 1 Jn 3:4-10; 1 Pet 2:24; Heb 3:1-19; Heb 4:1-13; Heb 10:23-31; Heb 12:1-2]

To Be Like Him

An Original Work / March 16, 2014
Based off Scripture

Crucified you are with Jesus.
To be like Him, oh, you’ll be,
Because He died at Calv’ry,
So from sin you’d be free.
Oh, what joy He brings into your life,
Giving life with Him endlessly.

Oh, what plans He has for your life.
Share the gospel faithfully.
Show the people He loves them.
Now His witness you’ll be.
Tell the world of sin about Jesus,
How He died for them on a tree.

Purifying hearts, He saves them,
Who believe on Christ, God’s Son.
Turning now from their idols,
New lives they have begun.
Jesus saves from sin; we’re forgiven.
Over sin, the vict’ry He won!

When He comes again to take us
To be with Him evermore,
There will be no more crying.
Gladness will be in store.
Heavens joys will now overtake us:
We’ll be with our Lord evermore.

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Quote - Geert Vanden Bossche did an interview with Del Bigtree and shortly after Del made this video. Amazing explanation on how and why natural innate immunity responses are SUPERIOR to the Specific Antibodies that The Synthetic mRNA produce.

Another Quote - This football analogy from Del Bigtrees interview of Geert Vanden Bossche made me understand the HOW and WHY humanity is in such grave danger from the global mass vaccination campaign. This explains the very basics of how non-specific and specific antibodies are completely different and should be at the very centre of any and all covid vaccine discussions. End Quotes.

This short clip has been around for a while now , I think it was made during the plandemic.
So why bring it up again now ?.........because it was relevant then , and it is relevant now , and if you had watched the clip , you now realize it's relevance in the future.

Houston , we have a problem!!

Football Analogy From Del Bigtrees Interview of Geert Vanden Bossche - The Highwire

Billy Evmur said:

The bible chooses itself. The church only admits that certain books are the ones most read and most cherished among all ranks and classes. If for instance "The apocalypse of Peter" were read and cherished among Christians or the "Epistle of Barnabas"they would be in the canon.

The clergy class [unknown and unrecognised in scripture] is a usurpation.

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From what I have read and studied those writings among all the existing writings which were known to be in use and practiced by the early church were canonized. These selected writings are also backed up by other sources such as personal letters and evidencing their wide-spread usage and purity. Practices and teachings in contradiction were ommited. Today we have even older sets of scrolls which were more recently discovered and contain markings which appear to be ratings as to accuracy and signed by priests...the Alexandrian scrolls.These scrolls were used in light of the more modern and predominantly used scrolls which are the source of the KJV for instance and the NIV 1984 and its earlier versions were then translated. Such translations are said to be eclectic meaning their language was compared with the Majority Text (KJ source manuscripts) and so the they are new, but said to be in light of the Majority Text.
This is my understanding.

angelsaroundme said:

I could add that a fitness junkie may not only expect a certain level of fitness from you, but future kids if you have them. My friend's dad was really into fitness. My friend's mom, the wife, wasn't as into fitness later so it became an issue in their relationship. He wanted the sons to be fit as well. But if my friend hadn't changed his habits, he might not have become a confident EMT with a great life.

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This is true. When you get onboard the health and fitness lifestyle, you are likely to do lots of research in the subject.

The knowledge you acquire is both enlightening and worrisome if you have loved ones not living healthy. By instinct, you'd want your loved ones start living right too.

The good news is that it's not usually too late to change one's way of living. Even at senior years, still possible to turn one's life around. It's going to be harder but not impossible.

Ceallaigh said:

You don't find my nonsense humorous?

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Ahh, well.. I could stumble over this and declare that I knew it all along and I was just joking around with you.. raging argument indeed.. ridiculous! Who would ever say such a thing if not in jest?.. I'm so embarrassed at myself right now.. rotfwl

AlexB23 said:

the Eucharist is a form of communion with unleavened bread for my Protestant brothers

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See This is my body or represents my body? and follow up there

1Tonne said:

The cool thing about making mistakes is that they become your life story. So now, you can tell others the mistakes you made and have a laugh about it but also you can teach others. And if you continue, you will be able to show people that you have grown through your mistakes.

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Excellent advice here indeed. This can be one of the more challenging skills to master in mission work but also one of the most rewarding, and like many other things with evangelizing, it's helped greatly by tapping more deeply into the well of one's faith. Our own mistakes are indeed raw material both for our own growth and for setting examples for other's to follow, and inviting them into the same temple to worship and grow as well.

Love365 said:

Time for Ukraine peace talks?

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Yep. Like yesterday!

Senator Rubio is speaking the truth. He's right. The refugees should not be getting paid more benefits than working class people who have been here for decades.

Sheesh! When it rains it pours.

I saw a while back statistics showing that Assembly of God churches would have far more saved than baptized in the Spirit. If it continues like that for long the percentage of people who speak in tongues will continue to be less and less. So what is the problem? From an AOG standpoint tarrying is not required for speaking in tongues. The 120 or so in the Upper Room had to wait for Jesus to be glorified, after that no one in Acts is found tarrying that i know of. I do think that tarrying is ok though for those that are seeking God's will or need a word so that they can raise their faith to the level to be able to receive. In that case, God just needs to drop a word of rhema to anyone unsure.
As to be more specific to your post about how long to wait seems easy. It bible says "desire earnestly spiritual gifts" You never stop that desire and when you get one you move on wanting more and wanting to go deeper.
ROm 12:6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;

It is faith that God gives. Faith comes by hearing the rhema word. Some prophecy is of little faith, some giving is of little faith. You start small and work your way up. Not just for prophecy either but for all the gifts. No need to resist for decency, just be decent in the operation and timing.

I keep reading the title as "Carrots, eating babies" or "Carrot-eating babies".

This reminds me not to forget carrots when buying fruits.

Ain't Zwinglian said:

If indeed, “born of water” refers to natural biological birth, it would clearly be a hapax legomenon….a word or phrase which only occurs once in Scripture, and even stranger, this idiom is not found in Hellenistic literature as scholars inform us. It certainly is possible for “born of water” to refer to natural biological birth, but some very strong evidence should be marshaled to overcome the long historic interpretation “born of water” is water either referring to the power of the HS to cleanse us from sin or possibly baptism.

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Ain't Zwinglian said:

Natural birth isn’t caused by amniotic fluid and isn’t the only factor in natural birth. There are genitals, Fallopian tubes, conception, fluid in the umbilical cord, contractions, etc., of which amniotic fluid is one of the elements…. in a near-last long chain of events. Amniotic fluid or any other bodily fluid fails instrumentally as the cause of natural birth.

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Ain't Zwinglian said:

People are born from their mothers; they are not born from amniotic fluid. Bodily fluid isn’t what gives birth to them, their mother is. The Scriptures bears this out:

• For as woman came from man, so also man is born of woman. (I Cor 11:12)
• God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law (Gal. 4:4
• I say to you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John; (Luke 7:28)
• Man, who is born of woman, Is short-lived and full of turmoil. (Job 14:1)
• Whenever a woman is in labor she has pain, because her hour has come; but when she gives birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish because of the joy that a child has been born into the world. (John 16:21)
• “How then can a man be just with God? Or how can he be clean who is born of woman? (Job 25:4)

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That's a good point. Also, scripturally supported.

Ain't Zwinglian said:

Jesus was not talking about the difference between natural birth and spiritual birth. Furthermore, if "born of water" does refer to natural childbirth, why does Nicodemus need to be reminded he is already born? That would be redundancy. Why would anyone who has been naturally born need to be reminded of that fact? Existing is self evident and presupposed.

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A very good point.
Jesus could have replied. Well, Nicodemus, you... in fact the whole world is born of water."
He could have cut to the chase, and simply said, 'Unless one is born of spirit...", if he was referring to natural child birth, as being born of water.

Ain't Zwinglian said:

Jesus is not speaking of the doctrine of creation. He is speaking of redemption. Just how the interpreter handles it from here....is up to you.

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I'm sorry for them. Jesus already explained.
How we choose to interpret things is our own downfall.
We have no one else to blame for error, but ourselves... if we choose to go that course.

ViaCrucis said:

Since magic doesn't exist, then when a person blesses or curses, it doesn't do anything, because that isn't how God "works". I can't speak words and create a beneficial or negative effect on you or your life.

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Are you saying that when Jacob stole the blessing from Isaac, that it was much to do about nothing? That there was no real blessing? I wrote this post trying to consider if God does honor a blessing that a human may issue.

ViaCrucis said:

The significance of blessing and cursing is what it says about ourselves. See St. James' epistle when he talks about the tongue as a wild untamed beast. The tongue blesses and curses, with it we praise God and with it we speak ill of our fellow human beings made in God's image--this is a horrible thing.

God desires that we use our words to build others up, to use our words to be loving, kind, compassionate--in imitation of Christ and His character. Not to tear down and harm--not because words are magic, but because words can hurt. It doesn't take a psychology degree to know this. With words parents build their children up, or tear them down; with words we create pain in those we should call friends and neighbors and with words we encourage, and build stronger friendships and relationships.

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I agree.

ViaCrucis said:

There's nothing supernatural about when we curse or when we bless; but there is practical, real-world evidence that our words can either be an instrument of love or an instrument of hate.

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I agree that there is nothing with WE (specifically ME) bless or curse. But do you think God honored blessings (or curses) issues by the patriarchs? Was Noah's curse of his son effective?

Best wishes,

Kevin

Never been a fan of gnomes or a lot of yard art of this type but it’s a cute story.

Wallingford is just like every other "scientist": he cherry-picks whatever data fits his pet theories, and blithely ignores (or actively condemns) whatever doesn't.

The definition of "science", these days, can best be described not as a large bowl filled with our accumulated knowledge, but rather a large colander with huge masses of anomalies draining through and discarded.

A former Hollywood producer turned rancher is rescuing mustangs and wild donkeys from being sold at auction to potentially abusive environments or slaughterhouses.

Clare Staples is her name, and when she first became aware that the West’s wild mustangs are rounded up by the Bureau of Land Management and sold at auction, she realized this meant that horse families were being separated against their will.

Already having passed 50 and looking for a purpose-driven mission in her life, she founded Skydog Ranch and Sanctuary intending to provide 9,000 acres of grazing land where mustangs and wild donkeys, called burros, can roam in familial peace for the rest of their days.

In media interviews, Staples has likened the work to that of the detective. Horses across 10 western states are gathered in the annual “round-up”—a vast capture operation of wild horses and burros to keep their numbers down. Often this means a mare and her foal living in Arizona might be separated, with the foal sold in Oregon, and the mare sold in Nevada, or something similar.

Continued below.

Nice post, thanks. Also noting, "The Falcon 9, as most folks know, is partially reusable: Its first stage comes back to Earth for recovery, refurbishment and reflight. But the Ariane 6, like the Ariane 5 before it, is expendable. This design decision makes sense, given that the new rocket will likely fly a maximum of 10 times or so per year for the foreseeable future, ESA officials have said." - Europe's new Ariane 6 rocket launches on long-awaited debut mission (video)

As it turns out, staying married, raising kids, investing in church, and maintaining lifelong friendships could be the most significant thing we do for ourselves and for others, for today and for eternity.

Continued below.

Many mothers raising families in the digital age are struggling with the challenges technology presents, as portrayals of perfect families running across their social media feeds generate an overwhelming sense of guilt, a Christian parenting expert warns.

Author Alli Worthington, a mother of five boys, offered practical advice on how to handle the challenges faced by mothers today, such as social media-induced guilt and low self-esteem.

During a recent interview with the Evangelical Christian parachurch ministry Focus on the Family, the author of Remaining You While Raising Them: The Secret Art of Confident Motherhoodemphasized that mothers need to practice self-care, prioritize their emotions, seek help when needed and recognize the false representations of reality on social media.

Continued below.

FireDragon76 said:

What you see as cruel is more aptly called indifference. Buddhism doesn't teach a deontological moral ethic. And should we judge a religion by the most base behavior? I am afraid that Christianity would fare no better. Just as there are many nominal Christians, there are also many nominal Buddhists, for whom it is primarily a cultural identity and source of ethical normativity.

For every St. Francis or Mother Theresa in Catholicism, you can find the Buddhist equivalent. There are Buddhists that opened orphanages or cared for lepers, similar to Catholic saints.

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I think we differ or may differ about this matter because for me cruelty is cruelty regardless of the religious context. It is not somehow better to be cruel as an ordained bishop nor is it better to be cruel because you're a Buddhist monk in Sri Lanka. And Catholicism is not made holy, just or good because Mother Teresa lived when many Catholics can be censoriously cruel to divorced or homosexual people. Christianity isn't good because Christians are good - and God only knows how much I pray and wish Christians were universally good. It is Christ who makes Christianity good, not the bible, nor Tradition. Revelations from God though these last mentioned are they are words and actions in a liturgical setting without power in themselves to make anyone good. Goodness comes from God working in and through people who willingly work with God to do good in the world.

So, karma is a cruel teaching precisely because its explanation for congenital suffering as guilt in some past life. It is cruel for its explanation of temporal suffering as guilt for deeds done.

Good!

How awful! Lord have mercy!