“Everyone in our community is entitled to their own views, but this was neither the time nor the place. Commencement is a time of celebration, recognition, and unity,” said Grasso. “The chair’s remarks were expected to be congratulatory, not a platform for personal or political expression. Introducing such commentary in this setting was inappropriate and did not align with the purpose of the occasion.”

Don't think the students don't here this stuff in the classrooms.

FreeinChrist said:

Yes, we do get the deed, but have to pay a yearly property tax forever. Those are suppose to be used for things like schools and emergency services like police and fire departments and EMS and other public services.

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That seems reasonable. We do something similar 'cept it's called council taxes. Goes to pay for the upkeep of local amenities. It's based on the value of your land, not the value of the property. So if I had a one bedroom shack next to my neigbour's 4 bedroom house then we'd pay the same. Which is currently about U$1400 p.a.

Afternoon brother and I greatly appreciate the detailed and engaged response. I can't speak for you but I find it very hard to find fellow believers that are interested enough to have this kind of discussion, let alone with their hearts invested, so as always please consider my points below not as argument but merely a shining of light upon "small differences". I'd wager that on key issues you and I would vastly align.

John Bauer said:

But most of my points? Now I am curious: What did you disagree with?

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I think any substantive points of disagreement were raised in the rest of my post, so mostly here I was just framing my post as coming from a place of mostly mutual agreement rather than a buffet plate of general discontentment.

John Bauer said:

I wonder what “unbearded” was intended to suggest?
So you are Reformed, but not 1689 LBCF?

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I have often encountered fellow Reformed-types who have granted conversational merit based on the presence of, and indeed even size of, one's beard. It may well be a partially subconscious tactic on my part to announce my beardlessness up front, so as to strike more surprisingly and effectively from a position of perceived weakness.

For the record I'm a Canadian PCC Presbyterian, with my church leaning strongly on the "traditionalist" mode that I think is an ever-decreasing subset of that denomination's otherwise progressive majority. Personally I'm not tied to any particular creed - my acceptance of any creed or confession is directly proportional to its biblical adherence, so I guess that I'd have no huge issues with WCF, 1689, etc. I'd favor the latter's Believer's Baptism on scriptural grounds, but I don't lose any sleep either way. If I had been only paedobaptised then I'd probably want Believer's Baptism second pass.

John Bauer said:

My argument assumes that what Paul says in one place (Acts 17:28) would be consistent with what he writes elsewhere (Rom 11:36)

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Agreed and likewise I see Rom 11:36 and Acts 17:28 both saying effectively the same thing. There may well be an interesting off-thread discussion to be had in, I believe, the very slight difference between them.

John Bauer said:

There are no maverick molecules, as R. C. Sproul put it

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Funny, I'd pegged you for a Sproulite early on based on your Coram Deo signature. Sproul was and continues to be a huge benefit to me, and instrumental in the formation of my positions. Same, perhaps even more so, with Piper (and by extension, Lewis and Edwards).

John Bauer said:

It looks to me, then, like what you are calling “biblical panentheism” is actually a classical Christian view of divine sovereignty, creation, providence, and omnipresence with an unfortunate label—for you deny the theological distinctives that would make panentheism, well, panentheistic.

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Agreed, and going forward I'll probably just describe myself as a "Classical Theist" or, if I purposely want to create a bit of cognitive dissonance in my interlocutor, a "Biblical Panentheist" as described. As best as I can tell, looking at Stanford's non-trivial page on Panentheism, my particular "flavor" of panentheism is still within the bounds of their broad definition and subtypes.

John Bauer said:

There is only one term in your post that garners concern: “There is no outside of God.”

That is ambiguous. It could be heard in a couple of different ways. It could be a denial of creaturely autonomy: there is no realm outside God’s sustaining power, presence, and providence. If so, that is just classical theism. Or it could be a denial of divine simplicity and immutability: creation is somehow inside God or a constituent within God’s own being: If so, that is antithetical to classical theism.

The phrase “pervaded by God” has the same ambiguity (although I noticed the huge “if” there). Classical theism can affirm that God is present to every creature and every atom by sustaining power. But it cannot affirm that God is a component within the creature; divine immanence doesn’t mean God is diffused throughout creation. He is wholly present everywhere without being spatially extended, distributed, or compounded with creation. So, what was the intended meaning?

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I came to the faith around my 50th year just a few years ago, and until then I was a strongly STEM-leaning materialist, albeit with many years of deep interest in Taosim, Chan/Zen Buddhism, heterodox thinkers like William Blake, Tolle, etc. So I'm grateful that God led me to him through these systems of belief and it's likely that my doctrine will always be flavored by them. Of course I know enough to jettison the parts of those systems that don't align with scripture, even if just in principle.

I'm far less inclined to be sympathetic to philosophically argued Christian positions such as Divine Simplicity or Immutability, particularly the farther they stray away from a biblical basis. Certainly I'm all in favour of the philosophical endeavour and don't ignore positions like these completely, but I do feel that it's possible to allow philosophy to erect unnecessary and even harmful guardrails where the Ancient Near East mind would not have been so constrained. I'm all ears if a brother believes that by not having a firm position on these positions then my doctrine is significantly harmed or weakened - after all I've done nothing for the last few years other than continued refinement and testing of my positions against scripture.

All that said as hopefully helpful background preamble, when I say "There is no outside of God" and "All of Creation is pervaded by God" what I mean is:

[EDIT: I wrote a paragraph or two of beautiful text here, weepingly beautiful even, where I started to explain my position, but now I realize that I was still playing by the musty old ontological paradigm of God vs. Creation that I think most of us feel makes sense, and certainly the materialist types want us to stick to because it fits their model too (they simply drop the God part and then declare victory because God doesn't show up under a microscope). So I've erased those paragraphs and now I'm going to really describe what I believe is the true biblical ontology].

Creation is a story being told by God. When you make up a bedtime story to tell your 4-year-old daughter, of a blue elephant named Tusky that gets into adventures and protects little girls who are afraid of the dark, the ontological status of Tusky is exactly the same as our status: Tusky is certainly alive and real within your story, while simultaneously being a product of your storytelling and marching entirely to your will. To ask "Is Tusky a part of John" or "Is there John within Tusky" are kind of category errors, and both can be said to be simultaneously true and false. For Tusky's friend Moop within the story, Tusky's actions seem authentic and free, and with causal validity. But ultimately it's all just Daddy telling a story to a very enraptured little girl.

How much can be gained by wondering whether the storyteller has parts? I don't know. From within the story it seems perfectly valid to argue that the storyteller is undivided and undifferentiated I guess: from that vantage point he's this great external telos from which all things flow. Is the storyteller unchanging? I don't think so. The storyteller that starts the telling is different by the time the story ends, especially if the little girl steered the story herself here and there herself. Or maybe it's that the storyteller changes inside the story if he's written himself in, but from the outside he doesn't change because feedback or not he's the one telling the tale?

I know Douglas Wilson's talked about this model, and I think Tolkien too. Calvin called Creation "the Theatre of God's Glory". How does one even say whether this is panentheism or not, or that an opponent of panentheism is even wrong?

John Bauer said:

I am reminded of a quote, though I have long since forgotten who said it: “If God did not exist, the universe would not exist. If the universe did not exist, God would nevertheless exist.” (I think it was William Lane Craig, but I’ve never managed to source it to him concretely.)

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That does sound like Craig... I even read it in his voice. This statement is true even in a narrative ontology.

John Bauer said:

When you say that Christians believe “that we live in a separate world of atoms and things,” what do you mean by separate?

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I meant that most Christians believe that the matter within the story is real. Not that it isn't real within the story, and certainly much of the Bible is grounded in inner-story teleology to describe the nature of our roles and what our missions are from moment to moment. We're expected to play our parts, loving God with believing loyalty. I don't believe that holding to a narrative ontology is necessary for salvation nor a crucial aspect of the Gospel, but I think it does have theodicean value and is an available option for sovereigntymaxxers

David1701 said:

You keep twisting and ignoring some things that the Bible says, because they do not suit your narrative. Salvation is by grace through faith, not of works lest anyone should boast.

I'm going to stop flogging the dead horse now.

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We cannot earn our initial salvation from God, but we can prevent ourselves from inheriting eternal life with God after we die.

Unless we do the things that God the Father expects us to do for others, we will not be approved to inherit eternal life. Matthew 25:31-46

Ephesians 2:8-10
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God— 9 not the result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life.

Matthew 7:21
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.

I can lead a horse to water, but I cannot make it drink.

As it is important to your wife to say something about her mother, you are right to pursue that. Thank God for her mother, find some things about her and highlight the importance of her mom. That though the mother is not alive, her legacy and good characteristics live on in her daughter and family. So you can't just have your wife say what she thinks, you have to find out some things from her and others and develop some of this yourself. Your goal is to be one with your wife, and part of that oneness is to embrace and respect her family. Your still going to be the leader of your household, though don't say that. But as leader, you want to humble yourself, to recognize the mom's impact and provision that you now are the beneficiary of. I'm going to say too it is not just the words, it is the attitude that will make this precious. May God bless your speech, marriage plans and union together.

Yeah, and no worries, I won’t turn this Biblical fiction series into a sermon, because—let’s be honest—for you pastors reading this, you’d know that you use the Bible for preaching on Sundays and Wednesdays (depending on if your church does midweek service) anyway. And if you’re not a pastor, don’t worry, I’ll try to keep it interesting without drowning you in theology.

Acts 7:37-43 NKJV


Parallels to Today

This sounds like it could be written to and about so much of the church in my nation (the USA) today. For the prophet raised up by God being spoken of here is Jesus, the Christ, the Messiah, whom we are to hear (to listen to and to obey). He is to be Lord (ruler) of our lives. He is to be head of the church, his body, the body of believers in Jesus Christ, and not men, and not institutions of men. And we are to have no other gods before him. We are not to make idols of human beings to be worshipped and followed above and/or in place of worship and obedience to our Lord and his commands.

But so many people in the gatherings of the church today who are in positions of leadership as pastors or elders or deacons or teachers of The Word are teaching the people that all they have to do is profess faith in Jesus Christ and now all their sins are forgiven and heaven is their eternal destiny, but regardless of how they live. And many are teaching that God does not require repentance (death to sin) and obedience to his commands, for they call that “works salvation.” And so, like many of the Israelites, so many are not obeying the Lord, but they are continuing in their sins.

And so they are making their own gods who they worship and follow, instead. And many of these “gods” are pastors, elders, deacons, missionaries, evangelists, and teachers of “The Word,” or else they are political figures like our president, or vice president, or other political figures in the US congress. And so they become followers of humans rather than followers of God, and they may raise some of these men (or women) to God-like status. And/or they may be those who worship the flesh and who bow to sinful practices, who live in addiction to sin in rejection of God’s commands.

So much of the church has incorporated under (partnered with) the state and with big business, and they have turned their gatherings into places of business, i.e. marketplaces to be marketed to the ungodly and to the world. And in order to attract the world to their gatherings they have altered the gospel of Christ to make it less offensive and more acceptable to the ungodly and to human flesh. And they are being led by church denominations and their theologies and by marketing books on how to grow their “churches,” and Jesus is not the head, and his teachings are being largely dismissed.

All of that God forbids. See:

[Matthew 21:12-13; John 2:13-17; Acts 5:27-32; 1 Corinthians 1:10-13; 1 Corinthians 3:1-9; 2 Corinthians 6:14-18; Philippians 3:18-19; Revelation 2:1-29; Revelation 3:1-22; Revelation 13:5-8; Revelation 18:1-5]

Him You Shall Hear

For Jesus Christ taught that to come to him we must deny self, take up our cross daily (die daily to sin), and follow (obey) him. For if we hold on to living in sin and for self, we will lose our lives for eternity. But if we deny self, die daily to sin, by the Spirit, and we walk in obedience to our Lord and to his commands, in his power, then we have eternal life with God. For not everyone who calls him “Lord” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one DOING (obeying) the will of God (see Luke 9:23-26; Matthew 7:21-23).

For by God-gifted faith in Jesus Christ, which is not of our own doing, we are crucified with Christ in death to sin and raised with Christ to walk in newness of life in him, no longer to live as slaves to sin but as slaves to righteousness in walks of obedience to God’s commands. We are no longer to permit sin to reign in our mortal bodies to make us obey its desires. For if sin is what we obey, it results in death. But if obedience to God is what we obey, it results in sanctification, and its end is eternal life with God (see Romans 6:1-23).

For God’s grace, which is bringing us salvation, is training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives while we wait for Jesus’ return. For it is not the one who claims he is “in Christ” who is “in Christ,” but it is the one who has denied self, died with Christ to sin, and who is now walking in obedience to our Lord and to his commands, in practice, and no longer in sin. We have the hope and the promise of eternal life with God in heaven (see Titus 2:11-14; 1 John 1-3).

[Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Luke 9:23-26; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Romans 1:18-32; Romans 2:5-10; Romans 3:23; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; Romans 12:1-2; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10,19-20; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; 2 Corinthians 5:10,15,21; 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 10:19-39; Hebrews 12:1-2; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 1:1-10; 1 John 2:1-6; 1 John 3:4-10; Revelation 2:1-29; Revelation 3:1-22]

Send a Revival

An Original Work / June 25, 2011
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

Send a revival to this nation, Lord, I pray.
Bring us to our knees, Lord, humbly today.
Teach us to daily walk in your footsteps.
Guide us in your truth, and may we find rest.
Send a revival to this nation, Lord, I pray.
Bring us to our knees, Lord, humbly today.

Be our desire and our hearts’ pure devotion, Lord.
Make us a people who walk close to you.
Change our hearts to conform to your likeness.
May we love others who are in distress.
Be our desire and our hearts’ pure devotion, Lord.
Make us a people who walk close to you.

Teach us to be an example of your love, Lord.
May we serve others as though serving you.
Keep us in fellowship with you, I pray.
May we obey you in all things today.
Teach us to be an example of your love, Lord.
May we serve others as though serving you.

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Idol Worship
An Original Work / May 24, 2026
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

Ophiolite said:

I think the two countries are incompatible. I have long thought that Canada combines the strengths of both the United Kingdom and the United States of America, whereas Australia combines the weaknesses of both.

(Apologies to my many Australian friends, both on the forum and in the real world, but some opportunities are too good to miss.)

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You're good. We are resource rich, but we ship our raw materials abroad and then buy back the finished products instead of producing them here and then selling abroad. Utterly bonkers.

Say it aint so said:

That would be a Herculean task requiring a constitution change to negate "all persons" from due process. I get your notion of normal. But it be far more normal to fund immigration judges to expedite due process, rather than investing in masked ICE who ignore the laws. Firing and depleting DOJ attorneys only leaving those who ignore laws and make things up in court.

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John Oliver’s Last Week Tonight did a segment wayyyyy back in 2019 that highlights the Byzantine labyrinth of our (then, and mostly) current immigration policies. It’s bizarre. No wonder people try their luck at just wandering in.

Peace in Christ.

The original apostles COMMANDED us to work with our own hands to support our own earthly necessities...do our own business instead of preaching for pay.

1Th 4:11-12 KJV
(11) And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you;

This they commanded us to do so that we may walk honestly toward the people of the outside world. The people of the outside world will then not have a reason to blaspheme His name nor the gospel if we do this. We also shall lack NOTHING for God knows we have earthly needs and He will add those things to us.

(12) That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing.

Take heed that no man deceive you. MANY have come in His “name”….that is, authority…and say that they are the Christ…that Christ is speaking in them.

Mat 24:4-5
(4) And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.
(5) For many shall come in my name, saying, I am the Christ; and shall deceive many.

MANY do not come in His name or authority as the Lord Jesus SENT His apostles (meaning “one who is sent”) without purse and scrip and shoes. The true apostles that He sent did not go forth to receive gold nor silver nor brass from the people that they preached the Word to.

True apostles today…who are truly sent by Christ… do the SAME thing as directed by our Lord Jesus. They come in His name or authority for they follow His commandment. They speak the words of Christ.

In contrast, false apostles…falsely sent…come with purse and scrip…things to collect money from those who they “preach” to. They are not servants of the Lord Jesus but are “preaching themselves” instead.

Jesus SENT FORTH (Greek: apostellō) the 12 apostles. The truly sent (in His name or authority) freely give the gospel. As they have freely received, they freely give. It is more blessed to give than to receive.

Mat 10:
(5) These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not:
(6) But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
(7) And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.
(8) Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.

Jesus directed those who are truly SENT (true apostles) to NOT acquire these things for themselves from those they preached to . The workman is worthy of his OWN meat....just as the original apostles who worked night and day so as not to be chargeable to any.

(9) ACQUIRE NOT gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses,
(10) Nor scrip for your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves: for the workman is worthy of his meat.

The true apostles are to first proclaim "peace" to the house.

The falsely sent are false prophets as well because even though they do come saying peace (as directed by Jesus) but it is a false prophecy of “peace" to those they are deceiving...who are giving them food. Micah 3:5 .

There is no peace in their company even though that is what they are proclaiming it. What we find among them is the wrath of God whose judgment comes upon the children of disobedience.

Luk 10:5-6 KJV
(5) And into whatsoever house ye enter, first say, Peace be to this house.
(6) And if the son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it: if not, it shall turn to you again.

The Lord also sent out the 72 with the same directive: Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes: and salute no man by the way.

They were not to carry things to collect money from those they preach to. They do not sell religious products to those they preach to….not carrying “shoes” to sell to the spiritually poor who are being made merchandise of. They do not salute no man by the way…they do not use feigned words of flattery to deceive those they are preaching to in order to get things from them.

Luk 10:1-4 KJV
(1) After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come.
(2) Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.
(3) Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves.
(4) Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes: and salute no man by the way.

We WILL LACK NOTHING if we follow His directive. True apostles…the truly sent…will lack nothing....lacking no earthly things. All these things shall be added to us if we seek first the kingdom/government of God and His righteousness.

Luk 22:35-38 KJV
(35) And he said unto them, When I sent you without purse, and scrip, and shoes, lacked ye any thing? And they said, Nothing.

But the transgressors DO take their purse and scrip with them.

(36) Then said he unto them, But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip: and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one.

Today, Christ is being reckoned among the transgressors as many go to their man-based churches where they are receiving things. Many think that they are truly sent by the Lord Jesus when they are not.

(37) For I say unto you, that this that is written must yet be accomplished in me, And he was reckoned among the transgressors: for the things concerning me have an end.

This prophecy (“and he was reckoned among the transgressors”) was completely fulfilled 2000 years ago with Jesus.

The 2 swords represent the definite beginning and definite ending of that prophecy. It is not relevant for today as He is no longer among the transgressors who are preaching for pay.

The things concerning Him had its end 2000 years ago. What was written (And he was reckoned among the transgressors) was COMPLETED …accomplished…in Him. He is NO LONGER among the transgressors.

(38) And they said, Lord, behold, here are two swords. And he said unto them, It is enough.

Yet, He is still being reckoned today among the transgressors who are not following the command of the Lord Jesus and of His true apostles.

He is still being counted by MANY among the man-based churches who are preaching things that they ought not be for money’s sake.

Why seek the Living One (singular) among the dead ones (plural)? Jesus…the Living One… is not among the man-based churches (the “dead”) who are being led by those who are not following the commandment of the Lord.

Luk 24:5-8 KJV
(5) And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead?

He is not here in the graves of the man-based churches as the Son of man is being delivered into the hands of sinful men. His life is not being made manifest in the mortal flesh of those that they are deceiving…who are reckoning even now that Christ is among them.

He is not here but is risen. His life is not found among the man-based churches who are “dead” in trespasses and sins.

(6) He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee,
(7) Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.
(8) And they remembered his words,

The word of the Lord is to have free course...to run...without being hindered.

2Th 3:1-15 KJV
(1) Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you:
(2) And that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men: for all men have not faith.
(3) But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil.

The original apostles have confidence in the Lord concerning us that we will both do and will do the things which they command us to do.

(4) And we have confidence in the Lord touching you, that ye both do and will do the things which we command you.
(5) And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ.

This is their commandment, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that we withdraw ourselves from every brother that walks disorderly (insubordinately) and not after the “tradition”….which means “transmission”…that we receive from the true apostles who made it binding upon us today. They have confidence that we shall do what they command us to do.

(6) Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us.
(7) For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you;

The brothers that we are to withdraw from will NOT obey the binding commandment of the original apostles that they work with their own hands to eat their own bread. They will instead keep on preaching for pay because of the covetousness that is within their hearts. We are not to keep company with those who call themselves "brothers" but are covetous. They will not follow after THE example of the true, original apostles.

(8) Neither did we eat any man's bread for nought; but wrought with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you:
(9) Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us.
(10) For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.
(11) For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies.
(12) Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread.
(13) But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing.

Their will be pastors or church leaders who will not “obey”…to hear under…to hear subordinately…this letter by which they will understand this commandment given to them. The commandments in this letter is to be done because of their authority over us that was given to them...the keys of heaven... by Jesus.

(14) And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed.
(15) Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.

We are to be delivered from the “unreasonable” and wicked men who are hindering the word of the Lord. The word of the Lord is to have free course…to run…and be glorified.

2Th 3:1-2 KJV
(1) Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you:
(2) And that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men: for all men have not faith.

It is being hindered by those who are not following the commandment of the original apostles who did not preach for pay. They did not use this power to get paid from those they preached to so that the gospel of Christ is not hindered.

1Co 9:12 KJV
(12) If others be partakers of this power over you, are not we rather? Nevertheless we have not used this power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ.

The pastors are to renounce the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handle the Word of God deceitfully for their own gain.

2Co 4:1-5 KJV
(1) Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not;
(2) But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.

If the gospel is being hid, it is being hid to them that are lost…that is, perishing. They mortally perish because they have no understanding of the gospel of the glory of Christ.

The god of this age…their belly that they are serving for…is blinding the minds of them that do not believe as they “preach themselves”. They cannot understand the gospel and so are not preaching the truth of the gospel to their congregations who are spiritually in a great famine. They do not believe because they do not renounce the things in verse 2.

(3) But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost (perishing):
(4) In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
(5) For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake.

They ...the scoffers....will keep following after their lusts (covetousness) for earthly things (the material things they are getting from their congregations). They will not be obeying the COMMANDMENT of "us" APOSTLES (the truly sent) of the Lord and Savior to work with their own hands to support their own earthly necessities....to eat their own bread and not another's.

2Pe 3:1-4 KJV
(1) This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance:
(2) That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour:
(3) Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,
(4) And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.

The resaon aliens have never been here is that it is too Phar to come.

When I saw the thread title, my immediate reaction was to post "Wherever I tell you to."

Fortunately I suppressed it.

DaisyDay said:

You mean Trump-pardoned people are eligible but Biden-pardoned ones are not?

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New to MAGA-think?

As I'm getting old and was feeling my joints getting stiff I told my doctor I thought I might have arthritis. He examined me and said it was early onset rigor mortis.

Eastern Washington is worlds away from Seattle, the Evergreen State’s largest city.

Here in Walla Walla, the Oregon Trail and the missionaries associated with westward expansion still help define the small city of 34,060 people and the county seat of the same name, even as much of its modern identity is tied to the world-class wine produced by more than 120 wineries drawing from nearly 3,000 acres of vineyards.

The history runs deep here.

Long before pioneers arrived by wagon train, the broader region served as a crossroads for Indian tribes, explorers and traders. The expedition led by Meriwether Lewis and William Clark between 1804 and 1806 passed nearby as the young United States began looking toward the Pacific Ocean and the vast possibilities of the West.

Two Protestant missionaries, Marcus Whitman and Narcissa Whitman, settled near present-day Walla Walla in 1836. Their mission became an important stop along the Oregon Trail during the height of westward migration, providing supplies, medical care and guidance.

Continued below.

The justification for human equality given by the founders in the Declaration of Independence claims that all people are “created equal and endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights.” What kind of Creator is invoked here? This deity is invoked by different names in the Declaration’s 1,458 words: Nature’s God, Creator, Supreme Judge of the world, and Providence. Do these divine names point to a deistic god, a disinterested watchmaker who makes the world but lets it go without further care or intervention? Or does the text suggest a theistic conception of God, the biblical God who creates and governs as a loving Father?

In America Declares Independence, Alan Dershowitz argues for an “un-Christian Declaration of Independence.” He argues that language of “Nature’s God,” “Supreme Judge of the world,” and the “Creator” are deistic, unchristian references.

If by “un-Christian,” Dershowitz means that the divine in the Declaration is not specifically Christian, then he is certainly correct. The founders could have, but did not, speak of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The term “Nature’s God” has distinctly deistic origins, unlike all the other terms used for the divine, such as Providence, Creator, and the Supreme Judge, which originates in Hebrew belief.

Yet all the divine names used in the Declaration are perfectly compatible with both theistic and deistic belief. Christians as much as deists, affirm God as the origin of nature and nature’s laws (both scientific and moral). Christians confess God as a provident Creator of all that is seen and unseen (nature) who will judge the living and the dead. Why then claim that this language, which all Christians can accept, amounts to an “un-Christian Declaration of Independence”?

Michael Novak writes, “Scholars often mistakenly refer to the god of the Founders as a deist god. But the Founders talked about God in terms that are radically Jewish: Creator, Lawgiver, Governor, Judge, Providence.” Novak seems to envision a form of deism like that advocated by Henry St. John, First Viscount Bolingbroke, who conceived of a God who launches the created order but does not interact with it any longer. Like a mother who abandons her child, a deistic God does not intervene in creation in general nor in the lives of human beings in particular. But this kind of deity was not embraced even by those founders rightly considered the least traditionally Christian and the most deistic, such as Thomas Jefferson.

Continued below.

Updated at 8 p.m. ET on May 23, 2026:The gunman who triggered a lockdown at the White House on Saturday evening has been identified as 21-year-old Nasire Best of Maryland, according to law enforcement. Officials said Best was already known to the Secret Service and had violated previous court orders to stay away from the White House grounds. President Donald Trump was in the Oval Office at the time of the shooting.

Best brandished a revolver and got off two or three shots before being taken down by Secret Service outside a White House checkpoint at 17th Street NW and Pennsylvania Ave. He died en route to an area hospital.


Best had multiple prior encounters with the Secret Service and had a history of mental health issues. Previously, he had been detained by the Secret Service on June 26, 2025, for flagging down agents and making threats, and again on July 10, 2025, for entering a restricted area.

Original report:

Continued below.

Akita Suggagaki said:

All we can do it try to speak out and be prepared for silencing. Freedom of speech cannot be taken for granted.

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Silencing? We have freedom of speech here. So in other words, nothing different.

The Morning Offering

Daily Quote...Come, O Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of thy faithful, and enkindle within them the fire of thy love.

Solemnity of Pentecost Sunday (Year A) readings & commentary

Pentecost Sunday readings & commentary
Other Titles: Whitsunday; Pinkster Sunday

Pentecost Sunday readings & commentary

A Scriptural Reflection on the Readings for Pentecost Sunday, May 24, 2026

Sunday Reflections, Pentecost, Year A, 24 May 2026

The Solemnity of Pentecost Day Mass Cycle A Bible study

Daily Gospel

I Have Come to Cast A Fire on the Earth – A Homily for Pentecost Sunday

The Work of the Holy Spirit

Pentecost and Witnessing to Truth

Maria Magnificata. Short Meditations for May, the Month on Our Lady’s Life. 24th Day — Mary at the foot of the Cross

Our Lady, Help of Christians

Saints of the Day

Sermons for Everyday Living - St. Peter's Pentecost Sermon 5/24/26

What Happened at Pentecost Changed the World Forever
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Morning Prayers

Divinum Officium

Daily Quote...Come, O Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of thy faithful, and enkindle within them the fire of thy love.

Whit Sunday: Pentecost propers & commentary (Gueranger)

Pentecost Sunday propers & commentary

Fr. Leonard Goffine's instruction on Pentecost Sunday

Daily Gospel

WDTPRS – Pentecost Sunday: Holy Church’s fabric, the warp and the weft

Colligite Fragmenta: Pentecost Sunday

In Illo Tempore: Pentecost Sunday

The Ancient Character of Pentecost in the Roman Rite (Part 1)

Keeping the commandments: sermon on Pentecost Sunday

Pentecost and Witnessing to Truth

Maria Magnificata. Short Meditations for May, the Month on Our Lady’s Life. 24th Day — Mary at the foot of the Cross

Our Lady, Help of Christians

Saints of the Day

Sermons for Everyday Living - St. Peter's Pentecost Sermon 5/24/26

What Happened at Pentecost Changed the World Forever
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Audio version of Gueranger
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Acts 6:8-15 NKJV


Falsely Accused of Wrong

Have you ever been falsely accused of doing or speaking what is wrong when, in fact, what you were doing was completely in line with the teachings of the Scriptures? I have been, plenty of times. And were your accusers those who were the religious? Pastors, elders, deacons, or other professers of faith in Jesus Christ? My accusers mostly were in these categories, yes. And did they speak lies about you to stir up others against you? That was my experience. And have you ever been told that you have the face of an angel? No, but I have been told (past) that I have the voice of an angel.

Now Stephen’s accusers were of a religious sect called “The Synagogue of the Freedmen.” I researched them a few years ago, and this is what I learned at that time (source Oxford Languages):


Market-Driven “Churches”

But as I read this passage of Scripture, and as I looked up these definitions, what this reminded me of is the institutional market-driven and flesh-driven “churches” (like synagogues) in America today which are really businesses of human origin, but they just call themselves “churches.” So they are loosely based off the original church, but they are altered and modified to fit with today’s culture and with what the world is craving, and in order to be more “user friendly” and not judgmental so as not to offend the senses of the ungodly, which includes many who are professing faith in Jesus Christ.

Many of them do not mind being judgmental and offending the senses of the godly, though, in order to cater to the felt needs of the ungodly who they want to attract to their gatherings. So many of them are being trained in who they want to attract to their gatherings and in who they want to get rid of. And I know this both from having gone through some of their training sessions and having been told by a pastor that he was warned about people like me, i.e. people with strong convictions. First he instructed me to let him be God’s voice to me, which I refused, and then he invited me to leave.

For many of these “churches” incorporated under (partnered with) the state are being led by marketing gimmicks and marketing rules of engagement and not by God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. They operate as human based businesses and not as the universal body of Christ in ministering God’s love and grace to one another. Many of their gatherings are about using a select number of people to provide the music, and one or two select men to bring all the messages. And the body is not encouraging one another in our walks of faith in obedience to our Lord in holy living, as we ought.

[Acts 2:14-18,42-47; Romans 12:1-8; 1 Corinthians 12:1-31; 1 Corinthians 14:1-5; Galatians 6:1; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:1-16; Ephesians 5:15-21; Ephesians 6:10-20; Philippians 2:1-8; Colossians 3:12-16; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 3:13; Hebrews 10:23-25; James 5:19-20]

For a switch has taken place. The light of the truth of the gospel has largely been diluted and altered to teach what Jesus and his apostles did not teach, if studied in the correct biblical context. And Jesus is not the head of these “churches,” but the government is, and church denominations are, and marketing gimmicks are what many of them are following in order to grow their “churches” in number. Entertaining the world is a huge thing most of them seem to be offering, too. So many of them are like the “Synagogues of the Freedmen.” They are offshoots of the church, but are not Christ’s body.

Full of Faith

But we, as those who profess faith in Jesus Christ, are to be more like Stephen. And we are to hold fast to the truths and the doctrines of the Scriptures, but not just in theory, but in daily life practice. And we are to stand strong on what the Scriptures teach as truth, and not waver in opinion when someone else comes along and tries to convince us to follow after a lie, instead. Now we could be wrong on some things, so when challenged, we should be willing to go to the Scriptures to make sure we are on the right footing so that we are not believing the lies while rejecting the truth, too.

But if what we believe to be the truth is clearly and repeatedly backed by the Scriptures themselves (studied in the correct biblical context), then we should stand strong on the truth as Stephen did, even when we are being strongly opposed and threatened by those who have gone the way of compromise, instead. And if we are falsely accused, lied about, mistreated and cast out because we stand on the truth of God’s word and we refuse to compromise, well then glory to God who gives us the strength to do that. Let’s continue to represent well our Lord and his teachings, to the death!

[Matthew 5:10-12; Matthew 7:21-23; Matthew 10:16-25,34-39; Matthew 24:9-14; Luke 6:22-23; Luke 9:23-26; Luke 12:49-53; Luke 21:12-17; John 15:18-21; Romans 5:3-5; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-17; 2 Corinthians 1:3-11; 2 Corinthians 4:17; Hebrews 12:3-12; James 1:2-4; 1 Peter 1:6-7; Revelation 3:19; Revelation 6:9-11; Revelation 7:9-17; Revelation 11:1-3; Revelation 12:17; Revelation 13:1-18; Revelation 14:1-13]

As the Deer

By Martin J. Nystrom
Based off Psalm 42:1

As the deer panteth for the water
So my soul longeth after You
You alone are my heart's desire
And I long to worship You

You alone are my strength, my shield
To You alone may my spirit yield
You alone are my heart's desire
And I long to worship You

Full Of Faith
An Original Work / May 24, 2026
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

reddogs said:

Ok, let me answer this last part off the top of my head as is my instinct and pick up the pieces and see what we have. Go to most Adventist or Christian for that matter, and ask them what is the tendency or mans natural tendency? To sin or not to sin, and they will invariably say 'to sin. Now ask them what they think "Christs natural human tendency was?", and the truth of the matter or the norm is they will tend to look at themselves and say, "it must be to sin" like me...

That has been the issue that I have come across, especially as a moderator in forums with Adventist, but you might be around more sanctified brethren than is my experience, so thus a difference.

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I've come to read these two term used regarding the humanity of Jesus, may we know where do Adventist stand.
1. Prelapsarian - Jesus take the human nature of Adam before he sinned, no inside temptation/tendency to sin but subject to outside temptation.
2. Postlapsarian - Jesus take the human nature of Adam after the fall, subject to temptation inside and outside.

Delvianna said:

Yeah, I've been reading Ebola is the new fear mongering next pandemic scare. The thing is though, Africa is notorious for Ebola issues...

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The concerns about Ebola are real. Fatality rates for Ebola are 1 in 3 of those infected.