• Starting today August 7th, 2024, in order to post in the Married Couples, Courting Couples, or Singles forums, you will not be allowed to post if you have your Marital status designated as private. Announcements will be made in the respective forums as well but please note that if yours is currently listed as Private, you will need to submit a ticket in the Support Area to have yours changed.

  • CF has always been a site that welcomes people from different backgrounds and beliefs to participate in discussion and even debate. That is the nature of its ministry. In view of recent events emotions are running very high. We need to remind people of some basic principles in debating on this site. We need to be civil when we express differences in opinion. No personal attacks. Avoid you, your statements. Don't characterize an entire political party with comparisons to Fascism or Communism or other extreme movements that committed atrocities. CF is not the place for broad brush or blanket statements about groups and political parties. Put the broad brushes and blankets away when you come to CF, better yet, put them in the incinerator. Debate had no place for them. We need to remember that people that commit acts of violence represent themselves or a small extreme faction.

‘DANGEROUS’: SPLC Hearing Witness Slams Charlie Kirk Statements

Maya Wiley, the Democrat witness for the House Judiciary Committee, testified before members of Congress that Charlie Kirk made “dangerous” statements preceding his assassination.

The House Judiciary Committee held a hearing Wednesday to address allegations of fraud against the left-leaning nonprofit titled “The Southern Poverty Law Center: Manufacturing Hate.”

The Daily Signal’s Tyler O’Neil, who has long faulted the SPLC for putting mainstream conservative and Christian groups on a “hate map” alongside Ku Klux Klan chapters, testified as a witness for the hearing. Alongside him sat Wiley, president of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, an organization that endorses the SPLC and places it among a coalition of groups the Leadership Conference supports.

The SPLC added Turning Point USA, Kirk’s organization, to the “hate map” last year, a few months before his assassination.

Because of Wiley’s connection to the SPLC, Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., asked Wiley about what the SPLC claimed about Kirk. “Would you agree with the statement that Charlie Kirk was a dangerous extremist?”

Continued below.

DNC Autopsy of Disastrous '24 Election Released, and It's As Pathetic As You'd Expect

The Democratic National Committee finally released its autopsy on the 2024 presidential campaign, where then-Vice President Kamala Harris was roundly crushed by Donald Trump even after she blew through an over $1 billion war chest.

Before we can even get to their findings, however, the story has become how badly they botched the roll-out and looked quite slippery in the process:

Democratic National Committee chair Ken Martin on Thursday released the party’s autopsy report on the 2024 election after facing intense pressure to do so.
Martin had been pummeled in public for months after he promised to release the report and then reversed course in December, saying he would not do so. It’s one in a series of negative storylines that Martin has faced during his short tenure at the DNC, even as Democrats have made political gains in elections in the past year.
Making matters worse for the Dems, it appears as if they failed to truly look in the mirror and face the fact that they put up a terrible candidate whose policies didn’t resonate with regular Americans. Turning Point USA spokesperson Andrew Kolvet brutally summarized the weak excuse for an explanation of the weak campaign:

Continued below.

Clarence Thomas triumphs — and his legal vision, too

This month, Clarence Thomas became the second-longest-serving justice in Supreme Court history.

That milestone would be notable for any jurist.

For Thomas, it marks something more: the vindication of a constitutional vision that, for decades, was caricatured as eccentric, angry or unserious — until the court, and the country, began catching up.

The occasion comes just as Thomas has again demonstrated why his tenure matters.

In this session’s Louisiana v. Callais, the court held that Louisiana’s race-driven congressional map could not be justified by a misconstrued Voting Rights Act.

Continued below.

Ivanka Trump targeted for assassination by IRGC terrorist in twisted plot to avenge president taking out his mentor: sources

First Daughter Ivanka Trump was targeted for assassination by an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) trained terrorist in a twisted plot to avenge the president taking out his mentor, The Post has learned.

Recently captured Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood Al-Saadi, 32, made a “pledge” to kill Ivanka and even had a blueprint of her Florida home, sources claimed.

The Iraqi national was allegedly targeting President Donald Trump’s family in response to the killing of Iranian military chief Qasem Soleimani in a US drone strike in Baghdad six years ago.

Continued below.

CBS Blocks Broadcasting a Stephen Colbert Interview of Texas Primary Candidate James Talarico

Nothing says "I had no hand in pressuring CBS to get rid of Colbert" like posting an AI video of yourself throwing Colbert in a dumpster and doing your signature dance.

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Man found naked behind Burger King with amnesia may have concealed mysterious past for decades

Eric and Shannon Evangelista's investigation follows Benjaman Kyle's trail from Indiana to Colorado​


In August 2004, a man was found unconscious behind a Georgia Burger King. Initial reports described him as naked and bloodied. When he woke up, he claimed he had no memory of who he was. Now, two filmmakers are attempting to uncover what happened during the decades when he was missing.

On May 25, Investigation Discovery (ID) premieres the four-part docuseries "The Many Lives of Benjaman Kyle," which follows Eric and Shannon Evangelista as they attempt to help the mysterious man, who claimed to suffer from a rare form of amnesia, piece together his lost identity. But after the man was identified in 2015 as William Burgess Powell, the investigation takes an unexpected turn.

It’s unclear whether Powell, who appears in the docuseries, disputes the filmmakers’ conclusions.

Powell hasn’t been arrested or charged with any crime. He also doesn’t appear to have any criminal record, People magazine reported. According to the docuseries, his whereabouts are currently unknown, and the filmmakers are encouraging anyone with leads to reach out to their Hot Snakes Media production company.

"We’ve never stopped, and we’re still investigating," Shannon told Fox News Digital. "I think the big question that’s still looming, the driving force for us, is where he was from 1983, when his Social Security earnings stopped, until 2004, when he was found at a Burger King. We’re hoping the public will help us answer that."

Hospital staff nicknamed Powell "B.K. Doe" for "Burger King Doe." He then began identifying himself as Benjaman Kyle. While he was diagnosed with retrograde amnesia, which causes someone to lose memories before an event such as a brain injury, trauma or illness, Shannon’s husband, Eric Evangelista, began to question his diagnosis.

Continued below.

Hunter Biden opens up about addiction, warns shame perpetuates 'devastating' spiral

Hunter Biden opened up about his struggles with addiction and the difference between guilt and shame in handling the consequences of sin during a two-hour interview with podcaster Candace Owens that aired Thursday.

"I've heard you call me a crackhead many times, and the truth of it is I was a crackhead," the second son of former President Joe Biden told Owens, who apologized for repeatedly attacking both him and his father over the years.

Noting both he and Owens are Roman Catholic, Biden appealed to theological concepts to explain that people struggling with addiction — which he noted is approximately 30 million Americans — should avoid the isolating effects of shame and realize they are not alone.

Continued below.

Iranian prisoner of faith, Hakop Gochumyan.

hakob-gochumyan.jpg

HAKOP GOCHUMYAN​

IRAN​

CHARGED WITH:
engaging in deviant proselytizing activity that contradicts the sacred law of Islam

Family Situation​

Hakop is married with children

Please read our writing guidelines before writing to prisoners

Writing Guidelines

Create a print friendly pdf of this profile.​

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
In August 2023, Hakop Gochumyan was visiting Iran with his wife Elisa who is Iranian-Armenian and their two children, when they were arrested in Padis, Tehran. They and their children were having dinner at a friend’s home when plainclothes agents raided the property. Religious materials were confiscated during the arrest.

Hakop and his wife were taken to Evin Prison and placed in solitary confinement. Their children were left in the custody of a family member. At no time during their detention were Hakop or Elisa informed of the charges against them. After two months Elisa was released on bail and she returned to Armenia to be with her children. Hakop however, remained in prison.

In February 2024, Hakop Gochumyan was sentenced to 10 years in prison for “engaging in deviant proselytizing activity that contradicts the sacred law of Islam” through alleged membership and leadership of a network of evangelical Christianity.

According to reports, no clear evidence could be found against Hakop during his trial, so the judge used a provision in Article 160 of Iran’s Penal Code, which allowed him to use his “intuition” to bring about the sentence.

Contact Address:​

Evin Prison
Saadat Abad
Tehran
Islamic Republic of Iran

Christian woman persecuted by Iranian regime sentenced to 9 years in prison

A Christian convert in Iran has been sentenced to nine years and eight months in prison on charges linked to state security and anti-government activity after her Bible and Christian literature were seized during a January raid on her home.

Ghazal Marzban, a Catholic convert and former prisoner of conscience, was sentenced on charges including propaganda against the state and gathering and collusion against national security, Article18 reported.

The sentence was issued by Revolutionary Court Judge Iman Afshari, who was recently sanctioned by the European Union and has issued harsh sentences against political prisoners, including Christians.

Marzban was rearrested in January at her home in Tehran. Her Bible and other Christian books were confiscated, and she was taken to an undisclosed location without an explanation for the arrest.

Continued below.

Iranian prisoner of faith, Mehran Shamloui

mehran-shamlei.jpg

MEHRAN SHAMLOUI​

IRAN​

CHARGED WITH: “membership of groups opposing the state”

Prison Address:​

Evin Prison
Saadat Abad
Tehran
Islamic Republic of Iran

Please read our writing guidelines before writing to prisoners​

Writing Guidelines
Create a print friendly pdf of this profile.
Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Start your letter with a sample letter in this prisoner’s language:​

Sample Letter

In November 2024, Mehran Shloui was arrested by intelligence agents along with two other Christians, Narges Nasri and Abbas Soori, for participating in a house church. He and the other two Christians were released on bail one month later following intensive interrogations.

On March 8, 2025 Mehron was sentenced to 10 years and eight months in prison on charges of “membership of groups opposing the state” and “propaganda activities contrary to Islamic law”. He was also fined, and banned from becoming a member of any group or travelling out of Iran following his release.
He appealed his sentence, but in April 2025 his appeal was rejected. On 7 May, 2025, he was summoned to begin his sentence, but by this time he had fled the county.
On 3 July, 2025, Mehran was deported back to Iran from Turkey, after being detained while attempting to cross the border into Europe.
On his arrival at Mashhad Airport, he was arrested and later transferred to the Greater Tehran Penitentiary to begin serving his sentence.

Prisoners transferred back to Evin Prison

September 7, 2025
Christian converts Mehran Shamloui, Joseph Shabazian, Nasser Navard Gol-Tapeh and Hakop Gochumyan were transferred back to Evin Prison in August after the prison was partially
Read More »

Release International prayers for China, Syria.

Saturday 23 May 2026 – China​

Pray for Christian children in China who are some of the most severely persecuted. Under-18s are prohibited from taking part in any Christian activities. Christian children are often interrogated about their parents’ activities and some have been forced to sign documents renouncing their faith.

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Friday 22 May 2026 – China​

Pray for Pastor ‘Yang’ and his wife, who are involved in student ministry. She was arrested while he was in another country and is facing a prison sentence. Yang knows that if he returns to China he is also likely to be arrested. They have two young children being cared for by relatives.

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Thursday 21 May 2026 – Syria​

Pray for the children and youth of Syria, many of whom are traumatised and have missed years of education. Pray for opportunities to learn, play and to recover.

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Wednesday 20 May 2026 – Syria​

Pray for the new Government and that it and the police and security forces would operate with integrity, impartiality and honesty in the interests of all Syrians.

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Tuesday 19 May 2026 – Syria​

Pray for churches in the Middle East that are involved in mission into Syria. May God bless their efforts.

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Monday 18 May 2026 – Syria​

Thank God for the many Syrians who have come to faith in Christ outside the country and want to minister to friends and family back home. Many face death threats for trying to do so. May God protect them and guide them.

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Sunday 17 May 2026 – Syria​

Pray for Syrian refugees across the Middle East and beyond, especially those who feel unwelcome in other countries. Ask God to guide them about whether to return to Syria and pray that those unable to return would find acceptance where they are.
  • Prayers
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#13 in Christian persecution, Saudi Arabia.

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What does persecution look like in Saudi Arabia?​

Nationalism and Islam are intertwined in Saudi Arabia, with Mecca and Medina venerated as significant sites by all Muslims worldwide. All Saudi citizens are considered Muslim, and Islamic principles and writings govern the way the country functions.

Converting from Islam technically carries the death sentence, though there has been no recent documentation of official executions for this offence. Public churches are banned, and converts must try to keep their faith a secret. Otherwise, they face being disowned and attacked by their families and clans. Government officials also sometimes target Saudi Christians at the request of family or community members. Despite all this, the small number of converts is growing. Most Christians in Saudi Arabia are migrant workers. They are affected by difficult policies, exploitation, enhanced surveillance of communications, and they can face abuse due to their ethnicity and low social status. They are prohibited from sharing their faith and risk arrest and deportation if discovered.

Who is most vulnerable to persecution?​

Christian converts from Islam remain very vulnerable. They are seen as having seriously dishonoured their families and country, which can trigger violent responses from family members if discovered.

Expatriate Christians who come to Saudi Arabia for work also face difficulties, including not being able to share their faith with Muslims or establish churches. They are doubly vulnerable, as migrant workers can face exploitation and abuse.

Meet "Talal"​

"… Most Muslims who come to Christ in Saudi Arabia will never tell their family about their newfound conviction. They must live their faith in secret with utmost caution and secrecy. This is why many Saudi Christians suffer from loneliness."
"TALAL" A CHRISTIAN WHO HAS SERVED LOCAL BELIEVERS IN THIS REGION FOR THE PAST TEN YEARS.

What has changed this year?​

Saudi Arabia’s overall persecution score rose, even as its rank fell by one position due to worsening persecution around the world. Being a Christian in Saudi Arabia remains extremely challenging.

Despite implementing reforms in recent years, the Saudi government continues to prohibit the public practice of non-Muslim religions, and religious minorities face ongoing discrimination in the spheres of law, education and employment. In 2025, several Christian expatriates were expelled from the country; some were told the reason was ‘Christianity’, while most received no reason for their unexpected departure. One house church was shut down; those present were individually approached and expelled from the country without explanation.

What does Open Doors do to help Christians in Saudi Arabia?​

Open Doors raises prayer support for believers in Saudi Arabia.

How can you pray for Saudi Arabia?​

  • Even though there are more than two million Christians in Saudi Arabia, there are no legal public churches. Ask God to make a way for believers to find fellowship with one another.
  • Pray for expatriate believers who meet in secret, that they can continue to worship without hindrance.
  • Ask God to reach people in Saudi Arabia through dreams and visions – and that they would find opportunities for discipleship.
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A PRAYER FOR SAUDI ARABIA
Father, we thank You for the courage and perseverance of Christians in Saudi Arabia. Please grant them Your peace, wisdom and protection as they walk a difficult path. Would You help them to find and connect with other believers for communion and discipleship? We pray that You will continue to reveal Yourself in dreams and visions to Your children in Saudi Arabia, and that there will be opportunities for the gospel message to spread, despite hostility. Amen.
  • Prayers
Reactions: Pop D.

Abrego Garcia human smuggling charges dismissed by Federal judge

Federal Judge said the charges were politically motivated "an abuse of prosecuting power." I think he can still be deported but going to the supermax prison out of the country should bring him some serous compensation. Far more harm than having an employee release some tax returns.

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However, Many Believed

They who spoke to the people were Peter and John:

Acts 4:1-4 NKJV

“Now as they spoke to the people, the priests, the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees came upon them, 2being greatly disturbed that they taught the people and preached in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. 3And they laid hands on them, and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening. 4However, many of those who heard the word believed; and the number of the men came to be about five thousand.”

If You Teach the Truth

How is this applicable to us today? Well, there are many people within the gatherings of the church (or what are falsely being called “the church”) who are hindering sincere followers of Jesus Christ from believing in and from sharing the truth taught us in the Scriptures with regard to the gospel of our salvation and regarding other critical areas related to the gospel message. For many of them are teaching lies disguised as truth in order to appease human flesh and/or to willfully lead people to believe what is false.

Many are teaching faith in Jesus Christ as lip service only. As long as they profess faith in Jesus with their lips they are promised salvation from all sin and eternal life with God guaranteed when they die, or when Jesus returns. Or even if they teach on repentance and obedience to our Lord’s commands, many of them are teaching these as optional, but as recommended, yet not required of God for salvation from sin and for eternal life with God. So, if you teach the truth, you may be asked to leave or to stop speaking altogether.

But 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).

Persecuted for Righteousness’ Sake

Or, if you question what is being taught, in the appropriate manner and setting, and with the right attitude and voice, you might be shut down and asked to remain silent and for you to let the pastor be “God’s voice to you.” Or you might be told, “I was warned about people like you, people with strong convictions,” and you might be invited to go somewhere else where you will be “a better fit.” Or you might be falsely accused of what you did not do and told that you must tell a lie or be put on church discipline.

And if you teach what the Bible teaches is biblical Israel today, and who are the true biblical recipients of God’s promise to Abraham and to his seed, who are Jesus Christ and all who follow Jesus Christ with their lives, you may be told by some that you deserve to be burned at a stake, that you must die because you do not honor the Jews who deny Jesus as their Messiah. And you may be called a heretic for speaking the truth of what the Scriptures teach about who biblical Israel is today under the New Covenant.

And if you question what is being taught in the gatherings of the church, and some of the immorality going on within these gatherings, again, all in the proper context, you may be barred from setting foot on the church property and told the police will be called on you if you show up. Or if you question false teachings, and so you write about them, you may have friends who will hate you for it, attack you verbally, and try to convince you that it is the majority who are on the right path and not the minority (meaning you).

However, Many Believed

The good news about all of this, though, is that good can come out of bad. And, yes, I was sharing some of my own experiences here, but I am not the only one to face such situations as these, for there is so much corruption going on within so many of these businesses called “church.” And so many pastors and elders are catering to the felt needs of the ungodly in order to draw in large crowds into their gatherings. And so many of them are giving permission for people to keep living in sin and are rejecting the righteous.

But good can come out of bad situations. For me, the Lord eventually convinced me to leave these market-driven institutional gatherings which are partnered with the government and with the world. And he called me to the internet where he is using me to share the truth of the gospel and to refute the lies of the enemy and to call people to repentance and to walks of surrender to God in obedience to his commands. And these messages are being viewed by people in over 150 countries – all glory and praise to God!

So, don’t be disheartened if not only the world does not approve of you, but the religious, those who profess faith in the same God as we do, also reject you and toss you aside as unwanted because you hold fast to the truth of what God’s word teaches and you do not compromise righteousness and truth in order to appease human flesh. Keep the faith. And keep speaking the truth of God’s Word wherever they will allow you to speak openly about what the Scriptures teach. For those freedoms we now have could disappear.

[Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Matthew 21:43; Luke 9:23-26; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Romans 2:5-10; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; Romans 9:6-8,25-28; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; Galatians 3:16,26-29; Galatians 5:16-24; Ephesians 2:8-18; Ephesians 3:6; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 12:1-2; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 1:1-10; 1 John 2:1-6,22; 1 John 3:4-10; Revelation 2:1-29; Revelation 3:1-22]

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

However, Many Believed
An Original Work / May 23, 2026
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

Christ the risen Saviour, not potential Saviour !

The Greek word translated as "bought" in 2 Peter 2:1 is not the same as the Greek word translated as "redeemed" in 1 Peter 1:18, so I don't know why you think what is written in 1 Peter 1:18-19 proves that my understanding of 2 Peter 2:1 can't be true. The precious blood of Christ paid the price for the sins and bought all people in that sense and only those who accept the price He paid rather than denying it, like the false prophets and teachers in 2 Peter 2:1, are redeemed.

You talk about the exact words of Peter as if I'm supposedly not accepting them, even though I do. I have shown you many scriptures whose exact words back up my view and you deny them all. You deny that "the world" means everyone in the world in John 3:16. You deny that "the whole world" means everyone in the whole world in 1 John 2:2. You deny that all people means all people in 1 Timothy 2:3-6 and 1 Timothy 4:10 You deny that "all people everywhere" means all people everywhere in Acts 17:30. On and on it goes.
You still haven't proved 2 Pet 2:1 is about Christs blood redemption. Again Peter had already specifically stated about Christs blood redemption to them earlier here 1 Pet 1:18-19

18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;

19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
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Jesus Christ Sent to Bless Us

in turning every one of us away from our sins

Peter and John had been instrumental in the healing of a man who had been lame from birth. A crowd gathered because of that, so Peter took that opportunity to speak to them about Jesus Christ. And he let them know plainly that they had denied the Holy One and the Just (Jesus), and that they had killed the Prince of life (Jesus), whom God raised from the dead. And it was through the name of Jesus that this man had been healed.

Acts 3:17-21 NKJV

“Yet now, brethren, I know that you did it in ignorance, as did also your rulers. 18But those things which God foretold by the mouth of all His prophets, that the Christ would suffer, He has thus fulfilled. 19Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, 20and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before, 21whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began.”

Peter let them know that Jesus was the Christ, their Messiah who had come to them, but whom they had rejected, persecuted, and killed in ignorance. And he let them know that the suffering and death of Jesus was in fulfillment of the prophesy of Scripture about him. Therefore, they were to repent of their sins. And to repent is not just saying you are sorry you did bad things, but it is a change of heart and mind resulting in a change of behavior. You were going one direction and now you turn and go the opposite direction.

For Jesus taught that to come to him we must deny self, take up our cross daily (die daily to sin and to self) and follow (obey) him. So, to be converted is not just to say, “I believe in Jesus,” and “Jesus is Lord,” and “I believe God raised him from the dead.” It is a complete reversal of life direction and change of heart and mind and behavior. It is a decision to now say “No!” to sin and “Yes!” to God and to obeying his commandments. It is walking the walk and not just talking it. It is living for Jesus every day, all day long.

Will we all be perfect at this all the time? Probably not. But lack of perfection is never to be used as an excuse for deliberate and habitual sin and the lack of genuine biblical repentance and changed hearts. For if sin is what we practice, and not obedience to our Lord and to his commands, when Jesus does return to take his faithful bride to be with him for eternity, we will not inherit eternal life with God. And Jesus will say that he does not know us. So genuine repentance is critical to our salvation and eternal life with God.

[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]

Acts 3:22-26 NKJV

22For Moses truly said to the fathers, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your brethren. Him you shall hear in all things, whatever He says to you. 23And it shall be that every soul who will not hear that Prophet shall be utterly destroyed from among the people.’ 24Yes, and all the prophets, from Samuel and those who follow, as many as have spoken, have also foretold these days. 25You are sons of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed.’ 26To you first, God, having raised up His Servant Jesus, sent Him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from your iniquities.”

The subject matter here is Jesus Christ, the Christ, the Messiah whom the Jews had long awaited. He had come, but most of them rejected him, and so they had him put to death on a cross. He is the Prophet being spoken of here. He is the “seed of Abraham” in whom all the families of the earth shall be blessed. Jesus is the one who God sent first to the Jews, and then to the Gentiles, to bless us in turning everyone away from our sins (iniquities). For Jesus died that we might die to sin and walk in obedience to our Lord.

And we read in Galatians 3:16 & 29: “Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, ‘And to seeds,’ as of many, but as of one, ‘And to your Seed,’ who is Christ.” “And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” And in Ephesians 2:15-16 we read: “..so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity.”

Therefore, it is not the Jews who rejected Jesus as the Christ, their Messiah, who are the promised seed of Abraham, but it is Jesus Christ, and it is all who are in Christ by biblical faith in Jesus. We only are Abraham’s seed and heirs according to the promise God made to Abraham and to his seed. All people who reject Jesus, Jews or Gentiles, are not heirs according to the promise God made to Abraham and to his seed if they do not believe in Jesus, and if they have not died to sin, and if they are not obeying our Lord.

[Genesis 17:7-9; Genesis 18:19; Matthew 21:43; John 8:18-19,38-47; John 10:16; Romans 2:28-29; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; Romans 9:4-8,25-28; Romans 11:1-36; 1 Corinthians 3:16-17; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; 2 Corinthians 6:14-18; Galatians 3:16,26-29; Galatians 4:22-31; Ephesians 2:11-22; Ephesians 3:1-6; Colossians 3:12-15; Titus 2:14; Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 4:1-16; Hebrews 8:6-13; 1 Peter 2:9-10,24; 1 John 2:22; Jude 1:5; Revelation 2:9; Revelation 3:9]

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

Jesus Christ Sent to Bless Us
in turning every one of us away from our sins
An Original Work / May 23, 2026
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

Be silent before the Sovereign Lord: The case for Christian mindfulness meditation

I had a period in my spiritual life where I practiced meditative prayer and stillness. The end result was a bit disturbing. As I now believe, it can open one up to demonic attack and spiritual bondage.
Meditation in Scripture is entirely different. It is dwelling on the Scriptures and mulling them over in one's mind, rather like a cow chewing the cud.
Blessings.
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Pastor praising demons again

Thank you for the support it's really hard to tell because my mind always playing tricks on me.
I know, but I am sure it is not real. I for one think that the Lord would not allow such a thing to happen, like sending you to real churches that actually worship Satan just to torment you, or anything like that.
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I just want to talk about my current struggles

About this M keep it to a minimum just get it over with. It seems to be necessary sometimes. Instead of being inflamed with passion. God loves you he knows. get married, get over it. Try not to be too guilty. If you’re on a weird shift, it’s hard but you need to be with people. Social life, not being alone, wholesome activities will help distract you from it. i don’t know if it’s Gods will what I’m saying. youth pastors are against it. Something about conquering all that energy and not sinning and being pure. If God can’t trust you then why would he give you a wife. Not to be a guilt trip or anything. There must be some psychological adaptations that could be employed. Maybe Jesus had a high voice because He never did it. Or something along those lines.

but when I was older I got married and when I was truly dedicated to the lord I stopped. Psychologists are just going to tell you it’s all right. Use temperance…
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Read the DNC’s 2024 'autopsy' obtained by CNN

Yes, Kamala was "next up being on the ticket" exactly as I stated: The vice-president is the presumptive candidate for the next election. Biden set up that situation. Nobody expected him to be a two-term president.

They did not campaign on support for the working class. And it's a silly campaign to expect people you excoriated in the campaign to think about what other people who happened to be in your part legislated and vote for you on election day.

It's not accurate to say that the Democratic party supported unions. The Democrats got union leadership support because who else were the union leadership going to support? But the Democratic Party had nothing good to say for union members.
Yes, campaign messaging is not very good. But come the working class their policies and legislation help those working class much better than their opponents. Specially more so than ever. Again I noted passed legislation that helped the working class. Do you want to talk about the legislation their opponents passed that is hurting them right now? Union support? Democrats were literally on the picket lines with union members; the GOP on the state level do everything they can to stop unions. Republicans have long fought and continue to fight collective bargaining. And no one "excoriated" the working class nor they disparage union members. You have it backwards.
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There Is Only One Mystical Body of Christ: The Catholic Church

I am a little embarrassed and very scandalized by what Pope Leo did.
Catholics cannot pretend that protestant "pretend" clergy are somehow ordained.
Apostolicae curae is the title of an apostolic letter, issued in 1896 by Pope Leo XIII, declaring all Anglican ordinations to be "absolutely null and utterly void".
...
Leo XIII deemed Anglican ordinations to be invalid because he found the Anglican Edwardine Ordinals deficient in intention and form. He declared that the rites expressed an intention to create a priesthood different from the sacrificing priesthood of the Roman Catholic Church and to reduce ordination to a mere ecclesiastical institution instead of a sacramental conferral of actual grace by the action itself, thereby invalidating any sacramental holy orders. He raised similar objection to the Anglican rite for the consecration of bishops, thus dismissing the entire subject of the apostolic succession of Anglican priests and bishops from validly ordained 16th-century bishops.
- From Wikipedia
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