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John Oliver and atheists target Health Care Sharing Ministries

from the post "Unfortunately, the war on Christians didn’t end with the last election. T"

A significant issue today is the belief among some Christians that the so-called "war on Christianity" could be resolved through elections or government policies. The war on Christian began at the crucifixion on Golgotha. If the words of Jesus are interpreted as accurate, then the challenges facing Christianity and Christians will persist until His return to earth.
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Georgia investors reeling after First Liberty 'private loan' affinity scam collapse, connected to state GOP figures, church; feds reportedly involved

Christian Conservative Edwin Brant Frost IV Charged With Ponzi Scheme
The political supporter, who swindled investors out of $140M, apologized for his actions.
The Securities and Exchange Commission has filed charges against Edwin Brant Frost IV, the founder and owner of Georgia-based First Liberty Building and Loan.
Frost also allegedly misappropriated investor funds for his personal use, including making over $2.4 million in credit card payments, paying more than $335,000 to a rare coin dealer, and spending $230,000 on vacations.​

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Trump calls his supporters "troublemakers" after Grand Jury orders release of Epstein files

The White House responded on Wednesday to a new Wall Street Journal report that Attorney General Pam Bondi told President Donald Trump that his name was mentioned in documents related to the investigation into the disgraced financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The Journal's report cited senior administration officials who said Trump's name appeared "multiple" times in the Epstein files.

"This is another fake news story, just like the previous story by The Wall Street Journal," White House communications director Steven Cheung told the newspaper in a statement.

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Hold On Tight! Don't Let Go!

“Depart from evil and do good,
So you will abide forever.
For the Lord loves justice
And does not forsake His godly ones;
They are preserved forever,
But the descendants of the wicked will be cut off.
The righteous will inherit the land
And dwell in it forever.
The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom,
And his tongue speaks justice.
The law of his God is in his heart;
His steps do not slip.
The wicked spies upon the righteous
And seeks to kill him.
The Lord will not leave him in his hand
Or let him be condemned when he is judged.
Wait for the Lord and keep His way,
And He will exalt you to inherit the land;
When the wicked are cut off, you will see it.” (Psalm 37:27-34 NASB1995)

This is written under the Old Covenant God had with his people Israel (Jews only), but much of it parallels over to what is taught in the New Testament under the New Covenant that God has with his people Israel, the body of Christ, his church (Jew and Gentile by physical birth, but who are spiritual Israel, only by faith in Jesus Christ). For under the New Covenant we are also taught to depart from evil (die to sin) and to do good (obey God). And this is so that we will abide (live, continue) forever with God, in Christ Jesus.

The Lord does not forsake his godly ones. And the godly ones in the New Testament are all who, by God-persuaded faith in Jesus Christ, have died with Christ to sin and who are now walking (in conduct, in practice) in obedience to our Lord’s New Covenant commands. They are those who live righteously, in practice, and who no longer make sin their practice. And to live righteously is to live according to what God requires of us in holy living, in obedience to his commands, committed to serving the Lord with our lives.

But the wicked hate the righteous. The righteous are an offense to them because they remind them that what they are doing, and how they are living is wrong in the eyes of the Lord, and that if they continue to live in sin, and not in surrender to the will of God, in walks of obedience to his commands, that they will not inherit eternal life with God, even though many of them do make professions of faith in Jesus Christ. And so the wicked may well spy on the righteous and make plans to do away with them in one way or another.

[Matt 7:13-14,21-23; Lu 9:23-26; Jn 10:27-30; Ac 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; Tit 2:11-14; Heb 3:1-19; Heb 4:1-13; Heb 10:23-31; Heb 12:1-2; 1 Pet 2:24; 1 Jn 1:1-10; 1 Jn 2:3-6,15-17; 1 Jn 3:4-10]

So, when this says here that the Lord does not forsake his godly ones, and that the Lord will not leave the righteous in the hands of those who seek to do away with them, we need to read this in the context of the New Testament teachings on the subject of sufferings and persecutions. For, although it is true that the Lord will not forsake his righteous ones, he also teaches us that to follow Jesus will mean that we will be hated and rejected and persecuted as he was, and even put to death for our walks of faith.

But even when I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for God is with me, and he comforts me, and he has prepared a table before me in the presence of my enemies, and surely goodness and lovingkindness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever (see Psalm 23). So, though trials may come, and though enemies come against me, it does not mean that the Lord has forsaken me. I just need to hold on tight to him, and he will help me.

[Matt 5:10-12; Matt 10:16-39; Matt 24:9-14; Luke 6:22-23; Luke 12:49-53; Luke 21:12-19; John 15:1-21; John 16:33; John 17:14; Acts 14:22; Rom 5:3-5; Eph 6:10-20; Phil 3:7-11; 1 Pet 1:6-7; 1 Pet 4:12-17; 2 Tim 3:12; 1 Thess 3:1-5; Jas 1:2-4; 2 Co 1:3-11; Heb 12:3-12; 1 Jn 3:13; Rev 6:9-11; Rev 7:9-17; Rev 11:1-3; Rev 12:17; Rev 13:1-18; Rev 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

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Hold On Tight! Don’t Let Go!
An Original Work / July 23, 2025
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

Trump administration says judges' removal of U.S. Attorney Alina Habba about 'politics'

It's not politics to note that she's not a prosecutor and is not qualified for the role of US Attorney. Not to mention the way she has weaponized the DOJ for political purposes during her short interim tenure.
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trumps ambasador calls canadians nasty.

He isn't insulting all Canadians - read the quotes - he is describing what it is like dealing with Canadian LEADERSHIP
Trump's idea of somebody NASTY is anyone who won't buckle and kiss his whatever! Of did you not hear him say this? Mocking and seeking to degrade all nations of the world? Look get this straight....if the U.S. is calling us nasty (through it's leadership) the rest of the world looks upon that that it should be considered as a badge of honor. They KNOW inside themselves they all need to tell Trump to go jump in the lake.
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Former Trump supporter Pamela Hemphill refuses Jan. 6 pardon; apparently the only one to do so (ETA: there is another...)

Says the recalcitrant procrastinating ape.
Once again you deliberately and dishonestly quote a portion of my post, thereby giving a different meaning from the one I intended. I made it clear that there were more plausible and benign explanations for your questionable action. By repeating the offence you have eliminated those as viable options. Shame on you.
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The 2 great commandments and self hatred

It always seems like the give give give charity push is always put on people who are barely scraping by.

Like I always feel pressured to give when I'm disabled and already in debt I'll never be able to pay off.

I have several thoughts on that.

1) Those who are in need should be taken care of; there is a sacred obligation of "To whom much is given, much is required" that I think applies in many ways.

2) Christ tells us that the blessings of God fall on the widow who gave her last mite

3) Following Jesus is hard, He never said it was easy. Jesus lays claim to EVERYTHING, that includes the very breaths we take, the very skin on our bones, and each, every, and all the moments we occupy this present world.

So it's not a strict either-or; but both-and. Yes, those who have been given much shoulder the greater burden to provide; but even we who are lacking are still called to live and breathe Jesus Christ in the world, and live by the example of the widow.

-CryptoLutheran
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And WHAT IS ACTS 16:15 SAYING. TO YOU. ??

ACTS 16:15 reads , And when she and her household were BAPTIZED /. BAPTISO. , is in. the Aorist Tense , means it happened in. the past ,

is in the PASSIVE VOICE , MEANING Christ had a hand in verse 15

in the INDICATIVE MOOD , meaning you better believe it ,

and is in. the Singular , meaning it will. not happen again !

Your thoughts as to what , the BAPTISM is with Water or without Water

OR is it Baptism of the Holy Spirit ?

dan p
This all happens in the context of: Acts 16: 31 They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” 32 Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. 33 At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized.

Looking at the Jailer and his household experience we find first: “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household”. After that we have Paul preaching to both Jailer and all the others in his household. The Jailer responds with an act of Loving kindness after the sermon and then they are all baptized, but which baptism was that?

They were baptized at the time and not previously.

Lydia invited them the stay at her house after she and her household were baptized, but what baptism was that?

Both Lydia and the river and the jailer washing Paul and Silas had water available to them.

Lydia and the Jailer showed no signs of miraculous powers from the Spirit, so how could Paul know they were baptized by the Spirit if that is the baptism being talked about?
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Evangelist shares impactful encounters at pagan convention: 'You can’t beat people into the Kingdom'

Former medium-turned-Christian apologist Jenn Nizza recently sat down with Don Veinot, president of Midwest Christian Outreach, to discuss what happens when believers show up at Paganicon, an annual convention for pagans, Wiccans and spiritual seekers, in the name of Jesus.

In a recent episode of Nizza's podcast, "Ex Psychic Saved," titled “Outreach to Cults, Pagans, and Atheists: What Happens When Christians Show Up at Paganicon,” Veinot shared how he and his team regularly attend the annual pagan spirituality convention to share the Gospel with those mired in deception.

Raised by an atheist father and a spiritually curious mother who was into astrology and fortune telling, Veinot shared his journey from disbelief to Christianity.

Continued below.

Should Christians Condemn People?

Should Christians condemn people to Hell?

After answering, explain why
I think this is different for Christians and non Christians. For Christians I think theres two aspects. There is the gospel but also following the teachings. They should go hand in hand. But there is an identifiable way of living (fruits of the spirit) we can tell.

The teachings tell us to gently rebuke and teach another Christian if they have sinned. But also to fogive them.

But then there is the church itself. The body of Christians. This is where the overseers are the guides and protectors over the church and the teachings from the wolves. Christ warned about the wolves not from sinners outside the church but within.

So in this sense and as Paul did in commanding members follow the teachings otherwise be cursed. Especially of promoting false teachings and ideologies or encouraging sin.

Then outside the church is different. This is where the gospel comes in. Being evangelists for Christ. I like the idea of messenger as it is the Good News to the world. THis is Good News not bad news about going to hell lol. Make people run for the hills.

Though I think the culture has changed where even saying repent for the Kingdom of God is at hand. Or repentence is part of the gospel people get defensive. In fact just saying the gospel and Good News is becoming offensive in some places.

But this is the thing. In the early church which the gospel was far more offensive under Nero who persecuted the Christians and executed some of the disciples like Peter and Paul.

They did not care. They still spoke the gospel. I mean Paul got assaulted about 10 times and thrown in jail. But he spoke the same truth even when the enviornment was hostile to it. It was this that the world seen that consistent truth even in the face of death that brought the Gentiles to God.
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Family gives ‘Da Pope’ Chicago Bears T-shirt to Pope Leo XIV

Bit old hat now, but a few months ago we had an American Catholic pianist singer-songwriter give a tutorial on music for the mass. I went along to listen with a few others from our parish.

The bloke who introduced him to us is a musician and song writer in his own right. He said the American chap had commented "Whoever they elect for Pope, you can be sure he won't be an American!"

That got a laugh.
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Inside the cave in France where many believe Mary Magdalene spent her final years

Tucked away in a rocky mountain in southeast France is a cave formed by natural erosion called La Sainte-Baume. It is one of the oldest Christian pilgrimage sites in the world as it is the place where Mary Magdalene is believed to have spent the last 30 years of her life.

Esteemed by St. Thomas Aquinas as the “Apostle to the Apostles,” St. Mary Magdalene is regarded by the Dominicans as a secondary patroness of their order, which was founded in Toulouse, France. Appropriately, the cave remains under the care of the friars in the Toulouse province.

The Dominicans are charged with the task of welcoming and evangelizing pilgrims who make their way to La Sainte-Baume. (The word “baume” comes from the Provençal word “baumo,” meaning “cave.”) The friars, alongside staff and volunteers, run the hostelry located next to the convent at the foot of the mountain directly below the cave.

“One striking thing about Mary Magdalene is how many different people are drawn to her,” Frére Vincent-Thomas Rist, a Dominican friar of the Toulouse province, told CNA in an email. “At La Sainte Baume, we get a bit of everything: mainstream orthodox Catholics, hikers on holiday, converts from Islam, sisters on pilgrimage, tall blonde women convinced of being reincarnations of Mary Magdalene, traditionists, liberals, and even Jesuits.”

Continued below.

Carnival Cruise’s new rules spark backlash

I was referring to "clean" rap as in not explicit in its unfiltered form (which is why I referencing the cheesy old Will Smith and Vanilla Ice stuff). If you're referring to "clean edits" where they simply blank out the explicit content or do 'word replacement' in post editing, there is industry data to show that it's not terribly popular.

Sales Impact

  • Albums with the warning label saw a 30% boost in sales.
  • Hip-hop albums with the label often outperformed their "clean" versions by 3:1

Modern Numbers

The digital age brought new ways to mark explicit content, but the impact remains strong:
  • Streaming platforms flag 65% of hip-hop content as explicit
  • Labeled tracks get 35% more plays than clean versions
  • 80% of listeners prefer explicit versions when available
The warning label transformed from a cautionary sign into a powerful marketing tool. What started as an attempt to limit sales created a new revenue stream for artists and labels. Now, the label serves as a content guide and a proven sales booster across physical and digital platforms.

Cultural Reach

  • 8 out of 10 Billboard #1 Rap/Hip-Hop albums in 2022 carried explicit content warnings
  • 65% of music consumers aged 18-24 view the label as a mark of authenticity


So, I would suggest that it's a tad dishonest for people to try to pretend "it's just like every other genre, it's just peoples' skewed perceptions".

Even if they played "sanitized" rap, the people who are upset now that they can't bring their own speakers to play their own music loudly in the public spaces will still be unsatisfied.
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Church discipline no longer practiced in most Protestant churches: Survey

Anybody that treats discipline casually should remember, "with what measure you judge, it will be judged against you". Only the most egregious sins warrant church discipline in the form of expulsion, ones that threaten the good order of a church. Using it to shame, humiliate, or control other people isn't right.
Thank you for sharing your perspective it’s a thoughtful and necessary reminder that church discipline must always be handled with deep humility, reverence, and spiritual discernment.

You're right: "with what measure you judge, it will be judged against you" (Matthew 7:2) is a sobering warning to anyone in a position of spiritual authority. We should never approach church discipline as a tool for control or humiliation. That would be a grievous misuse of Christ’s teaching. However, I do believe there's a broader purpose for biblical church discipline than just dealing with the "most egregious sins."


In Matthew 18:15–17, Jesus lays out a clear, gracious, step-by-step model for church discipline not to shame, but to restore. The goal is always redemption, never rejection. Paul echoes this in Galatians 6:1, urging us to restore a fallen brother "in a spirit of gentleness," being mindful of our own weakness.


Yet sadly, as the survey shows, many churches today avoid discipline altogether not because no one is sinning, but often out of fear of conflict, cultural pressure, or misunderstanding what love truly means. And this avoidance, ironically, can weaken the body.

Church discipline, when rooted in love and truth, serves multiple purposes:

  • It protects the church from false teaching and divisive behavior (Titus 3:10, Romans 16:17).
  • It helps the sinner see the seriousness of sin and opens the door to repentance (1 Corinthians 5:5).
  • It preserves the witness and integrity of Christ’s body before a watching world (1 Peter 2:12, Philippians 2:15).
I totally agree with you that it should never be used as a weapon to control or embarrass someone. That’s spiritual abuse, not biblical discipline. But I’d gently suggest that the church does the Body no favors by treating discipline as a last resort only for scandalous sin. Even smaller, hidden sins can spread like leaven if left unaddressed (1 Corinthians 5:6–7).


The early church understood this balance. They were committed to both grace and accountability two sides of the same coin. Today, recovering that balance might just be one of the ways we revive holiness, unity, and power in our churches again.

Thanks again for raising this. It’s a conversation the modern church truly needs.

Grace and peace to you.
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