What do cessationists believe? According to Google’s AI, “Cessationists believe that miraculous sign gifts—specifically prophecy, tongues, and healing—ceased after the Apostolic Age (end of the 1st century) once the New Testament canon was completed. They argue these gifts were intended to validate the apostles' message, not to continue throughout church history. They still believe God performs miracles today but no longer uses individuals with specific ‘gifts’ of healing or miracles.” But is that biblical? No!


Jesus said, “greater works.” The cessationists say, “lesser works.”

And one of the Scripture passages the cessationists use to support their case is this passage in 1 Corinthians 13. So, let’s break that down to see if their theory “holds water.”

Yes, the passage of Scripture speaks of a time when the gifts of the Spirit will be done away with. But when is this to take place? When the perfect comes, the partial will be done away. And who is “the perfect” who is coming? Jesus Christ. When Jesus returns for his bride, and he takes us to be with him in glory, there will be no more need of the gifts of the Spirit. And then it goes on to describe that time:


When will that take place? When Jesus Christ returns for his faithful ones, and he takes us to be with him for eternity, which is when we will then see him “face to face.” So what this is contrasting here is our time here on this earth compared to what it will be like when we are with our Lord in glory for eternity. Here our understanding and our knowledge of things is incomplete. But when we are out of these earthly tents, and we are in our glorified bodies with Christ for eternity, then we will have complete understanding.

So, the gifts of the Spirit are not to cease while we live here on this earth. And in our present reality we need to be exercising those gifts of the Spirit even more. But they must be exercised with much spiritual maturity and discernment, and done biblically, and of the Holy Spirit, and not of human flesh. For there is much fakery and misuse of the gifts of the Spirit going on within the gatherings of the church (or what is falsely being referred to as the church). So we must test the spirits to see if truly they are of God.

But what happened on the day of Pentecost when the believers in Christ (male and female) were filled with the Holy Spirit, and they began to speak in other languages (the languages of the people present)? They were accused of being drunk. So, what was Peter’s response to that accusation?


And where are we now? Certainly we are in the last days, for they were, too. And who are these gifts bestowed upon? Male and female. No differentiation. And, poetically speaking, the way this is written does not mean that only young men will see visions and only old men will have dreams. And looking at the interlinear for Acts 2:17, it appears to me that all are included in those who will prophesy and see visions and dream dreams. But these prophecies, dreams, and visions must not contradict the teachings of the Scriptures. For God will not contradict himself and his word.

And to prophesy is not just in the area of future telling, but the word means to “speak forth” the messages of God, to proclaim the Word of the Lord. Another word for this is to “preach.” But this proclaiming of the Word of the Lord must be under the guidance and the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, who will lead us in what to say, and in what subjects to discuss, and to make these messages relevant to our world today, practical, and applicable to our daily living. And this must not rewrite nor contradict the Scriptures. And all should be tested against the Scriptures to be sure they are of God.

Body of Christ and Spiritual Gifts

[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]

The Spirit Calling

An Original Work / November 12, 2019
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

Hear the Spirit calling.
He’ll keep you from falling.
Tenderly He’s calling,
“Come and follow Him.”

Walk with Jesus daily.
Don’t give in to lazy.
Folks may call you crazy.
Fellowship with Him.

Follow where He leads you.
Eat what Jesus feeds you.
His love will renew you
If you follow Him.

Do what Jesus tells you.
Don’t let your faith fail you.
His love will avail you
If you walk with Him.

Jesus, Lord and Savior,
Reigneth now forever.
He gave us His favor
So we’d live with Him.

Turning now from our sin,
Holy Spirit live-in.
Holiness we walk in,
Purified by Him.

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Gifts of The Spirit
An Original Work / February 10, 2026
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

Nine years after the original film turned a chart-topping worship song into a box-office phenomenon, “I Can Only Imagine 2” returns with a more complicated question: What happens after redemption?

The first movie, which grossed over $83 million domestically, traced MercyMe frontman Bart Millard’s reconciliation with his abusive father and the birth of a song that would change his life. The sequel, hitting theaters Feb. 20, begins in the middle of adulthood, when forgiveness has already been offered, success has already arrived, yet old wounds still find a way to speak.

Andy Erwin, who directed the film with Brent McCorkle, told The Christian Post that “I Can Only Imagine 2” is about inheritance: what is carried on from one’s parents, passed to their children, and how faith collides with the messiness in between. It’s also a story about unfinished healing, he stressed.

Continued below.

Jipsah said:

I generally tend to go with universal reconciliation

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I believe every name is written in the Lambs book of life. But Jesus says there are people who's name is blotted out. So in the very least they are not in a covenant with God.

What a covenant gives​

• Belonging — “You will be My people, and I will be your God.”
• Identity — a name, a place, a role.
• Protection — God takes responsibility for those in His covenant.
• Inheritance — life, blessing, future.
• Presence — God dwells with His covenant people.

To be in covenant is to be inside that relationship.

What it means not to have a covenant​

• No shared identity — you are not counted among God’s people.
• No claim on the promises — the blessings of the covenant are not yours.
• No protection of belonging — you stand outside the relationship God offers.
• No inheritance — you are not written among those who receive life.
• No mutual commitment — God offers Himself, but the person has not responded.

It does not mean God hates the person. It means the person is outside the relationship God desires.

Bob Crowley said:

Long overdue in my opinion.

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Right

The Wrath of God will come from the sky: -
Romans 1:18-20 Divine Retribution will be seen by all, falling from heaven on all the impiety and wickedness of men and women who deny the truth. 1 Samuel 2:10
For all that can be known about God lies plain before their eyes. His invisible power and divine nature are knowable to any reasonable mind, so all are without excuse and their conduct is indefensible. Hebrews 11:6

Romans 1:21-32 These ungodly people know that there must be a Creator, but they refuse to acknowledge or give thanks to Him. So now, their thinking has become futile and their misguided minds are plunged into darkness. They claim to be wise, but they have just made fools of themselves. Psalms 14:1-3
Therefore God has given them over to all kinds of perversions and idolatries, while actually knowing God’s righteous decree that those who behave like this deserve to die, but they continue in their depravity and approve of the same conduct in others. Job 22:12-13

Romans 2:5-11 God’s kindness and patience is allowing us time to come to repentance, but if people refuse His gift of salvation, then on the Day of Retribution, all will be justly judged according to their deeds. His wrath awaits those who are governed by selfish ambition, who refuse obedience to the truth and who take evil for their guide. Isaiah 2:12, Isaiah 29:19-21, Isaiah 65:11-12

To both the Israelites and Gentiles who pursue glory, honour and immortality by living a righteous life, God will reward them with eternal life. Hosea 2:19 God has no favourites.

2 Thessalonians 1:6-10 It is just that God should pay back those godless peoples and give the righteous relief. This will happen when [the power of] the Lord Jesus is seen in the sky in a blazing fire, punishment will fall upon all who do not obey the gospel and they will suffer the penalty of eternal destruction, separated from His presence. Isaiah 59:18
On that great Day, Jesus will come and reveal His glory amongst all believers in Him. Only revealed to His believers. Jeremiah 31:2-3, Revelation 14:1

Hebrews 10:26-27 For those who deliberately persist in sin while knowing the truth, there remains only the terrifying expectation of God’s judgement, of a fierce fire that will consume His enemies. Habakkuk 3:12, Malachi 4:1

2 Peter 3:7 & 10 On that Day, the Lord will come as a thief, the sky will disappear with a great roar and the earth will be devastated by fire. Zephaniah 3:8, Isaiah 34:2-4, Isaiah 66:15-17, Revelation 6:14, Jeremiah 30:23-24
Reference: REB. Some verses abridged and paraphrased.

None of these Bible quotes fit with or refer to the Return of Jesus in His glory, seen by all mankind, at the commencement of His Millennium reign. Revelation 19:11

It is an event before that, where the Lord makes ‘fire fall from heaven’, His great Day of Retribution against His enemies’. It is the Lord’s Day of vengeance and wrath, the next prophesied event that we can expect. It is a terrible punishment by fire, that will punish the ungodly, a massive explosion of the suns surface, which will firstly devastate the Middle East, but also dramatically affect the whole world. Psalms 83, Micah 4:1

misspertinent said:

I admire your zeal for Christianity despite all odds being stacked against you! Your perspective is refreshing.

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It is all God's doing. I praise Him! He has touched your life, too. You are blessed.

misspertinent said:

I will be praying for you, sister. Keep fighting the good fight!

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Thanks be to God and you!

Mark 16:15 closely resembles Matt 24:14. This is when the 2W (Two Witnesses) get their start as stated in Rev 11:3.

Arctangent said:

We can roughly date the Exodus based on other portions of the Old Testament. One in particular is 1 Kings 6, where it says that the construction of the Temple began in the 480th year after Israel left Egypt. That would put the Exodus in roughly the mid 15th century B.C.

The 430 vs. 215 years changes when we see Abram having been called by God, not when the Exodus occurred.

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If the Exodus really happened then I tend to think that rather than the bible we can work out when it happened roughly by the evidence on the ground. There has to be some if its a real event.

By doing it this way you are not conflicted by the different interpretations of the bible. Then you can go back to the bible and check this. It may add new light and understanding to the bible.

But the reality is if we find evidence for the Exodus on the ground then that should align with the bible as well. Just not in the way some have interpreted it.

For example. From memory the Pharoah that Moses waits to die before coming back after being exiled reined for a long period. I think around 40 years plus. There are not many Pharoahs that reined that long. Especially during the time of Moses.

In this way we are using an outside biblical source like we do with Christ. There is evidence from the Egyptian side of the Exodus.

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“Life Apart From God Is Meaningless”
John 15:5 NIV
I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

John 15 has always been one of my favorite chapters in Scripture. I really like the illustration of the vineyard to describe how God is Gardener and Jesus is the Vine. This specific verse has always been important in my life as it clearly states that life without God is empty. Apart from Him, nothing eternal is possible.

Through the past many years of my life, I have learned more about myself, my relationship with my wife and my relationship with my kids. In the past few months, I realized that if I didn’t have God in my life, I would not have the life I have now.

My relationship with my wife is the best it has ever been. However, this has not come without struggles. We have had many ups and downs throughout our almost 22 years of marriage. When I look at my wife now, I am beyond grateful for how He brought us together and all that we have experienced. I wouldn’t trade it for the world. I am more in love with my wife now that I ever have been before and it’s only because of the amazing work of God in our marriage. I can honestly say we would not be where we are in our marriage without God. It just wouldn’t be at all possible.

My relationship with my kids makes me a very proud dad. I know that I regret many things through the years of them growing up that I wish I could go back and do better or change. However, what’s done is done and I can only work on the future to still be the best Godly dad I can be. I have messed up a lot in things I’ve done and said to them. However, God is gracious and so are my girls. They love me as their dad and that often brings tears to my eyes that they still love me.

I cannot imagine life without God. Life is hard enough as it is even with my faith. I find myself often doubting and getting frustrated when I can’t understand what He’s doing. However, I know that I always must trust Him, no matter what. I am beyond grateful for the faith I have had for so many years and I’ve grown in that faith. It’s not easy by any means, but I am so thankful for what I have learned and how God has shown up in my relationship with my wife and my girls.

I am so grateful for the community I have at our church. God has blessed me with great people that I’ve known there for over 4 years. Some of them have become very close friends and it’s only because of God that those friendships remain strong. I am also grateful for the worship team I play alongside each month.

Life apart from God would not bring me any of these blessings I have mentioned. I am so grateful and I truly believe that apart from Him, I would have absolutely no hope.

Progressing Pilgrim said:

I wanted to wait a little to reply, to try avoiding obsessive reassurance-seeking as much as possible. I gave myself until today before posting about this again.

In answer to your question Mari17, no, I don't think it is. I had this thought that it might become worshipping the beast if I thought it was, but then I got to thinking that I don't really believe the intrusive thoughts I have. Honestly, I don't want to worship the beast. It doesn't seem like worship is something you can do if you don't want to. It seems pretty obvious when you think about it.

I think it's beginning to get a little easier to tell what's my OCD brain and what is my normal thinking.

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This sounds very insightful on your part. Good for you, for giving yourself time to think about it without turning to compulsions. It sounds like you are very aware, and learning to differentiate between your "sound mind" and your "OCD mind"! I pray that our good Father will continue growing you in discernment, courage, and a thriving relationship with Him.

Maybe that's why David is considered a role model. I'm sure his genuine love for the Lord wasn't born out of being perfect.

I'll have to go back & read Saul & David sometime, I've been wanting to. It's been a long time.

Belk said:

No, that is not obvious. You have to actually make a case for claims like these.

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The fact that Obama and Biden won an election is enough proof that there is enormous fraud being perpetrated by the Democrats.

Gracious Heavenly Father,
Please help Riley to follow the command You have written in Your Word: “Be anxious for nothing, but in all things by prayer and supplication, make your requests be made known to God.” (Philippians 4:6) I pray for healing for his mind, which may be generating this fear, and also for his heart, that he may be able to hear the instruction of the Holy Spirit which indwells him. Help him to take what is in his body, mind, and heart and give him words to communicate to You about what he fears. You wrote that “the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness, for we do not know how to pray as we ought” (Romans 8:36) so please send Him to help with this situation please.
In Christ’s Name,
Amen

throughfierytrial said:

Yes! But, beware, read Daniel 9:27 as to end times. His Word, Truth, is thrown to the ground. This does not mean it no longer judges at that time…people remain accountable. His Word will endure forever.

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The scripture I am talking about is Jeremiah 1:12 “You have seen correctly, for I am watching to see that my word is fulfilled." There are of course other scriptures.

Isaiah 55:11 My word that proceeds from My mouth will not return to Me empty, but it will accomplish what I please, and it will prosper where I send it

PloverWing said:

You've summarized two of the major schools of thought regarding the sacraments. Do the sacraments convey grace to us regardless of our state of mind, or do we have to be in the right state of mind to receive grace?

A possible pair of analogies might be: When I eat my dinner, I am nourished even if I don't understand the biochemistry of how food works. (This is like your vitamin picture.) Alternatively, when I have a conversation with someone, the conversation isn't really happening at all unless I understand what everyone is saying.

While I do encourage everyone to be in the right state of mind at the Altar, I lean toward the "dinner" picture. But I know many Christians favor the "conversation" picture.

This is also going to be relevant for infant baptism vs believer's baptism, which famously is a difference of opinion among Christians.

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Your reply matched the analogy i gave
Of vitamins, true enough, vitamins or food
Do not depend on our heart as to what
Benefits we are nourished by one way
Or the other, but not so with receiving Grace
In taking the Holy Communion.

We must have good conscience before God
To receive that Sacrament or we are considered “ unworthy” in the eyes of God.

Unlike vitamins and food its altogether different
And you would be surprised how many people
Think of it as taking a vitamin or eating food,
So they are not in the correct mindset, if
They dont find any connection to their
Hearts condition upon taking the Communion,
When comparing it to your analogy of food,
Because they think receiving the Sacrament
Will remove their unworthiness, instead of
Having a clean conscience before receiving
The Sacrament.

Its like putting clean curtains on a dirty window, the dirt is still there and the sacrifice of our
Lord is the receiving of Graces from His death, so unworthily means we are then still dirty
Being unworthy, unless we are good standing
With God before taking the Sacrament.

Thank you

Belk said:

Did not have "Tom Homan, voice of reason" on my radar.

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Steve (I need 3k a day) Miller is running the show. So yes, as juxtaposed to Miller, Holman is a voice of reason.

When U.S. Olympian Britta Curl-Salemme shared an Instagram videoshowing a Sunday in her life, it brought together scenes from what she called “game day and the Lord's day,” including her morning routine, attendance at a Latin Mass with her husband, time reading Scripture, and game footage from a win by the Minnesota Frost.

Her caption quoted Mark 10:45 — “For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve” — a verse she has said is her favorite.

Curl-Salemme is a forward for the U.S. Women's National Ice Hockey Team and for the Frost in the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL). As the U.S. prepared for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, the 25-year-old North Dakota native was entering her Olympic debut season.

Over the past year, Curl-Salemme has used social media to share elements of her Catholic faith with followers more and more frequently, alongside updates from her professional hockey career. In one post, she shared masstimes.org as a resource for finding nearby parishes while traveling for games.

“Gotta go to Mass — it’s even more important than your morning carbs,” she said.

Other posts have offered brief glimpses of devotional life away from the rink. Curl-Salemme has shared that she is following Ascension’s “Bible in a Year” reading plan and has shared clips of her husband praying the Rosary at home.

Continued below.

For many of us, the approach of Lent brings a familiar mix of good intentions and low-grade anxiety. We want to “do it right.” We start thinking about big sacrifices, ambitious prayer plans, and radical self-improvement—often while juggling work deadlines, family life, classes, or just trying to get enough sleep.

If that sounds familiar, here’s some good news: preparing for Lent doesn’t have to be intense to be meaningful. In fact, a quieter, more realistic approach may be exactly what helps the season bear fruit.

Here’s a not-so-intense way to get ready for Lent—one that fits into real life and leaves room for grace.

1. Start by Noticing Where You Actually Are​

Continued below.

Shane R said:

Arizona is mainly a desert state. The temperature is very hot in the day but the shift after the sun goes down can exceed 60 degrees fahrenheit. There's also a mountain chain that runs across state and it's common to have snow in the mountains; of course, that's 4-5,000 meters of elevation. It's the state that is known for the Grand Canyon. Although, in my opinion, the best way to see the Grand Canyon is to take the helicopter tour from Las Vegas.

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Never been! Hopefully one day

That’s horrifying! I have no words!

Lord have mercy! Lord, help the persecuted Church! Amen!

Interesting, for several reasons:

1. My first thought was a known slave market in Louisville, Georgia. Haven’t been through Louisville much, but have seen it passing by and knew what it was. Having never stopped, didn’t know if there was a marker there or not. A search a few minutes ago turned up that, in 2020, Louisville City Council votes to remove it. This was following the George Floyd riots and protests. IMHO, the entire structure should have been kept as a memorial to those sold there, with a marker to tell the significance of it.

2. N.B. Forrest. There’s a complex figure if there ever was one. Commanding officer over forces that overran Fort Pillow and massacred surrendering black US troops. Forrest tried to distance himself from that. As noted in the article, he was involved in the slave trade. He was also a reputed Grand Wizard of the KKK. The same man, to keep a promise he made to his own slaves, armed them after the was to the point that it made Federal authorities nervous. He also spoke at a meeting of a fraternal order of blacks in Memphis in 1875. None of this is any great secret, so I’m surprised the marker from the 1950s failed to mention his involvement in the slave trade.

FWIW - here is a rather lengthy and comprehensive article on the subject that I stumbled across recently..



How Soon Will AI Take Your Job? Economists aren’t sure. And politicians don’t have a plan.

Linda426 said:

9/11 was an act of which had nothing to do
With any seal, it was a plot , an evil act, in which to have it appear as to look like Terrorism in what the bible speaks about,
Ie, nation rising against nation, 9/11 was a
Plot to look like terrorism by another country,
When it was all about one persons idea to control who would be framed for it, thats why
Osama Bin Laden was hunted and Killed
By the CIA, from the evidence that led them
To “ believe” which was supplanted over the time to lead America to believe Osama Bin Laden planned it, but he didnt.
An American born citizen plotted it againt
Iraq and it seemed he also linked it to the
Saudis.

Ultimately, Osama Bin Laden was innocent
Of this terrorist Act, which was why he couldnt stay in one place too long, fearful for what he
Never did but took the blame for.
Truth afterwards led to this Atrocity that
Was meant to cause War between the countries against America.

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God doesnt do these things nor plan for
Anyone who does evil to do for such an intention either, thats why it has nothing to do with the Seals in the Bible.

We dont know anything about the Seals
Only God does, thats why Revelation can never
Be understood by man, controlled by man,
Or attributed to anything God alone does, and in his time, not ours.