When we follow the Lord Jesus Christ with our lives, and we obey his commands, in practice, and we follow his guidance and direction, and we go where he sends us, and we speak what he gives us to say, to whom he gives us to say it, we are going to be faced with opposition. And that opposition could be coming from people close to us, from friends, and/or family, and/or from other professing Christians, and/or from pastors of “churches,” and the like. But it hurts the most when it comes from people closest to us.

And now this is not to claim that we are absolutely perfect in every way and that no one should ever accuse us of anything wrong. We should be humble people who admit when we are wrong, who are willing to take correction, and who are willing to make changes in our lives where they are needed and where they are required by God. We should be willing to compromise where it does not require compromising truth and righteousness and the Word of God and his gospel. But all should be done under the direction of our Lord.

And sometimes these persecutions, they pile up, one after another after another. And for some of us, they eventually take their toll on us, and we absolutely do cry with our whole hearts, seeking God for answers and guidance and direction in knowing what to do, and in what to say, and in what to not do, and to not say. For some of us are not “Rocks of Gibraltar,” which symbolize much strength and resilience, but we cry, and we must absolutely trust in the Lord to be our strength, our counsel, and our wisdom.

Have you ever tried running in a race, but when you got near to the end your body was just about ready to collapse, and you didn’t know how you were going to last to the finish line? It’s kind of like that, and kind of like what Paul described, too, or what Job suffered, as well. Sometimes it all just piles up on you at once or else it is just the accumulation of trials and tribulations, over a span of many years, and so sometimes you might wonder how much longer you will last. Then you cry with your whole heart.

One of the things which brings me to tears is how so many people professing faith in Jesus Christ are being deceived by liars and tricksters who know how to charm the people, and who know how to put on a good show, and who are telling people lies. These liars are malicious, morally unclean, fakes, manipulators, egocentric, and unfaithful to those who look to them for truth or for help and guidance. And so many people are following them to their deaths, thinking that they have the hope of eternal life with God.

And that absolutely breaks my heart! I literally weep over the deceived, over those who have been promised salvation from sin and eternal life with God based on a lie which tells them that nothing is required of them other than a profession of faith in Jesus Christ. But Jesus and his New Testament apostles taught that faith in Jesus Christ must result in us dying to sin and obeying our Lord, in practice, by the grace of God, in the power of God. For if we walk in sin, and not in obedience to God, we do not have life in Christ.

[Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Luke 9:23-26; John 1:12-13; John 6:44; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Romans 2:6-8; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; 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 12:1-2; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 1:1-10; 1 John 2:3-6; 1 John 3:4-10]

For Our Nation

Professionally recorded in Nashville, TN
Via Gerry Peters, music producer and arranger
An Original Work / September 11, 2012
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

Bombs are bursting. Night is falling.
Jesus Christ is gently calling
You to follow Him in all ways.
Trust Him with your life today.
Make Him your Lord and your Savior.
Turn from your sin. Follow Jesus.
He will forgive you of your sin;
Cleanse your heart, made new within.

Men betraying: Our trust fraying.
On our knees to God we’re praying,
Seeking God to give us answers
That are only found in Him.
God is sovereign over all things.
Nothing from His mind escaping.
He has all things under His command,
And will work all for good.

Jesus Christ is gently calling
You to follow Him in all ways.

Men deceiving: We’re believing
In our Lord, and interceding
For our nation and its people
To obey their God today.
He is our hope for our future.
For our wounds He offers suture.
He is all we need for this life.
Trust Him with your life today.

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I Cried with All My Heart
An Original Work / July 24, 2025
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

Michie said:

Today is July 20, the Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time.
We read at today’s Mass, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her” (Lk 10:41-42).
For many of us, these words feel challenging. Like Martha, we often carry concerns and responsibilities that weigh on our hearts. When Jesus speaks of Mary choosing the better part, it may sound as though he is dismissing Martha’s efforts. But that is not what is happening. Jesus is gently reminding us that only one thing matters in the end: the love we give and receive in him.

Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati lived this balance between Martha and Mary. His life was a steady rhythm of prayer and action. He never neglected daily Mass or time spent with the Lord, yet he also threw himself into service. He called this his “Apostolate of Charity.”

‘Based on charity’​

Continued below.

The most perfect love

Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati’s devoted prayer and service reveal Jesus’ invitation to choose love over anxiety.

www.oursundayvisitor.com

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Michie said:

Today is July 20, the Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time.
We read at today’s Mass, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her” (Lk 10:41-42).
For many of us, these words feel challenging. Like Martha, we often carry concerns and responsibilities that weigh on our hearts. When Jesus speaks of Mary choosing the better part, it may sound as though he is dismissing Martha’s efforts. But that is not what is happening. Jesus is gently reminding us that only one thing matters in the end: the love we give and receive in him.

Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati lived this balance between Martha and Mary. His life was a steady rhythm of prayer and action. He never neglected daily Mass or time spent with the Lord, yet he also threw himself into service. He called this his “Apostolate of Charity.”

‘Based on charity’​

Continued below.

The most perfect love

Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati’s devoted prayer and service reveal Jesus’ invitation to choose love over anxiety.

www.oursundayvisitor.com

Click to expand...

I am truly sorry to respond to this post with a fundamental negative conclusion, but this error is so common in Catholic homilies, that to pass it by without comment would be to add to the error in understanding, and allow it further spread. The error is most clearly revealed in this : "Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati lived this balance between Martha and Mary."

I sincerely hope that he did not live "a balance between Martha and Mary"! We are not entrusted with the highest of the virtues, to "balance it" with something else. Charity ought never, ever be set aside in order to do anything. Charity must be lived always.
"Charity is the form of all the virtues." (CCC 2346).
"Charity is the soul of the holiness to which all are called: it 'governs, shapes, and perfects all the means of sanctification.'” (CCC 826)
"Even though incorporated into the Church, one who does not however persevere in charity is not saved. He remains indeed in the bosom of the Church, but ‘in body’ not ‘in heart.’“ (CCC 837)
"Charity is the theological virtue by which we love God above all things for his own sake, and our neighbor as ourselves for the love of God." (CCC 1822)
"Charity is superior to all the virtues. It is the first of the theological virtues: “So faith, hope, charity abide, these three. But the greatest of these is charity.” [1 Cor 13:13] (CCC 1826)
Finally, beware of doing a "good work" in order to gain goods for ourselves (the praise of men, a reward from God, something to advance my ambition,....) we in such a case would be a mere "hired man", a mercenary working for pay. No, "If we turn away from evil out of fear of punishment, we are in the position of slaves. If we pursue the enticement of wages, . . . we resemble mercenaries. Finally if we obey for the sake of the good itself and out of love for him who commands . . . we are in the position of children." [St. Basil] (CCC 1828)

We see the problem again here: "He never neglected daily Mass or time spent with the Lord, yet he also threw himself into service." May we never "throw ourselves into service" or works of any kind, again! We are too much, still, in our [old] selves and not in the new man or woman transformed in Christ! We must seek and long to die to ourselves in fact and Truth not just sacramentally and symbolically in Baptism. We must seek and long to live - to LIVE - in Christ, we in Him and He in us, in all that we are and do. Jesus calls us:

Abide [Remain, Dwell] in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide [remain, dwell] in Me. [Jn 15:4]

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May we never again leave prayer, to work. May we always remain in prayer, in our works! May we never again leave Christ and become of the world, in order to "do" works acceptable and pleasing to the world. That is the most "unbalanced" and contradictory of moves. Martha was fallen and of the world when she ordered Jesus to "tell her sister to help" her. She had judged and misjudged Jesus, accusing Him: "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone?" Martha's "good" works had brought her no peace - He told her ""Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things..."

No, it is not a good thing thing to seek a "balance" between Mary, a woman here at peace in the Holy Truth of Jesus, and Martha, then a woman deep in the troubles of the world. There is no righteous balance to be found here. Martha became a saint! But her sister was way ahead of her in this scene.

essentialsaltes said:

Appeals Court rules against Trump admin's birthright citizenship EO​

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, in a 2-1 decision, upheld a lower court ruling that President Donald Trump's executive order ending birthright citizenship is very likely unconstitutional on its face and that a nationwide injunction precluding enforcement is the only way to provide complete relief to the state plaintiffs, pending litigation.

A federal judge in a separate case [above, I assume] has already enjoined nationwide enforcement of the order against a certified class of individuals affected by the presidential action -- all newborns in the U.S. to noncitizens.

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Yet another article about a decision... that doesn't bother to link to the decision, or even give the name of the case.

It's very frustrating so many articles do this. Why is this so hard? The good news is, these ones did:

It's Washington v. Trump and the decision can be seen at https://cdn.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/opinions/2025/07/23/25-807.pdf or https://storage.courtlistener.com/r...b7bc70c-6fcb-460e-9232-c6bc8ad16303.163.1.pdf.

I was curious about what the dissent was about, and looking into it, it looks like it was just a disagreement on the issue of standing; it indeed concludes with "Because we don’t have jurisdiction to review State Plaintiffs’ claims at this time, I do not address their merits or the scope of the district court’s injunction." Glancing over it, its argument on standing seems plausible, but at any rate the dissent was on procedural grounds that, while relevant to this case if the dissent is correct, wouldn't settle all of the other cases on this subject.

Lady Bug said:

Oh I see. Going to Catholic schools doesn't mean you actually are Catholic, even if you're Catholic.

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Currently, not counting colleges, non-Catholic attendance at Catholic schools is about 22%. Practicing Catholics, unless there is there is a good reason for exception, go to mass every Sunday.

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Verse 1​

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keras said:

ONLY for those who accept His Salvation.
It will be Gods disposal unit for those who refuse Him. Revelation 20:15

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Everyone who loves knows God and is born of God. 1 John 4:7

Some just have their subjective salvation filter ratcheted up far too tightly, such as shown here:

Matthew 23:13
But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.

tag

It's crazy to me that middle class citizens of Texas will vote foe this guy.

Say what you want but conservative leaders I. The US really seem to be acting like monarchs and seem to have about that level of culpability for their misdeeds.


Life would be easy as a conservative politicians I think.

Man.. if I was a celebrity I would be so scared right now.

Light of the East said:

After three wonderful years of being a member of St. Mary's Orthodox, I find that the more I learn about the Orthodox faith and the saints and martyrs of the Church, the less Orthodox I feel. In short, I can't seem to get my life in line with what appears to be a healthy relationship with God through Orthodoxy. This is not new to me, nor is it the fault of Orthodoxy. The problem, as I see and understand it, is my coming from a dysfunctional family and being a dysfunctional person myself as a result. As my former spiritual director once said (he was assigned to another parish quite far away) "Dysfunctionalism is the gift that just keeps on giving."

Here's the question du jour: is it possible that there are people who are just so messed up by life, by people, and by things that have happened to them that they will never get it right in this life?

I ask this because my sense is that I one of those people. I feel am stuck - that I am really going nowhere in my attempts to cooperate with the Holy Spirit in the work of theosis in my life. Yes, I am doing the things you might suggest to me: the fasts, regular attendance at Liturgy and the various services of the Church, keeping a prayer rule at home, etc. My priest knows of my struggles and the particular sin(s) that plague me since I make regular use of Confession.

The single biggest problem I have is in sensing a relationship with our Lord. My spiritual director used to remind me that God is not at all like my earthly father - cold, distant, unemotional and unexpressive of love, yet those are the very thoughts under which I labor. When I do something wrong, I find myself waiting to get whacked in some manner. It seems that this dysfunctional manner of relating to God and the world, while having lessened somewhat over the years, is going to be with me until I die. I just can't see to shake it off and enter into a place of fervent love for Christ. This is why I asked the question I asked.

Other than telling me to just keep on plugging away one day at a time, do you have any suggestions or thoughts?

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So sorry you're going through this, but I somewhat understand from my own past with a controlling family member and an emotion, psychological, and spiritually abusive ex-husband (23 yrs with him). It's tough. I always have to monitor myself from not falling into despair, which is a sin in itself. I've gotten much better since being divorced and away from him (sons are healing day by day as well). What I try to remember and focus on is God just looks for our efforts. That is the most important thing to me. That I'm at least making an effort in my Orthodox Christian life. God knows your struggles and hardships better than anyone else. His mercy is immense. God bless.

Landon Caeli said:

In case you didn’t know, our pets rely on us for their every need. How incredibly unkind it is to ridicule someone for caring for their pets in a proper manner.

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How is it possible to misconstrue such as simple point as was being made? Really, how did you manage to do that?

Landon Caeli said:

...In the meantime, we have grown adults around the world who lack the capacity to produce a fruitful culture/ society.

You tell me who's in the wrong.

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You are. Without any doubt whatsoever.

Valletta said:

The problem is not the Trump administration "leading" people or "pushing buttons." Although outspent by Kamala by a margin of 2 to 1, and with the majority of the media spinning a negative view of Trump on immigration and woke discriminatory policies, the American people voted in Trump because of his stated policies. The Democrats had lied to the American people, claiming the border was safe, secure, and closed, while in reality people were entering out country at record rates and human trafficking rose to a level not seen here since the Civil War. No Christian should have supported this.

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In general I agree with all of your message. I certainly did not support Harris. Stated policy and actual policy outcomes I think differ almost always, even with immigration. Trump never talked about deporting so many green card holders, or those on student visas. He over-emphasized the number of illegals he would be sending back, I think those deportations will come up short but yes he is trying. It is just hoped that ICE will show some restraint in their treatment of illegals and allow the beefs with the judicial branch to play out in the Supreme Court as needed.
My message though that some MAGA supporters have gotten too prejudicial is still likely though I doubt that occurs with you or many in CF. Trump himself seems very divisive but most pretty much knew that already. Anyway, MAGA supporters have much to cheer about, I just am more cautious.

NewLifeInChristJesus said:

I think he is linking you with SDA teachings on many definitions of "law"

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And I do agree with what Aristarkos wrote in. POST #3. !!

And just meant that he wrote how many gospels there are , that anyone can do the same with the word Law !!

dan p

Heavenly Father, Holy is Your Name, we pray You will heal Thomas and his mother, in the Name of Jesus, as only You can do. Amen and Amen.

Ignatius the Kiwi said:

Would that they would have the same passion for countries like Armenia or Christian communities like the Copts. But no, Israel first.

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I would also note that megachurch pastors who say that it is a tenet of the Christian faith to directly support Israel are actually endangering the persecuted Oriental Orthodox, Copts, Syriac Orthodox, Armenian Apostolic Christians, and the persecuted Antiochian Orthodox and other Eastern Orthodox Christians in the region, such as the Greek and Arabic members of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem (which also has a surprising number of converts from Judaism), and the monks and Bedouin laity of the autonomous Church of Sinai at the Monastery of St. Catharine, and the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria, and the Phanariot Greeks in Constantinople. It should be noted by the way that in the Middle East, extremely good EO-OO relations exist (except at the Church of the Nativity where occasionally the Greeks and Armenians have had disagreements, but not recently, the last major dispute was in 2008) prevail, with ecumenical agreements between the Copts and Alexandrian Greeks and the Antiochians and Syriac Orthodox, the latter being particularly strong (to the extent that Old Calendarist schismatics like to whine about it on their numerous blogs and try to argue that the “world orthodox” are heretical.

Of course, if Israel suddenly collapsed, that would be bad for the Christians who live in Israel and Palestine and worse for religious minorities in Israel like the Druze, as the recent genocide against the Christians and moreso the Druze and Alawis in Syria indicates.

Additionally if Iran did obtain a nuclear weapon, there is a concern it would use it, even accepting Israeli nuclear retialiation, against Tel Aviv, which would endanger the Christian pilgrimage site of Mount Carmel.

Thus, we should neither support nor oppose Israel, but lobby Israel to adopt pro-Christian policies and not to adopt policies which could further endanger the Christian minority elsewhere in the region.

ozso said:

Does that only apply to pastors?

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Eh, maybe you have a point. Following my own advice, if I don't enjoy Kent Christmas' YouTube show, I can go find my entertainment somewhere else.

Michie said:

Does the Bible command Christians to support the State of Israel? This is an important question for our time.

Let me answer the question from the outset: No. Christians are not under a biblical command to support Israel. However, they are under a biblical command to not be arrogant towards Israel. Whatever one thinks of Israel, Christians are absolutely under the biblical command to love Jews, just as they commanded to love people of any race. Christians are called to love their neighbor and their enemies (cf. Matt 5:43-48).

But why is this even a question? What is behind all of this?

For those paying attention, there’s a growing number of Americans taking an anti-Israel stance, and with this comes an all-out assault against any thinking that inclines one to believe that Christians have a biblical obligation to support Israel. “The Church is Israel,” they’ll retort! The message is, “God’s chosen people are Christians. Love the Church! Not the State that rejects Christ and was responsible for His very crucifixion!”

Coupled with this is a strong stance against Dispensationalism that teaches that Israel remains “God’s chosen people.” It follows a literal approach to the text — when God told Abraham, “I will bless those who bless you, And the one who curses you I will curse” (Genesis 12:3); meaning if Christians bless Israel, they’ll be blessed, and if Christians don’t, they’ll be cursed. No one wants that, right?

Continued below.

Does the Bible command Christians to support the State of Israel?

All of this is relevant to the question because the Bible is concerned with our attitude that stems from what we should believe about Israel, rather than the political stance we take regarding them

www.christianpost.com

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If it does, it is to the same extent we are required to support other states, in that civil government provides a benefit.

Additionally, in the case of the State of Israel, several important centers of Christian pilgrimage are located within its actual borders, such as the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and the Monastery of St. Mark in the Old City of Jerusalem, and Mount Carmel in Jaifa, near Tel Aviv, and still more within areas under its control, such as the Church of the Nativity and the adjacent Church of St. Mary on the site of the birth of Christ in Bethlehem. A number of Roman Catholic, Syriac Orthodox, Armenian Apostolic and Greek Orthodox Christians live in Jerusalem, East Jerusalem and Bethlehem, some of them Israeli citizens and some citizens of the Palestinian territories.

Thus the status of the Christians in Israel and on the West Bank, and their safety, is of extreme importance to us. Thus, peace in the region is good for Christianity.

Interestingly the Israeli Knesset (Parliament) meets on land owned by and legally leased from the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem.

I encourage all Christians to neither hate the State of Israel or align themselves with movements which seek to displace its citizens, nor to regard supporting all policies of its secular government as a religious obligation, because neither is the case.

By the way, demographic shifts in the Jewish population in favor of Charedi Jews who do not wish to engage in military service and who are less specifically nationalistic have the potential to result in either a peaceful long term settlement in about 50 years time, or on the other hand, could engender an undesirable Islamist takeover of the area, which would be very bad for Christians, and even worse for members of other religions who have a presence therein, for example, the Bahai State and the Druze (as witnessed by the recent genocidal acts against the Druze, Alawis and Christians following the downfall of the Assad regime in Syria).

The mother of one of Bryan Kohberger's murder victims forgave her daughter’s killer in court Wednesday, expressing hope that he would find Jesus Christ and said she'd be praying for him.

Kohberger, who admitted to killing four University of Idaho students at their home in November 2022, learned his fate at his sentencing hearing. He was sentenced to four consecutive sentences of life in prison without the possibility of parole and ordered to pay a combined $200,000 in fines and $5,000 in civil penalties to the families of each victim. He was also sentenced to an additional 10 years in prison and ordered to pay a $50,000 fine in connection with a count of burglary associated with the crime.

As Kohberger appeared at the Ada County Courthouse, he came face-to-face with the families of the students he murdered. Cara Northington, the mother of murder victim Xana Kernodle, expressed confidence that “Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, now has her in His loving arms in Heaven, where she can never be harmed ever again for eternity.”

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Randy Combs (L) and his late wife, Christiana Combs, 32, appear in this family photo in happier times. | Screenshot/GoFundMe

A father of five who was sedated in the hospital after he was shot in the face twice by a gunman at Richmond Road Baptist Church in Lexington, Kentucky, recently learned his wife did not survive the attack as he regained consciousness at a local hospital.

The father, Randy Combs, was among four people shot by the late 47-year-old Guy House, who went on a shooting rampage at the church after he shot and injured Kentucky State Police trooper Jude Remilien at the Blue Grass Airport on July 13.

Randy Combs and the church's pastor, Jerry Gumm, both survived their gunshot wounds. Combs' wife, 32-year-old Christina Combs, and her mother, 72-year-old Beverly Gumm, who is also the pastor's wife, were killed.

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d taylor said:

-

​

Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week;
But in the middle of the week
He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering.
And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate,
Even until the consummation, which is determined,
Is poured out on the desolate.”

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Others believe the "he" in the verse refers to Jesus, who establishes a new covenant with humanity through his sacrifice. I guess we’ll have to wait and see who’s right.

CLEARWATER, Fla. (AP) — Hulk Hogan, the mustachioed, headscarf-wearing, bicep-busting icon of professional wrestling who turned the sport into a massive business and stretched his cultural influence far beyond the ring, died Thursday in Florida at age 71.

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Sovereign Grace said:

Someone on x/twitter stated that Lindsey sold over 35 million copies of his books and was wrong on virtually all of it. Talk about getting rich off writing fiction!

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Wild. Good theology never sells...goats are fed and entertained while sheep starve.

Tariffs on imported cars and auto parts cost General Motors $1.1 billion in the second quarter, the nation’s largest automaker said Tuesday.

That hit to its bottom line was largely responsible for a 21% drop in net income for the period. The company said it expects tariffs to cost it between $4 billion to $5 billion by year’s end.


The industry so far has been able to weather those costs and remain profitable without raising car prices, in large part because it already has a backlog of vehicles built or imported before tariffs took hold.

Not MS13 and also not a terrorist. The character assassination of this poor man along with his repeated mistreatment by this administration has been absolutely disgusting.