This is one of those times when I don't envy the Pope. rimshot

THE NINTH DAY

With the Blessed Virgin,
the Angels, and the unknown Saints of all States.

Adore the Sacred Heart of Jesus, who complains of the coldness and indifference of the lukewarm, and who promises so much to fervent souls, who have generosity to relinquish all, in order to love Him without reserve.

Practice--Endeavour to discover the cause of your want of devotion and of your tepidity; adopt such measures as will enable you to arise from this state, and embrace every means which may contribute to render you more agreeable in the eyes of Jesus Christ.

Prayer of St. Alphonsus Liguori to the Sacred Heart

O Adorable heart of my Jesus, heart created expressly for the love of men! Until now I have shown towards Thee only ingratitude. Pardon me, O my Jesus. Heart of my Jesus, abyss of love and of mercy, how is it possible that I do not die of sorrow when I reflect on Thy goodness to me and my ingratitude to Thee? Thou, my Creator, after having created me, hast given Thy blood and Thy life for me; and, not content with this, Thou hast invented a means of offering Thyself up every day for me in the holy Eucharist, exposing Thyself to a thousand insults and outrages. Ah, Jesus, do Thou wound my heart with a great contrition for my sins, and a lively love for Thee. Through Thy tears and Thy blood give me the grace of perseverance in Thy fervent love until I breathe my last sigh. Amen.

joechristianwarrior said:

Jesus told His disciples to leave everything and follow Him. When we look at how Peter, James, John, and Levi responded, we see that they didn't merely agree with Jesus intellectually — they took concrete action. They left behind careers, possessions, and security to follow Him.

How should Christians understand these passages today? Are these examples only descriptive of the first disciples, or do they reveal something about the level of commitment Jesus expects from all of His followers?

I've been studying this topic recently and put together a short video exploring it. I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on the question itself, whether or not you watch the video.

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When Jesus truly reigns as Lord of our lives, we relinquish all ownership of our time, possessions, loved ones and future hopes to Him.

Christian Gedge said:

I think I see what you mean. The answer is probably to be found in modern church history. When the protestant reformation began in 1517 AD eschatology was basically amillennial, although the term wasn’t used. Protestants never took issue with eschatology at that time. It was one of the doctrines they never felt needed reform.

However, in 1820 AD a powerful revival - the second awakening - came on to the scene with a new emphasis on premillennial eschatology. I don’t think that Charles Finney was premillennial, but simultaneous to this revival came a spate of borderline Christian end time theories. The classic examples were the Dispensationalists (1830 AD) and the Adventists. (1844 AD) These two movements have had a disproportionate influence on modern eschatology.

When the Fundamentalist movement developed in the early 20th century, they adopted dispensationalism as an article of faith, and branded it into the doctrinal statements of numerous modern Evangelical and Pentecostal denomination
Hence the antipathy toward Amil that you are asking about. Fortunately, many are beginning to find their way back to a sounder eschatology.

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Charles Finney said this: "There are two opinions held in the church. One is that Christ will eventually come and build a physical kingdom on the earth. The other is that he will never do that. But both opinions agree on this point. that he will transform the earth in this present age we are living."

That was not an exact quote. That is from my memory. But he often said: "When the millennium fully arrives. " Meaning, I take it. The millennium is that transformation we are now living out. It is not a time period but an illustration of the kingdom of God filling the earth after the Roman Empire fell according to Daniel 2 & 7. The world will be a completely different place morally as the influence of that kingdom grows.

One might point out how drastically it has been transformed just since that second great awakening. Even with all the evil that arose. It was not able to stop billions coming to Christ and the transformation of the world that outside of a couple nations, was totally run by the despotism of kings, emperors and warlords. The oppressors, if measured by what was, in comparison to today, are truly coming to nothing. Many people now a days can't even wrap their heads around how death and hell ruled over the ancient world.

Isaiah 29:18 And in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity, and out of darkness.
19 The meek also shall increase their joy in the LORD, and the poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel. 20 For the tyrannical oppressor is brought to nothing.....

essentialsaltes said:

Suspect in Minnesota political killings will not face death penalty: DOJ​

Prosecutors declined to pursue the ultimate punishment against 58-year-old Boelter because a federal judge ruled earlier this year in an unrelated murder case that interstate stalking charges do not rise to the level to support a capital crime, officials said.

The decision by federal prosecutors not to seek the death penalty stems from a Jan. 30 ruling by New York U.S. District Court Judge Margaret Garnett in the federal murder case against Luigi Mangione, the suspect charged in the December 2024 killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in Midtown Manhattan. Mangione has pleaded not guilty to the charges. Garrett ruled that stalking is not a crime of violence and, therefore, not a predicate to make the killing of Thompson a capital crime.

[For the legal beagles, does that control (or reasonably influence) what happens in Minnesota?]

Boelter has pleaded not guilty to six federal counts, including murder, attempted murder, stalking and other firearms-related charges. He has also pleaded not guilty to murder and attempted murder in state court, where he faces life in prison if convicted.

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Federal prosecution just means a Trump pardon.

Has the criminal been tried in state court?

Good job. Hopefully, they'll get the one in Florida, too.

It being leaned up against a tree instead of planted in the soil like most are, is an indication it was done by a lone person.

Glory to God in all things!

Michie said:

Allie Beth Stuckey Tells Sen. Mike Lee: ‘Mormonism Rejects the Triune God’​

When Sen. Mike Lee asked why his church was initially left off the list of Christian faiths, numerous people responded with theological explanations. “That’s because Mormons aren’t Christian,” someone replied, adding:

You believe god was once a man who became god, and that you can become a god if you do good enough. You believe you are saved by grace after all the works you do. The Bible teaches the exact opposite. God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) have ALWAYS been and ALWAYS will be.

That person also shared a video about Mormonism from Jeremiah Films, creator of the 1982 documentary “The God Maker.”

Conservative commentator Allie Beth Stuckey also engaged in back-and-forth debate on X with Lee. To his request for an explanation of the slight, she posted, “Because, unlike every Christian denomination, Mormonism rejects the triune God.”

Continued below.

Why Latter-day Saints Aren’t Christians: Allie Beth Stuckey Responds to Sen. Mike Lee

Allie Beth Stuckey addressed Sen. Mike Lee’s question on the Pentagon’s exclusion of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from a recent list of Christian denominations.

churchleaders.com

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The same can be said about Jehovah witnesses since they also reject the Holy Trinity.

rebornfree said:

No, I'm not saying that you can prove God's existence mathematically. My point is that someone, like John Lennox, who has a personal relationship with Jesus yet who is an eminent mathematician, is likely to carry more weight with atheists, especially those who look to science for their answers, than a theologian would. Their response to the latter is usually "I trust science", but when someone with John Lennox's credentials, in a scientific subject, says that he believes in God they are more likely to listen.

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That hasn't been my experience. IME, that's the sort of thing that sounds good to Christians, but doesn't really pan out in real life.

From what I've seen, the "I trust science" crowd is more likely to listen to you if you acknowledge that it's all based on faith and focus your attention on the metaphysical aspects of life that science can't answer.

johnnypapa said:

Funny to see the different liberal headlines...PBS - lol

Pope's historic speech to Spain's parliament demands respect for migrants, gets 7-minute ovation​

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Thank you for sharing. May God have mercy on the Spanish people.

Please pray that God keeps us safe from the storms and allows us to keep power because of the heat.Please pray that He will allow us to stay cool. Thank you and God bless you. Carmen. I ask in the name of Jesus.

bèlla said:

Costco is selling water storage units. I saw it on a facebook reel yesterday. They wouldn't carry it in the store if there wasn't demand and we've seen deals on freeze dried food as well.

~bella

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Good to know! Thanks
What is more important than water in your preps?

How much more are ~220,000 MARYLAND ACA enrollees *really* paying this year due to Trump/GOP policies? (with important additional data points)


As I've repeatedly warned, however, the increases in premium costs (whether gross or net) are only half the story. The other big shoe which is dropping this year is increased out of pocket costs as millions of the ~19.2 million or so remaining enrollees as of April have been forced to downgrade their coverage to avoid (or at least minimize) those massive premium spikes.

In most cases this means moving to plans with higher deductibles, higher co-pays & higher coinsurance costs. In many cases this has also included moving to plasn with worse networks, referral requirements to see specialists and so on.

With that in mind, that's exactly what I've decided to set out to do: Calculate the average year over year increase not just in net premiums (that is, how much more ACA enrollees are having to pay each month) but also the year over year change in average out of pocket costs.

Rest@link

d taylor said:

-
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She served for 35 years

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I thought you were in favor of serving a country. You didn't mention a cutoff point at 35 years.

1 Corinthians 2:6-14 NKJV


The Natural Man

Now the Lord put in my mind a secular song called, “On My Own,” which is taken from the movie/musical “Les Misérables,” yet I do not recommend the movie/musical due to certain content. The song is about someone being “in love” with someone else who does not return the same affection. So this person lives in a fantasy world, having a love affair with this person in their own mind. And as I thought about that in relation to this Scripture passage, I thought about the “natural man” and how that might relate to him or her.

For the “natural man” is our flesh nature that we are born with. And those who live according to the flesh, and not according to the Spirit of God, will naturally think on and act on what is of the flesh, and not on what is of God. Even if they know about God, and even if they have studied the Scriptures, and even if they have made a profession of faith in Jesus, and maybe even have taught the Scriptures, they may still be those who are still living by the flesh, living in a fantasy world, not receiving the things of the Spirit of God.

So, who they are “in love” with may or may not be a person, but it could be an idea or a concept or a certain belief or a particular subject. Or it could just be the world – the lusts of the flesh and of the eyes, and the pride of life. And when I think of “fantasy” that can include movies, stories, and imaginary tales, which includes all kinds of sources of entertainment. But it could also include porn addiction, and/or romanticizing a relationship with whoever is in the video, which Jesus Christ calls adultery and also idolatry.

Of the Spirit of God

In contrast to the natural man who lives by the flesh, and not by the Spirit, we who are of the Spirit of God, via God-persuaded and God-gifted faith in Jesus Christ, by which we deny self, die to sin, and follow our Lord in obedience, we should be among the spiritually mature. We should not be those who are living in a fantasy world, living according to our flesh, getting our “high” from what is clearly against God. We should not be following the “wisdom of this age,” but rather the wisdom which comes from God.

For, if we have believed in Jesus Christ, in truth and in righteousness, and we have received his gift of salvation from sin, then we have not received the spirit of the world which tells us we can keep living however we want. But we have received the Spirit who is from God that we might know the things which come from God, that we might do all that God has planned for us to do and to be as his followers. And as his followers we must follow him in obedience to his commands and no longer live as slaves to sin.

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

For Those Who Love God

To love God – Father, Son Jesus Christ, and Holy Spirit – is to obey him according to his New Covenant commandments written down for us in the New Testament books of the Bible. It is to deny self, die to sin daily, and to follow our Lord wherever he leads us in doing, and in being, and in speaking all that he has for us to do and to be and to say. It does not mean that we will never sin again (1 John 2:1-2), but that sin must no longer be our habit, what we practice. Now living the life God has for us is how we want to live.

[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]

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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We Speak the Wisdom of God
An Original Work / June 10, 2026
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

""An enormous whale graveyard around 1,200km (745 miles) long has been discovered in the south-eastern Indian Ocean"

"Jellyfish, worms and crustaceans are among the community of creatures living off the huge spread of carcasses"


and (but paywalled) in Nature Magazine
A vast whale necropolis has been found

This seems like one distinctly impressive find.

essentialsaltes said:

DOW broke 51,000

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And now under 50,000. Epstein Files are again important.

Welcome. Greetings from Scotland

The iPhone may have played a role in the falling birth rates in the United States by changing how young people socialize, form relationships and spend their time, new research suggests.

Researchers Caitlin Myers and Ezekiel Hooper of Middlebury College in Vermont analyzed the connection between the smartphone’s 2007 release and the overall decrease in fertility since then in a paper published this month by the National Bureau of Economic Research. The research has not yet been independently reviewed.

“The U.S. general fertility rate has fallen by 22% since 2007, a sustained decline not readily explained by economic conditions, contraceptive use, housing or childcare costs, or other commonly cited factors,” Myers and Hooper wrote. “We assess the potential role of a different shock: the diffusion of the smartphone.”

The first iPhone was rolled out in 2007, and the researchers noted that their study uses that timeframe as “a natural experiment,” drawing on data from 2007 through 2011, when iPhones were sold only on AT&T.

Continued below.

The percentage of Americans who believe that sex outside of marriage and birth control are morally acceptable has declined, as a new survey shows the public embracing more conservative attitudes on hot-button social issues.

Gallup released the most recent installment of its annual Values and Beliefs Poll Tuesday, finding that attitudes on a range of moral issues have shifted in a more conservative direction compared with the previous year.

The survey, which is based on responses collected from 1,001 United States adults from May 1-17, found declines in the share of Americans who view many behaviors as morally acceptable, including sex between unmarried adults, gambling, pornography, euthanasia and gender transition. The poll has a margin of error of +/- 4 percentage points.

Among the most notable changes was a sharp drop in support for having children outside of marriage.

While 67% of Americans said having children outside of wedlock was morally acceptable in the previous survey, that figure fell to 58% this year — one of the largest year-over-year shifts recorded in the poll.

Support for birth control also declined. Although a large majority of Americans continue to view contraception as morally acceptable, the percentage dropped from 90% to 83%, marking the lowest level recorded since Gallup began asking the question.

Continued below.

The Word does many things, conviction is one of them, which can often feel like a nail. But what is the purpose of a nail? To be hammered or to join & secure? It’s important to remember that the Word can do many things. It is used to heal, encourage, support, provide wisdom, guide, sanctify, strengthen, & even rebuke just to name a few. Not every message needs to feel like a spike through the heart. Also, fools despise wisdom & instruction, it would be unwise to believe that every word will provide conviction. Simply proclaiming the truth with the authority that God has given you is enough.

essentialsaltes said:

On the agenda that day: the future of nuclear energy in the Trump era. The meeting was convened by 31-year-old lawyer Seth Cohen. Just five years out of law school, Cohen brought no significant experience in nuclear law or policy; he had just entered government through Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency team.

As Cohen led the group through a technical conversation about licensing nuclear reactor designs, he repeatedly downplayed health and safety concerns. When staff brought up the topic of radiation exposure from nuclear test sites, Cohen broke in.

“They are testing in Utah. … I don’t know, like 70 people live there,” he said.

“But … there’s lots of babies,” one staffer pushed back. Babies, pregnant women and other vulnerable groups are thought to be potentially more susceptible to cancers brought on by low-level radiation exposure, and they are usually afforded greater protections.

“They’ve been downwind before,” another staffer joked.

“This is why we don’t use AI transcription in meetings,” another added.

ProPublica reviewed records of that meeting, providing a rare look at a dramatic shift underway in one of the most sensitive domains of public policy. The Trump administration is upending the way nuclear energy is regulated, driven by a desire to dramatically increase the amount of energy available to power artificial intelligence.

Career experts have been forced out and thousands of pages of regulations are being rewritten at a sprint. A new generation of nuclear energy companies — flush with Silicon Valley cash and boasting strong political connections — wield increasing influence over policy. Figures like Cohen are forcing a “move fast and break things” Silicon Valley ethos on one of the country’s most important regulators.

During that Idaho meeting, Cohen shot down any notion of NRC independence in the new era.

“Assume the NRC is going to do whatever we tell the NRC to do,” he said, records reviewed by ProPublica show. In November, Cohen was made chief counsel for nuclear policy at the Department of Energy, where he oversees a broad nuclear portfolio.

The administration is routing the new rules through an office overseen by Trump’s cost-cutting guru Russell Vought, a move that was previously unheard of for an independent regulator like the NRC. The White House spokesperson noted that, under a recent executive order, this process is now required for all agencies.

Political operatives have been “inserted into the senior leadership team to the point where they could significantly influence decision-making,” said Scott Morris, who worked at the NRC for more than 32 years, most recently as the No. 2 career operations official. “I just think that would be a dangerous proposition.”

Morris voted for Trump twice and broadly supports the goals of deregulating and expanding nuclear energy, but he has begun speaking out against the administration’s interference at the NRC. He retired in May 2025 as part of a wave of retirements and firings.

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lol, this whole administration is people fixing to be those garbage VP's who steamroll into a new company, break a bunch of things, and then leave with a golden parachute.