F: In one of our earlier discussions, you explained why we cannot restrict our reading solely to the Bible, that it is not a good idea and that we should also read other texts. You said that the Bible was given to us by the Church. A reader commented that this is putting the Church over the Bible, which the reader considered to be blasphemy. How would you respond to this?

JP: On the contrary, this person is guilty of bibliolatry—the worship of the book. The Catholic Church is the Mystical Body of Jesus Christ. The book is merely something that the Mystical Body of Jesus Christ has given to the world.

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To understand the crisis, we need to have a proper understanding of natural law. It is very interesting to note that even before the giving of the Ten Commandments, the first order of God’s revelation is actually creation itself. This is taught, for instance, in Dei Verbum, the Vatican II Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation: “God, who through the Word creates all things (see John 1:3) and keeps them in existence, gives men an enduring witness to Himself in created realities (see Rom. 1:19-20).”

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headphones777 said:

Wow, super cool. Nice to encounter you here on CF. I also saw a literal demon while in the mental hospital, but as a sort of remote viewing vision. It was really hideous, and I'm positive it was a spiritual vision. Currently in a season of desolation. God feels far away, and I was very sick these days. I began to hate myself for my past, a past I had no idea how I caused, and it was very painful. If I die this year, I would be very grieved.

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Then stop worrying about it and seek God. Ultimately, when we all die, if we are meant to, then we are. But you don't 100% know that God is telling you this right now, it COULD be a means to draw you closer to Him. So use this time, to seek him, turn from sin, repent and walk in obedience. God will 100% be there for you, there's no need to worry or stress. Just let him guide you.

Joshua Broome, a former porn addict and adult-film star turned pastor, took to social media to warn that marriage isn’t “a safe place to keep lusting” or “a clean outlet for an unclean appetite.” In a June 4 Instagram post, the author of “7 Lies That Will Ruin Your Life” shared Bible-based advice for husbands about cherishing, not “consuming,” their wives.

The real danger of pornography and masturbation, Broome wrote, is the lie that “sex is something you take for yourself, from an image, on demand.” Instead of just looking at dirty images, he said, “You are training your heart to consume. And a heart trained to consume does not switch off at the bedroom door. It walks in with you.”

Joshua Broome, 43, worked in the adult film industry for six years before coming to faith in Jesus. Now a husband and father of four sons, he often talks about the importance of purity and the destructive nature of pornography and sexual sin.

“If you have spent years training yourself to consume people, you do not get to flip a switch on your wedding day,” Broome told men in his June 4 post. “You will project what you practiced. A screen taught your eyes to take, to rate, to use. So now the woman in your bed becomes one more thing to use.”

Continued below.

A field office of the federal bureau had issued a memo on investigating Catholic communities in Virginia over alleged extremism.

Continued below.

essentialsaltes said:

Kennedy Center criticizes musician who canceled show after Trump name added to venue​

The venue's president, Richard Grenell, said he would seek $1 million in damages “for this political stunt.”​

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Speaking of political stunts...

Judge tosses Kennedy Center suit against musician who canceled Christmas Eve show​

The dismissal on Friday was granted under Washington's Anti-SLAPP laws, which are designed to prevent meritless lawsuits intended to silence opposing points of view on matters of public interest.

Pommer said:

Money is a sometimes casualty of war.

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Money or currencies?

I can't think of one currency that hasn't been devalued through war; but then isn't devaluing currencies often used as a weapon of war?

Ancient Rome devalued their money by adding less valuable metals to their coins. I read that they devalued their money so much, that there came a point where they wouldn't even accept their own coins for payment of taxes.

People don't like outside forces controlling them, and exploiting them for their resources, their time being their most valuable resource.

The more that Empires grow, the more money that it takes, to raise the armies needed, to subjugate those who are being exploited.

Last I heard, the official number is that the US dollar is worth 3% of what it was worth when it was minted in silver. In reality educated sources purport that it is worth less than 1%.

Empires tend to go out violently. The power hungry are resistant to just simply letting go of their power. History leads me to believe that the current Empire is in it's death throes.

Anne_ said:

Whenever I try to discuss this with my spouse, it unfortunately escalates into an enormous fight.

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"Do all things without complaining and disputing," (Philippians 2:14)

So, God wants us to relate "without" arguing, right? So, whatever in us can cause us to argue . . . do not trust that, but get rid of it, and then see what God has you doing with Him in His peace >

"And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful." (Colossians 3:15)

"Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you." (Ephesians 4:31-32)

Studyman said:

I have not adopted the Calvinist/Wesleyan-Armenian, or any other popular religious sect that existed in the world God placed me in, but I think your questions are great, and would like to share my understanding. I hope you don't mind.

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I appreciate your willingness to engage my questions, but I am seeking to understand Wesleyan-Arminian theology, which your understanding will not reflect.

However, my DMs are open to anyone, if you would like to explore this elsewhere.

Romans 12:3-8 NKJV


One Body in Christ

As followers of Jesus Christ we are all one body, the body of Christ. But we are all different. We are all uniquely who we are individually. God didn’t make us all the same. He didn’t gift us all the same. And we are not all called in the same way to the same exact ministries. And even if we were all teachers, our teaching style may differ one from the other. For God did not make us to be clones of each other. He made us uniquely who we are by his design, for his purposes. And he is not going to use us in all the same ways.

Yes, in the gatherings of the church, the biblical body of Christ, i.e. those of genuine biblical faith in the Lord Jesus, there needs to be law and order. We need to have overseers to make sure things are done in order and according to the will and purposes of God. But just because a man is a pastor, elder, deacon, or overseer, it does not make him superior to the rest of us, and he should not treat us as though he is a cult leader who we must follow blindly wherever he leads us. Overseers must lead by example, not by an iron fist.

Also, in today’s world, many of these pastors, elders, deacons, and overseers are not following in the ways of the Lord, but in the ways of the flesh. Jesus is not their commander in chief, but they are following business models for how to “do church.” So many of them are not leading the church, the body of Christ, in service to the Lord, but they are teaching them lies, and they are training them in the ways of the culture and not in the ways of the Lord. For many of them are acting just like cult leaders.

And so many gatherings of the church are not biblical gatherings at all. One man serves as king over all, and he does all the preaching, and no one is testing what he is teaching to see if it is of God or not. The people are not given opportunity to minister to one another, for the “pastor” is considered the sole “minister.” And he is raised up above all the rest. So he is more like a cult leader almost to be worshipped as though he is a god. And what he says goes whether or not it is of God and is biblical and righteous.

Not a Business

So, please understand that the church is not a building or an organization incorporated under the state called “church.” The church is the biblical body of Christ comprised of all who are of genuine biblical faith in Jesus Christ via dying with Christ to sin, and being raised with Christ to walk in newness of life, no longer to live as slaves to sin, but now as servants of God and of his righteousness. And all of us are given gifts of the Spirit and assignments from God called our “body parts,” and all of us are necessary parts.

So our gatherings should not be for the purpose for all of us to sit in pews or in chairs and in rows while we all listen to one man do all the preaching and one small group of musicians do all the ministering in music. But, in an orderly and biblical way, we should be ministering to one another, using the spiritual gifts given us by God in our body parts assigned to us by God. All of us should be speaking the truth of God’s Word to one another in love in order to help each other to grow to maturity in our walks of faith in Christ.

We are to be those who are exhorting one another daily so that none of us may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. And we are to be stirring up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, but encouraging one another. And we are to be addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, with each body part doing its work. For when each part is working properly, the body grows and builds itself up in love.

We are All Necessary!

So God did not design his church, the body of Christ, comprised of all who are of genuine biblical faith in Christ Jesus, to just be bench warmers while only a select few get to do all the ministering. We are all necessary to the proper working of the body of Christ. And the Bible teaches that in the last days that both men and women will prophesy (preach, proclaim the Word of God) and will dream dreams and see visions (Acts 2:16-18). So we need gatherings of the church where each part is able to do his/her work.

And this is why the Lord put me on the internet 22 years ago, so I would have a voice, so I would have a place where I could minister using the spiritual gifts given me by God in my body part assigned to me from God. And here I am able to connect with other Christians (other body parts) and we can and do encourage one another in our walks of faith in obedience to our Lord. We each have a voice and a place where we can be used of God to share his gospel message and to help each other to grow in Christ Jesus.

[Matthew 5:13-16; Matthew 28:18-20; John 4:31-38; John 13:13-17; John 14:12; Acts 1:8; Acts 2:14-18,42-47; Acts 26:18; Romans 10:14-15; 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 5:11-21; 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; 1 Peter 2:9,21; 1 John 2:6]

The Peace of Christ

Based off of Colossians 3:1-17; Ephesians 5:19-20
An Original Work / October 31, 2011
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

Let the word of Christ dwell in you,
As you teach with all wisdom,
Teaching one another to not
Think on earthly things;
Think instead on things above,
Where Christ sits with God, in love,
Saving us from all of our sins,
Cleansing us; made new within.

Let the peace of Christ rule your hearts,
As you sing songs unto Him;
Speak to one another with psalms,
Hymns, and spir’tual songs;
Always giving thanks to God,
In the name of Christ, His Son,
Who gave His life up for us all,
And gave us eternal life.

Let the love of Christ within you
Rule in your hearts; grace within,
Purifying you from your sin,
Make you whole within.
Forgive as the Lord forgave.
Show His kindness ev’ry day.
In word or deed, whate’er you do,
Glory give to Jesus Christ.

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Let Us Use Them
An Original Work / June 7, 2026
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

The Morning Offering (OF)

Daily Quote...“Receive Communion often, very often…there you have the sole remedy, if you want to be cured. Jesus has not put this attraction in your heart for nothing…” — St. Therese of Lisieux

Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ readings & commentary (OF)

Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ readings & commentary (OF)
Other Titles: Corpus Christi

We Have the Holy Spirit—Why Do We Need the Eucharist? Readings & commentary (OF)

A Scriptural Reflection on the Readings for June 7, 2026, the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ. (OF)

Sunday Reflections, Corpus Christi, Year A. 7 June 2026 (OF)

The Solemnity of the Body and Blood - Corpus Christi (Cycle A) Bible study (OF)

Daily Gospel

Unless – A Homily for Corpus Christi (OF)

Corpus Christi: The Gift of the Holy Eucharist (OF)

Divine DNA (OF)

You Can Obtain a Plenary Indulgence on Corpus Christi Sunday - Here's How to Do It (OF)

The Sacred Heart of Jesus – Short Meditations for June. June 7 — The Sacred Heart at Bethlehem

Sermons for Everyday Living - The Origins of Corpus Christi 6/7/26

Corpus Christi - The Body of Christ
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Morning Prayers

Divinum Officium

Daily Quote..."The Jesus of the Gospels is surely not convenient for us." - Pope Benedict XVI

Second Sunday After Pentecost commentary (Gueranger)

Second Sunday After Pentecost propers & commentary

External Feast of Corpus Christi on Sunday propers

Fr. Leonard Goffine's instruction on the Second Sunday After Pentecost

Heavenly Life on Earth: The Secret of the Second Sunday after Pentecost

In Illo Tempore: 2nd Sunday after Pentecost

Sunday within the Octave of Corpus Christi Patristic readings

Daily Gospel

The Sacred Heart of Jesus – Short Meditations for June. June 7 — The Sacred Heart at Bethlehem

Saint Robert of Newminster Abbot

Saint Claude Archbishop

God Has Prepared Heaven — Why Do So Many Refuse It?
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Audio version of Gueranger
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iarwain said:

Pride itself is a sin, unless you are taking pride in the cross.

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For Christians there is no pride in self. We are to sacrifice self-glory for Gods glory in Christ.

The world sees pride in human achievement and self as a good. An outward sign of success. A feeling of superiority of self over all else. Of human good works over Gods.

In fact like Christ Christians should hide their good works and not display them as a means to virtue signal to others about being good. To even sacrifice self to death for the sake of others and Gods kingdom.

Christ said the world will hate Christians for His sake. So, I think we should rejoice that we are hated for Christ by the world. It means we are being like Christ.

Eritrea
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#5
- World Watch List (persecution)
- Top 50 countries
- opendoors.org

Darren suspected Gary was an addicted gambler and anticipated he would enter the hotel casino. But Gary walked right past it. If not the casino, what could it be? Something even darker?

A few steps ahead, right there in the hotel corridor, a glowing neon sign read MAFIA — practically screaming organized crime. Gary pushed the door open and went inside.

Darren felt a wave of fear. So that was it. Gary wasn’t a gambler at all. He was worse. It looked like he was involved with criminal activities.
(To be continued at A Tiger Among Cats)

reddogs said:

Barnabas and Paul, I was musing about Judas as one of the apostles, dont think he will stand up on any level.

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Yes, Judas Iscariot was replaced by Matthias.

@Apple Sky

PEB's (used to Plymouth Exclusive Brethren but now prefer Plymouth Brethren Christian Church) is the Australian slang for them.
Not so secretive as they have a formal website Home | Plymouth Brethren Christian Church and charity arm, they have a whole private school system for their own kids in Australia. They are also known for giving money to the conservative side of politics and even handing out how to vote cards.

There was a congregation in my home town, a rural Australian city of 10K, 6" fence around the chapel, they would arrive in a convoy of 4 or 5 cars into the centre of town and preach the gospel publicly by reading of the KJV sections and shouting in KJV language at people.

They are a split of a split of a split in the Exclusive movement each one getting further from historic Christianity this group used to be referred as the Taylorites after an early leader but are now run by the Hale family out of Australia.

I have had several personal connections to the PEB's through my life, if you go to the website they present a polished image but I have the seen the pain they have caused various people in my life.

Romans 12:1-2 NKJV


Living Sacrifice

This word “beseech” is not a casual word to be overlooked. For literally it means to exhort, to intreat, to urge, to implore, to encourage strongly, to urgently ask for or to request or to admonish, all of which are to be taken deeply seriously. So this is not a casual request, but this is urgent, critical, and regarding life and death. And to exhort is to insist. And to admonish is to caution and to warn, as well as to reprove. And to intreat is to plead. So this is of a critical nature that we pay close attention to what is said here.

So, what does it look like if we, by the mercies of God, present our bodies a living sacrifice, holy, and acceptable to God? Well, it means first of all that this originates with God, by his design and purpose, and that this is not something we can do of our own will or in our own strength and flesh. It is only because of God’s grace in sending Jesus Christ to the cross to put our sins to death with him that any of us can now deny self, die to sin, and follow our Lord in walks of surrender to him in obedience to his commands.

So, only by God’s grace, and by his divine persuasion, can any of us turn from our sins and now follow Jesus and walk in his ways and in his truth and righteousness. And this is what it really means to present our bodies to him as living sacrifices, for to sacrifice is to give up something, in this case it is to give up our flesh and our sinful practices and our stubborn wills to now surrender our lives to the will of God and to his service. It means to put self on the altar of sacrifice to God so that he now has command of our lives.

Holy Living

And to be holy is to be different, unlike the world, because we are being transformed by God into the likeness of Jesus Christ, by his grace, in his power, via our full cooperation with his work of grace in our lives. And his grace, which is bringing us salvation, is training us to renounce (say no to) ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives while we await our Lord’s return. For we are now clay in the hands of our Potter God who is shaping and molding us into his likeness.

And when we have, by God-persuaded faith in Jesus Christ, denied self, died to sin, and we are now following our Lord in surrender to his will, in walks of obedience to his commands, in holy living, in practice, then we are acceptable to God. And all of this is our reasonable service to God in our worship of God. And to worship God is not done just with the raising of hands and the singing of songs, but true worship of God involves death to sin and obedience to his commands in holy living – all in his power.

Transformed and Conformed to God

And if we are no longer conformed to this world, that means that we are no longer living and following after the desires of the flesh and worldly living. We no longer follow after the pattern of the world, but we now follow Christ in being who he wants us to be. Rather than imitating the world and its desires, we imitate Christ and we obey his desires for our lives. We do not prefer the world – the lusts of the flesh and of the eyes and the pride of life – but we prefer holiness, honesty, faithfulness, and obedience to God.

For if truly we are transformed of God in the renewing of our minds, so that by our actions (behaviors, habits) we prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God, then our lives (our lifestyles) should reflect Christ and his will and purpose for our lives. Our lives should no longer reflect what is wicked, immoral, dishonest, prideful, selfish, and unfaithful to our Lord, as a matter of life practice. And this is not claiming absolute sinless perfection, but that in practice we serve Jesus Christ.

[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]

Living Sacrifices

Based off Romans 12:1-2; Romans 6:11-14 NIV
An Original Work / September 14, 2012
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

Oh, holy ones, I counsel you,
In view of God’s mercy,
To give yourselves to God in love
As living offerings,
Pleasing to God, holy in love.
This is your true worship.
Do not conform to worldly lives.
Let God transform you today.
Then you’ll be able to
Test and approve of what
God’s will is – His pleasing
And perfect will. Oh, holy ones,
I counsel you – Offer yourselves unto God.

Oh, holy ones, I counsel you –
Do not be conceited.
Humble yourselves before your God.
Do not be self-righteous.
The strength you have to live in love
Comes from your Lord God, so
Live your new lives in pow’r of God.
Be changed in heart, mind and will.
Do this because of what
Christ did for you when
He died on the cross to save
The world from sin. Oh, holy ones,
I counsel you – Humble yourselves before God.

Oh, holy ones, I counsel you –
Count yourselves dead to sin,
But be alive to God in Christ.
Do not let sin reign in
Your earthly lives so you
Obey its evil desires.
Offer yourselves unto your God
As those who’ve been born again.
For sin shall no longer be
Your lord and master.
Give of yourselves to God
For righteousness. Oh, holy ones,
I counsel you – Be alive to God in Christ.

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Our Bodies a Living Sacrifice
An Original Work / June 6, 2026
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

Delvianna said:

I'm sorry but this doesn't form a coherent sentence in English. Could you please restate your comment?

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AND. I HAVE BEEN to 7 DIFCFERENT ASSEBELIES IN 89 NINE YEARS and it seemed to be something

with some under current , like the dresses , an d the positions of women and the. preacher could not be divorced.

it was always something different and have seen many PREACHERS. come and go. ??

And should have checked my post !! hope this is better !!

Just to let you know that I am. A DISPENSATIONALIST and PRE- MIL. and PRE-TRI. and most have never heard

of them. !!

dan p

Aldebaran said:

Not familiar with that one, but I thought it came standard with wood grips.

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Oh, the Blackhawk does, but this isn't a Blackhawk.

Read 2. COR 3:13-18. !!

dan p