Roughly 1 million young adults from around the world filled the streets of Rome for the Jubilee of Youth, which took place July 28 to Aug. 3, part of the yearlong Jubilee of Hope. Each day was filled with different opportunities and events for the young people to experience the richness of the Catholic faith.

Here are some of the best moments from the Jubilee of Youth:

Pope Leo XIV arrives by helicopter at Tor Vergata​

On Aug. 2, Pope Leo XIV was greeted by the largest crowd he has addressed during his pontificate so far for the evening vigil at Tor Vergata, an outdoor venue 10 miles east of Rome. An estimated 1 million people were in attendance. The Holy Father arrived by helicopter and then drove through the grounds on the popemobile, waving to the cheering young people before the prayer service began.


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Sif said:

I will be trying a mead (honey wine) tonight. This particular one is mixed with hibiscus.

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Sounds good!

IHOPKC founder’s sister calls sex abuse allegations against him ‘exotic trash’​

A defiant Lisa Stribling made the comments during a morning sermon at HopeCity KC, a house of prayer and community center run by Stribling and her husband on Kansas City’s east side, near East 23rd Street and Van Brunt Boulevard.

“There has been a narrative that has surrounded Mike’s situation,” Stribling said during her message that elicited several rounds of applause from those attending. “This narrative is a false narrative. The Lord is retrieving this narrative right now, this very minute. The narrative now belongs to Jesus.”

She said that “the Lord himself has given me a message, and he will be backing up my words very strongly to everyone; he will be backing up what I’m saying here.”

“There is a pardon being offered right now to the global church concerning Mike,” she said. “It’s being offered right now from heaven to the Body of Christ as a whole, regarding the name of Mike Bickle.”

“I’m saying this very, very strongly,” she said. “It is over. I’m not asking anybody’s permission. I’m telling you from this moment on, these stories are over. They’re over. The pardon has been issued to God by God himself, to Mike and to the church.”

In February, an independent investigation found that Bickle committed sexual abuse or misconduct against 17 women — some when they were minors — over decades, amid a thriving culture of systemic abuse and coverups within the prayer movement.

Always in His Presence said:

Absolutely incorrect:

The primary federal statute that criminalizes improper entry into the United States by non-citizens is 8 U.S. Code § 1325. Here's a direct quote from the statute:

"(a) Improper time or place; avoidance of examination or inspection; misrepresentation and concealment of facts​

Any alien who (1) enters or attempts to enter the United States at any time or place other than as designated by immigration officers, or (2) eludes examination or inspection by immigration officers, or (3) attempts to enter or obtains entry to the United States by a willfully false or misleading representation or the willful concealment of a material fact, shall, for the first commission of any such offense, be fined under title 18 or imprisoned not more than 6 months, or both, and, for a subsequent commission of any such offense, be fined under title 18, or imprisoned not more than 2 years, or both."​

​

This statute makes improper entry a criminal offense, typically classified as a misdemeanor for a first offense

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You are correct.

That is the legal definition of criminal activity under the law when someone violates immigration law.

It was my mistake.

I should have said “In contemporary politics, the definition of "criminal" as it pertains to undocumented individuals differs from that held by many Americans.”

Israel announced the implementation of a new mechanism for the entry of goods into the Gaza Strip through the private sector on Tuesday, after the cabinet voted to expand humanitarian aid in the strip.

The decision will see Israel allow a limited number of approved Palestinian merchants to bring goods into the strip in an attempt to increase aid, while ensuring it does not reach Hamas.

According to COGAT (Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories), the new mechanism “aims to increase the volume of aid entering the Gaza Strip, while reducing reliance on aid collection by the UN and international organizations.”

The government body also said that only “a limited number of local merchants were approved subject to specific criteria and security screening.”

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Pray that those who are trapped due to cloudburst rains & flash floods in Uttarakhand, India are Rescued, and Remain Unharmed:

enoob, the 34 verses I quoted are New Testament teachings, so they apply to the church today. What you are saying here is extra-biblical, a teaching of human beings who have decided that certain New Testament teachings are no longer relevant to the church today. That comes from a particular religious theology created in the minds of humans, and not of God. And please do not tag me with the charismatic movement. I have no affiliations with any church denominations. I follow the teachings of the Scriptures, including the 34 that I posted, not extra-biblical teachings which contradict the teachings of the Scriptures, and which are of human flesh, and not of God. I follow God, not human beings.

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Well, you carry their doctrine... My suggestion to you is to find a God given teacher
1 Corinthians 12:28 (KJV)
[28] And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.

Because your theology is skewed and without reason and is not what God has called us to in the way of soteriology
Isaiah 1:18 (KJV)
[18] Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

the 34 verses I quoted are New Testament teachings, so they apply to the church today.

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But they do so only in proper context as they were written... let me give you an example:
give a writing "come over and set on lmy lap baby" to ten different people then ask them what it means to them... because of the sexually charged world in which we are most will extrapolate a sexual connotation... but when contextualizing to the time period and culture and historical nuances, the people and place of that time frame, we find it being a father speaking to his little baby girl across the room! Context is everything and you are not doing this! You string those verses out like Christmas lights of what you feel they say... and that is what charismatics are doing today in their theological hogwash to put it mildly...

To properly learn Scripture is hard work so testified by The Scripture:
2 Timothy 2:15 (KJV)
[15] Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
One need only ask themselves if God The Holy Spirit gives you the interpretation of meaning where is this responsibility of work God speak of?

MOD HAT ON​

This thread is permanently closed.​

• Do not personally attack (insult, belittle, mock, ridicule) other members or groups of members on CF, or use nicknames to do so. A list of unacceptable names can be found here.. Address only the content of the post and not the poster.

Groups of members include Catholics. We may need to each reflect on how these posts look to our Catholic members. Starting a whole thread to bash a denomination is not allowed.

Also, folks, this is General Theology. Support group threads belong elsewhere, but frankly a better approach to this whole issue is to talk about doctrines and theology of the Catholics that are disagreed with by those who left, in the vein about avoiding remarks about feelings (goading) and people (flaming). There was not a clear theological dispute against Catholicism presented here, and that is why the thread is closed.

A small cleanup was also done to remove 1 goading post as well. Please remember to report rule violating content instead of responding to it. ​

MOD HAT OFF​

ozso said:

It's been the process regarding expired visas for decades. It's firmly entrenched US law regardless of my attitude. But thanks for the personal attack. It reminds me of why I selected to not to see your posts most of the time.

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That's an observation based on your own post. You were completely unbothered that she was taken in by ICE even with a valid R-2, because they'd just release her. We can read what you wrote. But her detainment would have been invalid in that case to begin with and shouldn't have happened and your reaction to that possibility is essentially a shrug. I think we can all agree that everyone would like law enforcement to work legally and properly.

linux.poet said:

I too am sorry for your loss.

Gracious Heavenly Father and Lord Jesus,
Please comfort BPPLEE in the face of this loss, and stand by him in this moment of grief. I pray for strength for whatever paperwork and arrangements may be needed for whoever has to do them. Please help BPPLEE to go home back to where he lived before this caregiving situation occurred.
In Christ’s Name,
Amen

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Thank you

Maria Billingsley said:

This means we put on the "full armor of God" and make disciples from this harvest and grow His Kingdom. Any diversion from His mandate would not be in His will.

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Hello Maria thank you.
Alas, it's long ago since i diverged.
i stand contented with my giving example (when the behavior is really exemplary )
and i excuse myself of my little zeal by saying to myself : people have already made their choice of mind and beliefs. Trying to force their mind would only make them dug their heels in their positions

Maria Billingsley said:

Be blessed.

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Be blessed as well

The outrage machine fired up over American Eagle’s advertising slogan — but not over Margaret Sanger’s own words about “bad stock” and racial targeting.

Finally!

The children of Margaret Sanger have awakened to the horrors of eugenics. It’s about time. Seriously.

When people are blind to malignant evil, it usually takes something more earth-shattering than the typical manifestation of the evil to shake them from their moral torpor.

For the left, that constitutes a social media meltdown over American Eagle and its model, actress Sydney Sweeney, accusing them of being Nazi eugenicists for an ad campaign featuring Sweeney in their jeans that says simply, “Sydney Sweeney has great jeans.”

That’s it. A play on jeans/genes, and we have the reincarnation of the infamous Nazi, Dr. Joseph Mengele. For as long as the modern left has existed, they have been blind to the eugenics behind Margaret Sanger’s entire eugenics project at the Birth Control League, renamed Planned Parenthood.

When Sanger began her Birth Control League, her newsletter, The Birth Control Review, had as its tagline, “Birth Control: To create a race of thoroughbreds.” They have ignored her Negro Project, aimed at convincing Black Americans to curtail their reproduction and limit the sizes of their families.

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In this episode of The Inside Story, Billy Hallowell sits down with Leah Klett of The Christian Post to unpack Lifetime's bold move into the faith-based film space.

With big names like Chrissy Metz, Alexa PenaVega, Kat Graham, and Paula Patton leading four new inspirational films, this marks a notable cultural shift.

Klett shares exclusive insights from her interviews with the actresses and explains why Hollywood is finally waking up to the power of authentic Christian storytelling.

From Alexa’s answered prayers to Paula’s redemption story, this conversation explores how faith is growing in influence inside Tinseltown:

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This is a prayer, asking the Lord that he would redeem (deliver, rescue) his servant from the oppression (injury, persecution, cruelty, harassment, false accusations) of other human beings. For, if you are a follower of Christ, who is obeying the will of God for your life, according to the Scriptures, as guided by the Holy Spirit, you will face such opposition as this from other humans, often from others who also profess faith in Jesus Christ but who are following the teachings of man and not the teachings of the Scriptures.

And this can be very oppressive. And if our faith is not strong, and if our dependency is not totally in the Lord, but partially in humans, we might be in danger of retreating and of not fulfilling God’s call and his purpose for our lives. So this isn’t just about being rescued physically from human oppression, but this is about being delivered spiritually from human oppression so that we do not give up the fight and run away, and so that we remain steadfast in keeping the commands of our Lord, forever.

Sometimes when we are faced with oppression, and when we are being judged falsely and accused of what we did not do, and persecuted for the sake of righteousness, our countenance may reveal a certain sadness in our hearts, and we may not be cheerful, for we are troubled in our spirits. And then the countenance and character of God shines upon us in renewed joy and strength and purpose as he reminds us of the teachings of the Scriptures and of his calling and purpose for our lives, and of his power.

For those of us who are committed to serving the Lord with our lives, and to following his ways and his commands, and to obeying his calling upon our lives, we should also be those who literally shed tears of grief over the many who profess the name of Jesus with their lips, but who do not obey him with their lives in living holy lives, pleasing to God. It should grieve us that so many give lip service to God but who are still walking in sin and not in walks of obedience to our Lord in surrender to his will for our lives.

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).

[Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Luke 9:23-26; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Romans 2:5-10; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; Galatians 5:16-24; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 12:1-2; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 1:1-10; 1 John 2:3-6; 1 John 3:4-10; Revelation 2:1-29; Revelation 3:1-22]

Oh, to Be Like Thee, Blessed Redeemer

Lyrics by Thomas O. Chisholm, 1897
Music by W. J. Kirkpatrick, 1897

Oh, to be like Thee! blessèd Redeemer,
This is my constant longing and prayer;
Gladly I’ll forfeit all of earth’s treasures,
Jesus, Thy perfect likeness to wear.

Oh, to be like Thee! full of compassion,
Loving, forgiving, tender and kind,
Helping the helpless, cheering the fainting,
Seeking the wandering sinner to find.

O to be like Thee! lowly in spirit,
Holy and harmless, patient and brave;
Meekly enduring cruel reproaches,
Willing to suffer others to save.

O to be like Thee! while I am pleading,
Pour out Thy Spirit, fill with Thy love;
Make me a temple meet for Thy dwelling,
Fit me for life and Heaven above.

Oh, to be like Thee! Oh, to be like Thee,
Blessèd Redeemer, pure as Thou art;
Come in Thy sweetness, come in Thy fullness;
Stamp Thine own image deep on my heart.

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Make Your Face Shine Upon Your Servant
An Original Work / August 5, 2025
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

Introduction from Jon Haidt and Zach Rausch:

It has been true for hundreds of years: older generations worry about whatever new technology young people are using, and whatever new media they are consuming. This is why some people believe that the current wave of concern about social media and smartphones is overblown, like earlier concerns about violence in comic books and music lyrics. These skeptics say that no new norms or laws are needed.

But during all previous waves, most young people liked the things they were doing (as far as we know).1 They were grateful to have access to radios, TV shows, comic books, and rap music. They did not create organizations to fight back against these industries for harming kids.

How do members of Gen Z feel about smartphones and social media? Are they grateful to have gotten them in middle school? As we (and several others) have shown using surveys, the answer is no. Many members of Gen Z have deep regrets about growing up attached to these products. They see the damage done, and there is a growing movement to push back.

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The discovery of artifacts can change modern perspectives of ancient times.






Take, for example, the Antikythera Mechanism—a 1901 discovery by Mediterranean Sea divers found among the ruins of a shipwreck. The Mechanism consisted of a complex system of bronze gears, predicting astronomical events and even tracking the cycles of the ancient Olympics by accurately calculating the positions of the planets and eclipses. Astonishingly, the Mechanism was found to be 2,000 years old and is considered now to be the world’s first analog computer!

Another artifact discovery occurred in the mid-14th century—one which, ever since, has stirred great debate over its origin. New evidence supports that it too has existed for two millennia, changing our perception of what actually was captured at the moment of its creation.

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NBB said:

Idk what NAR is, no God puts apostles etc, people can't make calling for themselves if God doesn't want.
Ok, anyway have a nice day.

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The NAR is the "New Apostolic Reformation" set up by C. Peter Wagner and consists of (supposedly) hundreds of apostles and prophets associated with the Vineyard (John Wimber), Kansas City "International House of Prayer" (Mike Bickle), Morningstar Church (Rick Joyner), and many other churches who claim apostolic authority. They (among other Pentecostal and Charismatic groups) make many "prophecies" that don't come to pass, and therefore they prove themselves to be false prophets.

Anyone who claims to speak for God what is not contained in the closed canon is a false prophet or false teacher which are clearly warned about in the NT, because God did not speak to them. When a person says "thus says the Lord" when the Lord did not speak is misusing the name of the Lord, and are thus taking the Lord's name in vain. Anyone who stands in a public setting and does anything purporting to be God speaking or the Holy Spirit speaking when God is not speaking is taking the Lord's name in vain, because by their actions they are misusing the name of the Lord.

People who do these things rely on other peoples' ignorance. They are blind guides, and anyone who follows them will fall into a pit.

So then, no, God is not "putting" apostles in place, because the foundation has already been laid, and there is no more foundation that is needed. What the churches need is pastors who actually have a Biblical worldview (and real knowledge of the Bible) and who speak the truth from the scripture, and not the performance of theatrics to draw people who lust after sensational events and hype because the gospel doesn't satisfy them.
Do you agree?

The Vatican signed last month a memorandum of understanding on interreligious dialogue with Azerbaijan, alarming critics who accuse the Azeri government of ethnic cleansing and practicing “caviar diplomacy” by exerting cultural and economic influence to shape Vatican policy in the South Caucasus region.



Cardinal George Koovakad, prefect of the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue, pictured on Dec. 7, 2024. © Mazur/cbcew.org.uk.

The agreement was signed July 25 by Cardinal George Koovakad, prefect of the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue, and Azeri authorities.

The memorandum commits the signatories to hosting joint events that promote interreligious and intercultural dialogue, and cooperating in the field of religious education.

The development comes less than two years after a military offensive by Azerbaijan led to the dissolution of the self-declared Republic of Artsakh in the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region, an area internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan but historically populated and controlled by ethnic Armenian Christians until 2023.

The 2023 offensive prompted the flight of more than 120,000 ethnic Armenians and left hundreds dead. Human rights groups and Armenian leaders have described the exodus as a case of ethnic cleansing.

In his remarks to Azeri authorities at a July 28 ceremony, Koovakad referred to a landmark 2011 bilateral agreement between Azerbaijan and the Holy See. He described the agreement as “a valuable instrument for promoting the principle of religious freedom,” which demonstrated “respect for a minority religious community and how Christians and Muslims can live together in harmony.”

Referring to the 60th anniversary of Nostra aetate, Vatican Council II’s declaration on religious freedom, Koovakad said that “new areas of shared commitment have emerged, such as the desire to care for and protect the environment and the need for an ethical use of artificial intelligence.”

“Concrete gestures of cooperation on such important issues will contribute to the construction of a more peaceful world, a desire that resides in the heart of every man and woman of good will,” said the cardinal, who was appointed prefect of the interreligious dialogue dicastery in January.

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Standing before the casket containing the incorrupt body of Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati and the tomb of St. Catherine of Siena in Rome, Archbishop Anthony Fisher of Sydney told a packed basilica of young jubilee pilgrims that holy relics are “not just a quirky Catholic thing — they are a quirky God thing.”

The Australian Dominican archbishop delivered the homily at the closing Mass of the weeklong public veneration of Frassati’s body during the Jubilee of Youth, a celebration that drew 1 million Catholic young people to the Eternal City.

“It’s a quirky thing, that Catholics so honor their dead and the remains of the dead,” Fisher said. “I was asked once by a radio host, ‘What’s this thing with Catholics and bones?’ I explained that the relics of saints are sacramentals: Sites where God imparts graces of healing and strength through the intercession of the faithful ones whose relics they are.”

“Through ‘this Catholic thing with bones,’” he added, “we honor the person who was and look forward to the person who will be again — but now purified, restored, glorified.”

“In reverencing the remains of our loved ones and especially the saints, we proclaim our faith in the holy Catholic Church and the communion of saints, but also in the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting!”

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Word on Fire announced Monday that a new documentary by Bishop Robert Barron is underway that will showcase the beauty of Catholic cathedrals and how they guide the faithful to the divine.

In the announcement, Barron — who also serves as bishop of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester, Minnesota — explained that the inspiration for the documentary came after the tragic fire that destroyed part of the historic Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris.

In April 2019, Notre Dame’s iconic roof and spire were engulfed by a fire, the causes of which have yet to be determined. Its main structure was saved, along with many of its priceless contents, but the restoration project was monumental, amounting to almost 700 million euros ($740 million). The historic cathedral reopened on Dec. 7, 2024.

Barron recalled that the response from people all around the world was “intriguing” to him and he “had a sense that people knew the fire was threatening to destroy something of great spiritual value — even if they were not faithful themselves.”

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I should stress that this is not a defense of the Russian position. (The ”pro-Ukrainian” faction might be tempted to think so). This guy rightly weighs all sides and doesn’t end up on one side or the other. It’s pretty much impossible to be fairer than this.

rjs330 said:

Well you wanted me to.look things up, I guess you can to. I would suggest starting with threads earlier this year regarding tariffs. Lots of good links there.

I dont know. When did they?

I did, thats how i know it was more.


Those are all good points. But they are also an opinion.

I'm not a blanket tariff supporter because I do think they could cauae problems. But I also dont k ow for sure if in the long run they will be good or not. So, I dont know and neither do you. Let's just leave it at that.

You aee convinced you are right. Im not convinced you are right or wrong. I've heard smart people say they are going to be good in the long run. Ive heard smart people say they are going to be bad.

So I'm not going to say its going to be great. Im also not going to say its going to be bad.

And at this point becauae ive heard both sides present good points. I'm not going buy one or the other. Call me a centrist.

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Ok - you're honest about your position.

I guess the practical problem now is this: those who believe in tariffs think they have to be high enough to cause jobs to come home again.

That's the Trumpist argument in a nutshell.

So the questions to ask as all this unfolds over the next few years - and there are probably more because I'm a newbie to economics - are:-

1. Are various manufacturing jobs that the tariffs were placed on coming home?
2. If not - why not?
3. Has it just caused inflation?
4. Was Trump using this all along as yet ANOTHER means of ripping off the poor to give tax cuts to the rich?
5. How is the wealth disparity between rich and poor? Even though I'm not a 'everyone should earn the same' socialist - there are studies that show CRAZY EXTREMES in wealth disparity are actually negative in terms of mass health impacts.
6. What is the national debt like after years of Trump and his "Big HORRIBLE BILL" that gave massive tax cuts to billionaire mates - while cutting millions from medicaid? Etc.

PSALM 23: "A verse-by-verse understanding" (part 6)

VS 6: "GOODNESS AND GRACE WILL PURSUE ME EVERY DAY OF MY LIFE, AND I WILL LIVE IN THE HOUSE OF ADONAI FOR YEARS TO COME" CJSB
(Complete Jewish Study Bible)

"SURELY GOODNESS AND MERCY SHALL FOLLOW ME ALL THE DAYS OF MY LIFE AND I WILL DWELL IN THE HOUSE OF YHVH FOREVER" KJV
(King James Version)

As we come to the end of this Psalm, composed by King David, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. We see the emphasis on "goodness and grace"
"Chesed" (covenant grace) and all that is "good" following us and being a part of our lives. Even though there are valleys and dark times in our lives, there will always be times of "goodness and grace". Grace is something that is given to us that we don't deserve. We deserve "Hell" and be separated from God because of our sin. But the "grace of God" is salvation through Jesus Christ, "Yeshua HaMashiach." This is the "goodness" that God has given us. In Hebrew, it is simply the word "Tov" (meaning "good"). Therefore, the Hebrew reads, "good and grace." When we navigate the "valleys of dark shadows and impending death," we can think of "goodness and grace."

We will live in the "House of Adonai" forever. That is the maximum expression of "goodness and grace." When all is said and done on Earth. When our bones creak, and the skin wrinkles, and when the hearts beat their final beats, we will leave behind this world and be ushered into the World to Come. We will pass over into future eternity, where time has no essence, sort of speaking. The New Jerusalem, the Kingdom of God will be our future home. and someday, it will come down to sit on a "New Earth". God's House is our house. We are sons and daughters of the Most High God "YHVH" and as sons and daughters, we receive the inheritance of our "Heavenly Father." So, I think we can put up with all the "stuff" that goes on in this world. When we get "down and out," just think of God's "good and grace" that will follow us here and into the hereafter.

Thank you for reading. I hope you have a better understanding of Psalm 23 now.