That’s pretty awesome!

I’m so happy to hear that!

Did you have any fun plans today?

You are very welcome!

And well spoken!

There is a fine line between compassion and compression.

It can be difficult to balance the truth and the fruits of the spirit.

Kudos to you for your success!

While we live on this earth, we live in flesh bodies. And our human bodies are subject to pain and suffering, to sickness, to injury, to sin. We are at risk for suffering all kinds of storms, tragedies, the loss of loved ones, loss of jobs, and loss of income. And if our lives are surrendered to Jesus Christ, to following in his ways, we are also subject to being hated, persecuted, cast aside as unwanted, mocked, rejected, and misunderstood. The closer we get in our walks of faith the more likely that we will be rejected and unwanted.

And the older that we get the harder that these things become, when our bodies begin to give out on us, and they don’t work as well as they did when we were much younger. Our minds are not as sharp as they once were, and they are not as fast as they were, either. Many tasks now take much longer than they did before, and sometimes our minds go blank, and the words won’t come when we need them to. And there are days when we are perfectly okay if that would be the time that Jesus would come get us.

But we are not to let these things take us out and dishearten us or cause us to withdraw from service to our Lord just because things got harder than they were before. These should be the times when we draw much closer to the Lord, for our dependency upon him and his grace is greater than ever before. For like Paul said, “for when I am weak, then I am strong.” For, although he was being harassed by his enemy, Satan, God’s grace was sufficient for him to give him the strength he needed (2 Corinthians 12).

So, no matter what we are going through, and I am fully aware that many people in this world have it way harder than I have it, we can be of good courage if our faith is in the Lord Jesus, and if we are walking in his ways and in his truth, and if our desire is for him and not for the things this world has to offer us. For we walk by faith and not according to our circumstances.

For example, for the past several days, maybe close to a week now, I have been feeling this pressure against my body and my head, kind of like I experience when a storm is coming or when we go up into the mountains and the air pressure changes, or if someone close by is using what they call 5g for internet (I am not very knowledgeable in this area). So my head feels kind of like it is in a cloud, and thinking is difficult, which makes writing difficult, but I keep going in the strength of the Lord, despite how I feel.

Why do I keep going? Because to this I was called of God 21 years ago to write down what he is teaching me each day from my times with him in his word, and to post these writings on the internet. I know this is my calling from God, my body part within the universal body of Christ. So I am committed to obeying the Lord. And I know the enemy is using all kinds of means to try to discourage me because he wants to stop me. And so I persevere, not in my own strength, but in the strength of the Lord.

And why else? Because I love my Lord, my desire is for him, and I want to please him with my life. Now I am not perfect in every way. I don’t always feel joy in my suffering. I don’t always leap for joy at the thought of sitting down and writing when my head is hurting or it is in a cloud or when I have not had much sleep. But I have stayed the course, by the grace of God, in sickness and in health, with being persecuted and rejected, and without much encouragement from others, for I know what I do is of God, not me.

So, no matter what we are going through, if we are followers of Jesus Christ, we need to stay the course, trusting God to see us through every trial and to help us to endure and to keep going no matter what is going against us. For Satan is going to try to stop us from serving the Lord with our lives. So we can’t give in to him. We must keep following the leading of the Lord in doing what is pleasing to our Lord, trusting that God is going to work out everything for good. We just have to believe he will see us through.

And why is it important that we make it our ambition to live lives which are pleasing to the Lord? We should do so because we love God and we want to please him. But it is also critical that our lives are surrendered to the Lord to walking in his ways, and to putting sin to death, by the Spirit, because we are all going to appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed (rewarded) for our deeds in the body, according to what we have done, whether good or bad (cf. Romans 2:6-8).

So, just know that God did not put us on this earth to please ourselves and to just have a good time and to entertain and to be entertained. And he did not die on that cross, and rise on the third day, just so we can be forgiven our sins so that heaven will be our eternal destiny. He died so we will die with him to sin. And he lives so we might live in him in walks of obedience to his commands. For if sin is what we practice, and not obedience to God, we will not inherit eternal life with God, regardless of what our lips profess.

[Matt 7:13-14,21-23; Lu 9:23-26; Jn 10:27-30; Ac 26:18; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14; Rom 12:1-2; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 1 Co 10:1-22; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; Gal 5:16-24; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-32; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:1-17; Tit 2:11-14; Heb 3:1-19; Heb 4:1-13; Heb 10:23-31; Heb 12:1-2; 1 Pet 2:24; 1 Jn 1:5-10; 1 Jn 2:3-6,15-17; 1 Jn 3:4-10]

How Long Till the Morning

Scripture: I Thessalonians 4:17
By C. E. Couchman

Consider the mornings of this mortal land,
Each a new beginning from the Maker’s hand.
While the storms may gather ‘gainst the evening sky,
The day breaks cloudless in the morning.

Rise up to the battle, for the skies dawn clear.
Let us gather courage while the foe draws near.
Though the night falls weary, saints of God, march on!
And He’ll raise our banner in the morning.

When the trumpet sounds to signal Heaven’s day,
Resurrection Morning when the dead shall wake,
What a glorious gath’ring when the Lord descends
And we rise to meet him in the morning.

How long, my Lord? Till we see the morning?
How long, O, my Lord, till we see your face?
O my Lord, guide us through our troubles
Till we rise above them in the morning.

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Being of Good Courage Always
An Original Work / April 20, 2025
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

Amen brother!

May you be richly blessed this Easter!

stevevw said:

Just because God is capable of doing anything doesn't mean He should do it.

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Today's winner.

Alfred-Persson said:

In Christ's prophecy/parable the Pharisees would not believe the risen Lazarus (John 12:9-11) and therefore, contrary to their belief Abraham would prevent them from descending into Hades, a child of Abraham is depicted as paying the penalty for his sin. The conversation he has with Abraham lasts only a minute. Nothing is said to be eternal. We know all in Hades come out on Judgment Day. So how is it believers cite this as proof for eternal torment? Rather, it fits the 1st century apostolic concept of hades as a place where souls can repent and live according to God (1 Pet. 4:6):

11 Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them.
12 And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books.
13 The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works.
14 Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
15 And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire. (Rev. 20:11-15 NKJ)


24 "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.
25 "Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live.
26 "For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself,
27 "and has given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man.
28 "Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice
29 "and come forth-- those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation. (Jn. 5:24-29 NKJ)


22 “So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried.
23 “And being in torments (931 βάσανος basanos) in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
24 “Then he cried and said, `Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented (3600 ὀδυνάω odunao) in this flame (5395 φλόξ phlox).’
25 “But Abraham said, `Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted (3870 παρακαλέω parakaleo) and you are tormented (3600 ὀδυνάω odunao). (Lk. 16:22-25 NKJ)

The Rich Man does not act like someone who is irreedemably wicked and is suffering Eternal Torment. So how can Bible Believers cite this as proof of eternal torment?

1)His demeanor is not that of a wicked eternally condemned man, he does not blaspheme either Abraham, Lazarus or God even when he doesn’t get what he asked for.
2)Abraham calls him “son…child” displaying affection which implies the rich man is not irredeemably wicked.
3)Both Abraham and many redeemed with him WANT to cross over into Hades to lessen the torment of the rich man. That would be rebellion against God’s Judgment and therefore implies the rich man ultimately would be saved.
4)The symbolic language implies a “torment” with a goal beyond retributive justice:

If the “torment” (3600 ὀδυνάω odunao) is the classic idea of hell-fire, the Rich Man would ask for a lot more than a little water to cool his tongue. Odunao here refers to mental anguish (Luke 2:48; 16:25; Acts 20:38). Its antithesis is parakaleo ‘to be consoled for sorrow’ like Lazarus (Lk. 16:25).

Christ chose the word “torment” (931 βάσανος basanos) to describe the Torment in Hades:

Meaning: 1) a touchstone, which is a black siliceous stone used to test the purity of gold or silver by the colour of the streak produced on it by rubbing it with either metal 2) the rack or instrument of torture by which one is forced to divulge the truth.-Strong’s Concordance



This “torment” is the kind that brings truth to the surface, resulting in “anguish” and “sorrow” (3600 ὀδυνάω odunao cp. Acts 20:38) for sin. The imagery of purging from sin is common in the Old Testament (Zech. 13:9; Ps. 51:7; 66:10; Isa. 1:25; 4:4; 6:7; 48:10; Ezek. 24:13; Dan. 11:35):

2 “But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner’s fire And like launderer’s soap.
3 He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver; He will purify the sons of Levi, And purge them as gold and silver, That they may offer to the LORD An offering in righteousness. (Mal. 3:2-3 NKJ)

In Luke 16:24 the “flame” (5395 φλόξ phlox) causes the “agony” or “anguish” (3600 ὀδυνάω odunao). The Rich Man is being purged (Mal. 3:3; Job 23:10; Zech. 13:9 cp. 1 Pet. 1:7) by the “flame of God’s inspection”: “His eyes like a flame” (Rev. 1:14; 2:18; 19:12). The “flame” is the “visible aspect of a fire that springs upward and is usually orange”(Logos Bible Sense Lexicon). God is revealed in the “flame” (Ex. 3:2; Judges 13:20; Isa. 66:15 LXX; Acts 7:30; 2 Thess. 1:8).

From all this one could reasonably infer the “torments of Hades” are designed to bring the true person to the surface, liberate their free will from all bondage to sin and delusion. After suffering for their sins “judged according to men in the flesh”, if they choose to believe the gospel preached to them in Hades they will “live according to God in the Spirit” apart from any torment, eagerly waiting for the Second Coming of Christ when they will rise with the dead in Christ.

23 It was necessary therefore that the copies of the things in the heavens should be cleansed with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.
24 For Christ hasn't entered into holy places made with hands, which are representations of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us;
25 nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest enters into the holy place year by year with blood not his own,
26 or else he must have suffered often since the foundation of the world. But now once at the end of the ages, he has been revealed to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.
27 Inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once, and after this, judgment,
28 so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, without sin, to those who are eagerly waiting for him for salvation. (Heb. 9:23-28 RPTE)

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Because " eternal hell " is the foundation that most of western Christianity is founded on its the pillar that they have built their whole system of belief on, so any part of scripture that they can bolster up their foundation must be held to. The greater the lie the more sand you need to hold your pillar up, but if built on the rock of Jesus , the savior of the world, that rock stands alone and needs nothing to hold itself up.

“What am I to do, Lord?” (Acts 22:10).
These words of St. Paul’s, spoken after he was knocked to the ground by the light and voice of Jesus Christ, are written into all of our hearts. St. Paul’s question for his Lord was urgent — and it concerned his purpose. Converts are quick to wonder about the purpose in their new life. Servant of God Dorothy Day prayed fervently at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception on the feast of the Immaculate Conception to know hers — only to find Peter Maurin sitting in her apartment when she returned home. Together they would co-found the Catholic Worker Movementand its houses of hospitality.

Hunting with God​

Continued below.

ViaCrucis said:

I am, on the whole, suspicious and skeptical of the idea of "personal revelation". Not that it is impossible, per se, but because I've seen the ways in which such "revelation" has been used in various ways to sow harm and bring spiritual strife and hurt faith.

Here's the chief question I want to pose to you in regard to this: Based on how you encounter God in Scripture, in Christ, does it seem more likely that God would want you to feel dirty for your vocation of broadcasting wherein you may serve and minister in the unique and particular ways only one with that vocation could; or is it more likely that God calls you, where you are, as a disciple and follower of Jesus to live in and through your vocation to serve, minister, to be salt and light, to find those particular ways in which through your relationships with others you can love them, serve them, and be a beacon of the Gospel?

Which of these is like Jesus? Which of these is biblical?



I would encourage you to work through the questions above. Do you think God, as He reveals Himself in Christ and in Scripture, is more interested in giving you a personal revelation that tells you to retreat from opportunities of ministry and vocation; or in calling you to serve where you are?

Does God want the shoe-cobbler to stop making shoes because shoes are "worldly"? Or does God want the shoe-cobbler to provide shoes for those who need shoes, because your neighbor and your neighbor's needs matter to God?

Worldliness is an often misunderstood thing today. Worldliness isn't about concern and care for this world, i.e. with what happens here, with the people here, or with enjoying music, or loving art, or taking photographs of the sunset. Worldliness is a way of affection that is orientated toward values of temporal, worldly power.

Scripture says two things: God so loved the world and one cannot love the world. These are not contradictions--these are two very different ways the word "world" means. The "world" in the sense of God's good creation, and human beings, etc is not evil and we are called to reflect God's own love through our lives by following Jesus. But the term "world" also can be used to describe the present fallen situation, the structures of power dominated by sin and death.

Here's an example:

It is not wrong to want to get involved in the local politics of your town or community because you want to be involved in serving others and providing for the general welfare of your community. It is a good thing to get involved, if such is your calling, to exercise your Christian life in a way that causes your neighbor to prosper, that puts food on tables, that addresses the harm of homelessness and seek solutions that benefit those in need--housing the homeless, food for the hungry, working toward just and fair laws that promote the welfare of others, especially the least of these. This is a good and noble vocation.

It is wrong to want to get involved in the local politics of your town or community because you want power, because you want to sit at the top, lord it over others, to accumulate wealth for yourself at the expense of the poor. To deprive the poor, the hungry, and the homeless of justice and of their material needs.

The former is an example of good Christian vocation. The latter is an example of wicked worldliness.

So when you approach your own hobbies, or job, your vocation--the question is how you live in that sphere of life.

Also, and this is important too, it is not evil to enjoy life. It is not evil to enjoy music or art. It is not evil to enjoy coming together with friends and family to have a meal together, to enjoy the food, the drink, and the fellowship together. It is not evil to take a vacation and go camping and enjoy the sights, smells, and sounds of God's good creation. It is not evil to play a game of cards, or a game of checkers, or a game on a computer either with others, by yourself, and as a physical or emotional respite.

The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. Rest, respite, and the opportunities to laugh and live, especially with other people, is a good and wonderful thing.

-CryptoLutheran

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I think I just understood it much better after rereading it and appreciating more closely the examples you cited regarding politics...
And I think yes, you're right, perhaps I'm mixing up the terms "world" (creation in general) and "world" (perverse worldliness) too much.

The central theme of the whole thread is that, because of my lack of faith, I have no peace or joy in my life, and because I'm not right with God, there are several things I no longer enjoy as much... among them, broadcasting.

Wolseley said:

I remember reading somewhere that after Pilate was recalled from Judea, he was eventually sent to the far reaches of Gaul, which, given Pilate's upper-class background and the state of the region at the time, was probably about like being stationed in Greenland: the middle of nowhere.

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Yeah, they said that on a YouTube video about Pilate. I can't remember which video it was.

It's true that immigrants are saving us from the disaster now coming about in Russia, China, and Japan.

The United States Has a Keen Demographic Edge​

Competitors of the United States face plunging birthrates and social gloom.​

Valletta said:

It is about him. Judges are not asking for the rest of those sent to the prison, just him. He's also an example of how lenient the Biden administration was on human trafficking, he's caught with all of those guys in a car, and no luggage for workers on a three day trip was a very strong signal they were being trafficked. Also that they all said there address was his address. No valid drivers license, almost for sure they were not all wearing seat belts because there are not that many in a typical car, and the Biden administration says let him go. This guy has what, met with 17 judges? That's not going to be allowed to happen for 20 million people.

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"US Supreme Court temporarily blocks deportations of Venezuelan migrants under wartime law"​

It's the whole process itself regardless of the individual in question.

Honestly, I just don't get it. I don't have any problem what so ever with shipping those who are in fact MS-13 gang members out. With that said and just like every other president, you give them due process deportation hearings without the need of invoking any Alien's Act. If claims true, bye Felicia. If the past immigration bill was passed that would have created more immigration judges, Trump could have just set up FEMA trailers housing those judges and did what is tantamount to due process provided deportation speed dating. But no. They just have this penchant of ignoring laws, rules, and norms as in Trump fashion and long history; thinking laws don't apply to him. This is a man who said he would like to do the same "no due process ship them out" to actual US citizens. I really don't want to ask how you feel about that being leery of your answer.

@St_Worm2 thanks for the like, I appreciate your loving support. This is not easy, yet it is so very deeply fulfilling for sure.

Gods Peace!

Christ is risen, indeed! Here are seven ways your family can celebrate Easter more fully, especially during the first eight days:

Have you ever noticed that the Church spends 50 days rejoicing for Easter? It makes sense for us to go all-in, maximizing that time celebrating Christ’s victory over death. It is such a triumphant victory, it could not possibly be contained in a single day! Christ is risen, indeed! Here are seven ways your family can celebrate Easter more fully, especially during the first eight days:

1. Fill your home with fresh flowers. Though my husband has blessed me with a beautiful garden full of roses, hydrangea, tulips, daffodils, gigantic peonies and all sorts of other flowers, we resist the temptation to bring cuttings into our home until Easter (it’s a major mortification for me, especially when Easter falls later in the spring!). However, come Easter Sunday, our house comes to life with the fresh aroma of fragrant spring blooms. This mirrors the drastic change in decorations within parishes, and since our family is a domestic church, the flowers represent the transformation in our home as well. Whether you’re cutting flowers from the garden or bringing them home from the store, you’ll immediately notice the difference.

Continued below.

KevinT said:

Maybe you answered this and I missed it, but isn't John using the word Logos in a way that was different from others? I.e. He is equating Logos with God.

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Excellent point.

I rewrote my OP. Take another look. Feel free to follow up

And then some wack job judge in Utah rules against it.

Note from the Author: Copy/paste GPS Coordinates listed below into Google Maps to see or travel to each location.

I arrived in Jerusalem from Galilee somewhat late in the evening, and it was around 9:30 PM after I parked my car in a nearby parking garage, walked back to my hotel, and settled down in my room. The next day was Sunday, so I needed to find a place in Jerusalem to go to Mass in the morning. I was interested in going to Mass at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher (the ancient church built over both Golgotha and Jesus’s tomb, (GPS Coordinates: 31°46’41.77″N, 35°13’47.16″E)) and began researching Mass times. According to the website I found, the church opened each day at 5 AM and Masses were celebrated frequently at different altars in the church on Sundays. One of the places where Mass was celebrated that caught my eye was *inside* Jesus’s tomb itself! This Mass began at 6 AM and the website said “space is limited.” Although I was tired and 6 AM Mass was earlier than I had anticipated going to Mass, I said to myself…”YOLO!” Having the chance to receive Jesus in the Eucharist at *the* holiest place on Earth is not something you pass up this side of heaven. So, I set my alarm for 4:15 AM so I could get there extra early and fell fast asleep.

Continued below.

Christ is risen, alleluia!

Dear brothers and sisters, Happy Easter!

Today at last, the singing of the “alleluia” is heard once more in the Church, passing from mouth to mouth, from heart to heart, and this makes the people of God throughout the world shed tears of joy.

From the empty tomb in Jerusalem, we hear unexpected good news: Jesus, who was crucified, “is not here, he has risen” (Lk 24:5). Jesus is not in the tomb, he is alive!

Love has triumphed over hatred, light over darkness and truth over falsehood. Forgiveness has triumphed over revenge. Evil has not disappeared from history; it will remain until the end, but it no longer has the upper hand; it no longer has power over those who accept the grace of this day.

Sisters and brothers, especially those of you experiencing pain and sorrow, your silent cry has been heard and your tears have been counted; not one of them has been lost! In the passion and death of Jesus, God has taken upon himself all the evil in this world and in his infinite mercy has defeated it. He has uprooted the diabolical pride that poisons the human heart and wreaks violence and corruption on every side. The Lamb of God is victorious! That is why, today, we can joyfully cry out: “Christ, my hope, has risen!” (Easter Sequence).

The resurrection of Jesus is indeed the basis of our hope. For in the light of this event, hope is no longer an illusion. Thanks to Christ — crucified and risen from the dead — hope does not disappoint! Spes non confundit! (cf. Rom 5:5). That hope is not an evasion, but a challenge; it does not delude, but empowers us.

Continued below.

alaric said:

Jesus did not come to destroy the law. But rather, Jesus came to fulfil the law. As written in Matthew 5:17.

Matthew 5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.

What is the law that Jesus came to fulfil? The law that states that all sinners must die and perish. As written in Ezekiel 18:20 and Romans 6:23.

Ezekiel 18:20 The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

What does it mean to destroy the law? For the law to be destroyed, God has to cancel the law in Ezekiel 18:20 and Romans 6:23, allow sinners to go unpunished (without receiving the wages of sin) and let unjustified sinners enter Heaven.

What does it mean for Jesus to fulfil the law? Jesus has to take all our sins (the sins of the entire world for every generations so that salvation is offered to everyone who accepts Jesus as their saviouras written in 2 Corinthians 5:21 and 1 John 2:2) and die with our sins on our behalf (Full payment can only be fulfilled with death, as written in Hebrews 9:22).

2 Corinthians 5:21 For he (God the Father) hath made him (Jesus) to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

1 John 2:2 He (Jesus) is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.

Hebrews 9:22 In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.

How do we know that all our sins have been remove by Jesus' death?
If Jesus does not have enough capital to pay for our sins, then he still be in debt and will still be carrying our wages (The wages of sin is death). If Jesus is still carrying out wages, he will still remain dead. But Jesus DID NOT stay dead. Jesus died, was buried and resurrected on the third day. As written in 1 Corinthians 15:3-4.

1 Corinthians 15:3-4 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures

Not only did Jesus rose from the grave, Jesus even sat on the right hand of God. If Jesus is unable to pay for all our sins, he will not be able to even enter Heaven or be in God's presence.

Hebrews 10:12 But when this priest (Jesus) had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins (death on the cross with all our sins), he sat down at the right hand of God

Revelation 21:27 Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

Jesus paid for our wage of sin which is death. Through death Jesus destroyed death. Having cleared of all our sins, we direct access to God in our time of need.
Ephesians 2:18 For through him (Jesus) we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.

Hebrews 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

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Amen

Police investigating incident as 'hate crime'

Lewd images and obscene phrases were spray-painted onto the walls and gravestones of a church in northwest England on Good Friday, prompting police to investigate the incident as a hate crime. The targeted attack at St. James Church in Leyland, Lancashire County, occurred just days before Easter Sunday services.

The vandalism, discovered early Friday morning by the Rev. Marc Wolverson, involved sexually graphic graffiti and offensive statements, including explicit blasphemy, The Telegraph reported.

At least 40 gravestones in the churchyard were defaced, alongside the church building itself, according to the BBC. One of the graffiti messages explicitly stated, “God is a lie.”

Continued below.

Lord have mercy!

See how the powers are fallen! O Death where is your sting? O Hell where is your victory? You are fallen, Christ has beaten you! Christ our God who was put to death on the cross has entered death's domain and trampled upon it! The Lamb who was slain has stampeded you into nothing! He is Victor who was Victim, the demons are terrorized, death is defeated, Satan is crushed, and the prison doors which barricaded prisoners have been torn down. Our God wins!

Celebrate the Feast! Christ is Risen! Death is dead! The heavens declare the glory of God, the earth rejoices in knowledge of the Day! The Feast of Feasts is upon us, and we are slaves no longer!

Christ is Risen! Alleluia! Let unceasing hymns of praise be sung, let not our hearts be downtrodden--our mourning is turned to joy, our shame is now dancing. Christ is Lord! Jesus is King! Salvation is upon the earth, and the rivers of Freedom flow from Mt. Calvary and the Empty Tomb. Glory to our God forever and ever!

-CryptoLutheran

THANKS Kevin T for the thought that you put into your response.

I rarely post anything on this site, without "going somewhere".
But, often, where I am "going" beneath the surface of the post, is misread
as free association about whatever an individual reader is thinking about.
---------- ----------

In this thread, I am trying to point out that there are very difficult situations in
which our Christian faith runs up against a pagan (non-Christian) mountain of
expectations that the larger, non-Christian society holds.

The problem is worse, IF Christians in different denominations think that Americans
live in a "Christian" nation, and that all policies of the national government OUGHT TO
conform to core Christian doctrines. This is a worldview in which Christians consider
that EVERYTHING in their life, is their faith, and so they should not value ANYTHING
that a non-Christian government would argue is a moral-ethical OUGHT for the
American society. This seems to be a core belief of the "Christian Nationalism"
groups. *** I cannot agree with this worldview. The early Christian apologists did
NOT think that it was the teaching of Jesus, that it was the duty of Christians to
conquer the pagan world, and establish a kingdom in this world.

The problem is worse, because some Christians groups (by their actions)
devalue all serious discussions of basic philosophical topics (such as moral-ethical
models), and sweep them away under the label of "vain philosophies" (which
I don't think that Jesus, or Paul would agree with).

The problem is worse, I assert, because some Christian groups devalue FORMAL
LOGIC, and do not consider that the basic Rules of Inference and Quantification
rules (that govern valid reasoning about groups) to apply to Christians. That is,
they do not consider formal logic principles to be part of our shared reality,
about which the moral-ethical command "You shall not bear false witness" applies.
---------- ----------

Where I am "going", beneath many of my posts, seems to be VERY offensive to
some North American Christians. I would argue that it is a Moral-Ethical OUGHT
for Christians to develop their mind, and engage in lifelong learning. I would
argue that this ought is connected with the development of "self-control" (in
English translations of the Bible). You could also connect the ought to "discipline".

If a North American Christian could spend endless time studying the design of
stock cars, or playing fantasy football, then they certainly could develop the
self-control to read basic books on philosophical Moral Theory, or Epistemology,
such as the books below...



AND IF THEY DID, they would suddenly realize that many of the topics
discussed in these "philosophical" books, are core to the Christian discussion
of our shared reality, and Christian apologetics, and Christian morals, and
what Christians consider to be "virtues" and "vices".

(Note that many in the "electronic screen" generations, have never developed
the self-control, or personal discipline, or attention span, to read ANY book. In
this, they are ignoring the culturing of basic Christian virtues.)

*** I expect a MUCH higher and more thoughtful level of discussion, from Christians
in North America, about specific topics such as whether parents should vaccinate
their children against Measles.

If you want a special school for only certain select people, dont expect to dip into everybodys tax payments for it.