Go to the cheap shop a buy a couple of hand towels and keep your special one for good.

timf said:

In reality there is little a big company will do to make things right.

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From my personal experience this is absolutely not true. I live in a small town, so 90% of my shopping has been done online for at least the last 15 years, and I've never had a bad experience with an online retailer, no matter what their size. On the rare occasion when problems do occur they've always been more than helpful and accommodating in setting things right. Even in going beyond what I would expect.

Helpful Tip: People are people, so when calling customer service, be nice. They'll always begin by telling you their name... remember it. And if you don't catch it, ask them to repeat it, and then don't be afraid to use it. A little kindness goes a long way. Nowadays most customer claims are automated, but from my experience they tend to be settled promptly and in the customers favor.

The point is, even if it's a big corporation, whenever you're given the chance... BE NICE. And if something doesn't go exactly the way that you want it to... get over it, it's just stuff.

USAID pays Samaritan’s Purse $19M reimbursement for Africa aid​

Always in His Presence said:

EU = EUROPEAN Union - is Canada in Europe?

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Are Germany, Sweden, Finland, Poland, the Baltics, Hungary, Italy, Greece and Turkey (NATO members) in the North Atlantic?
Are Australia and Israel in Eurovision? Yes.
There is nothing as contagious as a good idea.
Are the United Nations ever united???
Is Greenland ever green???

Love365 said:

Conan O Brien

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He won the Mark Twain Prize.

What does it mean to fear the Lord? It means to give him awe, respect, honor, value, reverence, esteem, worship, and obedience. Our lives are surrendered to him to doing his will, to walking in his ways and in his truth and righteousness. We are committed to him and to his service, to being who he wants us to be, to going where he sends us, and to doing what he has called us to do and to say. We are no longer walking (in conduct, in practice) in sin, but now we are obeying him, in practice, in his power.

And what should all of us be persuading (encouraging, motivating) others to do and to believe and to put into practice? We should be sharing the truth of the gospel of Christ with them in the hope that they will turn from their sins and now follow Jesus Christ in walks of obedience to his commands. For Jesus died on that cross to put our sins to death with him so that we will die with him to sin and now walk with him in surrender to his will, in walks of obedience to his commands, in holy living, by the grace and power of God.

And faith in Jesus Christ is not just giving him lip service. We cannot just make a profession of faith in Jesus Christ and now be assured heaven as our eternal destiny, as many would have you believe. We must die with him to sin and now walk in obedience to his commands, for this is what faith looks like which is of God, and which is not of our own doing. For faith is divine persuasion of God as to his righteousness and holiness, of our sinfulness, and of our need to die to sin and now obey his commands, in practice.

But many people are going to tell you that is “works salvation,” but that is not true. “Works salvation” is when we, of our own flesh, try to be good enough to earn or to deserve our own salvation. Not possible! But what is described in the paragraphs above is the salvation which God alone provides, and for which he gives us the faith to believe, and which he then empowers us to live by his grace in our daily walks of faith. This is us, in his power, living out the faith in Jesus which we claim to possess, by his grace.

And, yes, if we are teaching the truth of the gospel of our salvation, as Jesus taught it, and as his New Testament apostles taught it, in the correct context, we may be charged with being crazy, out of our minds, legalistic, judgmental, and prejudicial, by those who oppose us and who oppose the gospel message that Jesus and his apostles taught, in their fulness. And our opponents may try to convince others not to listen to us while they feed their minds with lies and with half-truth, diluted, and altered gospels.

But regardless of what others think of us or say about us, or how they might treat us, we must stay the course. We must continue to speak the truth of the Scriptures, in their fulness, and not teach these altered half-truth gospels which allow the sinners to remain trapped in their sins, and which make no requirements of them that they must obey God and his commandments. For Christ’s love compels us to tell people the truth. For if sin is their practice, and not obedience, they will not inherit eternal life.

For God’s purpose in sending Jesus Christ to die on that cross for our sins was not to give us a free ride to heaven based on a false gospel message. Jesus died so that we would die with him to sin. And he was resurrected from the dead, in victory over sin, so that we can now live in victory over sin and walk in obedience to his commands. For he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for him who died for them and was raised again. So, die to sin, and now live for Jesus, to do his will!

[Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Luke 9:23-26; John 1:12-13; John 6:44; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Romans 2:6-8; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; Galatians 5:16-24; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 4:1-13; Hebrews 12:1-2; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 1:5-10; 1 John 2:3-6; 1 John 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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Live Not for Ourselves, But for Jesus
An Original Work / March 29, 2025
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

i found one Pittsburgh faith family channel

Pommer said:

Adjusted for inflation it’s about the same.

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Fig 2 Brown line https://www.census.gov/content/dam/Census/library/visualizations/2024/demo/p60-282/figure2.pdf
IMHO this pretty much sums up American history since 1967.

orbiter said:

Mat 24:27
(27) For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming (PRESENCE) of the Son of man be.

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Amen - the visible appearing of Christ at the rapture - what an amazing teaching in God's Word!

Here that one verse is - with its all-important context.

24 For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect. 25 Behold, I have told you in advance. 26 So if they say to you, ‘Behold, He is in the wilderness,’ do not go out, or, ‘Behold, He is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe them. 27 For just as the lightning comes from the east and flashes even to the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man be. 28 Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.

29 “But immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30 And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory.

Then comes the unmistakable rapture detail

31 And He will send forth His angels with a great trumpet and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.

in context - the details all fit nicely.

Just like 1 Thess 4:13-18 rapture where we have that same sound of a trumpet and gathering of the saints at Christ's appearing.

B Griffin said:

22 out of how many appointees?

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Between 821 and over 1,300.

B Griffin said:

Doesn't seem like a huge number. If news personalities are chosen by Trump, would it make sense for them to come from ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, NPR, MSNBC, or PBS? Who are we kidding?

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Yeah, you're right, 22 is not such a big number - the real problem is that positions themselves perhaps ought to be filled by people with competence and knowledge in each field the positions cover. For a spokesperson, media liaison, or PR position, being a former Fox host could be qualifying, but for Drug Czar or Secretary of Defense? I dunno...seems a stretch.

Aaron112 said:

Good. Strong cleansing required. Purging needed.

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Read 1 Cor 5:1-5 !!

# 1 One believer was committing fornication

#2 And the assembly was PUFFED UP with Pride , and and did not remove that person , nor judge

# 3 Paul than removed that person with the POWER of Jesus Christ

# 4 To deliver such a one to SATAN for the DEATH of the FLESH , IN ORDER that the spirit maybe SAVED in the DAY

of the Lord Jesus .

Question one , Christ can punish believers , YES !!

And the body goes to a GRAVE !!

So where does the spirit go and the soul , go ?

dan p

Well, basically anyone can go to a Mass, go up to communion and obtain the Sacrament and leave with it
Christ again makes himself vulnerable.

NBB said:

Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men

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None of us deserve the kingdom. It is a free gift.

Once you free yourself (by the grace of God) of the ideas of deserviing or earning, you have become free in Christ Jesus.

Jeremiah 12:14-17
New American Standard Bible 1995
14 Thus says the Lord concerning all My wicked neighbors who strike at the inheritance with which I have endowed My people Israel, “Behold I am about to uproot them from their land and will uproot the house of Judah from among them. 15 And it will come about that after I have uprooted them, I will again have compassion on them; and I will bring them back, each one to his inheritance and each one to his land. 16 Then if they will really learn the ways of My people, to swear by My name, ‘As the Lord lives,’ even as they taught My people to swear by Baal, they will be built up in the midst of My people. 17 But if they will not listen, then I will uproot that nation, uproot and destroy it,” declares the Lord.

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Jeremiah 12:14-17 is an obscure passage in the bible. However, it does a really good job of explaining the Complex dynamic relationship between God, Israelites ( also reflective in today's world as Christians ) and Gentiles ( NonChristians ).

Jeremiah 12:16
New American Standard Bible 1995
16(a) Then if they will really learn the ways of My people, to swear by My name, ‘As the Lord lives,’
(b) even as they taught My people to swear by Baal, they will be built up in the midst of My people.

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Jeremiah 12:16(a) is particularly interesting because it suggests the possibility of NonChristians finding salvation in God by learning the ways of Christians.
Conversely, Jeremiah 12:16(b) indicates that Christians fell into sin by learning the ways of NonChristians.

Jeremiah 12:16 reflects a "pendulum"-like nature of the dynamic relationship between Christaians & NonChristians-- it could go either way.


Incidentally, one should mention that Jeremiah 12:16 evokes the following verses of warning :

1 Peter 2:12
New American Standard Bible 1995
12 Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may [a]because of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation.

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2 Corinthians 6:14
New American Standard Bible 1995
14 Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness?

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Deuteronomy 7:3
New American Standard Bible 1995
3 Furthermore, you shall not intermarry with them; you shall not give your [a]daughters to their sons, nor shall you take [c]their daughters for your [d]sons.

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Joshua 23:12-13
New American Standard Bible 1995
12 For if you ever go back and cling to the rest of these nations, these which remain among you, and intermarry with them, so that you [a]associate with them and they with you, 13 know with certainty that the Lord your God will not continue to drive these nations out from before you; but they will be a snare and a trap to you, and a whip on your sides and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from off this good land which the Lord your God has given you.

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Nehemiah 13:25
New American Standard Bible 1995
25 So I contended with them and cursed them and struck some of them and pulled out their hair, and made them swear by God, “You shall not give your daughters to their sons, nor take of their daughters for your sons or for yourselves.

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Furthermore, Jeremiah 12:14-17 also evokes & gives credibility to the bible verses, John 17:11 & John 17:14-16. The reason being is that God views understandably as a premise that Christians will be "in the world" with NonChristians but are warned to be "Not of the world"

John 17:11
New American Standard Bible 1995
11 I am no longer in the world; and yet they themselves are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep them in Your name, the name which You have given Me, that they may be one even as We are.

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John 17:14-16
New American Standard Bible 1995
14 I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. 15 I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them [a]from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

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As hundreds of Missionaries of Mercy gathered in Rome this weekend, Pope Francis commended their distinctive ministry of forgiveness and reconciliation that continues to flourish worldwide.

Approximately 500 priests are participating in a special jubilee dedicated to their role as part of the broader 2025 Jubilee of Hope.

In a message addressed to these priests and written while still in the hospital, Pope Francis expressed his “gratitude and encouragement” for their work as special confessors who possess faculties to absolve certain sins typically reserved to the Holy See.

“Through your service,” the pontiff wrote, “you bear witness to the paternal face of God, infinitely great in love, who calls everyone to conversion and constantly renews us with his forgiveness.”

Continued below.

We all know Trump loves women's he has history. I heard him say, which is true, paraphrasing that he hopes libs stay focused on the Trans issue" because the majority doesn't agree with it in sports.

The death toll from Myanmar's devastating 7.7-magnitude earthquake has surpassed 1,000 as the U.S. Geological Survey warns there is a "strong possibility" of over 10,000 casualties and economic loss exceeding the country's gross domestic product.

The earthquake struck central Myanmar around midday on Friday, with its epicenter located about 10 miles northwest of Sagaing city, near Mandalay. A second quake, registering a magnitude of 6.4, followed shortly after, adding to the destruction.

The U.S. Geological Survey states there are likely "high casualties and extensive damage" because the disaster "is likely widespread" and will require an international response. The agency notes that most of the population resides in "informal" structures already susceptible to earthquake shaking. Complicating the matter is that past earthquakes in the region have led to "secondary hazards such as landslides that might have contributed to losses."

Continued below.

eclipsenow said:

No - I'm not doing it! I've still got Princess Fiona loaded as my ear worm - anything but Sabine!

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I made the mistake of watching one of her "songs" at the end of one of her videos a while back. I won't make that mistake again.

Sadly, both sides teach their kids garbage.

Well, off to finish a monster paper on the value and importance of the Endicott era coastal shore batteries and how they shaped the future of both port protection and amphibious invasion.

29 March 2025 – Philippines​

Pray that churches that are reaching out with the gospel would be effective and sensitive in their approaches to evangelism and discipleship. Pray too that churches that have been planted recently will grow and then set up new congregations themselves.
YES - I will Pray

28 March 2025 – Malaysia​

Although risky, there are a number of Christian converts who are attempting to have their identity cards amended to show ‘Christian’ as their religious affiliation. This topic has been ongoing for many years in Malaysia. Pray that fairness would prevail.
YES - I will Pray

27 March 2025 – Malaysia​

Pray for unity within the visible and underground churches of Malaysia and for an end to apathy, fear and jealousy in some congregations.
YES - I will Pray

26 March 2025 – Malaysia​

Praise God for the organisations that regularly show the love of Jesus to non-believers. Release International partners are involved in this ministry and are seeing a steady number come to faith.
YES - I will Pray

25 March 2025 – Malaysia​

Remember in prayer Malay believers who risk much in accepting Jesus. Several are losing the strength to continue and are struggling to attend house church meetings.
YES - I will Pray

24 March 2025 – Malaysia​

Continue to pray for Susanna Koh, whose husband, Raymond, was abducted off the street in broad daylight in 2017. Pray that she will remain strong as the court case into his disappearance continues, and that Raymond’s whereabouts would finally be made known.
YES - I will Pray

23 March 2025 – Malaysia​

Praise God for two Malaysian believers who have a heart to share the gospel. Pray for their protection following a recent raid on their home.

As Myanmar enters the fifth year of an increasingly violent conflict, solutions – or even a ceasefire – are nowhere in sight. And the violence is having a devastating impact on the country’s Christian minority, who are among those bearing the brunt of the attacks.
Since the military coup in February 2021, Christians have encountered greater violence and tighter restrictions. Believers have been killed and churches have been indiscriminately attacked. This includes those in predominantly Christian states.
More Christians than ever have been driven out of their homes and have found refuge in churches or displacement camps. Some are even forced to flee to the jungle where they’re often deprived of access to food and health care. Government forces have continued to disproportionately attack Christian villages and churches. They’ve also killed Christian aid workers and pastors, often in aerial attacks.
Beyond the conflict, converts to Christianity find themselves persecuted by their Buddhist, Muslim or tribal families and communities because they’ve left their former faith. Non-traditional church groups experience opposition, too, especially those located in rural areas and those known for their evangelistic activities.

Meet Tun Maun​

“When dusk falls, we call everyone inside the house, we lock our doors and windows, light our lamps and candles, and stay as quiet as we can.”
Tun Maun (name changed), believer in Myanmar.

What does Open Doors do to help?​

Working through local partners, Open Doors strengthens persecuted believers in Myanmar through literature distribution, discipleship and leadership programmes, livelihood support, and youth, children and family ministries.

Please pray​

• Pray that God will enable Christians to endure the ongoing, long-term consequences of the coup.
• Pray that Christians caught in the conflict between the ruling military junta and rebel groups will be peacemakers.
• Pray that the leaders of Myanmar’s military will see that Jesus is the true source of peace and joy.

FireDragon76 said:

That is true. I used to routinely go to a weekday service at the local Episcopal cathedral many years ago, and once they were reading from Sirach as the Old Testament lesson.

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I love the book of Sirach!