Interesting!

carrico said:

So, what does this comply to?

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New International Version
Thus you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many things like that.”

We who profess faith in Jesus Christ, who have died with him to sin, and who are now to be living for him in obedience to his commands, should not be those who prefer the world over God and his word. If Jesus Christ is truly our Savior and Lord, then we should prefer him and his commands, written down for us in the New Testament, above all else that this world has to offer us. He should be number one in our lives, and all else should follow suit.

So, in reality, there should be no such thing as a “worldly Christian,” for those two words are opposite of each other, i.e. together they form an “oxymoron,” i.e. “a figure of speech in which apparently contradictory terms appear in conjunction” (Google), i.e. in combination with each other. Thus “worldly” and “Christian” are opposing terms, but they can be used together to describe someone who professes to be a Christian, but not in practice.

For as followers of Jesus Christ, although we will live in this world, and although we are to love the people of the world with the love of God, we are not to be of the world. We are not to be those who take pleasure in what is of the flesh and which is opposed to God and to the teachings of his word. We should not be those who blend in with the world so that the world will like us and not reject us, and not think us to be a strange lot.

So much of what is called “church” today are just businesses of human origin which are being targeted to the people of the world in order to attract the world to their gatherings. And so they become more like the world so that the world will not be offended by them, and so that the people of the world will want to attend their gatherings and will want to keep coming back. But such compromises as this are not winning people to real faith in Jesus.

For, in order to attract the world to their gatherings, most of these market-driven “churches” (businesses), it seems, have altered the gospel message to make it less offensive and more acceptable to human flesh and to the people of the world. And, thus, they have also altered the character of God/Christ, and of his word, and of his church (his body of believers in Christ) to make them all more palatable (acceptable) to human flesh.

But, as followers of Jesus Christ, we are not to be those who go after the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and the pride of life. We are not to be those who make it our practice to walk in sin and not in godliness and righteousness and obedience to our Lord. We are not to be those who are living in slavery (addiction) to sexual immorality, lying, cheating, stealing, and the like. But we are to live upright and self-controlled lives.

For, if the world and its pleasures, and the lust of the eyes and the pride of life are what we prefer over submission and obedience to our Lord, the love of God the Father is not in us. For all that is of this sinful world and its sinful pleasures is not from God the Father but from the world which is opposed to God and to his righteousness. So it is not those who give lip service only to God with whom God abides, but with those who are doing the will of God.

So if we want to be saved from our sins and to have eternal life with God, we must believe in Jesus Christ with God-persuaded and God-gifted faith, which is not of our own doing, not of our own making, but of God. And this faith, thus, results in us dying with Christ to sin and us now walking in obedience to his commands, by the Spirit, in the power of God. And we should no longer be conformed to the world, but to God and to his Word.

[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; Romans 12:1-2; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; Galatians 5:16-21; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 4:1-13; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 1:5-10; 1 John 2:3-6; 1 John 3:4-10]

For Our Nation

An Original Work / September 11, 2012

Bombs are bursting. Night is falling.
Jesus Christ is gently calling
You to follow Him in all ways.
Trust Him with your life today.
Make Him your Lord and your Savior.
Turn from your sin. Follow Jesus.
He will forgive you of your sin;
Cleanse your heart, made new within.

Men betraying: Our trust fraying.
On our knees to God we’re praying,
Seeking God to give us answers
That are only found in Him.
God is sovereign over all things.
Nothing from His mind escaping.
He has all things under His command,
And will work all for good.

Jesus Christ is gently calling
You to follow Him in all ways.

Men deceiving: We’re believing
In our Lord, and interceding
For our nation and its people
To obey their God today.
He is our hope for our future.
For our wounds He offers suture.
He is all we need for this life.
Trust Him with your life today.

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An Original Work / January 20, 2025
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

David Lamb said:

To save confusion, I think your meant, "wandering stars" which is what planets were called, and indeed, I understand that our word planet comes from Greek word(s) for "wandering star."

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Rgr that, the planets are the only aka "stars" that move across the night sky hence wandering star.

jas3 said:

Catholic Culture Audiobooks is published as a podcast and has readings of patristic and papal writings that cover a wide variety of topics. They're very well done.

Sensus Fidelium has a good series on the ecumenical councils, I haven't listened to any of their other material though.

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YES! That one is GOOD!

Glory to God!

Amen!

rjs330 said:

Why should the law not exist? What makes the law barbaric?

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Some people consider abortion a fundamental human right. It's NOT. it's human destruction.

I can never wrap my head around it.

Praying God protects and sustains President Trump

Hazelelponi said:

Used it?

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When I was in law enforcement.

An Original Work / January 20, 2025
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

Stargazers will be treated to a rare alignment of seven planets on 28 February when Mercury joins six other planets that are already visible in the night sky. Here's why it matters to scientists.

Peer up at the sky on a clear night this January and February and you could be in for a treat. Six planets – Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune – are currently visible in the night sky. During just one night in late February, they will be joined by Mercury, a rare seven-planet alignment visible in the sky.

But such events are not just a spectacle for stargazers – they can also have a real impact on our Solar System and offer the potential to gain new insights into our place within it.

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In tandem with the inauguration of President Donald Trump, the Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C., is preparing to offer visitors an up-close glimpse of a uniquely personal element used during the presidential swearing-in ceremony.

Museum of the Bible Chief Curatorial Officer Robert Duke told CNA that beginning Tuesday, Trump’s personal Bible, which First Lady Melania Trump held while Trump took the oath of office on Monday, will be added to the set of U.S. presidential inauguration Bibles currently on display at the museum.

Given to him in 1955 to mark his Sunday Church Primary School graduation, Trump’s personal Bible is a 1953 Revised Standard Version published by Thomas Nelson and Sons in New York, according to the Trump-Vance Inaugural Committee.

It is embossed with his name on the bottom corner of the front cover and is signed by church officials on the inside alongside an inscription with the details of when it was presented to him.

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I retired from work this time last year, although I was only working part-time. We had moved house during covid and since then we have lost a number of our Christian friends and acquaintances. We ourselves have had minor brushes with ill health and I have possible long covid in that I have permanent cough and reflux, although this does not interfere with my life much. In fact I go to the gym 3 times a week. I have even brought my guitar out from the loft after 8 years, which has been rather painful for my hands and am taking finger-picking lessons. I worship at a local, not very active, church and lead a bible study. My wife is continually wanting me to take her by car visiting her friends. So life is quite full.
However my thought life has certainly changed over the last year. I am finally waking up later, having not slept particularly well. (I am back on the statins). I often dream of not meeting deadlines or being in a city I don't recognise. But I am convinced God has given me a gift of communion with Him and prayer when my disturbed sleep wakes me up. In fact I have a number of experiences where the Lord has moved in my dreams to wake me up or bring them to a good resolution. He tells me that He will answer those prayers I make at that early morning blessed peaceful time. So I am praying round all the church members and for Him to deal with my anxieties. If I am specific He has helped me in this.
Anxieties - yes, since covid and retirement these have increased. I wonder whether these are the Holy Spirit convincing me that we indeed live in fractious, febrile end-times. Things in the news and little things domestically exercise me. I know how to resolve most of these in my own strength. I do what I did when I was working. I didn't then often think about the state of the world or the suffering of animals. If I decide not to think about them now, then those anxieties lift. So why don't I do that?
Now, this is the significant thing. I believe the Lord is saying those things hurt His heart too and He appreciates my willingness to share those hurts for His creation, in these end-times. And those occasions that I have had enough caring, then He graciously lifts the burden and fills me with real happiness straight from the Throneroom of God.
Anyway, too much of me. What of your experiences?

The family of a Christian woman who was removed from life support despite their objections is condemning the decision as a violation of her wishes. Her children say her religious convictions and right to life were disregarded by a court order.

Hyacinth McIntosh, 54, was removed from life support and denied hydration against her wishes and beliefs, her family has said, according to the U.K.-based group Christian Concern.

A Court of Protection ruling last November authorized McIntosh’s ventilator, feeding and hydration to be withdrawn, leading to her death on Dec. 25, 2024. Legal documents state that McIntosh had been in a coma since May, when she experienced a heart attack followed by severe brain damage.

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Hopefully Trump will get rid of the Biden law that mandates doctors provide gender transition
therapies, which has harmed many kids, especially girls.

Clearly based on these:

The Lord Appoints Isaiah to Speak for Him​

6 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord. He was seated on his throne. His long robe filled the temple. He was highly honored. 2 Above him were seraphs. Each of them had six wings. With two wings they covered their faces. With two wings they covered their feet. And with two wings they were flying. 3 They were calling out to one another. They were saying,

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord who rules over all.
The whole earth is full of his glory.”

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~Isaiah 6:1-3 (NIrV)

8 Each of the four living creatures had six wings. Each creature was covered all over with eyes. It had eyes even under its wings. Day and night, they never stop saying,

“ ‘Holy, holy, holy
is the Lord God who rules over all.’ (Isaiah 6:3)
He was, and he is, and he will come.”

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~Revelation 4:8 (NIrV)

Hence why it works. The angels know what they're doing when it comes to worship. I would love to hear a Byzantine-styled hymn with it.

ThatRobGuy said:

The caricature doesn't have to be accurate for people to rally against it as I'm sure you know.

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It has to be reasonably accurate in order to be durable.

ThatRobGuy said:

The uptake of the carnivore dieters on the right was a response to a caricature, correct?

"Libs are vegan soy boys who want people to eat plant-based burgers and give up beef"

What percentage of liberals are actually vegan and eating those things? 1%, if that??

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I don't know that its uptake was a response to a caricature. I first heard of paleo as being motivated by some sort of flaky perception of human evolution, i.e. that humans evolved to be hunters and foragers, and the agriculture that brought us bountiful carbohydrates is a new phenomenon that we haven't yet accommodated biologically.

But supposing you're correct that it was a backlash to vegans. How many people have really adopted it because of that backlash? I imagine it's a fairly small number, which means that this isn't a viable or durable movement.

ThatRobGuy said:

However, the messaging of "eat less beef for the environment's sake" is a somewhat more ubiquitous message among the left, and one that they're not likely to abandon anytime soon. Which is why people doing the carnivore diet are still sticking with it 5 years later.

**I'm not advocating for the carnivore diet here, I wouldn't ever do it...just using it as an example.

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The young Daniel was exiled to Babylon. He was chosen to be trained to work in the court. Daniel 1:

5a The king assigned them a daily portion of the food that the king ate, and of the wine that he drank.

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These were good food and drink.

8a But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king’s food, or with the wine that he drank.

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What's wrong with the king's food and drink?

1. The Babylonian food could contain unclean meats like pork.
2. The animals were not properly killed according to Levitical law (Leviticus 17:14, 15).
3. The king's wine might have been offered to idols.

Daniel refused to eat Nebuchadnezzar’s food primarily to remain faithful to his religious beliefs and to avoid defilement. His decision was an act of spiritual integrity, resistance to assimilation, and trust in God’s provision. He wanted to be a faithful Jew loyal to his LORD.

Danthemailman said:

My post was addressed to worshipjunkie and nowhere did I accuse you of stating anything about being saved by some scripted prayer by a preacher without the gospel message.

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My apologies. I honestly thought you were writing to me.
Sorry about that. Honest mistake.

Danthemailman said:

Repentance (rightly understood) is a part of salvation. (Acts 11:17,18; 20:21)

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When God tells man to repent, I believe it means turning to God, which entails either seeking forgiveness for one’s past life of sin through prayer or confessing one’s sins to Jesus as a believer. Repentance involves a genuine broken heart before God desiring the Lord’s mercy along with a heartfelt desire to turn away from sin. This then leads to the fruits of repentance.

For the person who first accepts the gospel message in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4: Repentance can generally be included and it marks the beginning of their faith in Christ by acknowledging that they have sinned in the past and need to seek God's mercy and forgiveness with Jesus Christ as a part of their Initial Salvation. For the believer who has walked with Christ, repentance serves as continuing in the faith if they happen to stumble in their walk with the Lord. This continuing in the faith is merely a part of one's continual free will choice to access God's grace, and it is done by confessing individual sins. If not, then one does not believe 1 John 1:9, Proverbs 28:13, Psalm 51, etcetera.

Danthemailman said:

In regard to 1 John 1:9, notice that - "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9) is in contrast to - If we say that we have no sin, (present tense) we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us (1 John 1:8) and - If we say that we have not sinned, (past tense) we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. (1 John 1:10)

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You appear to take the popular, false "we must sin always" interpretation of 1 John 1:8. 1 John 1:10 addresses the person who claims they have never sinned, helping us properly understand the context of 1 John 1:8. Surely, we both agree that we have sinned as part of our old life, so we agree on 1 John 1:10.

But for some silly reason, you seem to rip 1 John 1:8 out of its context, beyond what 1 John 1:10 says, to defend the idea that Christians must declare they are always in some kind of sin in the present tense. 1 John 1:8 is saying the same thing as 1 John 1:10, but simply in the present tense. It refers to a person who denies the existence of sin and, by extension, its consequences (Which is death - See Romans 6:23).

Danthemailman said:

You seem to misunderstand verse 9 to mean that we "must confess each and every sin that we commit as we commit them" (keep a specific inventory of every sin) as an "additional requirement" to "remain cleansed" and "if we forget a sin, we are toast!"

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The Holy Spirit will draw attention to any sin you have committed so that you will confess it to Christ. Why else are you to boldly come to the throne of grace and find mercy? In other words, if a person doesn’t have a “sin and still be saved” mindset, they will be attuned to the Holy Spirit regarding any sin in their life.

Also, confessing your sin to Jesus if you happen to sin (not that it is a foregone conclusion it will happen again) is merely a part of your faith. Everything in your Bible is the faith. But many today do not believe 1 John 1:9 plainly for what it says. So, they don’t have the faith to receive this verse as it is written. Instead, they twist it to align with their “sin and still be saved” theology because they either like to sin or they don’t believe the verses in the New Testament that teach they can overcome sin (see: 1 Peter 4:1-2, 2 Corinthians 7:1).

Danthemailman said:

Who could actually write an exhaustive list of every sin they have ever committed or ever will commit?

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When a person first comes to Christ, they obviously do not confess every sin from their past life. They simply ask the Lord to forgive them of their past life of sin, with the understanding that they will seek to overcome sin in their life. If this is not the case, then they are not truly sorry for their sin.

For example, if a man cheats on his wife and merely says he is sorry but continues to do so, it does not mean he is genuinely sorry. It also shows that he does not truly love his wife; he loves his sin more than he loves her. This is how I see many in Christianity today—they draw near to God with their lips, but their hearts are far from Him.

Danthemailman said:

Sin is not only missing the mark

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Yes, this is how the Greeks defined sin long before the New Testament came into being.
However, the philosophies embedded in the Greek language should not be inserted into our understanding of the Bible.

For example, when you pronounce the word "Jesus" in Greek, part of the pronunciation sounds like you are saying "Zeus." That does not mean we should claim that Zeus is part of the Bible in any way.

The reality is that sin grieves God. It’s not like losing in a game of sports, which ultimately does not mean anything. Sports are trivial games that do not truly affect a person's life, whether they choose to watch them or not. To say otherwise means you are just mindlessly quoting a dictionary without really thinking things through. Such a false concept of sin would insult the destructive nature of sin and how it grieves our Lord.

Danthemailman said:

by what we do but also what we fail to do. (James 4:17)

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James 4:17 is not some kind of statement suggesting it is hopeless for us to avoid sin, as you appear to be making it out to be.
Try reading the context, starting at verse 13 in the KJV sometime.

Danthemailman said:

Believers "confess" (Greek - homologeó) speak the same/acknowledge/agree with God's perspective about their sins and have a settled recognition and ongoing acknowledgment that one is a sinner in need of cleansing and forgiveness in contrast with saying that we have no sin or that we have not sinned. (1 John 1:8-10)

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Just acknowledging you are a sinner is not going to help a person on Judgment Day. The Son of Man will send forth His angels, and they will gather out of His Kingdom all who offend and do iniquity (which is sin), and they will be cast into the furnace of fire (i.e., the Lake of Fire). See Matthew 13:41-42.

For the servant of sin will not abide in the house forever (i.e., the house of Christ forever) (see John 8:34-35). The Son abides forever, and thus we must abide in the Son in order to have life (see 1 John 5:12).

The way we know we are abiding in Christ is if we find that we are keeping His commandments (1 John 2:3). The person who says they know the Lord but does not keep His commandments is a liar, and the truth (Jesus) is not in them (1 John 2:4). For Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6).

Danthemailman said:

Also, these ungodly men in the book of Jude who have crept in unnoticed and are described as wells without water and who turn God's grace into a license for immorality are not Christians.

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I never said they are real Christians. They think they are Christians, but they have snuck in among the real believers who do not believe you can sin and still be saved. Most Christians today believe you can sin and still be saved.

Danthemailman said:

These ungodly men/pseudo Christians are further described as ones who cause divisions, worldly-minded, devoid of the Spirit (vs. 19) In CONTRAST to those who are called, sanctified by God the Father, and PRESERVED in Jesus Christ (vs. 1).

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Right, they are ungodly in their behavior because they think they can simply acknowledge sin before God and continue sinning on some level.

I recall hearing this myth of some guy on a horse ...

An atheist legal organization has filed a complaint against a Wisconsin city, a student ministry, and a parish over a religious tax exemption law that benefits two church-owned rental properties.

The Freedom From Religion Foundation and three residents of Madison filed a lawsuitlast Tuesday in Dane County Circuit Court, with the plaintiffs taking issue with a property tax exemption that benefits religious nonprofits, but not other entities.

Defendants named in the suit include the city of Madison, the Presbyterian Student Center Foundation, and St. Raphael’s Congregation, which operates Lumen House Apartments.

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FAITH-IN-HIM said:

What should be done with women and children rescued from human traffickers? Should they be granted US citizenship and allowed to stay in the USA? If that is the suggestion, then I support it. There are currently almost 10 million of them in the USA.

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I'm not sure what you mean by victims of human trafficking. Yes, many asylum seekers were brought here by drug gangsters who were paid to transport them through the Darian Gap and the cartel-controlled no man's land south of our border. There are no doubt a number of them that were brought here and now work in sweatshops or the sex trade to pay off their debt to the cartels, but it surpasses belief that there are anything like ten million of them.