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Grip Docility · Jun 15, 2024

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Continued from Hebrews It! (Legal Study, Chapter 2:14) Pt. 10b

Concluding Statement of OP 10b;

Philippians 3:7 But everything that was a gain to me, I have considered to be a loss because of Christ. 8 More than that, I also consider everything to be a loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. Because of Him I have suffered the loss of all things and consider them filth, so that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own from the law, but one that is through faith in Christ—the righteousness from God based on faith. 10 My goal is to know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, 11 assuming that I will somehow reach the resurrection from among the dead.

Paul is suffering literal threat of death for preaching that God Saves mankind COMPLETELY if only each person will turn to Jesus as the Finisher and Completion of their Faith! Paul has CHANGED HIS MIND that the Law of Stone Sin and Death can save. Paul has relinquished any faith in the works of his human flesh, good or bad as having any baring on his salvation. He did the only thing that he can do to be saved. He Believed that Jesus was THE WAY, THE TRUTH and THE LIFE!

"Hebrews 2:14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise took part (Partook) of the same, that through death He might destroy him that had the power of death — that is, the devil —

1 Corinthians 15:55 Death, where is your victory? (Satan, did you achieve Victory)

Death, where is your sting? (Serpent, what is the venom of your snake strike)

56 Now the sting of death is sin, (The Venom of the Serpent strike is SIN)

and the power of sin is the law. (The Power behind Satan's ACCUSATIONS is THE LAW)

57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!

Ephesians 2:14 For He is our peace, who made both groups one and tore down the dividing wall of hostility. (parokhet) In His flesh,15 by destroying in his own body the enmity occasioned by the Torah (The Stone Covenant), with its commands set forth in the form of ordinances. He did this in order to create in union with himself from the two groups a single new humanity and thus make shalom, (Peace)

Isaiah 28:18 our covenant with death will be annulled; your agreement with the realm of the dead will not stand.

When the overwhelming scourge sweeps by, you will be beaten down by it.

2 Corinthians 3:3 It is clear that you are Christ’s letter, produced by us, not written with ink but with the Spirit of the living God—not on stone tablets but on tablets that are hearts of flesh. 4 We have this kind of confidence toward God through Christ. 5 It is not that we are competent in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our competence is from God. 6 He has made us competent to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter, but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit produces life. 7 Now if the ministry of death, chiseled in letters on stones, came with glory, so that the Israelites were not able to look directly at Moses’ face because of the glory from his face—a fading glory— 8 how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious? 9 For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry of righteousness overflows with even more glory. 10 In fact, what had been glorious is not glorious now by comparison because of the glory that surpasses it. 11 For if what was fading away was glorious, what endures will be even more glorious. ........... 13 We are not like Moses, who used to put a veil over his face so that the Israelites could not stare at the end of what was fading away, 14 but their minds were closed. For to this day, at the reading of the old covenant, the same veil remains; it is not lifted, because it is set aside only in Christ. 15 Even to this day, whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their hearts, 16 but whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

Romans 10:4 For Christ is the end of the law (Nomos/Torah) for righteousness to everyone who believes

Romans 4:15 For the law brings wrath, but where there is no law there is no transgression.

Romans 7:10 The very commandment that promised life proved to be death to me.

Hebrews 9:4 having the golden altar of incense and the ark of the covenant covered on all sides with gold, in which was a golden urn holding the manna, and Aaron's staff that budded, and the tablets of the covenant.'

We can now use a portion from another OP that I have written to cinch up Hebrews 2:14 by explaining the purpose of the Azazael Goat that we read about on the day of Atonement.

Leviticus 16

5 He is to take from the Israelite community two male goats for a sin offering and one ram for a burnt offering.

Well, look at that... we've been transported back in time to a literal Day of Atonement, performed by the Israelites.

6 “Aaron will present the bull for his sin offering and make atonement for himself and his household.

Wphewwwwww...... It was either Israelite Laundry Day, or the Day of Atonement! I got it right!

7 Next he will take the two goats and place them before the Lord at the entrance to the tent of meeting.

We are getting Warmer... there are two goats.

8 After Aaron casts lots for the two goats, one lot for the Lord and the other for Azazel,[b]

Hmmmm.... so lot casting decided one goats purpose from another. Lots represent "randomness." Hmmmmm

9 he is to present the goat chosen by lot for the Lord and sacrifice it as a sin offering.

This one is TOUCHY... I'm just going to use scripture to explain... 2 Corinthians 5:21 For our sake He made Him to be sin Who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

See, God isn't a goat and normally shouldn't be seen as a goat. Yet, adjacent to Azazael, is a goat that is symbolic of God. Why is this SIN OFFERING a Goat? Mark 10:18 .... Jesus answered, “Why do you call me good? Only God is good. God just explained that ONLY GOD is Good. That must mean that: Romans 3:10 as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; 11 no one understands; no one seeks for God. 12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.” Which explains this portion of 2 Corinthians 5:21 For our sake He made Him to be sin Who knew no sin,

10 But the goat chosen by lot for azazel[c] is to be presented alive before the Lord to make purification with it by sending it into the wilderness for azazel

What's being purified by casting out Azazael. Matthew 27:51 At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split. So, what was keeping us from accessing the MOST HOLY OF HOLY's? Not WHAT... WHO!
1 Corinthians 2:8 Not one of this world’s leaders has understood it; because if they had, they would not have executed the Lord from whom this glory flows.

1 Corinthians 4:4 Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.

2nd Corinthians 3:15 When the Law of Moses is read, they have their minds covered over

Leviticus 16:20 “When he has finished purifying the most holy place, the tent of meeting, and the altar, he is to present the live male goat. 21 Aaron will lay both his hands on the head of the live goat and confess over it all the Israelites’ wrongdoings and rebellious acts—all their sins. He is to put them on the goat’s head and send it away into the wilderness by the man appointed for the task.[d] 22 The goat will carry on it all their wrongdoings into a desolate land, and he will release it there.

Now, obviously this Passage is about the precise moment that Jesus' work at Golgotha is complete then the Resurrection and finally the Ascension.

So Azazael (Desert Demon) is released without forgiveness. I believe that the Law was given by dispensation (or by ordinance) of Angels. (Acts 7:53)(Galatians 3:19). By the time Jesus arrives, "many" (NOT ALL), Sanhedrin officials had been utterly corrupted, to the point that Jesus Rips out Matthew 23 on them, calls them liars and murderers... and of coarse, just as John the Baptizer did, Vipers (Serpents), but just incase we were missing something... Jesus flat out calls them "sons of the devil (accuser of the brethren Rev 12:10)".

Continued on Post # 2

newton3005 · Jun 15, 2024

Can the Bible receive a censorship rating? The natural person, who does not believe in God’s Authority, may not hesitate to give the Bible some such rating. After all, there are scenes depicted in the Bible that parents would be wary of if found in books in school libraries of students 17 and younger. And some jurisdictions have moved to put limitations on such books being in those libraries.

But the Bible is a different matter. Are there any instances in which sections of the Bible are pulled out for fear of corrupting a child’s morals, or of those who strive to live a moral life who might suddenly come across a Passage in the Bible that would cause them to run out of the room?

But regardless of how people may react to the Bible, no one who experiences the Spirit of God would think of altering or leaving out any portions of the Bible. There are several reasons for this. First, the Bible itself says not to mess with it. Proverbs 30:5-6 says “Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. Do not add to his words, lest he rebuke you and you be found a liar.” Suppose a natural person adds to the Bible words such as ‘Not suitable for children under 18.’ Technically, is that not adding words to the Bible? What about subtracting words from the Bible? Well, Isaiah 40:8 says, “The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.”

The second reason is that God is the absolute authority. True believers of God will not alter His Words any more than a law-abiding person would change a law of a government to his liking without government approval. John 1:1 says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” A natural person who attempts to change that word does so at his own risk.

As to the natural person compared to a believer, Acts 5:25-29 describes a scene in which Peter and his apostles are arrested and brought before a council. The high priest in the council said to them in Verse 28, “We strictly charged you not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching...” Peter’s response in Verse 29 is, “We must obey God rather than men.” In a sense, the high priest, who for all intents and purposes leans toward being a natural man, attempted to censor the words, God’s Words, that Peter and the apostles said. Only God can censor His own Words. In another scene in the Bible, Jesus tells Pontius Pilate “You would have no authority over me unless it comes from God.” Well, Pontius Pilate is a natural person. He would have no more authority to alter what is in the Bible than a true believer in the Spirit of God would.

The Bible is the Word of God reflecting His spirit. Like God, one’s faith in Him must at least approach being absolute to work. Anyone who modifies the Bible, risks falling back to being a natural person.

chevyontheriver · Jun 15, 2024

I just found out yesterday that Al Kresta had gone home from the hospital for hospice care. He had liver cancer. Then this afternoon that he has died. This was a guy that shaped my thinking and challenged me over the years. He was born a Catholic, drifted through New Age stuff, became an evangelical, Christian bookstore owner, pastor, radio host, and then found his way back to the Catholic Church. He founded Ave Maria Radio with the generous assistance of Tom Monaghan, and has been a regular on Catholic radio with Kresta in the Morning followed more recently by Kresta in the Afternoon. He would find experts in the fields of religion and culture and do deep dives into challenging subjects. EWTN carried his program and I ate it up. I even went to see him speak once in Lincoln NE.

Right now sadness consumes me. A great and good and smart and connected Catholic man is with us no more. But I realize the blessings of having him around are that we can then be enabled to do some good as a result of it all. I'm expecting that his radio program will continue to mine his archives for the best of his programs and that Marcus Peters will be able to carry on in the coming months and years.

Al Kresta, Longtime Catholic Radio Host, Dies at 72

A familiar voice on EWTN radio, Kresta is survived by his wife of nearly five decades, Sally, as well as his five children.

www.ncregister.com

JohnEmmett · Jun 15, 2024

Artwork created through the use of artificial intelligence.

tonychanyt · Jun 15, 2024

Tell them about the good news of Jesus Christ. They may refuse to believe.

Matthew 5:

16b “let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

It may not be easy and it is not entirely up to you. Even Jesus had problems convincing his brothers (Mk 6:4). We have to leave it to God ultimately.

Matthew 19:

25b “Who then can be saved?” 26 But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

It is up to the Holy Spirit to convict them. In the meantime, Philippians 4:

4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. 5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone.

Show yourself a lover of Christ. Rest in God's sovereign hands.

How not to convert your loved ones: You do not want to press them so hard that they would entrench their position because of your words. This is negative feedback. They may verbally reject Jesus to your face.

Romans 12:

18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.

Love your neighbor as yourself.

See also What would happen to people who don't acknowledge the true Jesus?

tonychanyt · Jun 15, 2024

Yes, if that's your only focus, 2 Timothy 3:

2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,

On the other hand, we are commanded in Matthew 22:

39b Love your neighbor as yourself.

If you don't love yourself, how will you love others? There is a psychologically healthy aspect of loving yourself.

Ephesians 5:

28 In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.

Loving yourself in this context is a good thing.

29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church,

Most of all, Matthew 22:

37 Jesus replied: “’Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’

Love God, love your neighbors, and love yourself. We should have all three. God loves you.

tonychanyt · Jun 15, 2024

Proverbs 30:

18 There are three things too wonderful for me, four that I cannot understand:

The three-and-four expression is idiomatic, not arithmetic. A similar expression is in
Amos 1:3 This is what the LORD says: "For three sins of Damascus, even for four, I will not relent.

19 the way of an eagle in the sky,
the way of a snake on a rock,
the way of a ship at sea,
and the way of a man with a maiden.

Examine the following pattern:

the way of an eagle in the sky,
the way of a snake on a rock,
the way of a ship at sea,
the way of a man with a maiden.

The actors and movers are eagle, snake, ship, and man.
The sky, rock, sea, and maiden are passive backgrounds.

20 This is the way of an adulteress:
She eats and wipes her mouth
and says, ‘I have done nothing wrong.’

The adulteress eats and wipes. She is an actor like the eagle, snake, ship, and man.

Is the adulterous woman a description of the maiden?

No. The maiden contrasts the adulteress.

AlexB23 · Jun 15, 2024

Hello folks. What if the Bible had a parental sticker, or guide on it, as DVDs do, or music albums? What would it say? I like the Bible, even though some of the themes might be dark, as the Bible is a great way for us to get to know the teachings of God.

Info about movie ratings: Ratings Guide

Here is what the sticker or label might say for the Bible.

Christsfreeservant · Jun 15, 2024

“My son, give me your heart,

and let your eyes observe my ways.

For a prostitute is a deep pit;

an adulteress is a narrow well.

She lies in wait like a robber

and increases the traitors among mankind.

Who has woe? Who has sorrow?

Who has strife? Who has complaining?

Who has wounds without cause?

Who has redness of eyes?

Those who tarry long over wine;

those who go to try mixed wine.

Do not look at wine when it is red,

when it sparkles in the cup

and goes down smoothly.

In the end it bites like a serpent

and stings like an adder.

Your eyes will see strange things,

and your heart utter perverse things.

You will be like one who lies down in the midst of the sea,

like one who lies on the top of a mast.

‘They struck me,’ you will say, ‘but I was not hurt;

they beat me, but I did not feel it.

When shall I awake?

I must have another drink.’”

(Proverbs 23:26-35 ESV)

Have you ever been there where you looked to strong drink or to sensual pleasures to drown out your sorrow and your pain? Sadly, I have been there, a long while ago, but I did go down that pathway for a short while. I had had a lifetime of abuse at the hands of others who were supposed to love and to protect me, and the hurts kept piling on to the point to where I finally gave up and gave in to my flesh, and looked for a way out of my suffering other than through the cross of Christ and his love and grace and mercy.

But, thanks be to God, he rescued me from all of that, and he put me back on my feet and he gave me a firm place to stand, and eventually he called me to this writing ministry which is what I do now fulltime. It breaks my heart to think of what I did, and sometimes I wonder how I ever got there, but I know it was the lies of Satan and his beating me down continually to the point to where I finally surrendered to the flesh and I did not trust the Lord with my circumstances as I should have. So I know failure big time!!

But I am not here to condone such behaviors as this nor to give excuses for my behaviors nor for anyone else’s, especially for those who profess faith in Jesus Christ and who know way better. I am here to share what the Scriptures teach on these subjects with regard to the wrongness of such activities and the dangers of them and the destructive force that they are in the lives of those who surrender to them. For strong drink and sexual immorality of any nature are a deep pit that you don’t want to fall into.

For one, we cannot serve the Lord Jesus Christ with our lives if we are giving ourselves over to strong drink and to sexual immorality. And we cannot love others with the Love of Christ if we are sinning against them by our addictive behaviors and sinful practices. And if you have professed faith in Jesus but then you continued to walk (in conduct, in practice) in sin, the Scriptures teach that you don’t know God and you don’t have eternal life with God. So you must deny self, die daily to sin, and follow Jesus in obedience.

When you are under the control of strong drink or of sensual pleasures, you cannot be under Holy Spirit control, and you end up sinning against those you claim to love, even your spouses and your own children and other people, too, in various ways, because your lives are not committed to following Jesus, but you are giving way to the flesh. And under such influences as these we can lose all sense of moral propriety and good common sense, and other people’s lives will be impacted by our sins.

These types of situations which are a person’s lifestyle, and life practices, and have been for a very long while, with no hope for change in sight, end up destroying marriages and families and children’s lives and their own lives, and they can end up doing permanent damage which cannot be retracted, in some cases. And that is just a very sad reality, for it is all so hopeless, and so destructive, and so selfish, too. And so there will never be true peace for those who are captivated by such sinful practices.

The only hope, and the only way out of such situations as these is total surrender of our lives to Jesus Christ, laying it all down to follow him with our lives and to forsake our lives of sin in order to walk in obedience to his commands. And this involves us accepting God’s sovereignty over our lives and that our lives are going to have ups and downs and heartaches and hurts and disappointments and mistreatments, etc. And these we must give over to the Lord and trust him to help us through them.

We have to also let go of any resentments, bitterness, unforgiveness, pride, or whatever it is that is leading us in the wrong direction, for out of our hearts come both good and evil. And out of our hearts come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, and slander. These are what defile a person. So if what is stored up in our hearts is bitterness, pride, resentment, and unforgiveness, evil is what is going to come out. So our hearts must change first (Luke 6:45; Matthew 15:17-20).

So, if you are at the place of considering either strong drink or sexual immorality as a way to drown out your sorrows, please don’t go there! All you will do is add sorrow upon sorrow along with tons of guilt and regret, and not only will you destroy your own life, but you will have the possibility of destroying other people’s lives, too. And if this is where you are now, please stop! And surrender your lives to the Lordship of Jesus Christ and trust him with your circumstances and rely on his strength and wisdom.

Jesus Christ is our only hope for healing of our wounded souls and hearts and minds. Other things may be able to mask the pain temporarily, but in the long run they will do more harm than good, especially if they are things which are against our Lord’s commands. So, wherever you are in this, surrender your lives to Jesus Christ today and let him rule in your hearts and minds. Get rid of all bitterness and anger and resentment and pride, and forgive those who have hurt you, and now love your enemies.

Then daily make it your practice to deny self, to die daily to sin, and to follow Jesus Christ and his commands and to wherever the Lord leads you and wants you and desires to use you for his purposes and for his glory. Instead of yielding to the flesh, yield to the control of the Holy Spirit. For the grace of God, which is bringing us salvation, is training us renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives. And therein we have peace with God and the hope of eternal life with God.

[Titus 2:11-14; Matt 7:21-23; Lu 9:23-26; John 1:12-13; John 6:44; John 10:27-30; Acts 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; 1 Jn 1:5-10; 1 Jn 2:3-6,24-25; 1 Jn 3:4-10; 1 Peter 1:15; 1 Pet 2:24; Heb 3:1-19; Heb 4:1-13; Heb 10:23-31; Heb 12:1-2; Rev 21:8,27; Rev 22:14-15]

Sing to Me of Heaven

Songwriters: Ada Powell / Benjamin Burke Beall

Sing to me of Heaven, sing that song of peace
From the toils that bind me it will bring release
Burdens will be lifted that are pressing so
Showers of great blessing o'er my heart will flow

Sing to me of Heaven, as I walk alone
Dreaming of the comrades that so long have gone
In a fairer region 'mong the angel throng
They are happy as they sing that old, sweet song

Sing to me of Heaven, tenderly and low
Till the shadows o'er me rise and swiftly go
When my heart is weary, when the day is long
Sing to me of Heaven, sing that old, sweet song

Sing to me of Heaven, let me fondly dream
Of its golden glory, of its pearly gleam
Sing to me when shadows of the evening fall
Sing to me of heaven, sweetest song of all

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GospelS · Jun 15, 2024

Yeshua isn't unaware of the wolves, foxes, snakes, hyenas. He isn't unprepared for the strike on his heel.
When He comes to crush their skulls. He knows His friends, the thieves, and the enemy.
He thoroughly surveyed the ground. Before He laid the foundations. And rose again to build His house.

The serpents do not have a leg to stand on. They could only use their curse as a weapon.
Unto deceiving themselves into much death. Killing and stealing as they feed on the dust to get by.
Trying to catch Yeshua saying something wrong. To trick, to accuse, to seize, to test, to discredit Him.

The Plot, the mob, the chaos continues. Made by the Holy Spirit, He didn't return to the dust but to the Father!
BUT THIS TIME AROUND HE CAME AS A KING TO REIGN IN ALL HIS GLORY WITH HIS HEAVENLY HOST!
John 10:17-18

Grip Docility · Jun 15, 2024

Jesus says two things to the Torah Teaching Pharisees that condemn humanity and exalt themselves as Torah Adherent and Righteous of self or better than all humanity in their ways, by their own mouths.

1: He calls them sons of the devil, working the devils will of murder and apostasy... who were fit for Hell Fire.
2: He calls them TWICE DEAD.

Revelation 21:8

But the cowardly, 1169 deilós (an adjective derived from deidō, "fear-driven") – properly, dreadful, describing a person who loses their "moral gumption (fortitude)" that is needed to follow the Lord.

1169 /deilós ("fearful of losses") refers to an excessive fear (dread) of "losing," causing someone to be fainthearted (cowardly) – hence, to fall short in following Christ as Lord.

[1169 /deilós is always used negatively in the NT and stands in contrast to the positive fear which can be expressed by 5401 /phóbos ("fear," see Phil 2:12).]

the unbelieving, 571 ápistos (from 1 /A "not" and 4103 /pistós, "faithful," see there) – properly, not faithful because unpersuaded, i.e. not convinced (persuaded by God). 571 /ápistos ("faithless, unpersuaded") does not always refer to the unconverted – see Jn 20:27. 571 (ápistos) describes someone who rejects or refuses God's inbirthings of faith (note the root, faith, 4102 /pístis).

the vile, Cognate: 948 bdelýssō – properly, stink, become foul (abhorrent), detestable as stench; "to strongly detest something on the basis that it is abominable – 'to abhor, to abominate' " (L & N, 1, 25.186). See 946 (bdelussō).

the murderers, Cognate: 5406 phoneús – a murderer, committing unjustified, intentional homicide. See 5407 (phoneuō).

the sexually immoral, 4205 pórnos (from pernaō, "to sell off") – properly, a male prostitute. 4205 (pórnos) is "properly, 'a male prostitute' (so Xen., etc.); in the NT, any fornicator" (Abbott-Smith); i.e. anyone engaging in sexual immorality. See 4202 (porneia). (Apostasy of placing the teachings of the Created over the Creator)

those who practice magic arts, This is directly those who work the will and power of demons. It will be far more visible when Satan is fully unbound before the end.

the idolaters εἰδωλολάτρης ἐιδωλολατρου, ὁ (εἴδωλον, and λάτρις i. e. a hireling, servant, slave), a worshipper of false gods, an idolater, (Tertullianidololatres): 1 Corinthians 5:10; Revelation 21:8; Revelation 22:15; anyone, even a Christian, participant in any way in the worship of heathen,

and all liars Usage: false, deceitful, lying, untrue. From pseudomai; untrue, i.e. Erroneous, deceitful, wicked -- false, liar.

—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”

Jesus was warning all that hadn't allowed such evil within their hearts that compels a person to accuse and condemn fellow humanity through hate and judgment, void of Love towards anyone fashioned in the image of God (All Humanity)... that these men that He pointed out, were TWICE DEAD in the way that they were headed for the lake of fire because of the hardness of their hearts, which they, themselves will be reaping due to what they have sewn.

IbelieveinmyGodnotHuman · Jun 15, 2024

I want to ask for you openions about this topic I'm curious of what you'll gonna do if your in my current situation, my sister want to go youth camp activity but we doesn't have enough money unless we cancel our grandmother medical expenses for me it's not like you'll be winner if you ask permission and reson why you can't attend as life is more important what about you guys?????

Akita Suggagaki · Jun 15, 2024

I guess I am somewhere between liberal and Conservative. Might as well say Progressive.

Akita Suggagaki · Jun 15, 2024

How about a straw poll right here?

com7fy8 · Jun 15, 2024

In Genesis 29:16-33 I see how Jacob discovered Rebecca who was so beautiful and he fell for her. But then her father switched Leah for Rebecca in the tent for the honeymoon. And in the morning - - Jacob realized he had joined with Leah and not with Rebecca!

He was not happy, to say the least. Leah was not so attractive like Renecca, and he was in love with Rebecca.

But Jacob was obligated to keep Leah for his wife. But he arranged to also have Rebecca. But how did that work out?

Jacob did not love Leah. But how did God handle that?

"When the LORD saw that Leah was unloved, He opened her womb; but Rebecca was barren." (Genesis 29:31)

The King James Bible says Leah was "hated". Maybe I have known the feeling. While I was a Satanic person, I used to be able to be disgusted at certain women who were not beautiful like I wanted to see. And I could despise them; yes, I was a horrible person. And while I could discriminate like that, I did not get into good relationships.

And we can see how God expected Jacob to love Leah, even if he was not "in love" with her and she was not attractive like Rebecca.

To me, this means that whoever God has for me to marry, we can have the best possible love, no matter if she is gorgeous and charming, or not.

Jacob had six sons with Leah.

And Jesus dearly loves every woman who is a member of His Bride Church. So, how we men treat and regard each woman of Jesus is what we are doing to Jesus, right?

Therefore, I see how there is a major problem of

"beauty discrimination".

Because of his beauty discrimination problem, Jacob did not know how to love, I would say. So, he needed Leah so he could discover real love.

One pastor said God might not give you a wife like what you want, but He will give you someone you can love.

tonychanyt · Jun 15, 2024

Psalm 110 is Messianic:

1 The LORD says to my Lord:

YHWH says to the Messiah:

“Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.”

It begins with a cryptic language and ends with a cryptic image.

5 The Lord is at your right hand; he will shatter kings on the day of his wrath. 6 He will execute judgment among the nations, filling them with corpses; he will shatter chiefs over the wide earth.

After the above glorious description, the language changes suddenly:

7 He will drink from the brook by the way; therefore he will lift up his head.

The psalm is bookended by two cryptic verses.

Who will drink?

The Messiah. The psalmist describes the conquests of the Messiah. Along the way, he will pause to drink from the brook. God refreshes him. Then he looks up to heaven (Luke 9:16) to thank God

Who is the "lord" at the beginning of Psalm 110?

The Messiah.

Who is "he" at the end of Psalm 110?

The Messiah.

essentialsaltes · Jun 15, 2024

The grim rampage unfolded in the northern Finnish city of Oulu at around 6.30pm on Thursday.

The Finnish outlet has named Sebastian Lämsä as the suspected attacker behind last night's horrors.

He reportedly targeted two Finnish children with foreign backgrounds - lunging for a second after injuring the 12-year-old who is now in stable condition.

Born in 1990, Lämsä allegedly has neo-Nazi links and has previously been convicted of serious acts of violence.

YLE reported the suspect was a former key member of the Nordic Resistance Movement - a neo-Nazi group banned in Finland since 2020.

in 2013 he was found guilty of stabbing someone at a speech on the rise of far-right groups.

Oula Silvennoinen, an extreme right-wing researcher at the University of Helsinki told YLE he isn't shocked by the stabbing but said it is rare to have a child as the target of right-wing attacks.

Minister Monardo · Jun 15, 2024

In Acts 20, the apostle Paul gives this testimony to the Ephesian elders:

22 And see, now I go bound in the spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing the things
that will happen to me there,
23 except that the Holy Spirit testifies in every city,
saying that chains and tribulations await me.
24 But none of these things move me;
nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy,
and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.

In Acts 21, Paul is en route to Jerusalem when he stops over in Caesarea at the home of Philip
the evangelist, when the prophet Agabus arrives and makes this prophecy:

10 And as we stayed many days, a certain prophet named Agabus came down from Judea.
11 When he had come to us, he took Paul’s belt, bound his own hands and feet, and said,
Thus says the Holy Spirit, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man who owns this belt,
and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.

Since Paul has already made it clear that he is aware of what awaits him in Jerusalem,
what is the predictive value of the prophet’s words? They must be directed to the others present.
Going deeper into the narrative, we can ask, what is God’s purpose for sending the prophet
to speak these words? First, consider the reaction of those who heard.
12 Now when we heard these things, both we and those from that place pleaded
with him not to go up to Jerusalem.
13 Then Paul answered, What do you mean by weeping and breaking my heart?
For I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.

So now ask yourself, what if Paul had been moved by their entreaties and delayed going to Jerusalem.
God could very well send someone else, and Paul’s ministry could have ended in Caesarea.
Thankfully, the others recognized his resolve and accepted his words.

14 So when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, The will of the Lord be done.
So we can see that God used the word of the prophet to test the resolve of his servants.
This was presented previously in the OT in what I found to be a very sad narrative.

The Message of the Man of God 1 Kings 13

1 And behold, a man of God went from Judah to Bethel by the word of the Lord, and Jeroboam
stood by the altar to burn incense. 2 Then he cried out against the altar by the word of the Lord,
and said, O altar, altar! Thus says the Lord: Behold, a child, Josiah by name, shall be born to the
house of David; and on you he shall sacrifice the priests of the high places who burn incense on you,
and men’s bones shall be burned on you. 3 And he gave a sign the same day, saying, This is the sign
which the Lord has spoken: Surely the altar shall split apart, and the ashes on it shall be poured out.
4 So it came to pass when King Jeroboam heard the saying of the man of God, who cried out against
the altar in Bethel, that he stretched out his hand from the altar, saying, Arrest him! Then his hand,
which he stretched out toward him, withered, so that he could not pull it back to himself. 5 The altar
also was split apart, and the ashes poured out from the altar, according to the sign which the man of
God had given by the word of the Lord. 6 Then the king answered and said to the man of God, Please
entreat the favor of the Lord your God, and pray for me, that my hand may be restored to me. So the
man of God entreated the Lord, and the king’s hand was restored to him, and became as before.
7 Then the king said to the man of God, Come home with me and refresh yourself, and I will give you a reward.
8 But the man of God said to the king, If you were to give me half your house, I would not go in with you;
nor would I eat bread nor drink water in this place. 9 For so it was commanded me by the word of the Lord,
saying, You shall not eat bread, nor drink water, nor return by the same way you came. 10 So he went another
way and did not return by the way he came to Bethel. 11 Now an old prophet dwelt in Bethel,
and his sons came and told him all the works that the man of God had done that day in Bethel;
they also told their father the words which he had spoken to the king. 12 And their father said to them,
which way did he go? For his sons had seen which way the man of God went who came from Judah.
13 Then he said to his sons, Saddle the donkey for me. So they saddled the donkey for him; and he rode on it,
14 and went after the man of God, and found him sitting under an oak. Then he said to him, Are you the man
of God who came from Judah? And he said, I am. 15 Then he said to him, Come home with me and eat bread.
16 And he said, I cannot return with you nor go in with you; neither can I eat bread nor drink water with you
in this place. 17 For I have been told by the word of the Lord, You shall not eat bread nor drink water there,
nor return by going the way you came. 18 He said to him, I too am a prophet as you are, and an angel spoke
to me by the word of the Lord, saying, Bring him back with you to your house, so that he may eat bread and
drink water. He was lying to him. 19 So he went back with him, and ate bread in his house, and drank water.
20 Now it happened, as they sat at the table, that the word of the Lord came to the prophet who had brought
him back; 21 and he cried out to the man of God who came from Judah, saying, Thus says the Lord: Because
you have disobeyed the word of the Lord, and have not kept the commandment which the Lord your God
commanded you, 22 but you came back, ate bread, and drank water in the place of which the Lord said to you,
Eat no bread and drink no water, your corpse shall not come to the tomb of your fathers. 23 So it was, after he
had eaten bread and after he had drunk, that he saddled the donkey for him, the prophet whom he had brought back.
24 When he was gone, a lion met him on the road and killed him. And his corpse was thrown on the road,
and the donkey stood by it. The lion also stood by the corpse. 25 And there, men passed by and saw the corpse
thrown on the road, and the lion standing by the corpse.
Then they went and told it in the city where the old prophet dwelt.

One man of God lies to another to test his resolve and obedience.
This is why we must come to recognize and obey the Voice.

Christsfreeservant · Jun 15, 2024

Do you ever feel an overwhelming sadness?
All around you seems then to be so much pain.
Sin has run amok within the walls of churches.
For the gospel truth, there is so much disdain.

Men in pulpits hiding sins behind the curtain,
Making jokes about the sacred things of God.
For a laugh, they will compromise the scriptures to
Keep the people coming back. Does this seem odd?

There is so much focus on the things so worldly.
Entertainment of the masses is the game:
Step on anyone who may oppose the circus;
On the innocent, then, cast on them the blame.

Where are all the godly men who’re called to lead us?
Does it seem to you they’ve all but disappeared?
In our pulpits, we have many who are actors,
Playing roles, they tell us lies; they do not care.

Does it seem to you, there is no one who’s honest?
That manipulating people is the scheme?
Building businesses, which Christians then call churches,
Is the purpose, and the passion, and the dream?

Have you noticed that the family is hurting?
And, that marriages are now suff’ring the same?
This is now a troubling crisis situation.
And, this calls for us to call on Jesus’ name.

We must pray for God to bring a great revival,
So to bring his people down upon their knees.
May they turn their hearts now back to faith in Jesus,
So that for him they would live, and strive to please.

An Original Work / March 22, 2018

Dave Darling · Jun 15, 2024

Hi everyone, I would greatly appreciate your prayers. I need a miracle! I am in a situation where I want to move out of my current apartment complex right away. I have been here for 5 years and this place is the pit of hell, there is a huge drug problem here, lots of people here are doing drugs, I can smell pot smoke coming from the other units in my building every night and I also smell it coming out of people's windows when I go out for a walk at night. There have been fist fights out in the street and this place is so evil you can feel it. I have been doing spiritual warfare over the complex every day and praying for the salvation of all tenants and for the elimination of all drug and alcohol activity, there is still a very evil presence here but it is much improved from when I first moved in. I want to move in with 3 friends that I know and I can easily afford this but my parents are saying they are not going to allow it, they are currently giving me money for food and rent and insurance and they are saying they are going to cut it off unless I do what they say, I am 40 years old and they are still trying to run my life, it is ridiculous. I also have calculated my finances closely and I can easily afford many apartments in town and can especially afford a 2-bedroom apartment with 1 roommate, but my parents are also saying they will not allow that either, they want me to move into another complex called Highspire apartments and are trying to force me and I hate it there, that place is also so evil you can feel it. I need a miracle that I can get out of this situation and that my parents stop running my life. I also have a severe brain disease called schizophrenia and I am currently so ill I cannot work, if I were well enough to work I could get a job and move out but as of now I am extremely ill, sick as a dog. I need a miracle healing for this too! Thank you!

tonychanyt · Jun 15, 2024

Dt 22

22 If a man is found lying with another man’s wife, both the man who slept with her and the woman must die. You must purge the evil from Israel.

According to the above, David was to be put to death. David had sex with Uriah's wife, Bathsheba. After that, he murdered Uriah, who was his royal soldier. Prophet Nathan found him out in 2 Samuel 12:

9b You struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and took his wife to be your own. You killed him with the sword of the Ammonites.

David was not put to death. But there were consequences:

10 Now therefore the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.’ 11 Thus says the LORD, ‘Behold, I will raise up evil against you out of your own house. And I will take your wives before your eyes and give them to your neighbor, and he shall lie with your wives in the sight of this sun. 12 For you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel and before the sun.’”

Instead of a death sentence, David would experience these serious consequences.

13 Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.”

David did not give any excuses. He was immediately repentant.

Nathan replied, “The Lord has put away [H5674] your sin. You are not going to die.

The usual Hebrew word to forgive was H5545.

On what basis did the Lord put away David's sin?

Vertically, it was due to God's sovereign mercy. Exodus 33:

19b I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.

Horizontally, David was repentant. He wrote in Psalm 51:

1 Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your loving devotion; according to Your great compassion, blot out my transgressions.

God blotted his sin based on his sovereign mercy, loving devotion, and compassion without a burnt offering:

16 For You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; You take no pleasure in burnt offerings. 17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.

God looked at David's contrite/repentant heart.

Nathan continued:

14 But because by doing this you have shown utter contempt for the Lord, the son born to you will die.”

Even though God took away David's sin and he would not die, there were other grave consequences. God still disciplined David.

On what basis did the Lord put away David's transgressions?

God had mercy on him. He did not die.
He was repentant.
He would suffer the consequences.

imsaneru · Jun 15, 2024

I don't know if it was actually implemented or not , but the rest of the world was horrified when we heard it.
We were all thinking George Orwell 1984.

So what were you Americans thinking at that time when it was announced ?

David Hunter · Jun 15, 2024

After going to the pride event at Medina Square the other day, it really got me thinking about being... Humble, which I'll discuss on today's devotional!
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LoricaLady · Jun 15, 2024

Central Asia

Pray for a Release International partner who is currently travelling throughout Central Asia, training pastors and encouraging churches, often in the midst of opposition.
Number of Prayers 16
YES - I WILL PRAY

Ukraine

Pray for Maciek who leads Release International’s sister ministry in Poland and is involved in several projects supporting Ukrainian believers. Pray for wisdom and protection for his team.
Number of Prayers 29
YES - I WILL PRAY

Ukraine

The ongoing war is taking a huge toll on the church in Ukraine. Pray that the Lord will give our brothers and sisters the grace to persevere and that the global body of Christ will not grow tired of remembering them.
Number of Prayers 40
YES - I WILL PRAY

Ukraine

Pray for Pastor Dmitry’s ongoing ministry supporting an underground network of churches in Melitopol. There are around 120 people meeting in homes and several teenagers have come to Christ.
Number of Prayers 34
YES - I WILL PRAY

Ukraine

Pray for Pastor Dmitry, a church leader who was arrested, interrogated and kept in appalling conditions for eight days shortly after the Russian invasion in 2022. He was later forced to flee the country with his family.
Number of Prayers 36
YES - I WILL PRAY

Ukraine

Pray for the frontline Christian workers Release International supports in warzone areas. They are involved in evangelism and providing humanitarian aid. Praise God that despite the desperate situation many Ukrainians have come to faith.
Number of Prayers 38
YES - I WILL PRAY

Ukraine

Pray that God will enable our partner to connect with Christians in the newly liberated areas of Ukraine who have faced detention, interrogation and torture and are in critical need of pastoral support.
Number of Prayers 35
YES - I WILL PRAY

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LoricaLady · Jun 15, 2024

Anything deemed to be in competition with the Communist Party of Cuba is squeezed, and this includes the Christian faith. Church leaders or believers who speak out against human injustice or political corruption – or who dare to criticise the regime – risk interrogation, arrest, smear campaigns and even prison sentences.
Because churches require registration to be legal, the government can deny the registration or simply ignore the application of some religious groups, forcing these churches to operate illegally. This gives the government an excuse to shut them down whenever they please. In these cases, the government then imposes penalties on churches, including fines, the demolition of buildings, church closure and the confiscation of property.
Churches permitted to register with the government do so under extreme scrutiny and monitoring. All churches are monitored in Cuba and may be infiltrated by citizens sympathetic to the regime and/or State security agents.

Meet Pastor Angel

“After these 40 years in the ministry, I’ve learned that we must face life’s trials and tribulations with courage and trust in God.”
Pastor Angel (name changed), a church leader in Cuba.

What does Open Doors do to help?

Open Doors raises prayer support for persecuted believers in Cuba.

Please pray

Ask God to protect and strengthen church leaders in Cuba from harassment or pressure from the government.
Pray that Cuba’s leaders would allow churches to meet openly and legally.
Pray that Cuban believers would have the courage and wisdom to stand up for their faith.

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Link to Table of Contents​

Continued from Hebrews It! (Legal Study, Chapter 2:14) Pt. 10b​

Poll Who will you vote for?

Biden

Trump

Someone else

Not voting

Don't know yet

Central Asia​

Ukraine​

Ukraine​

Ukraine​

Ukraine​

Ukraine​

Ukraine​

Sign up for email prayer alerts​

Children’s Prayer Sheet​

Meet Pastor Angel​

What does Open Doors do to help?​

Please pray​

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Link to Table of Contents

Continued from Hebrews It! (Legal Study, Chapter 2:14) Pt. 10b

Poll

Who will you vote for?

Central Asia

Ukraine

Ukraine

Ukraine

Ukraine

Ukraine

Ukraine

Sign up for email prayer alerts

Children’s Prayer Sheet

Meet Pastor Angel

What does Open Doors do to help?

Please pray