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Leaving or Staying, Debt or no Debt. What would you do?

My husband and I have big decisions to make in regards to where to move. We've been praying for guidance and direction and haven't really heard anything. We really want to use wisdom here. We've been told to follow peace but that's easier said than done. Here are our options. If you were faced with this decision which option would you be most likely to choose?

1. We are living in a garage conversion on a two-acre lot my dad owns, but we've been paying on for three years. One option is to build a house on this property and stay here and everything would be put in our name. But....
2. We have some debts that we incurred at an earlier time, when my husband was temporarily out of work. These debts are in good standing but we're still paying on them. My dad has now agreed to let us sell this lot if we want to move, and there is a lot of equity in this land. So option number two is to sell this and use the money to pay off the debts. Of course that would mean buying or building a house elsewhere but we would also have a higher debt to income ratio. And there is the question of where would we stay between that time, which we would have to figure out.
3. My dad also owns a house ten miles from here that he built 25 years ago. My parents lived there up until two years ago and my sister and her family have been renting it since then. My parents have been talking a lot about selling that house but for reasons I can't get into, it's not really feasible for my sister to buy it. She has told me they want to find another place. Option number three is for us to buy that house and live there after my sister moves. It's a special place that all the grandchildren in the family grew up visiting. It would be nice for it to stay in the family and I do like it but I also like the idea of starting fresh somewhere. Still the thought of strangers buying it makes me (and others in the family) feel really sad.

So our options are to stay where we're at and try to build on this land (but still have our other debts we're paying off) or possibly be able to pay off these debts and start over somewhere else, either on a new property or buying my parents old house. I hope I was able to explain myself okay here. Thank you.

A Conversation about Solar Panels

Hello folks. As most of you guys know, I am for ethically sourced clean energy, and am really liking the newest generation of solar panels. If only the condo that I live at had panels on it. The apartment complex near my condo has a few solar panels on it though. Back in the 1970s-1980s, solar panels had a lifespan of 10-15 years. The new types of solar panels in the 21st century can last 25-30 years, compared to older generations which could only last 10-15 years. Also, the Australians developed a method in the early 2020s to recycle old solar panels and convert the silicon inside the panels into concrete, so solar panel recycling is feasible with current technologies. So, @Bradskii , can you tell me the story about how you got panels for your place? I am hoping that my condo can get panels also. As a Christian man, I want to show respect to the Earth we have.

Making concrete from old solar panels: Solar panels replace sand in concrete production
Old solar panel lifespan: How long do solar panels last 2023? - Tongwei Co., Ltd.,
Modern solar panel lifespan: How Long Do Solar Panels Last?

For Christians: The Bible talks about protecting our Earth and not defiling creation, as said in Genesis 2, Isaiah 24 and Jeremiah 2. :) Big Oil and Big Coal did not get the memo, and neither did Musk*.

*Musk Private Jet emissions: What emissions? Elon Musk's private jet made more than 130 flights in 2022

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Prayers that GOD will bless with a new career

Asking for prayers for guidance and wisdom for a new job opportunity. For GOD's help/guidance in whether or not to accept a new job offer. If it will be a more christian environment. But also to be be blessed with talent or at least common sense to be successful in the new position. For you see I have not been so richly blessed in the many people have, such as many people here in this forum have. Life is a little bit more of a challenge for me as I am not as readily accepted by others, as I tend to be socially awkward, or an outsider. But again please pray for guidance in career choices, and success at whatever I should choose to do.

Thank you.

is this a special gift?

I posted something like this before but I might have posted it in the wrong thread. I want to start a youtube channel where I just do interviews or conversations about the Bible on different topics. I have this one friend I talk with about the Bible often and I decided to video record our conversation and let it be one of the videos I will upload. I will share below a portion of it, not the whole thing, but I cut off a part I want to share. I always got the impression she is gifted enough to maybe become a speaker in the future at any Women's speaking events. Maybe in a conference, or regular Bible study with only women. So I want to show a video below of this one part of our conversation and see what you think. You will see only few seconds of me because I cut it off after that as she responds to what I said. We were having a conversation and I brought up the issue of some pastors not telling the entire truth. After that, she responds to it and that's the only part I am showing. I didn't talk in this part because I wanted her to finish her thought. The way she replies gives me the impression she's gifted to be a future speaker. I wanna tell her that. but first I want to see what others think if they watch how she talks about the issue I brought up. If others think this is a legit gift, I will give her the idea of being a speaker in the future. So watch and tell me your opinion.

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Innocent of Great Transgression

“Who can discern his errors?
Declare me innocent from hidden faults.
Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins;
let them not have dominion over me!
Then I shall be blameless,
and innocent of great transgression.
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
be acceptable in your sight,
O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.” (Psalms 19:12-14 ESV)

As followers of Jesus Christ we are to be those who have died to sin, who are daily dying to sin, and who are walking in obedience to our Lord in holy living. But as long as we live in flesh bodies, we will not be perfect (complete). And we won’t be perfect until Jesus returns and he takes his faithful bride to be with him for eternity, which is when our salvation will be complete, and not until then. But lack of perfection is never to be used as an excuse for continued, deliberate, and habitual sin against the Lord.

Now David had two categories here, one of hidden faults, and the other of presumptuous (willful, audacious) sins. The former he asked the Lord to declare him innocent of, so he was not talking about willful and secretive sins, but of things perhaps that he didn’t do so well at, and of which he was unaware. And they could be areas of our lives where we could stand some improvement. But the other category is definitely describing sin which you know you are committing, and it is blatant, deliberate, and usually habitual.

And, if you are walking in deliberate and habitual sin, and not in holiness and righteousness, and not in obedience to the Lord, you do NOT have Jesus Christ as your advocate to speak to God in your defense. Instead, you have a God who is saying, “I never knew you. Depart from me you workers of lawlessness,” for you would not submit to Christ as Lord, and you would not obey him in walks of holiness and righteousness, in practice, but sin was your practice, instead. And so you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.

But David, although he was not perfect, at the time that he wrote this he was praying to the Lord that the Lord would keep him back from presumptuous (audacious, foolhardy, shameless) sins, and that such sins would not have dominion over him. But he still had a choice to follow the leading of the Lord or not, and he still had the choice to obey the Lord or not. So, although we need the Lord to help us to not sin, we have to make the choice to obey the Lord OR to walk in sin and to reject his assistance.

So, “blameless” doesn’t seem to indicate that we are absolutely perfect in every respect, but that we are not deliberately and habitually and/or premeditatedly sinning against the Lord and against our fellow humans. Rather, we are in the practice of denying self, dying daily to sin, and of following our Lord in walks of obedience to his commands. And we are in the process of being made perfect (complete) in Christ Jesus, our Lord, as daily we surrender our lives and our wills to the will of God for our lives.

So, it is a good practice for us to endeavor to regularly examine our own hearts before the Lord in prayer, and to ask him to point out to us any areas of our lives which need to change, so that the words of our mouths and the meditation of our hearts are acceptable and pleasing to the Lord, in his sight. For sometimes we can become blinded to things in our lives which are not honoring to the Lord, perhaps because we have become desensitized to those things because of the influences of the world in our lives.

So, if we truly want to not be under the control of sin, and if we want to walk blamelessly before the Lord by not walking in willful sin against him, and by making godliness and righteousness and obedience to the Lord our practice, then our hearts and minds and bodies must be yielded to God and surrendered to his will in submission to Christ as Lord. And we must choose his choices, and now obey them in his power, as our practice, and resist the devil, and flee temptation, and now draw near to God in true faith.

[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; Titus 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1:5-10; 1 Jn 2:1-6,24-25; 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]

Hear My Cry

By G. M. Eldridge

When my soul is worn and weary
And my eyes are filled with grief,
When my hands in desperation
Reach to heaven for relief,

Would I find the words there waiting
If I had the strength to start?
Could a mortal tongue interpret
All the sorrow of a heart?

Spirit, search me in my weakness,
And discern this growing gray.
Intercede in understanding,
Hear the things I cannot say.

Hear my cry, heav’nly Father,
You have known my ev’ry pain.
You have seen all my sorrow,
Hear my cry once again.

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Should we use wine or grape juice for communion?

Matthew 26:

27 And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, 28 for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 29 I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”
Pulpit Commentary:

The offspring of the vine is a poetical way of describing wine (cf. Deuteronomy 22:9; Isaiah 32:12, etc.). It is absurd to find in this term an argument for unalcoholic grape juice. Wine, to be wine, must undergo fermentation, and if it is not to putrefy or to become vinegar, it must develop alcohol.
You can't keep grape juice from naturally fermenting into wine without refrigeration. Historically, alcoholic wine was used in the Last Supper.

What about today?

If you want to stick to historical context, you should use wine. Moreover, you would also need to use unleavened bread to be consistent. However, that is not necessary. Today, we can keep grape juice in the fridge, and some people, like me, are sensitive to alcohol. So grape juice is more suitable for more people, including kids. The important point is to understand that the drink represents the blood of Jesus.

Should we use wine or grape juice for communion?

Either is fine. For my taste, I prefer grape juice :)

The Axis of Evil a Formidable Foe

Imagine if all the Axis "of Evil" joined forces together and waged war at once? It would certainly be WW3.

Russia
China
Belarus
North Korea

These top 4 are nuclear powers, for we must include Belarus now since Russian tactical nukes are there.
Then there are these:

Iran
Syria
Yemen (Houthi)
Lebanon (Hezbollah)
Libya
Mali
Sudan
Eritrea
Afghanistan
Myanmar
Cuba
Venezuela
Nicaragua

Vietnam, maybe (They are an ally of Russia but a rival of China)

Turkey a total wild card: member of NATO yet has close ties with Russia.

Of the 2nd list, most of them might be considered "nuisance players" though Iran is powerful, and may be a nuclear power. Even so, so called nuisance players have already shown they can tie up western resources and deplete weapon supplies, as proven by Iran's proxies in the Middle East. The US has to devote some of its warships and aircraft to defend the red sea, and Israel from missile attack.
Afghanistan proved a disaster to the West, and in previous years to Russia.
Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela could tie up further American resources in the Caribbean.
There's enough Russian influence and alliance in Africa to create an African front. There may be more nations you could add too.

Such an alliance would prove to stretch America and its allies too thin, as Germany learned trying to take on Russia along with the nations to it's west.
If all this ever becomes polarized, look out.

'Challenges our authority': School board in Florida bans book about book bans

School officials in Florida have banned a book about book banning.

The Indian River County School Board voted to remove "Ban This Book" by Alan Gratz from its shelves in a meeting last month, overruling its own district book-review committee's decision to keep it.

The book, which had been in two Indian River County elementary schools and a middle school, was challenged by Jennifer Pippin. She's the head of the area's local chapter of Moms for Liberty, a national conservative group that has become one of the loudest advocates for removing books they deem inappropriate.

Gratz, its author, called the Indian River County decision "incredibly ironic."

"They banned the book because it talks about the books that they have banned and because it talks about book banning," he said in an interview with the USA TODAY NETWORK - Florida. "It feels like they know exactly what they're doing and they're somewhat ashamed of what they're doing and they don't want a book on the shelves that calls them out."

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The Statutes Of The Lord

Psalm 119

5 Oh, that my ways were directed
To keep Your statutes!

12 Blessed are You, O Lord!
Teach me Your statutes.


The statutes of the Lord direct us in the Way.
Like David, and as Jesus taught, we must ask!
"Teach me Your statutes."

What is a statute, and how does it differ from
a commandment, a testimony, a precept, a judgment?

Invalidating God's word

At Mark 7:7, 8, we read, "in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men. You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men."

In your experience, do you find many who identify as Christian, making their own commands and invalidating the commands in God's word the Bible?
I have.

To give an example, the word of God says, at Matthew 28:19, "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit".
Yet, I was told by someone who says they have holy spirit, that baptism is not necessary for salvation.

Have you heard this before, and what has your experience been. Do you find this kind of thing common - invalidating God's word, not baptism, or you don't experience it so much?

Have things changed since 1955?

I was reading The End of Eternity by Isaac Asimov. (Great book by the way.) In it he makes the following statement about computers determining what is good.
“What is that? Your machines tell you. Your Computaplexes. But who adjusts the machines and tells them what to weigh in the balance? The machines do not solve problems with greater insight than men do, only faster. Only faster!”

Now he wrote this back in 1955, but my question is does it still hold true? That is can the only thing computers or AI can do is solve problems faster, than people. Or do they have greater insight?
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Prayer for my friend Adam's grandmother, Marilyn

Hello folks. My friend Adam's grandmother, Marilyn is going to pass away in the near future, as she had a stroke last week. She is a Christian (Catholic). Pray that she receives the proper palliative care and for my friend's family, that God can comfort Adam's parents and Adam himself. My friend and his parents are not very religious, but I pray that God can help Marilyn, Adam and his family through this rough moment.

North Korea Nuclear Threats: "no one can hope to defeat,"

Hillarious:

(Emphasis, mine)
This quote! :ebil: :sigh:

"While the U.S. and its South Korean puppets are preparing a war of aggression against the DPRK (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) the leadership of the marshal (Kim) has turned the DPRK into a nuclear power that no one can hope to defeat," the messaging goes according to the lecturer.



Major North Korean state-run organizations are reportedly holding mandatory lectures on the importance of nuclear weapons and a national focus on self-defense in the face of "aggression" from the U.S. and South Korea.

Yet the slogans promulgated by these groups—including the Socialist Women's Union of Korea, Socialist Patriotic Youth League, and General Federation of Trade Unions of Korea—are failing to reverberate with the new generation, who are more interested in improving their living standard, Seoul-based news outlet Daily NK cited a participating lecturer as saying.

Pyongyang is forging ahead with its United Nations-sanctioned nuclear weapons, which the Kim Jong Un regime views as necessary for its preservation, prompting a rare joint statement by China, Japan, and South Korea last month affirming their commitment to the North's denuclearization.

Tensions on the Korean Peninsula are at their highest in decades amid a spate of North Korean missile tests, trash-filled balloons Pyongyang sent south in response to anti-regime literature from the other direction, and the suspension of a key inter-Korean military agreement meant to reduce tensions near the border.

Lecturers cite the "war provocations" by Washington and its allies as justification for North Korean efforts to continue strengthening its national defense efforts, Daily NK's source said, speaking on condition of anonymity since Pyongyang strictly forbids contact with individuals outside the country.

"While the U.S. and its South Korean puppets are preparing a war of aggression against the DPRK (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) the leadership of the marshal (Kim) has turned the DPRK into a nuclear power that no one can hope to defeat," the messaging goes according to the lecturer.

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea is North Korea's official name.

These lectures are reportedly ill-received by younger North Koreans, with some openly expressing apathy and even annoyance about being made to listen to the well-worn appeals to nationalism they grew up around.

"Nowadays, they can't help but smile when they hear that national defense is being stressed for the same reasons as a decade ago, despite the constant bragging about how North Korea has become a nuclear power," the lecturer said.

They added they'd overheard youths saying after a lecture they wished the impoverished country could be an economic heavyweight rather than a nuclear or military power.

Those who zone out during the propaganda sessions, however, risk punishment. The source cited as an example a man in his 30s who was forced to undergo a harsh self-criticism session after being caught listening to music with headphones during a lecture in the city of Pyongsong.

Newsweek reached out to the North Korean embassy in China with an emailed request for comment.

The American Federation of Scientists estimates North Korea possesses around 50 nuclear warheads.

The country, which has conducted six nuclear tests between 2006 and 2017, has threatened a seventh and in 2022 updated its nuclear doctrine to abandon its non-first-use policy.

In August, the U.S. and South Korea will hold an exercise simulating a North Korean nuclear attack. Pyongyang has warned of a "catastrophic aftermath" if the drill takes place.

(But those 50 nuclear warheads are special, and no one can defeat them, not even USA with 5000. Kim is no longer little rocket man, he is Big Bomb Man)
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Sanctification Imparted

I finally got me a hard copy of the Doctrine of Sanctification by AW Pink. It has already spoken volumes to me in regards to how I believe Sanctification is imparted to us by the Spirit:

"The receivers of the gift of righteousness must thereby be brought to reign in life—not only legally in justification, but also morally in sanctification (T. Boston, 1690).

Though absolutely inseparable, yet these two great blessings of divine grace are quite distinct. In sanctification, something is actually imparted to us, in justification it is only imputed. Justification is based entirely upon the work Christ wrought for us, sanctification is principally a work wrought in us. Justification respects its object in a legal sense, and terminates in a relative change, a deliverance from punishment, a right to the reward. Sanctification regards its object in a moral sense, and terminates in an experimental change both in character and conduct, imparting a love for God, a capacity to worship Him acceptably, and a meetness for heaven. Justification is by a righteousness without us; sanctification is by a holiness wrought in us. Justification is by Christ as Priest and has regard to the penalty of sin; sanctification is by Christ as King and has regard to the dominion of sin—the former cancels its damning power, the latter delivers from its reigning power.

They differ, then, in their order (not of time, but in their nature): justification preceding, sanctification following; the sinner is pardoned and restored to God’s favour before the Spirit is given to renew him after His image. They differ in their design: justification removes the obligation unto punishment; sanctification cleanses from pollution"
- From A. W. Pink, The Doctrine of Sanctification, Chapter 2, pgs 11 - 12

That it is imparted to us is verified here, as I have written elsewhere that righteousness is imparted to us (as in right living, not the right standing, which is imputed or credited to us). We are to "live it," that is, live the Gospel of Christ and not be hearers only, or speak lofty words in conformity to the Gospel while our lives are in conformity to the devil.

Imparted Sanctification or imparted righteousness is not just the Methodist theology of John Wesley, but is taught by many others as well, and more importantly, it is taught in scripture.
Ellen G White who was SDA wrote, "The righteousness by which we are justified is imputed; the righteousness by which we are sanctified is imparted. The first is our title to heaven, the second is our fitness for heaven." (Messages to Young People, pg 35) This is basically what Pink is saying in his book, and is well stated.

In a Commentary on the 1689 Baptist Confession, Chapter 13, Sanctification, it reads, "It is done by the Holy Spirit procured or imparted by the Lord Jesus."

J.C. Ryle, Anglican wrote, "The righteousness we have by sanctification is our own righteousness, imparted, inherent, and wrought in us by the Holy Spirit," (Justification and Sanctification: How do they Differ?)

This is where I have often contended regarding that there WILL be a change in one's life if they are truly saved. God will sanctify the person and there shall be a demonstrable lifestyle change: there will be fruits, there will be manifestations of righteousness in life.
This is imparted by the Holy Spirit, and is a gift of Jesus Christ imparted to us, for He is our sanctification, as 1 Corinthians 1:30 declares,
"But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:"

Of Him ARE YE in Christ Jesus; referring there "Of Him" to God who has chosen in verse 28, and therefore of God are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made - and we see 4 things listed of which Sanctification is one of them, and the preceding righteousness, also imparted is aligned and inseparable from Sanctification.
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Hebrews It! (Legal Study, Chapter 2:10-13) Pt. 9

Link to Table of Contents

Continued from Hebrews It! (Legal Study, Chapter 2:3-9) Pt. 8

Closing thought from Pt. 8 "God does not boast or glorify Himself in any way, shape or form. The Father, Glorying the Son, because of the Son's Selfless Humility and good will towards Friend and Enemy, alike is what the Father Glory's. This is foundational to our faith. I can't emphasize enough how very critical this point within scripture is."

Hebrews 2:10 For in bringing many sons to glory, it was entirely appropriate that God—all things exist for Him and through Him—should make the source of their salvation perfect through sufferings.
1 John 3:1-2 See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.
There is a verse in Micah that brings out much of what this is saying, but the thing about Micah is that it is intensely Prophetic in reading. When I exegete scripture, I don't just take a verse here and a verse there, but instead read entire books to ensure that context is grasped properly. It may not appear like Hebrews 2:10 is an intense verse, but it actually is. When beginning this OP with this verse, I knew right off the bat upon OP setup that 2:10 would require a minimum of cross reference to properly exegete. I'm desiring to really pull all that is expressed within this verse out, but I don't want to just show up with the explanation and you, the reader wonders how I arrived at that conclusion. It's been clear that there are specific biblical strategies that we have employed to really build a rock solid foundation upon, that gets at the Soul of the scriptural passage, but this is one of those that will be involved. It isn't just saying ONE thing. This verse is intentionally referencing multiple time periods and how the work of God is echoed throughout these time periods.​
We've already laid the foundation of this verse with the opening statement of this OP, which was taken from the closing statement of Pt. 8. But, that being said, it is more profitable to visually explain why this verse is so potent.​
"Bringing many sons to glory"
This reaches all the way back to Adam and Eve, who fell from Glory. It stretches forward to when the very Glory of God was made manifest to all of the Patriarchal fathers who saw Pre-incarnate Christ. It especially resonates with the very Glory of God that was surrounded by the Angelic Armies within a Pillar of could by day and a Pillar of fire, by night. The very image of the Shekinah Glory through the Narrow Tabernacle Way, then into the very Tent through the Curtain known as Truth and finally through the Most Holy of Holies Curtain know as the "parokhet" ("A parokhet is a curtain that covers the Torah ark in a synagogue, which contains the Torah scrolls. The word parokhet is Hebrew and means "curtain before the holy of holies". The curtain is a liturgical item that serves as a reminder of the curtain that separated the holy of holies in the temple and tabernacle."), which led to THE VERY LIGHT (Shekinah Glory). All of this was merely a SHADOW of what was to come! The Tabernacle was always nothing more than a teaching tool of God unto man, of His most magnificent work. God never said; "It is Finished" during Creation, even after He "Rested". When the very PRESENCE of God unified with Creation by becoming Human, He, the ONE TRUE Tabernacle of God, Who IS God, the VERY MAGNIFICENT PRESENCE of God, dwelled among us in lowly humility and Love that was UNCONDITIONAL. He didn't declare Creation Finished, until He had proven to us, His cherished, Beloved Creations, that there are no lengths that He wouldn't go through, to dwell in harmony, with us. We slaughtered Him! We murdered Him! WE, His very Creations, raised our hands violently to HIM! He declared Creation finished, when He was now the Creator and simultaneously PART of His Creation. It doesn't stop there, though!
We are now able to SEE HIS VERY GLORY in Heaven, upon our death! Heaven is the very REALM of HIS TRUE GLORY and as stated before, we who exalt HIM out of sincere Gratitude are His very THRONE! One day, wickedness will be eradicated by God, just as God cast Satan and his followers from Heaven, SO WE COULD DWELL WITH HIM, He will merge Heaven and Earth, so that all will be COMPLETE. Glory. Many "Sons" brought.
should make the source of their salvation perfect through sufferings.
Jesus is the SOURCE of SALVATION. His act of INFINITE, SELFLESS LOVE revealed the very PERFECTION of God unto Angels and Men.
This actually dovetails into our opening statement which was derived from the earlier verses of Hebrews. I look for excuses to incorporate entire passages of scripture with entire passages of scripture, but we will leave this at the opening statement since it fits so well.
"God does not boast or glorify Himself in any way, shape or form. The Father, Glorying the Son, because of the Son's Selfless Humility and good will towards Friend and Enemy, alike, is what the Father Glory's. This is foundational to our faith. I can't emphasize enough how very critical this point within scripture is."
11 For the One who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one Father. That is why Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers,
Two Passages really bring this first portion of the passage out.
Romans12:1 I exhort you, therefore, brothers, in view of God’s mercies, to offer yourselves as a sacrifice, living and set apart for God. This will please him; it is the logical “Temple worship” for you​
Matthew 23:16 “Woe to you, blind guides! You say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it means nothing; but anyone who swears by the gold of the temple is bound by that oath.’ 17 You blind fools! Which is greater: the gold, or the temple that makes the gold sacred? 18 You also say, ‘If anyone swears by the altar, it means nothing; but anyone who swears by the gift on the altar is bound by that oath.’ 19 You blind men! Which is greater: the gift, or the altar that makes the gift sacred? 20 Therefore, anyone who swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it. 21 And anyone who swears by the temple swears by it and by the one who dwells in it. 22 And anyone who swears by heaven swears by God’s throne and by the one who sits on it.
We will diagram this to show what it is saying in the underlined portion.​
The Type or Shadow
The Realization of the Shadow
The Type or Shadow
The Realization of the Shadow
For the One who sanctifies
Our Creator
those who are sanctified all have one Father
Creation
If anyone swears by the temple
Jesus
anyone who swears by the gold of the temple
The Immortal Human Soul
If anyone swears by the templeJesus
anyone who swears by the gold of the temple
The Holy Spirit (Soul) of the Father and Son
If anyone swears by the altar
The Earth (Creation)
the gift on the altar
Jesus
If anyone swears by the alter​
Jesus
the gift on the alter​
The Repentant (Saints)
the one who dwells in it
The Holy Spirit (Soul) of the Father and Son
the temple
Jesus
the one who dwells in itThe Holy Spirit (Soul) of the Father and Son
The Temple​
The Repentant (Saints)
heaven
The very realm of the Infinite Father (Infinity)
God’s throne
The Son​
the one who sits on it
Jesus
God’s throne
The Repentant (Saints)​
the one who sits on it​
The Father
God's throne​
The Son​

...That is why Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers,
This is a profound statement. I would Love to say that "brothers" is a term to all creation, but it's not. This is the name for the saints. Jesus called all Creation His friends. Jesus Loves all of Creation with Agape Love. Jesus waits for people to (Repent of a sincere heart and Turn to Him and Him alone) and at this point, we are joined into the MOST Intimate relationship of our Life!
He is our Father, Brother, Husband, Son, Best Friend, Teacher, The Very Anchor of our Soul (His very Soul intertwines with ours), Comforter, Provider, Living Water, Bread from Heaven, Savior etc... etc...
Hebrews 2:11 Saying: I will proclaim Your name to My brothers; I will sing hymns to You in the congregation.
There's no mistake. This is an old Testament quote. Let's dig it up.​
Psalm 22

From Suffering to Praise​

For the choir director: according to “The Deer of the Dawn.” A Davidic psalm.​

"The phrase Aijeleth Ha-Shahar, which appears in Psalm 22:1, translates to "upon a doe of the morning". The phrase could refer to a melody or instrument, but it could also indicate that the psalm is meant to be sung or recited in the early morning, when deer are active. The psalm may also refer to a small deer or ibex being hunted at dawn during hunting season. Some say that David wrote the psalm while feeling like a deer being pursued and hunted."​
1 My God, my God, why have You forsaken me? Why are You so far from my deliverance and from my words of groaning?
These are the words of our God!!!!! He Was cut off for our sake!​

2 My God, I cry by day, but You do not answer, by night, yet I have no rest.
In the Garden of Gethsemane before His crucifixion, Jesus was under a weight that no man can comprehend.​

3 But You are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel.
Israel and Gentiles alike are all now His very "Throne of Praise".​

4 Our fathers trusted in You; they trusted, and You rescued them.
Hebrews 11:39 All these were approved through their faith, but they did not receive what was promised, 40 since God had provided something better for us, so that they would not be made perfect without us.
We, Gentiles, tend to forget that we weren't the first to be in Relationship with YHWH. We were fortunate to be born after Jesus' completed work. Everyone else, who died before Jesus, had been waiting for the fulfilment of their eschatology, which indeed involved (To the Repentant) Living with God. This is a Jew, speaking to Repentant, Gospel accepting Jews that they now had FULL access to the eschatological promises of their fathers. Only one of those promises was "Delayed".
5 They cried to You and were set free; they trusted in You and were not disgraced.
Jonah 2:2 I called to the Lord in my distress, and He answered me. I cried out for help in the belly of Sheol; You heard my voice.
Psalm 18:4-6 The cords of death encompassed me; the torrents of destruction assailed me; the cords of Sheol entangled me; the snares of death confronted me. In my distress I called upon the Lord; to my God I cried for help. From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry to him reached his ears.
Psalm 86:13 For great is your steadfast love toward me; you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.
Psalm 22:44 O Lord, God of my salvation, I cry out day and night before you. Let my prayer come before you; incline your ear to my cry! For my soul is full of troubles, and my life draws near to Sheol. I am counted among those who go down to the pit; I am a man who has no strength, like one set loose among the dead,
Hebrews 5:7 In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence.
Psalm 116:3 The snares of death encompassed me; the pangs of Sheol laid hold on me; I suffered distress and anguish.
Isaiah 14:9 Sheol beneath is stirred up to meet you when you come; it rouses the shades (Ghosts) to greet you, all who were leaders of the earth; it raises from their thrones all who were kings of the nations.
Psalm 16:10 For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption.
Acts 2:27 For you will not abandon my soul to Hades (Sheol), or let your Holy One see corruption.

Continued on Post # 2​

Lord, why are You going to reveal Yourself to us and not to the world?

Let's see the context. John 14:

15 If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate to be with you forever—
The Advocate is the indwelling Paraclete

17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot receive Him, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. But you do know Him, for He abides with you and will be in you.
The world of unbelievers cannot know the Paraclete. Only believers can because he dwells in them.

18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 In a little while the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 On that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you are in Me, and I am in you.
I.e., The Paraclete in us.

21 Whoever has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me. The one who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and reveal Myself to him.”
I.e., in the form of the Paraclete.

22 Judas (not Iscariot) asked Him, “Lord, why are You going to reveal Yourself to us and not to the world?”
What exactly did Jesus mean by revealing himself?

Again and again, Jesus meant revealing himself as the Paraclete.

23 Jesus replied, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word. My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.
I.e., the Paraclete will come and live in us individually.

Lord, why are You going to reveal Yourself to us and not to the world?

Jesus used the word "love*" 11 times in this chapter. Believers love Jesus and have the Paraclete dwelling in them. The world of unbelievers does not have the Paraclete dwelling them.

Why would the world of unbelievers not see Jesus?

Because they don't love him, the Paraclete does not live in them.

After Jesus spoke on the promised Paraclete, he said:

31b "Get up! Let us go on from here."
Today, let us get up and go with the Paraclete in us.
  • Love
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Unprecedented $150M donation aims to boost Northwest Indiana’s Catholic schools

(OSV News) — In what is described as “the largest single investment” in prekindergarten-to-grade-12 Catholic education in history, the Dean and Barbara White Family Foundation is donating $150 million to the Chicago-based Big Shoulders Fund to support Catholic schools in the Diocese of Gary, Indiana.

The gift, which will be made over the next 10 years, aims to improve the schools’ quality, accessibility and sustainability, making them the “highest performing network of Catholic schools in the United States” that could create a national model, said William Hanna, the foundation’s executive director.

Bishop Robert J. McClory of Gary called the donation, which was publicly announced June 12, “extraordinary.”

“One could live their whole lives — and certainly their whole episcopacy — and never be able to make an announcement as significant as this,” he told OSV News. “This is a sign of hope and confidence in our Catholic schools, and a time to rejoice and look to the future.”

Background of The Dean and Barbara White Family Foundation​


Continued below.

Judge strikes down Florida ban on some transgender surgeries, hormonal treatments for minors

OSV News) — A federal judge June 11 struck down key portions of a Florida law banning certain types of medical or surgical gender reassignment procedures for minors who identify as transgender.

Calling the law unconstitutional, Judge Robert L. Hinkle of U.S. District Court in Tallahassee ruled in favor of advocacy groups and families who challenged the 2023 law enacted by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, arguing that the law stripped them of parental rights regarding medical decisions for their children.

Judge declares Florida law unconstitutional, DeSantis to appeal​

“The state of Florida can regulate as needed but cannot flatly deny transgender individuals safe and effective medical treatment — treatment with medications routinely provided to others with the state’s full approval so long as the purpose is not to support the patient’s transgender identity,” Hinkle wrote.

In a statement, DeSantis’ office said it will appeal the ruling.

“Through their elected representatives, the people of Florida acted to protect children in this state, and the Court was wrong to override their wishes,” the statement said. “We disagree with the Court’s erroneous rulings on the law, on the facts, and on the science. As we’ve seen here in Florida, the United Kingdom, and across Europe, there is no quality evidence to support the chemical and physical mutilation of children.”

Trend of state legislation​


Continued below.

Foster parents sue Vermont after state revokes license for rejecting gender ideology

Two Vermont families who were inspired by their faith to foster children in their homes have filed a lawsuit against the state’s Department for Children and Families after the agency revoked their licenses for refusing to embrace gender ideology.

The foster parents, who are represented by the legal advocacy group Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), have provided foster care to children for several years. However, their licenses were revoked because they did not agree to a policy that would require them to support a child’s decision to identify with a gender that is separate from his or her biological sex or to bring the child to events that promote homosexuality if he or she identifies as homosexual.

In both cases, neither set of parents was caring for a child who identified as transgender or homosexual. However, Vermont’s policy requires the foster parents to affirm that they would support a child in his or her self-asserted gender identity and sexuality — if the hypothetical situation were to occur.

“Vermont’s foster-care system is in crisis: There aren’t enough families to care for vulnerable kids, and children born with drug dependencies have nowhere to call home,” ADF Legal Counsel Johannes Widmalm-Delphonse said in a statement. “Yet Vermont is putting its ideological agenda ahead of the needs of these suffering kids.”

Continued below.
  • Wow
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Should I be this man friend ?

A Christian friend of mine divorced his wife because she was extremely disrespectful and verbal abusing him and he had christian counseling with her for years and she didn’t change so he divorced her. She never cheated and he never cheated so he did sin divorcing her. I told him that’s adultery he said he know but he had enough of her should i still remain his friend ?
Please insert scripture with my decision

The nun in a tent: Meet the sister who’s following the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage

In her day-to-day life, Sister Mary Rose Chinn of the Handmaids of the Triune God works with public school kids in Ventura, California, a coastal city northwest of Los Angeles. But this summer, she hit the road to camp out and follow Jesus in the Eucharist.

When Chinn learned that a group of “Perpetual Pilgrims” would be making its way from California to Indiana on the Junipero Serra Route of the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage, she wanted to be a part of it.

Equipped with her car, a tent, and the “angels and saints in heaven,” Chinn follows the online schedule of the pilgrims, who are accompanying Jesus in the Eucharist on foot and by van on their way to Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, where the National Eucharistic Congress will be held July 17–21.

Along the way, she’s offering up the prayer intentions of the people in Ventura and offers to pray for the prayer intentions of those she meets from city to city and parish to parish.

Continued below.

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