This is speaking of Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords, the promised seed of Abraham (Galatians 3:16), and the Anointed of God. He was in the beginning with God, and he is God, the second person of our triune God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. And he is our creator God. Yet, he left his throne in heaven and he became flesh and he dwelt among the people of the earth, but most people did not receive him as their Messiah.

[Isaiah 53:1-12; Matt 7:21-23; Matt 26:26-29; Lu 9:23-26; Lu 17:25; Jn 1:1-36; Jn 6:35-58; Jn 8:24,58; Jn 10:27-33; Jn 20:28-29; Rom 5:8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14; Rom 9:5; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 1 Co 11:23-32; 1 Co 15:1-8; 2 Co 5:15,21; Eph 4:17-24; Php 2:5-11; Col 2:9; Tit 2:11-14; Heb 1:8-9; Heb 2:14-15; Heb 4:15; 1 Pet 2:24; 2 Pet 1:1; 1 John 3:4-10]

Although Jesus lived in a flesh body when he lived on the earth, and he was born of a woman, he was conceived of the Holy Spirit, so he was not born with a sin nature in the image of Adam, as we are. But he was still tempted to sin, because he lived in a flesh body, yet he remained sinless the whole time he lived on the earth. So he was able to be our pure “sacrificial lamb” for the sins of the entire world when he was put to death on a cross by his enemies who hated him.

For in his death on that cross he became sin for us so that when he died our sins died with him, and were buried with him. And when he was resurrected from the dead, he rose triumphant over our sin and over death, Satan, and hell, on our behalf. And he did this that we might die with him to sin and live to him and to his righteousness, in the power of God, by God-gifted and God-persuaded faith in Jesus Christ, which is not of our own doing – not of the will of the flesh.

[1 Peter 2:24; 2 Corinthians 5:15,21; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20; Romans 6:1-23; Hebrews 12:1-2; Ephesians 2:8-10; John 1:12-13; John 6:44]

But although Jesus Christ was the fulfillment of the promised seed of Abraham and he was/is the Christ, the Messiah that was to come to the Jewish people of that time, not many believed in him. But many hated him and opposed him and mocked and criticized him and plotted out his death on a cross. And many people today still hate him and his gospel message, even many who claim him as their Lord and Messiah, but who refuse to do what he says we must do as his followers.

And so they are hating and persecuting his true followers and his messengers who are taking the truth of the gospel to the people of the world and who are refuting the lies of the enemy which are rapidly spreading throughout the world and which are deceiving many people into following after a false Jesus, and a false (half-truth twisted) gospel, and which are convincing many people to reject the truth as though it is the lie while they embrace the lie as though it is the truth.

But God is not threatened by their evil plots and by their evil desires and actions which are against him and against his anointed ones who are carrying his message to the people of the world. For he is completely sovereign over all he has created and no one can do anything to thwart his purposes. God’s plans will be accomplished regardless of what human beings might do to try to destroy them. And they will see his power when he terrifies them in his fury.

And it is important to note here that only those whose trust is in Jesus Christ to be Lord and Savior of their lives are God’s chosen people, whether Jew or Gentile by physical birth. For it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise. And if we belong to Christ, because we have died with him to sin, and we are now walking in obedience to his commands, by faith in him, then we are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

[Genesis 17:7-9; Genesis 18:19; Romans 2:28-29; Romans 9:4-8,25-28; Romans 11:1-36; Galatians 3:16,26-29; Galatians 4:22-31; Ephesians 2:11-22; Ephesians 3:6; 1 John 2:22; John 8:18-19,38-47; Jude 1:5; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 4:1-16]

And it is the Lord Jesus, who is God – the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob – whom we are to serve with our lives. And that is why this says to “Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way, for his wrath is quickly kindled. Blessed are all who take refuge in him.” We are to pay him homage and to salute him as King of our lives. So we must die with him to sin and now walk in obedience to his commands in holy living, or we will face his wrath and spend eternity in hell.

[Matt 7:21-23; Lu 9:23-26; 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 2:3-6,24-25; 1 Jn 3:4-10; 1 Pet 2:24; Heb 3:1-19; Heb 4:1-13; Heb 10:23-31; Rev 21:8,27; Rev 22:14-15]

VOICE OF TRUTH

By Mark Hall & Steven Curtis Chapman
II Corinthians 12:7-10/I Corinthians 1:20-24

Oh what I would do to have
The kind of faith it takes to climb out of this boat I’m in
Onto the crashing waves

To step out of my comfort zone
Into the realm of the unknown where Jesus is
And He’s holding out His hand

But the waves are calling out my name and they laugh at me
Reminding me of all the times I’ve tried before and failed
The waves they keep on telling me
Time and time again, “Boy, you’ll never win!”
“You’ll never win!”

But the voice of truth tells me a different story
The voice of truth says, “Do not be afraid!”
And the voice of truth says, “This is for My glory”
Out of all the voices calling out to me
I will choose to listen and believe the voice of truth

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already protests have started

but i am for Israel taking part

I see why countries around the world are flocking to Russia or China, it's because of us dictating to other countries how they should live. We are so arrogant to think we are better than everyone else. The Rwandan president hits back at the reporters and more or less calls us hypocrites which I believe we are. We need to wake up and make peace because Africa along with the rest of the countries in this world are becoming intolerant to Western demands. Because of this, we are losing valuable resources that we will desperately need in the future. Then you have greedy corporations taking advantage of those countries.

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Dog the Bounty Hunter wants Congress to fund special agents who will apprehend migrants convicted of crimes in other countries who are entering the United States illegally.

The 71-year-old bestselling author and TV personality, whose real name is Duane Chapman, recently spoke with The Christian Post for an interview touching on his new book, Nine Lives and Counting, his faith, declining church attendance and what he thinks should be done about the influx of illegal immigration at the southern border.

According to data from U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the agency recorded 2,475,669 southwest border land encounters between illegal immigrants and law enforcement officials in 2023. Chapman says he'd like to see the U.S. government support bounty hunters in apprehending migrants with criminal records.

Continued below.

The Doctrine of Election was contrived by the French Theologian Jehan Cauvin (John Calvin). Jehan had developed it by 1536AD, but continued amending and honing it all the way up to1556AD due to frequent scriptural rebuttal from biblical scholars like, Sebastian Castellio. Jehan was one of the final contributing voices to the Protestant Reformation, which is to say a fracture from the Body of Christ which intended to Reform the Biblical Canon as well as the doctrines and practices of the Holy Roman Catholic Church. To be "Protestant" has lost understanding, but it is to say that a person is Protesting against the Holy Roman Universal (Catholic) Church that was born from the Papal lineage of Peter. There is a second lineage that Protestants adopt, which is a "Scriptural Chain of Custody" Lineage. Whatever a persons stance on this matter, both Lineages of Doctrine are relevant to the validity of Canon and assert that Biblical Canon has remained genuine and intact.


It is noted in history that Jehan's living influence was Martin Bucer. HIs deceased influences were based on the early church scriptural chain of custody, lineage. It was common practice for men like Irenaeus of Lyons to write extensive commentary on scripture. “The blessed apostles [Peter and Paul], having founded and built up the church [of Rome] . . . handed over the office of the episcopate to Linus” (Against Heresies 3:3:3 [A.D. 189]). This growing volume of Commentaries, by the time they arrived to Reformation Theologians like Bucer and Cauvin were prolific in nature. They had become a sort of prophetic extrabiblical addendum to scripture, in the minds of Reformed theologians, identically to how many Popes wrote on scripture, under the edict of Papal infallibility. Martin Luther was behind one of the 5 pillars of reform, Sola Scriptura, which is a proclamation against the Catholic church for utilizing extra biblical writings to generate Church Doctrine. However, Theologians like Jehan and Bucer, while claiming to be "Scripture Only", heavily drew from the writings of the custodians of scripture to create doctrine. One cannot claim to use The Holy Spirt to exegete scripture, while incorporating exegesis of extra biblical origins into their doctrines. This would be like saying one drinks water, only, but adds lemon, to their water.


Eusebius is one of the early men that was entrusted with Scriptural Chain of custody. He is known for DEEPLY infusing Plato's writings into his exegesis and summaries. We have direct evidence of this in books 11 (Book XI Eusebius of Caesarea), 12 (BOOK XII Eusebius of Caesarea) and lastly 13 (Book XIII Eusebius of Caesarea). This is no small doing. Eusebius absorbed the core elements of PLATO's Pegan musings about God, then ultimately utilized that knowledge to infuse into the concepts of God's Omnipotence, Omniscience and Omnipresence. Plato essentially created an Image of God that was incapable of experience through Plato's personal human musings about what it means to Know All Things. He fastened a very BLIND to experiential reality facet to the Omniscience aspect of God, which removed God's ability to be a Living, Breathing, Experiencing Being. Plato's private illusions which alluded to God's "Perfection", were void of "Benevolence". Plato, mused that Perfection was a state that was so precise, that the very deviation of Consciousness to one matter or another would topple the essence of perfection. Plato's musings seem to De-Anthropomorphize God. This is a severe issue, because YH-H's very name is not only "I AM That I AM", but the very 4 ancient Hebrew Characters are known to illicit a distinct Living Breathing sound that is poetically necessary to understand as Living and Breathing. To remove the Living, Breathing, Experiential aspect of God from God is very directly attacking the Sacred Name of God. This is not to say that Eusebius was a bad man. It is simply to say that men followed him, in doctrine, which is the issue. Eusebius wrote many beautiful things.


By the time the Line of Eusebius's Plato infused writings reached Augustine, Platonic Christianity had become the norm. Most, all of Christendom, or to say Tongue and Cheek wise, ALL (In terms of Limited Atonement) of Christendom had adopted Pegan musings into their lens of viewing God. Augustine's volumes of Commentary were even greater than Eusebius's. A matter of fact is that Augustine subscribed to and then openly RECANTED of a known Heresy of his time. Manicheanism was the name of the Heresy which consisted of Zoroastrian Dualism, Babylonian folklore, Buddhist ethics, and some small and superficial, additions of Christian elements. The most prominent aspects of Manicheanism are that God and Satan are Pre-eminent and Pre-existing. God did not "Create" Satan in Manicheanism. This was a cleaver way of saying that Good and Evil are 1, yet separated, though the Pre-Eminence and infusion of all that exists. Manicheanism taught about Aeon's the term appropriated by Gnostic heresiarchs to designate the series of spiritual powers evolved by progressive emanation from the eternal Being, and constituting the Pleroma or invisible spiritual world, as distinct from the Kenoma, or visible material world. This is to say that all that exists is derived from Good and Evil. As all Heretical Gnosticism taught, Knowledge is our Salvation. This is to say that God isn't our savior, but instead that knowledge is our savior. Though Augustine wrote vehemently against Manicheanism, his doctrine of original sin incorporated the idea that flesh itself carries "Sin". This is a direct take from Gnosticism in this way; " The only hope for humankind, while locked in this evil shell of a body is to spiritually transcend this world and deny the body." This almost sounds like Paul saying "Oh Body of Death", but Paul, when speaking of The Old Man and The New Creation in Christ is paralleling the condemnation of the Law (Old Covenant Man) with his Faith in Jesus (New Covenant Man). The war within Paul is most specifically, but not scripturally limited to... Trusting the Work of Christ which yields the Holy Spirit and the Fruits of the Spirit or trusting his ability to Follow the Covenant of Stone, which yields death. The Battle is within Paul's mind and NOT AGAINST his Flesh. It is unmistakable that Paul is also emphasizing that we fail, sin, goof up, yet Christ's Grace is MORE THAN SUFFICIENT... but Paul isn't teaching Gnosticism that assumes Creation itself, including our flesh, is evil. Augustine asserted that Sin itself was evidence of free will, yet struggled to separate the Pre-Existing Nature of God, from the Dualism of Manicheanism... and would speak of God punishing, yet doing so justly... and then Augustine's writings would struggle to reconcile the Love of God with the presence of Evil. Augustine, unknowingly painted a picture of God that was Good and Evil, but NOT Evil, because we can never ascribe evil to God, therefore what appears Evil by God is actually "Justice". Augustine said MANY beautiful things! He had many wonderful points and perspectives. This was simply a matter of fact within Augustine's writings.


Now, with all of this being read and regurgitated, gurgitated, then regurgitated... from Augustine to Jehan, these two discussed matters of Pegan Platonism and Gnostic Duality were stoutly distilled into a very Potent form of these ideas, infused into Christendom. It is exactly here, with Jehan, that both the idea of Pegan Omniscience and Gnostic Dualism get infused into a very popular doctrine of Election, now discussed under the Umbrella of Predestination, which in Layman's terms presents forth the following idea;


Due to God's Platonically defined Sovereign Omniscience, God is INCAPABLE of creating a system of Creation in which, just as God has Sovereign Moral Agency, His creations have Sovereign Moral Agency. It now becomes apparent that by this Human Logic, No matter how God creates a Being, He will know that Beings every decision... and upon inception, has already decided the Salvic fate of that created being. I don't have Jehan's debate notes, but I can already surmise by kindergarten level logic that his initial Doctrine based itself upon the observation of the life of each human being, and by merit of the life lived by each human being, chose some to become ELLECTED unto salvation. What was the war-cry of Luther, that started the Reformation? As Luther was intentionally inflicting recompense upon his flesh, by walking up stairs on his knees, he heard the words... "The Just Shall Live By Faith". A Single Predestination doctrine would be heresy, under the most stringent guide of all of the reformists, because Luther's demand that the Just shall live by faith is erased, by the idea that in reverse evaluation, the Elect aren't saved by Faith, but by merit of their Good and Godly lived life, that God pre-selected them by. How do we defend this idea? We can Double Pre-Destine Mankind. One set of people are randomly selected per Divine Lottery for salvation, while the other set of people are selected for the purpose of Eternal Damnation and pain. Why is this done? Only God's great, perfect Sovereignty is to be demonstrated in doctrine... so this is to Glorify God. God demonstrates his Sovereignty by creating Reprobates that serve the purpose to guide and teach the Elect the utter wickedness of not being according to God's ways. The Gnosticism and Pegan Platonian Strong Drink assist in this being true, because we can then say, By God's Magnificent Sovereignty, He has demonstrated His PERFECTION by creation it's self. Remember, Perfection binds God to a flatline of emotive demonstration or experience. To God, He is merely Doing what He has Already done, and humanity is just a tool to Demonstrate God's Majesty, to God.

This is all and well, but there is a specific doctrinal issue with Single and Double Predestination, which has to functionally exist for Election to be true.

It rests on the Hebrew of the matter. The most imperative word within all of the above work of John Calvin is Sovereignty. This word denotes that God is fully capable of doing as He pleases in the matter of Election through the mechanism of Double Predestination (Random widgets to Heaven and Random widgets to Eternal Hell). If a theist uses the term "Free Will" the idea of Sophism combined with Semantics is employed. The argument will then become... there is no such thing as "Free Will". If a person were to as ad nauseum as it is in discussion about God's inability to instill genuine free will into His creation, instead define and combine the terms Individual Autonomous Free Moral Agency... the term would express God giving His creations Agency that is independent of His agency, thus a form of Self Sovereignty that has genuine, non-illusionary choice.

Enter Genesis, Daniel and Colossians: In Genesis, God does far more than just provide Sovereignty. God BLESSES mankind with Sovereignty, which by the very Hebrew word used for "Dominion", is Sovereignty. Daniel Talks about Jesus Christ's Sovereignty that is established Post Ascension. This passage in Daniel Echo's Colossians 1 where it again, Denotes all authority to Christ post Ascension.

The Passage in Daniel affirms the legitimacy of the implication in Genesis... and Echo's the exact rhythm of Adam being the First, while Christ is the Second "Adam". The interlinking of Genesis 1 and Colossians 1 are Poetic by Hebrew nature. While Jesus is Given Heavenly and Earthly Sovereignty in Colossians, Adam and Even are BLESSED with Earthly Sovereignty in Genesis 1.

This is how this looks in the verses and in the Hebrew.

In Daniel the word for Dominion is the NOUN Sholtan (A Sultan), while in Genesis the word for Dominion is the Active VERB Radah (A Raja) to give Sultan (The Noun) ), BUT, Raja is a Verb, in this case which would indicate that (Sultan), was given, via the active Hebrew Verb (Raja.)​

​

To respect ALL scripture... The passage indicates that Y-WH Barak (Blessed) them actively "Raja verb" which would then imply the Masculine Noun Sultin has been given as a gift to Adam and Eve. This matches the Biblical account that the First Adam was incapable of restoring Dominion. This then goes forward to show that Christ (The Second Adam) Could and Did Restore Sultan to God.​

Click to expand...

Daniel 7:14 (This Hebrew word is Sholtan) Noun

Click to expand...

Genesis 1:28 (This Hebrew word is Radah) Verb​

Click to expand...

Now, that we understand this reference... the defensive response could insinuate that Adam and Eve weren't given full Rule, Dominion, Domination, Sultan of themselves and the earth.... However, this would immediately defame the Supremacy of Christ, as the very rhetoric God used towards Adam and Eve in Genesis 1, in reference to Adam and Eve's Rule over the earth is identically echoed towards Jesus Christ, though towards Heaven and Earth as Creator is added in Reference to God the Son.

Biden claims inflation was 9% when he came into office — when it actually was 1.4%​

Does he believe that people don't check in this day and age?

Anyone else been watching the latest series on Daystar TV by Dr. Michael Youssef ('Leading the Way' ministry)?
It's called "Heaven Awaits".

Seems the 10-part series started back in April ... 4 parts have been broadcast so far.

Dr. Youssef has written a book with the same title as the series.
(The book was released this week.)

I'm finding the series to be so inspiring ... so full of hope and joyful anticipation!


Thought I'd mention it ... share the YouTube videos.
(Maybe someone else here likes thinking about our eternal home in heaven, too!)

I have a problem with Paul and his version of events.

What we know of Saul/Paul, comes from Paul. Christians today accepts his version of events, and make this person of small (Acts 9 commentary) stature (Paulus) a Giant in the religion he has invented, Pauline Christianity we have today. My issue with Paul is his disinformation, according to the ancient authors--Christian, Jewish, and Pagan. According to St. Jerome (347-420), there was a tradition among Christians in the Holy Land that Paul's parents were immigrants to Tarsus from the Judean (Galilean) city of Gischala: “they say that the parents of the apostle Paul were from Gischala, a region of Judea* and that, when the whole province was devastated by the hand of Rome and the Jews scattered throughout the world, they were moved to Tarsus a town of Cilicia; the boy Paul inherited the lot of his parents” **(St. Jerome, Commentary on Philemon, vs. 23-24). Yet, Paul claims that he is from the tribe of Benjamin, and he like his father before him are Pharisees. See Acts 23:6.

Sue for Jero.

*Jerome was first and foremost a religious author. However, geography was not his best subject, he mistook Galilee of the Gentiles/Galilee of the Nations, as being in Judea.

**Translated: by Thomas P. Scheck (2010), St Jerome’s commentaries on Galatians, Titus, and Philemon, pp. 378/9, University of Notre Dame Press, Indiana.

Hi
I am new to this blog and not sure where to go for discussion, I would like to post some post through my amanuensis owing to my sight problem, due in part to my diabetes. My brain is still sharp, but my 87-year-old body is holding me back, but with the help of my amanuenses, last count was I had four (4) I hope to post some discussions. Jero

One possible vice-presidential candidate, Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.), repeatedly declined to say whether he will accept the outcome.

It looks like (after that whole Mike Pence thing) that there is a new litmus test for veep candidates that qualify them in Trump's eyes, but should disqualify them in everyone else's.

I mean, this is how elections work. You have an election, and there is an outcome. That outcome can involve recounts, lawsuits, whatever, but at the end of the day, there is an outcome.

“This is how democracies break down,” [poli sci prof] Miller said, later adding, “It’s such a low bar to say, ‘Yeah, the election is free and fair,’ or, ‘I will obey the results of the election.’ … You don’t deserve credit for not committing a crime.”

But Trump's potential veep picks are managing to limbo under that low bar.

[After evading the question 6 times, Scott] continued to evade the question even as the interviewer, NBC News’s Kristen Welker, reminded him that a “hallmark of our democracy is that both candidates agree to a peaceful transfer of power.”

“This is why so many Americans believe that NBC is an extension of the Democrat [sic] party at the end of the day,” Scott said at one point. “… I believe that President Trump will be our next president. It’s that simple.”

If you take his words literally, he's saying the election outcome is irrelevant. This is some weird presuppositional apologetic to say that Trump is already the next president. Elections just cause doubt, because they can go either way. But if you hold to a singular faith that Trump is the next president, that provides certainty in a time of doubt.

North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, in a TV interview Sunday, dodged a question about Trump’s comments on political violence. Burgum, like Scott, declined to contemplate a scenario in which the former president loses and said he was “looking forward to next January, when Vice President Harris certifies the election for Donald Trump.”

Rep. Elise Stefanik (N.Y.), the No. 4 Republican in the House, would not commit in January to voting to certify the 2024 results as a member of Congress.

Another potential Trump vice-presidential candidate, Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.), declined in March to say whether he would certify ... election results if he were vice president.

Hi, this is not exactly about the Catholic faith but I am struggling (when am I not).

My dad has had a friend from college for at least 50 years. He's a "friend of the family." He has visited our home on occasion since I was born. The last time, I was on the phone with him (I didn't initiate the call) and he brought up a previous conversation I had had with him in person, about being afraid as a woman to take a walk alone. Well, on the phone he made a casual suggestion that he could take me out for a walk sometime if I felt unsafe. I found it odd for him to ask me that sort of thing, because it sounded like he was implying for a date. I simply said in a grey-rock manner "yeah" and diverted the conversation elsewhere. I didn't think he would bring it up so soon again.

A couple days after that, he calls my dad and asks him if I can go for a walk. I was taken aback by this because I didn't expect it to be brought up so soon. It made me uncomfortable. It weirded my dad out for awhile, but after a few weeks, my dad is simping for him again and telling me that we (me and my dad as a family) should remain in touch with him because he's known us for so long and that it would be rude for us to avoid him. I got really upset at my dad because I told him that I want to take my own precautions. He almost didn't like what I said I'm like, why do you want to practically force me to stay in touch with a man who I have no desire to be friends with? About a month ago, when he came to our home, he literally talked nonstop about the virtues of Islam for four and a half hours, minus going to the bathroom. It was excruciating. I know that there is a verse (2 John 1:10) about not even allowing certain kinds of people into our home! I know that this verse is seemingly not applied these days, but he's a classic example of someone who I think fits the bill. It disgusts me how I have to tolerate such garbage ideology being brought into our home, and to make matters worse, my dad thinks that "avoiding" him while he's visiting the home is rude. I'm like I have the fn right to go wherever I want if he comes over, because he's not my friend!

New Apple ad shows various creative tools, and prominently, musical instruments, getting smooshed in a hydraulic press..... into an iPad. Apparently, people are a bit revolted. It echoes the current concern of AI replacing human creativity in many domains.... and more generally, the replacement of the visceral by the digital.

Drums dont get crushed tho. So I'm ok. For now.

https://www.cnn.com/2024/05/08/tech/apple-ipad-pro-ad-backlash-cec/index.html

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Are you maintaining a clear conscience (1Ti 3:9)? If not, we are not giving the Lord Jesus the glory for it! There is no reason for a saint to allow the oppositions (self, Satan and society) to produce guilt in ones thoughts. God knows the believer’s objective is ever to “please” Him, because this is the very thing He “works” in them (Phl 2:13); and Christ’s expiation for our sin is for the purpose of being at complete peace concerning all that may attempt to bring guilt to the mind. There is never a time a believer isn’t forgiven (1Jn 1:9), nor forsaken (Heb 13:5).
NC







The Christian is planted in the Lord Jesus before the Father, and has a holy, loving, life and nature. But besides this, there is a positive relationship formed; and that union, in which we are brought to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, is nothing less than being sons according to the pattern, the life and nature of the risen Son.

As the eternal Son of the Father, none could have such a place with Him (e.g. relationship as a Son “from everlasting to everlasting”—NC). The very thought would be repulsive to the renewed mind. But the Lord Jesus is pleased to call us His brethren when He rose from the dead, and not before (Heb 2:11; Rom 8:29). It is on earth, the scene of our sins, where we had been servants of Satan; it is here that, through faith in Christ we leave behind all that we were, and enter into this blessed and glorious, most intimate relationship with our Father.

But then if He chooses according to His nature and holiness, He has predetermined us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ Himself. So that now we find the special privilege and glorious relationship of sons before the Father in His presence by Jesus Christ. He might not have done it, but it was “according to the good pleasure of His will” (Eph 1:5).

Here is a peculiar display of His pleasure, and therefore He puts them in this blessed position, “to the praise of the glory of His grace through which He hath made us accepted in the Beloved” (Jesus – Eph 1:6—NC). “Accepted” is rather a moderate word to express what is meant here. It is not what persons doctrinally call acceptance, which is rather more of the nature of reconciliation. But here there is the fullness of divine favor, which goes far beyond mere acceptance.

In short, the Father makes us objects of favor according to all that is in His heart (after all, we are the sole being after His image—NC), and in order that this should be most fully brought out, He says, “in the Beloved,” not merely “in Christ.” There was one object that satisfied the Father, that met every thought, every desire of His heart; and this was His Beloved Son, the One beloved, of course, in a sense in which no creature could be so in itself. In order to bless us fully, the Father has made us objects of His favor in His Beloved One, and all is “to the praise of the glory of His grace.”

This takes in all the heights and depths of His grace who is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, blessing us in Him. In fact, He could go no farther! Could He show favor to anyone so much as to His Son? Just so, He loves and blesses us (love us as much as He loves His Son—NC). He could not do more, and He will not do less (the Father could have come but it’s the greatest sacrifice sending His Son—NC). He has risen up to the fullest character of love and blessing in the grace wherewith He regards us in His Beloved.


—William Kelly (1821-1906)





MJS daily devotional excerpt for May 9

“It is quite possible for every one of us to have a perfectly good conscience (all is always forgiven—NC). A happy state to be in! Have you a good conscience? Are you under accusation, under condemnation? Are you fretting and worrying about the badness of your own heart? That means that you have not the answer of a good conscience to God. What is the matter? You are still looking for something from nature, from the old man. You had better give it up, as that is the only way out; repudiate it. -Theodore Austin-Sparks (1888–1971)
(more: None But The Hungry Heart)

I'm Asian but found Tyler Perry's Madea films and plays to be quite hilarious and excellent replay value.

But if you're the type of conservative Christian might find the movies and plays offensive especially knowing Tyler Perry is a proud, outspoken Christian in Hollywood.

Maybe he's just following "Hollywood format" because he still managed to preach about Christian values in the shows, especially the plays.

One of the funniest scenes:
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Pray that an Indian opposition politician named Arvind Kejriwal is granted bail, & allowed to campaign for upcoming elections:

I NEED to get this off my chest.

I have this online friend who was one of the people that helped bring me to Christianity but over the years our friendship has taken a turn for the worst, I'll be honest I'm pretty pathetic, self-conscious, and insecure which often leads to self-obsession but there's just so many things he's said and done that have been red flags for me ending the friendship but i just can't help wonder if I'm in the wrong and that he's the one that's in the right. To a list few things:

-He is very racist towards me and treats me inferior and belittles me. He calls me the N-word very frequently. I guess this is the main issue. At first he didn't, Until I told him that I don't care that he did and that was okay if he said it. Says I talk and ramble too much and should speak less and read proverbs. Says i should be lucky i have a friend like him that cares about my soul. Now he says the N-word in my presence very often especially when we are watching the new and world events. One time he while we were discussing something, He told me that I was just a dumb animal and that he doesn't care what some n-word thinks. He's constantly calling my race pitiful and pathetic. He has insulted everything about me, My intelligence, My heritage (he says descend and have no warrior blood inside me), My attractiveness (Calls me ugly), My height (Let's says im in the 5"10 - 6"1 range, My athleticism (I'm strong and am lean well-built and train martial arts), My friends, My appetite, My dignity, and even the size of my genitalia. Whenever i go on a date with woman, He says there must be something twisted about them to want to date me. He also gets FURIOUS if i date a woman that isn't the same race as me, and says i practice abomination, even though he is mixed race himself. He also often jokes about me being a scrub and getting prison raped, and has even joked about overpowering and raping me a few times.

-His best friend is a young adult woman that he met online when she was around 13-14 (He was in his late 20's and in fact most his friends he met when they were teenagers), and from my perspective it seems like genuinely loves her because he gives her good advice and has helped led her to christ, and he's always been listening to her and helping her with her problems, and occasionally gets her gifts. But there were some things that he's said that were sketchy like one time we were playing and game and he got very angry and started calling her a B-word and beating her up in the game to express his fury, Shouting at her until she cried then there was this one time that someone online started mocking and trolling him in a game, she started laughing, and he later told me that he wanted to strangle her. He' used to call her a demon all the time, but now that she acts more Christian he doesnt really berate or chastise her anymore. If their relationship is romantic, It's one sided because she dates other men but I dont wonder if there's a jealousy on his part and if she reciprocated his emotions, Would he date her? One time he said that the boys she dates should be thanking him because he helped make her so decent and Christian. A couple of months ago he said that she'd probably to be beheaded during the tribulation because shes too imperfect to be raptured (although he considers himself sinful too tbh)

-He's very prideful and tends to view himself as superior to other. He says he has a higher understanding of the bible than most people and believes that he was of the few Christians that fully achieved god's will, Achieved perfection, and entered the kingdom within while on earth but fell from grace. He says that he understands what love and selflessness because of the bible and that he is one of the few people that have loved and self-sacrificed to the peak and that everyone else is selfish. Every so often he'll start talking about his past, About how cool he was, How strong, brave and fearless he was, and how him and his buds were popular and got all the girls. Hes hypercompetitive, We've been playing this game recently with this other friend who's really good, Personally I dont care if im constantly losing to our skilled friend. But my friend has turned this fun game time into this dark vulgar competition like if he starts losing he gets anger and starts cursing, and his main motivation is to be better than our skilled friend or at least at his level and laughs at me for just settling for mediocrity and just wanting to have fun. He's very well-versed in alot of subjects, and likes to act like he knows a little about everything, and has perfected all the crafts he's done. He says he was always the best guy at any job he worked before he became unemployed and lived with his relative. He believes he's always right about everything because his truths are fixed on the bible, even though hes changed his opinions before. Like I remember i was talking about a job i had in security and military, and he responds with things like "yeah i worked at the gas station and i had to do a bit of security" or "yeah dude, i spent my childhood and teens training to be a cia agent but god told me killing was bad so i didn't join". He says hes not domineering because he always does what other people want to do, but he still always has to talk himself up like he's toughest, most fearless warrior on the block and despite me being military, security background, and martial artist that works out near daily, He insist im a coward because i don't act macho or confident. Despite all this, Every once in a while he downplays himself and talks about how he fails god and insist that he is humble and narcisstic, and that im the narcissist because i talk too much and start defending myself if i criticized. He's always talking about how he's so done with this world and all our problems, tired of us, and just wants to be with god. He's often brings up things like i should submit to him and he's talking always talking about being a leader.

-He can be very resistant to confrontation and is very difficult to debate with. Not sure were to begin with this.....Arguing with him is like trying to siege a fortress, His voice is often so gruff and belligerent. He'll start speaking over you so you cant get a word in. He's very good at debating and analyzing things and he's constant tripping me up. He's so aggressive in his arguing, I can just never really find footing and knock him down. He's had so much practice arguing with teenagers on multiplayer games for nearly 2 decades. I'm usually a nice guy and it takes alot to genuinely anger me but I've snapped at him so many times for insulting me and whenever I try to defend myself from his attacks or explain myself to protect my ego, He starts calling me selfish and narcissistic, and in a way he's right because i should just be able to let things go. At first I just kind of took it in stride but after a while, it just became too much and I started snapping. One time he made me so angry because he was really trying to punk me off, I exploded and told him I was going to break him and started cursing at him and I was yelling so loud i woke up the neighbors. He blocked me then he started messaging me and begging and pleading me not do anything to him and said that I was more dangerous than he was, and that was sorry, it was pretty cowardly but i also wonder if he was just nobly following jesus instructions to make peace. I've been through alot but I've never wanted to physically harm someone more than this man. He says that if he stops talking to someone its probably because theyre damned and going to hell, which has seeded the idea in my mind that if we stop being friends then i might be an antichrist. He gets very irritated if you try to pick apart or continuously disagree with what he says. He always talks about love and how great his understanding of it, but he's so HATEFUL. I dont understand! He doesn't make peace. I also wonder if this is why he doesn't really hang around other christians probably because he doesnt want to get rebuked, Most of the people he seems to hangout with online are alot younger than him and he talks to them about christianity, and they have christian tendencies but he's always in a teaching position. Definitely not enough to rebuke him. He often says "Why is it always on me to change?" when confronted about changes he should make or when he offends people. One time he cried when I got angry at him and said that all he ever wants to do is hug me when he sees me but every time i try and talk to him he treats me like im some annoyance or burden. I don't get it. Another time, He tried to insult me while we were playing with our friend then I just started ignoring him and giving him no emotional response then he just immediately laughed then left and started ignoring my messages for days.

He makes me so inconceivably furious, All the things he's said to me have just built up over the years, I know I could definitely hurt him BAD given the right amount of time but i doubt he'd ever be able to face me, I truly think god protects him from me now so i'm supposed to submit to him in some way and endure his abuse because of something i must've done in the past and perhaps i myself need more humbling or perhaps i'm being mocked. Something hectic happened a few months ago, I had invited a christian friend of mine to the group who always very peaceful, warm, positive, and loving and even tried to befriend him but he just kept pushing him away because he was a "shallow" christian with little understanding. Well, One time while I wasn't around my peaceful friend came into the group to hangout and my racist friend started shouting the nword and was being aggressive to other players while he was gaming, and my peaceful friend started rebuking him and then my angry friend got angry and hostile and told him to go away, and that he'll say the n word as many times as he wants and that he calls me the n-word, and that he shouldn't be getting rebuked by him because theyre not even friends that my peaceful friend is a hypocrite because a bit of a troll himself. My peaceful friend came back in a few days later and then he tried to rebuke him again but my angry friend muted him, then unmuted him and listened to his rebuke then he just said screw it then left and my peaceful friend said that he could hear my angry friend sounding like he was about to cry right before he left. Now my angry friend has blocked my peaceful friend, and i asked him why he hasnt forgiven my peaceful friend but he says has, but just wont talk to him ever again.



Of course, You're probably still wondering why I'm still friends with this guy, Well part of it is pride and wrath, I keep feeling if I just back down and cut him out of my life then he wins because he seems to want that any way. I feel like i'm running away from him when i try to block him out of my life. My anger and rage towards him has become obsessive, no one in my life has every brought me to this point before. No one has. I'm constantly thinking about the arguments we've had and the things he's said to me. I don't hate him at all but I truly and deeply wish to hurt him. I train martial arts, I would train a year more to ensure utter complete dominance over him. He has tried so hard to break me and undermine my confidence and self esteem, in such insidious ways with his vulgar scornful tongue.
I barely ever insulted him, and if i do it's because he's thrown shade first. I've never been this furious with someone. I strongly believe god might have also put me in his path specifically so that I might beat him into submission and violently destroy his ego with my fist. Just the sheer audacity he has infuriates me and drives me wild. I've threatened him many times with visits. I'm not a violent person and am generally peaceful, docile, and timid but he considers that weakness and steps all over me until i snap at him then im suddenly considered a selfish demon. I want so bad to just see him break either physically or mentally, i cant just walk away.

Another reason, I'm friends is because I sincerely want peace between us. I want it to be like how when we first became friends he was so friendly, gentle, and such a good listener and kinda interesting to listen to. I thought I could finally open my heart to him. I finally felt like i had found my best friend. And i think maybe im the bad guy here and maybe I am. I talk alot. Im always anxious. Flighty ungrounded. Emotional. Take things too seriously. Too sensitive. Maybe its my fault and I'm the one that just needs to change? But again, The guy is like a fortress, I try to peel his layers but its like I can't get anywhere. Maybe he is the peaceful and he's doing it the biblical way and maybe I just dont understand. And some of things he does, Just doesn't make sense for a narcissist to do like He'll cry about trafficked children, people he loves, and things related to god, and a pure narcissist would never be Christian or acknowledge god's sovereignty. I just can't leave him. I can't. I feel like there's more to him than this and I just have to crack it like its a code.

Please patient with me I know this reads like a joke but im 100% serious, This is my life now.

Peace in Christ.

Well, I just spent a week and a half in Greece: Athens and Santorini (a Greek island in the Aegean Sea). First time ever in that part of the world. Greece is still Greece to this day. It is still with us in name and language and people (which I found very friendly) just as in apostle Paul’s day.

It has an arid climate with many olive trees and vineyards. I did experience some rain while there.

I was not expecting the strong winds….the Meltemi (Etesian) winds…which are prevalent especially in the Greek islands because of a high and low pressure which are parked over the Balkans and Turkey . These winds have been a recurring phenomenon since ancient times that blow from the north.

Another thing I did not expect while my wife and I were there was that the Greek Easter holiday was held on May 5th .... which was almost a month after the one held in the US. They take it very seriously in Greece….about as serious as Christmas itself or even more so. Everything ground to a halt around that time.

The Mediterranean Sea is very clear also….almost tropical-like in color. Very beautiful in places.

Of course, being there made me think of Paul’s journeys in Greece as he sailed through the Greek islands and traveled the mainland as he spread the gospel. I did not realize how many places that he had visited were in Greece. I guess I never took a real close look at the map of his journeys until now. Being there made it real. Seeing some of the things that Paul might have seen made it more concrete and interesting.

Some of the places in Greece that Paul traveled to in his missionary work: Athens, Corinth, Berea, Thessaloniki, Phillipi.

Paul mainly traveled in Greece and also in “Asia” or Asia minor which is now Turkey. Interestingly, “Asia” means “rise” or “resurrection”. The churches of “Asia” (which are close in proximity to Greece) are in the “resurrection”.

Revelation is the awakening of His people (around the world today) to the Word of Truth in the “resurrection” (“Asia” which is now the country of Turkey). “Asia” is now a spiritual concept for His people around the world (as they will awake to His Word of Truth) and not just the historical, physical country.

Rev 1:11 KJV(11) Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.

Being in Greece made me think of why the New Testament was written in Greek instead of Hebrew.

I read somewhere that Greek was the common language (in that time period) that everyone from different countries could speak to one another….a “bridge language” or a “lingua franca” .

It made sense to have the New Testament written in Greek….and maybe that is why Paul spent a lot of time in Greece since from there it would easily spread to the rest of the world in that bridge language. I’m only speculating on that point.

A “bridge language” makes communication possible between groups of people who do not share a native language especially when it is a third language that is distinct from both of the speakers' native languages.

In today’s time period, I found the “bridge language” to be English in Greece.

Anyways, those are my thoughts for today.

And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to keep all that I commanded you; and behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
— Matthew 28:18-20

Hopefully this clears up the confusion that Satan is currently running things.

Hi

For years, I've been questioning my faith as a Muslim. After leaving Islam and drifting into agnosticism, I felt profoundly lost. However, during Ramadan last year, I rediscovered God and returned to Islam. Yet, despite feeling a connection with God in my heart, I find myself struggling to maintain consistent religious practice and connection with Islam as a religion. Recently, I've found myself drawn to Christianity, intrigued by its teachings. While watching a video that concluded with a call to salvation, I experienced a stirring in my heart, prompting me to explore this newfound interest further.

But I have so many questions and I can’t find an answer that satisfies me so I thought I would email as many churches and religious figures and access as many religious platforms as possible to seek an array of answers and perhaps gain some closure.

1. Regarding the difference between Jesus in Islam and Christianity, how do Christians reconcile the concept of Jesus being the Son of God with the belief in monotheism?

2. I watched a video by Bishop Mari Mari where he mentioned that Mohammed couldn't speak about Jesus like John did because he didn't witness him firsthand. How does this rationale apply to other authors in the Bible who also didn't directly witness Jesus?

3. If prophets like Abraham and Moses were sent by God, what was their purpose if not to bring the message of God, if God had previously only ever sent messengers why can’t Jesus be a messenger too?

4. How does hellfire and heaven work in Christianity?

5. Can you elaborate on the differences between Christian denominations and how they interpret various aspects of the faith?

6. How does Christianity address the existence of evil and suffering in the world, especially in the context of a loving and all-powerful God?

7. How does prayer work in Christianity, and what is its significance in the life of a believer? Do Christians have the same concept as the 5 daily prayers?

8. How do Christians explain the theological significance of Jesus being referred to as the Son of God and its implications for their faith?

9. Why should I choose Christianity and not Islam? What makes Christianity true and completely debunks Islam?


I have had a sudden pull to Jesus and christ these last couple days, I am not sure if it is a sense of belonging or the holy spirit coming to me but I would really appreciate my questions being answered. Thank you for your time.

King James Bible
And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.



So you must be Jewish & a virgin.

Could it be that these 144,000 are the babies that were killed by King Herod when Jesus was born ? As it also says in scripture that they must be virgins.

Herod, the king of Judaea, watches as his soldiers slaughter the innocent children of Bethlehem in an attempt to kill the infant Jesus, whom Herod feared would eventually seize his kingdom. According to Boccaccio, 144,000 children were murdered.

Ever get that feeling, the night is SOO far spent?

Pastors: Don’t Prepare The Bride To Meet The Antichrist, Prepare The Bride To Meet Her Bridegroom

I can't listen to Christian music artists. Their wealth is a stumbling block. Getting rich from the gospel is wrong.