A reflection from the always thoughtful Steve Robinson:

First of all, this is not teaching that the message of the gospel of Christ is folly or that it is foolishness or that it is weak and powerless. But it is saying that to those who do not accept the truth of the gospel, to them the message is foolishness. And it is foolishness to them because the message of the cross is that, by faith in Jesus Christ, we must deny self, die daily to sin, and follow our Lord Jesus in walks of obedience to his commands in holy living, in daily practice (Luke 9:23-26; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14).

So to those who do not want to deny self, and who do not want to die to their sins, and who do not want to surrender their lives to Jesus Christ and to come under his authority and rule over their lives, the message of the cross, i.e. the message of the gospel of Christ is foolishness. For they want to hold on to their own lives. They want to be in control over their own decisions and choices. And they want to live their lives according to their own pleasure and desires, and not according to the will of God.

And so many of them will reject the gospel message altogether and will not even consider any kind of confession of Christ as Lord and Savior. But then there are others who want to believe in Jesus because they think it is going to get them a free ride into heaven when they die and that they will escape hell if they just make a profession of faith in him. And so they will accept or they will participate in creating an altered and diluted gospel message which cuts out repentance and submission and obedience to the Lord Jesus.

So, although they may consider themselves to be wise in their own eyes, in the eyes of the Lord their wisdom is folly, and he is destroying and he will destroy all wisdom that is earthly and that is not of him and that is contrary to him and to the teachings of his word and of his gospel message. Obviously that kind of earthly wisdom has not yet been totally destroyed which is why we have so many false teachings and teachers today that so many people are believing in place of believing in the truth of the gospel.

But the Lord is presently destroying the lies through his servants and messengers who are taking the truth of the gospel to the people, and who are refuting the lies of the enemy and all these “gospel” messages which are diluted and altered in order to appease human flesh and to not offend the people of the world. For they don’t want to offend the world because they are trying to attract the world to their gatherings. And so they are modifying the gospel to make it more appealing and acceptable to human flesh.

So, please know what the truth of the gospel of Christ is so that you don’t end up believing the lies and end up in hell and not in heaven, and so that you live the Christian life that God has for you to live and not the selfish life that your flesh wants you to live. But the only way that you can be sure that you are hearing the truth is if you study the Scriptures for yourselves, where possible, but you must study them IN CONTEXT. For many false teachings stem from Scriptures taught outside of context.

For example, Ephesians 2:8-9 is being taught absent of verse 10. And so many people, thus, are teaching that as Christians we don’t have to do any works at all. And many are teaching that we do not have to obey the Lord, either. But verse 10 says that we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works which God prepared in advance that we should walk in them. And Titus 2:11-14 teaches us that God’s grace trains us to renounce ungodliness and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives.

And many are teaching John 10:28-30 absent of verse 27 which tells us who verses 28-30 apply to. For verse 27 says that Jesus’ sheep listen to him, he knows them, and they follow (obey) him. And they have eternal life, and they will never perish, and none of them can be snatched out of the Lord’s hands. So this is not a general promise to all who make a profession of faith in Jesus Christ, but is only for those followers of Christ who are listening to the Lord and who are following him in obedience, in life practice.

So, please be people of God who study the Scriptures in full context, and who do so prayerfully, willing to obey the Lord in every way. Please don’t accept the wisdom of this world in place of the wisdom of God. And please don’t accept teachings that are taken out of context and taught against what they teach if taught in context. Please surrender your lives to the Lord Jesus, and follow him wherever he leads you in doing all that he commands you to do. And then be his witnesses in sharing the truth with others.

[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]

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Myopic

An Original Work / August 19, 2013
Based off 2 Peter 1:3-11

Jesus has given ev’rything
Needed for life and godliness.
His great and precious promises
Free us from our sin and distress.

Add to your faith His goodness;
Knowledge; patience; godliness;
Brotherly love and mutual affection;
Kindness and unselfishness.

If you possess these qualities,
Growing in your maturity,
They will keep you from vanity.
You will bear fruit effectually.

Nonetheless, if you lack them;
Forget you’ve been cleansed from sin,
Nearsighted are you; you can’t see Jesus.
You have closed your heart to Him.

Therefore, beloved, confirm, then,
Your calling and your election.
Do this by showing diligence:
Obey your Lord; be repentant.

Practice all these qualities
God provided on a tree.
He died for our sins so we’d be given
Life with Him eternally.

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I keep worrying that daydreaming is adding to revelations or that breathing is adding to revelations or that anything I say is adding to revelations. I feel worried I will sin and feel disconnected from God. Every time I try to read particular verses in the Bible that seem to disprove these thoughts I feel I cannot understand them and quickly forget what I read. I will read a word over and over until it makes no sense to me trying to make sure I understand it but I can't.

If these spiritual qualities of goodness, knowledge, self-control, steadfastness, godliness, brotherly affection and love we possess, by the Spirit, and if they are increasing in measure in our lives, they will keep us from being ineffective or unfruitful in all practical knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ – in all intimacy of relationship, and in applied truths (obedience). In other words, if in our faith we supply these qualities, we will live lives which are effective in testimony, service, character, relationship, lifestyle, and in result (fruit).

Nonetheless, if we lack these spiritual qualities (listed above), we are nearsighted (myopic) and blind. A nearsighted person in this sense is lacking in foresight, prudence, insight, precaution, discretion, wisdom and good judgment. And a blind person is unable - due to being nearsighted - or is unwilling to perceive or to understand his own spiritual condition. He is lacking in both purpose and good sense.

A nearsighted (and blind) person will thus walk right into sin because he or she did not have the forethought, wisdom and discernment to guard his or her heart against it. He or she has not taken advantage of all that God has given to us by his divine power for life and godliness, but has instead decided to go his or her own way and to follow after his or her own evil desires.

Myopic

An Original Work / August 19, 2013
Based off 2 Peter 1:3-11

Jesus has given ev’rything
Needed for life and godliness.
His great and precious promises
Free us from our sin and distress.

Add to your faith His goodness;
Knowledge; patience; godliness;
Brotherly love and mutual affection;
Kindness and unselfishness.

If you possess these qualities,
Growing in your maturity,
They will keep you from vanity.
You will bear fruit effectually.

Nonetheless, if you lack them;
Forget you’ve been cleansed from sin,
Nearsighted are you; you can’t see Jesus.
You have closed your heart to Him.

Therefore, beloved, confirm, then,
Your calling and your election.
Do this by showing diligence:
Obey your Lord; be repentant.

Practice all these qualities
God provided on a tree.
He died for our sins so we’d be given
Life with Him eternally.

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In today’s vernacular, this could be like saying, “I am a Baptist,” or “I am a Methodist,” or “I am a Lutheran,” or “I am a Catholic,” or “I am Pentecostal,” or “I am a Presbyterian,” etc. Or, it can be like, “I follow Rick Warren,” or “I follow Billy Graham,” or “I follow Max Lucado,” or “I follow John MacArthur,” or “I follow Steven Furtick,” or “I follow Joel Osteen,” etc. Or, it can be like, “I am an Arminian,” or “I am a Calvinist.” For what it all comes down to is being followers of man over being followers of God, of Christ Jesus. It comes down to identifying more with a human being than with Jesus Christ.

Years ago I recall some people coming to my front door (back when I lived in a house, and not in an apartment) and asking me what religion I was. I told them that I was a Christian. But that is not the answer that they wanted. So they tried to get me to say that I was a Baptist or a Methodist or a Lutheran or a Presbyterian, etc. But I just kept answering back to them that I was a Christian. So then they were trying to tie that in with a particular church denomination, for they just couldn’t understand that I identified as a follower of Christ alone and not as a follower of any man or church denomination.

Now, I am well aware that Paul’s list of men were all men of God who followed Jesus Christ with their lives. At least, that is my understanding. But my lists include some men and/or church denominations and/or church theologies who/which are or were false teachers and teachings or they are or were those who diluted and/or altered the message of the gospel to make it more appealing to human flesh. And I include them in these lists because the greater danger here is not just in being man followers but followers of false theologies or church doctrines and teachings regarding Christ’s gospel.

But the bottom line here, in reality, is that we are not to be followers of men (or women), nor should we be followers of church denominations and their particular theologies, some of which, or many of which are now succumbing to the flesh of man and to marketing schemes for how to attract the people of the world to their “Christian” gatherings. But we are to be followers of Jesus Christ and those who study the Scriptures for ourselves (IN CONTEXT) under the guidance and direction of the Holy Spirit, and who are willing to change our belief systems if we find them to not agree with the Scriptures.

For if we are truly followers of Jesus Christ then we should be able to be united together with other followers of Christ, and we should not be divided by church doctrines and theologies and denominations and affiliations, etc. And we should all be those who are paying close attention to what we are being taught and who are testing whatever we hear and read against the teachings of the Scriptures, in their full context. For so many false teachings stem from Scriptures taught outside their context and made to say what they do not say if taught in the appropriate biblical context.

Now I began teaching the Scriptures at the age of 16 and I am now 74. I had a period of time where I was not teaching, so I probably have taught for 50 years. And I have learned a lot over those years, and I had to unlearn some things I was taught wrongly, too. And I am still learning and growing in my understanding of what the Scriptures teach. But I was teaching a ladies’ Bible study and I was teaching what the Scriptures taught, but some ladies objected because that is not what their pastor taught them. But even though they could see what the Scriptures said, they chose their pastor.

And this is what I am seeing on a much larger scale today as so many people calling themselves “Christians” (followers of Christ) are really followers of man, and they will choose to listen to what men are telling them rather than to listen to what the Scriptures themselves are teaching, if read and understood in their appropriate context. And many of them will absolutely rebel at the thought that what they are being taught may not be the truth (or the whole truth) and that they may be being led astray by lies, instead. And if you try to show them the truth, they may hate you for it.

So, what is the point of all of this? We are not to be followers of man, and that includes being followers of church denominations and particular church theologies which may or may not be true to the Scriptures. But our lives are to be surrendered to Jesus Christ alone, and we are to be students of the Scriptures who study them for ourselves (IN CONTEXT), and who rely on the Holy Spirit to lead us to all truth. Can we use Bible helps? Absolutely! But we should not let Bible helps replace the Holy Spirit or the pure word of God. But we must trust in the Lord to guide us into all truth – His truth!!

But by doing that we must be willing to receive from the Lord that we may have gotten some things wrong. And we must be open to being corrected and to changing our beliefs if the Lord shows us through his word that what we had been taught is not what the Scriptures teach. And we must cease being followers of man and instead be followers of Christ alone. And we must cease raising up man to God status and to think that any man (or woman) is infallible (without error). For not one of us is without error, and we won’t be complete until Jesus returns and takes us to be with him.

For the gospel of our salvation that Jesus taught and that his NT apostles taught is that, by God-gifted and God-persuaded faith in Jesus Christ we are crucified with Christ in death to sin and raised with Christ to walk in newness of life in him, no longer to live as slaves to sin but now as slaves to God and to his righteousness. So we are not to let sin reign in our mortal bodies to make us obey its desires. For if sin is what we obey, and not godliness and righteousness, and not obedience to our Lord, then regardless of what our lips profess, we will NOT inherit eternal life with God.

[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]

So, please take this to heart. Please believe what these Scriptures teach, and please study them in their full context. Then please follow Jesus in obedience to his commands and live holy lives, pleasing to him, because you love him.

My Heart’s Desire

An Original Work / June 29, 2013
Based off Romans 10:1-21; Luke 9:23-26; Ephesians 4:17-24

Loved Ones, Oh, my heart’s desire
Is that you might come to Jesus.
Many appear zealous for God,
But they do not trust in Him.
They have not submitted to the One
Who saved them from their sins;
Not forsaken their sins,
Nor have they obeyed their King.

The word of the Lord is near you:
The word of faith we’re proclaiming:
That you must confess your faith
In Jesus as your Lord and King:
Believe in Him as your Lord,
And follow Him where’er He leads.
Share the gospel; be a witness,
And meet others’ needs.

Beautiful are the feet of those
Who bring the good news of Jesus:
Anyone who would come to Him
Must deny himself today;
Die to sin and self, and
Let the Spirit transform you in heart;
Put on your new self in Jesus,
Yielding to the cross.

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PARASHAH: “Emor” (say.) LEVITICUS 21:1-24:23


In this parashah study, we see more details on the sanctity, Holiness, and comportment of priests. When we read in chapter 21, we read that YHVH is very particular and pays much attention to the physical. We might think that God only looks upon the heart, but thousands of years ago, physical appearance was important, some with any kind of imperfection; like a broken foot, blind in one eye, hunchback, dwarf…It doesn’t say that they could not serve in the Tabernacle or later on, the temple, but they couldn’t offer sacrifices.

We must remember that the priest was a kind of mediator between the people and YHVH, Today, YESHUA the Messiah is our mediator, between us and the Father, and Yeshua was/IS without sin, perfect in all ways, both inside and outside. We may not know what he looked like physically, but we know he didn’t have any physical deformities, being God in the flesh.

We read about the priest; “offering the food to Adonai” and many regulations about “food”. It is talking about the animal offerings that were offered on the altar, yet the Hebrew word for “food” in this case is “Lechem” (bread). The priest had to be in perfect physical condition because he represented a perfect G-d. To be any less than “perfect” would have probably been a distraction.

Today, Adonai does not look at our physical bodily conditions, as many people are born with physical defects. Adonai looks at the heart and into our spirit. Before, the priests would offer up the “lechem” (food, bread) to Adonai, 2000 years ago, the “Bread of Life” was offered up for US!

Today, the “bread” that we “offer to Adonai?” would be our service and spiritual gifts. We offer them up to HIM, through exercising the spiritual gifts of the Holy Spirit, by teaching others, preaching the Word, evangelizing, giving to others, etc…we are giving back “bread” to HaShem. He has given to us, and we give back to HIM through serving others and being faithful “priests” on earth.

We can take note of Leviticus 22:31 and apply this to our lives as “Yeshua’s priests.” Therefore, you shall keep my commandments and perform them: I AM the LORD. You shall not profane my Holy Name, but I will be “Kadoshed” among “B’nei Yisrael” I AM Adonai who sanctified you.”

Of course, we can not keep ALL of the commandments set down in ancient times, yet many still apply to today’s life. We should learn to put them into action, and teach others HIS Torah! In doing this, we ARE hallowing HIS Holy Name.

We also see regulations on marriage, touching dead things, etc.…the priest was in a class of his own. The priest was “God’s man” his “representative” on earth, so, as the priests had a higher calling, their expectations were much higher than the regular “Joe Israelite” There is a repeated phrase:

“You shall not profane my Holy Name, I am YHVH (Yod Hey Vav Hey)

“When we act contrary to His commandments, and expectations as “b’nei Elohim” (children of God) we ARE profaning HIS Holy name, be it in words, or deeds. If God observed the Israelites through a looking glass, then the priests were observed by God through a microscope! If you get my drift! How are WE seen by our HOLY, SINLESS, GOD? Our standards are based on the Torah of Adonai. HIS standards should be OURS as well, yet we always come up lacking, because of our inborn sin nature.

Thank Adonai for YESHUA, who bridged the gap caused by sin, to be our “high priest” before a Holy God, although our sin in dark and ugly, and we should see ourselves as such, because it is reality, through YESHUA, Our Heavenly Father sees us as “white as snow” or “white a wool” and now, under the new covenant, we are all “high priests” in his eyes, should not our expectations be as a “higher calling” just like the priests of old? We must also take into thought the phrase “Kiddush HaShem” which is “honoring/blessing/Holiness to the Name of Adonai” There are two Hebrew words that are almost the same; “Halel” and “Chilul” “Bless/praise” and “profane” in Hebrew, they are just three letters. The difference is the first letter; the “Hey” and the Chet” The difference between the two is just a line which is about one millimeter.

What can we say? There is just a fine line between “blessing” the name of God, or “profaning” the name of God. We must be careful of our words, and deeds, least we “bless” with one breath, and then take another breath and “profane”. The idea of the “priests being holy, for I AM Holy” is there in this parashah. The difference in the words, “Kadosh” (Holy) and “Kadoshim” (holy ones) is that when YHVH talks about HIS Holiness, the word “Kadosh” has the “vav”, the letter “o” that letter symbolizes the “nail” whereas our “holiness” lacks the “vav” since we did NOT receive the “nails” only YESHUA did, who received them in our place!

We can see a case of “profaning the Name of God” in Leviticus 24:11 when the son of a “mixed marriage” (An Israelite woman married to an Egyptian man) had a fight in the camp and cursed, or profaned, blasphemed the Name of Adonai. He was put to death by stoning. We see the name of the woman though, it was “Shelomith” daughter of “Dibri” The name “Shelomith” can be considered the feminine version of “Shalom’ (peace) and the name “Dibri” can be considered “My Word” from the word “Debar” Almost the same as “Dibrei” (words of) Together, “My words of Peace” yet just the opposite was seen, the son was fighting and profaned the Name of Adonai, so far away from “peace” Could the Egyptian father have had some negative influence on the son? Whenever there is a mixed marriage, a believer with an unbeliever, there is bound to be strife and lack of peace, since the couple are like “pulling against each other on a rope” and sooner or later, the rope is going to break.

We are reminded of Job, when he was tested in his suffering, his wife told him; "Curse God and die!" What kind of wife would say such a thing to her husband? But Job responded wisely; "Are we to receive only good and nothing bad?" The Word says in all this, Job did not sin. He demonstrated "Kiddush HaShem" (Holiness to the NAME) He honored God and did not curse nor blaspheme. (Halel and not Chilul)

Chap 23: “HaMoedim of YHVH” (The feasts of the LORD). Here the special days of worship and assembly are mentioned, the first being the “Sabbath Day” it is a “day of Rest” a time of worship and coming together to worship Adonai and learn from HIS Word through His teachers, pastors, rabbis, evangelists, etc. The Sabbath day was NEVER changed to Sunday. Not that it was bad to come together on Sundays, any day of the week is a good time to come together. It just became customary for the believers in the first century to come together on the “first day of the week” like it is mentioned in Acts, to fellowship and eat together, but the believers ALWAYS considered Saturday, the Sabbath, the special and the official appointed day for rest, worship, and Bible study.

For me, the sabbath and Sunday are both special days to worship God and study his word with other believers.

The Passover and days of unleavened bread, symbolize Messiah Yeshua in our lives as the “Lamb of God” who took away the sin of the world, and who is also, the “Bread of Life”, who was “roasted in the fires of judgment for our sins, whose blood was shed for our sins, once and forever. The “matzah” bread without leaven symbolizes Yeshua as the Bread of Life, without sin (leaven). And his blood is symbolized by the wine.

The Feast of First Fruits and Shavuot; counting 50 days from the time of Passover, to celebrate the blessing of a good and fruitful harvest of grains, (wheat and barley, the main crops). On Shavuot or “Pentecost” two leavened loaves of bread were made, each weighed about 5 pounds, and were “waved” by the priest before the LORD in a special ceremony. These loaves symbolize the blessings of YHVH, they could also represent Israel and the Nations, “2” is the number of “unity” and “division” we are all “united” to YHVH by Messiah Yeshua and have been “divided” or “separated” from the lost world of sin, YET, we still have our sin nature, noted by the leaven in the loaves of bread. It was also on “Shavuot” that the Torah was given on Mt. Sinai

The Feast of Trumpets, “Yom Teruah” symbolizes the start of the “days of Awe” when we reflect on our relationship with Adonai. How do we measure up to God’s standards? Lacking? Fall short? I would say YES. 10 days later, comes “Yom Kippur” the day of “covering” or “Atonement” which was when the high priest came into the Holy of Holies, once a year, to commune with Adonai. This day points to Calvary when Yeshua’s blood “atoned” for our sins, past, present, and future. It is a day of fasting, repentance, and soul searching. It is a day when we are accustomed to dress in white.

Feast of Tabernacles, or “Sukkot” is a joyous festival, when the “harvest” is in, kind of like “Thanksgiving” in the US of A. The time when God came to earth in human form as Yeshua, born in Beit Lechem, being raised learning carpentry and Torah, a teacher of Torah, healer of diseases, a raiser of the dead, and a sacrifice for our sins. This festivity was for 7 days, “7” the perfect number, and a special “8th” day “Hoshanah Raba” when the customary reading of the Torah starts over again from Genesis. It also symbolizes when the Israelites lived in tents, “temporary dwellings” as our bodies are “temporary dwellings” for our souls and for the Holy Spirit dwelling within us.

Chapter 24: The Menorah, the lamps were lit from dusk to morning, and the menorah was made of gold, which symbolizes perfection. The flame/light symbolizes Yeshua who is the “Light of the World” and the “all-consuming fire” and also, all believers are the “lights of the world” reflecting the SON light! “Table of Shewbread” was in the Holy place across from the Menorah. It had 12 loaves of unleavened bread, representing the 12 tribes of Israel, again, Yeshua the “Bread of Life” Hey, maybe that was where the idea of the “bagel” came from, bread with a hole in middle, who knows! Maybe! This bread was for Aaron and his sons.

We also read about "eye for an eye". Many believe that this verse teaches vengeance. "What you do to me I can do to you" mentality. Yet the Bible teaches "compensation and restitution" for damages received. If I were to break your hand or wrist, perhaps if we were wrestling, even in fun, I would be responsible for taking you to the doctor and getting your hand or wrist fixed. That is the meaning behind "Eye for Eye" and even "Hand for Hand" (I break your hand, I'll give you a "helping hand" to get yours fixed).

Let's live our "holiness" to the best of our ability, trusting the Spirit of God. Our days are numbered and we know not the number. God can take us home anytime.

See Who is the Paraclete?

Judges 7:​

1 Then Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) and all the people who were with him rose early and encamped beside the well of Harod,
so that the camp of the Midianites was on the north side of them by the hill of Moreh in the valley.
2 And the Lord said to Gideon, “The people who are with you are too many for Me to give the Midianites into their hands,
lest Israel claim glory for itself against Me, saying, ‘My own hand has saved me.’
3 Now therefore, proclaim in the hearing of the people, saying, ‘Whoever is fearful and afraid, let him turn and depart at once
from Mount Gilead.’ ” And twenty-two thousand of the people returned, and ten thousand remained.

“claim glory for itself” =[6286] pa-ar​

With the Lord, less is more.
Post scriptures to support this, if applicable.

A lot of disturbing information in this article from newsnationnow.com
Is the DEA and US law enforcement doing enough to oppose the drug cartels? What more can, or should, our American government and law enforcement do against the threat posed by the Mexican fentanyl drug cartels?

Where does the doctrine of soul sleep come from since it was never taught by the Apostolic Churches?

Does it come from Gnosticism?

Blessings

If an actor is playing Joe Biden can he still debate Donald Trump , run for President , and even become the President ?

Before everyone starts screaming at me and insulting me, in saying "where have you been!? This has already been answered! Heretic!", Life hasnt been the best to me, I've had some pretty difficult times, and I haven't been able to keep up with this these forums at all... A simple explanation would be fine, and after that, the moderators can close and delete this thread.
so, my question: why is it closed?

Speaking at a dinner for the NAACP in Detroit, Michigan, Biden went on a tangent proclaiming he was on the ground in the state to help out, at the request of former President Barack Obama.
“And when I was vice president, things were kind of bad during the pandemic,” Biden said. It was unclear which pandemic Biden was referring to, or if he instead meant the Great Recession.
Ah, the article says perhaps Joe was referring to the Great Recession. Was that a kind of pandemic? I hadn't realized. Expect the newscasters at the debate to be just as objective.

Just check out the old homestead.

Davy, baby - Where you been ?

It says Work Out your Salvation with Fear and Trembling , mean to believers saved by Grace , Today ?

Many believe that salvation begins after their Water Baptism ?

Others believe that they can work their salvation out , by keeping the Law of Moses ?

Others says they can work out their salvation as they say , that they were saved by the NEW COVEANAT ?

So how do you WORK out your SALVATION , TODAY ?

dan p

Jesus taught publicly in Mark 7:

14 He called the people to him again and said to them, “Hear me, all of you, and understand: 15 There is nothing outside a person that by going into him can defile [G2840] him, but the things that come out of a person are what defile him.”

Click to expand...

Privately, he added some more physiological details:

17 And when he had entered the house and left the people, his disciples asked him about the parable. 18 And he said to them, “Then are you also without understanding? Do you not see that whatever goes into a person from outside cannot defile him, 19 since it enters not his heart but his stomach, and is expelled?”

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Foods affect our digestive system. They do not affect our thinking.

(Thus he declared all foods clean [G2511].)

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Did he?

20 And he said, “What comes out of a person is what defiles him. 21 For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, 22coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. 23 All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.”

Click to expand...

Did Jesus declare all foods clean?

The parenthetical statement was not found in the parallel account in Mat 15. Matthew did not seem to think that Jesus declared all foods were ceremonilly clean on that occasion.

are clean
καθαρίζων (katharizōn)
Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2511: To cleanse, make clean, literally, ceremonially, or spiritually, according to context. From katharos; to cleanse.

My paraphrase:

(Thus he declared all foods being cleansed.)

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Mark added this parenthetical statement. This was consistent with what happened to Peter in Acts 10:

14 But Peter said, “By no means, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common [G2839] or unclean [G169].” 15 And the voice came to him again a second time, “What God has made clean, do not call common.”

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has made clean.”
ἐκαθάρισεν (ekatharisen)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2511: To cleanse, make clean, literally, ceremonially, or spiritually, according to context. From katharos; to cleanse.

Jesus did not publicly declare to the Jews that all foods were ceremonially clean. That's what Matthew understood. He came to fulfill the law and the prophets. By his death on the cross, he cleansed all foods. Christians were not bound by the Jewish ceremonial laws. It was okay for them to eat pork. That's what Mark understood.

Paul left the issue to the individual's conscience in Romans 14:

14 I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean [G2839] in itself, but it is unclean for anyone who thinks it unclean.

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Jesus physically healed everyone who asked him, but I don't think he always healed everyone around him.

Matt 3:

57b But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his own household.” 58 And he did not do many mighty works there, because of their unbelief.

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2 Cor 12:

7 So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”

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While we are on earth, it is not always to will of God to take away our suffering.

I think we trust Google with the final word. As if they'never make a mistake at least i just realized that i do.

Charles H. Spurgeon (1834-1892)

For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.—Hebrews 2:18

Ye that are tempted—and I suppose the major part of this present [readership] are included in the list—ye that are tempted—and indeed if you know yourselves, you are all in your measure thus exercised—ye that are tempted, listen to me this morning whilst I endeavor to speak of your temptations, and in parallel lines of the temptations of Him Who, having known your trials, is able to help you at all times…They that are tempted have great need of help, and Christ is able, having Himself been tempted, to help them that are tempted.

Of course, this is true of Christ as God. Apart from any temptation He has ever endured, He would be able to help the tempted; but we are now speaking in our text of Christ as a High Priest, in which we are to regard Him in His complex character as God-man. For Christ is not only God but man and not only man but God. The Christos, the anointed one, the High Priest of our profession, is in His complex character able to help them that are tempted. How?

Why, first, the very fact that He was tempted has some help in it to us. If we had to walk through the darkness alone, we should know the very extremity of misery; but having a companion, we have comfort. Having such a companion, we have joy. It is all black about me, the path is miry, and I sink in it and can find no standing. But I plunge onwards, desperately set on reaching my journey’s end. It frets me that I am alone, but I hear a voice—I can see nothing—but I hear a voice that says, “Yea, though I pass through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.” I cry out, “Who goes there?” and an answer comes back to me, “I, the faithful and true witness, the Alpha and the Omega, the Sufferer Who was despised and rejected of men. I lead the way.” At once, I feel that it is light about me, and there is a rock beneath my feet. For if Christ my Lord hath been here, then the way must be safe and must conduct to the desired end. The very fact that He has suffered, then, consoles His people.

But further, the fact that He has suffered without being destroyed is inestimably comforting to us. If you could see a block of ore just ready to be put into the furnace, if that block of ore could look into the flames and could mark the blast as it blows the coals to a vehement heat, if it could speak it would say, “Ah! Woe is me that ever I should be put into such a blazing furnace as that! I shall be burnt up; I shall be melted with the slag; I shall be utterly consumed!” But suppose another lump all bright and glistening could lie by its side and say, “No, no, you are just like I was. But I went through the fire, and I lost nothing thereby. See how bright I am—how I have survived all the flames.” Why then that piece of ore would rather anticipate than dread the season when it too should be exposed to the purifying heat and come out all bright and lustrous like its companion. “I see Thee, I see Thee, Thou Son of Mary, bone of our bone, flesh of our flesh! Thou hast felt the flames, but Thou art not destroyed. The smell of fire has not passed upon Thee! Thine heel has been bruised, but Thou hast broken the serpent’s head. There is no scar, nor spot, nor injury in Thee. Thou hast survived the conflict; and I—bearing Thy name, purchased with Thy blood, and dear to God as Thou art dear to Him—I shall survive it too. Therefore will I tread the coals with confidence and bear the heat with patience. Christ’s conquest gives me comfort, for I shall conquer too.”

And you will please remember, too, that Christ, in going through the suffering of temptation, was not simply no loser, but He was a great gainer, for it is written that it pleased God “to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings” (Heb 2:10). It was through His suffering that He obtained the mediatorial glory that now crowns His head. Had He never carried the cross, He had never worn that crown, that transcendently bright and glorious crown that now He wears as King in Zion and as leader of His people whom He hath redeemed by blood. God over all blessed forever He would have been, but as God-man-mediator He could never have been praised unless He had been obedient even unto death, so that He was a gainer by His suffering. And glory be to His name, we get comfort from this too; for we also shall be gainers by our temptations. We shall come up out of Egypt enriched; as it is written, “He brought them forth also with silver and gold” (Psa 105:37); so shall we come forth out of trial with better than these treasures! “Blessed is the man that endureth temptation, for when he is tried he shall obtain a crown of life” (Jam 1:12). The deeper their sorrows, the louder their song; the more terrible their toil, the sweeter their rest; the more bitter the wormwood, the more delightful the wine of consolation. They shall have glory for their share; they shall have honor for their contempt; they shall have songs for their sufferings and thrones for their tribulations.

But more, in that Christ hath suffered, being tempted, He is able to help us who are tempted by sending His grace to help us. He was always able to send grace, but now as God and man He is able to send just the right grace at the right time and in the right place…Now it pleased the Father that in Christ should all fulness dwell (Col 1:19), but where should the Son of Man earn His diploma and gain the skill with which to use the fulness aright? Beloved, He won it by experience. He knows what sore temptations mean, for He has felt the same. You know, if we had comforting grace given us at one time of our temptation, it would tempt us more than before; even as certain medicines given to the patient at one period of the disease would aggravate the malady, though the same medicine would cure him if administered a little later. Now, Christ knows how to send His comfort at the very nick of time, to afford His help exactly when it will not be a superfluity; to send His joy when we shall not spend it upon our own lusts. How does He know this? Why, He recollects His own experience! He has passed through it all! There appeared an angel unto Him strengthening Him; that angel came just when he was wanted. Jesus knows just when to send His angelic messenger to strengthen you, when to lay on the rod more heavily, and when to stay His hand and say, “I have forgiven thee; go thou in peace.”

Once more, dear friends, lest I keep you too long. Having suffered Himself being tempted, Christ knows how to help us by His prayers for us. There are some people whose prayers are of no use to us because they do not know what to ask for us. Christ is the intercessor for His people: He has prevalence in His intercession, but how shall He learn what to ask for? How can He know this better than by His own trials? He hath suffered being tempted. You hear some brethren pray with such power, such unction, such fervor. Why? Part of the reason is that they are experimental prayers: they pray out their own life. They just tell out the great deep waters over which they themselves sail. Now, the prayer of our great High Priest in heaven is wonderfully comprehensive: it is drawn from His own life, and it takes in every sorrow and every pang that ever rent a human heart because He Himself hath suffered being tempted. I know you feel safe in trusting your case in the hand of such an intercessor, for He knows the precise mercy to ask for; and when He asks for it, He knows how to put the words and frame the petition so that the mercy shall surely come to you at the right time.

Ah, dear friends, it is not in my power to bring out the depth that lieth under my text, but I am certain of this: when through the deep waters He shall cause you to go, or you are made to pass through furnace after furnace, you cannot want a better rod and staff, nor a better table prepared for you in the wilderness than this my text: “In that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.” Hang this text up in your house; read it every day; take it before God in prayer every time you bend the knee, and you shall find it to be like the widow’s cruse,58 which failed not, and like her handful of meal, which wasted not...

Will not my text suit the awakened sinner as well as the saint? There are timid souls here. They cannot say they are saved; yet here is a loophole of comfort for you, you poor troubled ones that are not yet able to get a hold of Jesus. “He is able to succour them that are tempted.” Go and tell Him you are tempted: tempted, perhaps, to despair; tempted to self-destruction; tempted to go back to your old sins; tempted to think that Christ cannot save you. Go and tell Him that He Himself has suffered being tempted and that He is able to help you. Believe that He will, and He will; for you can never believe anything too much of the love and goodness of my Lord. He will be better than your faith to you. If you can trust Him with all your heart to save you, He will do it! If you believe He is able to put away your sin, He will do it! If you can but honor Him by giving Him a good character for grace, you cannot give Him too good a name.

May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God our Father, and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost, be with you forever. Amen.

From a sermon delivered on Sunday morning, January 4, 1863, at the Metropolitan Tabernacle, Newington.

Is it ok to pray for deceased Muslims and those who died without the Sacrament of Baptism?

The Iranian President just died. Can I pray for the repose of his soul or is that anathema?

Thank you

RileyG

Since I couldn't find a sketch I did around 1980s, I made a quick one with the same technique, Unfortunately the years have taken their toll. Couldn't the the boulder right

I bought a phone last month and T Mobile was the cheapest and only one of 2 available in my area. But I was reading a sermon on a Christian website and noted an ad to look at some girls photos that were "very revealing." Awhile later a similar ad appeared with another woman, same sort of enticing bait. I've been on that same website on desktop and there are no ads.

So I entered "T-Mobile Woke" into Google and was met with the epitome of abomination! Besides all this there are telemarketers calling me, it won't let me on Facebook, saying it's a security risk and someone is trying to steal my info, along with other legitimate sites. I can't sign in to CF from the phone. I think I need to return it to Walmart and look for something else. I can't consciously pay $50 a month that a portion knowingly goes to a godless agenda. The lustful ads in the middle of a written sermon were what tipped me off something was a miss.

The following is right from their own website!

"Creating a connected world is at the heart of what we do, and we couldn’t do it without a culture of equity, respect, and inclusion. When we bring our experiences together, we forge communities that thrive.

We're stronger when we embrace diversity.​

Investing in a more inclusive society.​

We’ll continue to provide funding for impactful programs needed to navigate—and thrive—in our connected world.

"While T-Mobile recognizes that support at the national level is important and continues through partnerships with GLSEN, Happy Hippies and HRC to improve the quality of life of at-risk LGBTQIA+ community members, it’s vital to show that there is power in every single voice. Spotlighting how individuals can make an impact shows that Pride is Power.

The anti-transgender legislation making news of late is more than just a headline for the people interviewed in this spotlight. Everyone featured says that telling their story is an actionable item in the ways they want to celebrate Pride this year. It is how they are being advocates for their community, making an impact. From Seattle to Wichita to Memphis and Colorado Springs, their stories include gender-affirming treatments that they say T-Mobile’s health benefits made possible, or changing chosen names on work badges and pronouns with co-workers. They’re experiences that help shape T-Mobile’s own advocacy practices that now include things such as a thorough transition guide and employee handbook of policies designed to create a better experience for co-workers across the company who come out as trans at work.

“Our Pride Employee Resource Group (ERG) is a place where our employees can bring their ideas about how to make our workplace better for all,” says Jen Palmer (She/Her), senior director of T-Mobile’s Technology Project Management Office and the chair of the Pride ERG. “We take great pride in consistently looking at new ways to improve experiences. Whether it’s encouraging all to add their pronouns to badges and email signatures, or recommending inclusive language on our restroom signage, or looking at our own internal systems and fixing issues that may pop up when a colleague changes their name. As we hear from our employees, we also continually evaluate our benefits to ensure they meet the unique needs of the LGBTQIA+ community."