dms1972 said:

I was thinking about this and whether it is pride or unbelief, and I was thinking it might be pride, that pride is what is behind unbelief when a person doesn't want to trust in Christ for righteousness?

Any thoughts?

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Desire that refuses to submit to God's will.

James 1:14&15
14 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. 15 Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.

In his general audience catechesis on the Twelve Apostles in 2006, the late Pope Benedict XVI said God used Judas’ betrayal as part of his plan for salvation.

…Under House Arrest

The investiture comes with a letter from the Council of Chinese Bishops, a body not recognised by the Holy See and linked to the Communist Party. The dismay of the faithful. The new pastor promises to continue with the "sinicisation" of Catholicism in China. Analysts: The Holy See wanted the return of Msgr Joseph Xing Wenzhi.

Rome (AsiaNews) - Msgr.Shen Bin is the new bishop of Shanghai. As revealed yesterday by AsiaNews, the installation ceremony took place today. The letter of appointment is from the Council of Chinese Bishops, of which Mgr Shen is the head. The body is not recognised by the Holy See and is strictly subject to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The origin of the installation would indicate that the (official) Chinese Church did not agree on the choice with the Vatican.

Vatican sources have told AsiaNews that the appointment is "unilateral", without papal approval. Indirect confirmation also comes from the Catholic faithful in China, who have expressed sadness at the installation, which they say came without the pope's mandate: a source of great upset for the Catholic community in Shanghai.

According to the Sino-Vatican agreement of 2018, later renewed in October 2020 and 2022, the choice of the new Chinese bishops should be shared by the Holy See and the Beijing authorities.

In November, the Vatican had denounced the violation of the agreement by the Chinese authorities with the appointment of Bishop John Peng Weizhao as auxiliary bishop of the diocese of Jiangxi. Now the issue of the diocese of Haimen (Jiangsu), of which Msgr. Shen was the pastor - an ordination that came with papal recognition in 2010 - is also open.

Continued below.

Hidden in our DNA, and applying gematria (Hebrew letters which are assigned number values), we get a very important messages, not only that God is eternal and within our bodies but the way God relates to us.

Say it aint so said:

How can Democrats block Mexico for paying for a wall?

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Mean old Mexicans.

Any way to JPJ clip?

The Apocalypse isn't considering spiritual death as some "sequence", but is only having in mind bodily death as the first death. So our mortal, bodily death is a first death; but there is a second death. I think given the apocalyptic nature of the book the point being made is that the conclusion is something that can really only be called a second death, it's as though they are dying a second time; in the same way that the lake of fire is itself figurative and apocalyptic language. There isn't, obviously, some lake somewhere that is literally sulfur and fire. But the imagery is potent, and the mention of sulfur is itself probably significant not only because of its relationship to geothermal activity (e.g. volcanoes), but also because sulfur was perceived in the ancient world as having spiritual/religious significance. The Greek word for sulfur can literally translate to "divinity" or "divine stuff", sulfur was often used by ancient people in ritual purification rites. So sulfur and fire points to a kind of consummation of divine judgment, but what exactly it all means is unknown.

The Bible itself never calls this second death/lake of fire "hell" (which is the English word often used to translate both Gehenna and Hades), but we often apply this term to it anyway. Gehenna which is "in" Hades would seemingly itself be cast into the lake, as we see Hades itself thrown into the lake along with even death itself. How does something like Gehenna which Jesus describes as consisting of "age-lasting" or "everlasting" fire itself get cast into the lake of fire?

I don't have an answer to that, I just think it noteworthy to mention. I simply don't think we have the answers to some of these questions; in the case of the ultimate fate of the wicked the Bible uses both incredibly serious and sobering language, but it is also rather vague, with seemingly more questions to be raised than answers given. But that it is serious is obvious, St. John wouldn't call it "the second death" unless it were serious.

-CryptoLutheran

FireDragon76 said:

Catholics haven't been pro-colonialism in some time.

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Certainly. This official action is still newsworthy, I think.

PSALM 139

13 For you formed my inward parts;
you knitted me together in my mother's womb.
14 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.[a]
Wonderful are your works;
my soul knows it very well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you,
when I was being made in secret,
intricately woven in the depths of the earth.
16 Your eyes saw my unformed substance;
in your book were written, every one of them,
the days that were formed for me,
when as yet there was none of them.

WHERE DO YOU COME FROM?

That's a question millions of people are asking these days, many think we came from monkey's, many think we evolved but still many more have no idea of their earthly parents.

They don't know who their parents were, they might know one of their parents, but not the other.

You weren't there at the moment of your conception, but God was.

All that time, you were in your mother's womb, he was intricately weaving you into his image. You are fearfully and wonderfully made; you weren't and aren't a mistake.

These are very comforting words for everyone who feels unloved, who feels unwanted. Some of you maybe came from very unfortunate circumstances, maybe you came from the results of rape or were told, like me that one or more parents didn't want them, well let me tell you this;

GOD WANTS YOU AND LOVES YOU

You are wanted, you are treasured and you were made gloriously as a unique human being. God saw all your days, he created you for a purpose and that purpose was for you to know HIM

God knew you even before you were born, to me that is amazing, it thrills my soul and gives me so much joy and hope.

God bless you

KK
诗篇 139

13 我的肺腑是你所造的。我在母腹中，你已覆庇我。
14我要称谢你，因我受造，奇妙可畏。你的作为奇妙，这是我心深知道的。
15我在暗中受造，在地的深处被联络。那时，我的形体并不向你隐藏。
16我未成形的体质，你的眼早已看见了。你所定的日子，我尚未度一日，你都写在你的册上了。

你从哪里来？

这是当今千万人在问的问题，很多人认为我们来自猴子，很多人认为我们是进化而来的，但并不知道我们的祖先是谁。

甚至有很多人不知道他们的父母是谁，或者可能只知道父母中的一个。

然而，在你受孕的那一刻，你不在那里，但上帝在。

你在母亲的子宫的每一刻，他都在把你错综复杂地编织成他的形象。你被造得可畏又奇妙；你过去不是一个错误，现在也不是一个错误。

对于每个感受不到被爱，感觉到不受欢迎的人来说，这是非常安慰人的话。你们中的一些人可能来自非常不幸的情况，可能来自强奸的结果，或者像我一样，父母一方或者他们都不想要你。让我告诉你：

上帝要你并且爱你

他要你，他珍惜你，他把你塑造成一个独特的人，这是何等的荣耀。上帝看顾了你每一个日子。他创造你有一个目的，那就是让你认识他。

上帝甚至在我出生之前就认识我，对我来说这太棒了，这让我的灵魂兴奋，带给我如此多的快乐和希望。

上帝祝福你
KK

GalacticCapybara said:

I do have Scrupulousity, by the way. I don't know if that's relevant, but I should probably tell you just in case.

Also, this may be potentially triggering to someone else with OCD.

How do I do everything for God? And if I don't do something with the explicit purpose of "doing it for God", is it a sin? I've got it in my head that it is (I'm not 100% sure how much Scripture backs that) and it's causing me anxiety. I'm nervous to commit myself to anything if I can't find a religious motive behind it.

I'm worrying about my motives involving everything. Is getting my Driver's License a sin if I'm doing it for practicality's sake? Is taking care of my appearance and hygiene a sin 'cause I'm doing it to feel clean and better about myself? I recently started trying to wake up early with the hopes of getting my life together... Is that wrong because I'm not really doing it for God?

Does this make sense?

I kinda wanna ask my pastor and/or my mom, but I'm worried they'll think I'm ridiculous. Either everyone else is wayyy more moral than I am, and does everything for God's sake... Or they don't worry about this? Maybe I'm being ridiculous after all.

What are your thoughts? I kinda feel like I'm in a hypothetical limbo rn.

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Jesus is our rest. Our true rest. I will pray that you can find what a wonderful rest Jesus is.
Here is a sermon that is a blessing to me. I hope it is a light and breath of fresh air to you.
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A very respectful debate between Scholastic Lutherans and Orthodox.

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Yours in the Lord,

jm

Judas: – Because men are weak
Because they are cursed with envy and cowardice
Because they can dream of truth, but cannot live with it, they doubt
They doubt, the fools
Why must men betray themselves with doubts?
– Tell them, the others, find them and tell them not to doubt
Even now not to doubt
Tell them to keep their faith
They must keep faith
Demetrius: – Wait, tell who?
Who are you?
Judas: – My name is Judas

Screenplay The Robe (1953)

With the new indictment, law enforcement has now brought charges against a total of five people in connection with the attacks against pregnancy centers.

Two more individuals have been indicted for violating the federal Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act (FACE), in connection with a string of pro-abortion attacks against pro-life pregnancy centers in Florida.

The FACE Act prohibits “violent, threatening, damaging, and obstructive conduct intended to injure, intimidate, or interfere with the right to seek, obtain, or provide reproductive health services.”

Earlier this year, the Department of Justice (DOJ) brought FACE Act charges against two Floridians, 27-year-old Caleb Freestone and 23-year-old Amber Smith-Stewart, for spray painting threats on a pro-life clinic in Winter Haven, Florida; an archdiocesan pro-life pregnancy center in Hollywood, Florida; and one of Heartbeat of Miami’s pro-life pregnancy centers in Hialeah, Florida.

Continued below.

You ought to see what powers Corgis have!!!

2 Corinthians 5:11,14-15 ESV


The Body Life in the Spirit

If we, as Christians, walk in the fear of the Lord, that means we are honoring Jesus Christ with our lives. We are treating our Lord with enormous respect, and we are walking in obedience to his commands, for we take him and his word very seriously. And so we persuade others of the same so that they can also be in relationship with Jesus Christ and walk in his ways and in his truth and righteousness. For Jesus Christ put our sins to death with him on that cross that we might die with him to sin and live to his righteousness.

And not only that, but he died on that cross, putting our sins to death with him, so that we might no longer live for ourselves but for him who gave his life up for us on that cross and was then raised from the dead. And this was so that, by faith in Jesus Christ, we would be crucified with Christ in death to sin and raised with Christ to walk in newness of life in him, no longer as slaves to sin, but now as slaves to God and to his righteousness. And then we are to die daily to sin and self and walk in obedience to his commands.

Now when we believe in Jesus Christ with God-given faith, we take on the character of Jesus Christ, and we are to be becoming like him in his death and resurrection on a daily basis. But this is a process of a lifetime, which is our process of salvation and sanctification, daily dying to sin and to self and daily walking in obedience to his commands in walks of holiness and righteousness, continually learning and growing and changing to be more and more like Jesus in character.


For, as followers of Jesus Christ, we are his body, and so we are to act like we are his body, in truth and in righteousness. And we are to carry on the work he began when he lived on the earth, and we are to do and to say the kinds of things which he did and said. And we are definitely to be speaking the truth of the Scriptures to one another, and exhorting one another, so that we are not led astray by sin’s deceitfulness, and so that we don’t end up following after false teachers in their cunning and craftiness, but so we all live holy and godly lives to the glory of God.

[Matt 5:13-16; Matt 28:18-20; Jn 4:31-38; Jn 13:13-17; Jn 14:12; Acts 1:8; Acts 26:18; Rom 10:14-15; Rom 12:1-8; Rom 15:14; 1 Co 12:1-31; Eph 4:1-16; Eph 5:17-27; Php 2:1-8; Php 3:10; Col 3:16; Heb 3:13; Heb 10:23-25; 1 Pet 2:9,21; 1 Jn 2:6; 1 Peter 2:24; 2 Co 5:15,21; Rom 6:1-23; Luke 9:23-26; Eph 4:17-24]

Being Like Jesus in Character

So, if we are to be like Jesus in character, what does that look like? What is your model in your mind of what that should be like in your life? Many people have this notion that it is just going around being “nice” to everyone, saying nice things that they will like to hear, hanging out with sinners and joining in with them in the things they like to do, and not saying anything that might offend anyone, and doing good deeds. And this might also involve laughing and joking and making light of things which are to be taken seriously. But worldliness is the model here, not godliness.

Now, don’t misunderstand me. This doesn’t mean we go around all grumpy with frowns on our faces and that we avoid anyone who is not godly, by our estimation, or that we never laugh or enjoy life. But we are not here on this earth to become like the world and to blend in with the world and to immerse ourselves in our culture so that the world will like us. And Jesus did not go around just saying what made people feel good about themselves, and he definitely did not avoid speaking the truth in love, when needed, out of fear he might offend people’s sensitivities.

Yes, Jesus was kindhearted, and yes, he was loving and compassionate, and he cared about people. But because he was all those things he also confronted sin in sinful humans, and he spoke the truth in love to them, and he called them to repentance, and he commanded that they obey him, and he corrected wrong thinking and believing, and he spoke what was right in opposition to the wrong, and he said things people didn’t want to hear, and he did things they didn’t like, and that they didn’t approve of, and that is why they hated him, and it is why they put him to death.

So, if we are to be becoming like Jesus in his character, and we truly take on the character of Christ, and we do and say the kinds of things he did and said, we should expect to be treated much the same way he was treated, too. We should expect that even others who profess faith in Jesus Christ will reject us, hate us, want nothing to do with us, ignore us, persecute us, gossip about us, cast us out of their gatherings, and/or cut us out of their lives for good. And how they are treating us, they are treating Jesus.

So, I am fully convinced that if Jesus Christ was alive on the earth today and among us that he would be treated much the same way he was treated before, and by those who profess to be of the same faith as him, too. So, even though many Christians this week are remembering Jesus Christ in his death and resurrection, many of those same Christians are rejecting the true character of Jesus Christ as is being revealed to them through those who do take God and his word seriously, and who are modeling Christ to them. For when they mistreat Jesus’ servants, they are mistreating him, too.

2 Corinthians 5:10 ESV


Now, please know that all of us are going to have to stand before our Lord one day and we are all going to be judged by what we did on this earth in response to what Jesus did for us, and in response to what he commands of us who claim to follow him. And if we have sown to the flesh, from the flesh we will reap corruption, destruction, and death. But if we have sown to the Spirit, from the Spirit we will reap eternal life. For if sin is what you practice, and if righteousness and obedience to God are not what you practice, you will not inherit eternal life with God, regardless of what your lips profess.

[Matt 7:21-23; Lu 9:23-26; Jn 6:35-58; Jn 15:1-11; Rom 1:18-32; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14; 1 Co 6:9-10; 2 Co 5:10; Gal 5:16-21; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:5-11; 1 Jn 1:5-10; 1 Jn 2:3-6; 1 Jn 3:4-10; Heb 10:23-31; 1 Pet 1:17-21; Rev 21:8,27; Rev 22:14-15]

For Our Nation

An Original Work / September 11, 2012

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

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

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

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

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When Pontius Pilate asked Jesus Christ if He was a king, Jesus replied: Yes, you are now saying that. Jesus Christ is the King for all Christians. From this point of view, Christians have a theocracy.

Politically, theocracy was temporary and short-lived in Old Testament and New Testament times. Perhaps God Himself does not want people to do His will under duress. In any case, now Christians in all countries of the world are a minority and do not have such power to impose their laws on society.

On the other hand, we remember that those nations that filled the cup of God's patience were destroyed (this was accompanied by the suffering and death of most of the inhabitants): ancient Babylon, Sodom, Egypt, Assyria and others. Therefore, Christians cannot feel safe if pagans and bad Christians sin a lot.

Purwakarta Regent Anne Ratna Mustika closed the church building in Cigelam Village, Purwakarta, West Java.

The Ministry of Religion regrets the Regent's decision to disqualify the GKPS church, especially ahead of the Easter celebrations. Referring to SKB 2 Ministers in article 14 paragraph 3, the local government should facilitate the availability of locations for the construction of houses of worship if the requirements for construction have not been met.

Purwakarta Regent Anne Ratna Mustika:




Source : Bupati Purwakarta segel gereja GKPS, pengurus gereja: 'Kami ingin ibadah Paskah di gereja sendiri' - BBC News Indonesia

Valletta said:

Great. Public outrage against these woke D.A.s can and did make a difference.

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Define "woke" in this context.

Valletta said:

The initial charges against Diarra sparked outrage — and recalled the case of Manhattan bodega clerk Jose Alba, who was charged with murder after a fatal July 1 confrontation in his store with an angry customer who came behind his counter and accosted him. . .

One cop who heard of the attempted-murder charge against the parking garage worker snarled, “People like Alvin Bragg have made this city unsafe, and this worker is a victim defending himself.”

Manhattan garage worker charged with attempted murder after shooting thief

A Manhattan parking garage attendant who was shot twice while confronting an alleged thief — then wrestled the gun away and opened fire on the suspect — has been charged with attempted …

nypost.com

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New York Post? Every paragraph published in that rag is editorialized and sensationalized.

Unbelievable...

Please pray for Torben and his wife.

Press the 'subtitles closed' button at the bottom...

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godisagardener said:

Check out Abe Books. The link will take you to the first page of listings for what you might be looking for.

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Thanks for the link! For some reason I tend to forget about Abe Books. Guess my poor old mind has been over-Amazonized.

Anyway, the problem is that I'm not entirely sure what I'm looking for, which is why I started this thread. Once I'm there, I'll definitely look at Abe Books.

Thanks again, though!

Sour grapes. Bad sport.

Good for Barr and Wray not inventing fantasy rap sheets to please their boss.