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sprknjc · Feb 4, 2024

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sprknjc said:
Testing the - Quote button

- Quote button individual message, then Insert quotes button bottom of thread works

BPPLEE · Feb 4, 2024

RoBo1988 · Feb 4, 2024

The West’s humiliating electric car climbdown has begun

France’s President Macron had a plan to make millions of electric vehicles a year. Chancellor Scholz planned to put 15 million on Germany’s roads by 2030. President Biden trumped the lot with a $174bn (£138bn) plan to make the US the world leader. Even Boris Johnson – remember him – had a £1bn...

news.yahoo.com

"We would reduce carbon emissions, create many jobs, and shore up our industrial base. Sure, governments would have to commit a few billions – or tens of billions – to make it happen. But it would pay for itself many times over.

And yet, right now, plans for an EV-led industrial revolution are in full-scale retreat."

J3thekingofking · Feb 4, 2024

if my sibling and parent are not Christian, can I cling on this verse "Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, along with everyone in your household"? and presume my family will be saved? but in reality, that's not the case. Many members did not get converted and died.

if that's the case, why would I honor this?
"Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness"

there's a gender gap btw male and female, so even if we match all oflike robot, there will be still people who sincerly asked for a Christian spouse but they'll remain single their entire life.

So should I comprise and marry an unbeliever instead? since the bible comprised too and just accept this imperfect reality?

Reader Antonius · Feb 4, 2024

Páx Vóbíscum. Ειρήνη Σε Όλους!, שלום עליכם! Laudétur Iesus Christus!

Unfortunately, in our times, the one ("unicus") Roman Rite of the Latin Church within Catholic Christianity has been widely criticized. Certainly, there is room for such critique, as no liturgical form is perfect, for no liturgical form can fully express the Liturgy of Heaven. That said, every liturgical rite still existing, has its own genius, symbolism, and history behind it. For the Gospel is for all nations, first to the Jew and then to the Gentile. Despite widespread criticism, exploring the Roman Rite within the Latin Church unveils layers of deep spiritual complexity & historical-cultural significance often lost in discussion, or even ignored to great ills.

To navigate this discussion effectively, let us first establish clear definitions of essential terms such as "Rite," "Roman Rite," and "Liturgy." Unless otherwise noted: "Rite" refers, as above, to the six major extant Apostolic Christian liturgical traditions (Roman, Constantinopolitan, Alexandrian, West Syriac, Armenian, & East Syriac). The "Roman Rite" refers exclusively to the "liturgical books promulgated by Saint Paul VI and Saint John Paul II, in conformity with the decrees of Vatican Council II," which are "the unique/sole/only expression of the lex orandi of the Roman Rite" (Traditiones Custodes, Art. I). Previously, this was called the "Ordinary Form." The word "Eucharistic Prayer" (EP) refers to the Anaphora, and vice-versa. "Liturgy" (unless otherwise indicated) refers to the entirety of a rite's tradition & praxis – including but not limited to the Holy Eucharist.

All that being said, I propose to argue here – in a skeletal, non-exhaustive way – how the Roman Rite is in continuity with the editions that preceded it. Of particular interest being the "Tridentine" liturgy & its heirs until A.D. 1962. Understanding the Roman Rite requires recognition of its place among the six major apostolic Christian liturgical traditions, but also how it has *always* stood uniquely amidst the others.

Since the 1970s onwards, there have been mountains of ink spilled by critics of the reforms & restorations of Vatican II. These range from almost every direction possible in terms of liturgy, history, ritualism, culture, language, etc. That said, *most* critics view the Tridentine Liturgy (a 16th-century codification based on 15th-century liturgical euchologies) to be a sort of "exemplar" of the Roman Liturgy. And it is certainly true that the attempt & result of the Tridentine reforms did unify & codify the Roman Rite. In tracing the origins of the Tridentine liturgy, we can see its significant role in bringing together the medieval Roman liturgical from into a single set of liturgical books.

Yet, it's also clear that the liturgists of the 16th century simply lacked wide documentation of Roman liturgies going back to the desired age: that of Pope St. Gregory the Great (and to some degree earlier). Thus, even Popes like St. Pius X, Leo XIII, Pius XI, Benedict XV, and Ven. Pius XIII in recent centuries began to realize that the Tridentine reforms were more useful in liturgical unification, rather than actual restoration. St. Pius X, aware of these facts, went so far as to say that the Tridentine books needed to be "cleansed of the grime of decay." Thus, while the Tridentine reforms accomplished for unity, they also faced later criticism for their limitations in achieving comprehensive restoration.

In response to these shortcomings, the 19th-century Liturgical Movement emerged as a catalyst for reform within the Roman Rite. Many reforms were undertaken or tried locally, but the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council's Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy (Sacrosanctum Concilium) *mandated* from a ecumenical conciliar level the reform & also restoration of the Roman Rite along the lines of the aforementioned Popes. That is, to removed what had decayed over centuries, the majority of non-Roman elements, & ressourcement with the liturgical traditions of the Patristic Era.

Archbishop Annibale Bugnini was the leader of the Consilium formed by Pope St. Paul VI to accomplish this task, but I find he is often spoken of as children might of a "boogey-man." He is often vilified conspiratorially for trying to destroy the Roman liturgical tradition. For all his flaws however, the Consilium was not dominated by him to the degree often asserted (indeed, often to his chagrin). Moreover, liturgical experts of vastly greater erudition (e.g., Jungmann, Pierre-Marie Gy, Louis Bouyer, Dom Botte, Martimort, Righetti, et alia) feature rightly as liturgists of considerable knowledge as consultors. So, espite controversies surrounding Archbishop Annibale Bugnini, it was the Consilium as a whole under the final authority of Pope St. Paul VI (and the Supreme Pontiff himself played important roles) which played a more crucial role in implementing liturgical reforms.

By this time in history too, there was a growing realization of factors that were noticed by liturgists which were unique to the Roman Liturgy that appear all throughout history. These elements were eventually understood as deriving from City of Rome during the classical period, and were heavily marked by the Latin language's abbreviating & poetic tendencies. Ultimately, it was realized that the great beauty of the Roman Rite (as restored by Vatican II, but applicable to all previous editions) depended upon key factors.

First & foremost, a deep yet stoic reverence of the heart, great precision in liturgical & bodily actions, clear sobriety of mind & attentiveness, primarily Latin-based language from Biblical sources (as opposed to composed odes or poetry; e.g., the Byzantine Octoechos), and a comparatively strict adherence to & detailed rubrics & norms. Major failures on those fronts, on any one of them, easily mad very bad Roman liturgy, and those failures severely hampered the ability of all editions to convey "Romanitas" and the worship the Latin Church owes God & her faithful.

Moreover, it was also realized by many great liturgists that the Roman Rite's *key* mark is a balance of great nobility with stoic simplicity. This can be seen in ancient basilicas & medieval architecture, well-made vestments, precious metallic vessels, and other works of great beauty or skill whenever possible. This beauty acts as a matrix around an archaic noble simplicity of liturgical style. That is to say that the ritual forms are relatively short, unencumbered by repetition, practical, austere, and generally lacking in overt ritual complexity (although even the newest books *are* extremely complex, as I can attest as a "Master of Ceremonies" in-training!). This was also noted long before Vatican II's call for reforms.

The end result of all this reflection & labor was the liturgical books promulgated by Pope St. Paul VI. These liturgical forms are almost *entirely* shorn of Gallican additions; most of which originally came from the East (primarily Antioch & Alexandria), and became attached to the pristine Roman Rite of the 9th century and onwards. The Roman Rite is reformed in the sense that it is styled in a way less foreign to a modern observer, yet the aspect of restoration far more predominates (and still remains as the decades pass). Indeed, if one compares the typical Lord's Day Mass in the new books with the documentation found in the ancient "Ordo Romanus Primus," the similarities are very close. This was, in fact, part of the goal.

Still, the restoration of the ancient Roman Rite – due to its characteristic simplicity – left lacunae & areas desired for enrichment. Given the vastly greater knowledge of euchologies of the East & West, such gaps were filled with re-worked non-Roman Western or even directly Eastern sources. Thus, certain very Gallican traditions were retained for their obvious value (i.e., swinging the thurible/censer rather than keeping it still as it is raised or lowered, offertory rituals around the bread & wine, raising Host & Chalice after each consecration, etc.). In cases of desired *additions,* a balanced course was plotted.

The Consilium, for example, wanted to end the long-time domination of the use of a single Anaphora/Eucharistic Prayer in the Roman Liturgy. Initially & understandably, this was objected to on two grounds, First, that the preciously venerable Roman Canon might be lost; and, secondly, that the adoption of multiple anaphora might be both "un-Roman" (in style, mainly) or mere appropriation from the East.

The following conclusions were reached after much discussion: The Roman Canon would be retained untouched, save being shorn of certain Gallican or medieval accretions in ritual (e.g., multiple signs of the Cross, which were decayed forms of liturgical pointing; the degraded homily; etc.). Of great importance was that the Roman Liturgy finally identified the "Quam Oblatiónem" as the Roman "epiklesis" (or functioned as one; for it is possible it never had one as the East or non-Roman West did). This would mean all newly composed Roman anaphorae would require a consecratory epiklesis *before* the Institution Narrative. This also was more in-keeping with the theological importance of the latter in consecrating the elements.

In exploring the forms of the newly-composed (but hardly "new" in euchological terms) EPs, we see unveiled a deliberate synthesis of diverse Western and Eastern liturgical traditions. Simultaneously, we also see a strong desire to maintain the Roman tradition of liturgical celebration of the Holy Sacraments rather than wholesale adoption of another Rite. The additional Anaphorae/Eucharistic Prayers (EP) are essentially Roman in structure, but have elements from (primarily) Gallican, Mozarabic, & Anglo-Celtic sources (thus maintaining a Western connection). These are supplemented by material from Eastern sources with a known history of connection with the Church of Rome (i.e., Byzantine, Alexandrian, West Syriac). These primary EPs are four in number, noted as "EP I-IV" – which have been identified as such by the fact that they alone have Latin originals. They are also the best compositions, primarily Roman in nature, & based in the ancient sources.

To wit (names for II-IV mine):

EP I – The Roman Canon:
Textually, it has suffered no real change. Late liturgical scholarship had discovered that its unique properties are likely a result of portions of Eastern anaphorae being Latinized & abbreviated massively, and then placed in their current position around the 5th-7th century. This explains why the Roman Canon does not flow smoothly, and why it has aspects which defy the majority euchological traditions, East & West. It's language is also hieratic, which speaks to its extremely archaic nature. Yet, despite these issues, it was judged that the venerable nature of this anaphora needed retention. A decision that has proven most wonderful! Incidentally, the realization that the almost independent prayers that make up the Roman Canon likely had Eastern (mainly Alexandrian, probably) origin allowed for the precedence of drawing from Eastern sources in composing new anaphorae.

EP II – The Hippolytan Canon
This is a prayer that took inspiration from the possibly Roman anaphora recorded in the "Apostolic Tradition" ascribed to St. Hippolytus of Rome. It is not, however, a direct adoption. The Praefatio (preface) is moveable, as is Roman custom, and the basic structure has additions from the Roman Canon; notably the epiclesis is moved to the Roman pre-Institution location. Thus, it's actually more Roman in nature than St. Hippolytus' text. It was designed to be used during daily Masses or Masses in places where long anaphora could be difficult (e.g. warzones, persecutions, etc.). Yet, it was widely abused since the main celebrant has the authority to choose which anaphora to pray. This may be remedied in future editions.

EP III – The Canon of Sacrifice
As with the Roman Canon, this anaphora emphasizes the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. This is the second most common anaphora after the Roman Canon. It emerged due to a compromise aimed at maintaining the stylistic elements of the Roman Canon, but reorganizing it to flow better given its varying constituent parts. It is not, however, a complete rearrangement. Rather, it also includes primarily Western euchological influences (primarily Mozarabic & Gallican), with a touch of early Antiochene sources. Likewise, it has a Western epiclesis placed before the Institution Narrative to maintain Roman custom. But the Antiochene influence can be seen as clearly in that it begins the Narrative not with the (uniquely) Roman "Qui, prídie quam paterétur..." but rather the Antiochene: "...in qua nócte tradebátur..." The majority, however, is Roman reorganization.

EP IV – The Roman Anaphora of St. Basil the Great
There was a widespread desire by many to include the Basilian anaphoric tradition into an additional EP. Firstly, the Basilian anaphorae are among the most beautiful & widely accepted anaphorae in Christian history. Secondly, both Byzantine & Alexandrian traditions utilize this anaphora, although in two different forms. Given the ancient accord between Rome & Alexandria, the Coptic Anaphora of St. Basil was chosen over the Byzantine version. Yet, given the length & complexity of the Coptic, it was thought to be too foreign to the Roman genius to be adopted wholesale.

Therefore, following the precedence of the Roman Canon, it was composed in such a way as to have a Latin affinity linguistically, and be heavily abbreviated without losing the substantial aspects of the Basilian anaphoric beauty. Thus, the Praefatio is immoveable and must be so. Unfortunately, this fact means that Eucharistic Prayer IV is rarely prayed in most places; not only due to its length, but also since the Praefatio cannot be substituted for a proper one. Thus, it is more suited to Lord's Day Masses in Ordinary Time, or even weekday Masses with no saint commemorated. Many aspects of this anaphora, however, show a merging of harmony between St. Basil & Latinity.

For example: the profoundly Basilian "Confitémur Tibi, Pater Sancte," which extends at length to the epiclesis; the "Ipse Enim, Cum Hora Venísset" that opens into the Institution Narrative, & a Basilian anamnesis. The Roman aspects begin to dominate in the "Réspice, Dómine, in Hóstiam;" the "Nunc Ergo, Dómine;" and finally the "Meménto étiam Illórum." The latter of which fittingly leads into the Per Ipsum, which (as with the Institution Narrative) remains the same in all the new EPs.

The changes made to the Roman Mass were also carried over or aligned with reforms & restorations of the rest of the Roman Liturgy. The Sacraments were shorn of many Gallican or medieval accretions (notably Baptism, Anointing, & Ordination). Others were enriched; e.g., Confirmation, which had undergone significant doctrinal development since Trent, adopted (but Romanized; namely, by making it imperative) the clear late Antiochene-Byzantine "forma Sacramentalis." Moreover, a new formula of absolution was composed in a wholly Roman style, but with a focus on a Trinitarian & less juridical aspect (although the post-prayer "Passio Dómini Nostri Iesu Christi" was retained without alteration).

The Liturgy of the Hours was restored to its choral & cathedral choir format in which it predominated in the late Patristic, early medieval times. Thus, it lacks much of the monastic material that later become conjoined to this choral office. This required a reformatting of the Psalter into a four-week cycle, cleaning away some burdensome monastic accretions (an ongoing work long before Vatican II), and making it suitable for *both* public celebration or private recitation. This was perhaps the most salutary reform given that the attempt by St. Pius X to imitate the one-week Psalter of the East was rather disastrous in application. The only real change was that Prime was, universally speaking, suppressed. Given that it was a very late, practical addition from monastic sources revolving around breakfast, this wasn't seen by knowledgeable liturgists as a serious loss. Even the East has considered suppressing it over the centuries.

So the end result was indeed a restoration, but also a reformation as well. This, in point of fact, is the usual path taken in previous reforms. The evolution of the Roman Rite therefore reflects a delicate, but intentional balance between preserving tradition and adapting to contemporary contexts (including discoveries unknown to the Tridentine Fathers). Indeed, the wording of what Trent sought to do is almost verbatim in Sacrosanctum Concilium, and this same wording is found in other documents involving Roman liturgical reform or change. Notably: "Restituantur vero ad pristinam sanctorum Patrum" – "Restored to the vigor which they had in the days of the holy Fathers." This is a recurring theme of Roman liturgical change; almost an obsession in a way that is very in keeping with the classical Roman preference for religious archaism.

These parallels between Vatican II reforms and earlier efforts underscore the Roman preference for continuity and restoration as complementary to liturgical change. The new liturgical books of the one Roman Rite reflect this in an exemplary manner, although future editions have the opportunity of deepening and evoking this "spiritual richness and depths" (as Pope Benedict XVI put it) through rubrical reform, shoring up oversimplification, and further layering of texts (perhaps in the hieratic Latin style of the Roman Canon).

Teofrastus · Feb 4, 2024

On Amazon I have written reviews of three controversial theology books that are suitable for discussion:

All Things Come into Being Through Him: A Christology of Creation (2023) by David O. Brown
(Advocates a return to deism in much improved form.)

A Brief Systematic Theology of the Symbol (2021) by Joshua Mobley
(Advocates symbolization on Gnostic lines.)

A Philosophical Anthropology of the Cross: The Cruciform Self (2013) by Brian Gregor
(Advocates a this-worldly form of Christianity in the following of Bonhoeffer.)

So, what is wrong or right with these proposals?

Ragdoll · Feb 4, 2024

▪INTRODUCTION

Atheists are led to believe that evolution theory is a modern discovery of science. What atheists are not told is that their gurus have been borrowing from ancient pagan philosophers and then taking the credit for the ancient philosophy they have plagiarized into their modern books. In this article we will explore a classic work by a 2nd century theologian named Theophilus of Antioch. Here you will see modern evolution theory addressed in the 2nd century!

✨Who First Said "We are made of Stardust?"

"The cosmos is within us. We are made of Star-stuff. We are a way for the universe to know itself" (Carl Sagan, 20th century, 1973).

Evolutionists claim that Sagan's statement is original and this "we are made of star-stuff (i.e., stardust) has been attributed to Sagan more than anyone else.

However,

“We are stardust
Billion year old carbon”
(Joni Mitchell, song "Woodstock," 1970).

Joni Mitchell was a career marijuana user who's constant use of the drug inspired her entire worldview. So did Sagan borrow his expression from a stoner who shared her delusional pipe dreams? Maybe in part. However, the belief that we evolved and are uncreated goes back to ancient times.

2nd century church father Theophilus of Antioch speaks extensively about how some pagan Greeks believed in evolution theory and atheism. Here we read about the supposed evolution of life from stardust:

"On the fourth day the luminaries came into existence. Since God has foreknowledge, he understood the nonsense of the foolish philosophers who were going to say that the things produced on earth come from the stars, so that they might set God aside [1 Thess. 4:8]" (Oxford Early Christian Texts, "Theophilus of Antioch: Ad Autolycum" translated by Robert M.Grant, p.51).

So way back in the 2nd century A.D. we see how one of the early church fathers was speaking to his friend Autolycum (Autolycus) about a belief held by ancient Greek philosophers. One of the beliefs they held is that our existence is uncreated and how we were produced by the stars.

How many of you learned that in school? Do they ever teach the origin of evolutionist philosophy in the public schools? We are all told from our youth that all these beliefs held by evolutionists are new discoveries. We are never told that evolution as a theory came from various pagan philosophies including Greek mythology. These secular educators are holding back much information from their students. They get their students to accept things like Greek mythology and then tell them its all modern discoveries of science, when in fact its all ancient mythology.

Theophilus Continues to Address Well Know Doctrines of Evolution Theory

Evolution theory is an ancient religion because of the Divine implications attached to these Greek philosophers who taught atheism. Theophilus begs the question:

"How did the Muses know these things when they originated later than the world? How could they describe them to Hesiod when their father had not yet been born?" (p.29).

Just as evolution theory teaches us how life evolved from the oceans, here also we see how in Greek mythology life originated from the ocean:

"Ocean, origin of the gods, and mother Tethys,
Whence come all rivers and the whole sea.

But when he says this he does not establish the fact of God. For who does not understand that Ocean is water? And if water, then not God. If God is the creator of the universe, as he is, he must be the creator of water and the seas as well" (pp.27, 29).

Theophilus goes on to question the chronology of the matter and how such knowledge could be known apart from God? You'll also notice the big bang theory in the subject matter:

"He says this, but he still does not explain by whom they were made. If originally there was chaos, and certain uncreated matter already subsisted, who was it who reshaped, remodelled, and transformed it? Did matter itself reshape and arrange itself? Zeus came into existence much later, not only after matter but even after the world and great numbers of men, and so did his father Kronos. Was there not instead some sovereign principle that made matter—I mean God, the one who set it in order?" (p.31).

Theophilus points out atheism taught by certain Greek philosophers,

"Some of the Stoics absolutely deny the existence of God or assert that if God exists he takes thought for no one but himself. Such views certainly exhibit the folly of Epicurus and Chrysippus alike. Others say that everything happens spontaneously, that the universe is uncreated and that nature is eternal; in general they venture to declare that there is no divine providence but that God is only the individual's conscience" (p.27).

Make no mistake, Theophilus is speaking about what we call "evolution theory" today.

"Moreover, they made inconsistent and evil statements about the origin of the world. In the first place, some of them declare that the world was uncreated, as we have already explained; and those who said that it was uncreated and that nature is eternal disagree with those who held that it came into existence. They made these statements by conjecture and by human thought, not in accordance with the truth" (p.35).

But we couldn't be a product of stardust without the philosophy of deep time. Here we see Theophilus address the issue of deep time:

"For some declare that the world was not created and went off into endless time" (p.121).

And last we can see atheism as an already established religion among some of the Greek philosophers:

"If they spoke of the gods, they later taught atheism; if about the creation of the world, they said everything came about spontaneously" (p.103).

Spontaneous generation is the backbone of biological evolution. This belief also goes back to ancient Greece.

"And Pythagoras, who went through such great labours over the gods and made his way up and down, finally defines their nature and says everything was produced spontaneously [ibid., 589, 9-10: Epicurus]; the gods do not take thought of men [ibid., 572, 6: Epicurus]. Furthermore, Clitomachus the Academic philosopher introduced many arguments for atheism" (p.107).

Even today we have noticed how evolutionists contradict their own beliefs. When one's philosophy involves the make-it-all-up-as-you-go system of reasoning then no amount of truth or honesty can ever come from it.
Keep in mind that Theophilus of Antioch was a 2nd century church father who lived some 1800 years before Charles Darwin, and 2000 years before Carl Sagan. Evolution theory is part of paganism and can be traced as far back as Babylon. However there were Greek and Roman philosophers who tweaked those beliefs to how we understand evolution theory today. But it was all made up by humans seeking fame as philosophers in Greece. We can also find evolution theory in Hinduism. Atheists just transformed Hanuman into Hominid. Its all a lie...ancient pagan mythology. Its religion and it makes divine claims about the origin of everything that nobody was there to witness. Therefore the claims made come from Greek prophets who are nothing more than false prophets. These false prophets have led western society to ruin, with violent mobs in the streets who destroy entire cities and murder in the name of their Darwinian prophets. Jesus tells us not to follow these false prophets so that we will not be deceived.

If you are interested in finding of copy of this book then you might have to pay a little extra for it because its an out of print book. I paid more than the usual price for a book like this because of it being out of print. Keep in mind that this is the Oxford translation which is a little more accurate and detailed than the other less expensive translation of this same document out there. I have both of the translation and both of them are good reads. The Oxford translation is just a better overall translation which is why I paid extra to get a hold of it.

Christsfreeservant · Feb 4, 2024

This was originally posted in October of 2022, but the Lord is encouraging me to repost it today:

What Satan Meant for Evil, God Can Use for Good

The Lord Jesus led me this morning to do another Talk Video (link below) based off a song he gave me to write in 2012, which is based off Psalms 27. And this particular Psalm is near and dear to my heart, for it touches on so many things I have experienced in my life such as enemies attacking me, and people warring against me fiercely, and relatives forsaking me and not supporting me, and some of them even fighting against me.

But what I have learned throughout my life is that God is sovereign over all things and that nothing can touch me unless God allows it, and he allows it for a purpose, and so there is a reason for why I had to go through the things that I did. Even though it was Satan who meant these difficulties in my life for evil, God had a plan all along to use them for good in my life, to prepare me for the ministry to which he has called me.

For, if I had not gone through the hardships that I have gone through I would not be prepared to do what he has called me to do which I have been doing the past 18 years. I absolutely know that to be true! For I could not do this in my own strength. No way! Well, if I tried it wouldn’t be the Lord doing it through me anyway. But it is not possible. I am absolutely and totally reliant on the Lord Jesus for all of this to which God has called me.

Anyway, I know God has allowed difficulties in your lives, too, and if you surrender your lives to him, he can use them for his glory and for your good and for the good of others. Had I not gone through what I did I would not be prepared to do what I am now doing and it just wouldn’t have happened, and the lives this is touching would not have been touched by this, or at least I would not have been a participant in it.

So, whatever you are going through, please know that God is greater! And please know that he is still in charge and that what you are going through has a purpose. So, yield control of your life over to the Lord and let him work his will and purpose in your life even through your trials. Do not fear what the enemy may do against you but take courage and trust the Lord with your life and let him turn the evil done to you for good.

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Hear my Voice

An Original Work / July 9, 2012
Based off Psalm 27

The Lord is my great salvation.
He’s the stronghold of my life.
When my enemies attack me,
My heart will not fear at all.
Though a war break out against me,
Confident in Christ I’ll be.
Of the Lord, I ask that I may
Live with Him eternally.

Hear my voice, Lord, when I call you.
Merciful to me You’ll be.
Though my relatives forsake me,
My Lord God will receive me.
Teach me Your way, O my Jesus.
Lead me in Your righteousness.
I will sacrifice to my Lord.
I will sing with joyfulness.

I am confident that I will
See the goodness of the Lord.
All the richness of His blessings,
My Lord has for me in store.
He asks me to be of courage;
To be strong and to take heart,
Patiently as I wait for Him,
And from Him to ne’er depart.

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Christsfreeservant · Feb 3, 2024

“Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.” (1 Corinthians 9:19-23 NIV)

Now, lest some people take Paul’s words here out of context and apply them in ways in which he did not mean them, let me say upfront that we must interpret Paul’s words here in light of his testimony that he shared all throughout all of his writings. Therefore, since Paul taught against Christians adding on to their salvation the works of the flesh and the Old Covenant liturgical, ceremonial, and dietary laws and restrictions, and the requirement for circumcision, he is not saying that he did that to save people’s lives.

And since Paul taught against Christians still making sin their practice, and he taught that we must obey our Lord’s commandments under the New Covenant, and he taught on holy living and us being separate (unlike, different) from the world, he also was not saying that he became like the world to win the world nor that he compromised truth and righteousness to win the world nor that he returned to sinful practices to win the world, etc. For he was not a hypocrite who lived the opposite of what he taught.

So, how can we interpret Paul’s words here in a way in which we can apply them to our lives, as followers of Jesus Christ? Well, I believe the Lord Jesus is leading me here to share some of the ways in which he has done and is doing that in and through my life. And the purpose here is never to brag, for I give all the glory to God for all that he does in and through my life for his purposes and for his glory, and which I am only able to do in his power, strength, and wisdom, as he directs me in the way he wants me to go.

And this all began about 20 years ago, first with me gaining possession of my grandmother’s journals – a grandmother who died when I was only 2 years old, so I don’t remember her at all. But when I began reading her journals I began to cry, for I found the person in my life who was like me in so many ways. She expressed herself in so many ways like I express myself, and she loved sharing the gospel, and she loved ministering to other people’s needs, and she loved the Lord Jesus and serving him.

But beginning with her journals the Lord began calling me to this present ministry. And that led to me reading the Bible in context from beginning to end, and then again, and again. And the Lord began opening my eyes to so much truth I never knew before. And then he called me to write down what he was teaching me through his word each day and to post these writings on the internet. Now, at first, he was teaching me much I had no understanding of previously and he was helping me unlearn some things, too.

But then the writings began to form into daily devotions and he expanded the area of opportunities for sharing these writings with the public over the span of these 20 years. But here is where it applies to what Paul was talking about, I believe. Well, first of all I was writing and posting on the internet what the Lord was teaching me each day. So this was something new in my life I had never done before, that I recall, and so I was now able to reach people with the gospel in nations in Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas.

While I served as a Bible teacher just in my local church congregation, that was the limit of my outreach. But now that I was on the internet, I could reach people all over the world. So I became an internet devotion writer so that I, by the grace of God, might save some. Then seven years into that the Lord gave me the gift of writing simple but biblical songs of faith to also share on the internet with the people of the world. Seven more years passed, and then he had me begin writing poems to share with the world.

That was in 2018, and that is when he led me to write my first (short) book (internet only), which is my testimony of my life experiences and what the Lord taught me through those experiences, and for the encouragement of others who have gone through or who are presently going through the same kinds of experiences in which I had, some of which I am still going through. And then in 2023 the Lord had me write a second book, this one much shorter, on the subject of some of my church experiences.

In March of 2020 the Lord had me record my first talk video which was during the time of the Covid crisis and the shutdowns and the year of elections in the USA. There was a lot of emotional upheaval during this time, and so the fifth talk video was on the subject of God being in control over all things, and so it was for the purpose of encouragement in those troubled times. And this was not preplanned out. The Lord just gave me a Scripture and then I talked on that Scripture just as the Lord taught me then.

And then, within the last year, I believe, the Lord had me begin writing Christian memes, which are very short devotionals captured in a form of a picture so that the whole thing can be read without having to scroll down through a longer document as is this one. And then more recently he has led me to record myself reading these memes and posting them on the internet, as well. And so what began as me writing my personal devotions each day and posting them on the internet, led to writing songs, poems, books, Christian memes, and then to recording devotions and memes in videos.

So, how does all this relate to what Paul said?

Well, I used to just teach the Scriptures to a small group of women and I sang in a choir and sometimes did special music, but I only reached a small group of people and a limited venue and means of communication. Since we live in a day and time where the world is on the internet and where many people like videos over reading, or they prefer poems over prose, or they like things short and not long, and where “memes” are popular, as well as videos, and where they like listening to music and not talking, these six different forms of communication the Lord has led me to do are reaching so many more people of different likes and locations. All glory to God!

Now, this video talk below was the fifth talk video that I did in 2020, and it encouraged my heart listening to it again today, so if you like watching videos instead of reading, and if you like things simple, then I would encourage you to watch it, for our God is absolutely in control over all that he has made, and he is in control of all that he has called me and equipped me to do these past 20 years in all the different areas of ministry to which he has called me so that more people could be reached with the message of the gospel of our salvation.

God is in Control

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Siskin · Feb 3, 2024

I'd like to gather recipes that are compliant with Orthodox fasting, I would hugely appreciate if anyone could contribute, or point me to any resources for this. I am having a hard time finding anything.

Many many thanks

RoBo1988 · Feb 3, 2024

Shot picking up his wife -Mike Gill

Mike Gill DIES five days after he was shot during DC carjacking

Mike Gill, a married father of three who was chief operating officer of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, was shot by Artell Cunningham on K Street NW about 5.45pm last Monday.

www.dailymail.co.uk

Presbyterian Continuist · Feb 3, 2024

I got hold of Pastor Guerin's Documentary Report on the Aberrent Practices of the Kansas City Prophets. As part of the report, there were extensive quotes of the prophecies of Bob Jones, a disgraced Kansas City prophet (sexual misconduct exposed). I downloaded the PDF file, and set it up on my Voice Dream Reader Software. I listened to this section for around 2 hours around bedtime. I turned it off and went to sleep. Soon after I had a real nightmare where I felt trapped, and began yelling in my dream, "Wake me up! Wake me up!" After what seemed to me quite a while, I abruptly woke up. I felt so disturbed, I decided not to listen to any more of that document.

Because this was the most serious nightmare that I have had for a very long time, and it coming straight after listening (through my Reader software) written copies of these false prophecies, I came to the conclusion that I had suffered a very serious demonic attack. In order to be able to get back to sleep, I changed to my Voice Dream Reader rendering of The Christian In Complete Armour to immerse myself in material that was saturated in God's Word concerning defeating the wiles of the devil and being protected by the armour of God.

For this reason, I want to warn people not to heed false prophecies, and just listening or reading them can open one up to an attack by a divination spirit, as it did with me. The only way we can be protected is to have a deep knowledge of God's Word through extensive study of the Scriptures, so that as soon as we hear a false prophecy, we will know it right away and be able to reject it before a spirit of divination can get anywhere near us.

It is interesting that the recent "outing" of Mike Bickle being found guilty of "clergy abuse" involving sexual encounters with young women, and using manipulative prophecy to entice young women into these encounters, he is the third Kansas City prophet along with Bob Jones and Paul Cain to have their immorality exposed, thereby making their prophecies tainted and therefore false. Because these three are the most prominent prophets of the Kansas City Prophets, one must have to question the validity of the NAR movement as a whole.

Xeno.of.athens · Feb 3, 2024

Some are inclined to pick a religious leader, such as Pope Francis, and dig diligently for dirt with which to besmirch them. Some are inclined to mock principled decisions made by them. Some count them as their enemies and their work as wicked and so they want nothing more than to find a scandal and to expose them using it. A few mock them with words like "heretic" and "hypocrite". God has something to say about this approach to religion.

Blessed is the man who

walks not in the counsel of the wicked,

nor stands in the way of sinners,

nor sits in the seat of scoffers;

but his delight is in the law of the LORD,

and on his law he meditates day and night.

He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season,

and its leaf does not wither.

In all that he does, he prospers.

The wicked are not so,

but are like chaff that the wind drives away.

Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgement,

nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;

for the LORD knows the way of the righteous,

but the way of the wicked will perish.

[Psa 1:1-6]

Albert Barnes says:

Nor sitteth - This implies still greater deliberation and determination of character than either of the other words employed. The man referred to here does not casually and accidentally walk along with them, nor put himself in their way by standing where they are ordinarily to be found; but he has become one of them by occupying a seat with them; thus deliberately associating with them. He has an established residence among the wicked; he is permanently one of their number.

In the seat - The seat which the scornful usually occupy; the place where such men converse and sit together - as in a ball-room, or in a “club,” where wicked men hold their meetings, or where infidels and scoffers are accustomed to assemble.

Of the scornful - לצים lētsiym. This word properly means those who mock, deride, scoff; those who treat virtue and religion with contempt and scorn. Pro 1:22; Pro 3:34; Pro 9:7-8; Pro 13:1; Pro 15:12, et saepe. It denotes a higher and more determined grade of wickedness than either of the other words employed, and refers to the consummation of a depraved character, the last stage of wickedness, when God and sacred things are treated with contempt and derision. There is hope of a man as long as he will treat virtue and religion with some degree of respect; there is little or none when he has reached the point in his own character in which virtue and piety are regarded only as fit subjects for ridicule and scorn. We have here, then, a beautiful double gradation or climax, in the nouns and verbs of this verse, indicating successive stages of character. There is, first, casual walking with the wicked, or accidentally falling into their company; there is then a more deliberate inclination for their society, indicated by a voluntary putting of oneself in places where they usually congregate, and standing to wait for them; and then there is a deliberate and settled purpose of associating with them, or of becoming permanently one of them, by regularly sitting among them.

So also it is in regard to the persons with whom they associate. They are, first, irreligious men in general; then, those who have so far advanced in depravity as to disregard known duty, and to violate known obligations; and then, those who become confirmed in infidelity, and who openly mock at virtue, and scoff at the claims of religion. It is unnecessary to say that, in both these respects, this is an accurate description of what actually occurs in the world. He who casually and accidentally walks with the wicked, listening to their counsel, will soon learn to place himself in their way, and to wait for them, desiring their society, and will ultimately be likely to be feared identified with open scoffers; and he who indulges in one form of depravity, or in the neglect of religion in any way, will, unless restrained and converted, be likely to run through every grade of wickedness, until he becomes a confirmed scoffer at all religion. The sentiment in this verse is, that the man who is truly blessed is a man who does none of these things. His associations and preferences are found elsewhere, as is stated in the next verse.

It is worth while taking some care about what seat you choose to sit in.

linux.poet · Feb 3, 2024

Divine justice for the eviction case was swift incoming.

The company he is working for is folding up in October, and he will get an update in mid-February. He is currently looking for a job, as he doesn't want to retire and him retiring will likely drive my mom insane.

Please pray that he does find a job, but NOT where me and my brother are living. We do NOT need him living back here, as he has a long and sordid history of being an abusive jerk. We also probably don't have enough space for all of our stuff (parents' stuff plus our belongings) in this house at this point.

Neostarwcc · Feb 3, 2024

I am such a lukewarm "Christian" I don't evangelize, I hardly ever give to charity or do anything real Christians do. I'm a Christian on paper but I'm not a Christian in action. Just about all I do all day is play video games to wait for my wife to come home from work and watch TV with her when she gets home. That's it. That's my life. I don't take the time to evangelize in video games which is what I always wanted to do because video games are my main talent and I know how to talk to people.

I hardly if ever go to church even though I'm really good friends with our Elder and his wife and the deacons at our church. But, our elder doesn't mind because my wife has to spend many Sundays working and our church is an hour drive away. So he doesn't get on my case in fact, he keeps telling me that everything will be alright. I keep telling him that all I do is live in sin and he says "Join the club" and when I tell him about the video games though he says that I should be a Christian of action. Actively going out there and preaching the gospel. Donating what I can and being there for people.

So maybe my video game idea isn't that bad afterall. But, I never if hardly ever act on it. I'm just depressed and sick of being too disabled to work myself. If I worked at a job I could at least practice being kind to others and I could earn extra income to help make a difference in the world.

But since I'm schizophrenic/bipolar and manic sometimes for months at a time that just isn't going to realistically happen. I know ultimately God is in control and I'm living the best life that I possibly can but I just feel apart from God. Its like I don't even care anymore. Don't get me wrong I love God and I love the Biblical Jesus. I know he died for my every sin past present and future now and forever. I know he is guiding me every step of the way but I feel so distanced from God and I feel so alone. There's gotta be other lukewarm Christians out there that can relate...

Dan Perez · Feb 3, 2024

#1 And I say also unto thee , that thou art Peter // Petros in the Nominative Case . as the subject , in the SINGULAR and only to Peter .

# 2 THIS // OUTOS , is a DEMONSTRATIVE PRONOUN , in the Dative Case , also in the SINGULAR .

# 3 ROCK // PETRA

# 4 CHURCH // EKKLESIA and EKKLESIA does not mean CHURCH , but means ASSEMBLY !!

#5 I WILL BUILD // OIKODOMEO is in the Greek , FUTURE TENSE , ACTIVE VOICE and in the INDICATIVE MOOD which means it is a FACT .

Christ is that ROCK and there are many verses that say that , like , Matt 7:26 , Matt 12:10 , Matt 21:42 , Luke 20:7 and Mark 12:10 and 1 Peter 2:7

It seem to me that many EKKLESIA / ASSEMBLIES are building what Christ will build in the MILLENNIAL KINGDOM and that is a lot of WORK for Nothing .

dan p

Survive777 · Feb 3, 2024

Hi,

I am new and need some advice. I suffer from sexual sin. It has been this way since I was in my early-mid teens, and I am now in my 20s. I prayed for many years for it to go away, and was stuck in the continuous cycle of sinning, repenting and then sinning again, always the same lustful sin, and feeling bad in the process. It was at the point where I was lusting like this on a daily basis. I prayed and for awhile nothing happened, but then at some point, when I was sinning I felt like I had God urging me not to. It is hard to describe, but it sort of felt like God was trying to pull me away from sinning. I ended up losing to the flesh anyways. I had another experience like the one above, but I don't remember it as well. Over time I noticed that I wasn't getting the same feelings from doing it anymore, it felt more hollow and empty. It went from daily, to every few days, to a week, 2 weeks, 3 weeks, 1 month, 2 months, 3 months. Now, a little over a day shy of 4 months, I ended up sinning again. Instead of pushing those thoughts away, I entertained them, which was a mistake I seem to make a lot.

Now the thing that worries me, is I kept getting thoughts like "God is going to forgive you anyways, so I might as well sin." Those are evil thoughts, taking advantage of God's kindness, and I don't want to think that way. Even with those terrible thoughts, I ended up putting my selfishness first and sinning anyways. Part of me is happy because this is the longest I went without falling, and it is hard to do that. But those thoughts worry me. I really, really don't want to think that way, I don't want to take advantage of God's mercy. Now I am worried that God is not going to forgive me because I had those thoughts and sinned anyways, but at the same time, I'm not super worried, because I realize those thoughts are evil and I really don't want to think like that, and I want to continue abstaining from sexual sin, and sin in general.

I should mention I suffer from OCD like thoughts as well, but the above I don't think was OCD, I'm pretty sure that was my actual mind.

Any advice is appreciated. Thank you.

Chrystal-J · Feb 3, 2024

Pope Francis rebellion grows as 90 Catholic figures sign scathing letter

Conservative Catholics have organized an open letter against Pope Francis.

www.newsweek.com

Ain't Zwinglian · Feb 3, 2024

The only time physical preparation for NT baptism is recorded in Scripture… is of Saul of Tarsus in the house of Judas. The physical preparation for his baptism is recorded in two separate passages of Scripture: Luke writes that Ananais told Paul to “stand up and be baptized” (Acts 22:16), and he “stood up and was baptized” (Acts 9:18). The whole record of the ceremony of Paul’s baptism on his part was just "stand up." All other recorded baptismal ceremonies in the NT are recorded in far simpler fashion.

In both passages of Luke’s writing, the simple command to Paul was to “Stand up and be baptized” is not “Stand up, go elsewhere, and to be dunked.” Modern day immersion-only advocates interpret Luke’s narritive from “stand up and be baptized” to mean “Stand up, go elsewhere and be dunked.” And a "Should'a, Would'a, Could'a" interpretative principle is articulated.

—————————————

To render baptism by immersion difficult, if not impracticable in many cases.
Obstacles have to be overcome in order to be baptized by immersion. Finding a suitable water supply, an extra change of clothes, a towel, a place to change, and proper thermal and weather conditions.
For example, immersion may be nearly or entirely impossible for desert nomads or Eskimos. If immersion were the only mode of baptism, many people in the icy regions of the North and deserts like the Sahara where sufficient water could not be secured could not be baptized and Jesus would have commanded an impossibility.
Some individuals have a natural dread of being submerged (aquaphobia), hence never be baptized.
What about inmates in prison thorough the centuries?
Historical female modesty around large crowds of men. Great cultural differences have to be over come for immersion baptism. Immersion baptism has massive societal implications, which in some cases immersion baptism would be abhorrent. We are not talking a one off circumstance…we are talking about entire societies.
Even today practical difficulties can render immersion nearly or entirely impossible for some individuals: for example, people with certain medical conditions—the bedridden; quadriplegics; individuals with tracheotomies (an opening into the airway in the throat) or in negative pressure ventilators (iron lungs).
People might have to travel for many miles together for a human body to be immersed in any natural stream or pool of water.
Again, those who have recently undergone certain procedures (such as open-heart surgery) cannot be immersed.
Or consider those in a hostile setting, such as a Muslim regime, where baptisms must be done in secret, without adequate water for immersion.
Modern day immersionists enforce their own cultural standards of clean, warm, portable water of sufficient quantity on the history of the world and expect immersion baptisms as practiced in contemporary America to be the norm. A good college class in Anthropology would hopefully cure them of this American interpretation of the mode of baptism.

_____________________
Did John the Baptist, baptize by immersion? John the Baptist was dressed in a camel hair tunic. And estimates is he baptized between six and thirty months before he beheaded by Herod. Did John baptize by immersion thousands dripping wet for months on end regardless of air temperature?
______________________
Tension must be resolved between the cumbersonness and difficulty of immersion baptism and the simplicity of all the baptismal accounts in the NT.

And why don’t the early church fathers comment on these immersion difficulties and offer pastoral advice on how to solve them?

It is strange that those who make so much of the method of Baptism should make so little of its content.

Dave Darling · Feb 3, 2024

Hey, they just announced this- the Darkstar is real! This is a super secret US Government mach 6 spyplane, they just went public with this! However I would bet anything they already have something even more advanced than this, the reason why they went public was that they already have something better! They have pictures of this thing on the internet.

Here Are The First Images Of Lockheed Darkstar On Display At Edwards AFB

sprknjc · Feb 3, 2024

A Christian friend recently suggested to me we need more Godly people to serve in public office. Question - Who is your choice be for US President in this challenging election season and good Godly reasons why?

Some possible choices at the end of this paragraph, though sadly none have much of the vote, have suspended their campaigns, or have chosen not to run. None are perfect, and as humans we have all fallen short of the glory of God, but reasonably searching for a candidate having an above average grade school score of say 85 out of 100. Though mixed opinions about write in votes, but Question - more importantly, who would God choose? Even King David God picked from as a lowly shepherd, a man after God's own heart, but David failed with Bathsheba and Uriah. In reading the entire Bible through several times through over years, I am not finding much about specific guidance about voting, other than prayer and talking with other Christians. Feel free to suggest others who are yet living besides the following. Some of my personal choices are: 1) Ryan Binkley on primary ballots in most states, a pastor, 2) current FL state Governor Ron DeSantis, also on primary ballots primary ballots in most states, believer in our God, 3) former VP and IN state Governor Mike Pence, also a devout believer, 4) Mike Johnson, Speaker of the House, a Baptist, 5) current VA state (where I live) Governor Glenn Youngkin, not running, a Christian including having a retreat center, 6) former President Jimmy Carter. I can provide web links on any candidate items above you question.

As I went to high school and college around 1980, decades of life experience to come up with these Godly qualities below, if you it will help you in responding to questions I am really seeking an answer to above. Again, I have not found anyone totally perfect in all of these, but hoping from your thoughts to find one or two persons closer to perfection than others.

* Seeking God's will through prayer in decision making in public office.

* Holding Biblical values including pro-life, traditional marriage one man to one woman, and following the Ten Commandments.

* Good Godly character - humble, taming the tongue which is a tough one (Eph 4:29), and not bad behavior in own household (deacon qualities in New Testament) and publicly.

* A True Servant for others, emulating Jesus's example, including getting legislation passed to help constituents.

* How well do they deal with hostility and fight evil? Not excessive public display of anger, though only righteous anger on exception i.e. Jesus and money changers in the temple.

* With combination of qualities above, is this someone you can have your children look up to as a good Godly example to others?

Not a God requirement, but the Constitution requires the President to be a natural born United States citizen and at least 35 years of age.

Note to moderator: I am brand new member to this forum website today. Though read the forum rules and try hard to comply, but if you believe needed, please feel free to edit, but not totally delete my post, or move to a more appropriate sub-forum. Email me if any question or concern, as want to make things right.

tz620q · Feb 3, 2024

I am old enough to remember the 1984 reelection bid by Ronald Reagan and how at the ripe old age of 73, most Democrats were complaining he was too old to serve a second term.

When Reagan left office after his second term he was 77 years, 349 days old. When Joe Biden took office for his first term he was 78 years, 61 days old. If reelected, he will be 86 when he leaves office. If Trump is reelected he will be 78 years, 220 days old on inauguration, becoming the oldest president ever sworn in.

Unlike our journalistic colleagues, I will leave this question of why we might be forced to pick between two aging candidates without an editorial comment. The presidency is a grave and trying job that aged many younger presidents. Why do we so blithely ignore this now at a time when we are faced with so many challenges?

sprknjc · Feb 3, 2024

I accepted Christ as my Savior at age 16 and baptized afterwards. Attended various mostly non denominational, Baptist, and other Christian churches over the years.

returntosender · Feb 3, 2024

Why put that lovely mixture of hamburger,onions and spices in bell peppers that end up ugly, wrinkled, discolored and bitter? I like raw bell peppers. Who did this terrible thing to pretty bells?
What's your least favorite food?

Christsfreeservant · Feb 3, 2024

The subject matter here is that of our enemies (as interpreted in our present day context), of those who oppose us and who come against us who are following Jesus Christ with our lives, because truly they are opposed to God and to his word, at least in some respects, to the point to where they also reject his servants and messengers who are bringing to them the truth of the gospel and who are serving the Lord Jesus Christ with their lives.

“Each evening they come back,

howling like dogs

and prowling about the city.

There they are, bellowing with their mouths

with swords in their lips—

for ‘Who,’ they think, ‘will hear us?’

But you, O Lord, laugh at them;

you hold all the nations in derision.” (Psalms 59:6-8 ESV)

Now the word “dog” was a term used in the Scriptures to describe the spiritually unclean but also false prophets and teachers and evangelists. Today they would be all who are deliberately promoting what they know is a false gospel, and for the whole purpose to deceive the masses into rejecting the truth and into embracing the lies. And they have been very successful in doing just that, at least here in America they have.

Now something the Lord impressed upon my heart this morning is the matter of what constitutes the true message of “the gospel.” For on social media (like Facebook) we get all sorts of ads and “suggested for you” posts that are not from our Facebook friends. And in some of these posts we are being invited either to pray for the missionaries or to support them financially in the spreading of the gospel message to people in other nations. But my question when I read these posts is always, “But what gospel?”

For, you see, the term “gospel” means so many different things to many different people, and so you may support missionaries in their endeavors to preach the gospel to people of other nations, but it may not be the gospel that Jesus and his NT apostles taught (in full context). It may, instead, be a very diluted and altered “gospel” message intended to tickle itching ears and to pacify the flesh of humans and their sinful cravings. For just because it is called “the gospel,” it doesn’t mean necessarily that it is the truth.

For the popular “gospel” message being taught today in America is that we can “believe” (rarely biblically defined) in Jesus Christ, have all our sins forgiven (past, present, and future), then be on our way to heaven, which they say can’t be taken away from us, but regardless of how we live in practice. But “regardless of how we live” is just not biblical. And so we have multiples of people professing Jesus as Lord while they are continuing in deliberate and habitual sin against the Lord, without true repentance.

So, just because they have the title of “preacher,” or “pastor,” or “missionary,” and they claim that they are preaching the gospel of Christ, that is not an assurance that what they are teaching is the truth that Jesus and his NT apostles taught (in full context). For many of them are pulling Scriptures out of their context, and they are placing them in some kind of Scripturally disjointed formula for people to follow, many of which are not biblically accurate because they are not taught in their appropriate context.

“O my Strength, I will watch for you,

for you, O God, are my fortress.

My God in his steadfast love will meet me;

God will let me look in triumph on my enemies.” (Psalms 59:9-10 ESV)

“But I will sing of your strength;

I will sing aloud of your steadfast love in the morning.

For you have been to me a fortress

and a refuge in the day of my distress.

O my Strength, I will sing praises to you,

for you, O God, are my fortress,

the God who shows me steadfast love.” (Psalms 59:16-17 ESV)

In the context of what I have been sharing so far, I see these words in the context of believers in Jesus Christ, who are teaching the truth of the gospel, being opposed and even attacked by those who are promoting a “different gospel” other than the one that Jesus and his NT apostles taught, and that the Scriptures warn us against. So, when we come up against such opposition as this, we should call upon the Lord for the strength and wisdom to know how to proceed and in how to respond, and in what to say.

But then we must continue in speaking the truth of the Scriptures and in refuting the lies of our enemies, in the power of God’s Spirit living within us guiding and directing us in what to say and in how to respond. And we don’t always have to give a response, for some people’s attacks against us are traps being laid for us with the intention to try to trip us up with our words or to get us into some type of endless and fruitless discussion that we know is going to go nowhere that is good. So we need much wisdom.

So what we need to be singing is the truth of the gospel that Jesus taught and that his NT apostles taught. For Jesus said that if we want to come after him we must deny self, take up our cross daily (die daily to sin) and follow (obey) him. For if we hold on to our lives of sin, we will lose them for eternity. But if for Jesus’ sake we deny self, die daily to sin, and follow Jesus in obedience, we have eternal life. For not everyone who professes Jesus as Lord will enter heaven, but the one DOING God’s will (Luke 9:23-26; Matthew 7:21-23).

And Paul taught that by 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, created to be like Christ in true righteousness and holiness, no longer to live as slaves to sin but as slaves to righteousness. For sin is to no longer be what we obey, for if we obey sin, it leads to death, not to life eternal. But if obedience to our Lord is what we obey, in practice, it leads to righteousness and to sanctification, and its end is eternal life with God (Romans 6:1-23).

And so the true gospel is going to insist that we die with Christ to sin, that we no longer make sin our practice, and that we now walk in obedience to our Lord in holy living, and in faithfulness, godliness, honesty, moral purity, and love for God and for our fellow humans. And it is going to warn us, and does warn us, that if sin is what we practice, and not obedience, and not righteous living, that we will not inherit eternal life with God, regardless of what faith we profess with our lips. So we need to take this to heart.

Therefore, just because someone says that he/she is spreading the message of the gospel to people all over the place, it doesn’t mean that what they are teaching is the true gospel message. So, before you decide to give them your support, ask them which gospel they are teaching. Have them explain to you exactly what they are teaching. For we are not saved by lip service to God. We must follow him in walks of obedience to our Lord in holy living and not in sin for us to have genuine salvation and eternal life with God.

[Matthew 7:21-23; Luke 9:23-26; John 1:12-13; John 6:44; Romans 2:6-8; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; Romans 12:1-2; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10,19-20; 2 Corinthians 5:15; Galatians 5:16-21; Galatians 6:7-8; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 10:23-31; Hebrews 12:1-2; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 Jn 1:5-10; 1 Jn 2:3-6; 1 Jn 3:4-10]

As the Deer

By Martin J. Nystrom
Based off Psalm 42:1

As the deer panteth for the water
So my soul longeth after You
You alone are my heart's desire
And I long to worship You

You alone are my strength, my shield
To You alone may my spirit yield
You alone are my heart's desire
And I long to worship You

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What IS MATT 16:18 REALLY TEACHING ?