• Starting today August 7th, 2024, in order to post in the Married Couples, Courting Couples, or Singles forums, you will not be allowed to post if you have your Marital status designated as private. Announcements will be made in the respective forums as well but please note that if yours is currently listed as Private, you will need to submit a ticket in the Support Area to have yours changed.

  • CF has always been a site that welcomes people from different backgrounds and beliefs to participate in discussion and even debate. That is the nature of its ministry. In view of recent events emotions are running very high. We need to remind people of some basic principles in debating on this site. We need to be civil when we express differences in opinion. No personal attacks. Avoid you, your statements. Don't characterize an entire political party with comparisons to Fascism or Communism or other extreme movements that committed atrocities. CF is not the place for broad brush or blanket statements about groups and political parties. Put the broad brushes and blankets away when you come to CF, better yet, put them in the incinerator. Debate had no place for them. We need to remember that people that commit acts of violence represent themselves or a small extreme faction.

Feds Tell Faith Leaders ‘No More Prayer’ Outside Broadview ICE Facility

BROADVIEW – Federal authorities told demonstrators Friday that there would be “no more prayer” in front of or inside the Broadview ICE facility, in a move that mystified local leaders and raised legal questions.

During the call, which took place with a Block Club reporter present, the anonymous representative told a group of faith leaders and activists that “There is no more prayer in front of building or inside the building because this is the state and it’s not [of a] religious background.”

Protesters expressed concern that the direction from federal officials could be in violation of the First Amendment, which guarantees both freedom of religion and assembly. The move also comes days after the AP reported that Pope Leo XIV urged authorities to allow pastoral workers to be able to access detained migrants.

The call followed an 11:30 a.m. interfaith service in the free speech zone near the facility at 1930 Beach St., that called on federal immigration officials to let faith leaders into the building to provide interfaith services to detainees.

Roughly 100 demonstrators gathered in the free speech zone with colorful signs and costumes while being penned in by concrete barriers. The religious processions were entirely peaceful, with no arrests and minimal interaction between protesters and law enforcement.

Organizers weren’t allowed to deliver a letter requesting entry to the building between 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Friday.

“Members of our religious delegation have served in a pastoral and ministerial capacity in jails, prisons and detention centers for many years, and are more than willing to provide pastoral care to those who desire it inside of the ICE facility in Broadview,” the letter read. “We are willing to meet with a member of your staff today to discuss the logistics of our visit … inside of the Broadview ICE facility.”

see also:

Faith leaders blocked by ICE from delivering Communion to immigrants speak out

The Coalition for Spiritual and Public Leadership (CSPL), a Catholic and Christian-rooted nonprofit, organized a Mass by the immigration processing center on All Saints Day and Día de los Muertos, or the Day of the Dead.

Okińczyc-Cruz told ABC News the nonprofit plans to again ask for a meeting and submit another request to offer communion to people inside the Broadview facility. He stressed that without that opportunity, officials are "infringing upon people's religious freedom and religious liberty."
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Right-wing media expresses concern about young women voters following Democratic election wins across the country

Right-wing media escalate attacks on young women voters following Democratic election wins across the country

A nice selection of pull-quotes following Tuesday's election.

Clay Travis: “They've all gone insane, young women are actually insane in this country”

Fox anchor Martha MacCallum on young women voting for Democrats: “I find that very frightening.”

Newsmax host Rob Schmitt: “Young women in this country have become a very scary demographic.”

Watters ranted: “You’re in a tiny apartment, and the apartment’s getting really expensive because all of these migrants are here now. And it's also expensive because of the Green New Deal, so your utilities are high, and you've got the wrong degree. You should have gotten a degree in, like, chemistry, biology, finance, computer science, something useful in this high-tech AI economy. No, but you got a degree in, like, Southeast Asian feminist literature.”

Fox host Will Cain: So, I've been asking this question for quite some time: What's wrong with white women?”

Newsmax’s Carl Higbie: “This is why I say liberal white women are the biggest threat to America — they will literally vote for their own destruction and take everyone down with them.”

Fortunately, they have a solution for this perfidy.

On Fox & Friends, co-host Brian Kilmeade agreed with Fox Noticias host Rachel Campos-Duffy that the conservative movement should “encourage marriage early” to “get more conservative young women.”

end the filibuster?

I am not American, so there is something you need to explain to me.
Trump on Truthsocial
1762612218280.png


The Democrats will terminate the filibuster once they can . So it seems to be that the Democrats don't like the filibuster. Right.
Also Trump, on the same Truthsocial:


1762612386774.png


Do I understand this correctly that it is Republicans that are playing games and hinder the re-opening of the country by not giving Democrats what they want?
But also:
1762612606626.png

So Democrats want to terminate the filibuster, which would allow Republicans to pass legislation and sail to victory, yet the same Republicans block this?

I am confused.

Maybe you'd never guess...

but many of us probably would have...
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/09/us/politics/argentina-bailout-investors.html


That the reason billions were chucked at Argentina was to help american billionaire investments in Argentina far right government keep from going cheeks up.

Trump administration: protecting American Billionaires again!

Hey! Maybe American conservatives will look through Argentina's shopping cart and suddenly care where there tax dollars go!

21 Volcanoes Awakening: Alaska to California Chain Reaction Explained

I only stumbled across this by accident. This sounds pretty ominious. It seems some ancient volcanoes are awakening. Not just one but a chain of them from Alaska to California. Some of them ancient monsters that have been dormant for almost a million years.

Some engulfed in ice and potentially could cause massive flooding and mud slides. Many earthquakes and tremors are occurring and there could also be massive earthquakes.

Nevermind global warming this is happening now and soon and will poison the atmosphere more than any human made pollution in one week if it goes off. Let alone the potential devastation from all the natural disasters that come as a result.

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The deity of Jesus Christ

In the beginning was the Word

And the Word was with God

And the Word was God

He was in the beginning with God

All things came into being through Him

In Him was life

And the life was the Light of men

The Light shines in the darkness

Jesus, the Christ

Messiah of the Most High

Blessed be the Lord

Blessed be the Lord indeed

#45 in Christian persecution Türkiye.

There is a strong sense of nationalism in Türkiye today, which regards being a Muslim as necessary to being a loyal Turk. This puts considerable social pressure on Turkish Christians.

Although Christianity has an extremely long history in the country, it is still seen as a negative Western influence, even by moderate Muslims and secular Turks who are proud of their national identity. It's not illegal to leave Islam and become a Christian, but most people who convert face strong pressure from their families to change their minds. They may be threatened with divorce, loss of inheritance and being disowned by their family.

Christians in Türkiye face everyday discrimination for their faith. Foreign Christians with Turkish spouses and children have been banned from entering or re-entering the country. Religion is recorded on the Turkish ID card, making it easy to discriminate against Christian job applicants. Even Greek and Armenian Christians who attend traditional churches aren't considered full members of Turkish society. Their churches struggle with legal obstacles and red tape intended to obstruct the practice of their faith.

Who is most vulnerable to persecution?​

Historical Christian groups, such as the Armenian and Assyrian (Syriac) churches, face high pressure and hostility in the southeastern region of Türkiye. For decades, they have been caught between the rivalries of the Turkish army and Kurdish resistance groups. Most Christians from those churches no longer live in their ancestral regions but have moved to western areas of Türkiye.

Most Turkish Protestant communities are located in the western coastal cities, including Istanbul. Those cities tend to be more liberal and secular, while inland areas are more conservative, Islamic and socially hostile toward Christians. However, some urban areas within the bigger cities are conservative as well.

What has changed this year?​

More church buildings were targeted than in previous years, in addition to two reported killings. Overall societal attitudes toward the church and the Christian community have not significantly changed, and average pressure remains at the same very high level. Societal hatred continues to be of serious concern for all Christians, regardless of their church background.

In addition, the Protestant community continues to be targeted with entry bans, with several expatriate Christians again being forced to leave the country. Asylum seekers and Christian refugees in particular (including converts from Islam to Christianity) from such countries as Iran, Afghanistan and Syria faced significant discrimination and abuse.

What does Open Doors do to help Christians in Türkiye?​

Open Doors raises prayer support for persecuted believers in Türkiye. Through local partners, Open Doors supports Persian-speaking refugee believers with training, resources and practical support.

How can you pray for Türkiye?​

  • There are some in Türkiye who seek to tie Turkish identity to Islam. Pray that there would be an openness to accepting people of all faiths as true Turks.
  • Ask God to draw close to converts from Islam, particularly those who are rejected by their families.
  • Praise God that many believers in Türkiye can worship Jesus openly and without fear.

Former DACA recipient with violent criminal past flees ICE, tries balcony jump during Chicago arrest

Garcia’s criminal record includes arrests and convictions for felony strangulation, domestic battery, disorderly conduct, battery causing bodily injury, aggravated battery against a handicapped or pregnant woman and unlawful use of a firearm.

Fortunately activists did not stop his arrest.

We Will Serve The Lord

Today I am reading in the book of Joshua, chapter 24, taken from the Old Testament. Joshua was speaking here to the children of Israel, and he was giving them the words of the Lord. And much of this is a rendering of historical events, beginning with Abraham, all the way through to the Israelites entering into the land God had promised them. And, although this is Old Testament, there is still something we can learn from it, for it speaks, in character, some of the same truths as are in the New Testament.

God’s people Israel (Jew only at that time) were being held captive in slavery in Egypt for a very long time. So God sent his servants Moses and Aaron to rescue his people from slavery in Egypt. And God plagued Egypt by what he did in its midst, and afterward he brought his people out of Egypt. And they lived in the wilderness for a long time. But not all of the Israelites survived the wilderness, and got to go into the Promised Land, because of their rebellion against the Lord and their refusal to obey his commandments.

And Moses disobeyed one single command of God, so he did not get to go into the Promised Land. But he was not among those who deliberately and habitually sinned against God in open and deliberate rebellion against God’s commands, who God then killed in the wilderness and who did not get to enter into God’s eternal rest because of their unbelief, i.e. because of their disobedience. Moses died, but he did get to enter into God’s eternal rest, and then God replaced him with Joshua as the leader of his people Israel.

Then God gave the Israelites a land on which they had not labored, and cities which they had not built, and his people lived in them. And they were eating of vineyards and olive groves which they did not plant. All this was given to them by God. They did nothing in themselves to earn it or to deserve it. But they did have to obey God’s commands and follow his leading, and they did have to refrain from living in rebellion against the Lord and from immorality, idolatry, and wild living, so as to receive the promise.

“Now, therefore, fear the Lord and serve Him in sincerity and truth; and put away the gods which your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:14-15 NASB1995)

And all of this parallels over to the gospel of Christ taught us in the New Testament. For we who believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of our lives are now God’s people Israel, Jew and Gentile by faith in the Lord Jesus. And the way we get to be God’s people is through faith in Jesus Christ which must result in us obeying our Lord’s commands, in practice, and in us putting sin to death in our lives, by the Spirit. For if we live in open rebellion against our Lord, as did the Israelites then, we will not get to enter into God’s eternal rest, either, because of our unbelief, i.e. disobedience.

And we did nothing to earn or deserve our “Promised Land,” either. Our salvation from sin and the faith to believe in Jesus Christ are gifted to us by God, and they are empowered by God, and they are persuaded of God. All we have to do is to surrender our lives over to God, to believe in Christ as our Lord and Savior, and by his grace and in his power now die to sin and obey our Lord and his commands, in practice. For if we refuse, as did most of the Israelites who wandered in the wilderness some 40 years, we will meet with the same punishment. We will not have eternal life with God.

So, as those who profess faith in Jesus Christ, we are to honor, respect, and obey our Lord and his commandments. And we are to serve the Lord in sincerity (no fakery) and in truth (according to the teachings of Christ and of his New Testament apostles, taught in the correct context). We are to put away all idols of this world, and all sinful practices, and now obey our Lord in daily practice. And we are to serve him with our lives in surrender to his will in obedience to his calling upon our lives to live holy lives, pleasing to God. And then say with Joshua, in sincerity and in truth, “We will serve the Lord!”

[Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Luke 9:23-26; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Romans 1:18-32; Romans 2:5-10; Romans 3:23; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; Galatians 5:16-24; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 4:1-13; Hebrews 10:19-39; Hebrews 12:1-2; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 1:1-10; 1 John 2:3-6; 1 John 3:4-10; Revelation 2:1-29; Revelation 3:1-22]

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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We Will Serve The Lord
An Original Work / November 8, 2025
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

Pre-incarnate Christ

Logos

By Him, the first light was shone forth

Through Him, constellations were set out

For Him, humans were made

The Word Is God, creator of all things


Melchizedek

Without father nor mother

He was like unto the Son of God

Being the King of Peace

To rule the realm of His kingdom sovereignly

Being the High Priest of God

To make intercession for His people perpetually

He Is the God's anointed, ruler of all realms


The Angel of the Lord

God's messenger equal to God Himself

To the wicked, He brought judgment

To the blessed, He brought good tidings

With Him, the Word of the Lord ruled

With Him, the oracles proclaimed

With Him, the promises fulfilled

He Is the Lord, the Sovereign One of all mankind

ICE arrests illegal immigrant in Massachusetts accused of stabbing coworker with scissors, trash bin attack

"Despite ICE law enforcement officers’ several attempts to deescalate the situation and repeated requests that the father take custody of the child, both parents stated they were willing to put the child into state custody," a DHS news release states. "Once Zapata Rivera realized he would be arrested for immigration violations if he did not agree to take custody of the child, he suddenly decided to be a good father and left with the child."
During the arrest of Ojeda-Montoya, she resisted arrest and a crowd of agitators formed, authorities said.

It's important to get past the initial major media stories and reveal the truth.
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Mytho-History

Mytho-history is a theory that claims Genesis should not be understood literallt (or at least not literally in the modern sense.) instead, it is largely a figurative account that expresses important theological truths and to establish Yahweh as the one true God vs the pagan religions of the Ancient World.

One argument for this view is that the Israelites would not have shared the same worldview that we modern 21st Century Westeners do. The fantastical and so-called scientific inaccuracies are accommodations rather than errors. That is, God met primeval humans at their level, and used language they would understand. Also, since the Israelites were an Ancient Near Eastern Semitic people, they were likely influenced by their surrounding neighbors such as the Caananites, Egyptians and Babylonians, and thus their texts all share similar themes and genre conventions.

God was not concerned with presenting an accurate view of cosmology or science so much as he was with correcting the theology of the Israelites. That is, he wanted to show that sun is a creation and not a god to be worshiped, and therefore more powerful than any pagan deity.

Genesis contains a lot of figurative language. For instance, the account Creation week draws parallels with the ancient world practice of seven days of ceremony when constructing a new temple. This is because the cosmos is God's temple.

I have only recently switched to this view from Old Earth Creationism, so there are many things I am still unsure about, but I do think this view best accounts for both a high regard for Scripture and compatibility with modern science.

What does following Jesus really look like in a world full of injustice?

Hi everyone,

I’ve been working on a video series called Jesus & Social Justice — exploring how the call to follow Christ connects with caring for the poor, the oppressed, and the marginalized.

In Part 4, I dig into what it really means to follow Jesus — not just in words, but in how we live out His compassion and justice in today’s world.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on this topic. How do you personally see the balance between preaching the Gospel and addressing injustice?

Here’s the link if you’d like to watch:
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Grace and peace,
✝️

Women in Ministry

Jesus’ Treatment of Women

As far as I know, from what I read in the New Testament, Jesus always treated women with high honor and respect. He never talked down to a woman or treated any woman as though she was less valuable than a man, with maybe one exception.

As recorded in Matthew 15:21-28, it appears that Jesus’ seemingly harsh words to a Gentile woman were not meant in unkindness, but that they were meant to test her faith, and to lead her to stand up for what she believed, too. And then he honored her for her faith, which he said was “great faith.”

And when other men took advantage of women, for evil purposes, or when they mocked or criticized them, Jesus stood up for the women, and he protected them. And he cared about their needs, and he ministered to them, and he honored their faith. And, if he did rebuke them, he was loving and gentle in his rebuke. He was always tender with them, compassionate and loving. And he used women to share the gospel with men, too.

[John 8:1-11; Luke 7:36-50; Matthew 26:6-13; Mark 5:25-34; Luke 10:38-42; John 2:1-11; John 4:1-42; John 20:11-18.]

In fact, In Luke 7 we read that a Pharisee invited Jesus to eat with him at his house. When a woman who had a reputation heard he was there, she came there and she anointed his feet with ointment, and wet them with her tears, and wiped them with her hair, and caressed them with her kisses.

When the Pharisee disapproved of the woman, Jesus rebuked him. But what he said to the Pharisee was for the encouragement of the woman, as well. For, what Jesus said to the Pharisee is that everything that he should have done for Jesus, but did not do, the woman did do. For, he said, “she loved much.” And, he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

And we read in Luke 8:1-3 that some women even traveled with Jesus and the disciples, too, and that they helped provide for Jesus’ and the disciples’ needs out of their own means.

I am assuming that the women made things which they sold for money, and that out of their earnings that they helped provide for Jesus and his disciples in the work of the ministry. So, they were co-laborers with Jesus and with his twelve male disciples in the ministry.

Your Daughters Shall Prophesy

And, when the Scriptures teach on the gifts of the Spirit, they do not differentiate between men and women, i.e. that some gifts are not for women. In fact, in Acts 2:17-18 we read:

“And in the last days it shall be, God declares,
that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh,
and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
and your young men shall see visions,
and your old men shall dream dreams;
even on my male servants and female servants
in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy.”

So, why is it then that we have these teachings in the New Testament that sound as though women are to always remain silent, that they are not to speak in the gatherings of the church, without exception? (1 Corinthians 14:34-35; 1 Timothy 2:11-12). Doesn’t that seem contradictory to how Jesus treated women? And isn’t it contradictory to the passage in Acts 2, and to other New Testament scriptures that speak of women prophesying?

And why is it that so many church congregations, at least here in America, do not allow their women to prophecy (preach) in their gatherings? And some pastors treat women as though they are dirt under their feet for them to walk on? For, Jesus never treated a woman like that. He valued women, and he used women in ministry, and he even sent women out to share the gospel with men. And the Holy Spirit of God gifted women to prophesy. So, why would God then turn around and put the smack down on women?

And, why, then would the Scriptures talk about how we are all one body in Christ, and that we are all necessary, and that one part should not say to another, “We have no need of you!”? And why would it teach that the body grows and builds itself up in love and in the faith as “each part” does its work? And then tell our women that their part, which God gave to them, and for which he gifted them, is not permitted? Is the church then not suppressing the gifts of women?

How can we resolve these seeming contradictions? Is it possible that these passages on the silence of women in the church can have another plausible explanation other than the complete and total suppression of the gift of prophecy among the women in the church? And, if so, what might that be?

For, women obviously prophesied in New Testament times (See: Luke 2:36; Acts 2:17; Acts 21:9; 1 Corinthians 11:5). So, how are we to understand this restriction of the silence of women in the church if God poured out his Spirit on both men and women so that they could prophesy, and we have recorded in the New Testament that there were indeed women who did prophesy? What is the context? What is the purpose of the restriction?

The Context Reveals

Well, the context of 1 Corinthians 14 is that of teaching on spiritual gifts, teaching on love, and instructions regarding the misuse of the gifts and the right way in which the gifts are to be used, and regarding their purpose, too. So, this is in the context of 1 Corinthians 12 and 13, also.

And it is in 1 Corinthians 12 where we are taught that each body part is necessary, and that we are not to say to another part of the body that we have no need of him or of her. And it is God who decides who gets what part, too. And it is the Holy Spirit who assigns the gifts.

And, here in 1 Corinthians 14 we are told first off to pursue love, and to earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that we would prophesy. And the one who prophesies speaks to people for their upbuilding, consolation and encouragement. The one who prophesies edifies other believers, for the spiritual growth and advancement of them in the faith. He or she inspires, cheers, urges, nurtures, promotes and fosters spiritual maturity and holy walks in the Spirit of God, too, which is consistent with Ephesians 4:15-16.

So, if both women and men are gifted with the gift of prophecy, and we women are to use the gifts of the Spirit given to us for the upbuilding and the encouragement of the body of Christ, his church; and if not one of us is to say to another “We have no need of you,” and if all the parts are necessary, and women did prophesy in the New Testament, and the body of Christ is built up in the faith as “each part” does its work, then we have to conclude that these instructions on the silencing of women have a meaning other than the absolute silence of women in the church.

Order and Submission

So, again, let’s look at the context. The context has to do with how gifts are used, and it has to do with the order in which they are used. And, then let’s look at the wording of the passage, too. For, it all comes down to submission. It says that a woman, if she has questions regarding something she wants to learn, that she should ask her husband at home. So, apparently women were interrupting the order of service to ask questions. And some of this is definitely cultural to that day and time.

It also appears, by the context, that these women were usurping authority over the men, for it clearly instructs them that they are to be in submission to their husbands, and to the leadership of the church, and it indicates that they were stepping out of that order by speaking in the church gatherings in a disruptive way. So, these women were out of order in what they were doing.

And the passage in 1 Timothy 2 supports this, that women are not to usurp authority over the men, and that they are not to instruct men in an authoritative manner which would require men to obey them.

So, in conclusion, I believe God has gifted both men and women in various ways, and that Scripturally both men and women are gifted with the gift of prophecy (preaching), which is for the edification and encouragement of the body of Christ and for their strengthening and nurturing of them in the faith, that they may all reach maturity in Christ Jesus, their Lord.

I believe Jesus values women highly, that he gifts them in ministry, and that he calls them to prophesy (preach) the truths of Scriptures so that the body of Christ might be drawn closer to their Lord in walks of faith, and so that they may not wander off from the faith to go after what is false. I also believe that our Lord uses women sometimes in areas usually assigned to men, but that he does so when so many men are spiritually AWOL, and they are neglecting their callings (See Luke 7:36-50 as illustrative of this).

Lastly, I believe it all comes down to submission to the authorities within the church. If women are given permission to speak, and it is done in proper order, and if it is done in the right way, for the upbuilding of the body of Christ, then they should be allowed to speak. But they are not to usurp authority over the men nor to cause a disturbance in the congregation, and they are not to instruct men in the sense of being over men in authority. But they are to remain in submission and in proper order, and then they can speak as they are called upon to speak, as God gifts them to speak.

[Acts 2:14-18,42-47; Romans 12:1-8; 1 Corinthians 12:1-31; 1 Corinthians 14:1-5; Galatians 6:1; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:1-16; Ephesians 5:15-21; Ephesians 6:10-20; Philippians 2:1-8; Colossians 3:12-16; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 3:13; Hebrews 10:23-25; James 5:19-20]

Have Thine Own Way, Lord

Words by Adelaide A. Pollard, 1907
Music by George C. Stebbins, 1907


Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!
Thou art the potter, I am the clay.
Mold me and make me after Thy will,
While I am waiting, yielded and still.

Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!
Search me and try me, Master, today!
Whiter than snow, Lord, wash me just now,
As in Thy presence humbly I bow.

Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!
Wounded and weary, help me I pray!
Power, all power, surely is Thine!
Touch me and heal me, Savior divine!

Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!
Hold o'er my being absolute sway.
Fill with Thy Spirit till all shall see
Christ only, always, living in me!

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Women in Ministry
An Original Work / August 4, 2019
Reposted on November 7, 2025
(with slight editing)
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

Be Instructed Judah

Jeremiah 6:8-15 Be instructed, Jerusalem [Judah, the Jewish people], or your God will depart from you and will devastate the Land. Isaiah 22:11-14, Ezekiel 21:1-7

The Lord says: Glean like a vine the remnant of Israel, one last time, like the vine dresser – pass your hand over the branches. Isaiah 5:5-7
To whom shall I speak and give warning? Who will hear me? Their ears are blocked, they are incapable of listening. They treat the Lord’s Word as a reproach, it has no appeal for them. Ezekiel 22:26-31
But I am full of the anger of the Lord, I cannot hold it back. Isaiah 63:1-6 I must pour it out onto all the people of the Land. Their houses will be given to others.

For all the leaders and people only consider themselves, their prophets and Rabbis are all frauds, every one of them. They fail to address the real problems of their people. They say: “All is well”. All well? Nothing is right and just. They ought to be ashamed because of their sinful practices, yet they have no sense of shame, therefore they will fall with a great crash and be brought low on the Day of My reckoning.
Jeremiah 8:8, Ezekiel 33:25-26, Isaiah 6:11-13

Jeremiah 6:16-30 The Lord says: you should enquire about the Way that leads to righteousness. But they said: “We refuse”. Then I appointed watchmen – listen for the call they told them. But they said: “We refuse”. Therefore hear you nations and take note of the plight of these people. I am about to bring ruin upon them, for all their sinful ways and ignoring My instructions. Your sacrifices are not acceptable and your offerings do not please Me. Isaiah 22:14, Zephaniah 1:4-6, Matthew 24:41-42

Therefore the Lord says: I will set obstacles before this people, which will bring them to the ground, father, sons, friends and neighbours will all perish together. Jeremiah 12:14-17 A great host appears, like men arrayed for battle, against you; Zion.

News of their coming has reached us
and our hands hang limp, agony grips us, pangs as of a woman in labour. Do not go outside, for the foe will smite you there, as terror is spread around the world. Mourn and wail as the despoiler comes upon us in an instant. Joel 2:31-32, Isaiah 10:17, Isaiah 29:5-6, Zechariah 1:14-18 & 3:8, Revelation 6:12-17
It is appointed to assay My people, testing their conduct, but they are all rebels, mischief makers and corrupt to a man. The bellows blow, the fire is ready. All types of metal in vain the refiner refines, but the impurities cannot be removed. Call them reject silver, for God has rejected them. Matthew 21:43 Ref: REB.

All of this prophecy in Jeremiah is telling us about the coming judgement/punishment by fire– the Lord’s Day of vengeance and wrath. This terrifying event will affect all the world, but especially the Middle East and all this prophecy applies specifically to Judah, the current inhabitants of part of the holy Land. Jeremiah 12:14, Ezekiel 30:1-5, Ezekiel 21:1-17

‘a great host appears, like men ready for battle’ This description, along with Joel 2:1-11, is a simile for what will happen. These verses say how the Lord will act on His great Day of vengeance and wrath: Isaiah 63:1-6, Rev 6:12-17 A coronal mass ejection flash will ‘come in an instant’, Isaiah 30:26, but the main mass of superheated hydrogen will take about 24 hours to travel to earth and ‘news of its coming will reach us’. ‘Do not go outside’, is obvious – get into shelter and stay there until it passes, Isaiah 26:20-21, ‘as terror is spread around the world,’ for at least 24hrs. Psalms 18:7-15, Isaiah 2:12-21, Zeph. 1:14-18, 2 Peter 3:7&10

The land and houses in all of the Holy Land, will be given to others Ps. 69:33-36, Jeremiah 8:10
Note well; the parallel between Zechariah 13:9 and Jeremiah 6:28-30.

The Lord has rejected Judah.- The Kingdom is taken from them. Matt 21:43

Trump pardons former Tennessee House speaker convicted of federal public corruption charges

Hey everybody, free pardons for public corruption! We're also looking the other way! So get on with it!

Trump pardons former Tennessee House speaker convicted of federal public corruption charges

The moves continued a pattern of Trump, a Republican, using his second term to bestow unlikely pardons on political allies, prominent public figures and others convicted of defrauding the public.

See also


And also

...a major political figure like James, which would more typically be led by the department’s Public Integrity Section. Staff in that office has been eliminated to just two officials down from roughly 30 since Trump’s inauguration, according to sources.

Trump apparently has very little need for people to keep an eye on public integrity.

And why not:


The move appears to be part of a broader Trump administration effort to weaken or altogether dismantle guardrails designed to protect good government and fair play in business and politics.

Former CIA boss, ex-FBI officials subpoenaed in DOJ probe

From the no one is above the law files​

Former CIA boss, ex-FBI officials subpoenaed in DOJ probe, Fox News Digital reports

Reuters
Fri, November 7, 2025 at 5:44 PM CST

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Former CIA Director John ‌Brennan and ex-FBI ‌officials Peter Strzok and Lisa Page have been subpoenaed by ⁠a federal ‌grand jury as part of the ‍U.S. Justice Department's probe into the origins of ‌the Trump-Russia investigation, Fox News Digital reported on Friday.​

‘Traditional family values’ Michigan lawmaker Bryan Posthumus appears in adult hookup sites

The name, email address, and home address of Republican state Rep. Bryan Posthumus of Kent County, along with a credit card bearing his name, appear in data from Ashley Madison, a website for people seeking affairs.

Posthumus’s personal information also shows up on two other adult hookup websites — AdultFriendFinder and Fling.com, a pornographic dating site that features live web cams and promised users they could “find sex” and “get laid tonight.”

The 2015 Ashley Madison hack exposed the personal information of more than 30 million users of the infidelity website, which was explicitly marketed to married people seeking affairs under the slogan, “Life is short. Have an affair.”

The Ashley Madison data includes an email address linked to Posthumus and a Lowell home address that he and his then-wife purchased in 2011, as well as a credit card bearing his name.

His former wife, Stacy Posthumus, filed for divorce in early 2014, according to court records.

The adult hookup websites stand in stark contrast to the man who has built his image around God, morality, and “traditional family values.” In 2022, the Christian Coalition of Michigan named him its “Friend of the Family Award” for his “strong defense of family values.” In accepting the award, Posthumus said he was “honored to receive this recognition.”

In his attorney’s letter to Metro Times, Burns accused the publication of trying to “weaponize unverified, anonymous data dumps” and claimed that “a disgruntled former employee” or political opponent could have created the accounts. It also described the reporting as a “thinly veiled political attack masquerading as journalism.”

However, the Ashley Madison account was created nearly a decade before Posthumus was first elected to public office.

Last month, Metro Times revealed that Republican state Rep. Josh Schriver, R-Oxford, who introduced legislation in September to ban online pornography statewide, appeared on Fling.com. The leaked information, verified by the cybersecurity database SnusBase... The account was last accessed on Sept. 11, 2010, according to breach data.

Schriver denied having a Fling.com account.
  • Haha
Reactions: iluvatar5150

Spiritual Israel + End times

I've been going back and forth on this topic for a few years now and I'm not sure how to rectify some stuff when it comes to end-time prophecy. I'd love to hear some arguments for and against or even going in a weird direction...

1. 144,000
  • 12 tribes are listed and the ones that had idolatry issues are excluded. This gives the idea that the 12 tribes listed are the purified ones essentially, so as a "whole" status.
  • They are called first fruits (Which using the farming term, they would be the first saved/protected during the trib before the rest of the harvest comes in)
Now, it makes sense to me that the church as a group would be considered apart of the 144,000 due to:
  • Us being grafted in
  • Ethnicity was done away with (there is neither jew nor gentile)
  • The only ones who are saved are saved through Christ
  • If only ethnic Jews are considered part of the 144,000, then you're essentially saying no gentile could be a "first fruit"
  • If this is only ethnic Jews, then you're saying God is going back to favor ethnicity over spiritual wholeness and Pauls analogies no longer apply
  • If this is only ethnic Jews then the idea that there is a 2 class system emerges where God favors ethnic Jews over gentiles.
2. So the fact that 144,000 incorporates everyone within God's tree makes sense apart from 1 problem...
  • What tribe are the gentiles apart of?
So how do you rectify the two, or cant you?

Side note:
I don't subscribe to the idea that the "church" just doesn't exist in the trib because that's essentially saying you're tossing out the entire new testament. People are going to be saved during this time period, they just might not live through it. So if the "church" represents the new covenant of people turning to Christ, then it will always be around.

Profane to Divine: Does God Drag You Through the Church Doors—or Do You Drag Your Feet?

Brothers and sisters in Christ,

Picture this: Six days drowning in the profane—work, worries, world. Then Sunday dawns, and God Himself yanks you across the threshold into the divine sanctuary. One shepherd nailed it: “We move from the profane into the divine.”

But here’s the rub: It’s not your alarm clock or coffee that gets you there. It’s sovereign grace. The Spirit who elected you before time (Eph 1:4) now calls you out of the curse into Christ’s rest (Heb 4:9-10). The Lord’s Day isn’t optional—it’s the weekly portal where sinners meet the Savior in Word and sacrament.

Quick Hits to Chew On:

  1. Profane Left Behind: Creation groans six days; resurrection claims the seventh (Rom 8:22).
  2. Divine Threshold: You don’t stumble in—God ushers the regenerate (John 6:44).
  3. Sanctuary Foretaste: Heaven leaks through pulpit and table. Skip it, and you starve your soul.
When’s the last time crossing those doors felt like stepping into glory—not just another checkbox? What pulls you away?

Spill your story below. Let’s stir each other to treasure the Lord’s Day like the Reformers did (Heb 10:25).

Soli Deo Gloria,

Jason in Japan

Deep in Trump country, coal miners with black lung say government is suffocating the ‘working man’

AP article

But since [Trump's] inauguration in January, a volley of firings, department eliminations and proposed regulation rollbacks have targeted hard-won health and safety protections fought for over decades to safeguard coal miners and other working-class folks.

See also (2018)

  • Informative
Reactions: BassLine

Nancy Pelosi announces retirement


Nancy Pelosi, the first and only female speaker of the US House of Representatives and one of the most powerful figures in Democratic politics for decades, has announced she will not seek reelection.
  • Informative
Reactions: DaisyDay

Supreme Court Reinstates Trump Admin Requirement That Passports Reflect Biological Sex

The Supreme Court on Thursday reinstated the Trump administration’s mandate that passports must identify individuals by their biological sex.

The High Court paused a lower court’s ruling that blocked the passport policy from being implemented while it is adjudicated in the courts.

“Displaying passport holders’ sex at birth no more offends equal protection principles than displaying their country of birth – in both cases, the government is merely attesting to a historical fact without subjecting anyone to differential treatment,” the court said in an unsigned order.

The three liberal justices dissented.

The policy is born out of President Trump’s day one executive order that requires the federal government to only recognize two sexes. The order also declares that sex is not changeable.

Continued below.

Can these kinds of people be trusted?

Let's just say this one person is a very animated, gregarious person. They tend to lead the table by talking almost constantly. They seem civil if not cordial, but it also seems that everything that comes out of their mouth is talking about someone. They don't necessarily talk bad about someone (though I don't know them enough to say this), but they're ALWAYS mentioning someone's name in practically every other sentence. It makes me wonder, is this too similar to gossip, or is this more excusable?

ps this is not the same woman who I sensed was condescending on me being a convert.

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