I do not know what sub-forum this should be in ... but read carefully and there is a theological matter here, it is what is the pastoral approach that matches your doctrinal perspective best.

substitute something important that comes to mind where the paragraph below says "in these situations", do not tell us what you had in mind, commenting on the paragraph below is the matter in discussion - do you agree or ...

Pastoral care in these situations is not about offering easy answers. It’s about being Christ’s presence—gentle, patient, and faithful. The Church’s role is not to coerce but to console, not to condemn but to carry burdens alongside the wounded.

The criminal alien was apprehended alongside an MS-13 associate he was residing with and who was also in the United States illegally.
His associate, Rene Saul Escobar Ochoa, 30, is a criminal alien, known MS-13 gang member and foreign terrorist also wanted in El Salvador. Escobar Ochoa is accused of giving orders to fellow gang members to commit a variety of crimes, including multiple homicides, extortion, imprisonment and drug trafficking.


Please note the message to not interfere in arrests. I know some political leaders might paint some of these guys as "dads" or "residents" but think about the victims. Interfering can have deadly consequences.

The new head of LifeSite News is its co-founder Steve Jalsevac who sent out the message below. Is this the whole story? I doubt it and I suspect there are other issues. I was once involved with a contentious fight over who would run a pro-life organization. We ended up in arbitration. The primary issue had nothing to do with the focus of the organization. It was management style and personality conflicts. I'm wondering how much of that played into Westen's firing.

The fact that one of the reporters, Stephen Kokx, was also fired impacts the credibility of Jalsevac's message. As one of the reporters, Kokc clearly had nothing to do with the "business challenges" at LifeSite: the loss of readership, the decline in donations, etc; so why was he fired?

Continued below.

Bolsonaro was a right wing authoritarian. Bolsonaro tried to steal the election. He used his office to enrich himself replete with luxury gifts from the middle east.
So when Trump sees him, he sees a lot of himself.

And then there is this:

So there you go. The United States saw a $7.4 billion trade surplus with Brazil and the USA government is going to introduce a tax on its own citizens who buy Brazilian products? You just can't make this up.

"Liberia is a longtime friend of the United States, and we believe in your policy of making America great again," Boakai told the president, according to Reuters.

"Well, thank you, and such good English," Trump replied. "That's beautiful. Where did you learn to speak so beautifully? Where were you educated? Where? In Liberia?"

As the tragic events in Texas demonstrate, rurul counties often do not recieve the funds needed to implement preventative measures to protect human life. Kerr County Texas had previously applied for FEMA funds were denied, with Texas deciding to direct those funds to larger urban areas such as Houston. President Biden passed a program to address the needs of smaller communities: BRIC.

DOGE killed it.

In April, the Trump administration canceled the Building Resilient Communities Program, or BRIC, which funnels billions of dollars to states, municipalities, and tribal nations so they can prepare for future disasters. Ironically, Trump signed this program into law during his first term. But now, in the name of eliminating “waste, fraud, and abuse,” the Trump administration has cut $750 million in new resilience funding and clawed back nearly $900 million in grant funding already promised but not yet disbursed to states for improvements like upgrading stormwater systems, performing prescribed burns, and building flood control systems. FEMA also canceled $600 million in Flood Mitigation Assistance funding to communities this year, money that helps states protect buildings from flooding. Government analyses have determined that every dollar spent preparing for a disaster reaps $6 or more in costs saved down the road.
Will Trump re-instate BRIC?

Read Genesis 22:2 -12. Isaac was a young man. Some estimate Isaac's age to be in his late teens. Let's read about Abraham being declared to be righteous.

Read Genesis 15:2 -6. Abraham had no children when he was declared righteous. Abraham was declared righteous then at least 13 years later Issac was born. At that time Abraham, Ishmael and Isaac were circumcised. That was at least 10 years prior to him and Isaac going to Mt Moriah. That would mean Abraham had been declared righteous at least 23 years prior to when he took Issac to Mt Moriah for sacrifice. Hebrews 12:5-8 The question is had Abraham proved that he was a son of God, let God discipline him, before he took Issac to Mt Moriah. If he had then, he was righteous prior to offering to sacrifice Issac.

James 2:21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? 22 Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? 23 And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness." And he was called the friend of God. NKJV

James states that “scripture was fulfilled” which says, "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. God declared Abraham righteous as stated above at least 23 years prior to the sacrifice.

Romans 8:3 For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. NKJV

The righteous requirement of the law of sin and death are fulfilled by those declared righteous by God who walk in the Spirit. God fulfills the law of sin and death so those who believe in Jesus can be sanctified by obeying Jesus' commands. God does this so the people who come for salvation can attain the level of perfection they are willing to work for.

When a person first comes in, they could enter heaven at that time as they are sinless and have been born from above. This does happen occasionally when the person who comes in doesn't have the faith to face withdrawal from sin, and they let Jesus put them to death physically rather than keep sinning. Jesus' love is unconditional. His love does not depend on how you conduct yourself.

Romans 8:13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. NKJV

God fulfills the law for Christians for those who walk in the Spirit. He does this during the sanctification process for His sons. Abraham had proved he was a child of God sometime earlier during the 23 years. Yet, he continued to walk in the Spirit. If Abraham had decided to not walk in the Spirit at some point, as verse 13 states, be would have died physically and went to heaven. In heaven his faith had accomplished its goal and would be dead. Hence, the saying faith without works is dead.

James 2:22 Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? NKJV

By continuing in the Spirit Abraham reached the level of perfection he was willing to work for.

To answer the question can faith without works save a person? Yes. As stated above there are people who do not have enough faith to withdraw from sin. Read 1Corinthians 11: 27-32 verse 32 those who were disciplined to death were not condemned with the world. Had they repented and quit drinking they would have continued in the sanctification process.

2 Timothy 2:11 This is a faithful saying: For if we died with Him, we shall also live with Him. 12 If we endure, We shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him,


He also will deny us. 13 If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself. NKJV

Those who do not have faith enough to face withdrawing from sin but still let Jesus put them to death had no works. Their faith was without works yet it still got them to heaven.

The point James is making is that the only way we can see if a person has faith is to see some works from them. It's not a good indication, but it's all we have.

"Now the spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord tormented him. And Saul's servants said to him, “See now, an evil spirit from God is tormenting you. Let our lord now command the servants who attend you to look for someone who is skillful in playing the lyre; and when the evil spirit from God is upon you, he will play it, and you will feel better." 1 Sam. 16:14-16

Enter David, who plays the lyre and makes Saul feel better.

What is this evil spirit from the Lord that departs (or relents from tormenting Saul) when good music is played?

The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.
The Wickedness of Judah
Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth;
for the LORD has spoken:
“Children have I reared and brought up,
but they have rebelled against me.
The ox knows its owner,
and the donkey its master’s crib,
but Israel does not know,
my people do not understand.”
Ah, sinful nation,
a people laden with iniquity,
offspring of evildoers,
children who deal corruptly!
They have forsaken the LORD,
they have despised the Holy One of Israel,
they are utterly estranged.
Why will you still be struck down?
Why will you continue to rebel?
The whole head is sick,
and the whole heart faint.
From the sole of the foot even to the head,
there is no soundness in it,
but bruises and sores
and raw wounds;
they are not pressed out or bound up
or softened with oil.
Your country lies desolate;
your cities are burned with fire;
in your very presence
foreigners devour your land;
it is desolate, as overthrown by foreigners.
And the daughter of Zion is left
like a booth in a vineyard,
like a lodge in a cucumber field,
like a besieged city.
If the LORD of hosts
had not left us a few survivors,
we should have been like Sodom,
and become like Gomorrah.
Hear the word of the LORD,
you rulers of Sodom!
Give ear to the teaching of our God,
you people of Gomorrah!
“What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices?
says the LORD;
I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams
and the fat of well-fed beasts;
I do not delight in the blood of bulls,
or of lambs, or of goats.
“When you come to appear before me,
who has required of you
this trampling of my courts?
Bring no more vain offerings;
incense is an abomination to me.
New moon and Sabbath and the calling of convocations—
I cannot endure iniquity and solemn assembly.
Your new moons and your appointed feasts
my soul hates;
they have become a burden to me;
I am weary of bearing them.
When you spread out your hands,
I will hide my eyes from you;
even though you make many prayers,
I will not listen;
your hands are full of blood.
Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean;
remove the evil of your deeds from before my eyes;
cease to do evil,
learn to do good;
seek justice,
correct oppression;
bring justice to the fatherless,
plead the widow’s cause.
“Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD:
though your sins are like scarlet,
they shall be as white as snow;
though they are red like crimson,
they shall become like wool.
If you are willing and obedient,
you shall eat the good of the land;
but if you refuse and rebel,
you shall be eaten by the sword;
for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”
The Unfaithful City
How the faithful city
has become a harlot,
she who was full of justice!
Righteousness lodged in her,
but now murderers.
Your silver has become dross,
your best wine mixed with water.
Your princes are rebels
and companions of thieves.
Everyone loves a bribe
and runs after gifts.
They do not bring justice to the fatherless,
and the widow’s cause does not come to them.
Therefore the Lord declares,
the LORD of hosts,
the Mighty One of Israel:
“Ah, I will get relief from my enemies
and avenge myself on my foes.
I will turn my hand against you
and will smelt away your dross as with lye
and remove all your alloy.
And I will restore your judges as at the first,
and your counselors as at the beginning.
Afterward you shall be called the city of righteousness,
the faithful city.”
Zion shall be redeemed by justice,
and those in her who repent, by righteousness.
But rebels and sinners shall be broken together,
and those who forsake the LORD shall be consumed.
For they shall be ashamed of the oaks
that you desired;
and you shall blush for the gardens
that you have chosen.
For you shall be like an oak
whose leaf withers,
and like a garden without water.
And the strong shall become tinder,
and his work a spark,
and both of them shall burn together,
with none to quench them.

Isaiah 1

We must repent, we must fight our own wickedness and resist the devil. We must not let Christianity fall into a state of functional unbelief. How many of say that we believe in this and that but don’t? Perhaps it’s male headship? Perhaps it’s the inerrancy of scripture? The sermon on the mount and Jesus’ teaching on retaliation and adultery in the heart? Are these things real to us? How real? It’s not that we will be perfect, but we need to seek this perfection, we must seek to be more like Christ. This will not save us, doing what’s expected will not save you. Only Christ can save people, nut works are expected.

Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?
James 2:17-20

Lets us be the best Christians we can be. We all have our faults, let’s work on them and do what’s expected will God would have us do.

Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

Philippians 2:12-13

Here I am going to share my testimony which parallels Paul’s testimony. It is a testimony I have shared before, only this is not a copy-paste. I am writing this fresh today as I am being led of the Lord this morning in what to say.

I believed in Jesus Christ at the age of 7. I am now 75 years old. I began teaching the Scriptures at the age of 16. I taught children, youth, and then mostly women in small group Bible studies. And then my husband and I had a ministry to college students and to college-age adults out of our home for 7.5 years. And I did some of the teaching there. Six years into this ministry the Lord called me to an additional ministry, to write down what he was teaching me from his word and to post these writings on the internet.

But here’s the background behind this. Throughout my life I have faced a lot of mistreatment from pastors and elders of churches, and from other Christians, but not for doing what was wrong, but for obeying God in doing what is right in the eyes of the Lord, according to his word. In the first case I was judged falsely and unjustly because of my walk of faith in obedience to my Lord by those whose walk of faith was rather self-serving, at times, or it was more casual and not taken as seriously as what I took my walk of faith.

And then I had a pastor who asked of me to ask of our ministry team about replacing our worship team with another team. So I did what he said. So we met with him, as a group, but he did the non-denial denial thing by saying, “I would never do that.” So I asked him why he then asked me to ask this of our leadership team, but he responded the same. Then I was called to meet with the elders, but they required that I admit that I lied, as a prerequisite to the meeting. But I did not lie. And so they put me on church discipline.

In another case, I was in a small group ladies Bible study. But there were some immoral and ungodly situations going on within the church, and so I offered the women some biblical and godly counsel in that matter. But then I was reported to the pastor who then sent me a threatening letter telling me that I was banned from the church property and that I would be arrested if I stepped foot on the property. But he was one of those pastors who was following the wrong people, and not the Scriptures taught in their context.

In yet another church situation I was with a friend in a small women’s group for the hurting. And I was one of the hurting, as was she. She was very timid and so she asked for my help to be able to share in the group what she wanted to share, and so I did as she requested. But then I got accused falsely of being a bully of some sort, and the leaders would not even listen to my case, and one of the pastors accused me falsely of intentions that were not mine, and he would not listen, even though my tears were streaming.

Also, a fellow Christian and his wife came to my house and he blasted me because I was testing the spirits, as I ought, and because I was sharing on Facebook the deceptions I was finding in the writings of certain people, exposing them for what they were, as I ought to do. For he was a fan of those authors. So he yelled at me in front of my husband, and he told me that I needed to be in the majority, and not in the minority, for he said that the majority is right, and the minority is wrong. He got that one wrong.

In another situation my husband and I were training to be church planters. I was asked by our church denomination’s local heads to speak about our ministry to a large gathering of pastors and official workers in this church denomination. So I shared what the Lord put on my heart to share, which was fully biblical, and which supported what the other speakers were saying, only to be accused falsely of not hearing from God, but with absolutely no basis for their accusation other than just their personal opinions.

But because of their rejections of me, and their mistreatments of me, God then called me to the internet, to be a voice of one crying out in the wilderness, “Make straight the way of the Lord.” That was 21 years ago, and by the grace of God I have been faithful in his service ever since then, now writing down what he teaches me from his word each day, and posting these writings on the internet, “so that a herald may run with it” (Habakkuk 2:2). And this has, indeed, turned out for the greater progress of the gospel.

Should I Not Preach Jesus

Based off 1 Corinthians 9:16-10:13
An Original Work / July 4, 2013
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

Woe to me should I not preach Jesus.
I’m compelled to preach the full gospel.
I make myself a slave to ev’ryone
To win their hearts to Christ.
All this I do for my Lord Jesus,
And for the sake of His Name;
Do it for the sake of His gospel,
So that I, its blessings gain.

Scripture notates the sins of others;
Written down for us as examples
To keep us from setting our hearts
On evil as did those of old.
Do not worship other gods of man;
Do not give your hearts to them;
Not partake in immorality.
Do not test your Lord and King.

So, be careful if you think you are
Standing firm in your faith in Jesus.
God has given his word to warn us,
So through faith we will not fall.
No temptation has o’ertaken you
Except what is commonplace.
God is faithful to not let you be
Tempted past what you can bear.
He gives the way of escape.

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For The Greater Progress of The Gospel
An Original Work / July 10, 2025
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

Who are the saints in Christ Jesus? A saint is one who is holy (morally pure, consecrated to God, different from the world because becoming like Jesus). And how does one become a saint? 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, no longer to live as slaves to sin but now as slaves to God and to his righteousness. Sin is no longer what we practice, but obedience to God and to his commands is what we practice, by his grace, and in his power.

And what is the gospel? It is that Jesus Christ, God the Son, came to earth, was born as a human baby, but without sin, grew to manhood, and was hated by many who put him to death on a cross. But in his death on that cross he put our sins to death with him so that, by God-persuaded faith in Jesus, we might now die with him to sin and walk with him in obedience to his commands, in holy living, free from our slavery to sin, and free to serve the Lord Jesus with our lives, according to his will and purpose for our lives.

And that is what it means to participate in the gospel, too. And the Greek word for this is koinónia, which means fellowship, communion, sharing, participation and partnership, which involves our cooperation with God and with his work of grace in our lives. He provides the way for us to be saved from our sins and to have the hope of heaven when we die, but then we must participate with him in this work of grace by dying to sin and living to God in walks of obedience to his commands in holy living, in his power.

And Paul’s confidence that Christ, who began a good work in the lives of the believers in Christ, would perfect that work until the day of Christ Jesus (of his return), was based on all of the above. They were those who had died with Christ to sin and who were now walking with Jesus in obedience to his commands in holy living. They were those who were no longer living for the sinful pleasures of the flesh. But in obedience to the Lord, they were growing and maturing in their walks of faith and in their surrender to the will of God.

So, what is this grace of which they were all partakers? It is not the kind of grace which is so popularized today which becomes a free license to continue living in sin without feelings of guilt and without punishment. For the grace of God, which is bringing us salvation, is training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives while we wait for Jesus’ return. For Christ “gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.” (See Titus 2:11-14; Ephesians 2:8-10)

And then, what was Paul’s prayer for them?


This is what the life of a Christian should look like. And this is not saying that we will be absolutely perfect always in everything that we do. And “the love” this is talking about is not human love, but agape love which comes from God and which prefers all that God prefers – holiness, righteousness, truth, obedience to God, faithfulness, moral purity and uprightness. For to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ involves us daily walking in obedience to our Lord, no longer as slaves to sin, but as servants of Christ.

[Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Luke 9:23-26; John 1:12-13; John 6:44; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Romans 2:6-8; 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 12:1-2; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 1:5-10; 1 John 2:3-6; 1 John 3:4-10]

My Sheep

Based off John 10:1-30 NIV
An Original Work / June 24, 2012
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

My sheep hear me. They know me.
They listen to my voice and obey.
I call them and lead them.
They know my voice, so they follow me.
They will never follow strangers.
They will run away from them.
The voice of a stranger they know not;
They do not follow him.

So, I tell you the truth that
I am the gate, so you enter in.
Whoever does enter
Will find forgiveness and will be saved.
Nonetheless whoever enters
Not by the gate; other way,
He is the thief and a robber.
Listen not, the sheep to him.

Oh, I am the Good Shepherd,
Who laid his own life down for the sheep.
I know them. They know me.
They will live with me eternally.
The thief only comes to steal and
Kill and to destroy the church.
I have come to give you life that
You may have it to the full…

They know my voice, so they follow me.

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To The Saints in Christ Jesus
An Original Work / July 10, 2025
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

Saint Jerome is the patron saint of translators and languages.

He would support translating Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John
into as many languages as possible.

Spread the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The enforcement targeted drug trafficking rings, Dan Bongino, the FBI’s deputy director, wrote on X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday. “We’re finding them and crushing their operations,” he wrote and thanked Drug Enforcement Administration “partners for their coordination.”


The cartels and gangs gained a solid foothold during the Biden administration and are not going to go down easy.

YouTube Channel Video Devo
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“They Had No Idea What Was Coming”
Matthew 26:31-35 NIV
Then Jesus told them, “This very night you will all fall away on account of me, for it is written: “‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.” Peter replied, “Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will.” “Truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “this very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.” But Peter declared, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” And all the other disciples said the same.

Recently my wife and I have been watching the beginning of Season 5 of “The Chosen”. The scene of the Last Supper really sticks out in my mind. Jesus is trying to verbally prepare them for what is to come. Peter speaks out and so do the others that they would never deny Christ. They all have a look of shock on their faces when Jesus says this. Peter especially does and says that even if he would have to die because of Jesus, he would not deny.

All these men literally have no idea what is about to happen. Jesus is trying so hard to prepare them and give them the tools they need to move forward, but they just look at Him and are confused. They just don’t get it. No matter how much He tries to explain and prepare them, they are just left in confusion. It’s been really neat watching this unfold on the screen as I am a very visual learner.

They were all for sure nothing would stand in the way of following Jesus, no matter what. But again, they had no idea what was coming. So often in life, we also have no idea what is coming to us. We are for sure that we will be faithful and stand strong for Jesus no matter the situation. We “hope” we would be strong enough, but would we really? Just something for us to consider in situations we find ourselves going through where the tension is high and our reputation is on the line. Will we be brave enough to stand up and be strong in what we believe?

This devotional is an opportunity for us all to take this in and meditate. Consider your life and opportunities that have come up and may come up. Whatever situations may arise, will you and I be brave enough to stand up for what we believe in? Chances are, most of us will never have the experience of our lives being ended because of our faith, but if it does come to that, what will we do? Will we be faithful in our devotion no matter what?

What’s it like to be a Christian?
What’s your purpose? What’s your mission?
Does your faith make any difference
How you live your life with vigilance?

Are you Christian just in status?
Christian life is not your practice?
Worldly pleasures still your purpose?
Faith in Christ is only surface?

Christian only when it suits you?
Follow Jesus not what you do?
Only going through the motions
When you say you have devotions?

Act like Christian when folks watching?
While the Christian life you’re botching?
Live for selfish sinful pleasures?
Not the truth of God you treasure?

Many people, that’s their status,
Do not put their faith in practice.
Think that Christian gets forgiveness
While obedience not their business.

But the truth, the truth of matter,
Many just give empty chatter,
But their lives, they are no different,
For to Christ they are indifferent.

So we need the truth of story,
Jesus Christ in all His glory
Gave His life, from sin to free us,
So we’d live by faith in freedom.

Sin no longer does control us,
Walk by faith in Christ, with purpose.
Obey God and His commandments,
Live for Jesus, our advancement.

An Original Work / July 9, 2025
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

Hello brothers and sisters in Christ,


My name is Ernesto, and I’m writing from Mexicali, Mexico. I’ve been walking with the Lord for many years and recently felt the need to find a safe, sincere Christian community to share thoughts, grow spiritually, and fellowship online. I am also a Christian Musician and composer.


I’ve worked for over 35 years in the manufacturing industry and have a background in engineering. But more importantly, I’m a husband, a father, and a grandfather who believes in the transforming power of God’s love and grace.


Unfortunately, I’ve had some bad experiences on social media — too many fake accounts, and dishonest people. I’m thankful to have found this forum and hope to connect with others who truly seek Christ, truth, encouragement, and honest discussion.


I enjoy talking about faith, Scripture, family, Christian music and life’s everyday blessings and challenges. If you feel led to say hello, I’d love to hear from you.


God bless you all,
Ernesto

Howdy! Whelp, the guy from the last video I posted telling me not to preach hate to my kids came back. I asked him what was wrong with Jesus and he hand a mouthful to say... Thoughts on how you would have handled it?

Hi everyone! I’m excited (and a little nervous) to be here. I’ve been learning to quiet distractions and focus more on God lately, and I’m grateful for a place like this to grow and connect with others who love Jesus.

A little about me: I love quiet mornings with coffee and the Word, walks outside to clear my mind, and finding small ways to serve others. God’s been teaching me a lot about trust this year, especially Proverbs 3:5: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.” It’s been keeping me grounded.

Looking forward to learning with you all and encouraging each other here. How do you all like to start your mornings with God?

“The way that Brazil has treated former President Bolsonaro, a Highly Respected Leader throughout the World during his Term, including by the United States, is an international disgrace,” Trump wrote Wednesday in a letter to Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. “This Trial should not be taking place. It is a Witch Hunt that should end IMMEDIATELY!”

"Last year, the U.S. trade surplus with Brazil reached $6.8 billion."

The Brazilian government is holding a former presdient accoutnable for his actions. Apparently, that's too much for Donald Trump to swallow.

Candace Cameron Bure is opening up about a difficult period in her marriage to husband Valeri Bure, and how their son played a key role in helping them through it.

The 49-year-old actress discussed the rough patch on the July 8 episode of her podcast, "The Candace Cameron Bure Podcast," revealing she once feared her marriage might not survive.

“Val and I went through a really, really rough season in our marriage. And we were like, ‘I don’t know, don’t think ... we’re gonna make it through,’” she said.

Bure said their middle child, Lev, ended up playing a crucial part in helping them reconnect.

“At one point, Lev preached, like, a 45-minute sermon on marriage to us. Just had his Bible open on the couch and just talked about it,” she said.

The actress, author and producer recalled Lev’s words during that conversation.

Continued below.

The chair of the Randall County Republican Party was booked into jail Monday on a state felony election fraud charge.

Kelly Kenten Giles, 64, is accused of providing false information on his application and petition to run for the Randall County Republican Party Chair seat in December 2023 for a spot on the 2024 primary ballot, according to the grand jury indictment signed late last month. It is unclear what about his application or petition was considered fraudulent.

The offense is typically classified as a misdemeanor, but because Giles is accused of doing it while serving as an elected official, it becomes a felony.

Giles' arrest comes after years of Texas Republicans cracking down on election integrity in the years that follow the 2020 election, despite no such evidence of widespread fraud. This crackdown escalated days ago when a former Democratic state House candidate was indicted alongside nine others for alleged vote harvesting in South Texas.

[That latter event seems connected with this: see also]

"During the arrest, one individual assaulted a Border Patrol agent and was subsequently arrested for assaulting federal law enforcement," DHS added. "Our officers are facing a surge in assaults and attacks against them as they put their lives on the line to enforce our nation's laws. Secretary Noem has been clear: If you obstruct or assault our law enforcement, you will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law."

This is small stuff compared to what is to come. The radical- Muslim/radical- left coalition will continue to participate in acts of violence against our government.

The former Archbishop of Wales has expressed regret over a “drinking culture” within his diocese after reports surfaced that priests and choir members took part in a “seven last shots of Christ” game at a pub following a Good Friday concert. Andrew John, who retired suddenly late last month, said the revelations were “a shock” and described the behavior as saddening and inappropriate.

John announced his immediate retirement on June 27, days after the Representative Body of the Church in Wales met in Cardiff and called for a change in leadership, procedures and governance in the Diocese of Bangor, according to Church Times.

Former choristers described a pattern of excessive alcohol use tied to religious events at Bangor Cathedral, including drinking during Sunday services and after concerts.

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New Testament scholar N.T. Wright recently pushed back on the assumption that Jesus and the apostle Paul expected the world to end within a generation, saying their primary focus was the coming destruction of Jerusalem, not the final return of Christ.

“I think that Paul was aware, like all early Christians, because Jesus had said so, that Jerusalem would be destroyed within a generation of Jesus’ own time,” Wright said during a recent episode of his “Ask N.T. Wright Anything” podcast.

“That’s a major theme in Matthew, Mark and Luke. It’s hinted at elsewhere. And I think it’s hinted at, for instance, in the Thessalonian correspondence in Paul and also in First Corinthians Seven, when he talks about the appointed time being constrained.”

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An English professor at Baylor University in Waco, Texas, who has drawn scrutiny for previous public comments regarding gender and sexuality, expressed support this week for the school’s recent $643,000 grant to promote LGBTQ+ inclusion in churches.

Professor Greg Garrett, who serves as the school’s Carole Ann McDaniel Hanks Chair of Literature & Culture and teaches theology classes, also claimed conservative media have been attacking him for obeying Jesus by affirming homosexuality and transgenderism.

“When the far right media comes for me, my colleagues, or [Baylor]? I can only say: I serve the Jesus who said ‘If you’ve loved the least of these, you’ve loved me.’ Grateful for this grant that will help us love better,” Garrett tweeted Monday, linking to an article from The Christian Post.

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