As part of the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus said in Mt 5:

46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?

Click to expand...

The context was love.

48 "You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect."

Click to expand...

Perfect like the Father! How?

Mt 19:

But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

Click to expand...

Jesus died to give us the Paraclete indwelling Spirit. He is the helper. He helps us to be perfect. It is an ongoing process for a Christian's sanctification.

Paul concurred in Ep 4:

15 Speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ.

Click to expand...

Love like Jesus did.

23 To be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

Click to expand...

The indwelling Spirit transforms our minds to be like God's mind.

Ep 5:

1 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. 2 And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

Click to expand...

Imitate Jesus' love. Be perfect as the Son was perfect.

Reading the word of God is one way to know God better. I follow this schedule every day. It is, more or less, in chronological order. I do the reading routinely nonstop to develop some familiarization with the Bible. At the end of the daily reading, I think of one question and raise it here in this subreddit.

Which version to read?

Pick a version that you like from Biblehub. ESV is a good one to start. After you have finished that version from Genesis to Revelation, pick another version.

What happens if I miss a day?

If you miss a day's reading, you can either make it up the next day or skip it. The goal is to familiarize yourself with the entire Bible over the years. No need to sweat over some particular missing days. This is not a daily Bible study routine but a daily Bible reading routine.

In addition to my daily routine reading, I study different passages of the Bible daily and post my comments in my subreddit. Daily routine reading and Bible study are different tasks with different objectives.

So, people need to know God's word about forgiveness, and what is right judging and wrong judging.

You have to teach children right from wrong so they do not do what is wrong.

And we need how God's word tells us how to love.

"Do all things without complaining and disputing," (Philippians 2:14)

"not in passion of lust" (in 1 Thessalonians 4:5)

It seems that while ones can be very busy with political activism against certain wrong things, they are not giving attention to how God's word teaches us to relate in love.

"swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath" (in James 1:19-20)

"be clothed with humility" (in 1 Peter 5:5)

And a thing which seems to not get attention is beauty discrimination. I remember how we could think less of children who were less cute and not so beautiful. Ones beautiful could be more loved and more popular, and I would bully certain children who were less popular.

And there are men who have been brought up to be foolish for women who are more beautiful, instead of learning how to love and how to evaluate another person by God's standard.

"rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God." (1 Peter 3:4)

However, there are women who do not know how to attract a real man; ones can be very busy with putting on some show, then wonder why they can't get with a real man. And they even can feel like there aren't any! But how we are in the sight of God can be our real magnet that decides who we can connect with.

So, hopefully we will spend time with God in His word and not too much attention with what counterfeits are writing.

Bob Crowley said:

Hmmm ... name dropping eh?

Click to expand...

My only distant link to Hollywood. Or the Aussie equivalent. If the neighbours ever invite us to one of their wrap parties then I'll be dining out on it for years...

Xeno.of.athens said:

2 Peter 1:16-18 [RSV] For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. (17) For when he received honor and glory from God the Father and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased," (18) we heard this voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain.

2Peter 1:16-18 [NWT] 16 No, it was not by following artfully contrived false stories that we made known to you the power and presence of our Lord Jesus Christ, but rather, we were eyewitnesses of his magnificence. u 17 For he received from God the Father honor and glory when words such as these* were conveyed to him by the magnificent glory: “This is my Son, my beloved, whom I myself have approved.” v 18 Yes, these words we heard coming from heaven while we were with him in the holy mountain.

Saint Peter recalls the mount of Transfiguration and the Father's testimony to (and about) Jesus Christ. It's interesting that even Jehovah's witnesses fairly accurately translate this passage, with the exception of "coming" which they do not use substituting "presence" in its place.

Saint Peter regards the Father's testimony as a guarantee of the truth which is even more reliable than holy scripture, insofar as it relies on God alone rather than being mediated through a prophet and writings left by the prophet. He continues saying the following:

2 Peter 1:19-21 [RSV] And we have the prophetic word made more sure. You will do well to pay attention to this as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. (20) First of all you must understand this, that no prophecy of scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation, (21) because no prophecy ever came by the impulse of man, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.

2 Peter 1:19-21 [NWT ]19 So we have the prophetic word made more sure, and you are doing well in paying attention to it as to a lamp w shining in a dark place (until day dawns and a daystar x rises) in your hearts. 20 For you know this first, that no prophecy of Scripture springs from any private interpretation. 21 For prophecy was at no time brought by man’s will, y but men spoke from God as they were moved* by holy spirit. z

Click to expand...

Ironically we only know this from scripture.

Red Gold said:

do you know das Panzerlied?

Click to expand...

Warum? It is stirring stuff and if there was not all that history to it I think I would like the song. To be honest, Germany needs to recover some pride in its military, not as a conqueror of, but rather a defender of, the weak.

Login to view embedded media

There was a hidden line in the broad history of Christianity. After the Nicaean Conference, the Jewish and Gentile churches were in a state of division. Jewish church activities had to go underground. The revival movement of the Messianic Judaism in modern America revived the Jewish church from the dead. Moreover, this ideology has also impacted the Eastern world. Samaria, Edom, and Ishmael see the priority of establishing an alliance contract with Judah again.

Messianic History​

Amen, maybe we suffer from the same - the love of money is the root of all evil Yeshua says, but don't we all work and strive to get stuff that gives some comfort (a house, a car, a holiday) .... when is enough enough? How many believers have a BMI index of more than 25 while we shouldn't turn our stomach into a god?

Thank you everyone again.

essentialsaltes said:

Trump co-defendant Harrison Floyd given more time [to] argue Fulton County election results​

According to court records, Floyd's matter concerned a subpoena to count Fulton County's 2020 election ballots. Floyd has stated that he wants to personally recount the 528,777 ballots cast in Fulton County.

Floyd, the former head of Black Voices for Trump, has requested copies of all county ballots from the last presidential election to prove that election fraud cost former President Donald Trump a second term. His legal team aims to show Trump as the actual winner of the election as part of their defense in the interference case.

Floyd's legal team also assured the judge they would bring in scanners and a team to expedite the counting process if given access to the ballots. The attorneys also said they they could arrange for legal experts to testify on their behalf in late June or July.

Judge McAfee agreed to give Floyd and his team more time to argue the accuracy of the 2020 election results.

A [different] judge is set to decide if Fulton County must comply with Floyd's request, as Fulton County filed a motion to quash the subpoenas.

Click to expand...

Family Willis, she's has no credibility "Next"!

As Christ’s followers, we are not to be followers of humans, but followers of God. We are not supposed to turn to human beings for help, guidance, counsel, and direction in place of Jesus Christ, especially while ignoring the counsel of Scripture, making humans our gods.

We are not to form alliances (yokes; partnerships) with this sinful world, or with the people of this sinful world, because there is no fellowship between light and darkness, and because God has commanded us to come out from the ways, philosophies, teachings, culture, thinking and behaviors of this sinful world, and to be separate, holy unto God and to his service.

And we are to put our trust in Christ, not in our own human reasoning and understanding. In all our ways we are to acknowledge God, and he will direct our paths.

Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live. Romans 8:12-13

Only in Him

An Original Work / February 19, 2014
Based off Isaiah 30

Woe to those who look to man’s help;
Who turn away from Jesus Christ;
Forming an alliance not in step with God;
Making their own plans, and praying not.

Willing not to listen to truth,
They close their ears to what is right.
Pleasing words are all that they’ll hear;
Feel good messages that bring cheer.

Trust in your Lord; turn from your sin.
Put your faith now ONLY IN HIM.
Do not turn to idols. They’ll not satisfy.
Jesus will save you. That’s why He died.

Your Lord will be gracious to you.
He cares all about you, ‘tis true.
He forgives you all of your sin
When you give your life up to Him.

Oh, how truly gracious He’ll be
When you bow to Him on your knees;
Turning now from your sin; walking in his ways.
He’ll lead and guide you all of your days.

Now you will sing praises to Him.
He delivered you from your sin.
You’ll tell others now of His grace,
So they may see Christ face-to-face.

Login to view embedded media

Hello! heading into winter in NZ with lot's of rainy days ahead and some cold nights...

Hallelujah!

We who believe in Jesus Christ are to be those who are proclaiming the truth about Jesus Christ and his gospel of salvation, and of his plans and purposes for his people, i.e. for those who fear (revere, respect, obey) the Lord, and throughout the world. And we are to be those who are talking about the Lord and the teachings of the Scriptures to one another within the family of God for our mutual encouragement and edification in our walks of faith and obedience to our Lord. And this isn’t just locally, but it is far and wide, too.

And with the invention of the internet, and with cell phones, we are able to speak with people all over the world in many nations all at once so that we can share with them the truth of the gospel of our salvation and of what God has planned for those who love and obey him. And with the invention of the internet, our language differences should no longer be an obstacle, either, for there are many ways in which we can find translations into other languages or from their languages to ours so that we can hear one another.

And we who believe in Jesus Christ should make use of this tool we have been given for sharing the truth about Jesus Christ and his gospel of salvation and in order to encourage the body of Christ far and wide in the ways of the Lord. For to this we are all called. And we should be doing this daily. And if you are on social media, right now that is a great tool for sharing the gospel and for encouraging the body of Christ in the ways of the Lord and in our walks of faith and obedience to our Lord in holy living.

And the Lord knows who is listening and who needs to hear what and when. And so this is something we should pray to the Lord about, and ask him for the messages that he would have for us to share, and be available to him to hear from him so that we know what to say and when and where. For we are all called of God to be the light of the world and the salt of the earth in sharing Jesus Christ and his word with the people of the world. And we are all to proclaim the excellencies of him who took us from darkness to light.

And what are our vows that we are to perform? Well, when we receive Jesus Christ into our lives to be Lord and Savior of our lives, we enter into a spiritual marriage covenant with the Lord Jesus, and he becomes our husband, and we become his bride. But this is more like the biblical Jewish marriage covenant between man and woman, which was more like a period of engagement where the groom went to prepare a place for his bride and then he came and got her and then they consummated their relationship.

And right now Jesus Christ is preparing a place for us in heaven, and when he returns one day he is going to take his faithful ones, those who fear him, to be with him for eternity. And that is when our marriage to him will be consummated, i.e. that is when our salvation will be complete and not until then. In the meanwhile we are more like in an engagement period with the Lord and we must remain faithful to him in obedience to his commands and in holy living and in service to him until he returns to take us home.

And a big part of our service to the Lord is in taking the truth of the gospel to the people of the world and it is in ministering to the needs of our brothers and sisters in Christ, but not just their physical or emotional needs, but their spiritual needs. And this is why the Scriptures teach us that we are to be exhorting one another daily so that none of us are hardened by sin’s deceitfulness, and why we are to be speaking the truth in love to one another so that none of us is lead astray by people in deceitful scheming.

[Matt 5:13-16; Matt 7:13-14; Matt 28:18-20; Jn 4:31-38; Jn 13:13-17; Jn 14:12; Acts 1:8; Acts 2:14-18; Acts 26:18; Rom 10:14-15; Rom 12:1-8; Rom 15:14; 1 Co 12:1-31; 1 Co 14:1-5; Eph 4:1-16; Eph 5:11-27; Php 2:1-8; Col 3:16; Heb 3:13; Heb 10:23-25; 1 Pet 2:9,21; 1 Jn 2:6]

And the goal of what we do and why we do it is not only in obedience to our Lord, but it is out of genuine love and concern for all who proclaim faith in Jesus Christ and for all those who do not believe in the Lord Jesus. And the goal is that we might be used of the Lord in the lives of other believers in Jesus to encourage them in their walks of faith and obedience to the Lord and so that people all over the world will turn their hearts to Jesus Christ, deny self, die daily to sin, and follow Jesus in obedience to his commands.

For this is what is required of us to have life in Jesus Christ and to be saved from our sins and to have eternal life with God. We must all be crucified with Christ in death to sin and raised with him to walk in newness of life in him, no longer as slaves to sin, but now as slaves to righteousness. So we are not to let sin reign in our bodies to make us obey its desires, for if sin is what we obey, it leads to death. But if righteousness and obedience to God are what we obey, that leads to sanctification, and its end is eternal life with God.

So, this is to encourage you, not only to make certain of your salvation, that you have died with Christ to sin and that you are now walking in obedience to his commands in holy living, but that you are proclaiming the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light, before the great congregation, and that you are not hiding your light under a bushel, and that your salt has not lost its saltiness, and that you are living and teaching the narrow road to heaven, and not the broad road to destruction.

[Matt 7:13-23; Lu 9:23-26; Acts 26:18; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14; Rom 12:1-2; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 1 Co 10:1-22; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; Gal 5:16-24; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-32; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:1-17; Titus 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1:5-10; 1 Jn 2:3-6,24-25; 1 Jn 3:4-10; 1 Pet 2:24; Heb 3:1-19; Heb 4:1-13; Heb 10:23-31; Rev 21:8,27; Rev 22:14-15]

Oh, to Be Like Thee, Blessed Redeemer

Lyrics by Thomas O. Chisholm, 1897
Music by W. J. Kirkpatrick, 1897

Oh, to be like Thee! blessèd Redeemer,
This is my constant longing and prayer;
Gladly I’ll forfeit all of earth’s treasures,
Jesus, Thy perfect likeness to wear.

Oh, to be like Thee! full of compassion,
Loving, forgiving, tender and kind,
Helping the helpless, cheering the fainting,
Seeking the wandering sinner to find.

O to be like Thee! lowly in spirit,
Holy and harmless, patient and brave;
Meekly enduring cruel reproaches,
Willing to suffer others to save.

O to be like Thee! while I am pleading,
Pour out Thy Spirit, fill with Thy love;
Make me a temple meet for Thy dwelling,
Fit me for life and Heaven above.

Oh, to be like Thee! Oh, to be like Thee,
Blessèd Redeemer, pure as Thou art;
Come in Thy sweetness, come in Thy fullness;
Stamp Thine own image deep on my heart.

Login to view embedded media
Caution: This link may contain ads

Why are we here?
For what purpose do we exist?
Why have we come into being?
Do our lives even have meaning?

Are we just here for fun?
Are we here to entertain ourselves?
Are we here just for laughs?
Or is there a purpose we exist?

Well God created us all for a purpose,
And he has a plan for our lives,
And that is that we believe in Him,
Believe in His Son Jesus Christ.

For Jesus Christ gave His life for us
That we might die with him to sin,
That we might follow Him in obedience,
And that we might now live for Him.

An Original Work / May 30, 2024

Diamond7 said:

If He cleansed all food then why are people getting sick from eating processed food.

Click to expand...

I think he meant food in its natural state, that is, before it's processed. It's God that makes the food and man that does the processing. (exception being poisonous plants, He wouldn't want us to eat those of course.)

More funny animals...

Login to view embedded media

Pommer said:

But that it’s seriously talked about and even occurring in some locations, means it’s a coming, how long can it be put off?

Click to expand...

Historically a good number of American states, cities, etc. gave all adult male residents a vote, regardless of citizenship. Not most, but they did exist.

Michie said:

We know that coffee keeps us awake, but studies show coffee impacts us in unexpected ways, including increasing our shopping habits and our tolerance to pain.

Everyone knows that coffee perks up the soul. Shortly after the nectar passes our lips, our brain is attentive, our vision sharpens and fatigue goes away.

As French novelist Honoré de Balzac states, “This coffee falls into your stomach, and straightway there is a general commotion. Ideas begin to move like the battalions of the Grand Army on the battlefield.”

Caffeine is the primary chemical in coffee, a psychoactive drug that alters how we feel and behave. Caffeine molecules resemble the body’s adenosine molecules, which accumulate in the brain the longer we are awake. And since caffeine looks like adenosine, it can block sensors and trick the brain to stay awake.

Continued below.
5 Unexpected Ways Coffee Influences our Behavior

Click to expand...

I wonder if it works that way for those of us with ADHD, as stimulants helps us to relax.

iluvatar5150 said:

Now the neighbor says that the flag went up before they had words:

The Alitos, the Neighborhood Clash and the Upside-Down Flag

Inside the escalating conflict on a bucolic suburban street that Justice Alito said prompted a “Stop the Steal” symbol at his home.

www.nytimes.com

ETA: both sides sound insufferable.

Click to expand...

This is how America does “royal family scandals”, the elites squabble about how best to rule the rest of us, like they have any business attempting that!
Good times!

tonychanyt said:

Jesus spoke to Nicodemus in John 3:


What is born of water?

There are at least 3 interpretations:

1. Water is a symbol of cleansing, Ezekiel 36:

2. Water refers to water baptism. John 1:


Nicodemus knew about John's water baptism for repentance. Jesus informed him that there was another requirement. Ellicott, Cambridge Bible, and Bengel agreed to this interpretation #2.

3. Water refers to natural watery birth or amniotic sac breaking (Smith's Bible Commentary, Dr. Constable's Expository Notes). John 3:


water || human flesh
Spirit || human spirit

Because of the immediate context and parallelisms, I put more weight on #3.

See also What does it mean to be born again?.

Click to expand...

#3

She's from Detroit, so I've met her. She's a radical for sure.