New Posts

Stopped_lurking · 2025-11-10T06:05:05-0600

stevevw said:
OK so we can do it or not. We look at a mark on ancient works and we compare it to all known ways that could have caused in. In principle it should fall within all the actual ways humans have worked on stone from prehistory to modern times. We have plenty of method 1,2,3,4 ect.

How do you propose to test the unknown ancient technology without knowing anything about what "witness marks" they would leave if they exist? Additionally, as in forensics you also need impeccable provenance.

stevevw said:
In fact we have been doing exactly this when people do experiments using the different methods. We make the replica and compare the marks.

But some marks we just have to look at them and know they were not caused by said orthodox method. When a stone is cut around a bend or is very thin and follows the contour of the surface going up and down. Which a stright hand held saw cannot do.

No, a couple of guys sitting around having opinions are not enough ever.

stevevw said:
So some of it at least is quite obvious and I cannot see how some cannot see this lol.

Have you considered if it is you who have a low threshold for being convinced?

Bob Crowley · 2025-11-10T06:04:28-0600

A catholic music group and song I came across recently.

"O God, You Search Me" by Bernadette O'Farrell

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And "Only a Shadow" by Carey Landry

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Dan1988 · 2025-11-10T06:03:49-0600

BNR32FAN said:
You’re ignoring important details like for example Romans 2:4-5 specifically says God’s KINDNESS AND PATIENCE IS LEADING THEM TO REPENTANCE. You completely ignored that important piece of information.

Gods kindness and patience leads people towards repentance, but the reality is that only the elect of God repent, because God gives us His the gifts of His grace and faith. Those who were not elected will never repent, they are just storing up more and more wrath for themselves.

You can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink, if it's not thirsty. Only the elect of God are thirsty for Him

67_Reasons · 2025-11-10T06:00:49-0600

Any suggestions on a go-to ammo box brand for deer or zeroing the scope at the range? This is an Axis I in Creedmoor, first centerfire rifle I have had...

Desk trauma · 2025-11-10T05:56:17-0600

Nithavela said:
In the view of the right, it is really easy for one side to "take over".

It's basically enough for a couple of right wing people with flags to stand in a formation in the middle of town to "take back" New York, so this sounds like a lazyness issue.

Probably scared of getting pelted with sandwiches.

Evilarm · 2025-11-10T05:51:35-0600

Wow not a priest for once, how unusual.

redraven · 2025-11-10T05:50:39-0600

stevevw said:
This all sounds personal and subjective. So what about the many people who align with Kirk. Are they also not Christians.

Not that I am saying either opinion is correct but that this idea that some are not Christians and others are can be taken many ways dependning on a persons tilt whatever that is.

I think this is identity politics. Just like Kirk is not a true Christian belonging to the true Christian identity. There are other Christian identities within Christianity that war just like in secular society.

Like X politician is not a true Dem or Repulican or instead is a Nazi or white supremisist or Woke or Trans or a Women or male or black or Queer. Everything is determined by the identity and its ever changing morals and criteria for whats fits the moral and immoral identity of each group. According to the ideology they subscribe to.

Thats why I think as with the early church. Don't get too involved in the political arena. Just say the truth of the gospel warts and all and let people take it or leave it. Walk away. Don't get too bogged down in the politics and arguements as in the end its bel;ief and the spirit. Not some logical or reasoned arguement. Though that can dispell misconceptions many have today.

If they are interested they will come looking. God will be the one who awakens them. But if they are hostile Christ said pack up your stuff and go to the next town who may be more open.

You say my comment is personal and subjective, but if you objectively look at how Kirk behaved - as I gave examples of earlier in the thread and as others have noted both in this thread and in many other forums, it's objectively true he often behaved contrary to the teachings of the bible and of Christ.

It sounds like you are saying I'm subjective because I condemn him for his behavior, yet his behavior is something which is objective.

When his behaviour objectively does not match what he claims to be - a Christian - then it is not subjective to say he didn't behave as a Christian.

This is not only the issue many have with Kirk, but the 'Christian faith' in general and all religion for that matter.
The behaviour should match the label. People cling to religion as a matter of convenience and cling to the faith when it is convenient for them while behaving in ways that clearly contradict the teachings of the faith they claim to be. Then they are seen as hypocrits and are no longer believable.

Tropical Wilds · 2025-11-10T05:49:06-0600

Now we all gasp in surprise (again) when the the concessions they agreed to later (again) don’t happen as anticipated (again) and our erratic president justifies reneging (again) to the detriment of the nation (again) while all the people who follow him blindly excuse it (again) because they will gladly set their own house on fire if it means they can pretend they “pwned the libz.”

Bradskii · 2025-11-10T05:48:56-0600

Postvieww said:
i also said Newsom was not personally in court but he is the top dog in the state that made the stupid regulations. Newsom also did not light the match that started the fires but he still holds some responsibility on how it was handled.

So the lie that someone told you...you'll let it stay as it is in your post.

Well, OK. At least people who read it now know the truth. Including you.

rocknanchor · 2025-11-10T05:38:41-0600

rocknanchor said:
Appraising a favorite quote, Surely, you must have one among several that could be considered?

Here’s one of mine, ,

You cannot have the indwelling [also infilling] without turning the [Church service] gavel to the Holy Spirit and you turn to a great truth, for the Holy Spirit is the vicar of Christ (John 16:7,14:26) – C.M. Ward

But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you, ,But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, ,has set you overseers, to shepherd the church of God, , will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have told you. (John 16:7, Acts 20:28, John 14:26)

One thing we all agree on is this: Jesus did physically leave us, Hooray! Long-live the thing we agree on, NOT on things that divide us! But, as we know, that fundamental, victorious unity is short-lived. Let’s talk about it.

Some we must admit, are unavoidable, but, I suggest here the vast majority are quite infantile! Among the many things Brother Ward said in his lifetime, some, I hold in sharp disagreement. But this ‘truth’ as he says is as unfiltered as it gets.

For there are so many influences around that the young convert is faced with such a steep uphill battle that they would benefit far more from you who hold the truth if we could step back from the playing field just long enough to address some of these things that ends up distancing themselves from biblical truths.

The Elephant Issue, Doctrinal Bias Gone Bonkers

New Testament OS (‘Oversight’, Hebrews 13:7), or

New Testament DO (‘Double-honor’, 1Timothy 5:17)?

One of the first things to slap a new convert’s face is our UN-CHRISTIAN divide over the “Vicar”. A search within AI is futile;

Vicar: Pastor, Elder, Minister, Bishop, Deacon

OS: Pastor, Elder, Minister, Bishop, Deacon

AI tries to apply subtle variables to the differences of Church OS vs Vicar, but is incapable of removing them from those who are considered to be a ‘Vicar’. So the question remains over this issue that has done far more than just threatened unity which we are told over and over in the NT to keep. That question is, by the New Testament standard, how well has DO survived? We know Cephas (Peter) found error enough “to be blamed”, Has today’s DO found error? I just told you it does – divisions.

How do we know? Ask yourself, Does today’s DO demonstrate an approval for the excellence of 1 John 2:27, or treat it as “a lie”?

But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.

There may be other examples, but if those are sound, so will they be here, will either be shown to treat the ‘Vicar’ as worthy of far more than DO, or, well within the above NT bounds!

Tropical Wilds · 2025-11-10T05:16:31-0600

rjs330 said:
Interesting. You claim that 5% is many. Yet have no actual numbers. We actually have numbers for the BLM numbers Yet were told consistently how there weren't many riots. Yet it was more than 5% which you claim is many.

The truth is, you dont have any idea how many right wingers are authoritarian racists. And we don't know how many leftists are radical socialist communists. So it appears that you don't really have a leg to stand on in regard to that.

Now we could go to X, BlueSky, You tube etc and start having a battle of who has more radicals posting

Authoritarian racist things vs radical leftist communist socialist things but thats not very helpful.

I guess we should just leave it at what we can see day to day. And right now, radical leftists are leading due to the violence and rhetoric.

Maybe some day that will change.

You are arguing nonsense, you simply want to invent a boogeyman to scare yourself, then blame everybody else for your fear. You don’t like BLM, leftists, socialists, communists, so you invent transgressions or round up a few issues to be indicative of a whole or a pattern, sprinkle in our bias against certain groups, become afraid, and then declare your fantasy a real-life problem.

The obvious solution would be to stop scaring yourself by indulging in the propaganda designed to make you fearful in order to have you act against your best interests and examine the facts as they are, not dig your heels in deeper and sob louder.

St_Worm2 · 2025-11-10T05:14:12-0600

Piano Strings

Michie · 2025-11-10T05:13:28-0600

FaithT said:
Ewww.

Wow! I enjoyed that! Very interesting.

Normandt · 2025-11-10T05:09:03-0600

Homily Tuesday, November 11 2025

32nd OT

Ws 2:23 – 3:9

"They are in peace"

Being at peace means isolating evil, entrusting it to the Lord, and becoming as free as possible, in joy and peace.

Lk 17:7-10

Jesus said: "Who among you would say to your servant who has just come in from plowing or tending sheep in the field, ‘Come here immediately and take your place at table’?"

Yet this is what God offers us, his meal, the Eucharist that he serves us of himself. "Come quickly and sit down at the table" of the Lord, to receive all his graces, his Love.

Biblical texts: NAB-RE

Normand Thomas.

rusmeister · 2025-11-10T05:01:47-0600

Running the risk of weighing in here…

I certainly have seen VERY charged disagreements, perhaps even in politics. This is by no means the most acrimonious thread ever in TAW.

The central problem I see in the discussion is that one man has opinions on a number of different issues, but what the thing to do in our time is find one opinion which we strongly disagree with, and then completely dismiss or cancel the whole man, equating and dismissing everything he thinks about all issues with the one, two, or three stupid and bad opinions (in our own wise and good opinions, of course). We say, “The MAN is bad”. Well, we’re ALL bad. All of us think something that is unpopular with a majority somewhere.

Also, people do change over time. Charlie Kirk at 18 was not the same as Charlie Kirk at 31. Both external influences (as our friend Chesterton- not to be confused with the great GKC of course - here pointed out) and internal convictions can and often do change over the years. Some people grow up, or something happens to completely change their perspective.

GZT thinks conservatism brings only death and destruction. Aside from the obvious questions the honest observer would have, such as defining what exactly is meant by “conservatism”, his perspective may become modified over time. Some people might become convinced that the Orthodox Church really IS the historic Church established by Christ and become Orthodox, others might become convinced that it is not, and leave it. Certainly I have been so tempted over the past few years. EC thinks Calvin’s view of the family differs from established Orthodox teaching and might change his mind over time - Though I, too, am curious about what anti-Orthodox things Calvin says about marriage and the family. His main heresy was elsewhere. Most of Christendom for most of its history, until the 20th century, had huge agreement on the subject of marriage and the family, though there WAS a very slow and gradual falling away over a thousand years, such as in the Catholic idea that the couple performs the sacrament, enabling the idea of “annulments”, and the Anglican “till death do us part” that denied anything eternal in the marriage relationship and made multiple marriages in one’s life much more acceptable.

So regarding accusing Fr Josiah, I think it hasty. He probably should have looked up Fuentes‘ current views more thoroughly, though the vital issue is whatever F said about pornography. Any priest who speaks to audiences online, outside of his own parish, is “putting himself out there”, for better or for worse. The risk of doing so is significant. Ne has chosen to take it. Speaking for myself, people like him and Fr Seraphim, the monk at the Iona monastery, help me continue to believe in the Orthodox Church, when I have seen falling away from the traditional and ancient teachings, the Patristic consensus, on all sides, and while it doesn’t surprise me that the heterodox denominations are all falling away, nowhere has it struck me harder than finding it in the Orthodox Church.

I find that I don’t even see agreement on Patristic consensus with other members here, let alone elsewhere on the internet. What can be said when a member has an avatar that promotes a slogan that we certainly agree with as an isolated statement, and find completely abhorrent as connected with a Marxist political movement that has had anarchy and racial discord as its goal, sporting a particular hierarch who has made no effort to avoid the appearance of approving of things that we may not approve, who has effectively approved of such things? I don’t what to say to Orthodox people who attack a heterodox Christian man who says that men ought to be faithful to their wives and responsible husbands and fathers, and that we should honor the Theotokos, just for example (if you are unaware that Charlie Kirk DID say such things, you really should educate yourself). Certainly they mean to attack other things that such people say, but they make no acknowledgement of the huge good things that he said. Some here and in my real life think divorce between two practicing Orthodox Christians is acceptable (and the evil of men, at least, is in nodding their heads at teachings such as loving one’s neighbor and one’s enemy, but then making an exception of their wives), some think cremation is fine, some women proudly disdain headcoverings in church, and flaunt NOT wearing them, rejecting the idea of submission altogether, not seeing the pridefulness of so doing.

Most people I know are unwilling to take the trouble to explore nuances, to ask whether a man who has an obviously bad idea might also have good ideas, and so are not able to state the distinctions. Furthermore, we trust our own sources a little too much, and forget that even “our side” might choose to, or at least inadvertently leave out part of a story that might modify our understanding of it.

If I can, I’ll make a little time and watch the interview itself. But I don’t need to watch it to say what I am saying now. Honestly, I am at a point where I can hardly watch even the people I mostly agree with anymore. They are saying what I already know or have figured out, and sometimes say things that disappoint or dismay me.

As a final note, I think that modifying our views over time to be fine - IF they are being gradually modified to align with the mind of the Church, the Patristic consensus, little by little. Just bear in mind that that gradual change of mind IS sometimes to the good and should be taken into account. Hardly any of us hold all the views we held when we were eighteen.

rjs330 · 2025-11-10T04:52:47-0600

Unless the GOP can get some traction regarding the economy and inflation the Blue Wave will be huge in 2026.

The economy and inflation isn't bad, but its not as good as Trumps first term. And inflation sure isn't as bad as under Biden. However, Americans don't care. The midterms will go to the Democrats anyway. It always goes to the party not in power. So if the GOP wants to get somw things done, they need to move quickly. They don't have much time. If you ask.me they are wasting time with this shut down, even though its the Dems fault.

HIM · 2025-11-10T04:40:11-0600

Carl Emerson said:
Then how do you understand Galatians 3? Why was he rebuking them when he said...

10 For all who are of works of the Law are under a curse. ???

Studyman said:
This is the foundation of your error, that the Pharisees were trying get the Galatians to obey God's Laws.

Galatians 3 is understood by understanding the immediate context of the passage and over all premise of the letter.
The Faith of Abraham and we the church having this same faith and how it relates to the Gospel is the immediate context and premise of the letter. If we go back to chapter 1 verses 5-8 we see that the Gospel is that Jesus died for our sins that we be delivered from this PRESENT evil world according to the will of our Father God.

Gal 1:4 Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:
Gal 1:5 To whom [be] glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Gal 1:6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:
Gal 1:7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.

As we continue we see in verses that this Gospel of Jesus giving Himself for our sins to deliver us from this present evil age was through a revelation of Jesus Christ.

Gal 1:11 But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.
Gal 1:12 For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught [it], but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.

As we move further along we see when it pleased God, at the time He seen fit He called Paul by His grace. And that this revelation of Jesus Christ was a revealing of Christ in Paul, so that Paul might preach the Gospel of him that they delivered from this present evil world.

Gal 1:15 But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called [me] by his grace,
Gal 1:16 To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood:

And In this revelation, this revealing of Christ in Paul so that he might preach this Gospel of Christ that delivers us from this present evil world. God was seen in Paul by those who were in Christ experiencing this deliverance that Paul himself was experiencing and those who seen this glorified God and His power and grace seeing God working in him.

Gal 1:22 And was unknown by face unto the churches of Judaea which were in Christ:
Gal 1:23 But they had heard only, That he which persecuted us in times past now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed.
Gal 1:24 And they glorified God in me.

Before we continue, Amen?

Reluctant Theologian · 2025-11-10T04:24:23-0600

The Sabbath was created for mankind, not the other way around Yeshua says .... the fact He says 'mankind' implies a wider domain than just Israel or the Jews. That and Genesis 2:3 (relating to a situation long before the Torah was given) indicate to me some kind of universal application.

I know the Ten Words (decalogue) were given to Israel - and I'm a Gentile, but by yielding to that universal principle from Genesis 2:3 - all of a sudden magically I'm also keeping the Ten Words intact as a Gentile ... that's just fascinating.

For me it's not a hill not die on (I respect others' choices in this), but as soon as a Christian admits it's good to rest at least one day a week, and admits it makes sense to do that on an identical day, the only logical conclusion has to be that should be on a Saturday = Sabbath.

The Bible does not contain an instruction to rest one day per week - but it does contain the instruction to rest on the 7th day = Sabbath - and that's definitely not Sunday - that's the 1st day of the week. There are prophecies in the TNK/OT referencing the Sabbath day that have not been fulfilled yet ...

Be blessed sister !

Phil G · 2025-11-10T04:20:33-0600

Apple Sky said:
Because no one believes me when I do, many on here reckon they are either poetic or allegories.

That's because they are! At least most of the ones you keep quoting!

But instead of considering the points made to you, reading the verses in context, studying God's Word in depth and reading commentaries to help, all you do is dismiss it all and carry on regardless!

SabbathBlessings · 2025-11-10T04:07:51-0600

bob121 said:
Hope you had a great day, thank you for your lengthy reply, happy to keep the iron sharp, Sister

Thank you and blessings!

bob121 said:
You’ve asked for one verse in which Jesus or an inspired writer says, “The weekly Sabbath assembly is now transferred to the first day.”
Honest answer: that sentence does not exist.
But the absence cuts both ways.
After Calvary there is no inspired command, example, or warning that continues the seventh-day convocation for the body of Christ.
What we do have, in the only inspired history we possess, is:

Resurrection appearances deliberately clustered on “the first day of the week” (Jn 20:1, 19, 26

The only post-Pentecost weekday service Luke records is first-day (Acts 20:7).

The only repeated weekly duty Paul singles out is first-day (1 Cor 16:2).

By Revelation the day already bears the theological title “the Lord’s Day” (1:10).

This does not seem like you are interested in having an honest discussion about these verses I asked where does the Scripture say in any of these verses that the Sabbath commandment ended and was now transferred to the first day, everything God blessed and sanctified by the power of God was now given to the first day a day God made for work and labors Exo20:9. You just keep repeating the same verses that still do not say this. I did briefly address these verses but we can look at them deeper if you want, but only God can reverse His blessing Num23:20 only God can sanctify a day and us (both connected to the Sabbath) , so we really need to hear these words plainly to make an honest change in God’s Holy Word.

Also you cannot honestly use Rev1:10 as day one when the Scriptures clearly does not say or support this. God personally spoke what His holy day is and said it is the seventh day, the Sabbath Exo20:10 Isa 58:18 , it came out of the mouth of God Jesus told us to live by Mat4:4 so we do not need to guess God’s holy day, He said so plainly, said the Sabbath is the Holy Day of the Lord, meaning there is only one that Jesus who is God is Lord of the Sabbath day, not the first day. When God speaks, He means what He says, the issue is man thinks they know better, when we are the creation and should be His servant Isa56:6

bob121 said:
Silence on the other side is just as real:

No post-Cross epistle tells Gentile churches, “Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.”

No council (Acts 15) imposes Sabbath-keeping on converts.

The God of the Universe was not silent why God wrote His laws from tables of stone (only the Ten Commandments) to tables of the heart 2Cor2:3 Heb8:10. God wrote His laws in the hearts and minds of the New Covennat believers, God already defined His laws in His written and spoken Testimony. Exo31:18 Deut 4:13 Paul came after the covenant was ratified. He can’t change God’s commandments, he is not God, he himself says he is a servant of God. That said it clearly shows the Sabbath did not end in the NC by words of Jesus and the apotles and by actions. I can post lots of reference and the Gentiles were keeping every Sabbath with the Jews Acts 13:42 Acts 13:44 Acts 18:4 and in Acts 15:21 clearly showing the Sabbath was kept reading the Scriptures in church, in every town, in every generation, so its weird people use Acts 15 against the Sabbath when it states clearly the Sabbath was being kept. Is that not New Covenant? This was decades after the Cross. Just as Jesus indicated His faithful would be doing Mat24:20 Isa56:6-7

bob121 said:
No prophecy says the weekly Sabbath will be the end-time test of loyalty (Rev 14:7 quotes creation, not the Decalogue calendar).

It’s almost an exact quote of the 4th commandment Exo20:11 which reveals the God we are to worship.

bob121 said:
So the discussion must move from “Produce one transfer verse” (none exists) to “Which trajectory does the Spirit highlight in the only inspired record we have?”
I’m willing to walk through Hebrews 4, Colossians 2, Isaiah 66—wherever the text takes us—provided we let all the silences speak as well as the promises.
Ready when you are

We can’t move forward if you do not address what has already been addressed. The resurrection, Acts 20:7, 1 Cor 6:2 do not say anything about a change to one of God’s commandments. God already spoke clearly on this matter Psa89:34 Mat5:18-30 Jesus certainly never told one soul about a change. He is Lord of the Sabbath and the Sabbath comes with the power of His blessing and sanctification, Sunday comes by the power of man Dan7:25, why you will not find one thus saith the Lord to support this theory. It’s a man-made tradition, that sadly competes with what the Lord of the Sabbath said so plainly about His Sabbath. He changes not, we just need to get back to what God says, there is no one greater. It’s why we have such a huge salvation warning about Pauls writing, because sadly people use it against the God of the universe, when its not at all what Paul is saying if looking at the context and reconciling it with the rest of God’s Word.

Regarding Heb 4, Col2 Isa66 I am happy to go over any one of these verses. You can pick and let me know.

I hope this can be fruitful for us both.

God bless.

Venables · 2025-11-10T03:51:34-0600

We haven't been to Mykonos but we were on Lefkada earlier this year, it's one of the mid-sized Greek islands off to the west, Ionian Sea I believe. It was an majestic experience, particularly for mission groups. A sizeable number of beautiful and inspirational churches and deep tradition. I'm having one of those days and can't quite recall the name, but there was one church in the particular that was extraordinary and stayed with us. From the Byzantine architects, a redoubtable design and beautiful frescoes within it. Reminded us of some of the churches on the French Mediterranean coast. Even without the icons, but the architecture on the coast seems it was similarly inspired.

Venables · 2025-11-10T03:39:13-0600

And just to add a word to the wise on this to be wary of any news or information made from AI, and check all news sources carefully as some lean towards the sensationalist. This has come up with mission materials but too with any apparent news, even the better AI software unavoidably hallucinates by design. We recently averted a near fiasco with some outreach information we were posting as both print and online--the AI started out fine, but eventually began just making up addresses and apparent recent events out of thin air, in a way that was hard to catch. We barely did so (some other missions were not as lucky), and now have a strict no-AI use policy for all mission work or news updates. It's just too much of a hazard for inserting misinformation, something churches have been careful about for centuries with good reason, and one of our communications tech advisers advised us that the newer AI tech paradoxically gets worse on this. (The AI's take in more of what they put out before as they train, and start to break down in his description)

Christsfreeservant · 2025-11-10T03:38:46-0600

“Neither in the temple, nor in the synagogues, nor in the city itself did they find me carrying on a discussion with anyone or causing a riot. Nor can they prove to you the charges of which they now accuse me. But this I admit to you, that according to the Way which they call a sect I do serve the God of our fathers, believing everything that is in accordance with the Law and that is written in the Prophets; having a hope in God, which these men cherish themselves, that there shall certainly be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked. In view of this, I also do my best to maintain always a blameless conscience both before God and before men.” (Acts 24:12-16 NASB1995)

Lately the Lord has been having me repost some writings from May of 2023, which are on the subject of Church abuse, and which collectively are combined together in a short book titled, “The Church Under Fire.”

These writings are based off Acts chapters 23-27, with regard to the kinds of persecutions which Paul faced from religious people. And the Lord has used some of my church experiences, as well, to illustrate how church abuse is being carried out in the church today against those who are serving Jesus Christ with their lives, who are walking in the ways of the Lord, and who are seeking to follow the Lord in obedience to his commands in holy living.

And Paul is not the only biblical example of being a recipient of such abuses, either. Jesus was continually harassed and plotted against, and he was the target of false accusations against his character. And his opponents looked for ways to accuse him on a consistent basis. And Job and the prophets of the Old Testament faced such abuse, too, as well as did the other New Testament apostles, plus the deacon Stephen, and many other Christians.

But abuse of this kind, where people are being falsely accused of what they did not say, or of what they did not do, or of what they did not experience, is not limited to just the area of the church, but it expands to all areas of life. And sometimes it is to keep an honest person from exposing the lies or from calling out sin for what it is, or from exposing corruption going on within the church, in the government, in the media, and in the corporate world, too.

And sometimes it is just pure arrogance on the part of the accusers who think because they are “so and so,” or because they carry a particular title in front of their name, that somehow they are always right and that anyone who disagrees with them, or who challenges them, is wrong. But even the experts are still human beings, and they make mistakes, and so we should never look to other humans to be our gods, no matter who they are.

And let me give you some personal examples from my life in a different area other than the church. Lately I have been faced with some medical issues, and God has chosen, this time, to have me be seen by multiple experts in many different fields of medicine, for he has a plan and a purpose for it all. My primary physician, who is the one ordering these tests for me, has been very kind and gracious, so far. He has listened to me as I have shared with him my sufferings, and he ordered the tests for me, to try to help me.

Some of the experts in the medicine field were not so kind and gracious, though some were. When I went to the hospital with sharp pains in my chest, with chest pressure, and with difficulty breathing, they ran some tests. The tests did show my lung nodule had grown since 2016, but they minimized the amount of growth. And the doctor told me my heart was fine, and then she mocked me and said my suffering was all from my emotions. Another doctor minimized the lung nodule, too, calling it a “tiny spot.”

Then I had the tests. The lung nodule had nearly doubled in size, so it is called a lung mass now. That is significant. And it showed up as suspect for cancer. My breathing is now at 44% out of 100% breathing capacity. That is also significant. My heart is not working properly and is borderline for heart failure, so that is a serious issue, as well. And there is concern for cancer in my brain and my left breast, too. So, the point here is that doctors are not gods, and they don’t get everything right, so we should not bow to them.

And the overall point here is that we are not to let other humans be our gods, and we are not to bow to them and to do everything they say we should do just because of the title before their names. And we should also not let them and their opinions of us dishearten or threaten us or make us feel as though we have to do what they say. Many people die at the hands of doctors who make errors in judgment. And many people are dying in their sins because they are listening to pastors who teach them lies, not truth.

Stand up for what is right, like Paul did, and like Jesus did. And take all the counsel that you get, from whoever you receive it, to the Lord, in prayer, seeking his guidance and counsel, before you make any decisions, especially ones which could cost you your life. And before you accept any drug prescriptions, or medical procedures, look them up online, and especially look at even the rare side effects or possible dangers to your body before you just do whatever the doctor or pastor or whoever tells you to do.

But all in all, trust the Lord with your life, follow his leading, and pray for wisdom to make certain that you are hearing from the Lord, and that this is the direction that he wants you to go, before making any serious decisions in your life. And don’t let others’ opinions of you dishearten you. But take what they say to the Lord in prayer and seek God’s counsel. He will show you the way that you should go, and then follow his lead. The others could be right, but they could be wrong. So get your counsel from the Lord and follow him.

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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In View of This
An Original Work / November 10, 2025
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

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