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For those that always wondered. Cryptocurrency

Yeah we do stocks. Crypto, etc. is a hard no at this point and our financial advisor agrees.

If you'll be just holding crypto, it's definitely not a good time now and it's definitely not good for long term holding. It's mainly a "high risk asset" and only good for short and medium-term trading with highly experienced traders.
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what happens to someone between Lutheranism and Orthodoxy, where should they stay?

I have been pondering this some and have a big question. I came out of Catholicism and am still working to find a church home.

The Priesthood is a pivotal thing as far as I can tell. If you believe you need a priest with Apostolic Succession you have to go Catholic, Orthodox, or possibly certain Anglican.

But dang if I can't find a priesthood in the New Testament, and it seems to be an early development, not an apostolic teaching.

Any insight?
"Presbyter" is a priest though it usually gets translated as "elder".

Over the centuries, from a linguistic standpoint, "presbyter" eventually morphed into "prest" for short which eventually became "priest" in English.

Originally the bishop, or "episkopos", would consecrate the Eucharist in the cities and the priests, or "elders", would distribute it to the surrounding villages, countryside, and whatever the 1st century equivalent to a suburb was.
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Turning to God from idols (image worship) to serve the living and true God...

Peace in Christ.

The kingdom/government of God is within our hearts and minds.

It does not come from “observation”….the observation of external writings. Luke 17:20-21 .

Our God is our Judge and we are to do His commandments that are written in our inward parts. Do not let a man bring you into the bondage of the keeping and serving of the commandments of men who judge others according to their church handwriting of ordinances. They are servants of the sin by doing so.

We are in His kingdom/government when we keep and DO His commandments from the heart and mind where they are written. We are no longer under the government of natural men under heaven but we are in the kingdom/government of heaven above instead which supersedes the outside governments of man. He takes us out of the bondage of “Egypt”…the outside world.

We are dead with Christ from the “rudiments” (fundamental principles contained in handwritings) of the world.

We are dead to the world's “constitutions” by which they govern and judge themselves by. These governmental documents are the “gods” of the nations about us that we are not to copy them and place in our gatherings of our worship of God to keep and serve. God has given the nations to serve them (for now)...but we as His people are not to do the same as them and come up with governing documents (statements of faith, church constitutions, church by-laws, statutes, creeds, etc) to be placed in our gatherings in the worship of God. We are not to bring these abominations into His house.

Col 2:20-22 KJV
(20) Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances,
(21) (Touch not; taste not; handle not;


We PERISH in our mortal bodies for the keeping and serving of the commandments and doctrines of men which are put down in their handwritings.

(22) Which all are to perish with the using) after the commandments and doctrines of men?

We are to have no “other gods”…other “judges” (handwritings of ordinances) before Him. The world (“Egypt”) serves their “gods”….their governmental documents by which they judge themselves with. He has delivered us out of their bondage.

I am the “LORD our God” = He is our Living JUDGE. God=elohim= Judge. A scribe’s handwriting of ordinances is not living and not our judges. They are “dead works” that have no life in them by the keeping and serving of them.

He is the LORD our God (Judge) which has brought us out of the land of Egypt...out of the house of bondage. The keeping and serving of church handwritings of ordinances ("other gods") DO NOT bring us out of it.

Exo 20:1-4 KJV
(1) And God spake all these words, saying,
(2) I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

(3) Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

A “graven image” is the handwriting graven by the pen of church scribes. Men have crept into the churches unawares and want to bring us into their bondage of keeping their church handwritings of ordinances….their doctrines and commandments of men. We are not to make these handwritings like the outside nations which have their “images”…their governmental handwritings…to bow down to and serve in our churches.

(4) Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:

The LORD our God....our Living Judge has brought us out of the land of Egypt. We are not to be their (the outside world’s) bondmen.

Lev 26:13 KJV
(13) I am the LORD your God, which brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, that ye should not be their bondmen; and I have broken the bands of your yoke, and made you go upright.

Let us not forsake the LORD and serve “strange gods”….

Jos 24:20 KJV
(20) If ye forsake the LORD, and serve strange gods, then he will turn and do you hurt, and consume you, after that he hath done you good.

If we hear His voice and observe and do all of His commandments (which are within us), then the LORD our God (Judge) will set us on high ABOVE ALL NATIONS of the earth.

Deu 28:1-2 KJV
(1) And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth:

(2) And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God.

We must do HIS COMMANDMENTS of the LORD our God (Judge) and not go after "other gods" (the church handwritings of ordinances) to serve them. He shall make us the head and not the tail in this earth. If we serve "other gods", then we shall be the tail and not the head in this earth. The people of the outside world will rule over us....as we see today. We are under the curses of Deuteronomy 28 and not the blessings.

Deu 28:13-14 KJV
(13) And the LORD shall make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath; if that thou hearken unto the commandments of the LORD thy God, which I command thee this day, to observe and to do them:

(14) And thou shalt not go aside from any of the words which I command thee this day, to the right hand, or to the left, to go after other gods to serve them.

We must turn from "idols"....the images...the handwritings of men...and confess our sin....and the sin of our church fathers who came up with these handwritings for us to keep and serve. He will forgive us. He will remember His covenant...

Lev 26:40-42 KJV
(40) If they shall confess their iniquity, and the iniquity of their fathers, with their trespass which they trespassed against me, and that also they have walked contrary unto me;
(41) And that I also have walked contrary unto them, and have brought them into the land of their enemies; if then their uncircumcised hearts be humbled, and they then accept of the punishment of their iniquity:

(42) Then will I remember my covenant with Jacob, and also my covenant with Isaac, and also my covenant with Abraham will I remember; and I will remember the land.

God is not the product of our own hands. He is not our handwritings…man's device...the images/idols/other gods. They are “other gods” that we are not to have before Him....the only LORD our God (the Living Judge). The fabrication of man's hand....the church scribes' handwritings...are not living words nor are the living judges like our Judge who is Living.

Act 17:29 KJV
(29) Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device.

We did service to “other gods” before we knew Him. We served the handwritings of men. By nature, they are “no gods”.

Gal 4:8-9 KJV
(8) Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods.

Now that we have known God (our Judge), do we now want to return to the keeping of the “weak and beggarly elements (fundamental principles written in handwritings)?

Do we desire again to be in bondage to the keeping and serving of a handwriting of ordinances? Do we want to be put back under the handwritings of men to govern and judge us?

(9) But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements (rudiments...fundamental principles contained in handwritings), whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?

God judges them that are outside (of the church) in this world. 1 Corinthians 5:13 .

He smites all of the “first born” (the mortal body is the first born) in the “land of Egypt”. The natural body is the “first” born and then the spiritual. 1 Corinthians 15:46 .

The Living Judge executes judgment upon their “gods”…their handwritings by which they self-govern and self-judge themselves with rather than having God be their King and having His commandments to keep and serve. The people in the outside world are mortally perishing under His judgment. They are children of His wrath by nature.

Exo 12:12-13 KJV
(12) For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD.

The blood of Christ saves us though. The blood of Christ cleanses us. He will pass over us so that the plague (death) shall not be upon us to destroy us (our mortal bodies are our earthly “houses”) like it does the inhabitants of the outside world….in the “land of Egypt.”

(13) And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.

The blood of Christ purges our conscience from “dead works” (the dead works of the keeping and serving of handwritings of ordinances) to serve the living God….the living JUDGE.

Heb 9:14 KJV
(14) How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

We are forgiven for the keeping and serving of the church handwritings of ordinances. He nails it to His cross. We must turn from these “idols”…images…handwriting of ordinances. We make a show of them openly when we cease from keeping them….coming out of the churches of fleshly-minded men who keep and worship the product of their own hands.

Col 2:13-15 KJV
(13) And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;
(14) Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;

(15) And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

We are to turn from “idols”…that is, IMAGES (the handwriting of ordinances) and serve the LIVING and TRUE God….the Living and True JUDGE. We are to keep and serve His commandments and statutes rather than man’s.

1Th 1:9
(9) For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols (image worship) to serve the living and true God;

The blood of Christ cleanses us from the dead works. He passes over our “houses”…our mortal bodies…so that we are delivered. He delivers our "houses"...our mortal bodies.

We shall not die like the outside world who is abiding under the wrath of God. The world and its lust passes away under His wrath. The “Egyptians” mortal bodies…those of the outside world who are serving their “gods”…are mortally perishing under His wrath.

Exo 12:27 KJV
(27) That ye shall say, It is the sacrifice of the LORD'S passover, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when he smote the Egyptians, and delivered our houses. And the people bowed the head and worshipped.

We were once going to “church” and serving their handwritings. We were once the children of wrath (as those of the outside world) because of this.

But now we hear His voice and understand and we are to turn from “idols”…images…the handwritings of ordinances and unto the Living God…the Living Judge.
Colossians 2:20-22 is a slightly confusing verse, but I think I have the meaning down. It describes in ESV as "elemental spirits" of the world, while in KJV "rudiments". Seems that this verse refers to worldly forces (demonic forces) that are trying to turn us away from God. Seems that the 2024 Olympics opening ceremony was a sign of these dark forces working in this world.

Quote from Bible Ref: "The idea of 'elemental spirits' was also mentioned in Colossians 2:8. There, Paul was speaking of the fundamental theories of a non-Christian, fallen world. A second option is that 'elemental spirits' refer to demonic spirits. Paul clearly spoke about spiritual warfare (Ephesians 6:12) and may have had this in mind to wrap up the final verses of the chapter."

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James 1:19-21: Quick to Listen, Slow to Anger Now

“This you know, my beloved brethren. But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God. Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls.”

There is an old saying that God gave a person two ears and one mouth. Therefore, a person should listen twice as much as he speaks. James words in verse 19 carries that same thought. It is surprising that very few people are good listeners. Too often, a person will listen to just enough to decide what the other person is going to say, and then either interrupts or does not pay careful attention to what else is being said; because he assumes that he already “knows” what the other person is going to say.

In another example, two people may be having a mild disagreement. One will listen to just enough to give him “ammunition”, and then he comes out with a response without fully listening to what the person had to say. Then the other person does the same thing! Is there any wonder that miscommunication occurs so often?

Careful listening is a skill that must be developed. Good listening requires a person to pay attention to what is being said and WAITING until the person is done. A person paying attention to a cell phone, a text message while “listening” to another person is not good listening. A good listener cares about what the other person has to say.

Careless listening can lead to misunderstandings, arguments, and even anger. But James warned that a person must be slow to anger. There are times where anger may be appropriate, but that should be the exception and not the rule. “Slow to anger” means that a person listens, considers, and only then responds. A hasty comment rarely leads to good results.

James wrote in verse 20, “for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.” Passage after passage describes and commands that Christians are to love one another. Will there be disagreements among brethren? Of course there will be disagreements! Paul and Barnabas disagreed upon taking John Mark with them on their second journey.

Luke recorded in Acts 15:39-40 “And there occurred such a sharp disagreement that they separated from one another, and Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus. But Paul chose Silas and left, being committed by the brethren to the grace of the Lord.” Their disagreement did not prevent them from serving the Lord, and over time the disagreement was resolved.

But if a disagreement results in anger between two Christians, and it is not resolved, then the result can go beyond a simple disagreement into sin! James said that the anger of man does not achieve righteousness. Anger based on worldly pride, arrogance, or ambition will not further the cause of Christ and the Father.

In verse 21 James wrote, “Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls.” The worldly nature, the old many of sin, will not disappear easily. The worldly nature will fight and struggle to retain the dominance. And, when a Christian may think that the world nature is finally gone, it can suddenly reappear.

Growing and maturing as a Christian takes WORK. It is not easy, and sometimes it can be quite painful. But that nature MUST BE put aside. In Matthew 6:24, Jesus said that a person cannot serve two masters. The focus must change from the world to the Lord. There can be no other way.

Instead, a Christian must “put aside” the worldly and receive the word with humility (Some translations use the word “meekness”). Why humility? The answer is simple. God has given every person the information needed to be able to achieve salvation. James wrote that it is able to save your souls! It is a precious gift that was freely given to people that did not, and do not, deserve it!

Not only that, but James described the it as “the word implanted”. The ”word implanted” sounds very much like the parable told of the sower of the seed. In the parable, the seed is the Word of God. The Word, the seed leading to life, has been sown.

But now, what does the person do with that seed?

Will it fall on the road and be carried away?

Will it fall on rocky soil, sprout quickly, but then whither and die?

Will it fall in soil, but the cares and worries of the world choke it out and it dies?

Or will the seed, the Word of God, fall on good soil?

Jesus said, “15 But the seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word in an honest and good heart, and hold it fast, and bear fruit with perseverance.”

James 1:16-18: Do Not Be Deceived, My Dear Brothers Now

“Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow. In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits among His creatures.”

James was writing to Christians, and verse 16 was a clear warning. “Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren.” Christians CAN be deceived! Well, deceived in what way? Christians can be drawn away from the commitment they made to God the Father through Jesus Christ.

Many groups believe “Once saved, always saved”; but there are countless passages that warn that Christians CAN fall. Hebrews 10:26-27 states, “For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a terrifying expectation of judgment and the fury of a fire which will consume the adversaries.

Hebrews 6:4-6 contains an even stronger warning, “For in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame.”

One way to guard against deceiving one’s self is to consider the nature of God. Verse 17 describes God. Every good and perfect gift comes from Him. Love, beauty, kindness, gentleness are all qualities of God. He is described as the Father of lights. He does not change. He is no “variation or shifting shadow”.

The Apostle John wrote in 1 John 1:5, “This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.” Dark is not the opposite of light. Dark is the ABSENCE of light. Therefore, Hell is described as “outer darkness” because God’s presence is not there and there is no light!

But God IS Light. There are no shadows, there is no “hidden agenda”, there is no double talk. God has laid out His message in the New Testament. And any person can read and begin to understand what God expects and why.

Sin leads to spiritual death, and a person cannot personally do anything to save himself or herself. But a way WAS instituted by God through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. The Good News (the Gospel message) proclaims that Jesus Christ, as both the Son of God and Son of Man, became the perfect sacrifice for all that are guilty of sin.

Therefore, a person that becomes a Christian, according to the instructions in the New Testament, has his/her sins forgiven, and has the hope and opportunity of being fully joined to God for eternity. That person is adopted into God’s family. As a child of God, that new Christian has been afforded the incredible honor of addressing God as “Father”.

Consider that fact. The Living God, the Creator of everything in this universe now views each Christian as His child and joint heirs with Jesus Christ. David wrote in Psalm 8:3-4, “When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained; what is man that You take thought of him, and the son of man that You care for him?”
Why would God love us enough for His Son, Jesus Christ, to die a slow, very painful death as the sacrifice for the sins of all people?

That has no answer in this life, but James wrote, “In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits among His creatures.” Christians have a special place in God’s eyes. Christians have spiritual blessings in this life, and a hope for the future. But with those blessings come responsibilities. Christians are expected to grow in knowledge of God’s Word – The Word of truth. Christians are expected to take their love and growing knowledge and change their style of living. There must be a difference within that Christian that reflects his/her love for the Father and His Son Jesus Christ.

Christians are to be God’s representatives, His “first fruits” in this lost world. When a person becomes a Christian, he/she is no longer perishing. Now, that Christian has the role of rescuer! When a person is drowning in a lake, a deep river, or the ocean, that person will perish unless someone throws them a rope, jumps in and helps them to shore, or bring a boat alongside.

Every Christian knows people that are drowning in sin. With a heart of love and gentleness, that Christian can reach on to others and show them that there is a better way to live. There is a saying that is very true.

“People will care for you say when they can see that you care.” The early church changed the world through the Godly lives of everyday men and women that quietly spread the Light of God to one person after another.

Evidence of Hebrew Slavery in Egypt?

Nadav Naʾaman (2011), as pertinent to how we may better make sense out of the literary and archaeological remnants we have about the Exodus

Naʾaman, Nadav. "The Exodus Story: Between Historical Memory and Historiographical Composition." Journal of Ancient Near Eastern Religions 11, no. 1 (2011): 39-69.

page 52
he Great Papyrus Harris registers many donations of serfs, cattle, grain and oil that Ramesses III made to temples in Egypt, in particular to the temple of Amun at Heliopolis. He also donated many towns in Egypt and nine cities in Khuru (i.e., Canaan) to the temple of Amun. We should not assume that
temples of Amun were built in these nine cities (whose identity remains unknown); rather, the taxes of the cities were brought to the treasury of Amun’s temple at Heliopolis.

(I'm still looking how far east) I think so far east is Israel am I reading correctly? I only gotten as far as page 25. I highlighted grain and oil. What kind of oil is this? I recall David getting oil pour on him, and that caused him to be King? How did Oil do that? Was that the same kind of oil, what do you think about that? what is oil and what all do they do with oil?

I learned that Canaan is located in Ghuram India. However many claims the name Canaan located in Israel, how come? This caused me to wonder about people in Ghuram did they also travel to Israel and brought with the name Canaan? It's only a question. Also I'm not sure if these people in that location sail the sea - who are these sea people?

@common prophets do you know anything about these people in Ghuram India? And were they too affected by the drought that caused many tribes to leave India? Exodus means leave.

Other tribes left as well due to this drought, some however remain in India example in reference to R-M124 Gene , which claim the Karmali tribe has at 100% R-M124 Gene, remain in India, so no Exodus for the Karmali tribe.

Was it due to living east of the Yamuna River, as the Yamuna River flowed east and no longer west?

Is it only affecting tribes that lives west from the Yamuna river and due to droughts left India (Exodus) and some how it's the Yadavas tribe that shows this R-M124 Gene that also shows in the Jews. I wonder if the Benjamin tribe shows any R-M124 Gene?

@2PhiloVoid @common prophets @public hermit

touted as the Mt. Ebal Curse Inscription

Touted means: attempt to sell (something), typically by pestering people in an aggressive or bold manner.

Yes I looked up the word touted as I didn't know this word. Is this why Christians rejects Scott Stripling is due to pestering, I don't know Scott Stripling, I only heard of him as he's the first person to be shown in this book five views of exodus.

In the video you shared. Had the author James K. Hoffmeier. Is James K. Hoffmeier more accepted by Christians. Is he pestering people less? Yet he's an archeologist too. Is Jesus an archaeologist? Jesus was missing for years, was he studying archaeology somewhere?

As a reminder I'll timestamp it
screenshot James K Hoffmeier an archeologist Christian. Do Christians accept him?
1723390205482.png

Here's video and it'll take you to James K Hoffmeier.
Login to view embedded media
50% straw in making baked bricks

I'm aware that in this video shows Mud bricks needing only 1% of straw. Due to this wondering what was this urgent need to gather lots of straw. I wonder what James K. Hoffmeier thinks about this, do you know if he ever talked about burnt bake bricks needing 50% of straw?

Login to view embedded media Convergence of Evidences for Origins of Jews in the Indus Valley.

Here in this video showing more about R-M124 gene that the Jews has and how in tribes in India also has.

So to summarize this post.

1. Was it the reasons that the Karmali tribe lived on the east so able to drink water from the Yamuna river reasons able to not Exodus India? Compare to tribes living on the west of the Yamuna river and were dealing with droughts so then needed to Exodus? Yet I still am perplexed with this word Canaan that was used before Israel's naming, when Canaan is located in India, will you please help me with this word Canaan please? Who are these people who lived in Ghuram India (Canaan)? What treaties were made as well? In order to travel in harmony?

2. What was the reasoning for oil and how did oil communicate David as King?

3. The timing that I learned in that pdf about oil, did they also use oil for that type of communication then as well? How far east was this pdf, was it only as far as Canaan Israel? Let me look at the timing. The Great Papyrus Harris

4. who is he Great Papyrus Harris and did oil do for him as it did for David, there I form a question.

5. How many papyrus Harris are there.

1) The Great Harris Papyrus, papyrus, 20th Dynasty, Thebes

2)The Harris Papyrus: The Mighty Deeds of Ramesses III


or is this the same papyrus harris?

Lets find out


Papyrus Harris I, the Longest Known Egyptian Papyrus
Circa 1186 to 1155 BCE

The Great Harris Papyrus was found in a tomb near Medinet Habu Offsite Link, across the Nile river from Luxor, Egypt. It was purchased by collector and merchant Anthony Charles Harris Offsite Link in 1855. The hieratic Offsite Link text of the papyrus consists of a list of temple endowments and a brief summary of the entire reign of king Ramesses III Offsite Link, second Pharaoh of the Twentieth dynasty

So did Harris Papyrus ever used oil the same way that King David did?

I'll ask this?

What are all the uses of oil for and how did oil communicate and shall I use my new vocabulary that I'm practicing I will and watch

perfect and prefect

To David who had oil pour on him to be shown as King was David prefect in this situation and yet perfect or not perfect?

And what about Papyrus Harris, was he prefect in this situation and had any oil pour on him to show he's King, and yet perfect or not perfect?

There you witness me using two words that has caused me lots of challenges which is the words perfect and prefect

prefect means to be born into politics so then are in charge with in that area of politics

Perfect means without error: Some people thinks Jesus without error

Due to I had perfect and prefect as the same word and meaning, I then would had asked, how come Pontius pilate is perfect as he killed perfect Jesus, people would never address this.

until this person from elsewhere online shown me it's two different words.

Perfect Prefect

Then I finally understood.

Pontius Pilate was prefect born into and so was in charge of and the Jews wanted to get rid of 'perfect Jesus without error' so used Pontius Pilate due to he was prefect born into politics and able to give orders.

It's the Jews who were afraid of Jesus who the Jews thought was acting out a prefect King, and so the Jews went to Pontius Pilate who was prefect and so could give orders. How much did Jews blend in with the Romans? Would people know the differences?

While earlier the Jews laws were influenced by the Romans, no longer passing down through the males, but must be past down through females, mention by this author Shaye D. Cohen

Cohen has two theories about how this came to be. One is that the Tannaim, the rabbis who codified the concept of matrilineal descent, were influenced by the Roman legal system of the time. According to two sources from the end of the second century CE and the beginning of the third century CE, in a marriage between two Romans, a child would receive the status of his father. In an intermarriage between a Roman and a non-Roman, a child received the citizenship status of its mother.

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Vance Military Service

That is a demotion.
In the military a demotion is disciplinary. A reversion in rank at retirement is administrative and is not a disciplinary action. There's a difference. Suggesting that Walz was demoted is not only being disrespectful to him, but to countless other veterans who served honorably and had a reduction in rank at the time of retirement or separation from the military.

You sure you served?
100%

dd214 sm.png


Again show the DD214. It ends all questions permanently.
He served in the National Guard so he received a NGB22 rather than a DD214. I posted it earlier but removed it because I'm not 100% sure that it's legal to do that.

What is his retirement pay grade? Betcha it is E8.
Walz's NGB Form 22 shows that he was a Command Sergeant Major on his last day of service. His NGB Form 22 was later amended to show his rank as E8/Master Sergeant for administrative and benefit purposes. Most importantly, it showed that he served honorably for 24 years.
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James 1:12 Meaning: Blessed Are Those Who Persevere Now

“Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.”

This is a statement of hope for a Christian. Suffering and trials WILL occur whether a person is a Christian or not. If a Christian does strive to live a Christ-directed life, then that person will avoid many trials in life that come to people that do not live a Christian life.

But there is more to this than simply avoiding trials. If a Christian lives a life that is Christ-centered, in spite of the trials and suffering that occurs in this world, that person will receive the crown of life promised by God. It does not mean that a Christian will never stumble, but it does mean that the Christian continues forward due to his/her faith and love for the Father and His Son Jesus Christ. Paul wrote in Philippians 3:14, “I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” This is the attitude that every Christian must have.

A Christian life is a life of hope and anticipation for the future. A Christian’s life does not end when he/she dies. In fact, life truly begins. Finally, there will be a sense homecoming and completeness that is totally beyond a person’s ability to understand or comprehend in this life. But when a Christian comes into the presence of absolute love and purity, all the struggles in this life will become irrelevant.

Deja vu

Ecclesiastes 1:


Wiki:


Deja vu is not prophecy.


To me, deja vu is superstition. Practice hearing from God instead.
To say there is nothing new under the sun means there is nothing really new on the earth. All the activity of a man during his lifetime is lost in the grander scheme of things and will soon be forgotten (Ecclesiastes 1:11).
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James 1:9-11: Rejoice, God Lifts the Humble Now

“But the brother of humble circumstances is to glory in his high position; and the rich man is to glory in his humiliation, because like flowering grass he will pass away. For the sun rises with a scorching wind and withers the grass; and its flower falls off and the beauty of its appearance is destroyed; so too the rich man in the midst of his pursuits will fade away.”

That seems to be an odd statement. “Humble circumstances” would refer to someone that is very poor with little hope for the future. So why would such a person glory in their high position? Probably, physically and financially nothing had changed. So, what had changed? Why was the message of Jesus Christ called “The Good News” or “The Gospel”?

For a slave, the poor, or workers that were barely above starvation, the message must have seemed incredible. They realized that there WAS hope. Their present physical position was immaterial. The past sins in their lives could be forgiven, and they would be viewed as children of God.

Paul wrote in Romans 6:17, “and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.” Their lives would have meaning! When they died, they would NOT simply be forgotten. They could look to the future with anticipation.

But for the wealthy, the message would bring a stark realization that all their wealth, their power, their influence, means nothing to God. James wrote, “because like flowering grass he will pass away”. Worldly wealth and possessions do not last. Who can name the richest men and women of 100 years ago? 50 years ago? How many streets or buildings have people’s names on them, and no one knows who they were?

If anything, material possessions and power would be a real hinderance in being acceptable and pleasing to God. Remember the story of the rich young ruler. By every outward appearance, he was a righteous man, and the scriptures said that Jesus loved him. But he could not let go of his material possessions and wealth.

The world presents the idea that the poor “deserve” where they are. Of course, the other point is that the well off “deserve” their good fortune. But the teachings of Jesus Christ and the writings of the New Testament teach the exact opposite!

All have sinned, there are none righteous, no not one. Rich and poor, slave or free are in the same condition. Everyone is spiritually equal. For the wealthy, there would have to be a complete change in their attitude and perception of others.

While the poor may be more receptive to the Gospel Message, they also will be required to make a change in life. Envy, resentment, anger, sinful pride must not exist in the relationships between Christians. That is why Christians often address one another as “brother” and “sister”.

The words of Jesus Christ, and every one of the letters in the New Testament emphasize that Christians MUST love one another. So, social and economic standing has no place in the Church. This is not an option. It is a command.

Worrying about obeying God

Recently I’ve been having sort of an odd worry. If I make plans with someone and it’s something I really want to do I worry if God will tell me to cancel the plans or event. I worry that if He does tell me not to go I won’t obey Him because I really wanted to go. I’ve never actually felt like God told me this but now I feel like I shouldn’t go because if He did I’m not sure I would obey. I don’t even know if this makes sense but it sucks having these thoughts and anxiety as a Christian. Can anyone else relate?
We have a lot of freedom to make decisions for ourselves (we aren't Gods robots) .... God is concerned about sin (transgression of the law) when making decisions we should not violate this. If an event or any other activity or decision is supporting sin then don't go or don't do it ... that is ... what is the purpose of the event or activity?

You "feel like" .... emotional decisions are often wrong ... Intense emotions can lead to rash decisions ... we should be mindful of this.

The Bible speaks about the importance of intuition. Proverbs 3:5-6 tells us to trust in God with all our hearts and not lean on our understanding. This means we should look for God’s guidance, which can come as an inner feeling or intuition. (some attribute this to God's leading or Him "speaking" to them ... maybe ... maybe not. As far as myself ... if I have a negative intuitive "feeling" about something then I don't do it.

How do we know what God's guidance is? Is the decision we are about to make sinful (transgression of the law) or not.

My point is ... God don't control nor judge every little thing/decisions in our lives, a person can't live like that else anxiety will most certainly ensue.

When God talks about directing our paths ... He is talking about directing our paths away from sin (transgression of the law)
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Test Blog Post

Self Condemnation in the new Christian

Self Condemnation in the new Christian

Overcoming Self-Condemnation: A New Christian's Journey to Grace The journey of a new Christian is often filled with immense joy, but it can also be a time of deep inner struggle. One of the most common and debilitating struggles faced by new believers is self-condemnation. The weight of past...

James 1:5-8: Seek Wisdom, God Will Provide Now

“But if any of you lacks wisdom, he should pray to God, who will give it to him; because God gives generously and graciously to all. But when you pray, you must believe and not doubt at all. Whoever doubts is like a wave in the sea that is driven and blown about by the wind. A person like that, unable to make up his mind and undecided in all he does, must not think that he will receive anything from the Lord.”

Verse 5 ties in with the introduction. A person becomes a Christian, and as a new Christian, that person will only have a very basic understanding of what is expected. So, where does a person get the information needed? Where does a person acquire wisdom? The answer, of course, is from God.

In the early days of the Church, the inspired record in the New Testament scriptures had not been completed, and certain spiritual gifts were given to provide the needed information. But once the inspired New Testament was complete, those spiritual gifts faded away.

Today, a Christian acquires wisdom and knowledge from God’s Word. Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 3:16-17, “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.” Christians live under the teaching of the New Testament, but the Old Testament is also critical to see how God’s plan of redemption came to fulfillment in Jesus Christ.

Prayer is also a critical part of a Christian’s Life. Paul said to “pray without ceasing”. Now, God is not going to place inspired words inside a person’s mind, but God WILL answer the prayer for wisdom, in that His Word will begin to open up and become clearer with continual study.

The Bible is not a book that a person can read and fully understand in one of two readings. This is not a man written document. The Bible contains the infinite wisdom of God. A person can read and study for a lifetime and the truths in the inspired pages will continue to open up like a beautiful flower.

Verses 6-8 make it very clear that the receipt of wisdom must be joined to an unwavering faith – a belief that what is revealed is true and is to be followed. In Paul’s letter to the Galatians, Paul wrote in in Galatians 1:6-7, “I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ.” Here were people that had received the truth from appointed apostles! They believed, but as soon as the apostles moved on, many of the Galatians were attracted to someone else’s false teaching.

So many people bounce from one religious fad to another! “As long as I feel good then it must be true.” How many people vacillate from one belief to another? James warned that such attitudes were condemned. Many will go back and forth, because they want to keep some of their practices and attitudes from the old worldly life. In Matthew 6:24, Jesus said, “You cannot serve God and mammon (wealth)”.

Becoming a Christian is not like joining a club or organization. It is a life-changing event that is literally a matter of eternal life or death. The person must be very serious about the decision to become a Christian.

There is no “I really didn’t mean it”, or “I’m going to take a break” without serious consequences. Hebrews 10:26-27 make very clear is to the consequences. “For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a terrifying expectation of judgment and the fury of a fire which will consume the adversaries.”

Phenomenology & Hermeneutics

Phenomenology studies conscious experience as experienced from the subjective or first person point of view. This field of philosophy is then to be distinguished from, and related to, the other main fields of philosophy: ontology (the study of being or what is), epistemology (the study of knowledge), logic (the study of valid reasoning), ethics (the study of right and wrong action), etc.
I have read somewhere maybe it was Chalmers on phenomenological realism. Conscious experience can relay knowledge about reality in a different way to the study of physical stuff. Its treated like a real phenomena, as real as objective reality that can reveal a deeper reality going on.

We often dismiss our experiences or don't recognise them but some are at least real. Its about mind states and understanding the difference between imaginings and what rationalising beliefs and experiences as justified in the moment. As something that reveals a deeper or different kind of knowledge about reality.

The thought experiment of colorblind Mary is one example. Mary knew everything objectively about sight, brain connections and the color spectrum but had never experienced colors. One day Mary woke up and for the first time experienced the color red of an apple on the table. Mary had gained new knowledge about reality that all her knowledge of the objective world could not tell her. Her experience was real.

We have many experiences like this that seem very real yet not material which reveal a deeper reality. Though I think we often take it for or don't recognised most of what we are actually experiencing. But this deeper knowledge seems to be transcendent and not bounded by the physical world and can be shared.

I will have to find the article as it goes into detailed arguements about the realism of phenomenal experiences. Here is one I found with a quick search. Chalmers is good at seperating the states of mind and the difference between unreal imaginings and phenomenal experiences.

The Content and Epistemology of Phenomenal Belief

I have heard of the Narrative idea being like a phenomena where words and language can create reality. Words are like symbols and codes that we can use to put in peoples minds a certain reality. I know Postmodernist love narratives as they believe that there is no objective reality and that its self referential. That is words and feelings create reality or your reality and these realities are the only true reality even trumping the objective world.

In fact the idea is that science itself is a tool of narrative in that its a social construction, a western construction designed to dictate the world. So Postmodernist push the self referential narrative to counter the oppressive western science narrative. Everything comes down to social constructions which are created by narratives. Thats why we see so many arguements nowadays about words, word meanings and that even the wrong words can get you into trouble.
So I have been wondering about a specifically Christian Phenomenology. What authors might be representatives?
I like Jordan Peterson on this even though I am not sure he is a Christian himself. But he relates the gospels through psychology and cites the classical influencers like Jung, Nietzsche, Dostoevsky ect on human thought. The importance of consciousness and the imfluence of Postmodernism narratives.

Then he relates all this back to the bible as basically all literature seeks to find truth and the ultimate truth that all literature have stemmed from is the bible which is not only truth but the precondition for truth..

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I found another on consciousness and how phenomenal experiences are realted through ancient sories which we told each other and represnts our conscious experiences of the world.

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James 1:1-4: Rejoice in Trials Now, My Brethren

“From James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ: Greetings to all God’s people scattered over the whole world. My brothers, consider yourselves fortunate when all kinds of trials come your way, for you know that when your faith succeeds in facing, such trials, the result is the ability to endure. Make sure that your endurance carries you all the way without failing, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.”

These articles on the Book of James are devotional articles and not a detailed commentary. It is not the intent to go detail as to the identity of the author of this book. It is the position of this writer that the author was James the brother of Jesus (Galatians 1:19, Galatians 2:9).

Some writers have called the Book of James the proverbs of the New Testament, and others believe this was the earliest book in the New Testament. The book is not addressed to a specific city or church. In fact, it is addressed to the twelve tribes that were dispersed abroad. James became prominent in the Church, but his heritage was Jewish.

In the beginning of the Church, the first Christians were Jewish. When the church in Jerusalem was scattered during the first persecution, those Jewish Christians either returned to their homes or spread out into other areas. James was not omitting non-Jews, but rather he was addressing the changed attitudes and actions that ALL Christians would have to follow.

Verse 2 is a remarkable statement. Afterall, who looks forward to trails, problems, or suffering in life? In the Old Testament, the people of Israel were told, “IF you will be devoted to the Lord God Almighty AND you followed the statutes set out in the Law of Moses, THEN you would have peace and prosperity.”

Yet, here James is saying that not only do trials occur, but Christians should view suffering in a positive way. Yes, suffering can come as punishment, but it can still occur to the righteous Christian, and that Christian is to see that as an opportunity to grow and strengthen spiritually.

Many people expect their physical lives to improve when they become Christians. There is nothing in the New Testament that supports that belief. False preachers proclaim that a person can get rich and leave their troubles behind IF they will just follow their teaching that they received “by the spirit”. That is false teaching and the author of such lies is not God.

Christians must understand that this physical world is no longer their home. In fact, the spiritual powers in this world will OPPOSE those who are Christians and will try to undermine their faith. Suffering will occur, not because the person has done something wrong, but because allegiance has been given to someone else.

Christians must remember that they now serve a new Master, God the Father, and a new King, Jesus Christ, Lord, King, and Savior. James had been the brother of Jesus Christ, yet he called himself, “a bond-servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ”. He recognized the new relationship he had with his older brother.

So, what do trials and suffering accomplish? For a faithful Christian, it will lead to a stronger ability to withstand such situations. A man or woman that participates in athletics, or some strenuous activity, does not just get up one day and perform perfectly. It takes practice, training, hard work, sore muscles, sweat, and fatigue. Some might call that “suffering” or “trials”, but for the person involved in that exercise and practice, it is merely a part of what is needed to reach the goal of being the best.

That is the attitude that a Christian is expected to have when facing the trials of life. Once a person becomes a Christian, that person is expected to grow and mature in faith and in serving the Lord. That requires the exercise of “spiritual muscles”. There are no passive by-standers in the Lord’s kingdom.
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Fadt checking on a Recent Trump News Conference

trump-news-conference

Take some time, and go through these points.

The sheer number of the ambiguous, or outright FALSE statements,
is a bit stunning.

If Trump's political advisors are writing his speeches, he has the worst
political advisors that ever existed. Basic fact checking, would have
crossed out dozens of fallacies that Trump asserts, in this news conference.

From a Christian point of view, Trump's method of ascertaining what is "true"
is a serious Epistemological disaster.

Would a Christian congregation hire a pastor, who made so many errors
in a speech? A teacher? A theologian?

When fasting, how do you explain to coworkers that you are not eating?

Thanks for the helpful information. I may just tell my coworkers that I am cutting back or skipping meals sometimes for losing weight and they may not know about the spiritual purposes. If asked more about why, I might share the spiritual purposes.
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