I have a relative, who was a member of the United Methodist Church and perhaps still is, who is in tears and actually had to taking take anti-nausea medication due to a display that the UMC engaged in pertaining to the Last Supper at the Paris Olympics. I don’t have any details yet, but I gather that the UMC did something very unpleasant given how upset my relative is.

The relative in question is a tolerant and open-minded person, so for her to be so upset convinces me that whatever this was, it is the sort of thing that I greatly dislike.

Edit: the relative is unable to find the connection in the initial article involving her denomination, which had her so upset, but nonetheless I think this is an important issue which is so upsetting to Christians it has them making such an error.

First Seal (2nd seal Rev 6:3)

Rev 6:1 And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts (Rev 4:6 {Ezek 1:5-28}) saying, Come and see. Ezek 14:21 against Jerusalem

Rev 6:1 And I (John) saw when the Lamb (tittle of Jesus) opened (authoritative control) (1st) one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, (1st) one of the four beasts (Seraphim) saying (authoritative participation), come and see (Rev 6:3,5,7 Horses Ezek 14:21 against Jerusalem Ezek 28:15-18 Gap)

Mat 10:17 But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues.

Rev 6:1 And I (John) saw when the Lamb (tittle of Jesus) opened (Authoritative control) (1st) one of the seals,

Rev 13:8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

Joh 1:29 The next day John sees Jesus coming unto him, and says, Behold the Lamb of God, which takes away the sin of the world.

Rev 5:6 And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.

Rev 7:17 For the Lamb which is amid the throne shall feed them and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.

Rev 6:1 and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, (1st) one of the four beasts (Seraphim) saying (authoritative participation), come and see Rev 6:3,5, 7.

Rev 6:3 And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see.

Rev 6:6 And I heard a voice amid the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine.

6:7 And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see.

The White Horse (1st division of a Four-Part Seal War)

Rev 6:2 And I saw and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.

Rev 6:2 And I (John), and behold a white horse (peace): and he (man of sin) that sat (Established {restricted authority Rev 10:1}) on him had a bow *(homo rainbow participation Dan 11:37, 8:23); (Gen 9:13-16 Bow Rev 4:3 God's Rainbow)

Power is given to the man of sin by Lucifer Rev 13:2 seat, power, and great authority.

And I (John), and behold a white horse (peace): and he (man of sin (2Kings 2:23,24 Isa 59:53-57 Rev 13:1,2 {Rev 6:2 & 8, Rev 11:3-8} [Rev 2:9,13, 24]) that sat (Established {restricted authority Rev 10:1}) on him had a bow (homo rainbow participation Dan 11:37, 8:23);

*Rev 10:1 And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire: Rev 10:2 And he had in his hand a little book open: and he set his right foot upon the sea (man of sin), and his left foot on the earth (false prophet),

Dan 11:37 Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all.

Dan 8:23 And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up. Rev 13:1,2 Rev 12:13-17

Rev 6:and a crown (authority) was given (by Lucifer) unto him (man of sin): and he (man of sin) went forth conquering (peacefully overcome), and to conquer (peacefully control). Rev 13:1,2 Rev 12:13-17

Rev 13:1 And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. Rev 13:2 And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.

Rev 12:13 And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child. Rev 12:14 And to the woman (6th Trumpet Kingdom Saints) were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time (2nd half of Tribulation), from the face of the serpent. Rev 12:15 And the serpent cast out of his mouth water (army) as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood. Rev 12:16 And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth. Rev 12:17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman and went to make war with the remnant of her seed (Tribulation Saints), which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

The Foolish Shepherd=man of sin



Zec 11:15 And the LORD said unto me (Zechariah), Take unto you yet the instruments (devices Ezek 28:13) of a foolish shepherd (man of sin Hos 12:7 2Thess 2:3,4 1John 2:18 Rev 13:1-10 Mica 5:1-6).

Note: (Zech 1:9 2:11 6:15 11:1) instructs Prophet Zechariah to take the instruments of a Asinine Shepherd, a parallel explaining Prophet Zechariah is to study the methods (Isa 59:5 Dan 11:30,31 11:36 Amos 7:1 Mica 2:8) of the Asinine Man of sin (Zech 11:16,17 13:7 {Hos 12:7 13:13 2Thess 2:9 Nah 1:11 Dan 11:23,24 Rev 6:2,4,5,8 Hab 2:5}). Nah 1:11 There is one come out of you, that imagines evil against the LORD, a wicked counselor).

The man of sin

• Isa 32:6 the vile person, Hos 12:7 He is a merchant man, Rev 13:1,2 Beast out of the sea, Dan 8:23 king of fierce countenance
• Dan 11:23a and after the league (Ten King Confederacy) made with him (Man of sin) he (Man of sin) will work deceitfully:
• Dan 8:25a and through his (man of sin) policy (methods) also he shall cause craft (deceit) to prosper in his hand;
• Hab 2:5 Yea also, because he transgresses by wine, he is a proud man, neither keeps at home, who enlarges his desire as hell, and is as death, and cannot be satisfied, but gathers unto him all nations, and heaps unto him all people:
• Hos 13:13 The sorrows of a travailing woman shall come upon him: he is an unwise son; for he should not stay long in the place of the breaking forth of children. Hos 13:11

Different Instruments Used by the Man of sin (Ezek 40:42 Dan 6:18)

Threshing instruments of war Amos 1:3 Thus Says the LORD; For three transgressions of Damascus, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment there of; because they have threshed Gilead with threshing instruments of iron: Dan 11:24,36-39 Rev 6:2,4,5,8

The instruments of the churl Isa 32:7 The instruments also of the churl (scoundrel-false prophet) are evil: he devises wicked devices to destroy the poor with lying words, even when the needy speaks right. Rev 2:2,6,13-15,20 Continues on next page:

Zech 11:15 continues

The Man of sin Allows the Overlords to Rule

Dan 11:39c and he (man of sin) will cause them (Chief Israeli Leaders Dan 11:30,31 Rev 2:2,6,13-15,20 {Seven Kings Dan 7:8,24 11:44a Rev 17:9-13,17 19:121}) to rule (6th T) over many (Mica 2:6 5:4 Rev 17:15 13:7),


The God of the Man of sin (2Thess 2:2-4 ,9)

Dan 11:38 But in his (man of sin) estate shall he honor the god of forces (Rev 12:3 Rev 17:3): and a god whom his (man of sin) fathers (Jewish ancestry) knew not shall he (man of sin) honor with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things (Ezek 28:16).

Rev 12:3 behold a great red dragon (Lucifer), having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.

2Cor 4:4 In whom the god (Lucifer 1John 2:18) of this world has blinded the minds of them that believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image (Col 1:15-18 Heb 1:1-3) of God, should shine unto them.

Eph 2:2 Wherein in time past you walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air (Lucifer), the spirit (Isa 14:14-20 Ezek 28:12-19) that now works in the children of disobedience:

John 8:44 You are of your father the devil (Lucifer), and the lusts of your father you will do. He (Lucifer) was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him (Lucifer). When he speaks a lie, he speaks of his own: for he (Lucifer) is a liar, and the father of it (lies).

The Diocese of Tehuacán, located in the Mexican state of Puebla, reported that Bishop Gonzalo Alonso Calzada Guerrero was driving on a highway when he was “assaulted and his vehicle and personal belongings were stolen.”

In a July 24 statement, the Diocese of Tehuacán reported that the incident occurred on the morning of July 23, while the prelate was heading to a community in the state to celebrate its patron saint's feast day.

The news outlet N+ reported that after the robbery, the armed men tied the bishop's hands and feet and abandoned him on a hill. According to the report, Calzada managed to free himself and ask for help; however, the diocese has not commented on this detail.

Continued below.

Bishops and prominent prelates from around the world have joined the French Bishops’ Conference and U.S. bishops in criticizing the Paris Olympics opening ceremony held on July 26 for its depiction of the Last Supper, calling it a deeply deplorable derision of Christianity.

The controversial scene, part of the 1.5 billion euros (about $1.62 billion) spectacle to kick off the 2024 Summer Olympics in a rain-soaked French capital on Friday, featured drag queens portraying the apostles and an overweight DJ as Jesus in what appeared to be a part of a fashion show — apparently mocking Leonardo da Vinci’s famous painting.

The official Olympics Twitter accountdescribed part of the scene as depicting “the Greek God Dionysus“ making people “aware of the absurdity of violence between human beings.“

Continued below.

Something interesting, I just found word of this on the internet- apparently Iran, the islamic republic of Iran, has very high rates of clinical depression, something like 15%-20% of Iranians have symptoms ranging from mild to severe depression. In contrast rates of depression in the USA are around 8.3%, much lower. There is a good reason for this! I think a spiritual force may be responsible for this, Iran is one of the most evil places in the world, also they adhere to a very radical form of Islam and Islam is the official state religion and the country is something like 99.5% muslim, conversion from Islam to Christianity carries the death penalty. Also the Iranian government hates Israel and that also may be a cause for this!

Hi,

So as a single man, I got to be honest, why do most men don't have a disgust for impure sexual thoughts or fantasies ?
Impure sexual thoughts is sexual thoughts for a woman who is not your married wife.
As a single man impure sexual thoughts fantasies, is the same as fornication even if you are not really having unmarried sex with the woman, no real physical contact.
I got to be honest I do enjoy watching porn, I know it is a sin so I try not to watch that much. If orgy sex was not a sin I would have done it already, I am not disgusted by the thought of doing orgy sex, I should be because it is a sin.
Thing is as a hetero man I am disgusted by gay sex, bestiality, pedofilia, so I do not struggle with this sin, some do struggle with these sins for example listen to christians testimony who struggle with gay attraction.
But hetero sex, watching porn, impure sexual thought about a woman even if we are not really having sex, I am not disgusted by this sin like I am disgusted by gay sex.
Why can't we pray to have disgust for impure sex thoughts, watching porn, fornication, if we really disgust something it is easy to not do it or do the sin.

Br,

Is it an attainment? Is it something to do with God? What are the requirements for attaining or achieving Salvation? What did Jesus say about it? Where in the scriptures can we find what Jesus said is necessary for Salvation?

Came across this treatise about 'fear' while studying Psalm 103.

From:


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LEARNING CENTER​

EXPLORE TOPICS

Hebrew Meaning of Yirah: What Connects Fear and Awe?​

BY FIRM STAFF
11 MIN READ
POSTED JULY 20TH 2021

HEBREW WORDS

What does Yirah mean?​

The Hebrew word translated into ‘awe’ in the Bible is yirah (יראה, pronounced yir-ah). It often directly translates into fear, like “fear of the Lord,” and it can also mean respect, reverence, and worship. But make no mistake about it, yirah is strongly connected to ‘trembling’.
What comes to your mind when you think of awe?
Perhaps you think of nature, the expanse of the Grand Canyon, or the rolling green of Swiss Alps. You may think of the majesty of the night sky on a quiet night. Or perhaps an architectural wonder, such as the pyramids in Giza, the only remaining ‘wonder’ of the original Seven Wonders of the World…

You most likely have your own vision of ‘awe’ which is personal to you. It could be a special, personal memory or a loved one. The miracle of birth up close renders us speechless, and the reality of death as we experience loss is enough to shake all our confidence and poise. We learn how little we actually know and understand, and the experience fills us with fear and trembling… it fills us with yirah – awe.
Moses was filled with fear (yirah) when he begged God to see His glory and could not behold it lest he should die. Moses could not see God face to face. The Israelites were filled with fear (yirah) when Moses came down Mount Sinai; they were so shaken that they promised with one voice to do whatever the Lord said.
In English parlance, the translation of yirah has similar origins. ‘Awe’ comes from the early Scandinavian words for terror, dread, uproar, discipline, and restraint: Old Icelandic agi, Swedish aghi, and old Danish aughæ.

Yirah meaning over the Centuries​

However, by the 18th century, the main definition of the word moved away from fear and focused on reverence. My guess is, the Romantic poets and their wonder of the natural world, God’s creation, tipped the scale of awe from fear to reverence.
But the Romantic poets and the Israelites had something in common: sight. They both were overwhelmed by their vision. For the Romantics, it was the sublime of the natural world and mystery therein. And for the Israelites, it was beholding the presence of God, which they beheld with fear and trembling, but they could not see His face.
As believers, we are encouraged that we have the Messiah – the image of the invisible God, and the Holy Spirit as a seal. The Son and the Spirit are a promise for what is to come in eternity – seeing the Father face to face, fully, without mediation.

Behold the Wonder​

Awe—Yirah, has to do with beholding something that is beyond one’s capabilities and understanding. It would certainly take the most stalwart adventurer to stand at the edge of a great height and not have their knees buckle in the slightest.
And the frozen explorers scattered across the ascent of Mount Everest were once determined individuals. But how the mighty fall. Beholding such great heights and natural wonders both fill us with wonder and fear.
Beholding God’s full glory is equally terrifying! But the Lord spared us – He mediates His glory through His Son, the Messiah Jesus. He is the image of the invisible God as the Apostle Paul tells us in Colossians 1:15:
“The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.”

What can we learn from Yirah?​

1. Yirah calls us to behold and worship.​

Yirah calls us to worship—the psalms are full of David’s wonder at the natural world and God’s majesty, wisdom and power. Just a few examples:
“In whose hand are the depths of the earth, the peaks of the mountains are His also. The sea is His, for it was He who made it, and His hands formed the dry land.” –Psalm 95:4-5
In Psalm 25, David describes the voice of the LORD as powerful, majestic, it hews out flames of fire and shakes the wilderness. He writes, “the God of glory thunders, the LORD is over many waters.” And continues with: “The voice of the LORD makes the deer to calve and strips the forests bare; and in His temple everything says, Glory!” (Psalm 25:3-9).
“O LORD, how many are Your works! In wisdom You have made them all; The earth is full of Your possessions. There is the sea, great and broad, In which are swarms without number, Animals both small and great. There the ships move along, And Leviathan, which You have formed to sport in it.” –Psalm 104:24-26

Job in Awe of God​

The Yirah awe brings Job healing from his grief. In response to Job’s laments, God, in true Jewish fashion, answers Job’s question with a question:
“Who is this who darkens the divine plan by words without knowledge?Now tighten the belt on your waist like a man, and I shall ask you, and you inform Me! Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?” (Job 38:1-4)
In what many consider some of the most beautiful passages of Hebrew poetry in the Tanakh, God continues to question Job. He asserts His creation of the entire cosmos (Job 38-39) and the entire earth (Job 38: 39-39:30). To God’s “virtual tour” of the universe and the planet, Job says:
“Behold, I am insignificant; what can I say in response to You? I put my hand on my mouth. I have spoken once, and I will not reply; Or twice, and I will add nothing more.” (Job 40:4-5)

The Awe of Being at Peace​

Job was awestruck and knew his place in relationship to God. He dared not argue, it was the God of the entire universe he was speaking to after all!
Then, in chapter 42, Job answers the Lord: “I know that You can do all things, and that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted…I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear; But now my eye sees You; therefore, I retract, and I repent in dust and ashes.” (Job 42: 2, 5-6)
Job was comforted in the fact that the God of the Universe did not forget and did not fall asleep. Nothing was out of His control or foreknowledge. One can surmise that Job’s loss and grief did not go away. But Job’s encounter with the God of the Universe changed him and made him strong enough to not be bitter about his loss and to worship God still.

Questions to ponder:​

Is there anything in my life I am not properly seeing, which is taking away from my awe and worship? What can I look at and mediate upon to renew my yirah – my awe? Is there a painful area of my life that I am not letting God speak into—how can God restore my Yirah in Him?
[IMG alt="Mountains in the Negev Desert
"]https://firmisrael.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/foggy-mountains.jpg[/IMG]

2. Yirah challenges us to be wise and obey.​

Just as Job was chastened when he experienced the power and might of God firsthand, we are too. That is, when we come to the profound knowledge that God’s thoughts are not our thoughts, and His ways are not our ways (Isaiah 55:8). We would be wise to remember this truth, and Proverbs tell us that the beginning of all wisdom is fear – yirah – of the Lord.
Alexander Pope’s often quoted line, “Fools rush in where angels fear to tread”, has become a part of the English lexicon since it was first penned in 1711. And not without good reason. Our wisdom is gauged by our awe of God and the world He created.
Author Lisa Bevere rightly said, “We are a generation that has been stripped of our awe”. But Scripture tells us that having yirah toward God is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 9:10). This means we have to regain our sense of awe and reverence toward God. The best way to do this, according to Scripture, is to follow His instructions (1 John 5:3), and to meditate upon His word.
Jesus boiled these instructions down to two simple things: Love God, and love your neighbor. Do this… and we can regain our awe in God.

The Great Lack of Awe​

God’s design gives sanctity, purpose, and dignity to the rhythms of life and the creation therein. Not having yirah – the fear of the Lord – strips all such sanctity and meaning away. We can see the effects of this in our culture everywhere. Men and women demean each other, children do not respect their parents, and parents exasperate their children.
Excessive consumerism and materialism have whittled down individual worth. It dropped down to “social capital” and “net worth” and “likes” in social media clout. We are driven by being a somebody to everybody, but in our busyness and the rush, we lose our awe.
Like Pope said…fools rush in. Having a yirah type of awe gives us the wisdom to pause and slow down. To examine the motives of our heart. And perhaps to think of people and areas of our lives that simply need more time, care and attention. The Lord is not hasty and His timing and care is well thought out.
He has called us to be stewards of our time, our talents and those in our care. Good stewards think about their actions and have patience. They understand the weight of their responsibility and the dignity of their task. Pausing allows us to be better worshippers – we love better when we can see our love through with patience.

Questions to ponder:​

Lord, in what areas of my life do I assume I know everything—where am I rushing in where angels fear tread? What do I need to think about more—my routine? My parenting? How I am spending my free time? Where can I grow in learning to love you, God, and learning to love others and obey your commands?

3. Yirah gives us a future hope.​

The Romantic poets knew that we are more than just matter. Our hearts beat not with just blood, but with soul and spirit. The universe is not just a ticking clock, made by a divine watchmaker who made it and left it behind.
The entire cosmos and history of humanity have purpose and design—as do our individual lives! This is a truth we are taught time and time again, but how often do we think about it? Our lives, from beginning to the end, have significance.
The Apostle Paul says: “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined the things that God has prepared for those who love him.” (1 Corinthians 2:9)
Paul continues to encourage us in chapter 4:
“Therefore, we do not lose heart, but though our outer person is decaying, yet our inner person is being renewed day by day. For our momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” (1 Corinthians 4:16-18)

The Awe before the Throne of Grace​

We have yet to behold all that God has in store for us, and for all of creation. We have the blessed assurance of salvation, and a relationship with the living God. It was made possible through Messiah Jesus and the power of Ruach HaKodesh (the Holy Spirit).
Although Moses communed with God daily, he still could not see His face directly. He was filled with yirah – fear and trembling. But we can have a relationship with God of the Universe through the Messiah Jesus! With yirah, but also with full confidence and assurance that we will be received when we come boldly before the throne of grace. (Hebrews 4:16)
What awe-inspiring, yirah-inspiring promises we have in Messiah Jesus!
Lord, please restore my sight so I can behold all that you have in store for me, this day, and every day. And please encourage me in the everlasting!

I'd like to hear from others how they read the Bible. I'm not talking about how one interprets etc, but how you get the information into your head.

I'll start. I use this app: Download The Bible App Now - 100% Free and I LISTEN to the Bible. I will put it on when I am in the shower in the morning, or when I am out working in my shop. There are many passages in the Bible that if I were turning pages in a book, I would want to skip past them. But because I am listening, that is less of an option. I find that I can get through much more of the Bible this way. And I think I process it differently in my head. Also, I start at the beginning (Genesis) and listen all the way through to the end. Because the OT is so long, sometimes I listen to the NT twice before starting over again in Genesis. In the app, there are multiple versions, and I like to listen to different versions each time.

How about you all? What do you do for reading? How long do you read? Do you go topically or linearly?

Best wishes,

KT

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Do you hear the wailing now?
Do you hear 'em nailing down?
To a crown of thorns on sorrows born
Heaven's come down for
Sweat like blood comes down
Eclipse a shadow now
The sun is gone and sorrows come
Where it slithers from
Jesus, I need you now
Free me, I'm lost somehow
Oh, remember me today
I'm a leper left to hang
Oh, yes I need you now
Jesus, I need you now
Show me, I'm lost somehow
Oh, and show me there's a way from
The cross from where I hang
Oh, see me bleed, I need you now
Tell me where I'm going now
Ooh, am I lost or found?
Are you who they say?
Are you who they claim?
Oh, remember me
Say a little prayer somehow
Mmm, show me where I'm bound
My God, I'm falling
The bells are tolling
Just remember me, my name, my name
Jesus, I need you now
Free me, I'm lost somehow
Oh, remember me today
I'm a leper left to hang
Oh, yes I need you now
Jesus, I need you now
Show me, I'm lost somehow
Oh, and show me there's a way from
The cross from where I hang
Oh, see me bleed, I need you now
I'm slowly slipping into these wings that carry on
My knees are bloody from my crawl
Show me there's a reason keep believing you're the one
My knees are buried at your cross
Tell me where I'm going now
Tell me am I going down?
Are you who they say you claim?
Remember me this night
Breath and hear me now
Mmm, bring me alive
Show me all Golgotha's mine
Shadows, forever night
Jesus, I need you now
Free me, I'm lost somehow
Oh, remember me today
I'm a leper left to hang
Oh, yes I need you now
Jesus, I need you now
Show me, I'm lost somehow
Oh, and show me there's a way from
The cross from where I hang
Oh, see me bleed, I need you now
Is there no hope for me?
Oh, somewhere you'll show for me?
Oh, I'm holding on, believing there's a reason I can find
Ooh, Lord remember me, take me up tonight

Hello.

I am new to Christianity. I love Jesus and God. I believe in Jesus and God.

I want to get baptized at some point. And perhaps become a Christian monk for a few months at some point in the coming years.

So far, I know just a little bit of Christianity. I will be studying from today on. I want to go deep into Christianity, especially for the purpose of Salvation.

Question: if I want to be just a Christian and not belong to any particular denomination (be it Orthodox Christian or Catholic Christian or Protestant), what would I be then called: a "Non-denominational Christian" or a "Pan-Christian" or an "Eclectic Christian"??? I want to be into most branches of Christianity and not just one. But the primary branch may be the Roman Catholic Church for me. I may get baptized there and be a Catholic monk. But I need things from the rest of Christianity. As well. I may be in Methodism as well. Can't tell you now. Don't know enough as of yet.

Thank you. God bless.

Fake slates of electors were sent in without the approval of based on Crazy allegations by Powell and Giuliani and there was an
effort by MAGA to get rid of people opposed to this behavior. This is a slow moving Coup, feel free to start your own Threads about
real or imagined democrat Coups.


perhaps Trump no longer endorses this behavior , he flip flops on abortion and tries to distance himself from project 2025 so he is much less

Truth oftentimes, to many seems stranger then fiction. Such is the case when it comes, to the observance of God’s 7th Day Sabbath. Each Sunday millions of people attend church services for the purpose of worshiping the Lord. Most not realizing they can’t read one time in the Holy Bible to attend church on the first day of the week Sunday. This is second nature to most requiring no thought. They are simply following the tradition that has been set forth by man. Many believe that New Testament Christians worshiped on Sunday the 1st day of the week, and that the 7th day Sabbath is a Jewish institution, which started with Moses.

We understand that Peter said in 2Peter 1:19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: 1:20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. 1:21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

Peter is letting us know that prophecy, from Genesis to Malachi is more surer then the New Testament. Let see how Paul word it in Ephesians 2: 19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; 20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;

So is Paul telling the Gentiles how important the old testament is, and how they have the same laws as Israel do. In the scriptures it's written in Isaiah 8: 20 To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.

Now any Christian in their right mind wouldn’t dare say that it’s okay to steal, kill or commit adultery or break any of the other seven commandments. But when it comes to the fourth commandment, people avoid it like a plague! They are either uninformed about which day is the Sabbath day of the God of the Bible or they are just following the tradition of religion that was passed down through the family or maybe they have let some preacher give them other excuses for ignoring God’s true day of worship.

The Sabbath Day of the Lord -God of the Bible. (Gen.2:2-5) (v.2) And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. (v.3) And God blessed the seventh day (every seventh day of the week is a blessed and holy day) and sanctified it (it is a day that is separated (sanctified) for a purpose) because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made. (v.5) “and there was not a man to till the ground.” There was not a Jew, Catholic, Baptist, or Seventh Day Adventist; in fact, there was not a Christian when He constituted the Sabbath Day!

Jesus Christ (John 1:1-3, 10-14) 1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. 11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not. 12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. 14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

He is the one who rested on the Sabbath day and commanded that you do the same. If you really understood the scriptures you would realize that He was the one who became known as Jesus who gave you the Ten Commandments. So not only did He command you to cease from your work on that day He also commanded you to. (Lev.23:3) “Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the Sabbath of rest, an holy convocation;” He said on the Sabbath day that you should also have an holy convocation, which means holy gathering or simply put, go to church. Remember in Acts 7: 38 This is he, that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the mount Sina, and with our fathers: who received the lively oracles to give unto us:

Timothy likely experienced imprisonment (Heb 13:23), probably after Nero blamed the Christians for the fire in Rome. Paul tried to encourage him in 2Tm 1:

7 God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. 8 Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord,

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Was Timothy ashamed of Jesus's testimony? Does this statement imply or infer that Timothy was?

No, at least not in the First-Order Logical sense of "imply" or "infer."

nor of me his prisoner,

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Was Timothy ashamed of Paul the prisoner?

Again, no.

but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God,

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Expect suffering. It came with the job description.

11b I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher, 12 which is why I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that day what has been entrusted to me.

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Look to Jesus.

16 May the Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains.

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Paul gave Timothy the example of Onesiphorus, who was not ashamed of Paul's imprisonment.

These two themes continued in 2:

3 Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.

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8 Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel, 9 for which I am suffering, bound with chains as a criminal.

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15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.

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Paul used the words "ashamed" 4 times and "suffer*" 4 times in 2Tm 1-2.

Was Timothy ashamed of Jesus's testimony?

Given Paul's repeated mention of suffering and shame, Timothy might have had some issues dealing with them at the time. Hopefully, after reading Paul's letter, Timothy's faith was reinforced.

The Iran-backed terrorist movement Hezbollah on Saturday rained down rockets on Israel, with at least one hitting a soccer field where children were playing in the northern Israeli town of Majdal Shams right by the border with Syria. Initial reports say at least 11 dead and 29 injured, many thought to be children.

The soccer field in the majority Druze town is a scene of shocking violence and the most devastating loss of life in the north since Hezbollah entered the war on behalf of the terrorist entity Hamas on Oct. 7. The Magen David Adom ambulance service says the victims are aged 10 to 20.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) put the blame squarely on Hezbollah in a statement issued shortly after the attack. "According to an IDF situational assessment and the intelligence in our possession, the rocket launch toward Majdal Shams was carried out by the Hezbollah terrorist organization. The Hezbollah terrorist organization is behind the rocket launch at a soccer field in Majdal Shams which caused multiple civilian casualties, including children earlier this evening."

Jonnie W Comedy shares a humorous take on serving in the nursery for church. He says it is the best “because the babies cannot rat you out if it all goes wrong.” The audience laughs out loud. He shares how they are a “sticker church” because they put stickers on the kids when they get checked in for the nursery. He says, “We’re tagging these kids like they’re in the wild, it’s weird.” Johnnie goes on to say that parents are supposed to keep the other piece of paper, and he jokes that he doesn’t put up with that in his nursery, “You come back without that piece of paper, we’re keeping him ok?” He tells them that they knew the risks. The audience is howling and laughing. He continues that the parent says that he knows him and he dropped him off, and he says, “Sir look, without the receipt the best I can do is store credit.” Everyone laughs so hard. He says that he responds, “you’ve gotta pick out something of equal or lesser value.” He jokes, “We give out so many redheads yall, it’s unbelievable.” The audience is rolling. I love how Jonnie takes such a mundane task and makes it hilarious. He has a true talent for captivating an audience and leading them into laughter. Scripture tells us that laughter is healthy for us. Hopefully this video is good medicine for all of us today. It is wonderful to laugh about some of the every day or weekly tasks that we do. Our God is good, and He created laughter. We are invited in to express this gift of humor given to us by the Creator who loves us, and what better way than to laugh about the nursery at church?

This year’s United States Olympic team in Paris is made up of not only world-class, talented athletes but also dedicated Christians who draw strength and inspiration from their faith. From swimming to track to volleyball to gymnastics, these athletes exemplify both exceptional skill and profound faith in their respective sports. Here are 10 U.S. Olympic athletes who are also dedicated Christians.

Found this book and going to start reading it soon. I thought @Wolseley would be particularly interested. Have you read this one Wols? This will be going in my collection of antique books of Faith.

1 Chronicles 22:

8 the word of the LORD came to me, saying, ‘You have shed much blood and have waged great wars; you shall not build a house to My name, because you have shed so much blood on the earth before Me.

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David was a man of war. He had much blood on his hands. Solomon was a man of peace, 1 Chronicles 22:

9 But you will have a son who will be a man of peace and rest, and I will give him rest from all his enemies on every side. His name will be Solomon, and I will grant Israel peace and quiet during his reign.

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The name Solomon (שְׁלֹמֹה) was derived from שָׁלוֹם (shalom) which meant "peace" Solomon didn't shed so much blood.

Why would being a "man of war" prevent David from building the temple of God?

The temple is a type of OT church. The temple symbolizes the church. Benson explained:

Thou hast shed blood, &c.; thou shalt not build a house unto my name — Not that wars are simply unlawful, but to teach us that the church (whereof the temple was an illustrious type) should be built by Christ, the Prince of peace, Isaiah 9:6, and that it should be gathered and built up, not by might or power, but by God’s Spirit, Zechariah 4:6, and by the preaching the gospel of peace. David therefore was less fit for that service, than one who had not been called to such bloody work. Likewise, by setting him aside for this reason, God showed how precious human life is to him.

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The church was to be built by Jesus, a man of peace, as prophesied in Isaiah 9:

6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

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Jesus would build the church, Matthew 16:

18 And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.

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God was not going to use violence to start building his Church. Matthew 5:

9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.

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Given that David was "a man after God's own heart," why would being a "man of war" matter?

In this case, it mattered because using Solomon to build the temple foreshadowed that God would use Jesus in his first coming to build the church. In his 2nd coming, he would be more like David.

A Queens grand jury indicted six defendants for voter fraud related to the 2023 City Council primary in District 20 in northeast Queens.

The six individuals are variously charged in a 161-count indictment with submitting fraudulent absentee ballot applications while volunteering for the campaign of Yu-Ching James Pai, who was a candidate in the June 2023 GOP primary election for City Council. Five of the six defendants surrendered Thursday at the office of Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz and were arraigned hours later.

Pai edged candidate Dany Chen by just 181 votes in the GOP primary in June before losing to Council Member Sandra Ung in last November’s general election.

Once again, I applaud these representatives from the Republican Party for demonstrating the effectiveness of our election fraud laws, which help to guarantee the fairness of our elections.

John 3:16-17 says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.” For those who can observe, life is a tale of two worlds in the same place. One world is a vision of what it should be...people who love God with all their heart, soul and mind, and who love their neighbor. A person who truly loves God, realizes that the rest of the world is a neighbor. Fact is, anyone who can help you, whether it’s something as complicated as relieving you from your anxieties, or as simple as someone giving you a smile, anyone can be your neighbor.

There is another world in which people deny the existence of God in thought, word, and/or deed. They are dead sure that they have no use for God in their plans, for what they plan and carry out is contrary to what God stands for. They think they see an opportunity to put a thing or two over on the rest of us, and they don’t want anyone telling them that this isn’t what God wants. It is a world of darkness, and those who are drawn to it with nothing to gain are surrounded by the gloom of it.

God looks to save the people in both worlds, but He doesn’t hand out Salvation like giving out candy to neighborhood children on Halloween. And those in the other world who see opportunities to being saved will realize fast enough that the Lord does not make deals that will harm others, neither can He be fooled. To try to fool Him is tantamount to aiming a pistol at Him and pulling the trigger, not realizing that the barrel is pointed at you and not at Him. Louis L’Amour couldn’t have created a better backdrop.

Who are God’s Chosen People? The NT holds that it is a line that goes back to Abraham. This is pinned down by Galatians 3:29. But I tell you that God’s Chosen People goes further back, to Adam and Eve. He created them both, choosing them and their offspring to have dominion over the earth. There were other men and woman, but God formed his own in Adam and Eve and their offspring, to have dominion. There were other men and women who were fruitful and who multiplied, but to Adam and Eve and their own He gave the added responsibility of seeing to it that birds continue to fly in the air, and sea creatures continue to live in the sea while land-based animals live on the breath of life, and the earth continues to produce food for them all. Simple commands set forth in Genesis 1:28-30.

But if God expected tranquility among His Chosen, that didn’t last long. From Cain killing Abel throughout the rest of Genesis and the rest of the Old Testament that followed, the sins of man piled up. And after the last word in the OT, God must have looked at the world with its multitude of sins and He must have said, ‘Enough is enough.’ So He sends His son Jesus to spread the Word to everyone that God will save them if they’re interested, or even if they don’t have the mental capacity to be interested or are too labored and heavy-laden. After all, it’s hard enough to live in one world; it’s even harder to live in two worlds.


So, for those who want to live in God’s world, 1 Peter 2:9-10 says “you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.” And to the people He first approached, Colossians 2: 13-14 tells us of Jesus having nailed to the cross the debts His people incurred to Him. And Colossians 2:16-17 goes on to say, to those who feel an obligation to the ceremonial Law, “Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ.”

And as you struggle in the two worlds in front of you, be mindful of Psalms 27:1-3 which says, “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? When evildoers assail me to eat up my flesh, my adversaries and foes, it is they who stumble and fall. Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war arise against me, yet I will be confident.”

Peace in Christ.

God has put His laws into our INWARD PARTS and they are written on our hearts.

This is the only “writing” that we should be concerned with (His internally-written laws to keep and serve)….and not an observation of an outward writing of a church handwriting of ordinances/dogmas that a fleshly-minded church scribe had written for us to keep and serve rather than His internal laws.

Heb 10:16 KJV
(16) This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;

The “writing” is not done with ink but with the Spirit of the living God….the living Judge. This writing is in the fleshly tables of our hearts.

2Co 3:3 KJV
(3) Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.

His law is put in our INWARD PARTS….and not in an external handwriting of ordinances. His law is written in our hearts. He will be our God...our Judge...and we shall be His people.

Jer 31:33 KJV
(33) But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.

The kingdom/government of God within us. He rules us by the keeping and serving of His not-with-ink “writing” within us.

We must seek first that government “document” (so-to-speak) written within us and do it.

The kingdom/government of God comes not by “observation”…that is, the observing of outward church handwritings of ordinances….as it is WITHIN us. We are to seek first His kingdom/government within us and His righteousness….and not an external church’s handwriting of ordinances and their so-called “works of righteousness”.

Luke 17:20-21 KJV
(20) And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:

Don't let a man judge you with his handwriting. Don't let a man rule over you in his "government"...his church denomination. Don't let a man deceive you into the keeping of church handwritings....lo here or lo there is the kingdom/government of God in this or that denominational church. No...His government is within us.

(21) Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.

The Jews have the Law and the gentiles have their many church writings (which are “graven images”…pale images of the Law). The Law has a shadow of good things to come. That “shadow” is an “image” but not the very image of the reality of those things…the sacrifice done by Christ.

Heb 10:1 KJV
(1) For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.

The “handwriting of ordinances” being talked about here in Colossians 2:14 is not about the Law itself but is talking about a church’s handwriting of ordinances (statements of faith, church constitutions, church bylaws, church statutes, creeds, etc, etc, etc). They are being used as "principalities and powers"....government...over those who keep and serve them. They are "principalities and powers" in the high places of the churches of fleshly-minded men who revere them.

Col 2:14-17 KJV
(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.

A fleshly-minded church scribe had trespassed into the Law (thinking he “saw” something in them) and incorporated the keeping of some of the external commandments of the Law into his own church handwriting of ordinances for their congregations to keep and serve. Examples of this: what things to not eat or drink or what day we are to keep holy or the literal keeping of the sabbath days.

The handwriting of ordinances are “graven images” that we are not supposed to make for ourselves to keep and serve…bowing down to them. Exodus 20:4-5 .

Many use their church handwriting to JUDGE themselves and others with. They are serving the sin by doing so….and they think that they are judging others in God’s authority/name according to their “wonderful works”. They are other "gods"...that is, other JUDGES as they are being used to judge others with.

(16) Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:
(17) Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.

They do these things supposedly in His “name”…that is, supposedly in His authority. They “cast out devils”…that is, they judge others as “devils” according to their own standards…their handwriting of ordinances. Yet, they are workers of the iniquity....of the lawlessness for they are not doing His internally-written laws. They are slaves to the sin by doing so.

Mat 7:21-23 KJV
(21) Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
(22) Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

We show we know Him by the doing of His commandments that are written within our inward parts. 1 John 2:3 . Those who say they know Him but do not keep His commandments are liars. They are workers of THE (definite article) iniquity….judging others (supposedly in His authority) via their handwritings (their “wonderful works”). They mortally perish.

(23) And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

They desire to be teachers of the law but do not understand what they preach nor what they are affirming (in their church handwritings).

1Ti 1:7 KJV
(7) Desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm.

The handwriting written by the church scribes is an “image” that is being used to “kill” others….that is, to judge others with who do not worship their particular denominational handwriting (the “image”). Judging is not having love for another. This is in direct violation of His internal writing. It is iniquity…it is lawlessness.

Rev 13:
(15) And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.

Those who keep and serve their image judge others with it …. “killing” them. And so they have become servants of the sin.

(16) And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:

The “letter”….(Greek: gramma – meaning “writing”) kills.

2Co 3:6 KJV
(6) Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.

The writing kills. Case in point: the SCRIBES and the Pharisees (meaning “separatists”) brought unto Jesus a women “taken in adultery”.

Joh 8:1-11 KJV
(1) Jesus went unto the mount of Olives.
(2) And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them.
(3) And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst,
(4) They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act.

The writing “kills”…judges… as Moses in the Law commanded that such should be stoned.

(5) Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?

But Jesus shows them that God’s laws are now written by the Spirit of God in the heart and mind. The “ground” that He wrote on signifies the heart. The letter/writing kills (accusing others...judging others...stoning others) but the Spirit is life.

(6) This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.
(7) So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.

Jesus does this TWICE…signifying that this applies to both Jew and gentile. God’s laws are now written in the heart…in the fleshly tablets of the heart.

(8) And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground.

They were convicted by their own conscience. “Beginning at the eldest even unto the last” symbolizes first the Jew and then the gentile. God’s laws are written on the heart…and the conscience also bears witness to this.

(9) And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.
(10) When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?
(11) She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.

For the gentiles which do not have the Law do by nature the things contained in the Law show the work of the law WRITTEN IN THEIR HEARTS (because God writes His laws there). The conscience also bears witness. We are convicted by our own conscience.

Rom 2:14-15 KJV
(14) For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:
(15) Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another)

Trump tells supporters they won’t have to vote in the future: ‘It’ll be fixed!’

I tend to just understand what people mean directly by the words they choose making sure to consider tone and body language and stuff.

But it seems through Trumps first term, my ability to comprehend English words (coming from him) took a hit. From everyone else in my life and my students, other teachers, and all other english speakers, they said I was OK. But Trump supporters kept insisting I was not understanding the English that Trump was speaking.


But what is it Trump means when he says this? I need some Trump translators.