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.

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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.

According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, southern, central and northern West Virginia have has experienced moderate to severe drought conditions, while the state’s eastern panhandle has had extreme drought conditions.

Declaring a state of emergency allows the state to access different pools of money and resources to respond to emergencies in a timely manner.

Pray that Jesus Christ miraculously captures the heart of Shabana Mahmood, UK's new justice secretary, as she takes charge of UK's criminal-justice system:

Shabana Mahmood, Britain’s new Lord Chancellor

I am referring to the nasty, vulgar story spread on X and other platforms that JD Vance had....relations with his couch. Specific page numbers from his book were given as a source citation, but when checked, nothing of the kind was there.

These kinds of lies, while titillating, should not be promulgated when actual truths should be sufficient to discourage voting for him.

If a title could be given to this psalm, it would have to be “True Repentance”. Within the words of this psalm can be seen the anguish of a man who had suddenly realized the enormity of his sin before the Lord. The Psalm begins in verses 1-4, “Be gracious to me, O God, according to Your loving kindness; according to the greatness of Your compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against You, You only, I have sinned and done what is evil in Your sight, so that You are justified when You speak and blameless when You judge.”

In the NASV, there is a short descriptive introduction above Psalm 51 that states that the psalm was written by David after he had been confronted by Nathan. If that is correct, then the psalm was written at one of the darkest moments of David’s life. David’s lust had driven him into adultery with Bathsheba, and he ultimately had her husband, Uriah, killed so that he could marry her. It was then that the prophet, Nathan, proclaimed God’s condemnation before the King.

Even in the world of violence that exists today, David’s actions would be viewed as shockingly criminal. How could a man, who is apparently so close to God, fall into such sin? Of course, the answer can be found in Paul’s words when he wrote that all have sinned. Even David had to battle with that “old man of sin”, and, in this case, he failed miserably.

Today, when someone is accused of something, the response may be hostility or an attempt to shift the blame. Another result can be guilt and remorse over what had happened. But remorse and repentance are not necessarily the same thing. When Judas realized what he had done, he experienced a great feeling of remorse. He tried to ease his conscience by giving back the money he had accepted. When that failed, he committed suicide.

However, David’s actions were different. If Psalm 51 was written after the adultery, murder, and accusation by Nathan, his actions were especially significant. Instead of hiding, or denying the charges, David turned to God in prayer and repentance. He did not try to justify or explain his actions. He recognized what he had done and threw himself on the mercy of God. Regardless of what happened, the important point is that David did turn back to the Lord.

Today, most Christians can say truthfully that they are not guilty of the same actions of David. However, each Christian does have his, or her, weaknesses or faults. It may be gossip, an unforgiving spirit, alcohol, unfaithfulness, a lack of commitment, or an infinite variety of other things. When a person has failed to control that particular passion or drive, the realization of sin and weakness must be faced. At such times, the same cry will be heard, “Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions.“

For Christians, there is an added assurance that David did not have. David’s prayer for mercy was based upon a faith and love that did not have the revelation of the good news about Jesus Christ. The Lord knew that His children would stumble and fall, but the sacrifice of Jesus Christ would be the source of constant cleansing. The key for a Christian would be faith and love for the Lord.

Today, the fulfillment of God’s plan is here. Even though Christians try and fail, there is forgiveness in Jesus Christ. For a Christian, that forgiveness is guaranteed AS LONG as that Christian walks in the light of the Lord. The only way that that promise can be lost is for a person to deliberately reject and turn away from the relationship that is established in Jesus Christ.

Verses 7 through 12 teach an important lesson about what happens to a person that rejects the way of the Lord. The result of such actions are spiritual darkness and pain. David’s joy and motivation had been destroyed by his actions. They could only return through the forgiveness of God. Likewise, a broken relationship between an erring Christian and God will result in a tragic life. Like Adam and Eve, the first thought is to HIDE from the Lord God. However, in Jesus Christ there is always forgiveness for those that truly repent and return to the Lord.

Verse 17 carries a final thought that is the key to the entire psalm, “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God you will not despise”. As people surrender their lives to the Lord, the darkness will leave, and a true sense of peace will be found. It really is that simple.

What does persecution look like in Central African Republic?​

The Central African Republic (CAR) has been in constant conflict since 2013—and the persecution situation has changed very little in that period. Many of the factions (including the infamous Wagner mercenary group from Russia) involved in the decade-long conflict have been credibly accused of human rights violations, even as they now control much of the country. Christian leaders who dare to publicly denounce the violence have been threatened, and their church buildings have been burned and ransacked.
Some of the anti-government militias target the Christian community, and in the many regions these rebel groups control, believers are at risk for abduction, murder, sexual violence and other horrific treatment. Militias also force believers into their ranks, leaving devastated families and communities. Christians in conflict zones are at risk not just because of their faith, but also simply because they are in conflict zones.
The conflict has resulted in the displacement of thousands of Christians forced to live in camps and lose their homes and livelihoods. In addition to the insecurity and violence, converts from Islam also face persecution (ostracized, pressured and even attacked) from their immediate family members and local community. Believers risk discrimination in the workplace, forced marriage, and having their children taken away. The threat is very real for Christians across CAR.

Who is most vulnerable to persecution?​

Violent persecution against Christians is most severe in the country's northern and eastern regions. But Christians who are converts from Islam face pressure across Central African Republic.

Meet "Zakia"​

"One Sunday after the church service, [my husband] picked up some clients to take them to the neighbouring village. Armed Fulani men stopped him and shot him. Christians are their preferred targets."
ZAKIA, A WIDOW IN CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC WHOSE HUSBAND WAS KILLED BY MILITANTS WHILE HE WAS DRIVING A TAXI

Click to expand...

What has changed this year?​

Life continues to be hard and dangerous for Christians in Central African Republic. The violent conflict between the various factions around the country shows no signs of stopping, and Christian communities are often caught in the middle. Many churches have had to close because of the violence, and Christian homes and businesses have been attacked and ruined. Both Christians and Muslims have been forced into displacement camps, leaving behind their lives and belongings. This ongoing crisis worsens year after year as the fighting continues. This year's constitutional referendum passed without violence—but also may lead to increased corruption, as it allows the current president to seek a third term and attempts to silence opposition parties. Observers fear the impact of the referendum on the security situation in Central African Republic.
The situation is made even worse for Christians because of the instability in countries around Central African Republic. It means that Christians trying to find refuge from the violence often have to flee to countries that are also dangerous for followers of Jesus.

What does Open Doors do to help Christians in Central African Republic?​

Open Doors works through local partners to support believers in the Central African Republic with persecution survival training, economic empowerment projects and trauma care.

How can you pray for Central Republic of Africa?​

• The conflict in Central African Republic has lasted more than a decade, peace seems so far off. Pray that God would miraculously bring about a peaceful resolution to the constant fighting.
• Ask God to preserve His people who risk violence to follow Him, particularly in areas where they are targets of extremists. Pray these believers would be protected.
• Pray that God would provide—physically, spiritually and emotionally—for Christians in Central African Republic who struggle to make ends meet, endure violence and live in political chaos.

A PRAYER FOR CAR
Father, the situation in Central African Republic seems so impossible and hopeless. It's been going on for so long, and there are no signs of relief. But we know You are a God who is not limited by the hopeless—we ask You to intervene and bring about changes in the country, that peace would come and relief would be available for people there. We ask for Your deliverance of Your people in Central African Republic, that they would be protected from harm and allowed to worship You. We pray for churches to be able to reopen without fear and for the worship of Jesus to ring out across the country. We know You can do this, God, and we ask you these things in Jesus' name, Amen.