In 722 BC, 2 Kings 17:

6 In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria captured Samaria and deported the Israelites to Assyria. He settled them in Halah, in Gozan on the Habor River and in the towns of the Medes.

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Hoshea was the last king of the Northern Kingdom. People of the Northern Kingdom were exiled to the Assyria/Median Empire.

24 Then the king of Assyria brought people from Babylon, Cuthah, Avva, Hamath, and Sepharvaim and settled them in the towns of Samaria to replace the Israelites. They took possession of Samaria and lived in its towns.

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The Northern Kingdom of Israel, i.e., Samaria, was conquered by the Assyrians in 722 BC. The people of the Northern Kingdom were deported and dispersed throughout the Assyrian/Median Empire. This was the Assyrian Captivity.

The Babylonian captivity came more than a century later. In 586 BC, Jerusalem fell to the Babylonians under King Nebuchadnezzar. 2 Kings 25:

11 Then Nebuzaradan captain of the guard carried into exile the people who remained in the city, along with the deserters who had defected to the king of Babylon and the rest of the population. 12 But the captain of the guard left behind some of the poorest of the land to tend the vineyards and fields.

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Jerusalem fell. Some of the people of the Southern Kingdom were exiled to Babylonia.

In 537 BC, 2 Chronicles 36:

22 Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and also put it in writing: 23“Thus says Cyrus king of Persia, ‘The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whoever is among you of all his people, may the LORD his God be with him. Let him go up.’”

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Cyrus was a Babylonian king, not an Assyrian king. He primarily addressed the people of the Southern Kingdom of Judah. However, descendants of the exiled Northern Kingdom could conceivably claim to be the LORD's people and return to their fathers' land.

Ezekiel prophesied to the exiles in 37:

21 you are to tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘I will take the Israelites out of the nations to which they have gone, and I will gather them from all around and bring them into their own land. 22I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel, and one king will rule over all of them. Then they will no longer be two nations and will never again be divided into two kingdoms.

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It was fulfilled in (BSB) Ezra 2:

70 So the priests, the Levites, the singers, the gatekeepers, and the temple servants, along with some of the people, settled in their own towns; and the rest of the Israelites settled in their towns.

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The returned exiles were mostly from the Southern Kingdom of Judah, and some were from the Northern Kingdom of Israel.

my mom is having surgery please pray for her

Arizona House Republicans blocked two attempts on Wednesday to repeal an 1864 law protecting life at conception.

In a near party-line 30-30 vote on Wednesday, House Democrats failed to gain a majority of votes to suspend the Legislature’s rules to fast-track a so-called “abortion ban repeal” bill that would have overturned the 1864 pro-life law.

Dormant since being invalidated by Roe v. Wade in 1973, the 1864 law protects all unborn life from conception and imposes prison time for those who “provide, supply, or administer” an abortion.

This temporarily stalls ongoing efforts to repeal the law, which is set to go into effect in the next 37 days.

Continued below.

Our Father would have us to “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2Pe 3:18). He lovingly carries this out by delivering us “unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the Life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh” (2Co 4:11). The natural tendency of many Christians who are seeking to advance is to avoid the Cross in every possible way, but that is simply to surrender all possibility of true spiritual growth and maturity.

In order to grow we cannot by-pass that element which is most unattractive, yet altogether essential to our coming into close fellowship with the Lord Jesus. It is daily crucifixion of the indwelling Adam life. Our crucifixion death must always precede the glorious resurrection life even as the surgeon’s knife must precede physical well-being, as darkness must come before the dawn. Death is not the tomb of, but the womb of resurrection life.

Great is the reward of those who will trust the Holy Spirit to take them into that process of spiritual growth of life via death. It will increasingly result in a very intimate life and walk with the Lord Jesus, a glorious life of freedom from the power of sin, and a life of abounding fruitfulness to the glory of the Father. Still, many are satisfied to exist as mediocre and carnal Christians (a Christian can be “carnal” - 1Co 3:3, but not “carnally minded” - Rom 8:6, 7. Carnally minded manifests what is in the heart, and one reborn will grow away from the immaturity of being carnal—NC).

Most believers see clearly that the Lord Jesus died on the Cross for them, that He actually bore the penalty of their sins (1Pe 2:24); but all too few realize that He did not die alone, that each who would believe died unto sin with Him (Rom 6:8-11). The Father sees every believer as having died with His Son. Judicially, we were crucified with Him at Calvary (Galatians 2:20). Actually, that finished work must be developed in us through daily experience until it becomes a literal reality on our lives. “That I may know Him . . . being made conformable unto His death (Phl 3:10).

The Holy Spirit knows the most effective way of disciplining each life. Some believers suffer severe financial loss, and the constant stringency that follows is used by Him to crucify that natural love of independence. Some experience prolonged physical infirmity, and this the Spirit uses to cause them to die to their self-will, self-independence and self-pity (i.e. dying to “the old man”—NC). Others have social problems with friends and relatives that He uses in order to bring them to the place of crucifixion. Whether at home, at school, at work or at church, He puts them in situations that sorely try them (not a testing of pass or fail but always for faith-strengthening—NC), or with persons that are a “thorn in the flesh.” He places the refined with the coarse, the methodical with the slipshod, the quick with the slow, the bright with the dull and the spiritual with the carnal (you can be saved and carnal but not “carnal-minded” and saved - 1Co 3:3; Rom 8:6, 7; and the carnal will mature to spirituality – Phl 2:13—NC).

Inevitably they grate upon each other. However, the Lord will use such relationship for great spiritual profit to both. If He does not deliberately bring them into such naturally undesirable circumstances for their training, then He will use just such trying places into which they have gotten themselves through their own self-will, self-preservation, self-confidence, self-pleasing and failure to follow Him (regardless, God will eventually “work” (Phl 2:13) in every believer—NC).

Possibly some of you husbands and wives are now in such circumstances in your relationships with each other, or toward your children or your relatives, or at work. Don’t seek to change you circumstances! Seek the Lord Jesus to change your source of life, and in due time He will properly adjust your situation. Your present difficulties are the very means He would use to bring you down into death so that He can form the Lord Jesus’ own life in you. “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son” (Ro 8:28, 29).

Let us consider an illustration of the Father’s processing for our growth. An abundant supply of herring may be found near one of England’s own coasts. When brought to shore to be sold, the fisherman found that they became flabby and flavorless. By installing tanks on their fishing vessels and thus keeping the herring alive until sold, their problem was largely solved.

But one ingenious fisherman devised a means of keeping them in perfect condition. Everyone insisted on buying his herring first. Finally, he told his secret. In each of his numerous large tanks filled with herring, he put a catfish or two. Now, catfish chase herring and eat them. They were welcome t a few for their service, for the herring kept fleeing for their lives and retained their vitality and flavor.

Has the Father put a spiritual catfish in your circumstanced to keep you moving toward Him; a catfish that is wearing the life out of you, your natural life, so that you will know what it is to live “hid with Christ in God”? Oh, thanks Him for the catfish in your life! If you do, that will be the occasion for your becoming strong and usable, and a glory to His name. “In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you” (1Th 5:18).

Paul recognized his catfish (a “thorn in the flesh”), let it serve its purpose, and profited greatly by it. Job has his in his wife and his comforters; Moses has his in his sister. Joseph had his in his brothers and at his work in Potiphar’s palace. David had his in Saul, the head of the government. But the Lord Jesus is our best example, as always. He had no money, not even a penny to look at (Judas always took care of the money—NC). He had no home (because of His travels—NC), nowhere to “lay His head” (Mat 8:20). His relatives criticized Him. One of the twelve denied Him. Another betrayed Him. Satan dogged His every step. His own people received Him not. At their demand, the authorities crucified Him. So “consider Him that endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds” (Heb 12:3).

You, too, will grow and be used of the Father as you willingly humble yourself under His mighty hand of love by submitting to the Spirit’s probing into the deep recesses of your inner life, and thereby bringing the sinful “old man” out into the open and keeping it under the death of the Cross where it belongs (thanking God that we’re not part of its sins in thought, word or seed – Ro 8:9; also Ro 7:17 20—NC). You are called to “reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord”; “So then death worketh in us, but life in you” (Rom 6:11; 2Co 4:12).

Actually, the real catfish resides within each of us—there is “something fishy” all right—none other than the “old man.” As that Adam-element is dealt with by the Cross (just know it’s still on the Cross, detained from salvific harm, but not from delaying spiritual-growth activity—NC), there will be freedom to grow in the midst of any and all circumstances. A weakness be it bodily or otherwise is sometimes allowed to continue in order that there may be dependence, and when there is real reliance, the weakness becomes a gain; the grit, that trying thing, is superseded by a “pearl of great price”!

—Unknown






MJS daily devotional excerpt for April 17

“The difficult thing for most hungry-hearted believers is to wait in dependence upon the Lord for everything. Truth is not to be grasped, but received—received by faith, mainly through study. How true this is concerning reckoning! Many seek to reckon before they understand the scriptural facts upon which to count, and that adds up to failure. The secret is to learn the truth of our identification with the Lord Jesus so thoroughly that reckoning and its resultant growth will come as a matter of course, just as in our justification.” -MJS

“The death of our Lord on the Cross has depths of meaning that can only be plumbed by way of discovered need, but then reveals ‘unsearchable riches.’ To the believer who still has hopes of ‘attaining’ in the Christian life, a verse such as Romans 6:11 is a rather meaningless jargon used by those who give messages on the ‘deepening of the spiritual life.’

“To the believer who has been taught by the Holy Spirit something of his own utter, inbred sinfulness, it comes as a message from God full of hope and encouragement. He grasps the rescue rope flung to him by the right hand of Omnipotence, and with humble thankfulness sets out to learn how he can reckon himself dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God in Jesus Christ our Lord. When he looks at the Cross he sees there the fact that not only did the Lord Jesus die for him, but that he himself was taken down into His death, in order that the practical reality of His resurrection life might transform him into the divine likeness.” - James Campbell Moore (1863-1932)

I have been reflecting lately on the little things my husband does that let me know he loves me. I don’t think he consciously does it to say “hey I love you,” but it still shows that he is thinking of me and loves me. It made me curious, what things does your spouse do to show that they love you?

I will start….

He sets up the coffee each night so that it is ready for me when I wake up in the morning.

He knew I was having an off day yesterday, and bought me my favorite treats on his way home from work.

I just don't think I have EVER seen any other President ilicit death threats from his supporters.

I certainly have my reasons and a lot of it has to do with his cult leader like strategies he uses subconsciously often I'm sure IMHO, but I'm curious of everyone else's thoughts.


Why is Trump seen by his supporters as more a savior than president? Is it just because he repeats ad nauseum that he is the only one who can save America and they believe him?

I'm sorry but this picture is not typical "support your politician " behaviour and it seems very common

In the last nearly 7 months, there have been 2, major attacks, against the "jew", but we will call it Israel.

OCT 7 was the first, and this is well documented, and now, a few days ago, you have Iran (Islam) attacking Israel in the middle of the night, as the devil loves the darkness.......

Many many Ballistic , Cruise Missiles, and at least 200 Attack Drones were sent in by Islam (Iran) to try to kill Jewish citizens.

Here are some photos, of a few of the Ballistic Missiles and a video.
I wanted you to see the size of just ONE of the Ballistic Missiles so that you can get a real sense of just how much damage and death Islam was trying to again, inflict on the JEW., as they fired over 100 of these... and not just these.

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Our God is a faithful God. He fulfills all his promises and all that he has said that he will do. He is completely truthful and trustworthy. We can depend on him. He loves us with an unconditional love that surpasses our human understanding. His wisdom is fathomless; his mercies unending. His word is absolutely faultless, i.e. that which is God-breathed and that which even now exists as he is a living God and he is still speaking to us.

In faithfulness, truthfulness and righteousness he leads his children (followers of Christ) in his ways and in his truth. He changes our hearts to make them more like him. He protects us spiritually from the forces of evil that would come against us. He provides all that we need for life and love. He created us so he knows us inside and out like no other. So, he is the best one to diagnose the wounds of hearts and to show us the way to healing.

When we accept God’s invitation to faith in his Son, by God’s grace, via Christ’s death and resurrection, and through faith in what Jesus did for us in freeing us from our sins, Jesus Christ becomes our husband and we become his bride. It is important that we understand this relationship in this respect, because when we marry Jesus we vow to love, honor, obey, and be faithful to him, forsaking all others (forsaking our sins, self, and “other gods”).

In Faithfulness He Leads Me

An Original Work / March 20, 2013 / Based off Various Scriptures
(Ps. 26:3; 86:11; 91:4-5; 111:7-8; 119:73-76; Is. 25:1,4&9; 42:6-7; Hos. 2:16-20)

Teach me Your ways, Lord, and I’ll walk in them.
Give me a pure heart. I’ll fear Your name.
Your love is always, ever before me.
Continually I’ll walk in Your truth.
You will cover me with feathers.
Under Your wings I’ll find refuge.
My Lord’s faithfulness will be my
Comfort and my shield.
The works of His hands are faithful and just.
Trustworthy are all of His precepts.

Your hands have made me, and they have formed me.
Give understanding of Your commands.
I have put my hope, O Lord, in Your word.
Your teachings, O Lord, are righteousness.
Lord, in faithfulness You have
Afflicted me so I may learn of
Your unfailing love and comfort
And Your truthfulness.
You are my husband; You have betrothed me
In love, compassion and faithfulness.

O Lord, You are my God, I’ll exalt You.
In faithfulness You’ve done wondrous things.
You’ve been a refuge for those who’re needy;
A shelter in storms; shade from the heat.
This is the Lord, we trusted in Him,
Let us be glad and rejoice
In His salvation which He
Provided through the Lamb.
Open the blind eyes; free all the captives.
Tell them of Jesus: “Be born again!”

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Reader,

When a person hears the "Gospel", as, "faith comes by hearing" ... then this faith is proof something happened in the heart of the Believer that God SEES... as "God sees the heart"
And what is that, that God sees that has happened inside you?

God sees your "repentance" ....that is of the kind that God accepts, and that is not repenting from sin....but its repenting from UNBELIEF.

See, God is not looking for people who are willing to "clean up"... as = ""Jesus came into the world to save SINNERS"

See that Reader?

God is looking for FAITH IN CHRIST...and then God will clean you ............So, God is looking for FAITH.....as that proves you have repented from your UNBELIEF.... and God takes that FAITH, and accepts that one time FAITH = forever..... and then He does this...

A.) He takes ALL your sin, and puts it on Jesus,

"God hath made Jesus to be SIN for us".... = as if Jesus is YOU THE SINNER, and then Christ dies on the Cross, for ALL YOUR SIN..

and then,,.

God takes that Righteous LIFE that Jesus LIVED.. and God gives it to you... "imputs it".. ."charges it to you", as if you lived it all your life.

This is to become "a New Creation, In Christ".

See that?
That is : SALVATiON....

Its Jesus becoming our wrong and our sin, and us, = through God's Grace.... God gives us His own RIGHTEOUSNESS, as if we were always righteous, and will always be.. RIGHTEOUS. = to become BORN AGAIN.

This is the "imputed righteousness" that God gives you the INSTANT you trusted in Christ, and you remain "made righteous".. having become "the righteousness of God, in Christ".... = FOREVER.

Welcome to : Salvation

Its a "GIFT"..... an Eternal Gift.

God created light on day one and there are YEC who say that was 6,000 years ago. For me I am YEC because Adam lived 6,000 years ago.

The question for YEC is what about the speed of light. The light you look at from stars and distant galaxy are 13 billion light years away. We can actually see the beginning of the universe because the light is just now getting here to us. If you can travel at the speed of light it would take 4.25 years to get to the nearest star. This is why I do not believe aliens have been to the earth. It would take 9 months for us to get to mars.

There actually is no time at the speed of light. I believe that the universe is 13 billion years old and the age or era we live in began 13,000 years ago with each day in genesis being 1,000 years. They call this dispensationalism.

I say I am YEC because Adam and Eve lived 6,000 years ago. History and Science confirms this to be true. This was the beginning of civilization. It was also the beginning of the Hebrew people.

• New research, based on Y-chromosome analysis, reveals intriguing insights.
• A study published in The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found a genetic link between Jews and Palestinians.
• This link suggests that these two peoples, despite their long-standing conflict, indeed share a common ancestry dating back 4,000 years.
• The study focused on the Y chromosome, which is passed from father to son.

We who have been called of God to proclaim the excellencies of him who called us out of darkness into his wonderful light are all who are of genuine God-gifted and God-persuaded faith in Jesus Christ. Not one of us is exempt. We are not to be withholding the truth of the gospel from the people of the world, and we are not to shirk our responsibilities to the body of Christ to minister to one another’s needs and to exhort one another in the faith.

But so many people today who are professing faith in Jesus Christ are not living the faith that they profess. They are not walking in the ways of the Lord, but they are still living to gratify the desires of the flesh. Their lives are centered around themselves and what they want out of life, and they are not centered around Jesus Christ and what he wants us to do in love response to him for what he did for us in dying on that cross for our sins.

And so it appears, at least here in America, that not many professers of faith in Jesus Christ are living the lives that God called all of us to live. And they are not impacting other people’s lives for Jesus Christ, because they are not compelled to do so. For so many of them are being taught that nothing is required of them other than an innocuous “faith” in Jesus Christ which makes no requirements for dying to sin and living to God to do his will.

But Jesus gave his life up for us on that cross to redeem us out of our lives of slavery to sin so that we will now serve God with our lives and honor him in all that we do. He saved us and called us to a holy calling so that we will now live in submission to him as Lord (Owner-Master) of our lives. And he has a plan and a purpose for each one of us that he wants us to do, in his power, if we will just surrender our wills to the will of God for our lives.

For to love God is to submit to him as Lord, and it is to surrender our lives to him to do his will, and it is to deny self, to die daily to sin, and to follow him in obedience to his commands. For if we claim to know him and to be in fellowship with him but while we continue living in sin, and while we do not obey him with our lives, then we are liars who do not live by the truth. For love is not just what we speak, but it is shown by what we do.

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

I Will Lift My Eyes

An Original Work / December 12, 2012
Based off Psalms 121-125

I will lift my eyes to my Lord Most High.
My help comes from Him, who saved me from sin.
He will not let your foot slip, and He who watches will not sleep.
Our Lord watches over you, and your life He will keep.
I will lift my eyes to my Lord Most High.
My help comes from Him, who saved me from sin.
I give thanks to Him.

I will lift my eyes to my God in heav’n.
I look to the Lord. My sins, He’s forgiv’n.
Because of His great love for us, He made us alive with Christ.
Through the kindness of our Savior, He gave us new life.
I will lift my eyes to my God in heav’n.
I look to the Lord. My sins, He’s forgiv’n;
My home, now in heav’n.

Praise be to the Lord, who is on our side.
Our help found in Him. He gives peace within.
Those who trust will ne’er be shaken. God will supply all we need.
Our Lord has done great things for us. He’s our friend, indeed!
Praise be to the Lord, who is on our side.
Our help found in Him. He gives peace within.
I can count on Him.

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How can I not feel bad about it? Bible tells we are saved by grace and we are blamess, but part of me still want to fight the sin, and I feel iam powerless and I have fallen into same sins quiet many many times and I go and ask forgivness again, I feel like I just not sure if God hears me, and why doesnt I have strength?
Is falling into same sins form of tribulation? OR iam just weak christians who dont make it to heaven, coz I struggle with being obedient, I feel far from God, heart gets hardened. I dont want that, I did pray today free times and want to ask God why I fall into same sin, why cant it just be removed and takes away.. What is this all about I dont get that.. iam bit confused and question about if iam being even saved to start with

Jesus did so much for ini that cross, why cant we overcome and love him and be done with this sins allready..
I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. ..but how then

To see all my reach and teach devotions in Chinese/English and hundreds of devotions in English, please click on this link.

我们有了一种分享灵修的新方式，要查看我所有的中文/英文灵修以及成百上千的英文灵修，请点击以下链接。

TBL China – The Bottom Line, Ministries

DEALING WITH SHORTCOMINGS

From: Karen Parrish


For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works…Titus 2:11-13.”

因为　神救众人的恩典已经显明出来， 教训我们除去不敬虔的心和世俗的情欲，在今世自守、公义、敬虔度日， 等候所盼望的福，并等候至大的　神和我们（或译：　神－我们）救主耶稣基督的荣耀显现。 (提多书 2:11-13 和合本)
那把自己给我们，救赎我们这些他所拣选属自己独特的人群，脱离一切不法不圣洁，他是如此的热情和充满善行。

Wow! That is a mouthful of “right living.” In my early Christian days, I would have said, “no way can I do all that!” However, the longer I walk with Abba Father, I realize that I was totally right! The only way we can deny ungodliness and worldly lusts is to walk with Abba Father, make Him the Lord of every area of our life, and talk to Him constantly! Even doing those three obligations, we still miss the mark!
哇！这是说出了多么正确的生活方式。在早斯的基督徒生活中，我会说完全做到这些是不可能的。然而，当我越长时间的跟随天父，我认识到我是完全正确的。我们唯一可以远离不敬虔和属世的生活方式是与父同行，让天父上帝进入我们生活的每个领域，不断的向父说话。尽管我们做到了上述三种责任，仍然可能没有完成目标。
My dear brothers and sisters, it is a daily walk, one day at a time to keep our focus on our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I have said it before, and I will say it again, I believe Satan’s greatest “hit” on Christians is to keep them distracted from what is truly important in the Christian’s life. When we get caught up in this world, as well as the things of this world, and that includes relationships that supersede Christ, we get into big trouble. There should be nothing in our life that we value or love more than Christ. However, we constantly lose focus of that because we are such tangible human beings. Since Abba Father made us this way, I happen to feel He knows our shortcomings on a level we don’t comprehend.
我亲爱的弟兄姐妹，这是每天的行走，每天都要有特定的时间将注意力放在我们的救主耶稣基督上。我以前已经说过，我还要说，我知道撒旦对基督徒的重大打击是，是让他们不能集中注意力在对于基督徒的生活真正重要的事情上。当我们被世界和世界上的事抓住，取代了我们和神之间的关系，我们就有大麻烦了。在我们的生活中不应该有任何价值观或者爱超越了基督。然而我们不断失去对神的聚焦，因为我们是如此真实的人类。自从天父带领我们走这条路，我感觉到天父知道我们的短处，知道我们处在一个不能理解的水平。

My prayer is that I, and hopefully you, will comprehend our shortcomings from Abba Father’s perspective. Why? Because when I understand those shortcomings from His perspective, I can more easily deal with them, and hopefully eradicate them as problems. The closer we walk with Abba Father, we can rely on the Holy Spirit to intercede and interpret for us, and through our walk with Him, we will be able to deny the things of this world. Through the denial, we will be conforming to the image of Christ, and will know and experience peace beyond description! I love the last part of the above verse where you and I are called “special”! I am so thankful Abba Father sees you and I as special! Praise Father, Son, and Holy Spirit!
我的祷告是，希望你会领悟，从天父的角度看我们的短处，为什么？当我从上帝的角度看我的短处，对付它们会更简单一些。希望我们可以把它当做问题来根除他们。我们与天父走的越近，我们可以依靠圣灵来为我们调解和诠释，我们与父同行，就能抵挡这个世界，通过抵挡我们就会遵行上帝的旨意。我们就会经历难以描述的平安。我喜欢最后几句话，你我被认为是独特的，我如此感谢上帝视你我为独特，赞美天父，神的羔羊和圣灵的大能！




pastor john macarthur



Discernment Between Truth and Error

辨析真理与谬误

“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God; and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God; and this is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world” (1 John 4:1-3).
“亲爱的弟兄啊，一切的灵，你们不可都信，总要试验那些灵是出于神的不是，因为世上有许多假先知已经出来了。凡灵认耶稣基督是成了肉身来的，就是出于 神的；从此你们可以认出 神的灵来。凡灵不认耶稣，就不是出于 神，这是那敌基督者的灵。你们从前听见他要来，现在已经在世上了。”（约翰一书4：1-3）

God’s children are able to discern false doctrine.
上帝的孩子可以分辨错误的教义。

A sure mark of every false religious system is doctrinal error, particularly about the Person and work of Jesus Christ. Those systems deny that He is Savior and Lord, God in human flesh, the only way to the Father (John 14:6) because salvation comes only through Him (Acts 4:12).
每个错误的宗教体系的标志就是谬误教义，特别是关于耶稣基督的人性和事工。那些体系否认耶稣是救主和主、道成肉身、与父神连接的唯一道路（约翰福音14：6），因为只有藉着祂才能得救（使徒行传4：12）。

A sure mark, then, of all true children of God is that they believe the truth about Jesus Christ and do not deviate into doctrinal error. Although they may be temporarily duped by false teaching, they will not be permanently deceived by it. The apostle John wrote, “[False teachers] are from the world; therefore they speak as from the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God; he who knows God listens to us; he who is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error” (1 John 4:5-6).
而上帝真正儿女的标志是他们相信耶稣基督的真理，并不被错误的教义迷惑。他们虽然可能暂时地被假教导欺骗，却不会长久地被蒙蔽。使徒约翰写道“（假师傅）是属世界的，所以论世界的事，世人也听从他们。我们是属神的，认识 神的就听从我们；不属 神的就不听从我们。从此我们可以认出真理的灵和谬妄的灵来”（约翰一书4：5-6）。

When you were saved, you were clear about who Christ was. “Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ,” writes John, “is born of God” (1 John 5:1). Had you not passed that doctrinal test, you wouldn’t have been saved. God’s children distinguish spiritual truth from doctrinal error because the Spirit of truth (John 14:16) indwells them.
你若得救，你就清楚知道基督是谁。“凡信耶稣是基督的，都是从 神而生”约翰写道（约翰一书5：1）。如果你没有通过教义考试，你就没有得救。上帝的孩子可以分辨属灵真理和谬误教义，因为有真理的圣灵住在他们里面（约翰福音14：16）。

“O Timothy,” Paul exhorted his beloved son in the faith, “guard what has been entrusted to you, avoiding worldly and empty chatter and the opposing arguments of what is falsely called ‘knowledge’” (1 Tim. 6:20). I pray that you will guard the precious treasure of truth entrusted to you in the Scriptures and so assure your heart that you belong to the God of truth.
“提摩太啊，”保罗嘱咐他所爱的属灵儿子“你要保守所托付你的，躲避世俗的虚谈和那敌真道、似是而非的学问”（提摩太前书6：20）。我祈求你能保守圣经中赐给你的真理的宝贵财富，保证你的心属于真理的上帝。
【Copyright 2007, Grace to You. All rights reserved. Used by permission.】
Suggestions for Prayer 祷告建议

Thank God for revealing His truth to us in the Bible.
感谢上帝将祂的真理藉着圣经启示给我们。

For Further Study 进深研究


Read John 1:1; Philippians 2:5-11; Colossians 2:9. What do they teach about the Person of Christ?
阅读约翰福音1：1， 腓利比书2：5-11，歌罗西书2：9。他们是如何教导基督的人性？





SOAK IN SCRIPTURE

God is Eternal, Part 1

Paul Washer | Perfect will of God

HeartCry Missionary Society

sermonaudio.com/sermon/52219711143644

God is Eternal, Part 2

Paul Washer | Perfect will of God

HeartCry Missionary Society

sermonaudio.com/sermon/5221978313774


God is Eternal, Part 3

Paul Washer | Perfect will of God

HeartCry Missionary Society

sermonaudio.com/sermon/5221976387335

A pilot from the Royal Flying Doctor Service holds hands with a kangaroo.


Incidentally the RFDS was largely started by the Rev. John Flynn, a presbyterian pastor.

It was to assist people in the far flung reaches of the outback.

Over 112,000 Americans overdosed in 2023. Over 70,000 overdosed on fentanyl, a particularly dangerous synthetic opioid. While it’s easy to focus on numbers, we can’t forget that these aren’t statistics. They’re people. They leave behind parents, brothers, sisters and children. They’re futures lost. They’re lives squandered.

We owe it to victims of this epidemic to do everything we can to curb the flow of fentanyl from overseas (where the vast majority of it originates) into American cities and towns. This poison is a direct threat to the security of America’s citizens. And, though America’s borders are a point of grave concern, they are also the best opportunity we have to seize fentanyl and damage the cartels responsible.

Click to expand...

This seems like a good idea to me. What do you think?

Hi everyone, I have been pondering this, but I am not sure if this is scriptural and legit or not. Let me know what you think! My question is this- when did God create the universe? I think the answer is- never! God created time! The bible does say that God created the heavens and the earth in 7 days and I believe that, but when were the 7 days? Space and time are connected, there is space-time and the space-time continuum. I believe the "heavens" described in the bible are the universe. What do you think of this?

A coalition of Christian groups — including Catholic nuns, Anglican nuns, Catholic dioceses, and other faith-based ministries — defended their religious freedom rights to abstain from covering abortions in their health care plans in front of New York’s highest court on Tuesday.

The New York State Court of Appeals heard oral arguments in a lawsuit that challenges a New York Department of Financial Services regulation that could require the organizations to cover “medically necessary” abortions. Although the law includes a narrow religious exemption, the strict criteria needed to qualify for the exemption could prevent many faith-based organizations from being approved.

Even though the New York State Court of Appeals previously upheld the regulation, the United States Supreme Court asked that the court reconsider its ruling in light of the new religious freedom precedent set in 2021.

Noel Francisco, the lawyer representing the religious groups, told the seven-judge panel that the regulation would force these groups to violate their religious beliefs. He said the narrow religious exemption allows some faith-based groups to abstain from funding abortion but that others fail to qualify, which effectively lets the state “pick religious winners and losers.”

Continued below.

Is it immoral to bypass paywalls? This is a question that many of us internet users might have asked. I will provide a secular and theological explanation of why bypassing paywalls is immoral, though I do bypass paywalls myself, often to help others on CF get access to news from New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Forbes, and others. In the very near future, I will post a companion to this post, discussing why paywalls might be unethical. EDIT April 18, 2024 @ 6:15 PM: I will no longer be using paywall bypassing software to access or to summarize paywall articles, as the wonderful folks on this forum have changed my mind. From now on, all articles summarized by me or AI will be articles that are meant to be publicly available or open-access. For articles behind a paywall, some local libraries have legal agreements with news agencies to allow readers to access articles using a library card code. So, if you folks want to read a WaPo or NYT article for free (legally), please contact your local library for more information.

This type of popup is known as a paywall (Wiki link), for those who have not heard this term. A paywall is used to restrict access to news articles that require a subscription. Some newspapers, such as The Guardian, BBC (news) and the Onion (satire) do not use paywalls, and instead run on an ad-revenue and/or donation-based fee model.



Secular Perspective

1. Intellectual Property Rights: Paywalls are often used by publishers to protect their intellectual property and generate revenue. By bypassing them, one is essentially stealing the content that the publisher has worked hard to produce and distribute.
2. Fairness and Integrity: Paywalls create a level playing field for all consumers who are willing to pay for the content. By bypassing them, one is not contributing to the revenue stream that supports the creation and distribution of quality journalism or research.
3. Moral Responsibility: By paying for content, one assumes moral responsibility for supporting the creators and ensuring that they can continue to produce high-quality work. Bypassing paywalls undermines this responsibility and can lead to a culture of entitlement and disregard for the value of intellectual labor.

Biblical Perspective:

1. Stewardship: The Bible teaches that we are stewards of God's resources and are called to use them wisely and responsibly (2 Corinthians 9:6-8). By paying for content, we are being good stewards of the resources that God has given us and supporting those who produce valuable content.
2. Honesty and Integrity: The Bible also teaches that we are called to be honest and have integrity in all our dealings (Proverbs 12:22, Ephesians 4:25). By bypassing paywalls and taking content that is not rightfully ours, we are violating these principles.
3. Supporting the Work of God's People: The Bible encourages us to support those who labor in the Lord's work, including teachers and preachers (1 Timothy 5:17-18). By paying for content, we are supporting those who are producing valuable work that can help us grow in knowledge and understanding.
4. Fruits of the Spirit: The fruits of the Spirit include kindness, generosity, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). By paying for content and supporting those who produce it, we are exhibiting these fruits in our lives and contributing to a culture of generosity and fairness.

In conclusion, from both a secular logical reasoning/ethics perspective and a Christian Biblical perspective, bypassing paywalls is immoral. It undermines intellectual property rights, creates an unfair playing field, violates moral responsibility, and goes against principles of stewardship, honesty, integrity, and supporting the work of God's people.

Earlier today the Lord Jesus had me share a little bit of my testimony in the writing, “God Chose the Despised,” and again he is leading me to share a little bit of my testimony here, for I really identify with what Paul said here, and the Lord is leading me to share that with you today. So, there may be a little bit of overlap from the previous writing, but the writings will not be the same, I am certain. So, I am just praying for the Lord to lead me in this.

Now, I was born “Susan Jane Thorn” on December 31, 1949, in Akron, Ohio (USA). I had a mother and a father, two older brothers, and two younger sisters. My parents died in the year 2000. My youngest sister died in 2015 and my brother second in age died in 2019. My oldest brother and my sister next to me in age are still living here in the USA. I am closest with my sister. And I believed in Jesus as my Lord and Savior at age 7 at summer camp.

Now I am not a pastor or anyone with any authority over anyone, and I am a firm believer that women should not be in biblical authority over men. But we are all called of God to share the gospel of our salvation with the people of the world. And as Christians we are all called to minister to one another within the body of Christ, and to speak the truth in love to one another, and to exhort one another daily so none of us are deceived by sin.

I am married to my husband Rick of nearly 52 years (in August). We have four grown children (three of them male and one female), all in their 40s, and we have a son-in-law and two daughters-in-law and an x-daughter-in-law. And we have 14 grandchildren from ages 6 to 25 and two grandsons-in-law. And we are a close family, most all of whom profess faith in Jesus Christ, and we enjoy our times together with our family on a frequent basis.

I began teaching the Scriptures at age 16, and I have taught the Scriptures probably 50 years of my life, for I had a period of time in my life where I walked away from my pure devotion to the Lord and I did what was against his will and purpose for my life, for I had been through so much suffering, and so much heartache, and so much persecution that my mind and emotions gave way to sin. But thanks be to God, he brought me back!!

Anyway, I am not a gifted speaker, but the Lord led me in 2020, I believe it was, to begin making video talks of my some of my daily devotions. And I am not a smooth talker and I don’t normally plan out these talks in advance. I normally begin with reading a passage of Scripture and then I just let the Lord lead me in what to say. So it is a lot like we are just sitting across the living room from each other just sharing what we are getting from the word.

So I identify with Paul here. I am not one who proclaims the word of God with lofty speech and lofty wisdom. I just ask the Lord to teach me what he wants me to learn and to share and then I share it as he gives it to me. And I do come to you in weakness and in the fear of the Lord and not thinking I know everything or that y’all are just going to accept whatever I say as truth. I know better. And I know some of you will reject what I say.

But what I am called of God to do is just to share what I am getting from my times with him in his word. And I am called to share Christ crucified on that cross that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. I am called to share the gospel that Jesus taught and that his NT apostles taught which teaches that by faith in Christ we are crucified with Christ in death to sin and raised with Christ to walk in newness of life in him no longer as slaves to sin but as slaves to God and to his righteousness (1 Peter 2:24; Romans 6:1-23).

And I know that does not make me popular. And I know that I am not going to be widely accepted. I know that this will get me hated, rejected, persecuted, abandoned, falsely accused, and the like. And I know people are going to oppose me and fight against me, and some will mock me and think I am crazy or just odd. And I accept that as par for the course of obeying my Lord in doing what he has called me to do in sharing the true gospel.

And I try to regularly remind my readers or listeners to test what I am sharing with them, what I am getting from the teachings of the Scriptures, and against the Scriptures, but taught IN CONTEXT. And test everyone and everything you hear or read, and even what you think you see, for so much today is faked and altered. So many liars are teaching the Scriptures out of context and are making them say what they do not say if taught in context.

So I am here to share Jesus Christ with you, as being called of God and led of the Holy Spirit and for no other reason. I gain nothing from this other than the peace and joy in knowing that I am in the center of God’s will doing what he has called me to do and that God is taking these writings where he wants them to go, and he is using them in other people’s lives for his purposes and for his glory and not for my glory. So God gets all the glory!

Now the Lord has me doing video talks to go along with some of these writings, but the writings and the video talks are not usually scripted, so they are not normally exact duplicates of one another. But here is the video talk for today to go along with this devotion/testimony:

Video Talk

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A Believer’s Prayer

An Original Work / July 31, 2012

With my whole heart, Lord, I pray
To be Yours, and Yours always.
Lead me in Your truth today.
May I love You, and obey.
Lead me in Your righteousness.
When I sin, may I confess;
Bow before You when I pray;
Live for You and You always.

Love You, Jesus, You’re my friend.
Life with You will never end.
You are with me through each day,
Giving love and peace always.
You will ne’er abandon me.
From my sin You set me free.
You died on that cruel tree,
So I’d live eternally.

Soon You’re coming back for me;
From this world to set me free;
Live with You eternally.
Oh, what joy that brings to me.
I will walk with You in white;
A pure bride, I’ve been made right
By the blood of Jesus Christ;
Pardoned by His sacrifice.

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The classes “place students into identitarian groupings based on racial, sexual, and political characteristics to create a rigid framework amongst students where they only see each other as either the ‘oppressor’ or the ‘oppressed,’” the executive summary of the 33-page report states.
And now everyone should realize why there is so much division in our country. So many universities are teaching Marxist-based ideology. Will our freedoms survive?

NOTE: Please understand that weaponized incompetence is NOT "I don't know how to do this task," or "I don't know how to do it as well as you do." Weaponized incompetence is "I'm pretending I don't understand how to do this task, in the hopes that you'll give up on me and do it yourself, and then I won't have to."

I don't know how much plainer I can explain it, so I'll explain it here and see if anybody else finds this concept as absoultely baffling as my husband apparently does after 15 years. Plus I have to vent, before I go off on him. I am SO sick and tired of having the same conversation with him, over and over and over, only to have to have it again the next laundry day.

I have three night gowns, all of the same plain, unadorned style. They kind of look like long t-shirts, not quite knee-length, hitting just past mid thigh. They were bought as a set. When they arrived, I even unwrapped them in front of him, showed him each one, and identified them as night gowns. My night gowns go on a hook on my side of the closet. They do not get put on a hanger and hung up alongside my dresses.

Since, despite explaining all of this, he almost immediately started mistaking them for dresses, I held a gown and a dress up next to each other and pointed out the difference. Notice that the dress is longer. It has a sewn-in waistband and buttons down the front. It is also of a sturdier, more ornate fabric than my gowns are. I pointed out that he only ever sees me wearing the gowns at home. Does he really think I would go to church, or the grocery store, or anywhere else out in public, wearing one of my gowns? If not, then why would he consistently mistake them for dresses?

In fairness, a lot of people don't know the difference between pants and leggings, but after I've explained it a hundred times, shouldn't it start to make a dent? What the US calls pants, and other English-speaking nations call slacks or trousers, are full length. I don't wear skinny jeans, so all of my pants/slacks have straight or slightly flared legs. They have either belt loops or a drawstring, and are of a heavier, more substantial fabric than leggings. My leggings are of a thin fabric, fit skin tight, and stop at mid calf. They have no belt loops or drawstrings. I wear leggings under long tunics or short dresses, never independently as slacks. My pants/slacks/jeans go on hangers in the closet, the same as his do. Leggings are folded and put in a drawer, just like the pantyhose they have more in common with than they do slacks/pants/jeans. He wouldn't put pantyhose on a hanger, would he? Leggings are just thicker, more colorful pantyhose, without feet.

He still doesn't understand. Every time he does laundry, if I'm not there to specifically clarify whether something hangs or folds, he WILL get it mixed up. I WILL find my nightgowns and leggings on hangers, and I WILL find pants/slacks among my socks and underwear to go in drawers.

I don't think I can possibly explain it any clearer. Can you?

He doesn't listen or retain what I tell him, is a chronic problem in our marriage. At what point do I give up all hope and accept the fact that he just doesn't want to learn the difference because it's not important to him?

Instead of the lights going out they literally turn on.

Pearl Harbor 2.0: China-Taiwan War To Drag NATO In Conflict; Fully Armed US Cannot Thwart Attack On Hawaii?​

As concerns over a Chinese invasion of Taiwan intensify, a paper released on April 15 by the NATO Defense College has warned NATO could become involved in a potential conflict involving Taiwan if fighting extends to US territory in the Pacific.

The report, “NATO and a Taiwan contingency,” from the research and education center located in Rome, is academic research and not an official stand of the European security bloc. However, analysts believe that since there isn’t much research about Taiwan’s position vis-a-vis NATO, it could be useful for strategic planning within the alliance.

James Lee, an assistant research fellow at Taiwan’s Academia Sinica’s Institute of European and American Studies, authored the report. It comes at a time when China has become more confrontational in its rhetoric against American military assurances to Taiwan.

Adm. John C. Aquilino, the outgoing head of INDOPACOM (the United States Indo-Pacific Command is the unified combatant command of the United States Armed Forces responsible for the Indo-Pacific region), recently warned: “All indications point to the (Chinese) PLA (People’s Liberation Army) meeting President Xi Jinping’s directive to be ready to invade Taiwan by 2027,” Aquilino said. “The PLA’s actions indicate their ability to meet Xi’s preferred timeline to unify Taiwan with mainland China by force if directed.”

Hawaii Will Not Receive NATO’s Backing​

Hawaii is a US territory in the Pacific that houses some major military outposts in the region, including the Pearl Harbor naval base and the headquarters of the US Indo-Pacific Command, which overlooks adversaries like China and North Korea. It is, however, unprotected – unlike the other 49 states that make up the United States of America.

If an attack were launched on this strategic US territory, the members of the US-led NATO would not be legally obligated to defend Hawaii.

The United States, for example, would be required to defend Sweden – which recently joined the alliance — if Russia bombed the state. However, Sweden and 30 other NATO partners would not be legally required to protect Hawaii if an enemy such as China or Russia struck Pearl Harbor.

Hawaii residents are unaware that they are not protected by the collective defense clause enjoyed by NATO partners, according to David Santoro, president of the Pacific Forum, the group in Honolulu. CNN recently quoted Santoro as saying, “It’s the weirdest thing.”

Pearl Harbor 2.0: China-Taiwan War To Drag NATO In Conflict; Fully Armed US Cannot Thwart Attack On Hawaii?

As concerns over a Chinese invasion of Taiwan intensify, a paper released on April 15 by the NATO Defense College has warned NATO could become involved in a potential conflict involving Taiwan if fighting extends to US territory in the Pacific. Banned Under US-Russia INF Treaty, US Army Deploys...

www.eurasiantimes.com

(Well, now they know if they get on the internet! )

And imbedded in all this news is this - the exact reason why enemy nations view America as the aggressor.
Banned Under US-Russia INF Treaty, US Army Deploys ‘Most Formidable’ Missile System In China’s Front Yard

The United States Army sent its ground-based missile system ‘Typhon’ to participate in the military drills in the Philippines.

The YouTube is from 3 years ago, but I noticed he still had a cig in hand April 2nd in this pic:



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Oh it gets worse. This is all we need is a drunk with full access to the nuclear codes of his country.
Let's hope he has quit this nonsense by now!