A petition written by a group of ethnic-minority pastors within the Presbyterian Church in America went viral this week after accusing the largest conservative Presbyterian denomination in the U.S. of being spiritually abusive, sidelining women and "demonizing" gay people, among other grievances.

"We write as ethnic minority pastors and leaders within the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) with hearts full of gratitude and grief," reads the petitiontitled "A Call to Prayer & Lament," the authenticity of which a knowledgeable PCA source confirmed to The Christian Post.

'A schismatic culture'

While expressing gratitude for "the ways God has used this denomination to shape our faith, theology, and ministries," the petition laid out four scathing "laments" against the PCA: fostering "a schismatic culture," sidelining "minority and female leaders," supplanting "confessional generosity" with "theological rigidity," and allowing "denominational burden" to become "an obstacle to mission."

Continued below.

The “yellow line” that divides Gaza under the ceasefire plan is now claimed as the “new border”. The IDF Chief Eyal Zamir, said Israel would hold to the current lines behind the yellow line would be held as the border of Israel and presumably defended as such. Here are the facts..

"Military chief says current division of Strip is a ‘forward defensive line for the communities and an offensive line,’ hours after PM says phase 2 of ceasefire deal is imminent
During a visit to the Gaza Strip on Sunday, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir said that the Yellow Line, demarcating where the Israeli military withdrew to under the terms of the ongoing ceasefire, is “a new border line.”

“We will not allow Hamas to reestablish itself. We control large parts of the Gaza Strip and stand along [strategic] lines. The Yellow Line is a new border line, a forward defensive line for the communities and an offensive line,” Zamir said during a tour of Beit Hanoun and Jabalia, in remarks provided by the IDF." ... https://www.timesofisrael.com/touri...-zamir-says-gaza-ceasefire-line-a-new-border/

... IDF chief: Gaza's Yellow Line is Israel's new border line | The Jerusalem Post

Poland cannot be fully understood without Mary. Without her, one cannot grasp what Poland truly is, nor discern its divine calling and ultimate mission. The Virgin Mary stands at the very heart of Poland’s history — a history in which, the destiny of a nation has become intertwined with the mystery of faith.

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Tolkien isn’t being cute. He is revealing the structure of reality. A door that cannot be forced is opened by friendship. By communion. Not power, but relationship. Not command, but the posture of a friend.

The moment reads us because we, too, try everything but the one thing the gate requires. The one thing that is ever before us.

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Advent is often described simply as the season leading to Christmas—a time of wreaths, candles, carols, and preparation for the celebration of the Nativity. Yet the Church teaches that Advent is far richer than a countdown to a historical event.

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From Scott Hahn on Facebook...A remarkable YouTube video detailing the recent discovery of a 6th century Byzantine Church in the newly excavated ruins of Bethsaida (el-Araj) the Galilean hometown of Sts. Peter, Andrew, and Phillip (John 1:44). The video does a good job explaining the significance of a Greek inscription uncovered on the Church’s mosaic tile floor, identifying St. Peter as “chief of the apostles” and “keeper of the keys of the kingdom of heaven” (Mt. 16:19). The narrator traces Jesus’ statement to Peter back to the dynastic symbolism of “the key of the house of David “in Isaiah 22:22. Don’t miss this!

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⭐ 1. Obeying God does not guarantee visible results​

This is one of the deepest truths in Scripture.


God told Isaiah:

“Go and speak…
but they will not listen.”
— Isaiah 6:9–10

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God literally commanded a ministry He already knew would look unsuccessful from the outside.


Jeremiah preached for 40 years with almost zero visible fruit.


Ezekiel taught for years with people who “hear your words but will not do them” (Ezek. 33:32).


Paul said:

“I planted, Apollos watered —
but God gave the increase.”
— 1 Cor. 3:6

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Meaning:


✔ You control obedience
✔ You do not control outcomes


This is not failure.
It’s the normal biblical pattern.

---

⭐ 2. Teaching truth does not automatically change hearts​

Even Jesus said:

“Seeing, they do not see;
hearing, they do not hear.”
— Matt. 13:13

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If Jesus Himself was ignored, misunderstood, or rejected…


…it is guaranteed to happen to you.


You can speak the truth perfectly, but:

• people may not be ready
• hearts may be resistant
• minds may be closed
• the Spirit may not be moving in them yet

That does not mean your work is pointless.

---

⭐ 3. Ministry often feels like nothing is happening while everything is happening​

Think of this:


A seed underground looks dead for a long time.


But growth is real even when invisible.


Jesus compared teaching to:

“A man who plants seed…
the seed sprouts and grows,
though he does not know how.”
— Mark 4:26–27

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Meaning:


You are not supposed to see the results immediately.


God does hidden work.

---

⭐ 4. Sometimes the work is actually for YOU, not the listener​

When you teach Scripture, God is shaping:

• your patience
• your humility
• your endurance
• your understanding
• your heart

Teaching others is one of the fastest ways God deepens your own faith.


It may feel like “they’re not growing,”
but God is growing you.

---

⭐ 5. Your obedience is success — not the outcome​

Biblical success = faithfulness, not results.

“Well done, good and faithful servant”
NOT
“Well done, successful and famous servant.”

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God measures:


✔ obedience
✔ faithfulness
✔ truth
✔ endurance


Not numbers, reactions, applause, or visible impact.

---

⭐ 6. You may be sowing for a harvest you will never see​

Jesus told His disciples:

“Others have labored,
and you have entered into their labor.”
— John 4:38

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Meaning:


Some people plant seeds they will never witness grow.


Some people water seeds they didn’t plant.


Some harvest seeds others sowed.


Your work may bloom long after you're gone.

---

⭐ 7. Spiritual warfare resists the teaching of truth​

Whenever Scripture is taught:

• the enemy distracts
• blinds minds
• stirs confusion
• creates discouragement

Paul says:

“Our struggle is not against flesh and blood.”
— Eph. 6:12

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The discouragement you feel is part of the battle.


It means your teaching matters more than you realize.

---

⭐ 8. God might be redirecting you, not abandoning you​

Sometimes your effort in one area is preparation for a different calling.


Many biblical figures served in long, difficult, “unfruitful” seasons before God opened a new door.


This doesn’t mean you failed.
It means God is moving you.

---

⭐ FINAL ENCOURAGEMENT​

You’re not failing.
You’re not wasting your time.
You’re not unseen.


God sees:

• your effort
• your obedience
• your desire for truth
• your willingness to speak
• your frustration
• your fatigue
• your heart

And He is not silent about it.

“Your labor in the Lord
is not in vain.”
— 1 Cor. 15:58

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You may not see the impact now.
But God promises: everything done in truth WILL bear fruit — even if the fruit grows in ways you never expected.

The Bible actually teaches a rich, multi-layered system of rewards for Christians in the age to come — not just “going to heaven.”
Here is the complete biblical picture, organized clearly and without adding traditions not found in Scripture.

---

⭐ 1. Eternal Life (immortality, resurrection body)​

This is the foundational gift.

Key verses​

• John 3:16 – whoever believes has eternal life
• 1 Cor 15:52–54 – immortality at the resurrection
• Phil 3:21 – glorified bodies like Christ’s
• John 11:25 – “whoever believes in Me will live even if he dies”

Meaning​

✔ No sickness
✔ No pain
✔ No aging
✔ No death
✔ Perfect physical and spiritual existence

This is the baseline reward for all believers.

---

⭐ 2. Seeing God face to face​

The greatest reward in Scripture.

Key verse​

• Revelation 22:4 – “They shall see His face.”

This is the fulfillment of every promise of intimacy with God.

---

⭐ 3. Fullness of joy and eternal pleasure​

Key verse​

• Psalm 16:11 – “In Your presence there is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”

Heaven is not boring — it is joy beyond anything imaginable.

---

⭐ 4. Inheritance of the New Creation​

Believers inherit everything God will make new.

Key verses​

• Romans 8:17 – “Heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ.”
• Revelation 21:7 – “He who overcomes shall inherit all things.”

This means:

✔ the New Earth
✔ the New Heavens
✔ the New Jerusalem
✔ everything Christ rules, believers share in

---

⭐ 5. Ruling with Christ (levels of authority)​

There are differences in rewards.
Some believers will be given authority based on faithfulness.

Key verses​

• 2 Tim 2:12 – “We shall reign with Him.”
• Revelation 5:10 – “They shall reign on the earth.”
• Luke 19:17–19 – Jesus gives authority “over 5 or 10 cities.”

Meaning:

✔ Your faithfulness in this life determines your responsibilities in the next
✔ Some believers will have greater ruling roles

This is not salvation — it is reward.

---

⭐ 6. Crowns (symbolic rewards of honor)​

The NT describes several “crowns,” which represent honor, status, responsibility, and recognition before God.

A. Crown of Life​

For those who endure trials.
(James 1:12; Rev 2:10)

B. Crown of Righteousness​

For those who long for Jesus’ appearing.
(2 Tim 4:8)

C. Crown of Glory​

For faithful shepherds / teachers.
(1 Peter 5:4)

D. Incorruptible Crown​

For mastering the flesh and living disciplined lives.
(1 Cor 9:25)

E. Crown of Rejoicing​

Reward for bringing others to Christ.
(1 Thess 2:19)

These are marks of status and honor in the kingdom.

---

⭐ 7. Treasures in Heaven (eternal reputation and reward)​

Jesus explicitly teaches that believers build treasure through works.

Key verses​

• Matthew 6:20 – store treasures in heaven
• Matthew 19:21 – treasures follow obedience
• 1 Tim 6:18–19 – good works store up “a firm foundation”

Meaning:

✔ Everything done in Christ’s name echoes eternally
✔ Every sacrifice becomes treasure
✔ Every act of love is preserved

Nothing is wasted.

---

⭐ 8. Recognition from God Himself​

This is one of the most powerful rewards.

Key verse​

• Matthew 25:21 – “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

This is direct approval from God.
The Creator of the universe praises your life.

There is no higher honor.

---

⭐ 9. Eternal rest and peace​

This is not inactivity but total absence of fear, burden, and stress.

Key verses​

• Hebrews 4:9–11 – a Sabbath rest for the people of God
• Revelation 14:13 – they rest from their labors

This is the end of:

✔ sin
✔ worry
✔ shame
✔ guilt
✔ fear
✔ spiritual warfare

---

⭐ 10. Unity with all believers forever​

Every fracture, conflict, and separation healed.

Key verse​

• Revelation 7:9–10 – a great multitude from every nation in perfect worship.

---

⭐ 11. Being made fully like Christ​

Your character will be perfect.

Key verses​

• 1 John 3:2 – “We shall be like Him.”
• Romans 8:29 – conformed to the image of Christ.

This means:

✔ perfect love
✔ perfect joy
✔ perfect holiness
✔ perfect wisdom

---

⭐ 12. A permanent, unshakeable place in God’s family​

Not just forgiven — adopted.

Key verses​

• Revelation 21:7 – “I will be his God, and he will be My son.”
• Galatians 4:7 – no longer a slave, but a son and heir.

This is the deepest relational reward.

Warning spoilers!

I saw the movie Predator Badlands and can't help but notice uncanny / undeniable inspiration by Starcraft II. I'm going to list the Starcraft II parallels:

Predator Badlands = Starcraft II:

Dek (Yautja warrior) = Zeratul (Protoss Dark Templar). Even their voice sound the same!
Thia (female android) = Sarah Kerrigan with behavior of terran medic
Tessa (female android) = Nova with similar costume and demeanor
Grown Bud = Dehaka
Kalisk = Brutalisk
MU/TH/UR = Terran adjutant

Yautja Prime = Shakuras
Genna = Zerus even many of the native creatures look the same

Yautja = Nerazim Protoss, similar-looking tech, weapons, and also possess personal cloaking tech.
Weyland - Yutani Corp = Moebius Foundation / Terran Dominion (they also capture strong Zerg specimens for weapons development)
Genna creatures = Primal Zerg


I keep waiting for a Starcraft movie, I think Predator Badlands would suffice for now!

Why are there so many false teachers in the Christian religion? chat GPT:

⭐ 1. The Bible explicitly predicts many false teachers would arise
Jesus, Paul, Peter, John, and Jude all warned that false teachers would be numerous, not rare.

• Matthew 24:11 — “Many false prophets will arise and deceive many.”
• 2 Peter 2:1 — “There will be false teachers among you.”
• 1 Timothy 4:1 — “In later times some will depart from the faith.”
• 1 John 4:1 — “Many false prophets have gone out into the world.”

The New Testament treats false teachers as inevitable, not surprising.

---

⭐ 2. Christianity grew explosively — where truth spreads, counterfeits follow
Christianity became the largest global religion. Wherever something becomes widespread:

• false versions
• distortions
• opportunists
• cults
  inevitably appear.

Big movements attract:

• sincere seekers
• confused people
• manipulators
• power-hungry leaders

The church grew faster than any institution in history, which made it a target.

---

⭐ 3. Spiritual warfare: deception is Satan’s primary tactic
The Bible teaches that spiritual deception is the devil’s main strategy.

• 2 Corinthians 11:14–15 — Satan “masquerades as an angel of light,” and so do his servants.
• Genesis 3 — The first sin entered through false teaching.
• Revelation 12 — Satan “deceives the whole world.”

False doctrine is a spiritual attack on God’s people.

---

⭐ 4. Human nature prefers easy, comfortable teachings rather than truth
Paul says people will turn from sound doctrine because they want something pleasant:

• 2 Timothy 4:3 — “People will gather teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.”

False teachers thrive because humans:

• dislike conviction
• prefer comfort to obedience
• want blessings without repentance
• like teachers who promise prosperity, miracles, and shortcuts

People gravitate toward messages that feel good, not messages that demand holiness.

---

⭐ 5. Many want authority, money, or influence
Paul lists motivations of corrupt teachers:

• money (1 Tim 6:5)
• power (3 John 9–10)
• sexual immorality (Jude 4; 2 Pet 2:14)
• fame (Gal 6:12–13)

Religious leadership offers:

• financial gain
• social status
• blind loyalty from followers
• power over people's lives

Wherever there is opportunity, corruption appears.

---

⭐ 6. Christian language is easy to imitate externally
Anyone can:

• quote Scripture
• use spiritual vocabulary
• preach emotionally
• claim revelation
• claim miracles
• call themselves “prophet,” “apostle,” or “anointed”

But doctrine, character, and fruit expose the difference.

Christianity’s open structure makes it easy for false teachers to sound Christian while opposing the gospel.

---

⭐ 7. Christians are commanded to test everything — but many do not
Scripture repeatedly says to test teaching:

• 1 Thess 5:21 — “Test everything.”
• 1 John 4:1 — “Test the spirits.”
• Acts 17:11 — Bereans examined Scripture daily.

When Christians:

• do not study the Bible
• rely on feelings
• follow personalities over Scripture
• neglect discernment

false teachers flourish.

---

⭐ 8. The last days intensify deception
Biblical eschatology says deception will increase as history moves forward:

• Matthew 24:24 — false Christs, false prophets, great signs
• 2 Thess 2:9–11 — deception among those who “refuse to love the truth”
• 1 Timothy 4:1 — “deceitful spirits and teachings of demons”

The Bible’s expectation is that false teaching increases, not decreases, near the end.

---

⭐ 9. False teachers exist because true teaching exists
Wherever there is:

• a real Christ → false christs
• a real gospel → false gospels
• real apostles → false apostles
• real miracles → counterfeit miracles

If Christianity were false, there would be no reason to counterfeit it.
The presence of counterfeits highlights the value of the genuine.

---

⭐ 10. God uses false teachers to purify and test His people
Shockingly, Scripture says God allows false teachers to exist for a purpose:

• Deuteronomy 13:3 — God allows false prophets “to test you, to know if you love the LORD your God.”
• 1 Corinthians 11:19 — “There must be factions among you so that those who are approved may be recognized.”

False teaching exposes:

• who loves truth
• who seeks holiness
• who follows Christ vs. who follows personalities

It separates genuine disciples from nominal believers.

Was the Biden handlers’ plan for more poor to grow the welfare state and expand liberal government?
Was it misplaced idealism to welcome in millions of the world’s poorest, who would soon make it even more difficult for the nation’s poor citizens poor to find affordable housing and health care?
Was the agenda to create future dependencies and constituencies for an otherwise ossified Democratic Party?
Or was it an effort to ensure, in DEI terms, that the oppressed and victimized would outgrow the inert white oppressors and victimizers?
Oddest of all has been the attitude of the left toward the past destruction of the border. They went mum about the rampant illegality as the border disappeared and as millions filtered throughout the nation. Americans had no idea who the newcomers were, or even where or why they were here.
Given that it is much easier to destroy the border and allow millions to enter than to restore itand find the millions who entered illegally, the Democrats’ response has been Orwellian. After assuming the law did not apply to illegal alien entrants, they now insist its full force must apply to each of 10 million aliens before they can be sent home.

You can see the disdain in Omar. She essentially received a free American education yet shows contempt for our country. We want people country who respect and love the principles upon which America was founded.

Apocrypha means hidden, and God hides things God hides things especially from Christians that are wise in their own eyes eg the ones at universities that have degrees, and in my experience when it comes to the bible in plain English have no clue what they are talking about or worse teach false doctrine.
There are books that are outside the protestant canon that are inspired only for the wise that seek them out.

Jesus talking to the Sadducees who asked about resurrection.

Mathew 22 29 Jesus replied, “You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God. 30 At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven.

God talking to the fallen angels pre flood in 1 Enoch that left heaven, came down to earth, and married women

1 Enoch 15
But you originally existed as spirits, living forever,
and not dying for all the generations of eternity;
7 therefore I did not make women among you.’
The spirits of heaven, in heaven is their dwelling;

He calls 1 Enoch scripture, and Jude says "Enoch 7th from Adam" so Jude believed what he was quoting was written before Noahs flood, and not pseudepigrapha first written 300 BC, and backdated. Jude, and 1 Enoch
The Sadducees stuff up a story from Tobit about the woman being married then demons killing her 7 husbands each night before the marriage too. They forgot to add she married successfully the 8th time. So Jesus is calling Tobit scripture too. That was written in the 700s, and 600s BC, 1 Enoch was written 4400-4000 BC after creation 5500 BC but before Noahs flood 3300 BC. There are a lot of other texts inspired apocrypha that are not pseudepigrapha for the wise only too. My summary list of the most important ones are 1 Enoch, Life of Adam, and Eve, Assumption of Moses, 1/2 Maccabees. For the NT Gospel of Nicodemus, History of Joseph the Carpenter, Proto James. All on audiobook on youtube or annas archive and internet archive are two free e book websites.
There are 2 canons of the bible.

Luke 24:44-53 He said to them, “Remember when I was with you before? I said that everything written about me must happen—everything in the law of Moses, the books of the prophets, and the Psalms.” Then Jesus opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures.

This canon list excludes 1 Enoch, and other OT texts (Jubilees, Test of the 12 patriarchs, Tobit, 1/2 Maccabees, and others). Josephus gave the same canon list around 100 AD, and it was Genesis to Malachi. This is the primary canon.

Yes the secondary canon is hidden but hidden does not mean myth/ pseudepigrapha/ fake/forgery/ lie it just means it is for people that choose to believe the bible wherever it may lead otherwise maybe God thought it would be throwing pearl before swine to reference it in very obvious ways.

This concept of 2 canons in the NT goes back to 2 Esdras (internal date 557-457 BC consistent with 1 Ezra, and same genealogies as 1 Ezra which go back to Aaron son of Levi) where Ezra, and some others rewrite the bible because it was destroyed by the Babylonians

2 Esdras 14
44 So in forty days, ninety-four books were written. 45 It came to pass, when the forty days were fulfilled, that the Most High spoke to me, saying, “The first books that you have written, publish openly, and let the worthy and unworthy read them; 46but keep the last seventy,that you may deliver them to those who are wise among your people; 47 for in them is the spring of understanding, the fountain of wisdom, and the stream of knowledge.” 48 I did so.

The 24 was for the worthy, and unworthy aka everyone- this would of been the now protestant canon from Genesis to Ezra (Malachi, and Nehemiah may not of been written at that time as they came a bit later on in the 400s BC), and the other 70 was 1 Enoch, Jubilees, Test of the 12, Life of Adam, and Eve, Assumption of Moses, Testament of Job, Tobit, Baruch, other ones that still exist today, and some others that would be lost works today. For the NT it would be proto James, pseudo Mathew, gospel of Nicodemus, Didache, History of Joseph the carpenter, and some others. The expanded canon is only for the wise.

2, and 3 Enoch, and book of Jasher are all myths not inspired written after 70 AD (inspired scripture stopped 70 AD based on Daniel 9). 3 Enoch, and Jasher are Jewish fables (1 Titus 14), and 2 Enoch is either Jewish or Samaritan fables.

Jasher says Shem is Melchizadek like the Talmud does in an attempt to discredit Jesus from being a priest in the order of Melchizadek. 2 Enoch mentions the 532 year great cycle which was not discovered until 400s AD. 3 Enoch says It was written by 'rabbi' Ishmael which the Talmud says was 130 AD however the synagogue of satan actually believe it is pseudepigrapha written much later.


Jubilees internally is written by Moses 1400 BC same time as the torah is internally which was after they came out of Egypt but before they came into Canaan. The Israelites had a choice at this time- follow God or idol worship- they chose idol worship - Moses comes back down from the mountain with the law on tablets, they are worshipping a golden calf, he breaks the tablets thinking why should I even bother. Had they stayed faithful to God they would of seen the 364 day calendar in Jubilees (and 1 Enoch) is the one that God wanted them to follow, and they would of done that but because of their apostasy they just followed the torah one which was luni-solar (ask chat GPT for the details). The Qumran dead sea scroll sect 150 BC-68 AD started to go back to those old books, and thinking this is what God intended for us originally lets follow it. Hebrew roots movement lol. There are a couple of prophecies about Jesus in Jubilees.



1 Enoch internally is written by Enoch 7th from Adam pre flood- it contains I Enoch, and I saw statements many time. Also one section is written by Noah as he says my great grandfather Enoch; Noah was Enochs great grandson, and Lamech or Methusaleh wrote a section too; it mentions my father or grandfather. Not a single part of 1 Enoch claims to be written after the flood, and there is nothing in it that is evidence that any part of it was written after the flood. There is nothing in the dead sea scrolls saying "we wrote this text at this time, and backdated it". It has a lot of prophecies about Jesus in it. Ask chat GPT to show all the prophecies of Jesus in 1 Enoch. All Israelites BC that had read it believed it was written pre flood, same as all Christians pre 70 AD believed the same. By 400 AD Christians started to believe it was pseudepigrapha. Likely the synagogue of satan started attacking 1 Enoch after 70 AD saying it was not written pre flood, it can't be, it is too old, Noah did not take it aboard the ark, the flood was a myth anyway, etc etc because of the son of man prophecies it contains - the high priest went ballistic when Jesus called himself the son of man LOL. Sadly early Christians believed satans lies like Adam, and Eve believed the devils lies. The lie continues today taught at all universities around the world, in all studies, and in all textbooks.


Testament of the 12 patriarchs internally is written by the 12 patriarchs 1700s-1800s BC. In one part it says "so it is written in the law of Mose" but by the time the 12 are dead Moses was not even born yet so has been edited a bit later, and someone added that. That part does not claim to be said or written by one of the 12 so there is no problem there. Has some very specific prophecies about Jesus, and warnings about alcohol, greed, lust.


Assumption of Moses internally written by Moses, Joshua, and maybe someone else. Is Moses dying words to Joshua. Has a paraphrased version of 1 Enoch 1:1-9 about the first century AD, also prophecy about Jesus Assyrian, and Babylonian judgment on the Israelites. Says to store the books of their fathers in earthenware Jars; the dead sea scrolls which are the books going back to Moses fathers shown above were found in earthenware jars. So Moses told them to do that 1400 BC but they didn't do it until 300 BC in the DSS. Probably had the part Jude says about the devil, and Michael the angel disputing over Moses body which is in the Assumption of Moses but was restored from early Christian writings as it is not in the Assumption of Moses manuscripts from 600 BC

Some NT ones
Gospel of Nicodemus
History of Joseph the carpenter
Proto James all internally written before 70 AD therefore inspired scripture (Daniel 9 said vision and prophecy would stop 70 AD aka inspired scripture). All explain Joseph was widowed from a prior marriage, was forced to marry 12-14 yo Mary (Roman marriage was 12 for women 14 for men ), and Jesus 4 brothers, and 2 sisters were his step siblings. Joseph never had sex with Mary. Mary was a virgin her whole life; Catholics are right even though they view those texts as pseudepigrapha.

All those and more are free audiobook on youtube or annas archive internet archive are e book websites. Or google the name of the book with PDF after it.

John and Jesus and the Holy Spirit

About the incident in Acts 16 where Paul circumcizers Timothy
⭐ 1. TORAH SYSTEM: ANCESTRY IS THROUGH THE FATHER (NOT THE MOTHER) You are correct. ✔ Tribal inheritance ✔ Land inheritance ✔ Lineage ✔ Covenant membership by birth All come through the father’s line in the Torah. Examples: Levi → Levite Aaron → priestly line Judah → Davidic line Israelite status → father Land allotments → father’s house (Num 1, Num 26, Josh 13–21) Nowhere in the Torah is descent through the mother the determining factor for tribal identity. So by Torah law, Timothy — whose father was Greek — would be considered: ⭐ A Greek (non-Israelite) unless he underwent circumcision and entered the covenant. The Torah basis is correct.


⭐ 2. SECOND TEMPLE JUDEAN CUSTOM: IDENTITY OF CHILDREN OF MIXED MARRIAGES WAS MATERNAL This is NOT Torah law. This is post-exilic Judean halakhic development. By the time of Jesus, Paul, and Acts: Children of a Judean mother and a Gentile father were treated as Judeans who must keep covenantal signs (circumcision, Torah, customs). Evidence: ✔ Ezra–Nehemiah Mixed marriages were condemned because of the mothers, and the children were assumed to “belong to” the foreign women. ✔ Mishnah Kiddushin 3:12 (reflecting earlier practice) “If her child is from a slave or a Gentile, the child is like her.” Meaning: If mother = Israelite, Father = Gentile, The child is treated as Israelite (obligated to circumcision) ✔ Josephus also confirms this social assumption. He describes children of Judean mothers as part of the Judean community even when the father is non-Israelite. So although the Torah itself is patrilineal, Second Temple Judean society was functionally matrilineal for identity in mixed marriages. This is the world Paul is operating in.


⭐ 3. TIMOTHY’S REAL SOCIAL SITUATION Acts 16:1–3: Mother = Judean (believer, raised him on Scriptures — 2 Tim 1:5; 3:15) Father = Greek Locals all knew the father was Greek Timothy was NOT circumcised So to the surrounding synagogues, Timothy was: ⭐ A Judean (by maternal identity in Second Temple society) ⭐ But an uncircumcised Judean = covenant-breaker An uncircumcised Gentile is one thing. An uncircumcised Judean is FAR WORSE in the eyes of Judeans. Paul could not bring him into a synagogue without massive scandal.


⭐ 4. CIRCUMCISION IN THE TORAH IS ABOUT COVENANT, NOT ANCESTRY Genesis 17 teaches: “Every male among you shall be circumcised… He who is not circumcised shall be cut off from his people; he has broken My covenant.” Key points: ✔ Circumcision = sign of the covenant ✔ ANY non-Israelite can join Israel THROUGH circumcision (Ex 12:48) ✔ An Israelite male who is not circumcised = covenant breaker So by Torah definition: Timothy’s ancestry is irrelevant His covenant status is determined by circumcision Timothy was: ✔ raised in Scripture ✔ Judean by community definition ✔ but uncircumcised = outside the covenant in Judean eyes This is the problem Paul needed to solve — not salvation, but social identity and synagogue access.


⭐ 5. WHY PAUL REFUSED TO CIRCUMCISE TITUS BUT DID CIRCUMCISE TIMOTHY ⭐ TITUS 100% Gentile Pressured by false teachers to circumcise “for salvation” Paul refuses (Gal 2:3–5) Circumcising Titus would corrupt the gospel. ⭐ TIMOTHY Considered a Judean in Second Temple society Uncircumcised Judean = covenant-breaker Impossible to bring him into synagogues without offense Circumcision removes a cultural obstacle, not a theological one Acts 16:3 explains Paul’s logic: “because of the Judeans in that region who all knew his father was Greek.” This is 100% a missionary strategy, not covenant theology.


⭐ 6. PAUL’S CONSISTENT RULE ✔ If circumcision is demanded for salvation → REJECT IT (Titus) ✔ If circumcision helps avoid unnecessary offense → ALLOW IT (Timothy) This exactly matches Paul’s own stated principle: 1 Corinthians 9:20 “To the Judeans I became as a Judean, to win Judeans.” Timothy needed to be acceptable in Judean synagogues. Titus did not. Thus Paul circumcized one and refused the other deliberately.

⭐ 1. The problem was NOT race — it was covenant identity. Ezra 9–10 and Nehemiah 13 make this absolutely clear. The issue was: ✔ foreign wives ✔ who did not worship YHWH ✔ raising children in foreign religion ✔ which threatened to destroy the restored covenant community. The complaint in Neh. 13:24: “Their children spoke half in the language of Ashdod, and could not speak the language of Judah.” This means the children were being raised in Philistine / pagan culture, did not know Hebrew, could not learn Torah, and followed their mother’s religion. Thus: The foreign mothers were producing non-Israelite children culturally and religiously. This is why the marriages were condemned. ⭐ 2. In the ancient Near East, children normally followed the mother’s culture. This is a key fact. Across the ANE: mothers raised children, fathers worked outside the home, religious instruction came from the mother, language, customs, and household gods were transmitted maternally, and mothers’ foreign cults typically entered the home. So when Ezra says the children “belonged to the foreign women,” he means: ✔ they were being raised as Gentiles, not as Israelites ✔ they would not be covenant members ✔ they threatened the Israelite identity of the restored community. This is NOT about DNA. It is about covenant lineage. ⭐ 3. Torah explicitly warns that foreign wives will turn sons away from God. Ezra quotes Deuteronomy 7:3–4: “You shall not intermarry with them… for they will turn your sons away from following Me to serve other gods.” The warning is not that foreign people are bad — but that foreign worship destroys covenant continuity. This is exactly what happened in Ezra–Nehemiah. ⭐ 4. Defining “Israel” in Ezra’s time = covenant membership, not genetics. After the exile: Israel was a tiny remnant, identity was fragile, the nation had nearly disappeared, idolatry had destroyed them once already, and they needed to rebuild a faithful community. Therefore, Ezra took a strict stance on marriage to ensure: ✔ children were raised Hebrew ✔ children learned Torah ✔ households worshiped YHWH alone ✔ Israel did not become culturally dissolved among the nations. ⭐ 5. Why children were assumed to “belong to the foreign women.” There are four reasons in the text: A. Language — Neh. 13:24: “Their children spoke the language of Ashdod… not the language of Judah.” This shows the mothers trained them in foreign identity, children were disconnected from Scripture, and they could not participate in covenant learning. B. Culture and religion — Foreign wives brought household gods, pagan festivals, ancestral deities, foreign customs, and syncretism. The home was influenced far more by the mother than the father. C. Household inheritance laws — In many ANE cultures the mother’s clan or tribe conveyed household gods (teraphim) and children inherited the mother’s cultic obligations. We see this in Genesis 31 with Rachel’s teraphim. D. Deuteronomy 7:4 — Ezra interprets this literally: “They will turn your children away from Me.” Ezra concluded children of these marriages were being lost to foreign worship, so they “belonged” to the mothers’ nations, not to Israel. ⭐ 6. Why the solution was strict (Ezra 10). Ezra commands: “Send away the foreign women and their children.” (Ezra 10) This sounds harsh, but the logic was: Israel was rebuilding a pure covenant community, the family line must be “holy seed” (Ezra 9:2) meaning covenant-faithful lineage, not genetic purity but spiritual loyalty, Israel was only a few thousand people — cultural dissolution was a real threat, and foreign wives represented active idolatry at the center of the home. Ezra acted to preserve the covenant identity of the nation. ⭐ 7. Important: The Bible does NOT prohibit all mixed marriages. Examples of righteous mixed marriages: Moses marries a Cushite woman, Boaz marries Ruth the Moabite, Salmon marries Rahab the Canaanite, Joseph marries an Egyptian, Tamar (a Canaanite) becomes ancestress of Judah, and Uriah the Hittite is a righteous Gentile. Why were these allowed? ✔ Because these foreign spouses joined Israel’s covenant ✔ They accepted YHWH ✔ They raised children as Israelites. This is the exact opposite situation from Ezra–Nehemiah.



did it violate the torah to trace ancestry through the mother

ChatGPT said:​

Short answer: No — tracing ancestry through the mother does not violate the Torah, but it is not commanded in the Torah either.
It is simply not the Torah’s system for determining tribal identity or covenant lineage.
Let’s break it down clearly:

---

⭐ 1. TORAH DOES NOT DEFINE TRIBAL IDENTITY THROUGH THE MOTHER​

Every place in the Torah where lineage, tribe, land, inheritance, or covenant status is assigned, it is always:
✔ “by the father’s house”
✔ “according to their fathers”
✔ “from the sons of … (father)”
Examples:
Numbers 1:2
“by their clans and families, by their fathers’ houses.”
Numbers 34–36
Land inheritance is only through the father’s line.
Leviticus 24:10 (the blasphemer)
Son of an Israelite mother + Egyptian father = not considered Israelite, treated as outsider.
Deuteronomy 7:3–4
Israelite women marrying Gentile men → the children would “turn your sons away,” showing the child follows the father.
Conclusion:
The Torah’s structure is fully patrilineal for identity.
So Torah law does not trace tribal identity through the mother.

---

⭐ 2. BUT — THE TORAH DOES NOT FORBID TRACING ANCESTRY THROUGH THE MOTHER​

Here is the key distinction:

◼ Torah commands tribal identity through the father​

—but—

◼ Torah does not prohibit recording or noting ancestry on the mother's side.​

You can know someone’s maternal ancestry, talk about it, document it — there’s no law against that.
Examples of maternal lineage mentioned:
✔ Moses’ mother is named (Exodus 2:1–4)
✔ Kings’ mothers often listed (1–2 Kings)
✔ Judges and leaders sometimes identified by mother
✔ Priests sometimes identified by both parents (Leviticus 21:13–14)
This proves maternal lineage can be recorded biblically,
but it never determines tribal identity or covenant membership.

---

⭐ 3. SECOND TEMPLE “MATERNAL IDENTITY” WAS A CUSTOM, NOT TORAH​

After the exile (5th century BC), Judeans developed a halakhic rule:
Child of a Judean mother = Judean
Child of a Gentile mother = Gentile
This was not biblical law, but a cultural and religious fence built to protect purity.
This rule is visible in:
✔ Ezra–Nehemiah
✔ Early Pharisaic halakhah
✔ Mishnah Kiddushin 3:12 (reflecting earlier custom)
✔ Josephus (1st century AD)
But none of this is found in the Torah itself.

---

⭐ 4. SO DID IT VIOLATE TORAH TO TRACE IDENTIFY THROUGH THE MOTHER?​

No.
It did not violate Torah because:
✔ The Torah never forbade maternal genealogy
✔ The Torah only prescribes how official tribal identity is assigned
✔ Cultural customs can go beyond the Torah without contradicting it
✔ As long as the custom does not replace or alter Torah commandments, it is not a violation
However:
If someone claimed “maternal descent = tribe” as if it were Torah-commanded,
that would contradict the Torah’s patrilineal system.
The Second Temple practice did not formally try to replace tribal identity,
because after the exile, most tribes (except Judah and Levi) were lost anyway.
It was simply a practical purity rule, not a biblical lineage rule.

---

⭐ 5. SUMMARY​

Here is the simplest answer possible:
✔ Torah identity = father’s line only
✔ Torah does NOT ban recording maternal ancestry
✔ Second Temple Judaism used maternal identity for community membership
✔ This did NOT break Torah, but it did not come from Torah


All this ancestry stuff became irrelevant since Jesus

Parashah: “VaYishlach” (and he sent) GENESIS: 32:3-36:43

We see in this week's parashah that Ya'akov is on his way home to Beth-El. He comes to his “encounter” with his brother Esav. It is a time of tension for him, as we know, he “stole” from him the blessing. Or was it really theft? Remember that Esau “sold” or “traded” his birthright for a “bowl of red lentils.” Was it really theft? Perhaps we can say that Jacob took advantage of his brother's worldliness and carnal nature; some say it was “deceit,” but was it really? Esau and Jacob made a deal: Esau's birthright for a bowl of soup. It would be like exchanging a Mercedes-Benz 2025 for a used bicycle. Isaac gives Jacob the firstborn birthright, and Esau gets the leftovers. He threatens to kill Jacob.

Jacob and Esau departed as enemies. Time has passed, and Jacob has had much to think about. He feels perhaps guilt and remorse for having taken advantage of his brother. YHVH has blessed him with wives and children, the future “Am Yisrael.” He now feels a need for “compensation” for wrongdoing. Therefore, to “ease” the angry spirit of Esau (so Jacob thinks), he sends him gifts of cattle, hoping to “cool him off.”

But let's think about that: is compensation necessary for wrongdoing? The Torah says YES, it is. If I borrow your camera, and I drop it, break it, I will owe you another camera. If you and I have a wrestling match, and I accidentally break your hand, I would have to pay the doctor's bill, etc. This is the true meaning of “An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.
”
Just for precautionary measures, he separates his family, “just in case” Esau is still on the war-path. Can we blame Jacob? Esau is coming to meet his brother with 400 armed men! Oi Vey, why with 400 men? Armed too! Could this be an attack? Or friendship rekindled? Jacob is “Schvitzen” (sweating). But now he is about to encounter “GOD” in the flesh.

He says, “Adonai, help!” Hey God, remember your promise? To keep me safe? You aren't going back on your promise, are you? YHVH responds with a personal visit that night. A very interesting visit.

The Torah says that during the night “a man wrestled with him until the break of day” Ya'akov didn't know it then, but he was wrestling with “HaMalach Elohim (The Angel of the LORD). How do we wrestle with God today? Ever think of that? Good question! We all “wrestle” with God in trying to understand his ways in our lives, some of his ways are uncomfortable, his ways might be testings, trials, hardships, and trying to understand how these events will work for “good” in our lives.

Trying to find HIS perfect will for our lives is one way, dealing with “flesh vs spirit” issues is another way. Trying to get HIM to follow “us”, instead of “us” following HIM, is another way. Just seeing where we fit in with his plan for our lives is a wrestling match, yet “Jacob prevails,” he says, “Bless me before you go!” YHVH says to him, “Your name will no longer be Ya'akov, but Yisrael.”

It is also interesting that both the angel and Jacob ask for names. First, the angel asks for his name, then Jacob asks for a name. Remember that in the book of Exodus, Moshe asks God his name also. The same answer is given: “Why do you ask me my name?”

We are so different from God, since we are finite beings, our names (at times) describe who we are. We are, in a sense, boxed in by names. We tend to act according to our names. Yet, God is very different. Why is that?

Adonai-Elohim can not be “boxed in” by a name, He is “beyond names” He told Moshe; “Ehye Asher Ehye” (I am who I am) which is not really answering the question, He is telling him “I have existed, I exist, I will exist” Now that answer was not given to Jacob (now Israel) Adonai answered his question with a question; “Why ask me my name?”

Today, we have many, many names that describe who God is. The most common three have been and are: Elohim, El, and Yah. When we read the names of prophets, they contain either of the two “El” or “Yah”. We also see that Israel states, “I have seen the face of God and have lived (Panim el Panim) But why “faces?” Why not “face?” One could say “13 faces” or “attributes” which describe who Elohim is.

Jacob finds himself alone, facing, as he thinks, imminent danger from being slaughtered by his brother Esau. He puts his family in hiding, he sends gifts of cattle to Esau to maybe “soften him up,” he might think. Now comes a wrestling match. Jacob is at his wits' end; it is only he and Elohim. Elohim comes to visit him in the form of the “Angel of YHVH.” The Torah says that he “wrestled with a man all night,” and Jacob did not relent; he did not give up the wrestling match until the Angel touched his thigh, thus wounding him. Then comes the interesting part: the Angel gives him a blessing, and he changes his name from “Jacob” to “Israel.”

From “trickster, deceiver” to “straight to G-d” When we see the name “Yisrael” it can be divided into two parts; “Yasher- El” (straight to G-d) the name “Yisrael” also contains the acronyms of the patriarchs and matriarchs who played a part in forming the nation of Israel; “YI” Yitzchak “S” Sarah “R” Rachel and Riv’kah “AE” Abraham “L” Leah.

Israel now says something interesting: “Vayikra Ya’akov shem haMakom Peniel Ki ra’iti Elohim Panim Et Panim” (and Jacob called the name of that place “Peniel” (face of God) for I have seen Elohim “faces to faces”.What is interesting is that here, the word “face” is used in the singular and in the plural. Peni-el, (face of God) in the ancient paleo-Hebrew letters, the word is symbolized as “mouth, life, action, God, Leader” in gematria, the word “Peniel” adds up to 171, (the unique, one (echad) G-d is perfect) when we add 1+7+1 = 9. “9” is the number of “emet” (truth) and “Yeshua” also has that title.

But “Panim El Panim” (faces to faces) is somewhat strange, or is it? How many faces does God have? Or does he even have a face, since he is “spirit”? In one way, he “has a face” in physical form as the “Angel of YHVH, Jacob saw him, Abraham also saw him. But now, “faces?” What could that mean? Here is one idea;

He has the “Panim Rachamim” (faces of Mercy) or “mercies” (endless mercy!”) He has the “face of forgiveness” the “face of longsuffering” the “face of patience” yet the faces of “punishment” “chastisement” “judgement and condemnation” for unrepentant sinners, the faces of “joy” and “wrath” of “happiness and sadness” “approval and disappointment” the face of a “God who listens and responds” the list could go on. I am thinking of Exodus 34, when Moses asks to "see God" and he lists his atributes. We could possibly call the atributes "faces."

We can imagine how he is feeling inside when we are in obedience or disobedience. Another way of seeing “Panim El Panim” is “Faces God Faces” because “El” is one of G-d’s names. (the shortest one)

Israel has now surrendered to the will of YHVH. He meets Esau, and the meeting is touching; no hard feelings. And Israel renders homage before his brother, a very penitent attitude. They fall upon each other’s necks and kiss and weep! Israel made amends; he shared with his brother Esau a portion of his blessings. Making amends is very important. There is such a thing as “restoration” (of relationships) and “restitution” (for things, perhaps stolen, destroyed, etc.)

Israel and his children go to Shechem, where we see that “Dinah is raped.” Yet we must ask; "What business did Dinah have in wandering off and mixing with the 'daughters of the land?" Being that Shechem was a pagan Canaanite city. Was she looking for trouble? The brothers take drastic action and retaliate, destroying the city. I would say very “rash” and “violent “action. But why would they want to associate with people who are idol worshipers? The case being, they had no business there in the first place. If you are in the wrong place and at the wrong time, you're bound to get “bit”.

However, Jacob (Israel) moves on and arrives at Beth-El, where God appeared to him when he left his home in Beersheva, where he envisioned the Heavenly Ladder. He builds an altar there and calls it “El-Elohei-Israel” (God, the God of Israel). He stands firm in his convictions, yet his sons have a lot to learn.

There are probably many times when we act rashly and do not do things God's way, thus embarrassing our relationship with YHVH. I think we all have a bit of carnal Esau and Jacob in us all. Yet, like the Ladder that reached heaven, we are to advance up the ladder step by step, rung by rung, hanging on to Yeshua all the way.

Israel/Jacob moves on; he nears "Efrata" (now known as Bethlehem), "Beit-Lechem" (House of Bread). This is where Rachel gives birth to Benjamin and then dies in childbirth. Now, here is a lesson to learn. Rachel had stolen the household idols from the house of Laban, her father. We don't know the reason why. One possible reason is that she believed that having the idols in her possession would guarantee the blessings for her new family, or that it would have been impossible for Laban to track down Jacob without "divination" through those idols or "household gods." These are just possibilities, in accordance with popular belief and tradition in Mesopotamia.

When Laban caught up with Jacob, he accused him of stealing "his gods!" Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen them. Jacob responded:
"May that person not live" (if the gods were found in that person's possession). Jacob's words came to pass. Rachel died in childbirth and was buried alone in a tomb near Bethlehem. It is still there today.

Lessons to be learned: We all wrestle with God, trying to figure out his ways in our lives. Let us submit to his perfect will in our lives. Make peace with people whom we have offended. Restoration and restitution are BIBLICAL MEANS. Sometimes, the only thing we can do is offer a sincere "I am sorry." Be careful with our words, they just might come to pass. Let us go back to our Beth-El, the "House of God." He will meet us there; he is already waiting.

There are three main components to our Lord’s commandment that I see here, and so I am going to look at each of the three parts individually, but then I’ll also look at how the three must all be a part of the same whole.

Love One Another

Now, for us who are English speaking people, we must understand that this word “love” is not of human flesh. It is not centered in our emotions nor in the ones we are loving. We love others regardless of whether or not others love us in return, or even if they hate and despise us, in return. For this is loving like God loves, like Jesus loves us. For Jesus didn’t give his life up for us on that cross because of how wonderful we are, but while we were yet sinners Christ died for us. So this love is self-sacrificial, and it is unselfish.

And this word translated in the English language as “love,” in the Greek interlinear it is the word “agapē,” which means “to prefer.” It is used in the Bible in the context of either preferring what is evil (this one very little) or preferring what God prefers (which is how it is used primarily). And what God prefers is all that is holy, righteous, godly, morally pure, upright, honest, faithful, and obedient to our Lord’s commands. So this love is morally pure, upright, honest, and faithful in its love for other people.

Lay Down Your Life

And, as already was mentioned, this love is self-sacrificial and unselfish, and it is willing to die to show the love of Christ for the people of this world. It is willing to be hated by other humans in order to love them with the love that Christ had and has for us. And in what ways did Jesus demonstrate this love? Well, he spoke the truth in love to the people, whether they wanted to hear it or not, and whether they liked him or hated him in return. He told them the truth they needed to hear even though, for him it meant his death.

So, when we love others like Jesus loved us, it is not about a popularity contest. It has nothing to do with whether people love us in return. It is all about what they need and us supplying them with what they truly need (not necessarily want), as we are able, and as we are led by the Spirit to do so, even if it costs us friends, family, church family, and other humans who might reject us and turn away from us, because we are just too weird for them. It is what it cost Jesus in order for him to show us his love for us.

Do What God Commands

If we are going to love God and our fellow humans with this kind of love, the way in which God loves us, we must be those who are walking (in conduct) in obedience to our Lord’s commands. This is not to say that we will always do this perfectly, or that we will never fail (1 John 2:1-2), but the Scriptures make it quite clear that if sin is what we practice, and not obedience to our Lord and to his commands (New Covenant), that we do not know God, we are not in fellowship with Christ, and we will not inherit eternal life with God.

So, obedience to our Lord’s commands is not something to be dismissed, nor is it just a recommendation which we are free to ignore. It is a requirement of God, not as a means of earning our salvation, but as a love response to God for saving us from our sins. Yet, it is not optional. In the Scriptures we learn that obedience to our Lord’s commands = faith, and that disobedience to his commands = unbelief, which results in separation from God and us not having the hope of salvation from sin and eternal life with God in heaven.

The Scriptures Teach

For Jesus Christ taught that to come to him we must deny self, take up our cross daily (die daily to sin), and follow (obey) him. For if we hold on to living in sin and for self, we will lose our lives for eternity. But if we deny self, die daily to sin, by the Spirit, and we walk in obedience to our Lord and to his commands, in his power, then we have eternal life with God. For not everyone who calls him “Lord” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one DOING (obeying) the will of God (see Luke 9:23-26; Matthew 7:21-23).

For by God-gifted faith in Jesus Christ, which is not of our own doing, we are crucified with Christ in death to sin and raised with Christ to walk in newness of life in him, no longer to live as slaves to sin but as slaves to righteousness in walks of obedience to God’s commands. We are no longer to permit sin to reign in our mortal bodies to make us obey its desires. For if sin is what we obey, it results in death. But if obedience to God is what we obey, it results in sanctification, and its end is eternal life with God (see Romans 6:1-23).

[Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Luke 9:23-26; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Romans 1:18-32; Romans 2:5-10; Romans 3:23; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; Galatians 5:16-24; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 4:1-13; Hebrews 10:19-39; Hebrews 12:1-2; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 1:1-10; 1 John 2:3-6; 1 John 3:4-10; Revelation 2:1-29; Revelation 3:1-22]

In Harmony

Based off Romans 12:9-21; 1 Peter 3:8-17
An Original Work / September 2, 2012
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

Love each other truly.
Cling to what is good.
Hate all that is evil.
Never lack in zeal.
Serve the Lord with fervor.
Joyful in hope be;
Patient in affliction;
Praying faithfully.
Honor one another.
Live in harmony.

Share with all God’s people
Who are found in need.
Do not be conceited.
Sympathetic be.
Love, and show compassion
In humility.
Keep your tongue from evil.
Peaceful you must be.
Honor one another.
Live in harmony.

God sees who are righteous;
Listens to their prayers.
But He’s against evil –
Is His to avenge.
Do not fear what they fear.
Suffer patiently.
In your hearts, make Christ Lord.
Serve Him faithfully.
Honor one another.
Live in harmony.

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All About Love
An Original Work / December 9, 2025
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

Democrat Eileen Higgins has flipped the Miami mayor’s office, defeating Republican Emilio Gonzalez and marking the latest sign of the party’s momentum heading into next year’s midterms, according to Decision Desk HQ.

The win is the latest boost for Democrats, who are coming out of better-than-expected elections in November and a strong showing in this month’s special House election in Tennessee. The party hopes that an energized base and a focus on issues like affordability will help them flip the House and possibly even the Senate in next year’s midterms.

European Union’s announcement Friday of a roughly $140 million fine against X for violating the bloc’s digital rules have fueled the fire, pushing transatlantic relations to their lowest point since Trump returned to the White House in January.

Elon Musk, the owner of X, is calling for abolishing the E.U., and Trump supporters are railing against the 27-nation bloc.

For new Christians what would you recommend?

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# 14 CHRIST ///. CHRISTOS in vv the GENITIVE CASE in v the SINGULAR.

#. A And PAUL. is the ONLY GOSPEL. that was given by. Christ himself to Paul

# B. And it is the ONLY way to be SAVED FOR TODAY. , PERIOD

# C. No. one can be saved by WAYTER BAPTISM

# D Paul n. never preached to be BORN AGAIN

# E And PAUL NEVER WATER BAPIZED NO ONE EVER , TRYN ME !!

dan p

Ok so during my father in laws funeral today something deeply offensive to me happened. My sister in law happened to marry a full blooded jew and today after communion during the funeral and after my Jewish brother in law came up to the priest for a blessing the priest says "we have a jew in our midst today. Please pray for him because hes in need of salvation." And he singled my brother in law out and made him feel like an outcast. There were plenty of atheists at the funeral. There was a Buddhist. Why did he have to single out the one Jewish man in the church DURING A FUNERAL when my sister in law was grieving and my brother in law was trying to comfort her! And the worst part is all my brother in law wanted from the priest was a blessing from God and he instead he was singled out and targeted. True he needs christ true he is unsaved. But a funeral is NOT the time to bring that up when a family is grieving.

And then he goes and brings it up again during the burial! What should I do? Should I try to comfort my brother in law before leaving back to New York tomorrow? Should I apologize to my sister in law? Should I do anything? Im just angry and offended and I just dont know how to handle this situation. Help?

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# 7 GOSPEL /// EUAHOGELION. in the ACCUSATIVE CASE in. the SIGNULAR in the . NEUTER

#8 WHICH ///. HO is a DEFINITE. ARTICILE in. the ACCUATIVE CASE in. te SINGULAR in the NEUTER

#9 WAS PREACHED /// EVANGELIZO. in. the AORIST TENSE in he PASSIVE VOICE is a PARTICIPLE. in the ACCUSATIVE CASE in. the NEUTER

#10 OF /// HYPO. is. a PREPOSTION

# 11. ME //. EMOU is a PERSONAL POSSESSETIVE PRONOUN. in. the GENITIVE CASE in. the SINGULAR and the GREEK word ME // EMOU

is in. the EMPHATIC. and it means ME and NOT some one ELSE , ME PAUL !!

#12 IS. /// ESTI. is in. the PRESENT TENSE in. the INDICATIVE MOOD and this MOOD , means you better BELIEVE IT

#13 NOT ///. OU. vis a DISJUNCTIVE PARICLE NGATIVE and means NOTTTT. EVER

# 14 AFER ///. KATA is a PREPOSIION

# 15. MAN. ///. ANTHROPOS. is in the ACUSATIVE CASE in. the SINGULAR !!

dan p

How tragic. It should not have happened.

The often-overlooked chapel at Tepeyac, where St. Juan Diego lived and guarded the miraculous tilma for 17 years, remains a key part of the Guadalupe story and Mexico’s spiritual heritage.

The story of St. Juan Diego and Our Lady of Guadalupe began with the well-known apparitions of 1531. The Indigenous visionary remained for years dedicated to the preservation and dissemination of the message of the Virgin Mary at a chapel that is still preserved and forms an essential part of the Marian complex of Tepeyac.

Next to the current Guadalupe Basilica in Mexico City is the old chapel built to house the image miraculously imprinted on St. Juan Diego’s cloak. This historical site is little-known to pilgrims.

The Origin of the Chapel​

St. Juan Diego was the Indigenous man to whom the Virgin Mary appeared from Dec. 9–12, 1531, asking him to intercede with the first archbishop of Mexico, Friar Juan de Zumárraga, that a chapel be built “on the plain of Tepeyac” as a sign of her love for all nations.

It was on his tilma (cloak) that the image of the Virgin Mary was miraculously imprinted.

After the apparitions, the archbishop ordered the construction of a small chapel to house the tilma. St. Juan Diego lived next to it for 17 years, dedicated to recounting the events and caring for the sacred image until his death in 1548.

A Virgin for the ‘Completely Forgotten’​

Continued below.

Singer Michael Bublé discussed his Catholic faith and how music is “a gift from God” as he met with Pope Leo XIV and performed at the Vatican.

Bublé spoke at a Vatican press conference on Friday ahead of his performance at the Vatican’s “Concert for the Poor” on Saturday.

“This morning, I had the opportunity to meet the Holy Father,” the 50-year-old Canadian native recalled. “For me, this was something that I knew was going to be one of the greatest moments of my life.”

Bublé also shared his belief that “music is a gift from God,” adding, “When I hear music, I hear the voice of God.”

Continued below.