Chapter 2: Chicken and Dumplins’

At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. Acts 9:20

Most southerners like chicken and dumplins’. I hear a lot of people going to Cracker Barrel for their famous dish. I like mine truly homemade. There is nothing more comforting that preparing the chicken and dumplins’ on a cool fall night when the steam from the big pot creates condensation on the windows in the kitchen. The smell of the chicken broth wafting through the house and the anticipation of the warm cooked dough sliding down to fill your belly. Did you know barn cats like chicken and dumplins’ too?

It wasn’t long after the girls started visiting the farm to see “mama cat” and her kittens that they decided they should bring them home for a visit. My oldest daughter drove the girls to my husband’s parents for visitation and home again. That night she pulled into our driveway with two extra passengers. As I always did, I met them at the front door. When I saw that my youngest two daughters each had a kitten in their hands I was filled with rage. I turned around and went back into the house without saying a word. I’m sure the girls knew I was angry. That was a regular occurrence during those days. I hate that they must have felt responsible for my emotions. “Mom! Look! Biggie and Smokey are here to spend the night!” All I could think was that my husband let the girls bring home two kittens to nurse his own guilt. Here I was alone, with four kids and a dog. How was I supposed to take care of anything else? Especially cats from the farm where he was living with another woman. How could he ask anymore of me? I was furious with him. Too furious to see how excited the girls were. Too angry to see how hurt they were. Too self-absorbed with my own unhappiness to see that they needed this. It was an attempt to fill their own void. I agreed to one night only.

I don’t remember the specifics now of how Biggie and Smokey ended up staying longer than the one night. But, I do remember resenting them. My girls will tell the story about how I made them stay in the garage. Until one evening. The kids had gone for their weekly visitation and I was in the kitchen making chicken and dumplins’. Steam filled the kitchen and made it warm and cozy. Biggie jumped on the kitchen counter looking to grab a piece of the chicken he smelled. I swatted him down and yelled at him. He sat at my feet while I finished cooking dinner. He didn’t move, just watched me. As a middle school teacher, I knew the importance of patience. I acknowledged that Biggie was sitting at my feet, waiting with patience for the chicken he failed to swipe. I appreciated his good manners. My teaching philosophy is firmly rooted in positive behavior interventions. For good behavior, you are rewarded. So, I decided that Biggie should be rewarded with a piece of chicken.

The girls arrived home expecting to find the kittens in the garage where they were banished. They expected to find an angry mom. They were surprised when they found their mama sitting in the middle of the kitchen floor feeding the kittens chicken and dumplins’. They came and sat with us and we watched and laughed as the kittens licked their paws after their plates were cleaned. I was so angry that I couldn’t feel any other emotions. That night as Biggie and I sat together on the kitchen floor and my anger subsided for a brief moment, I realized that I was lonely. So very lonely. Yes, I had four kids and their friends and a dog and two kittens. But, I was alone. Alone with the hurt that I couldn’t share. Alone with the fear that tormented my mind. Alone with the betrayal that filled my soul. I was alone. But, on that night Biggie was there to fill a void. Was I truly alone? No, God was with me every second. But, in those moments, I couldn’t feel His presence. So, He sent a farm cat.

The story of Saul's transformation into Paul is a powerful example of a profound change of heart and mind, illustrating the transformative power of encountering God and embracing a new understanding. Saul of Tarsus was a fervent Pharisee, known for his zealous persecution of early Christians. He believed that the followers of Jesus were blasphemers who needed to be stopped. Saul's dedication to eradicating the Christian movement was so intense that he went from house to house, dragging out both men and women and throwing them into prison.

One day, Saul obtained letters from the high priest, giving him the authority to arrest any Christians he found in the city of Damascus and bring them back to Jerusalem in chains. Armed with these letters, Saul set out for Damascus, determined to destroy the fledgling Christian community there. As Saul neared Damascus, something extraordinary happened. A bright light from heaven suddenly flashed around him, causing him to fall to the ground. He heard a voice saying, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?" Saul asked, "Who are you, Lord?" The voice replied, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do." Saul's companions stood speechless, hearing the sound but seeing no one. When Saul got up from the ground, he found that he was blind. His companions led him by the hand into Damascus, where he remained blind for three days, neither eating nor drinking.

In Damascus, there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord spoke to Ananias in a vision, instructing him to go to the house where Saul was staying. Ananias was understandably hesitant, knowing Saul's reputation as a fierce persecutor of Christians. But the Lord reassured him, saying, "Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. I will show him how much he must suffer for my name."

Ananias obeyed and went to the house. He placed his hands on Saul and said, "Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit." Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul's eyes, and he could see again. He got up, was baptized, and after taking some food, regained his strength. “At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God." Acts 9:20 (NIV)

Saul's transformation was complete. He stayed with the disciples in Damascus for several days and began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. All who heard him were amazed, asking, "Isn't he the man who caused havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name? And hasn't he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?" But Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Messiah. Saul's name was later changed to Paul, and he became one of the most influential apostles, spreading the message of Christianity far and wide. His letters to various Christian communities form a significant portion of the New Testament and continue to be foundational texts for Christians around the world.

God changed Saul. God changed me. On that fall evening, I changed my mind about a kitten that God had sent to show me I was not alone. He used Biggie to soften my heart. If God had not sent a farm cat to live with me, my heart may have remained hardened. How would that have affected my children? Would they have turned out the way they did? Thank you, God, for prompting me to cook chicken and dumplins’ that night. Thank you, God, for placing Biggie in my life. Thank you, for filling the void of my loneliness. Thank you, for changing my heart. Thank you.

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Francis announced that he is preparing a document on the Sacred Heart of Jesus to “illuminate the path of ecclesial renewal, but also to say something significant to a world that seems to have lost its heart.”

The document is expected to be released in September, he said, and will be part of ongoing celebrations marking the 350th anniversary of the first apparition of the Sacred Heart of Jesus to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque. The celebrations began Dec. 27 and are scheduled to end June 27, 2025.

Pope Francis announces upcoming document on the Sacred Heart of Jesus​

The pope made the announcement during his general audience in St. Peter’s Square June 5. The Catholic Church traditionally dedicates the month of June to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the solemnity of the Sacred Heart will be celebrated June 7 this year.


The document will include reflections from “previous magisterial texts” and it will aim to “re-propose to the whole church this devotion laden with spiritual beauty. I believe it will do us much good to meditate on various aspects of the Lord’s love,” the pope said.

Ongoing series on the Holy Spirit​

Continued below.

It has become standard practice, when discussing the pastoral care of young people struggling with issues of sexual orientation or gender identity, to say something like “Don’t tell them they’re intrinsically disordered.” Sometimes this is said in dead earnest, sometimes in a way intended to get a laugh. Sometimes it is said in a way that indicates that the speaker thinks that the Church’s teaching is dangerous and wrong. Sometimes it is qualified with an assurance that, while Church teaching on human sexuality is profound and beautiful, the language in which it is sometimes expressed cannot be heard and understood by a young person in this situation.

The basic advice here is certainly correct. The last thing that a person facing these questions needs to hear is that their Church considers them “intrinsically disordered.” Nevertheless, this approach betrays a deep misapprehension of Church teaching. Indeed, while pastoral care requires real sensitivity to the way words are heard and understood, there is a much simpler reason not to tell people they are intrinsically disordered: they aren’t.

People versus acts and inclinations​

Continued below.

Pommer said:

Number 4 in the Senate on the Conservative side is one, Tommy Tuberville, who, as memory serves, single-handedly snafued the Pentagon’s hierarchy (for something like 15 months), by placing a “hold” on the promotions of thousands of people in the armed services, which is hardly what a “small-government” conservative (which seems to be the only metric involved in this “ranking”), would likely do.

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It's now clear that this "analysis" is not some reasoned academic or scholarly ranking, but rather one of the many "scorings" of legislators provided to supporters to help them pick candidates. It is no different than similar rankings from groups from NARAL to the NRA and every group in between.

BCP1928 said:

All the way back to the '80s. Wow. I used to listen to them all the way back to the 50s--before the Wolf Man.

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Whew, any classic 1950s-1960s Spanish-language songs that you liked? I like Los Lobos - La Bamba, the 1980s cover of a 1950s Ritchie Valens cover of a classic Mexican folk song.

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The Atlanta-area pastor has said he affirms a New Testament sexual ethic, but his words and deeds have muddled that message.

Late last month, North Point Community Church hosted the Unconditional Conference, billing the gathering as an event “for parents of LGBTQ+ children and for ministry leaders looking to discover ways to support parents and LGBTQ+ children in their churches.” It would stake out a “quieter middle space” on a contentious topic, the organizers said.

As critics were quick to note, the Atlanta-area conference featured speakers who are either in same-sex relationships or supportive of those who are, and on Sunday, North Point pastor Andy Stanley preached a sermon responding to criticisms of the event. That message is now available online. (Stanley delivered it twice, and outside recordings of both services have been posted elsewhere.)

Stanley spent much of the sermon providing the backstory to the conference, which was developed to meet pastoral needs both of young people in the church wrestling with same-sex attraction and parents in the church whose children (who themselves were often—but not necessarily—adults) were coming out to them. He argued that this pastoral purpose warranted involving these particular speakers, outlined what he teaches about sexual ethics, and spoke to how churches can move forward on this issue. Unfortunately, though Stanley articulated a commitment to a New Testament sexual ethic, he also seriously undermined that very teaching.

Stanley outlined his understanding of Christian sexual ethics with three directives:

1. Honor God with your body.
2. Do not be mastered by anything.
3. Do not sexualize any relationship outside of marriage.

Biblical marriage is between a man and a woman, he said, noting that every New Testament text addressing homosexuality teaches that it is a sin. “It was a sin then,” Stanley said, “and it is a sin now.”

Continued below.

In an article Published in History Is Now Magazine I begin to explain the vital differences between a Medieval king, and a monarch.

https://www.historyisnowmagazine.com/bl ... n-emperors

I published my first article (a short bit on feudalism) for historymedieval.com

Feudalism: Origins and Life under Lords
https://historymedieval.com/feudalism-o ... der-lords/

Thank you this was good. It shows the correct balance between God, who's always there, always trustworthy and true in doing His part, and man, who's constrained by God to play his own part responsibly as well.

(Message MSG for hyper readability)

1 1-3 Going through a long line of prophets, God has been addressing our ancestors in different ways for centuries. Recently he spoke to us directly through his Son. By his Son, God created the world in the beginning, and it will all belong to the Son at the end. This Son perfectly mirrors God, and is stamped with God’s nature. He holds everything together by what he says—powerful words!

The Son Is Higher than Angels​

3-6 After he finished the sacrifice for sins, the Son took his honored place high in the heavens right alongside God, far higher than any angel in rank and rule. Did God ever say to an angel, “You’re my Son; today I celebrate you” or “I’m his Father, he’s my Son”? When he presents his honored Son to the world, he says, “All angels must worship him.”

7 Regarding angels he says,

The messengers are winds,
the servants are tongues of fire.
8-9 But he says to the Son,

You’re God, and on the throne for good;
your rule makes everything right.
You love it when things are right;
you hate it when things are wrong.
That is why God, your God,
poured fragrant oil on your head,
Marking you out as king,
far above your dear companions.
10-12 And again to the Son,

You, Master, started it all, laid earth’s foundations,
then crafted the stars in the sky.
Earth and sky will wear out, but not you;
they become threadbare like an old coat;
You’ll fold them up like a worn-out cloak,
and lay them away on the shelf.
But you’ll stay the same, year after year;
you’ll never fade, you’ll never wear out.
13 And did he ever say anything like this to an angel?

Sit alongside me here on my throne
Until I make your enemies a stool for your feet.
14 Isn’t it obvious that all angels are sent to help out with those lined up to receive salvation?

Chesterton said:

Out of curiosity, could a moon be made of gas?

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Ophiolite said:

That's an intriguing question. I'm interested in planetary formation from the standpoint of an armchair amateur, but the proper answer is probably above that paygrade.

The gas planets are thought to form at a stage in the process where the stellar nebula of gas and dust still has a substantial mass. The dust accumulates into clumps, through collision then gravitational attraction, which build up to form planetesimals, which accrete to larger bodies which may go on to become asteroids, moons, or planets. But some become the core of the gas and ice giants that attract the remaining gas within the nebula. These planetary cores are thought to be five or ten time the mass of the Earth.

I find it unlikely that these could then wind up as a moon - they would just be to big - but that may simply be lack of imagination on my part. And I don't think they could accumulate significant gas without being massive to begin that process. On balance, then, highly unlikely, but in a rather large universe I hesitat to say impossible. Fortunately there are others on the forum who likely know the answer.

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I would think in rare cases you could potentially have, for a time at least, a binary gas giant with two gas giants of similar mass orbiting each other. Additionally, a small, extremely heavy moon might be able to attract a great deal of atmosphere. At one time, it was thought the gas giants had rocky cores, which I think is unlikely, but here, in effect, I think one could have a moon with a large atmosphere and a highly massive core, which could itself be perhaps be a stellar fragment that wandered into a solar system. This is all unlikely, but I think it could happen in principle.

One thing I liked about Star Wars from an actual SF perspective is that it featured two gas giants: Bespin, which amazingly had what the Expanded Universe material which was canon until Disney bought the franchise described as having a habitable region in its atmosphere, and Endor, which was a gas giant orbited by the Forest Moon (on which the ewoks lived) which in turn was orbited by the second Death Star, although this last bit had some technical challenges; the second Death Star is described as being extremely massive in many sources, around nine times larger than the first one, and it is depicted in a very close orbit. So there are problems, but what I like is that Star Wars decided to use gas giants as a setting for stories, which is relatively uncommon in science fiction, and indeed Star Trek despite its conceit that it is more “scientific” than Star Trek has only very rarely featured a gas giant in any significant capacity. On the other hand, 2010 did a superb job with Jupiter, and the skiffy horror film Event Horizon made interesting use of Neptune as a backdrop.

Uranus and Neptune, even after the discovery by Voyager of how visually interesting Neptune is in appearance, have sadly not been very frequently featured in SF.

Mr. M said:

An Early, Successful Evangelical Outreach

Acts 4:
1 Now as they spoke to the people, the priests, the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees came upon them,
2 being greatly disturbed that they taught the people and preached in Jesus the resurrection from the dead.
3 And they laid hands on them, and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening.
4 However, many of those who heard the word believed; and the number of the men came to be about five thousand.

A common Evangelical message during an outreach to the unsaved consists of a simple decision involving some form
of admission to being a sinner, accepting Jesus Christ as their Savior, and inviting Him into your heart and placing all
your trust in Him alone for Salvation.

A familiar passage from Paul makes this clear statement:
Romans 10:
9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart
that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
10 For with the heart man believes unto righteousness;
and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

I have heard that anyone who is predestined for salvation and places their trust in Christ will naturally also believe in His resurrection, and therefore this is not a necessary element of the Evangelical message. This in spite of the fact that many in the early church began to entertain doubtful disputes over the issue, to which Paul addressed with this statement:

1 Corinthians 15:
12 Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead,
how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?
13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen.
14 And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty.
15 Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God
that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up—if in fact the dead do not rise.
16 For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen.
17 And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins!

With faith the key element for Salvation and imputed Righteousness, of what value
is a faith that is rendered empty and futile by a failure to accept the Resurrection
as a basis for that faith?

My contention today is that if the original apostles, evangelists and teachers taught
the Resurrection, as did Christ Himself, how can a modern attempt to "get people saved"
exclude this from their message?
The OP will now present a survey of Gospel messages preached in the book of Acts as evidence.

The replacement for the fallen Judas must as a qualification be a witness to the Resurrection.
Acts 1:
21 Therefore, of these men who have accompanied us all the time
that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,
22 beginning from the baptism of John to that day when He was taken up from us,
one of these must become a witness with us of His resurrection.

Peter's sermon on the Day of Pentecost
Acts 2:
22 “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles,
wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know;
23 Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken
by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death;
24 whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death,
because it was not possible that He should be held by it.
25 For David says concerning Him:
I foresaw the Lord always before my face,
For He is at my right hand, that I may not be shaken.
26 Therefore my heart rejoiced, and my tongue was glad;
Moreover my flesh also will rest in hope.
27 For You will not leave my soul in Hades,
Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption. [prophetic fulfillment]
28 You have made known to me the ways of life;
You will make me full of joy in Your presence.’
29 “Men and brethren, let me speak freely to you of the patriarch David,
that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day.
30 Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath
to him that of the fruit of his body, according to the flesh,
He would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne,
31 he, foreseeing this, spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ,
that His soul was not left in Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption.
32 This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses.
33 Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father
the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear.

Peter and John before the Council
Acts 3:
14 But you denied the Holy One and the Just, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you,
15 and killed the Prince of life, whom God raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses.

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There is a difference between preaching

In wickedness, you have killed your Messiah but God raised him from the dead as a sign that he is truly the Son of God, so repent of that wicked deed and be water baptized, and you will be saved from your sins in the future. (Acts 2:36 Acts 3:14-21 Acts 5:30 Acts 7:52 )

versus

Christ has died for your sins and rose again on the 3rd day for your justification. (1 Cor 15:1-4)

Another example is Phillip, Acts 8:37 tells you what he was preaching to the eunuch

“If you believe with all your heart, you may.” The eunuch answered, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”

which is the first bullet point.

Note he did not say, I believe Jesus died for my sins and rose again on the 3rd day for my justification.

Digging.

tonychanyt said:

After Jesus' ascension, Acts 1:

1 Corinthians 15:

Wait a minute. Judas died. There were only eleven.

Paul might not have been perfectly accurate here. By "twelve", he meant "eleven". Alternatively, Matthias could have been there with the eleven before he was chosen to replace Judas.

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I'm a little tardy in responding to this, but I was listening to Acts 1 being read this morning and realized the sequence of events were such: Christ was betrayed, died, buried, rose again, ascended, sent the Holy Ghost - the Father's gift - and then Peter, quoting the words of David realized that to fulfill prophesy, Judas needed to be replaced.

Acts 1:21-26

21. Wherefore of these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,
22. Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection.
23. And they appointed two, Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias.
24. And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, shew whether of these two thou hast chosen,
25. That he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place.
26. And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

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When Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians that Jesus had appeared to "the Twelve", he was well aware of Matthias taking Judas' position, and that Matthias was very likely there when Christ appeared to the eleven, since one of the requirements for taking Judas' place, Matthias had to have been "with them" and "a witness of Jesus resurrection". And in fact, after his promotion he must have been actually referred to as one of "the Twelve"

Your "alternate" explanation is the correct one. Paul continues to be perfectly accurate.

February 24, 2012

I was reading in Revelation about the power and majesty of God, and of Jesus Christ, God the Son. Jesus, the Lamb of God, was the only one worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because he was slain, and with his blood he purchased men for God. And he made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and we will reign with Christ on the earth. For the Lamb, who was slain, is worthy “to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!”

This song, “Praise the ‘I AM’,” is also a song of praise to Jesus Christ, my Savior, who is my gracious Redeemer, who, by his grace, pardoned me, forgave my sin and he set me free! Now, I am His servant and witness.

Praise the “I AM!”

An Original Work / February 24, 2012

Jesus, my Savior, full of compassion,
Glorious in power, mighty in strength;
Gracious Redeemer, mighty deliv’rer,
My heart adores Him. Praise to His name!
Perfect salvation my Lord provided
When He died for my sins on a tree;
Crucified my sins; conquered in vict’ry,
When He arose, so I could be free!

I am so thankful for His forgiveness;
Grateful that He chose to pardon me,
Giving me new life full in His Spirit,
So I can serve Him; His servant be!
Walking in daily fellowship with Him,
Obeying Him whate’er He commands;
Forsaking my sins, living in freedom,
I will endure with Him to the end!

He gives me peace and calm reassurance
In times of sorrow, or in distress.
His grace is sure, and oh, how sufficient
To meet me in my need for sweet rest.
Oh, how I love You, Jesus, my Savior.
My heart longs for You where’er I am.
Your word is precious; speaks to my spirit;
Brings comfort, healing. Praise the “I AM!”

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A spirit can be a demonic spirit or it can be the Holy Spirit or the spirit of human beings. In this case, I believe it is speaking of the human spirit, which is the human soul, life, heart, inner self, nature, temperament, attitude, and/or character. It is the essence of who we are as individuals, i.e. what we are made of, and what we are about. It is who we are when no one else is looking and no matter who we are with. And it is what we believe, in truth, and it is what we practice, in truth. For it is the REAL us.

Now there are many people who profess faith in Jesus Christ who do not believe in Jesus in truth and in righteousness. They give lip service to the Lord, but by their actions they deny him. They still live for self and for self-pleasure, and they are still lord of their own lives, determining their own course. And they are still making sin their practice, and not godliness and righteousness and moral purity and honesty and faithfulness to God. And some of them are pastors of church congregations, leading the people.

So, we are not to take everyone at face value and just assume that they are who they say they are, for then we might be ripe for being deceived. Especially in our day and age, liars and deceivers and those who trick and manipulate others to get what they want are everywhere – in the governments, in the media, and within the gatherings of the church, etc. So we must be those who test the spirits to see whether they are from God, and we do this by comparing their words and actions to the Scriptures.

Now, when this says that “every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God,” we have to compare that to the teachings in the Scriptures which talk about “wolves in sheep’s clothing” and the servants of Satan who disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. For there are a whole lot of people who are confessing Jesus Christ with their lips but whose actions are far from him. They put on a show of righteousness, but while they continue in deliberate and habitual sin against the Lord, lying, tricking, manipulating, and deceiving others to believe their lies.

So, we can’t always go by what people profess, for what they do shows what they really believe. And many profess faith in Jesus Christ for the sole purpose to deceive others, sadly so. But we can go by what they talk about and what they teach and how they present the message of the gospel and by what is important to them and by what they talk about the most. And we should then compare that to the Scriptures to see whether or not their words and actions and lifestyles agree with what God requires of us.

Now, not one of us is going to be absolutely perfect in everything that we do and say, so we must be very careful that we don’t make quick judgments and that we don’t judge people by one or two incidents in which they might not have been having their best day. But we can observe patterns of behaviors and of messages given and we can test those against what the Scriptures teach, and they will give us a pretty good indication as to whether or not this is someone who is to be trusted. But please read the Scriptures in context! For many lies come from Scriptures taught outside of context.

And this is not written to encourage us to just go around judging everyone. But we do need to pay close attention to what we hear and read and think we see, for liars and lies abound, and much is being photoshopped and altered and manipulated today to appear the opposite of what it really is. So we do need to be those who exercise godly wisdom and discernment. But be careful that you don’t judge others falsely by your own selves or by your culture or by your own religious practices, for that is false judging.

Now, if what you are teaching is faithful to the Scriptures, as taught in their appropriate context, then others who are genuine followers of Christ should have no argument with what you are teaching. But we all must make certain, to the best of our understanding, that what we are teaching or sharing with others, with regard to the Scriptures, is really what the Scriptures teach, and not something we might have been taught erroneously. So we should even be testing our own teachings.

[Matthew 7:15-23; Matthew 24:11-14; John 10:1-15; Romans 16:17-19; 2 Corinthians 11:3,13-15; Ephesians 4:11-16; Philippians 3:2; 2 Peter 2:1-22; 1 Thessalonians 5:19-22; 1 Timothy 1:3-7; 1 Timothy 6:3-10; 2 Timothy 3:1-9; 1 John 4:1-6; Jude 1:1-25]

For Our Nation

An Original Work / September 11, 2012

Bombs are bursting. Night is falling.
Jesus Christ is gently calling
You to follow Him in all ways.
Trust Him with your life today.
Make Him your Lord and your Savior.
Turn from your sin. Follow Jesus.
He will forgive you of your sin;
Cleanse your heart, made new within.

Men betraying: Our trust fraying.
On our knees to God we’re praying,
Seeking God to give us answers
That are only found in Him.
God is sovereign over all things.
Nothing from His mind escaping.
He has all things under His command,
And will work all for good.

Jesus Christ is gently calling
You to follow Him in all ways.

Men deceiving: We’re believing
In our Lord, and interceding
For our nation and its people
To obey their God today.
He is our hope for our future.
For our wounds He offers suture.
He is all we need for this life.
Trust Him with your life today.

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These kinds of incidents unfortunately aren't rare, though they tend to come in waves, according to whatever is happening in national politics.

But it doesn't surprise me. Haters gonna hate.

In the same manner in which Jesus laid down his life for us, we are to lay down our lives, not only for other believers in Christ, but also for the people of the world. So, how do we do this? First of all we must, by faith in Jesus Christ, be 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 God and to his righteousness. For Jesus said that if anyone would come after him, he must deny self, take up his cross daily, and follow (obey) him.

[Romans 6:1-23; Luke 9:23-26; Ephesians 4:17-32; Titus 2:11-14]

Then we are to walk (in conduct, in purpose, in practice) according to the Spirit and no longer according to the flesh. Sin must no longer be what we practice, but now righteousness and obedience to our Lord are to be what we practice. And now we should be sharing the message of the gospel of our salvation with other people, and we should be engaged in encouraging and edifying and exhorting one another who are in the faith in our walks of faith in holiness and in righteousness and in obedience to our Lord.

[Rom 8:1-14; Gal 5:16-21; Matt 7:21-23; Matt 5:13-16; Matt 28:18-20; Jn 4:31-38; Jn 13:13-17; Jn 14:12; Acts 1:8; Acts 2:14-18; Acts 26:18; Rom 10:14-15; Rom 12:1-8; Rom 15:14; 1 Co 12:1-31; 1 Co 14:1-5; Eph 4:1-16; Eph 5:11-27; Php 2:1-8; Col 3:16; Heb 3:13; Heb 10:23-25; 1 Pet 2:9,21; 1 Jn 2:6]

All of this involves us surrendering our lives to Jesus Christ to do his will and to serve his purposes for us and to show love to our fellow humans. We can no longer be selfish and self-centered, in practice. Now we must be God-focused and have our eyes, minds, and hearts set on obeying the Lord and to doing his will, even if it gets us hated and rejected and cast off by others, even others who profess the name of Jesus, because our walks of faith in the Lord are an offense to them. And this is how we lay down our lives.

[Matt 5:10-12; Matt 10:16-25; Matt 24:9-14; Luke 6:22-23; Luke 12:49-53; Luke 21:12-19; John 15:1-21; John 16:33; John 17:14; Acts 14:22; Rom 5:3-5; Eph 6:10-20; Phil 3:7-11; 1 Pet 1:6-7; 1 Pet 4:12-17; 2 Tim 3:12; 1 Thess 3:1-5; Jas 1:2-4; 2 Co 1:3-11; Heb 12:3-12; 1 Jn 3:13; Rev 6:9-11; Rev 7:9-17; Rev 11:1-3; Rev 12:17; Rev 13:1-18; Rev 14:1-13]

Now our ministry to our brothers and sisters in Christ, and to the people of the world, is not just on a spiritual level, but it is on a physical level, too. We are to care about one another’s needs (spiritual and physical), but the physical needs should be legitimate needs and not just wants, and there should be good reason to believe that they are not able to provide for their own needs in their current situation. For the Scriptures teach that we are not to feed those who are idle and who are not willing to work (see 2 Thessalonians 3:10). So this calls for much wisdom and discernment.

For sadly we have many people in this world, and even within the gatherings of what are called “churches,” who take advantage of others and who lie and manipulate and scam others to get from them what they want. And then we cannot meet everyone’s needs unless we are the wealthiest of people that there are, and even they can’t meet everyone’s needs. So, again, we must be wise and discerning and pray to the Lord regarding what needs he would have us meet, and in what ways, and regarding how much we should give. But definitely we are not to love in word only, but also in actions.

Now we can know that our faith is genuine by how we love God and other humans in action and not just in words. Now words may be part of those actions, such as what I do each day in writing out my devotions and sharing them with the people of the world and with other believers in Christ, but we aren’t supposed to just mouth words of love but then live the opposite. And we can know that our faith is genuine because we keep (obey, put into practice) our Lord’s commandments (New Covenant), and because we do what pleases the Lord, according to his word, and not by our own thinking.

Love Must Be Genuine

An Original Work / October 22, 2013
Based off Romans 12:9-21

Love must be genuine.
Hate what’s evil; cling to good.
Love each other with affection.
Show respect for ev’ryone.
Never lack in your zeal.
Serve the Lord with diligence.

Rejoice in steadfast hope.
In affliction, patient be.
Keep on praying; share with others.
Practice hospitality.
Bless those who persecute.
Feel with others sympathy.

Be not filled with conceit.
Daily sit at Jesus’ feet.
Live in harmony with others.
Live at peace with ev’ryone.
Repay not to someone
With the evil he begot.

Do not take your revenge;
Leave it to the wrath of God.
If your enemy is thirsty,
Give to him something to drink.
Do what’s right for mankind.
Evil: overcome with good.

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tonychanyt said:

NIV, Matthew 5:


i.e., the righteousness of Christ


with the righteousness of Christ.


i.e., because of Christ


If you thirst for Christ, you will be filled with Christ.
If you die for Christ, you will inherit Christ's kingdom.

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This, of the beatitudes, is one of my favorites —the thirst for Christ is maybe my deepest set need. To see my God as he is, to be with him, to know him, to be what he created me for, to be with him and to love him without fault. To see his satisfaction and joy.

But the interplay between this, and his words to the woman at the well —whoever drinks of the water that he gives, will never thirst again!, and yet I feel the need for him all the more, the more I drink of the living water! I love this.

Certainly no other water can satisfy. "Whom have I in Heaven but you? And being with you, I desire nothing on earth."

essentialsaltes said:

TXSE Chairman and CEO James Lee said the Dallas-headquartered group has raised $120 million with the support of more than two dozen investors.

The Wall Street Journal reported on the endeavor earlier, saying the exchange is billing itself as a “more-CEO friendly” alternative to the New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq in the face of rising regulation and a “disaffection with increasing compliance costs.”

The Dallas Morning News reported TXSE will target companies in the “southeastern quadrant of the U.S.” In an interview with the newspaper, Lee thanked Texas Gov. Greg Abbott for his support and leadership.

--

The Stock Exchange of Northern Aggression?

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Setting up the financial infrastructure needed for a fledgling nation?

Yes some have studied Scripture and know how to utilize it to meet their goals.

BobRyan said:

Rand Paul: 15 Agencies Knew About Gain-of-Function Virus Research at Wuhan Institute, Kept Silent

Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) appeared on

redstate.com

So instead of leading the whistle blowing - 15 agencies "kept silent" as Trump pointed to Wuhan as the source for COVID 19 - and was being slammed by the opposing political party for daring to point it out, daring to let the American public know what they all knew to be true.

Another "Gotcha" program coming to light? More chickens coming home to roost.

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You might have gotten more discussion if the article you're citing wasn't behind a paywall. I'm not subscribing to a right-wing news site for one story. Nor would I subscribe to a left-wing site for the same reason.

Diamond7 said:

Sexual Dimorphism.

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Sexual dimorphism refers to the differences in physical characteristics between males and females of the same species. These differences can include size, shape, coloration, and other traits. In many species, sexual dimorphism is more pronounced, such as in peacocks (where males have elaborate tail feathers) or lions (where males have manes). It’s fascinating how evolution has shaped these variations!

Mr. M said:

24 So it was, when Moses had completed writing the words of this law in a book, when they were finished,

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Interesting that people claim Moses did not write a book and He was a oral tradition before his books were written.

Michie said:

Most Americans back Harrison Butker expressing his beliefs: Rasmussen

A majority of Americans approve of Kansas City Chiefs placekicker Harrison Butker expressing his religious and moral beliefs during a recent graduation speech at a Catholic school

www.christianpost.com

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I think his tone doesn't reflect well on his religious faith. It is uncharitable. You can be thankful for your religious values, spouse and children without trying to condemn other peoples mode of life. He isn't seeking respectful dialogue, more like crusading. It was particularly ugly and pharisaical to criticize President Biden's expression of Catholicism.