This Rejoice & Praise God Sunday Open Thread, with full respect to those who worship God on the Sabbath, is a place to reaffirm our worship of our Creator, our Father, our King Eternal.
It’s also a place to read, post, and discuss news that is worth knowing and sharing. Please post links to any news stories that you use as sources or quote from.
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We have a policy of mutual respect, shown by civility. Civility encourages discussions, promotes objectivity and rational thought in discourse, and camaraderie in the participants – characteristics we strive toward in our Q Tree community.
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On this day and every day –
God is in Control
. . . and His Grace is Sufficient, so . . .
Keep Looking Up
Hopefully, every Sunday, we can find something here that will build us up a little . . . give us a smile . . . and add some joy or peace, very much needed in all our lives.
“This day is holy to the Lord your God;
do not mourn nor weep.” . . .
“Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet,
and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared;
for this day is holy to our Lord.
Do not sorrow,
for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”
No Sin? . . . No Sin!!!
As we look around us these days, we’re surrounded and saturated by the evils of this world . . . and it appears to be spreading and getting worse. We’re hopeful that soon we’ll experience a pause in this evil progression with the election of PTrump, but it’s clear that we’re on an inevitable downhill slide to Tribulation. We haven’t seen anything yet. What’s coming will be a tsunami of evil and troubles such as we or the world has never seen.
I don’t want to be here when that happens. And, hopefully, I and we will not be here. We’ll be raised and changed so that sin and troubles will never, ever have even the most remote appearance in our lives. I don’t think we comprehend at all the great impact that it’ll have on us . . . but it will be glorious!!!
The Bible describes heaven or the eternal state in great detail in Revelation chapters 21–22. Nowhere in those chapters is the possibility of sin mentioned. In fact, we have the promise that, in the eternal state, we will never experience death, sorrow, crying, or pain (Revelation 21:4)—the absence of those things is proof positive that sin is also absent, since those things are the product of sin (see Romans 6:23).
The sinful will not be in heaven but in the lake of fire (Revelation 21:8). Nothing impure will ever enter heaven (Revelation 21:27). Outside of heaven are those who sin (Revelation 22:15). An Old Testament prophecy also assures us that the Kingdom of God will exclude sinfulness:
A highway will be there;
it will be called the Way of Holiness;
it will be for those who walk on that Way.
The unclean will not journey on it;
wicked fools will not go about on it. . . .
But only the redeemed will walk there” (Isaiah 35:8–9).
It will not be possible for us to sin in heaven.
God wills our sanctification (1 Thessalonians 4:3); that is, He wills to make us holy and free of sin. Our sanctification has three phases: the 1st phase saves us from the penalty of sin at the moment of faith in Christ; the 2nd saves us from the power of sin as we grow in Christ; and the 3rd saves us from the presence of sin as we enter the presence of Christ. “When Christ appears, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is” (1 John 3:2). In other words, the process by which God sanctifies us involves justification, maturation, and glorification.
The glorification that God promises His children (Romans 8:30) includes sinlessness, because sinful beings cannot be glorious. Heaven, the place of God’s glory, is sinless. Paul prays in 1 Thessalonians 5:23, “May the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely”, and he links the glorious appearing of Christ to our personal glorification: “When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory” (Colossians 3:4). This glorified state will be our ultimate separation from sin, a total sanctification in every regard. It will not be possible for us to sin in heaven.
James 1:14 provides another assurance that we will not sin in heaven: “Each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed.” In this sinful world, we face temptation daily, and James identifies two forces that prompt us to sin: our own evil desire (our sin nature) and enticement (the devil’s schemes). Neither of those forces will be in heaven. Our sin nature will have been eradicated in our glorification, and the tempter will have been consigned to the lake of fire where he can do us no harm (Revelation 20:10).
The Bible’s teaching is that heaven or the eternal state is completely holy. There will be no possibility of sin, we will be clothed with righteousness (Revelation 19:8), and we will be eternally confirmed in our state of bliss. The work that God promised to complete in us will have been finished (Philippians 1:6). Our deliverance will be complete, as the elect are redeemed – body, soul, and mind – to the glory of the Lamb (Rev. 5:6–10).
xhttps://www.gotquestions.org/heaven-sin.html
Thanks for this lesson.
I must admit that I have to work at seeing this – and I’m still working! But I’m trying! I’m really trying! 🙏
Amen 🙂
Two thoughts (among others) occurred to me in reifying bakocarl’s lesson: 1) the serene state or condition of not struggling with, and suffering the consequences of, my own very real sinfulness; 2) and the serene state or condition of not struggling with, and being “unfairly” affected by, the sinfulness of others.
Perfect distillation. Thank you, Tonawanda!
🙏 for you. Lean not on your own understanding, just trust the Lord. Psalm 3:5. He knows more than we do.
I struggled with this for 20 years as an adult as my intellect had been shaped by the world around me as well as the wills of others. I sought, but could not find; until I fully submitted my will and all outcomes to Him. I said out loud and in my heart, “Whatever you want for me and mine, is yours to determine. I am done doing it myself.” I told Him to lift me up or cast me down, whatever He wanted.
I am convinced that everything changed because He knew my heart. From that point on His spirit and The Word have guided my life. I am so blessed and thankful. I still fall short at times and mess up. He cleans it up and straightens me out. It has been 30 years now and I can truthfully say I have the same daily thoughts and approach. Total trust in Him in whatever we face. He is in charge of whatever outcome He wants and it is to His glory. I am fine with it, good or bad. I love and trust Him with all that is within me.
I love this version…
Amen – He leads and teaches and redeems and changes us as we go along.
Wolfie please make sure you read Aubergine’s Article. I think you will find the discussion interesting.
Trump’s Inelegant Brilliance
How to win at the ballot box…
Robert W Malone MD, MS
Sep 14, 2024
“The truth is that anyone who has watched the open Southern Border with even half a neuron turned on has been alarmed.
It is estimated that somewhere between 40-50 million people have immigrated to the USA since the mid-1970s. This represents one of the largest waves of immigration in U.S. history. It has dramatically changed the country’s demographic composition and culture.
In the last two years alone (2022 to 2023), the foreign-born population in the U.S. increased by 5.1 million.
Between 10 percent and 12.5 percent of the immigration over the past fifty years happened within less than TWO years.
.
.
The chart above documents that most of those crossing the border recently have been from countries other than Mexico. People are flooding our borders from all over the world, including China, the middle east, Africa and other South American countries. There are no controls on who is entering our country.
Cultural identity is essential. Our American culture is important. We all know that too great an influx of immigrants risks our cultural identity as Americans.
Trump touched upon a pressure point. That is, cultural identity.
Then the meme wars started. Or maybe it started before, with the crazy cat lady memes…
So many memes – on both sides.
Then MSM got involved and took it to a whole ‘nother level.
Clearly, if you listen to MSM, there is only one one side to this story – that is the story that 50% of Americans are either brain dead or racist or both, because they are led by a racist dictator;”
(continued at title link above)
From the article, this ⬇️, a thousand times:
Also 😅:
There are some cultural traditions that are particularly toxic —
https://market-ticker.org/akcs-www?post=252028
Excellent. He’s right. The Soviet Americans who are doing this should be held responsible in some way.
🎵 I went back to Ohio, and my kitty was gone…🎶
Makes me miss Rush right there…sigh…
AI detection: does that puppy have duck feet?
really? so President Trump flying is not real…LOL
That part is surely real. hehe
👍😁
& some extra kitty paws too 😉
Siamese twin kitties.
Oopsie. The duckling behind the pup is too small for those to be its feet.
A second, otherwise hidden duckling?
Oh well, we either can’t spell or can’t do an image.
Naomi Wolf just shared something really special.
https://naomiwolf.substack.com/p/the-thing-i-feared-most-to-write-a86
Beautiful, very moving. Every word. Much she says about sin is very complementary to bakocarl’s essay.
I agree, Tonawanda. I am rereading it again and am struck by all the wonderful insights Naomi has. Here’s an example.
This reminds me of one morning making my long commute from the mountain to the city, I saw a deer struggling to get up, body broken. The doe was on an exit ramp beside the woods. It upset me to see the deer’s struggle. There was no corresponding onramp and even if I did stop, I could not help her.
I prayed to God give the deer peace and not let her hurt so. The next morning, I watched for the deer and saw her laying without limbs contorted. She looked peaceful. It is moments like these that confirm my personal conviction that God is real and in spite of how small I am, He hears me and loves us all.
“…yellowish glaze across their cheekbones….” = LIVER DAMAGE
“…They have grey-blue shadows…” = CYANOSIS/HEART FAILURE
Gail Combs
Awful. Smells like things induced from being COVID-19 “vaccinated.”
EXACTLY, I should have said that Cyanosis is Oxygen starvation that goes with Long Covid. Remember oxygen starvation may not be noticed by the victim. This is why the doctors often recommend an Oximeter. When I had Long Covid in 2018, the doctor remarked I was lucky because I recognized I was not getting enough O2, many people do not. She still recommended the Pulse-Oximeter.
Central and Peripheral Cyanosis
A lack of Son? That causes a lack of Vitamin D(ivine).
I read it this morning. I kind of feel sorry for her. She met Jesus, and remains a Jew. So adamant about her disbelief, even while acknowledging Him.
Much of what she wrote was beautiful. But how in the world someone could have such an encounter and not believe Jesus was the Messiah sent from God is baffling to me. Naomi is very focused on the humans who misunderstand His Word, rather than the truth God is telling her.
Naomi seems to be on the fence almost all the time. ALMOST conservative, ALMOST a Christian. But always trying to be something for everyone. I know a handful of people like her, mostly alternative medicine practitioners of one stripe or another. Can’t be one thing or the other, because they might offend someone. Sad to me.
The notion that being a Jew or practicing Judaism somehow blocks a person from Christ is an astounding mistaken notion.
IMO striving to be a Christian is the problem.
Yeshua did not come to earth to start a new religion. He came to deliver the Good News – that His sacrifice on the Cross paid everybody’s sin debt that they had been born into. Everybody could now live in Heaven forever. You simply had to do one thing – accept the pardon.
Naomi’s only problem, as far as spirituality is concerned, is a refusal to accept Christ as the Son of God [I don’t know her situation in that regard]. That is not a Jewish problem alone. If she accepts Christ, she’s good to go. If she thinks being a good person or being a practicing Jew is a ‘back stage pass’ to the Kingdom, she [and anybody else who thinks that way] will be rudely disappointed.
The truth shall set you free.
The truth shall set you free.
Baker’s Law #2: The truth tends to set free those who are already looking for a hole in the fence.
Do not despair for those who are almost persuaded. God performs His will in the fullness of time. Continue to pray for them and behold the wonders of the Father. P there is the thread of wisdom running through your comment.
ThanQ. Any wisdom I dispense is not my own.
I think you are right, that it is not a “Jewish” problem, or any other religion problem. It’s an ego problem. She simply can’t give up on the notion that she somehow “knows better.”
I have come to believe that all people will have the experience of meeting Jesus clearly face-to-face. It appears Naomi got that experience in life, but I think most will get it in death.
Otherwise, what of the people who were born and died pre-Jesus? Or those alive now who never hear of Him? Or, more often, those who are so blinded and damaged by the sins of this fallen world that they just can’t see Him at all? They will all get their chance to “accept the pardon” as you say. At least that is what I believe.
There is a verse in Scripture that points at this, in my opinion:
1 Corinthians 13
12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.
When this was written, a mirror was just a polished piece of metal, showing mostly shadowy blurred images without much detail. The sin of the world blurs our vision of Jesus and of God. But when we meet him face to face, we will see clearly. If a person’s response is “but I’m a Jew (or fill-in-the-blank),” their experience will be very different than mine, I think.
At least, that is what I believe at this point in my spiritual journey.
All of Naomi’s struggles between her Jewishness and Christ is resolved in Chapter 7 of Mark. It is about the heart. Jewish or Gentile – it matters not. Glad submission to Christ produces purity of heart, which is what the Lord seeks in us; not religion, rules, tradition, etc. It is about the good that comes from a pure heart found only in Christ.
To me the most disturbing part of the COVID genocide has been the willing submission to evil authority. Those believers and non-believers alike who did it are suffering as a result.
All Jesus had to do was get in line, disavow His Godly parentage, do as the leaders did and instructed everyone. But we see in Mark 7 and other places in The Word that He did not do that.
Choose this day…
Now, time for some bacon. 😂
Precisely.
Thank you, TB, for your insights! In my rereading, I wanted to point out this section that is moving to me.
Perfectly stated.
So what happens to Jews when they die?
Same thing as anybody – they face Christ to answer one question:
Why should I let you into my Kingdom?
And if they did not believe in Christ?
Damned to hell?
Pause here and listen to Naomi’s reaction and description to her experience. In her core, Naomi knows Jesus. The rest is between her and Jesus, IMHO.
OK to take as rhetorical. No big deal to me.
Not making a reference to Naomi.
Could be any Jew. Died. Had not believed in Christ.
Damned to hell?
—
Could be anyone on the street. Died. Not trained or instructed regarding Christ.
Damned to hell?
—
Entire nation(s), or nearly so. Not Christians. India. Japan. Numerous others. Die. Go to hell?
—
These are honest questions I asked around my third or fourth grade. Others asked also. How about an infant? Several of us simply did not understand how it could be so. Catholic school 1-9.
Prolly did not cite a “Jew.” Cited some generic person who died without knowing, believing in Christ. Jew came up today cuz Naomi is the focus in this string.
I was told hell or “Limbo.” Baffled me Then AND Now.
My questions always were answered with Divine Mystery and the beady eyes meaning don’t ask this again
catholic school1-12
Yea. I’m going to let it go. I’ll likely, very unintentionally piss some off. I don’t want to do it. Truly wonderful folks here.
Wrong forum to deal with this. I should not have brought this stuff up.
See my post above.
“Wrong forum to deal with this. I should not have brought this stuff up.”
I disagree, they are valid questions & everything can be on the table at the Q-Tree. Definitive answers may not come, but insightful, even scriptural, replies often will.
Be blessed, my brother.
I’ve been intrigued by how C.S. Lewis touched on this subject in The Last Battle, the final book in his Chronicles of Narnia. His perspective as displayed in that book is not directly scriptural but seems within the nature of God, to me.
It is a hopeful take (which may be erroneous). I would never reject Jesus & Hope that my love of God, or good deeds, would be sufficient for salvation. How God deals with unbelievers &/or those who’ve never heard of Jesus to outright reject Him is a mystery.
This is a take on the Narnian insight:
One Calormene soldier, Emeth, was so devout that he insisted on going in to meet Tash and vanished into Aslan’s Country. He expected Tash to smite only unbelievers with heavenly fire, so he went searching for Tash in Aslan’s Country, but instead met Aslan. Aslan told Emeth, “All the service thou hast done to Tash, I accept as service done to me,” and further explained, “No service which is vile can be done to me, and none which is not vile can be done to him.” He told Emeth that his pious devotion was really to Aslan, rather than to Tash, although Emeth had not been aware of this; Emeth was greatly moved by this revelation and lovingly fell at the lion’s feet and wept with joy.
https://narnia.fandom.com/wiki/Tash
I quote & expand on this in an old blog post here:
https://specialconnections.wordpress.com/2018/05/28/chrislam/
Aslan (Narnian representation of Jesus) & Emeth in Paradise
None can answer with certainty every condition and the Lord’s will outside of Heaven. If they have never been made aware of Jesus, a just and merciful God will do what He decides.
IMO, ultimately, He decides subject to what they knew. He desires none to perish, however, many choose to do so by rejecting Christ. Jesus was a Jew. No Jew can claim they do not know Him or about Him. He is recorded in Jewish and Roman history. In most Jewish references I am aware He was made out to be a rebel by the Pharisees and other authorities.
If they, Jew or Gentile, have heard of Jesus and did not trust Him for their salvation, they rejected the Son of God sent to redeem them to the Father. There are several parables Jesus taught about that. God did not send His Son to die just to let people off the hook. He sent Him as the final sacrifice for sin. Jews know what that means. He is the final sacrificial lamb whose blood was shed for the remission of sin. Many reject that and so they will receive what they choose to receive.
Then Abraham approached him and said: “Will you sweep away the righteous with the wicked?
24 What if there are fifty righteous people in the city? Will you really sweep it away and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous people in it?
25 Far be it from you to do such a thing—to kill the righteous with the wicked, treating the righteous and the wicked alike. Far be it from you! Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?”
The Holy Bible: Today’s New International Version. (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2005), Ge 18:23–25.
Kalb, you are not the first to wonder about these questions. Abraham had the same sort of questions when Sodom was to be destroyed. My position is to leave the heavy lifting to God and concentrate on obeying the things I already understand. When I am tempted to help God sort things out I am reminded of that last sentence in verse 25. Then I relax and go about my day.
Back to my day. Thanks.
It would seem that there are things we can know about God, based on our conscious perception of the world around us:
…………………….
“For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:” (Romans 1:20, KJV)
…………………….
So we can perceive that God exists, according to God’s Word. That won’t be much comfort (or persuasion) to the skeptic, who might say “Some see it and some don’t, and we all see what we want to see.”
Assuming one believes that God exists, what can we possibly know about Him, or what He wants for us, or of us?
We might be able to infer a few things about God from our natural environment, but what can we know and be sure of, except what God chooses to directly reveal, in His Word?
For example, can we know about sin, or repentance, or redemption, or salvation, merely through examination of the natural world?
Or can we only know about those kinds of things because God chose to specifically reveal them and preserve them for posterity?
So we have His Word. It has been preserved. Is what has survived to the present day authentic and well enough preserved to be reliable and trusted?
Can that be determined, and if so, to what degree of certainty?
Why is it important?
Because if it is true that the only way we can know what God expects of us is from what God has chosen to reveal to us, but we cannot be confident that His Word as it has survived to the present day is accurate and authentic, then how can we have confidence in anything we believe about God?
Is this not the very reason why God’s Word is and has been relentlessly attacked, from the instant it was written down, to this very moment, and every minute in between?
Because if the authenticity and veracity and fidelity of God’s Word can be undermined, if the Scriptures can be broken (cf. John 10:35), then none of it can be trusted. It stands or falls all together.
Almost no one examines the books of islam with the intent to disprove them. Or the books of Hinduism, or any of the world’s ‘great’ religions, none except the Scriptures contained in what is called the Bible.
Why is that?
Is it just discrimination against Jews and Christians, or is it something much bigger than that?
The Scriptures don’t hide from the challenge, either. To the contrary, the Scriptures make extraordinary claims that no other literary work can credibly make — not the least of which is the claim that they are the very Word of God — challenging every man born into the world to examine them and try to prove otherwise, to break them.
Humans, being what they are, i.e. curious (which is good), skeptical (sometimes good), rebellious, prideful, deceitful, sinful (bad, bad, bad and bad), the authenticity and accuracy of God’s Word is under constant attack.
But that’s good, because if it wasn’t strong enough to withstand that constant attack, the Scriptures would have been broken long ago — and they haven’t been.
And it’s certainly not for lack of trying by TPTB, in every generation and era.
If God’s Word could be broken, if error or inauthenticity could be proven, then ‘sin’ does not exist, objective right and wrong do not exist, no crime or depravity could be condemned, and Man (and more specifically, TPTB), could live by the creed of ‘Do What Thou Wilt’.
What stands in their way, ultimately, besides the most widely published book in the history of the world?
If the Scriptures can be broken, then everything in them can be disregarded.
But conversely, if the Scriptures cannot be broken, then they cannot be disregarded. They exist in the material world, and (among other things) they define and condemn depravity, injustice, immorality, lying, stealing, murder and every other sin men do under the sun.
So by their existence, and specifically because they cannot be broken, they cannot therefore be disregarded — not by the honest soul, and in a very meaningful way, not even by The Powers that Be.
I wanted to establish that the Word of God is the highest Authority there is or ever can be, and that it does serve a very real purpose in the world — both among those who do believe, and among those who don’t.
Also, that the only claims we have any reason to believe about God, or what He expects of us, or how we ought to live, can only come from God Himself — and the only place those revelations and instructions are found, is in His Word.
And not anywhere else.
Anything which is found, but which is not found in His Word, is, by definition, of men (or, conceivably, of Satan).
And men are not the authority in matters of God.
It should be (and hopefully is) self evident that God is the Authority in matters of God.
The previous post was intended to establish some parameters, for context.
.
“IMO striving to be a Christian is the problem.”
____________
What does God’s Word say?
“Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them, [24] Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.” (Luke 13:23-24, KJV)
“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15, KJV)
.
.
“Yeshua did not come to earth to start a new religion.”
___________
I can probably find a way to agree with that. I tend not to like the word ‘religion’ very much, because of how it is abused by the world.
It is a word that is found only 5 times in all of Scripture. Of the five, I would describe three as neutral, one portrays ‘religion’ in a negative light, and one in a positive light.
.
.
“He came to deliver the Good News – that His sacrifice on the Cross paid everybody’s sin debt that they had been born into.”
____________
Are we born in sin? Are babies sinful? Is that even possible?
If a baby dies, is its soul lost?
Some people thought so, but not while Jesus was in the world, or when the Apostles were alive, it was after that. It was after the Scriptures were completed.
Someone got the idea that we were born sinful, so naturally they started baptizing infants, and another new doctrine and tradition of men was invented, even though there is not a single recorded example of an infant being baptized in all of God’s Word.
If something is found in the world, but it is not found in God’s Word, is it of God, or of men?
And if it is of men, then what Authority does it have, in matters of God?
Who is right, and who is wrong?
.
.
“Everybody could now live in Heaven forever. You simply had to do one thing – accept the pardon.”
______________
I think Billy Graham said something similar, that if we just accept Jesus into our heart, and say the ‘Sinner’s Prayer’, we are saved.
Does anyone know what book, chapter and verse in the Bible has the “Sinner’s Prayer”? Or is that not of God, but of Billy Graham?
What must we do to be saved?
Fortunately, the inspired Word of God asks and answers that very question, so we don’t have to guess.
It was the jailor, who fell down before Paul and Silas after he learned that none of the prisoners had left, so the jailor had no reason to take his own life.
……………….
“And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? [31] And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.” (Acts 16:30-31, KJV)
……………….
[Can a baby do that?]
That sounds sort of like accepting Jesus, or accepting the pardon, but did Paul and Silas stop there?
What did they say or do next?
……………
“And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house.” (Acts 16:32)
……………
Why did they speak the word of the Lord to him? Is it not necessary to hear God’s Word, to understand who Jesus is, in order to believe in Him?
If they had said “Believe in Toby”, would it be possible for the jailor to believe in Toby, without first learning who Toby is?
So a necessary precursor to belief is to hear (or read) the Word of God. We have to know Who Jesus is, and understand that we are lost, and that salvation is only through Christ, and no other:
………………
“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” (cf. Acts 4:12).
……………….
So logically, rationally, we have to “hear” (or read) the gospel, the Word of God, we have to learn Who Jesus is, before we can “believe” in Him.
[Can a baby repent? Can a baby even commit sin? If so, how?]
……………..
“So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Romans 10:17, cf. John 6:44-45)
“But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” (Hebrews 11:6)
……………..
Did Paul and Silas stop there? Did they preach the gospel and the jailor heard it and believed, and that was the end?
Or was there more?
What happened in the next verse, i.e., Acts 16:33?
……………….
“And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway.” (Acts 16:33)
……………….
The jailor was baptized, right away.
What is the meaning and purpose of baptism? The word ‘baptism’ occurs 22 times in 22 verses in the New Testament, the word ‘baptize’ occurs 9 times in 7 verses, and ‘baptized’ occurs 61 times in 51 verses, so there is plenty for us to read about it.
……………….
“Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? [38] Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” (Acts 2:37-38)
See also: “And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.” (Acts 22:16)
“Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” (Romans 6:4)
“Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.” (Colossians 2:12)
“The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:” (1 Peter 3:21)
“There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; [5] One Lord, one faith, one baptism, [6] One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.” (Ephesians 4:4-6)
……………….
When they asked what they should do, Peter said “Repent, and be baptized”.
For what? “for the remission of sins”.
What was the result?
[Can a baby do that?]
……………….
“Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.” (Acts 2:41)
……………….
About 3,000 souls were added to the Lord’s church, which we understand to have been established in Acts chapter 2 (cf. Acts 2:47).
So we are seeing what is actually involved in Christian conversion.
The Word of God also says we are to confess Christ with our mouths, and why:
………………..
“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 believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” (Romans 10:9-10)
………………..
[Can a baby do that?]
So what do we have so far?
What can be established, by the Word of God, with regard to being saved?
Hear the gospel (cf. Romans 10:17, John 6:44-45), in order to
Believe (Hebrews 11:6, John 8:24, Acts 16:31)
Repent (Acts 2:38, Luke 13:3, Acts 17:30)
Confess (Romans 10:9-10, Matthew 10:32-33)
Be Baptized (Acts 2:38, Mark 16:16, Acts 22:16)
What, if anything, remains?
Be faithful (Revelation 2:10, 2 Peter 2:20-22) (and when we sin, repent, and pray for forgiveness):
………………..
“Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.” (Revelation 2:10)
………………..
.
Can our salvation be lost, after we have believed?
Many men say “No”, believing some variation of a doctrine called ‘once saved, always saved‘, but what did Paul and Peter say, by inspiration of God?
……………….
“And this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you. [24] Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. [25] And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. [26] I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: [27] But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.” (1 Corinthians 9:23-27)
.
“For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. [21] For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. [22] But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.” (2 Peter 2:20-22)
……………….
.
There are many conversions recorded in the Book of Acts, so we can find out, straight from God’s Word, what was involved, how it happened, what was done, and why.
I think these are most (if not all) of the examples, which end in baptism:
Acts 2:36-41 (Jews gathered in Jerusalem for the Pentecost, hearing Peter’s sermon, were baptized), Acts 8:5-13 (Simon the sorcerer baptized), Acts 8:26-40 (Ethiopian eunuch baptized), Acts 9:1-19 (baptism of Paul), Acts 10:1-48 (Cornelius the Centurion, the first gentile to be baptized), Acts 16:14-15 (Lydia, the seller of purple, baptized), Acts 16:16-33 (Paul and Silas’ Jailor baptized), Acts 18:7-9 (Justus and Crispus and many Corinthians baptized), Acts 19:1-7 (about 12 men at Ephesus baptized, taught by Paul).
.
.
“Naomi’s only problem, as far as spirituality is concerned, is a refusal to accept Christ as the Son of God [I don’t know her situation in that regard]. That is not a Jewish problem alone. If she accepts Christ, she’s good to go.”
_____________
What does accepting Christ entail?
It has to be something more than simply believing in Him, doesn’t it?
Even the devils believed in Jesus, but they weren’t saved:
……………..
“Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.” (James 2:19)
……………..
If God is perfect, if the Scripture cannot be broken, then the Scripture cannot contradict itself, it must reconcile and harmonize with itself.
These things are all taught in God’s Word, by command and example, and they harmonize and reconcile:
Hear the gospel (cf. Romans 10:17, John 6:44-45), in order to…
Believe (Hebrews 11:6, John 8:24, Acts 16:31)
Repent (Acts 2:38, Luke 13:3, Acts 17:30)
Confess (Romans 10:9-10, Matthew 10:32-33)
Be Baptized (Acts 2:38, Mark 16:16, Acts 22:16)
Be faithful (Revelation 2:10, 2 Peter 2:20-22) (and when we sin, repent, and pray for forgiveness)
Which of these can be safely omitted?
On whose Authority?
The authority of some man?
Or by the Authority of God and His Word?
Who is it that we are to believe and obey?
……………..
“Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.” (Acts 5:29, KJV)
……………..
As ever, what I think or believe doesn’t matter — but what God’s Word says is a whole different thing, because the Word of God does matter.
So I am always interested to hear what people believe, and why, and by what authority, to compare those beliefs to what God’s Word says, to see whether those things are so.
………………
“These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.” (Acts 17:11)
………………
.
I definitely wasn’t meaning to single you out pgroup, your post just seemed to offer a couple opportunities to discuss some things I wanted to bring attention to 👍
When I read her statement, I was filled with joy for two reasons.
1) She has come so far in her acceptance of Jesus, and she must be very close to full acceptance. If Jesus appeared to her, He is not letting her go. He is the best Teacher, and teachers understand that full comprehension is sometimes a long process. She had the experience 14 years ago, and she has just now revealed it (with great courage). Who knows how that revelation will affect her, but it is a definite next step.
2) I wondered how many people will read what she wrote and as a result come to a full acceptance of Jesus, regardless of what Wolf does, or maybe even in spite of her.
The Lord knows, I would not want to be judged for my previous disbelief, and hope to be rewarded for keeping an open mind, desiring only to know the truth.
Part of what took me so long was getting bogged down in doctrinal questions, and theological disputes, philosopical questions and reasonable doubts. Those obscured how very simple it all really is, and ought to be.
Wolf anticipated exactly what reaction she would get, and IMO she was exactly correct. She wanted to have her experience accepted for what it was, not for the theological arguments it would spark. And yet, IMO, (and I am guessing), a vast majority of reactions will be, would predictably be, exactly the theological arguments she knew she would get.
We don’t know if she will accept Jesus as her Lord and Savior. We should pray she does, and have faith in Jesus the Teacher, Who knows what He is doing (with the Holy Ghost).
I am trying to imagine Jesus hearing the words in her essay and saying “REJECT!”
It is easier to imagine Him knowing what He is doing.
refreshing perspective–TY & God Bless!
Well … since you put it that way … 🙂
I imagine that most probably will not agree with me.
I do not trust being placed into a “meditative state” because I think it opens us up to dark influences. For that reason, and because the message Naomi came away with does not comport with Scripture (except for “love”), I have doubts that she actually saw Jesus.
In her article, I saw a watered-down version of what God is about. That kind of deception is exactly what leads people away from Christ. His message is clear in John 14 verse 6:
But Naomi did not come away with that message at all.
From her piece, emphasis mine:
This reflects a Jewish point of view: the emphasis on Abraham, the denial of the importance of Jesus’ resurrection, the emphasis on only love.
IMO, what we have is someone adding to, subtracting from, and distorting the Scriptures. Jesus’ having been raised from the dead is the cornerstone of Christianity. His death was the embodiment of God’s love to us. But Naomi’s statements downplay his death and resurrection and point people to the new-age concept of love–not, IMO, the Scriptural concept of love.
Naomi said:
No Christian can say that all religions are beside the point. No Christian can agree with that statement. Christianity IS the point.
Naomi:
Rather than moving forward in understanding, this shows a step backward. This is what people on the Left say: “It’s all about love. We have to love the immigrants and the homeless who are camping on our store sidewalks; we have to love the transgenders who are influencing our children,” etc. It is so basic in its concept that it distorts the meaning. Naomi was drawn to this concept in a theatrical way that made it seem real to her.
My admonition, if anyone were interested, would be this: Know the Scriptures and judge everything else by them. Naomi was led into a deceptive mindset that takes a truth (“God is love”) and twists it to fit what humans would rather deal with.
How much easier is it to go through life thinking we have to love one another (which we do), but do not have to recognize Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord? We can just be good to one another. Most people think they are already good, so that makes it easy. Distorting the message of Scripture and of Jesus Christ is what our enemy does, and it is what I see here.
Well, I can’t disagree with you. Not exactly.
I do think it is entirely possible that Naomi saw Jesus, and came away with the incorrect interpretation. After all, that’s precisely what the Pharisees and Jewish religious leaders did when confronted by Him on Earth. Faced with miracles and God’s son, they disbelieved and crucified Him.
That’s what makes me sad about it. Given such a vision (if it was real), Naomi chose her own path, not His.
We are required to love one another. But that doesn’t mean that we only love with no expectations at all as to sinful behavior. We know humans are sinners, but we are to seek not to sin, and to ask forgiveness when we do. We are required to repent.
I hope that Naomi eventually sees Jesus for who He was; the Way, the Truth, and the Life. And sees that she is completely wrong about Christians, at least the ones I know; Jesus’s LIFE is the example we follow as we walk through life. His DEATH is the sacrifice He made for us, so that we are not condemned. Works will not get anyone to God, only the Grace of Jesus Christ and what He did for us.
Naomi’s “New Age” take on her vision doesn’t surprise me in the least. It is what would be comfortable for her, given her life.
I agree with most of what you said. Regarding this:
It would have to be her own interpretation because otherwise, she would have us believe that our Lord sat down with someone and told them extra-Biblical things. Suddenly, the emphasis has shifted from His death and resurrection to just “love,” which people interpret as they will.
I can’t imagine His saying, “Everyone looks at my death, but they ignore my life.” First of all that’s not true, and secondly, His love for us was manifested in his death. His death and resurrection are the basis for Christianity. They are what separate it from false religions. It is all connected. So for the Son of God to say something like that should be a major red flag, IMO.
That’s just it; it is ALL her interpretation! She said no words were spoken, at all. That she just “knew” what was true.
This is the point I have been trying to make. Naomi is on the fence about politics, and about religion. She is a liberal at heart, period. EVERYBODY has to be “OK.” There is no moral absolute, or right or wrong.
Very well said.
“I do not trust being placed into a “meditative state” because I think it opens us up to dark influences.” I heartily agree here.
A concerning aspect of her vision was detailing how “Jesus” was fashioning something that would seem to imply the “third eye” knowledge, that spherical crystal that was to represent some type of higher ascendance. This particular aspect of her encounter struck me very much as anti-biblical.
I once read an apocalyptical Christian novel where Jesus human form was cloned & then people would respond to the clone of Jesus as if That were His second coming. The spirit/soul of that clone were NOT Jesus, even if science could reanimate His earthly flesh, after a fashion. It was an interesting exploration of deception through something being in the “form” of God but being entirely godless.
I’m not making that pronouncement on Naomi’s vision/experience myself but agree that there are aspects that are concerning red flags.
As Christians I do not believe that we are to chase after experiences to validate our understanding of God &/or His truths. He May provide us with unique encounters that speak to & nourish our individual soul, for our edification (perhaps like the biblical “fleeces”) but what is True must align with scripture. Where there are conflicts with our experiences, as we understand them, we need to choose scriptural truth as higher & definitive, always keeping in mind our “through a glass darkly” position AND “God’s ways our not our ways, and His thoughts are not our thoughts”.
There is a local Christian radio host who was raised in some type of cult & came to Christ as a young man. He had numerous paranormal experiences, including encounters that many would say were with “aliens” & could “prove” the existence of aliens. As I’ve heard him recount a number of times he looks upon those experiences & events as encounters with the demonic. He wholly embraces a Biblical Christian worldview & chooses to recall these events & encounters through the lens of Biblical Truth.
Well stated!
TY TT!
Sweden even wants to rid itself of the legal ones…
“In Sweden, migrants who have received citizenship will be offered $34,000 if they voluntarily leave for the country from which they came .
The measure will come into effect in 2026, the current amount is $960. To receive the money, the migrant must give up his Swedish passport.
Today, Sweden is home to almost 2.2 million immigrants, representing more than 20% of the population.”
https://t.me/intelslava/66494
20%???
OMG!!!
Ridiculous!!!
Ah ha – the game is exposed
That’s the beauty of MAGA…PT puts the pin in the map, and MAGA gets busy digging.
And that is why the CABAL HATES Q and the Anons.
Being hated is starting to feel like a comfortable old shoe.
It means you are over the target! 😋
Feels good, doesn’t it? 😀
Futurist™
@americasgreat
BREAKING & NO ONE ELSE YET HAS POSTED THIS INFORMATION ABOUT MAYOR RUE, SPRINGFIELD, OHIO:
Mayor Robert Rue, Springfield, Ohio, recently stated that there were no cats/animals being eaten in Springfield and that the City was a great place to live, while attacking Pres Trump for telling the truth. The rumor is that Rue is renting his properties to illegals, which is not yet verified.
After doing research on Clark County website this is what I found:
Mayor Rob Rue seems to own quite a bit of rental properties in Springfield under the name LITTLETON PROPERTIES OF SPRINGFIELD LLC, images attached. He directly owns these properties based on a County business search.
If Mayor Rue is renting out his properties to illegals the public should know. He should recuse himself from any vote on the Commission because he directly benefits financially from any federal funds received to support the illegals.
Banana City.
May he RUE THE DAY that he hatched this plot!
It’s always Follow The Money, isn’t it? 😡
Always. I Timothy 6:10,
“For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.”
And he hates cats!
Much much worse…they were probably blinded by the initial flash. At that distance, maybe the shock wave–when it arrives–won’t destroy the house, but it probably will cover them with flying shards of glass from the window. (Remember the Chelyabinsk meteor, which injured thousands due to flying glass as the shock wave stove in windows. People were clustered around the windows looking at the trail in the sky.)
The upshot: Yes, they should have voted for Trump.
There goes the engineer putting a damper on a good meme 🙄….
…. 
In this case I’m complaining it doesn’t go far enough.
HMMMmmm
Light travels faster than sound.
And I think air(wind) would travel slower than sound.
So the millimicrosecond before the sound wave hits?
Not sure.
The shock wave propagates through the atmosphere and as far as I know travels as fast as the sound. From what I can tell, it IS the sound.
At Chelyabinsk, people had about a minute and a half (after a flash of light brighter than the Sun, you can see it casting shadows in the morning twilight in dashcam videos) to gawk at the huge cloud the thing left…before the sound hit. And I do mean “hit”. Windows were smashed in, some buildings made of brick even suffered partial collapses. People taking video of the cloud were suddenly bent over double.
If you make it through that video, it will automatically play this one, Russian dubbed over an English language one–the English version being one I saw a few weeks ago:
English version (the Russian cut some of it out)
If you can read the Cyrillic alphabet (and that’s a valuable skill these days!) you can learn a lot about Russian here.
My Cyrillic is very limited. I get the Roman stuff, like A, M, T, etc……and I get some of the greek stuff, like gamma, lambda, pi, rho, phi….and I get the difference between a b with a flag and one without…..but I can never remember the ones that look like squashed bugs.
I should probably do some drill so I can read the complete set.
Three vertical bars…retroflex sh sound (not the same as our sh sound, it sounds a bit deeper). Three vertical bars with a tail on the right, palatal sh sound (most sites for English speakers will render it as “shch” but that’s not really it.) The one that looks like back-to-back Ks is like the s in pleasure and and we often write that sound as zh when spelling Russian names, etc. with our alphabet. The one that looks like ‘h” rotated 180 degrees is “ch.”
I used to use a “zh” when phonetically spelling some French words 🙂
Yep, makes sense. I believe the French generally use a J for that sound.
Which leads to an interesting phenomenon. When english speakers see a foreign word with a J in it (like “Azerbaijan”) they *assume* it’s pronounced that way.. It so happens the j in Azerbaijan is actually pronounced like our J. (The Russians don’t have that sound, not as a single letter, so they’d spell it (Azerbaidzhan) since the J sound is really an affricate of d and zh, letters they do have.
fascinating. I (mis)pronounce Azerbaijan w/ the zh sound too 🙂
а б в г д е ё ж з и й к л м н о п р с т у ф х ц ч ш щ ъ ы ь э ю я
From Wikipoo. Note that it 400kT equivalent, not even half a megaton, and it was 30 km away.
The power of air – making it brighter than the sun – is simply amazing.
And we’re impressed by hurricanes.
Hurricanes have a LOT more power all told…but it’s spread out.
The reality is not rated G.
George:
May you live in interesting times.
— ancient Chinese curse
Whom the Son sets free is free indeed!
TY Carl for this encouraging message of hope. God Bless YOU Precious Brother 😇
Titanic True Story: Preacher John Harper’s Last Hours Remembered
https://deeprootsathome.com/titanic-preacher-john-harper-remembered/
“The ship disappeared beneath the deep frigid waters leaving hundreds floundering in its wake with no realistic chance for rescue. Harper struggled through hyperthermia to swim to as many people as he could, still sharing the Gospel. Harper eventually would lose his battle with hypothermia but not before giving many people one last glorious Gospel witness.
Oh the deep, deep love of Jesus (& His ambassadors). Beauty from ashes to be sure!!!
That is an amazing story. It’s sad that I never heard it before today.
Part of a comment at a very moving & profound Naomi Wolfe substack, RN view:
I was force to stepped out from my RN job because I didn’t took the C19 injections and almost lost my marriage, my home and lost many career opportunities, lost friendship and lost family relationships. I felt like I was held down to the ground to eat dirty soil because I didn’t join the mob. For the last almost 4 years I though t I have lost that hope in humanity. I felt it is just all dark that at times I felt like it is turning me into one too and I’m trying to fight it and get out of that shade of darkness and shed out my God given inner light. I get so frustrated and disappointed of what have we become as society as humanity.
After 2 years of being out of health workforce I’m back to being RN in a nursing home, but so many unexpected deaths and sudden deteriorations and sometimes we have 4 deaths within 5 days. As someone who have been working in the nursing home for almost 13 years this is so out of normal. And out of work, so many stories of death here and death there.
And sometimes, I just dread to come to work because I felt like I’m witnessing a horrific movie being played down.
But my husband, he will remind me to take courage and to remember that I’m doing God’s work by taking care these sick and vulnerable residents. Because most have lost that passion of caring and looking after that vulnerable people. There are only 2 of us at work that hasn’t took the C19 injections. The management, the doctors and other medical professionals are still pushing for it. The residents have had 6-7 shots. Some Staff including other RN’s have 5 shots. But there are a lot of sick staff too. So, there is going to be a massive shortages in medical workforce in the next few years. Work have already introduced Artificial Intelligence in healthcare. Doctors now only doing Telehealth once a week instead of previous 1:1 personal consultation. No more personal human connection. It’s gone. All patients data have gone digital. We are also being encouraged to use our pronouns and constantly being bombarded with these information. We are encouraged to join rally for LBTQ and wear purple on Purple Day in support for LBTQ community! And they continually pushed for the current propaganda of many sorts that has nothing to do with health care really. This supposed to be a Christian non for profit organisation but I’m now horrified to see what they are standing for. I thought, being a Christian I was in the right organisation, but my goodness! I was so wrong.
But your story, reminds me to stay in love and stay in the light and continue to shed that love and light in this dark world! So I really need this reminder.
May God have mercy on us ALL !
https://naomiwolf.substack.com/p/the-thing-i-feared-most-to-write-a86/comment/69055813
On a completely different note there is this reply to Naomi’s post…
Kamran Pasha
6 hrs ago
Thank you for sharing this beautiful story. As a Muslim, your vision of Jesus (peace be upon him) fits within my own. It is his life and moral example that matters more than any of the dogma that has been argued by people over the centuries. Recently, a very nice Christian woman tried to convert me to her religion. I told her as a Muslim, I already loved Jesus and followed him. She said no, that’s not enough, you need to believe XYZ dogma that I have been told by my preacher or you will go to Hell. I gently responded that the ideas she was saying were not codified by church councils until the 4th century and there were Christians before and after who disagreed with those ideas. She wasn’t familiar with any of that history and became unsettled. Sadly, for many people “belief” (which can change with experience and evidence) takes the place of “faith” which is a direct experience of God and transcends words and ideas and is eternal. I think you had that direct experience of faith in your vision. Salaam and peace.
https://naomiwolf.substack.com/p/the-thing-i-feared-most-to-write-a86/comment/69049990
…you need to believe XYZ dogma that I have been told by my preacher or you will go to Hell.
^^^ How many times did I hear that as a child. 🙃
MAN made Religion, not God’s!
This is another bit of the connection between Voodoo, the Huxleys, Tavistock & MK-Ultra, I was looking at in Aubergine’s Article on Voodoo
TAVISTOCK INSTITUTE: An Ongoing Social Engineering Project to Mind Control Humanity
“Rather than helping traumatized soldiers, it calculated their breaking points.”
I think with vain glorious senile Biden at the helm they’ve done everything imaginable to calculate our breaking points. Truly if hadn’t been for Trump’s unflagging message of hope that we can turn this around I think they would’ve achieved the goal.
Very true.
That was part of Q’s Message. BTW, “ 265 total [Q] posts found containing “god”…”
An Example:
WWG1WGA has been a shield for MAGA even if every single supporter didn’t believe in Q. That solidarity is strong and makes each individual feel that we can do this. We can shrug off the attempts to make us doubt.
As far as I am concerned, you can believe in a different aspect of God or not believe at all.
WE PEOPLE WHO CAN SEE EVIL AND REJECT IT, ARE ALL IN THE SAME FOX HOLE!
I get angry at those who say, atheists or Hindus, or Muslims or Jews, or Buddhists or Catholics, or Baptists or… ARE NOT WELCOME because you do not believe as I do.
Lets get the WAR over and argue about that later please?
WWG1WGA has been a shield for MAGA even if every single supporter didn’t believe in Q.
Gail Combs
Thank you.
IIRC, wasn’t the Tavistock Institute, via their “medical department” which “treated certain mental health conditions”, in children under age 18, involved in giving them puberty-blocking drugs? The NHS closed down its GIDS “Gender Identity Development Service” affiliation with it this year.
BUT—
It WILL REOPEN ON 14 OCTOBER 2024 AT THE TAVISTOCK-PORTMAN CLINIC IN LONDON. THIS CLINIC IS ALSO PART OF THE NHS.
Closure:
http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-64683917/
The reopening on 14 October 2024:
https://tavistockandportman.nhs.uk/services/gender-identity-clinic-gic/
Yours Truly suspects that the same “services” will continue as before.
“…wasn’t the Tavistock Institute, via their “medical department” which “treated certain mental health conditions”, in children under age 18, involved in giving them puberty-blocking drugs?…”
I remember that too.
In this particular case, he wasn’t thinking of some sort of minutia that separates different denominations of Christianity. He was likely thinking of the Trinity. Something which almost every Christian sect finds vital.
Muslims believe that Jesus was a prophet, a person of the same rank as Moses and Abraham, but not divine, and certainly not the Son of God co-equal with and the same as the Father. (Or something like that; I probably butchered it).
In fact Muslims find the Trinity so crazy that they don’t understand how Christians can consider themselves monotheists.
For illustrative purposes only, the Trinity is like the facets on a cut diamond – different views of the same thing.
Or like the different forms of water: liquid, solid (ice), & vapor but all of the same composition.
IMO the meaning of John 14:6 can be validly interpreted broadly.
As a Christian, I do believe that Jesus is the ultimate judge. IMO belief in the tenets of the Nicene Creed (roughly speaking) are necessary to be a Christian. IMO being a Chrisitan is the most valuable treasure a human can possess. And a necessary part of that is living the way Jesus wants us to live, keeping in mind the two great commandments, and following His example.
But I do not believe Jesus will be rejecting Naomi Wolf. She can go “through” Him. Nor do I believe that Jesus will be rejecting me for believing that He will not be rejecting Naomi Wolf, even if I am wrong.
Yet there is one rule for getting in. One must believe that Yeshua is the Son of God and that He can save you.
I had to look up the verse you mentioned:
John 14:6
New International Version
6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=john%2014%3A%206&version=NIV
Someone shared a short tweet video of Russel Brand expounding on Jesus “I Am” statements in the Book of John, yesterday, I believe.
Further up & further in my brother! Blessings 🙂
Muslims do not think Jesus is divine. Can any Christian say that that fits with a Christian view of Jesus?
The only way a “vision of Jesus” among those of different belief systems can comport with one another is if Christians deny the deity of Jesus, which is antithetical to Christianity.
☝
Well said!
I feel very sinful, lately.
we have to be very mindful & careful not to let “the cares of this world” harden our hearts.
because evil tries to “wear out the saints” (believers)
Pray for deliverence.
Pray for forgiveness.
Repent.
Hold on tight.
ThankYou, bakocarl for your encouraging messages, in Jesus Christ. 💕
Just remember that ‘believers’ are no longer ‘sinners’. By accepting Christ, your nature [being a sinner] has changed. You will still ‘sin’ but it is not your nature any more so now you feel guilty about it and you seek forgiveness about it from Christ.
Before your nature had changed, you just didn’t want to be caught in your sin.
look how the Eff Be Eye is handling things in Springfield, Ohio…
yep…
“Report Hate Crimes” Billboards….in Creole.
calling all Cats, Ducks…see something, say something..
Haitian Invasion in Springfield Gets FBI Attention in the Worst Way Imaginable
article link…
https://thelibertydaily.com/haitian-invasion-springfield-gets-fbi-attention-worst-way/
9/14
That bill board is intended for us, the message being “we are a gestapo group willing to oppress normal Americans, and you better keep that uppermost in mind.”
James O’Keefe
@JamesOKeefeIII
Operation Voodoo Cat Rescue. Anybody interested? I’ll provide the collar camera.
Great idea
AND we know that James will get the goods!
Someone would have to deliberately put their dog or cat at risk. I doubt he’ll get many takers.
Verse of the Day for Sunday, September 15, 2024
✟
“For thou wilt light my candle: the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness.”
Psalms 18:28 (KJV)
Thank You, Jesus, for blessings received and prayers answered !!!
PRAYING ON THE ARMOR OF GOD
Father God, I now follow your command to put on the full armor of God, because my battle is not against flesh and blood but against rulers, authorities, the powers of this dark world and against spiritual forces of evil in the unseen world.
I first pray on the Belt of Truth that it may be buckled around my waist, may I be centered and encircled by your truth dear Lord. Hem me inside all that is true and right, and may I be protected and held up by the truth of your living word, in my Lord Jesus name.
I pray on the Breastplate of righteousness, please protect my vital organs and my inner man, cover my integrity, my spirit, and my soul. Guard my heart for it is the wellspring of life, please strengthen and guard the most vulnerable places in my life with that which is right, good, and noble that I might not receive a fatal blow from the enemy, in my Lord Jesus name.
I pray on the Gospel Shoes of Peace. I choose to stand in the shoes of your good news, and on the firm foundation of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the solid eternal rock. All other ground is sinking sand, I pray that I will not slip or fall, but that my feet would be firmly fitted on your lordship, my Lord Jesus. I choose to stand on you, so that the peace of God, which transcends all understanding will guard my heart and mind in Christ Jesus, the eternal Rock of Ages. I receive your holy peace now my Lord, from the sole of my feet to the crown of my head, in my Lord Jesus name.
I pray the Shield of Faith into my hand now. As I take up the shield of faith, I ask that you might extinguish every dart and arrow that is launched from the enemy to take me down spiritually, physically, mentally, emotionally, and every attempt of the enemy to destroy my joy. I ask that my faith in you would make it flame out. Extinguish every flaming arrow that would come against me, my life, my family, my home, or my ministry. May my faith always be out in front of me like a shield. Give me the courage to “faith my fears” by choosing to walk by faith and not by sight, in my Lord Jesus name.
I pray on the Helmet of Salvation, that you might protect my mind from the thoughts that can lead me astray. I choose to take every thought captive, and arrest all intentioned ideas and motives that would harm others, or distract me from your holy will for me. I submit every captured thought to the Lordship of my Lord Jesus Christ, and ask that you would imprison those thoughts that are not of you my Lord. Transform my mind and renew my thinking that I may think God thoughts, and have a sober mind that is focused on your glory. Please protect me from being double minded that I may allow my mind, I reject to live an earthly life, because I choose to live a holy one, governed by you My Lord Jesus, the prince of peace, please have my mind to be saturated with the holy mind of Christ, in my Lord Jesus name.
Finally, I take up the Sword of the Spirit which is the holy word of God, I pray this powerful offensive weapon into my hand, and ask that your holy word would be fitting for every encounter I face. As the enemy gets close to me, please give me the insight, wisdom, and skill to wield the word of God to drive away the enemy, in my Lord Jesus name.
May the enemy and his team flee from me, upon hearing the word of God spoken by the power and direction of the Holy Spirit. Give me the sword of the spirit to cut through the wiles of the devil, so that I may discern the schemes of the enemy when he is near.
With all kinds of prayers, supplication, and intercession I pray to you my Lord God as the one who fights my battles. Now that I’m in your holy powerful armor, I walk away covered and ready to face my day as you go before me, and please protect me in the midst of the spiritual warfare in this unseen world, in my Lord Jesus name.
Thank you my Lord, for the spiritual weapons of armor and prayer that you have given me. It is written no weapon formed against me shall prosper, and you will refute every tongue that accuses me.
Thank you Father God, my Lord Jesus and the Holy Spirit, that I am more than a conqueror in my Lord Jesus. I pray all of this in the mighty name of my Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ, Amen.
BE MY VOICE
JESUS LOVES THE LITTLE CHILDREN
CHILD NOT CHOICE
PLEASE PRAY FOR ONE ANOTHER
Light of the World Art Prints by Michael Dudash Artist | Jesus pictures …
O Christ who art the light and day – William Byrd, John Rutter, The Cambridge Singers
LYRICS:
O Christ who art the light and day,
Thou drivest darksome night away;
We know thee as the Light of light,
Illuminating mortal sight.
All-holy Lord, we pray to Thee,
Keep us tonight from danger free.
Grant us, dear Lord, in Thee to rest,
So be our sleep in quiet blest
Let not the tempter round us creep,
With thoughts of evil while we sleep.
Nor with his wiles the flesh allure,
And make us in thy sight impure.
And while the eyes soft slumber take,
Still be the heart to thee awake,
Be thy right hand upheld above
Thy servants resting in Thy love.
Yea, our Defender, be Thou nigh
To bid the powers of darkness fly,
Keep us from sin, and guide for good
Thy servants purchased by thy blood.
Remember us, dear Lord, we pray,
While in this mortal flesh we stay;
’Tis Thou who dost the soul defend,
Be present with us to the end.
All praise to God the Father be,
All praise, eternal Son, to thee.
Whom with the Spirit we adore,
Forever and for evermore. Amen.
(Compline hymn ‘Christe qui lux es et dies’, tr.R.R.Terry)
Lighten our Darkness
The service of Compline has inspired many incredibly beautiful compositions and this collection gathers together 18 of the many lovely a cappella choral motets written to adorn the evening worship of the church. Composers include Byrd, Guerrero, Rachmaninov and Sheppard, alongside such less well-known masterworks as Rheinberger’s Abendlied and the four great Marian motets of Victoria.
John Rutter, English composer and conductor, is associated with choral music throughout the world. His recordings with the Cambridge Singers (the professional chamber choir he set up in 1981) have reached a wide global audience, many of them featuring his own music in definitive versions. Among John’s best-known choral works are Gloria, Requiem, Magnificat, Mass of the Children, and Visions, together with many church anthems, choral songs and Christmas carols.
LIGHT OF THE WORLD
Jesus said: Ye are the light of the world
As children of God darkness is unfurled
We walk as children in the light of God
Because He called us out not to be flawed
If we walk in the light as He is in the light
We have fellowship with one another aright
The Blood of the Lamb cleanses all from sin
Darkness cannot exist or live within
Let light shine out of darkness in our hearts
Where knowledge of His Glory light imparts
His Word is a lamp right unto our feet
A light unto our path none can defeat
Let your light shine bright before all others
Show your good works to sisters brothers
All praise to the Heavenly Father of all
That they may give glory both great and small
Then your light shall break forth like the dawn
Your healing shall spring up quickly bygone
Your righteousness shall go well before you
The Glory of God behind you accrue
Your eye is the lamp of your whole body
When the eye is healthy it shines broadly
But when it is not beware you will see
Darkness will envelope encompass thee
Come out of the darkness into the light
Proclaim the excellence of God outright
He who walks in darkness loses his way
But he who walks with God will not stray
D01: 07/30/2023
Thank You Duchess! 😁
https://www.theqtree.com/2019/05/23/the-poetry-tree/#comment-1336670
Psalm 91. The most powerful prayer from the Bible. God’s protection, healing
#psalm91 #psalms #prayer
Pray Everyday
https://rumble.com/v57jz8d-psalm-91.the-most-powerful-prayer-from-the-bible.-gods-protection-healing-p.html
___________________________
Sleep Well with Psalms. Psalm 91, Psalm 121, Psalm 3, Psalm 4, Psalm 139.
#faith #god #psalms
Pray Everyday
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKUPiqPMs8M&t=2s
______________________________
HAVE A VERY BLESSED DAY !!! ❤️❤️❤️
bakocarl: TY. I needed that more than you know!
The Marxo/Fascist regime is about to better the CCP Regime of China:
The Accountability Project of the DJT 2 Admin will be very busy linking up the perps with individual victims.
Ivan Raiklan’s Office of RETRIBUTION is ready and able to provide PLENTY of assistance. 😋 There are PLENTY of POed military, active and retired, who are really really motivated after being used as guinea pigs for Fauci’s Clot Shot.
George Webb BTW has written a hit piece on Ivan… 🤔 [It is behind a paywall]
Alpha Warrior and Ivan Raiklin – Government Coup Exposed
Alpha has one of the nicest voices to listen to AND was SWATTED by the FIB. They held guns on his wife and son while they left his little baby girl screaming in her crib. They even urinated in his tub. This to a Marine Vet and LEO…
I have not listened to it yet, but I will as I have time.
“They even urinated in his tub.” Isn’t that what also was done to that TN cop that got raided & his corruption files taken? Those guys also tracked the urine through his house 😡 animals marking your/their territory, degradation power play, humiliation ritual, or what? Demons 
Your last word is the only necessary word. 🙃
I Never get the last word LOL 😉
I get the last word.
Yes, Dear. I Understand Dear. You Are Correct, Dear.
Occasionally, DW senses sarcasm on my part.
DW. You are just trying to shut me up.My reply. Yes, Dear. (Long pause.) I mean no Dear.
AHHHhhh A husband who has learned the secret to a happy marriage
Happy?
Or merely tolerable?
[giggle]
Happy.
Slow Guy figured it out.
Happy wife. Happy life.
YUP!
Sweet words cost you nothing and earn you a lot.
Bwah ha ha!!!
Lame Cherry posted this 3 week old video about the attempted murder of Trump. Very compelling:
Here is the video Tonawanda posted:
Marjorie Taylor Greene https://abs-0.twimg.com/emoji/v2/svg/1f1fa-1f1f8.svg
@mtgreenee
The ABC whistleblower who claimed Kamala Harris was given debate questions ahead of the debate has died in a car crash according to news reports.
Meanwhile they do need to release the name of the Whistleblower now that he/she is dead and link it to ABC or else this looks hokey.
or maybe a feint?
saying this person died can keep them out of circulation until they are critically needed?
maybe we should ask Brian Kemp?
happened 9/13 outside Bethesda, Maryland, allegedly…still no name given.
a link…?
https://amg-news.com/breaking-tragic-death-of-abc-news-whistleblower-who-exposed-kamala-harris-receiving-debate-questions-in-advance-video/
Maybe the problem is right-hand-drive cars in Springfield [see duck pic].
Or a lack of a passenger seat – take your pick.
The A Springfield Duck name’s account was created in Feb 2021. I know you can change the name in larger text but don’t know that you can change the small @springfieldduck account name. How did this account know that Springfield Ducks would become so relevant 2.5 years before the news about ducks in Springfield?
very interesting
Nothing suspicious probably, people grab onto anything that can be funny or interesting. Maybe their duck park was a popular spot before the wildlife killers came on scene? Maybe? If it happened to be a coincidence now it’s probably getting a lot hits!
is that MTG’s actual account ?
It has the blue check.
Why am I not surprised.So the commenter last night was correct. THE CIA STRIKES AGAIN!
Maybe I’m just doing my dense routine again but what’s the big deal if she was given the questions in advance?
It wouldn’t be the first time the left has been caught cheating and it sure as hell won’t be the last.
DJT has been bitching about this since the end of the debate. So what’s the big deal that’s big enough to commit murder, if that actually is true?
There maybe other information the person had.
Harris is an alcoholic
Harris given drugs before hand
Harris getting ANSWERS…
Also who approved, who coordinated
That might be the real biggy.
Maybe that it casts a huge shadow on the illusion that Harris isn’t a bubble brain and the debate “proved” it. They’re in the midst of transforming her for public consumption. Another example is busing in throngs of fans for her rallies.
the big deal is wilfull & wanton election interference on the part of ABC (and Harris).
…while lying about it, to cover it up.
thanks for this!!
Lame Cherry also had these optimistic words about the election:
https://lamecherry.blogspot.com/2024/09/the-spoils-of-trump-debate-win.html
I temper this with concern about the safety issue, both now and even if there is success.
I have a problem with this statement:
“…I’m convinced after the Butler violence, that Donald Trump was approached, and came to terms with the Board and they are now interested in establishing him as the did Ronald Reagan for use to Europe….”
Since it is the Fabians & NAZIs in Europe that are the source of our current problems.
True, and I must admit that I do not even understand what LC means by that (as with many other LC assertions). I was just struck by the more general tone, and LC does have interesting insights.
Yes, LC is difficult to understand. I am just sick and tired of being the EU Socialist’s CASH COW and CANNON FODDER.
Lame Cherry’s personal operating system sometimes resembles Artificial Intelligence – it randomly spits out crazy thought as if they’re accurate.
That is why I quit reading her several years ago after someone brought her up at OTH
It appears that the West has blinked. At least for now.
Zelensky Harshly Criticizes the US and UK for Not Authorizing Long-Range Strikes Inside Russia, Complains That They Won’t Shoot Down Russian Missiles Over Western Ukraine
Paul Serran Sep. 14, 2024 8:30 am 677 Comments
My guess is the brain trust will want to bridge the gap in someway between shooting missiles down over Ukraine vs firing into Russia. The only way they can claim a fig leaf of legitimacy there would be if the technology and it’s control magically appeared to be suddenly owned by Ukraine. Whatever fall out over that occurs will be attributed to Ukraine needing the tech and hardware to defend the skies. After that with the tech in Ukraine’s hands (shhh.. not really it will still be us 😉) , they then apply it across the border at which time the West says “Not Me!” invoked three times to make the words magic and appear blameless.
Then WWIII.
OR, they have shifted to the Middle East as their NEW HOPE for WWIII…
My response?
Poor baby.
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The problem is that they are all facially legal at this time [each has a paper showing this]. Their status’ must be adjusted before they’re eligible for removal [deportation]. This means that individually they must be heard why they should not be changed. We are talking major logistics problems here.
wait…so the maggot could bestow temporary protected class on a GROUP but they must be removed individually?
and wasn’t the renewal of their status a blanket approach as well?
AHHHhhh but if it is PROVED Biden was installed ILLEGALLY is it valid?
Was it done via an EO?
Can the EO be reversed?
So we are back to my early solution. You set up a ‘containment area’ along the border with Mexico. OPEN to Mexico but fenced and guarded by US troops on the American side.
They get K rations, tents and water PERIOD while they wait. The food is air dropped so they get to fight over it. 🤓
OPTIONS:
El Paso, TX, Fort Bliss claims a staggering 1.2 million acres of desert outfitted for training, replete with dozens of mock villages and cities.
Cochise, AZ, Fort Huachuca Army Base is located 15 miles north of Mexico in the city of Sierra Vista in Cochise County, south-east Arizona, US. Built on a 73,000-acre site. You could use this for women and kids.
Organ Pipe Catus National Monument AZ
Big Ben National Park TX
They are BIG Parks and right on the border.
https://search.brave.com/search?q=+Davis-Monthan+Air+Force+Base+mexico&source=web&map_src=infobox
“so they get to fight over it”…LOL
networks will be thrilled to televise actual hunger games
Better they fight each other than us!
I love the idea but who’s going to make 5 million of them go there?
TRUMP!
If he is going to round them up anyway and the Lawfare types are going to scream, then this is an alternate option.
Heck send the bleeding heart WOKE lawyers in with them! 😉
I’m all for it but the debbie downer in me says it’s not going to be easy or smooth. There are many many that aren’t violent, have a good nature, settled in okay…they will have supporters who will fill the media with homespun small town life with their new nice neighbors..you know how it goes
Hope it goes just like we want it to. I like the Swedish plan. Offer them $XX and a plane ticket
oh HELL NO!
they’re lucky we’re not asking them to pay back all freebies they got already!!
free food, free rent, working under the table? getting cars???
i vote NO to paying them one red cent more.
LOL…you’d be surprised or maybe not at my personal Molly Pitcher solution but unfortunately it’s a bit harsh 😁
Drive ’em to the train station, the real train station that dumps them right back in Mx where they passed through or if they got flown in…fly them right back to the origin airport. Whatever entry point that’s on their paperwork..that’s their final destination
I like water cannons with indelible dye at the border soaking them so they stand out IF they manage to sneak in and the catapult method to remove them myself…LOL
So creative…that catapulting part is nice cuz it would leave a little ouch for them to remember the trip to America.
It’s so freakin messed up that we even have to dream up exit plans for these asshos!
In some cases you can even aim the catapult at an organ pipe cactus. Or cholla, just as nasty if not as spectacular.
i think you need to be on team catapult!
FINE, then THEY get to SPONSOR THEM aka HOUSE AND FEED THEM ON THEIR OWN DOLLAR! Remember as ILLEGALS THEY CAN NOT WORK!
You would be surprised at how fast that bleeding heart dries up.
Very good idea…like it
They could set up that area as the immigration court are that would hear their cases. All those millions that received dates for them to report for the decision regarding their status?