#21 people asked for this. and I shall deliver

[project-sekai-facts]

Hi! Welcome to Project SEKAI facts!

This account posts daily facts and trivia about Project SEKAI! I occasionally do longer analysis/content overview posts as well as some event speculation.

This account is currently operated by one mod and is scheduled to post daily at 5pm UK time. Bonus facts may be posted if I find something interesting in newly released content.

Repost policy

I just post trivia and can't gatekeep that from you so reposts of trivia is allowed but if you choose to copypaste/screenshot my stuff to repost instead of writing it in your own words then please put credit. Reposts of my essays/character analysis is not permitted at all.

Hope you enjoy your visit!

↓ Submissions & Asks info + more below cut ↓

Submissions are welcome!

Rules:

Must be canon or otherwise official - Content from any server of the game (including cards, stories and songs etc), music videos, Petit SEKAI, official artwork or 4komas is OK! I will also accept content from the anthology mangas, magazine articles, and seiyuu content (including unofficial stuff so long as it is relevant to the game, like something they said on a personal livestream). In other words everything is fine except fandom stuff/unofficial fanworks.

If the fact is related to Vocaloid/Virtual Singers, it must be relevant to Project SEKAI in some way.

No leaks - Leaked content is usally low quality and I will not be able to post the fact until the content has been released officially, so I'd rather you didn't submit it at all.

Please submit a source for your fact - a screenshot, image, video or link is OK! If you don't have any then that's fine, but please at least tell me what story/card/article/stream/etc is the source so I can get the screenshot/image/link myself.

If the source is not available on the EN or JP server, or is not available online, please attach an image/video! - I only play on the EN and JP servers, and will only be able to get screenshots and recordings of content available on those servers. If your fact relates to content exclusive to any other server or is from a physically published source and you do not provide an image/video, I will not accept the submission.

Asks are also open if you have any questions about a fact or if you have any general questions for me. Due to the incredibly overwhelming amount of asks I get nowadays, it is impossible for me to answer everything. Sincerest apologies for that. I still try to answer as many as possible but it could take a while for your ask to get a response. Also please do not ask me about shipping (platonic stuff is okay I just don't like to go into noncanon/speculative territory and then share my opinions on that. In other words I don't wanna start ship discourse).

Tagging

Characters are tagged Firstname Lastname (excluding Vocaloids). For example, facts about Ichika will be tagged as Ichika Hoshino.

Events will be tagged using the fan translations from the Project SEKAI wiki, rather than the official English names. This is just for consistency so I don't have to go back and redo tags whenever EN changes a title.

The media will also be tagged (e.g: Hatsune Miku: COLORFUL STAGE or Petit SEKAI)

Full tag list linked in blog description

Send me an ask/comment if you need anything trigger tagged. Triggers will be tagged "trigger tw". Flashing lights is the only thing I actively tag atm.

About mod

Yes I am one person. I treat this blog like a full-time job.

EN player since launch, got the game for the Sonic costume, stayed for potato ni natte iku. Not joking.

I am learning Japanese and am also entirely self taught. If I make any mistakes with my translations I apologise + please correct me!

i'm a VBS main (but like. barely. I love all the units a lot). no i will still not tell you who my oshis are or my opinions on ships. i like the vbs side characters and asahi and sakurako. i will tell you that much because i doubt how much people care about them.

I wrote the TVTropes entry in the header before the one other person who uses that site accuses me of stealing it

Feel free to send asks about my opinions on the game idm talking

I have most notifications for this blog turned off so if I ever miss something I apologise

That's all from me. You should watch all the Love Lives.

^ best ask i've ever gotten now framed in my pinned post

[jam3sacaster]

“You belong to me.”

(Rivals) Rupert Campbell-Black x Reader

Suggestion by a sweet anon 🫶🏽 / Whilst attending the village ball, Rupert cannot stand to see you as the centre of attention…

18+ FANFIC / Angsty, smutty, hot — Not mega long! Reader character aged 21. As always, hope you enjoy and leave more of what you wanna see in my ask box 💋

Rutshire Village Manor was hosting its annual ball, and was pivotal for networking, socialisation and, of course, infidelity. Tonight, you had pulled out all the stops. Your chestnut hair was coiffed into bouncy curls, your flamboyant red dress hugged your figure and your shoulders were covered with a cream faux fur shawl, complimenting your crimson lipstick perfectly. Lady in red, as Rupert Campbell-Black would call you. The bewildering attractive man had asked you to be his girlfriend a few weeks ago now, and your relationship maintained a steady, yet passionate pace. However, he urged that you maintained the upmost discretion. In his words, it would be frowned upon the Minister of Sport to be courting such an attractive young lady. Well, fuck him, you thought. If he wanted to keep your relationship a secret, a secret it shall be. Tonight, you were a free woman.

“Champagne, ma’am?” The server offered, and you promptly picked up two glasses, gulping one down like a shot and placing the glass back onto the plate. Scanning the room, you rolled your eyes observing the sultry women in extravagant ball gowns fluttering feathery eyelashes at millionaires in tuxedos. You didn’t really know a single person here, you recognised a few faces perhaps— Lizzie Vereker, Sarah Stratton… Maud O’Hara. Fuck them all. Your plan for tonight was to get as inebriated as possible, drop the jaws of all the yearning men and solidify yourself as the most eligible bachelorette.

The concert band begun to play The Edge of Heaven by Wham!, as a soft hand clasped across your shoulder. “I must say, you look incredible.” The man eloquently tittered. He was slender, breathtakingly tall and incredibly handsome. “Why, thank you.” You reply, swigging your drink awkwardly and shooting him a gentle smile. You offered the man your hand, to which he placed a gentle kiss upon it. Across the hall, Rupert & Declan O’Hara were engrossed in deep conversation. Or, at least, Declan was. Rupert’s eyes were firmly affixed on you, hands visibly trembling with envy. Your new mysterious man snaked his arm across your waist, closing the gap between you both and leading you to dance. “You won’t be leaving alone tonight.” He whispers to you, and you shudder at the thought. His wandering hand continuing to snake, he gives your arse a gentle smack, making you playfully yelp. You can’t decide whether his forwardness is charmingly delightful, or utterly creepy.

Pulling you apart with enough force to make your ankles wobble unsteadily, Rupert pushes himself towards the man so close that their noses almost touch. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing, old chap?” He asks, keeping one hand behind him— almost ushering you away. The man chokes over his words as Rupert glares hard enough at him to burn fiery holes into him. “Listen, pal, stop being a cockblock. You didn’t get to her first, so move on, there’s a good lad.” The man spoke, almost immediately regretting his words. You couldn’t help but wince as you anticipated the subsequent scene.

Without hesitation, Rupert raised his muscular arm and delivered a firm, unyielding punch— potent enough to threw the man to the floor, dazed and clutching his face in agony. “Rupert!” You gasp, clapping your slender hands over your mouth in mind bending shock. Unsure of what his next move would be, you looped your arm through his and dragged him through the back door and into the well-lit garden, where a smattering of people sat, drinking and chuckling amongst each other. With his left hand, Rupert lit a cigarette. His right hand was in yours as you gently rubbed your fingers across his already-swelling knuckles, coaxing a sharp wince out of him.

“Fuck.” He spat, chuckling to himself and teetering the cigarette being his lips. You took it from him momentarily to take a drag of your own before returning it to its rightful owner. “I’ll have to ice that tonight.” You shake your head disapprovingly, suppressing the urge to smirk at him— feeling completely seduced by his jealousy. “What on Earth were you playing at?” Rupert asked you, ignoring your comment.

“Me? What was I playing at? You wanted to keep us a secret, Rupert. Don’t forget that. That was your choice. Don’t be surprised when people take an interest in me.” Honestly, do you really have to explain this? He was absolutely unbelievable at times. “You belong to me, angel.” He replied, maintaining eye contact with such vigour that the hairs on your neck stood up. Backing you against the brick wall and placing gentle kisses from your shoulder blade to your neck, his hot breath stirred inside of you, catching the breath in your throat.

“Rupert…” You begin, but he shushes you softly. “There won’t be a single man on Earth that will lay his fingers on you again, except me. Please know that, darling. You’re mine.” He growls, and you bit down on your sultry lip, knowing you can take care of him however he pleases tonight.

“O, beware, my lord, of jealousy; It is the green-ey’d monster which doth mock the meat it feeds on.” - Othello

[godslove]

Dear Anon,

Beloved, when was the last time you read the Bible, prayed to God and basked in His presence for at least 30 minutes? Some pray and stay in God's presence for up to 4 hours. It's possible. I want to quote a man of God when he said that “I have never seen a man of God with a strong prayer life and reads the Bible/the Word of God that doesn't have peace.”

Why do you feel that way? Why are those the thoughts you think? There are 3 voices that we hear:

God

Satan—the enemy, spirit of the anti-christ, the devil, the one who fell from heaven/the fallen, the evil one (this is a long topic for another post. Read Revelations 20:7-10 to know his destiny in the end times.)

The flesh—the corrupted, sinful nature of the devil mixed with the pure body that God created. In Genesis, man took the sinful nature when Adam and Eve gave into temptation.

‭¹⁹ “Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, ²⁰ idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, ²¹ envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”

—Galatians 5:19-21

We have to pray to cast out demons and its whispering lies of gaslighting, slander, gossip, condemnation, self-hatred, self-doubt, hatred towards others, deception, depression and fearfulness. Sometimes the thoughts we hear are not ours. The emotions we feel are not from God. It's either the enemy or the flesh. The flesh grows or shrinks depending on how much you feed it or starve it. It's the part of you that always wants more and complains or blames other people when you don't get what you want.

‭“I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. ¹⁷ For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.”

—Galatians 5:16-17

God only gives us a spirit of power, of love and of self-control. Anything other than that is from Satan.

We pray with faith in God's power:

¹⁴ Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. ¹⁵ And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.

—‭1 John 5:14-15

We lift up our burdens to Him and lay them all at His feet. When we pray, we let it all go and let God be God. Our loving Father will always give the best for His children.

The answers you are seeking are in the Bible. When I read the Bible, He reveals to me the answers I seek about everything in life. When I asked for deliverance, He was faithful to deliver me when the pain was too much to bear.

And He said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for You. Take this cup away from Me; nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will.”

— Jesus Christ, The Prayer in the Garden, Mark 14:36

There is purpose in every suffering dear. Sometimes the pain we experience can be excruciating but sorrow that brings you closer to God is better than comfort that pulls you away from Him. Don't look at others and say that “God has favorites” because we don't know the personal problems they are going through which we have no knowledge of. We all have our cup of suffering. Followers of Christ are not free from the winds of trials and tribulations, especially in this earthly life.

The more you walk closer to God, the more the enemy tries to pull you away from God either via pleasure (the worldly temptations) or pain (problems in all areas of life). If that happens, pray to God and stand firm in your faith.

“Trust in the Lord, and do good; Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.

⁴ Delight yourself also in the Lord, And He shall give you the desires of your heart.

⁵ Commit your way to the Lord, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass.

⁶ He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, And your justice as the noonday.”

—‭Psalms 37:3-6

God answers prayers dear. Your heart posture has to be right first. When you pray, approach His throne with thanksgiving and praise. Remember the sacrifice Christ has done on the cross for each and everyone of us, God's children. Remove the shame and guilt because ‘it is finished’. When you are already purified from sin, grateful and peaceful, that's when you can ask God to help you bring yourself closer to Him and experience His loving presence. He is always with us dear, He longs for His children to come to Him. Listen only to God's voice.

‭“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. ³⁴ Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”

—Jesus Christ, Matthew 6:33-34

If you have prayer requests kindly send them so I can pray for you. If you have questions, I'll answer them as best as I can. I read it all. It's alright dear. I'm here. And so are the rest of our brothers and sisters in Christ who walk this journey with you. God bless you! *Hugs*💐🤍

[astroyongie]

₊✩‧₊ Little Messages ₊✩‧₊

Hey everyone! This is a little different game that I am going to hold. Today I received some signs that I need to transmute some messages to certain people around here. For this case, I will ask (whoever wants to participate) to choose a number from between 1-21 + top or bottom + name.

before doing so make sure to allow your intuition to pick the rightful number. 42 messages shall be delivered <3 Hopefully it will make sense <3

[mybeautifulchristianjourney]

Wrestling with God

1 And Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him.

2 And when Jacob saw them, he said, This is God's host: and he called the name of that place Mahanaim.

3 And Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother unto the land of Seir, the country of Edom.

4 And he commanded them, saying, Thus shall ye speak unto my lord Esau; Thy servant Jacob saith thus, I have sojourned with Laban, and stayed there until now:

5 And I have oxen, and asses, flocks, and menservants, and womenservants: and I have sent to tell my lord, that I may find grace in thy sight.

6 And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, We came to thy brother Esau, and also he cometh to meet thee, and four hundred men with him.

7 Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed: and he divided the people that was with him, and the flocks, and herds, and the camels, into two bands;

8 And said, If Esau come to the one company, and smite it, then the other company which is left shall escape.

9 And Jacob said, O God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac, the Lord which saidst unto me, Return unto thy country, and to thy kindred, and I will deal well with thee:

10 I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which thou hast shewed unto thy servant; for with my staff I passed over this Jordan; and now I am become two bands.

11 Deliver me, I pray thee, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau: for I fear him, lest he will come and smite me, and the mother with the children.

12 And thou saidst, I will surely do thee good, and make thy seed as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.

13 And he lodged there that same night; and took of that which came to his hand a present for Esau his brother;

14 Two hundred she goats, and twenty he goats, two hundred ewes, and twenty rams,

15 Thirty milch camels with their colts, forty kine, and ten bulls, twenty she asses, and ten foals.

16 And he delivered them into the hand of his servants, every drove by themselves; and said unto his servants, Pass over before me, and put a space betwixt drove and drove.

17 And he commanded the foremost, saying, When Esau my brother meeteth thee, and asketh thee, saying, Whose art thou? and whither goest thou? and whose are these before thee?

18 Then thou shalt say, They be thy servant Jacob's; it is a present sent unto my lord Esau: and, behold, also he is behind us.

19 And so commanded he the second, and the third, and all that followed the droves, saying, On this manner shall ye speak unto Esau, when ye find him.

20 And say ye moreover, Behold, thy servant Jacob is behind us. For he said, I will appease him with the present that goeth before me, and afterward I will see his face; peradventure he will accept of me.

21 So went the present over before him: and himself lodged that night in the company.

22 And he rose up that night, and took his two wives, and his two womenservants, and his eleven sons, and passed over the ford Jabbok.

23 And he took them, and sent them over the brook, and sent over that he had.

24 And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day.

25 And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him.

26 And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.

27 And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob.

28 And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.

29 And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there.

30 And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.

31 And as he passed over Penuel the sun rose upon him, and he halted upon his thigh.

32 Therefore the children of Israel eat not of the sinew which shrank, which is upon the hollow of the thigh, unto this day: because he touched the hollow of Jacob's thigh in the sinew that shrank. — Genesis 32 | King James Version (KJV) The King James Version Bible is in the public domain. Cross References: Genesis 14:6; Genesis 18:2; Genesis 24:27; Genesis 27:41; Genesis 31:3; Genesis 31:10; Genesis 31:41; Genesis 33:1; Genesis 33:8; Genesis 35:9-10; Genesis 43:11; Deuteronomy 2:37; Joshua 21:38; Judges 8:8; 1 Samuel 25:19; 2 Kings 6:16-17; Psalm 34:7; Hosea 12:4; Luke 12:45; 1 Corinthians 13:12; Hebrews 11:12

The Man who Wrestled with God (sermon)

[gatekeeper-watchman]

Daily Devotionals for November 22, 2024

Proverbs: God's Wisdom for Daily Living

Devotional Scripture:

Proverbs 28:21-22 (KJV): 21 To have respect of persons is not good: for a piece of bread that man will transgress. 22 He that hasteth to be rich hath an evil eye, and considereth not that poverty shall come upon him. Proverbs 28:21-22 (AMP): 21 To have respect of persons and to show partiality is not good, neither is it good that man should transgress for a piece of bread. 22 He who has an evil and covetous eye hastens to be rich and knows not that want will come upon him.

Thought for the Day

Verse 21 - Our heavenly Father is always loving and just. He desires us to be like Him. In the Bible, one notices that God blesses some people more than others. He does not show favoritism, but His blessing is determined by how much of His Word we apply to our lives. He always blesses His Word, upholds His Word, and favors those who obey it. God is no respecter of men, but He does respect His Word (Acts 10:34-36). What He will do for one He will do for another when there is a response of faith to Him and His Word. If we are to be like Him, we must not treat anyone with prejudice because of their social status, position of authority, race, age, or gender. We must treat everyone fairly, as God does. "...If there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment; And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool: Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts? Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him? But ye have despised the poor...If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well: But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors" (James 2:2,7-9).

The "royal law" of James 2:8 which says, "If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well" and the "golden rule" of Luke 6:31 instruct us to love all people as we love ourselves: "And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise."

Neither are we to give the rich special attention nor to despise and ignore the poor. Rich or poor, we are all created in God's image, and every believer is an heir to the promises in His Word. In the Spirit, there are no races, social levels, or gender distinctions; we are all one in Christ (Galatians 3:26-29). Since we have different assignments from God, we fill different roles in life. Some positions, such as those of church or state government which affect and influence many lives are more important than others. However, the people filling those positions are no more important to God than the poorest men. God highly values the lives of all men and women.

Verse 22 - People who are driven to get rich quickly often use any means of pursuing wealth. This will eventually leave them impoverished. One can be poor in more than finances; for a man who has no peace, who cannot sleep at night and is in a constant state of stress is a poor man indeed.

Prayer Devotional for the Day Dear heavenly Father, I am grateful that You are a fair and just God and that You love all of us equally. I am amazed at Your love for each of us as individuals. You are wonderful! Lord, may we be like You, and treat all people with the same love and respect. Lord, deliver Your people from any prejudicial attitudes and actions. May we lift one another up and be kind to one another, as You are kind to us. Grace us so that we can do unto others as we would have them do unto us. I ask this in the name of Jesus. Amen.

[roman-catholic-mass-readings]

7th August >> Mass Readings (USA)

Wednesday, Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time 

or

Pope Saint Sixtus II and his Companions, Martyrs 

or

Saint Cajetan, Priest.

Wednesday, Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time 

(Liturgical Colour: Green. Year: B(II))

First Reading Jeremiah 31:1-7 With age-old love I have loved you.

At that time, says the LORD, I will be the God of all the tribes of Israel, and they shall be my people.Thus says the LORD:

The people that escaped the sword have found favor in the desert. As Israel comes forward to be given his rest, the LORD appears to him from afar: With age-old love I have loved you; so I have kept my mercy toward you. Again I will restore you, and you shall be rebuilt,O virgin Israel;

Carrying your festive tambourines, you shall go forth dancing with the merrymakers. Again you shall plant vineyards on the mountains of Samaria; those who plant them shall enjoy the fruits. Yes, a day will come when the watchmen will call out on Mount Ephraim: “Rise up, let us go to Zion, to the LORD, our God.”For thus says the LORD:

Shout with joy for Jacob, exult at the head of the nations; proclaim your praise and say: The LORD has delivered his people, the remnant of Israel.

The Word of the Lord

R/ Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm Jeremiah 31:10, 11-12ab, 13

R/ The Lord will guard us as a shepherd guards his flock.

Hear the word of the LORD, O nations, proclaim it on distant isles, and say: He who scattered Israel, now gathers them together, he guards them as a shepherd his flock.

R/ The Lord will guard us as a shepherd guards his flock.

The LORD shall ransom Jacob, he shall redeem him from the hand of his conqueror. Shouting, they shall mount the heights of Zion, they shall come streaming to the LORD’s blessings.

R/ The Lord will guard us as a shepherd guards his flock.

Then the virgins shall make merry and dance, and young men and old as well. I will turn their mourning into joy. I will console and gladden them after their sorrows.

R/ The Lord will guard us as a shepherd guards his flock.

Gospel Acclamation Luke 7:16

Alleluia, alleluia. A great prophet has arisen in our midst and God has visited his people. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Matthew 15: 21-28 O woman, great is your faith!

At that time Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And behold, a Canaanite woman of that district came and called out, “Have pity on me, Lord, Son of David! My daughter is tormented by a demon.” But he did not say a word in answer to her. His disciples came and asked him, “Send her away, for she keeps calling out after us.” He said in reply, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” But the woman came and did him homage, saying, “Lord, help me.” He said in reply, “It is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs.” She said, “Please, Lord, for even the dogs eat the scraps that fall from the table of their masters.” Then Jesus said to her in reply, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.” And her daughter was healed from that hour.

The Gospel of the Lord

R/ Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

----------------------------

Pope Saint Sixtus II and his Companions, Martyrs 

(Liturgical Colour: Red. Year: B(II))

(Readings for the memorial)

(There is a choice today between the readings for the ferial day (Wednesday) and those for the memorial. The ferial readings are recommended unless pastoral reasons suggest otherwise)

First Reading Wisdom 3:1-9 As sacrificial offerings he took them to himself.

The souls of the just are in the hand of God, and no torment shall touch them. They seemed, in the view of the foolish, to be dead; and their passing away was thought an affliction and their going forth from us, utter destruction. But they are in peace. For if before men, indeed, they be punished, yet is their hope full of immortality; Chastised a little, they shall be greatly blessed, because God tried them and found them worthy of himself. As gold in the furnace, he proved them, and as sacrificial offerings he took them to himself. In the time of their visitation they shall shine, and shall dart about as sparks through stubble; They shall judge nations and rule over peoples, and the LORD shall be their King forever. Those who trust in him shall understand truth, and the faithful shall abide with him in love: Because grace and mercy are with his holy ones, and his care is with his elect.

The Word of the Lord

R/ Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm Psalm 126:1bc-2ab, 2cd-3, 4-5, 6

R/ Those who sow in tears shall reap rejoicing.

When the LORD brought back the captives of Zion, we were like men dreaming. Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with rejoicing.

R/ Those who sow in tears shall reap rejoicing.

Then they said among the nations, “The LORD has done great things for them.” The LORD has done great things for us; we are glad indeed.

R/ Those who sow in tears shall reap rejoicing.

Restore our fortunes, O LORD, like the torrents in the southern desert. Those who sow in tears shall reap rejoicing.

R/ Those who sow in tears shall reap rejoicing.

Although they go forth weeping, carrying the seed to be sown, They shall come back rejoicing, carrying their sheaves.

R/ Those who sow in tears shall reap rejoicing.

Gospel Acclamation James 1:12

Alleluia, alleluia. Blessed is the man who perseveres in temptation, for when he has been proved he will receive the crown of life. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Matthew 10:28-33 Do not be afraid of those who kill the body.

Jesus said to his Apostles: “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather, be afraid of the one who can destroy both soul and body in Gehenna. Are not two sparrows sold for a small coin? Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your Father’s knowledge. Even all the hairs of your head are counted. So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. Everyone who acknowledges me before others I will acknowledge before my heavenly Father. But whoever denies me before others, I will deny before my heavenly Father.”

The Gospel of the Lord

R/ Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

-----------------------------

Saint Cajetan, Priest 

(Liturgical Colour: White. Year: B(II))

(Readings for the memorial)

(There is a choice today between the readings for the ferial day (Wednesday) and those for the memorial. The ferial readings are recommended unless pastoral reasons suggest otherwise)

First Reading Sirach 2:7-11 You who fear the Lord, believe in him, hope in him, love him.

You who fear the LORD, wait for his mercy, turn not away lest you fall. You who fear the LORD, trust him, and your reward will not be lost. You who fear the LORD, hope for good things, for lasting joy and mercy. You who fear the Lord, love him and your hearts will be enlightened. Study the generations long past and understand; has anyone hoped in the LORD and been disappointed? Has anyone persevered in his commandments and been forsaken? Has anyone called upon him and been rebuffed? Compassionate and merciful is the LORD; he forgives sins, he saves in time of trouble and he is a protector to all who seek him in truth.

The Word of the Lord

R/ Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm Psalm 112:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8, 9

R/ Blessed the man who fears the Lord. or R/ Alleluia.

Blessed the man who fears the LORD, who greatly delights in his commands. His posterity shall be mighty upon the earth; the upright generation shall be blessed.

R/ Blessed the man who fears the Lord. or R/ Alleluia.

Wealth and riches shall be in his house; his generosity shall endure forever. Light shines through the darkness for the upright; he is gracious and merciful and just.

R/ Blessed the man who fears the Lord. or R/ Alleluia.

Well for the man who is gracious and lends, who conducts his affairs with justice; He shall never be moved; the just one shall be in everlasting remembrance.

R/ Blessed the man who fears the Lord. or R/ Alleluia.

An evil report he shall not fear. His heart is firm, trusting in the LORD. His heart is steadfast; he shall not fear till he looks down upon his foes.

R/ Blessed the man who fears the Lord. or R/ Alleluia.

Lavishly he gives to the poor, his generosity shall endure forever; his horn shall be exalted in glory.

R/ Blessed the man who fears the Lord. or R/ Alleluia.

Gospel Acclamation Matthew 5:3

Alleluia, alleluia. Blessed are the poor in spirit; for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Luke 12:32-34 Your Father is pleased to give you the Kingdom.

Jesus said to his disciples: “Do not be afraid any longer, little flock, for your Father is pleased to give you the Kingdom. Sell your belongings and give alms. Provide money bags for yourselves that do not wear out, an inexhaustible treasure in heaven that no thief can reach nor moth destroy. For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.”

The Gospel of the Lord

R/ Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

[theprayerfulword]

July 25

Psalm 103:13 As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on His faithful followers.

Mark 11:24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

Ephesians 3:20-21 To [the One] who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine . . . 21 to Him be glory

Galatians 5:6 The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.

Matthew 26:41 Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

Philippians 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!

May you do what is good and right in the eyes of the Lord your God, as you choose to obey His leading to remove the foreign altars and cleanse the high places that are not God's from your heart, smashing those things in your life that seek to share the affections and desires which rightfully belong to God. 2 Chronicles 14

May you seek the Lord your God and bring into alignment, obedience, and captivity, all high thoughts and exalting knowledge which distract and detract from the reverent fear and worshipful praise that is due to God Who is your source and provider, the One Who prospers you and gives you peace on every side. 2 Chronicles 14

May you rely on God, Whose Name is your shield and defense, when you are overwhelmed by the vast opposition which comes against you, for there is no one like Him to help the powerless against the mighty. 2 Chronicles 14

When the Lord brings you victory in your battle, and causes you to conquer your foes, may you pursue these spiritual vandals, destroying their outposts in your thoughts and feelings, plundering and despoiling them of what they held captive, and carrying off what they had stolen from you as you return to give glory and honor to the majesty of the Lord, worshiping Him with humility and praise. 2 Chronicles 14

May you turn to the Lord in your distress and search Him out with your whole heart, for He will be found when you do, since even though there is great turmoil around you, the Lord is with you when you are with Him, therefore you can be strong and not give up, for your work will be rewarded. 2 Chronicles 15

May you be strengthened by God's words of encouragement, and be brave enough to remove from positions of influence in your life the detestable idols which are popular with other people, moving against public opinion and wide-spread agreement, and repair instead the holy place of the Lord in your heart. 2 Chronicles 15

May you covenant in, and be fully committed with, your heart to eagerly, and with rejoicing, seek the Lord with all that is within you, for He shall be found when you do, and He will give you rest on every side. 2 Chronicles 15

May you rely on the Lord your God in all your dealings, and not turn to the skill of man, or the authority of the world, or the power of riches, for only the Lord is sufficient to deliver success into your hand. 2 Chronicles 16

May your heart be fully committed to the Lord for His eyes range throughout the earth to strengthen those who seek Him fully. 2 Chronicles 16

Live in My Word, My child, each day, each moment. Store My Word in your heart, that you may be kept from sin, and meditate on it in your thoughts, for it is the power of God unto salvation to all who believe. My Word will be a lamp unto your feet, and a light unto your path, giving you direction and showing you the way to walk in. Let My Spirit bring My Word back to your memory and equip you with the revelation of how to apply My active, living, breathing Word when you need strength, guidance, wisdom, discernment, authority, healing, deliverance, encouragement for yourself and for others, for you need the living Word, the dynamic Word, through relationship with Me. The adversary knows the written Word, and quotes it, twisting it to his purposes, and in his hands, it steals joy, destroys hope, and deals death because he has rejected Me, the true Word of God. As you study My Word, you learn My thoughts; as you meditate on My Word, you know My heart; as you pray My Word, you learn My strength and authority. Abide in Me, My dear one, so that you may accurately discern and pray the living Word.

May you not rest in or rely on natural connections with earthly sources, but strive for the spiritual connection with your heavenly Source, your Creator, Redeemer, and Father God. Romans 9

May you always be aware of the choice in front of you, as you can follow Isaac's path or Ishmael's, and seek Jacob's desire or Esau's, for God will have mercy on whom He choses, since He is the potter. Romans 9

May the words of your mouth and the meditation of your heart be pleasing in the sight of the Lord, your Rock and Redeemer. Psalm 19

May you be blameless and innocent of great transgression as God forgives your hidden faults and keeps you from willful sins that they may not rule over you. Psalm 19

May you be warned through His precepts and rewarded by keeping His ways for the Lord's law is perfect, His statutes are trustworthy, His precepts are right, His commands are radiant, His fear is pure, and His ordinances are sure, altogether righteous and trustworthy, more precious than gold, sweeter than honey, reviving the soul, making wise the simple, giving joy to the heart and light to the eyes, enduring forever. Psalm 19

May you declare the glory of God, even as the heavens do, night after night revealing His greatness; may you proclaim the work of His hands, just as the skies do, day after day, speaking without sound or word, yet sending the message of His glory throughout the earth unto all the ends of the world. Psalm 19

May you be wise and be filled with the Spirit, Who guides your feet on the paths of righteousness, that you may accept reproof, leaving behind the scorners and mockers, the brawlers and rioters, embracing what is holy. Proverbs 20:1

[jeannereames]

Dr. Reames, forgive me if this question has been answered before. Recently I read that Alexander the Great and his kingdom were mentioned in the Bible, more precisely in the Book of Daniel, depicting his victory against the Persians and the formation of the successor kingdoms.

From the King James Version:

3 Then I lifted up mine eyes, and saw, and, behold, there stood before the river a ram which had two horns: and the two horns were high; but one was higher than the other, and the higher came up last.

4 I saw the ram pushing westward, and northward, and southward; so that no beasts might stand before him, neither was there any that could deliver out of his hand; but he did according to his will, and became great.

5 And as I was considering, behold, an he goat came from the west on the face of the whole earth, and touched not the ground: and the goat had a notable horn between his eyes.

6 And he came to the ram that had two horns, which I had seen standing before the river, and ran unto him in the fury of his power.

7 And I saw him come close unto the ram, and he was moved with choler against him, and smote the ram, and brake his two horns: and there was no power in the ram to stand before him, but he cast him down to the ground, and stamped upon him: and there was none that could deliver the ram out of his hand.

8 Therefore the he goat waxed very great: and when he was strong, the great horn was broken; and for it came up four notable ones toward the four winds of heaven.

9 And out of one of them came forth a little horn, which waxed exceeding great, toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the pleasant land.

10 And it waxed great, even to the host of heaven; and it cast down some of the host and of the stars to the ground, and stamped upon them.

20 The ram which thou sawest having two horns are the kings of Media and Persia.

21 And the rough goat is the king of Grecia: and the great horn that is between his eyes is the first king.

22 Now that being broken, whereas four stood up for it, four kingdoms shall stand up out of the nation, but not in his power.

Considering that the Book of Daniel was written well after Alexander’s conquests, can we confirm that this verses are indeed about him? I couldn’t find any reliable source on this topic.

And also, considering the Seleucid Empire that succeeded Alexander in the region, Hellenism and the Maccabean revolt. Can this depiction, if it is indeed of Alexander, be considered faithful to how he and his deeds were perceived during his lifetime? Is this depiction of Alexander and the Diadochi usual, or does it depart from how they perceived and advertised themselves to their subjects? Or is this a particular viewpoint from Judea? And least, to the peoples outside of the Hellenistic sphere, or Greece, could this be considered the way Alexander’s legacy is seen?

Thank you so much in advance, and for going through this painfully long ask!

Yes, Alexander is, indeed, mentioned in the Book of Daniel. I am not an expert on the exegesis of this book, but it does refer to him and the Successor kingdoms, as well.

I don’t think it necessarily reflects how Alexander was viewed throughout the Mediterranean. It’s intended to fit the style of earlier Jewish prophetic literature, although the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible) places it (correctly) among the Writings (Ketuvim), not the Prophets (Nevi’im), as it belongs to the Hellenistic period. So yes, it’s post-Alexander, even if, internally, it claims to belong to the Achaemenid Persian period.

One of the better commentary series on Biblical material (at least from a historian’s POV) is the Anchor Bible Series from Yale Univ. Press. Here's a link to the commentary on Daniel. 😊 It’s been out a while, so you can probably find a used copy pretty cheap, or check it out from your local library. (If they don’t have it, they should be able to get it for you via interlibrary loan.) That will give you a better analysis than anything I can do.

(I’m painfully aware of my limits, ha.)

[orthodoxydaily]

Saints&Reading: Wednesday, May 15, 2024

may 2_may 15

SAINT ATHANASIUS THE GREAT, ARCHBISHOP OF ALEXANDRIA (373)

THE HOLY MARTYRS HESPEROS, HIS WIFE ZOA, AND THEIR CHILDREN KYRIAKOS AND THEODOULOS

The Holy Martyrs Hesperus, his wife Zoe, and their children Cyriacus and Theodulus suffered for their faith in Christ in the second century, during the persecution under Hadrian (117-138). They had been Christians since their childhood, and they also raised their children in piety. They were all slaves of an illustrious Roman named Catullus, living in Attalia, Asia Minor. While serving their earthly master, the saints never defiled themselves with food offered to idols, which pagans were obliged to use.

Once, Catullus sent Hesperus on business to Tritonia. Saints Cyriacus and Theodulus decided to run away, unable to endure constant contact with pagans. Saint Zoe, however, did not bless her sons to do this. Then they asked their mother’s blessing to confess their faith in Christ openly, and they received it.

When the brothers explained to Catullus that they were Christian, he was surprised, but he did not deliver them for torture. Instead, he sent them with their mother to Saint Hesperus at Tritonia, hoping that the parents would persuade their children to deny Christ. At Tritonia, the saints lived in tranquility for a while, preparing for martyrdom.

All the slaves returned to Attalia for the birthday of Catullus’ son, and a feast was prepared at the house in honor of the pagan goddess Fortuna. Food was sent to the slaves from the master’s table, and this included meat and wine that had been sacrificed to idols. The saints would not eat the food. Zoe poured the wine upon the ground and threw the meat to the dogs. When he learned of this, Catullus gave orders to torture Zoe’s sons, Saints Cyriacus and Theodulus.

The brothers were stripped, suspended from a tree, and raked with iron implements before the eyes of their parents, who counselled their children to persevere to the end.

Then the parents, Saints Hesperus and Zoe, were subjected to terrible tortures. Finally, they threw all four martyrs into a red-hot furnace, where they surrendered their souls to the Lord. Their bodies were preserved in the fire unharmed, and angelic singing was heard, glorifying the confessors of the Lord.

ACTS 4:13-22

13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus. 14 And seeing the man who had been healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it. 15 But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves, 16 saying, "What shall we do to these men? For, indeed, that a notable miracle has been done through them is evident to all who dwell in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. 17 But so that it spreads no further among the people, let us severely threaten them, that from now on they speak to no man in this name. 18 So they called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John answered and said to them, "Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. 20 For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard. 21 So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way of punishing them, because of the people, since they all glorified God for what had been done. 22 For the man was over forty years old on whom this miracle of healing had been performed.

JOHN 5:17-24

17 But Jesus answered them, "My Father has been working until now, and I have been working." 18 Therefore the Jews sought all the more to kill Him, because He not only broke the Sabbath, but also said that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God. 19 Then Jesus answered and said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner. 20 For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself does; and He will show Him greater works than these, that you may marvel. 21 For as the Father raises the dead and gives life to them, even so the Son gives life to whom He will. 22 For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son, 23 that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him. 24 Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.

[pugzman3]

Luke 21:7-38 KJV

7 And they asked him, saying, Master, but when shall these things be? and what sign will there be when these things shall come to pass?

8 And he said, Take heed that ye be not deceived: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and the time draweth near: go ye not therefore after them.

9 But when ye shall hear of wars and commotions, be not terrified: for these things must first come to pass; but the end is not by and by. (Rev 1:3)

10 Then said he unto them, Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: (Rev 6:2-12)

11 And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven.

12 But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name's sake. (Rev 2:10)

13 And it shall turn to you for a testimony.

14 Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer:

15 For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.

16 And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death. (Rev 6:9; Rev 12:11)

17 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake.

18 But there shall not an hair of your head perish.

19 In your patience possess ye your souls. (Rev 2:2-3; 3-10; 13:10; 14:12)

20 And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh.

21 Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto.

22 For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. (Deu 32:43; Psa 69:22-28; Psa 149:7-9; Isa 65:12-16; Zec 11:1-3; Zec 14:1-2; Mal 4:1)

23 But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people.

24 And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.

25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; (Isa 13:10; Isa 13:13-14; Isa 24:23; Eze 32:7-8; Joe 2:30-31; Amo 8:9-10; Rev 6:12-14)

26 Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.

27 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. (Dan 7:13; Rec 1:7; Rev 14:14)

28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh. (Psa 98:5-9; Isa 25:8-9)

29 And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees;

30 When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand.

31 So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand.

32 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled.

33 Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away. (Isa 40:8)

34 And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.

35 For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.

36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.

37 And in the day time he was teaching in the temple; and at night he went out, and abode in the mount that is called the mount of Olives.

38 And all the people came early in the morning to him in the temple, for to hear him.

[salmankhanholics]

★I won’t call Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan a remake of Veeram, says director Farhad Samji!

April 17, 2023 

Salman Khan is all set to return with an Eid release in the form of Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan. Going by the film’s trailer and teaser, it looks like another masala potboiler that celebrates Bhaijaan’s heroism. Before the film, which stars Pooja Hegde opposite Salman, hits the theatres on April 21, director Farhad Samji answered questions on the film, including Salman’s involvement in the making of the project, in an exclusive chat with Bollywood Hungama

Just days away from the release of Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan. Are you nervous? Am I nervous? No, not really! I am pleasantly excited. The release feels like a likeable burden. Woh hota hai na, maa nau mahine bachche ko pet mein palti hai. The pregnancy is over. Now it’s time for the delivery

And have you delivered what audiences expect? I’d like to think so. Fulfilling Salman Khan’s audiences’ expectations is not easy. They want to see their Bhaijaan as a true hero. But for me, living up to the audiences’ expectations came afterwards. First there was the story and screenplay. I did my best to tell the story that I had to. And then I made sure that I did full justice to my star’s image and what his fans expect. Pehley khana banaate hain phir ussey thaali mein khubsoorati se paroste hain. First comes the content, then the presentation.

Do you think Salman’s fans will go home happy this Eid? I would like to think so. Shall I tell you something? This is my first film where I feel so satisfied with what I’ve done. I saw the complete film with my entire team, and I felt this is what I had set out to make.

That’s good to hear. How much has Salman contributed to the film’s direction, editing, etc? A lot. And why shouldn’t he? He is not just the leading man. He is also the producer. And a hands-on producer. He is a keen student of cinema. He knows about every department of cinema. And why only him? Every technician on the team has contributed to the final shape of the film, whether it is my DOP V Manikandan or my editor Mayuresh Sawant, everyone has contributed to the final content of our film. It’s a film about a family and we made it as a family. Yeh mili-juli family ki tarah hai.

How much of the original Tamil film Veeram have you retained in Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan? I wouldn’t call it a remake. Nor would I call it an adaptation. I would say it is a completely new experience. We’ve made our film as we thought it should be made. Those who have seen Veeram would see our film as an independent experience.

You are identified with the comedy genre. Does that bother you? Why should it? If I am identified with laughter joy and happiness, isn’t that a blessing? To make people happy is a gift. Having said this, I have written scripts for serious dramatic films. But comedy is the genre I am identified with. And as David Dhawanji told me, “When the car is running smoothly, why open the bonnet?”

You are going to be directing Hera Pheri 4. There are people out there who don’t want you to? You mean, they don’t want me to direct it? Yeah, even I’ve heard this. I’ve been asked this question by some journalists. My answer is simple. There has been no official announcement about it. So why talk about it now? Jab hoga tab dekhenge.

[linkedkeysau-official]

Linked Keys Febuwhump

Day 21- experimentation

When Time came to, everything was dark; so much so that he wasn’t even sure he was awake. He was struggling to recall what had happened… All he knew was that his head hurt as if it were being crushed by a boulder, his armor was gone (judging by the fact that his body felt unusually light), and ropes bound his hands behind his back, tied to a wooden post that he was leaning against.

A small gasp of surprise told him that he was not alone. The scuffle of tiny shoes against the old wooden floor and the whimpers as his fellow captive struggled against their own restraints, made Time suspiciously sure that his fellow captive was a child. In fact he was horribly certain that he knew exactly who the child was. 

“Mask?” Time whispered.

“Time!” Mask whispered back, a mix of relief and fear in his voice, “What’s going on? Where are we?”

“I don’t know. But I don’t think it’s good…” As soon as Time said that, a light came on, revealing the two were tied up in some kind of cellar or basement. A figure in a black cloak and a mask that resembled a blue dragon stood there staring at the two of them.

“Finally you two are awake. I was getting bored.”

“You’re impatient as hell, then, since we were only out for about thirty minutes.” Mask retorted. Time wasn’t sure whether to be proud of the kid’s attitude or worried for them both. Bad guys tended to not appreciate the level of sass that Time and Mask had since childhood. The mystery captor ignored the kid’s snide comment, however,

“So it’s true, you have the perfect ability to track the passage of time… You certainly live up to your title, ‘Hero of Time’. Or should I say Heroes.” their captor’s gaze drifted over to Time, freezing him on the spot. They knew… They knew he and Mask were one and the same. No doubt that was why they were the only ones here. But what could this person possibly want with them? 

“Who are you? What do you want?!” Time demanded.

"Who I am means nothing. We are all merely pawns in the Master's game. You and your team are no exception." They said, "As for what I want. I wish to test a theory before I deliver you two to my Master." 

"What kind of theory?" Time asked.

"Well I suppose there's no harm in telling you… the way in which you managed to split the timeline is most impressive. Creating three separate sets of hero successors for yourself, then winding up in a completely new branch in which you became the adopted son of one of the heroes long after your own time, thus creating this… other version of yourself! It does beg the question though: since you were once the same person before you split the timeline��� or rather the timeline split you—" they paused, "It does make one wonder how deep that connection goes. For example… whether one would feel pain inflicted on the other." 

"It won't work. It doesn't work like that. Mask and I are as good as two separate people as far as what we feel." Time argued, trying to get them away from the kid, or at least to stop whatever they were doing. 

"We shall see." They replied calmly, turning back to Mask, "I advise you to remain still. It will hurt worse if you resist." The mystery captor pulled a knife from the folds of their cloak. Mask tried to shrink back, but his movement was heavily restricted by the ropes and the pole. 

“Oh don’t worry, I wasn’t going to cut you. How boring would that be? Not to mention potentially deadly, and my Master has declared that the honor of killing you belongs to him alone. He’d have my head if I accidentally did it myself.” They cut the ropes that bound Mask’s hands. Mask was surprised, but wasted no time in aiming a punch at the enemy’s face now that his hands were free. The enemy expected this, however, and grabbed the boy by the wrist to stop the blow. 

“You really thought that would work? I spent weeks learning everything about you two when my Master assigned me to this job. I know how quick you boys are to violence, though if I’m being honest, I did not expect the first strike to be from the little one… No matter, no matter. This makes things easier.” They then pulled a small tool from their cloak as well. Mask didn’t recognize it, but it did somewhat resemble a pair of scissors but with claw-like grabby thingies instead of blades. He wasn’t sure what it did, but he knew he didn’t want to find out. Unfortunately as the enemy brought the tool closer to his hand, he also knew he was about to find out.

“Time—!” Mask cried out frantically before he felt something being torn from his left index finger, prompting a scream of agony from the kid. He glanced at his hand, now seeing that his fingernail had been completely ripped off. 

“WHAT DID YOU JUST DO TO HIM?!” Time shouted furiously. 

“You didn’t feel that… Interesting.” The masked figure muttered, still holding the arm of a now-sobbing Mask

“NO I didn’t feel it! I told you I wouldn’t! You only want to torture us!” 

“I wonder if it might work the other way around…” Time’s anger was completely ignored.

“Like hell I’m letting you keep doing this.” Time lashed out with a kick as the enemy went around to him, landing it square in their gut.

“You want to play it this way? Fine. Every time you resist… that’s more pain you’re putting him through.” They held Mask tightly so the kid couldn’t move, clamping the tool onto the nail of his middle finger. 

“You monster… Even if he is just 'younger me'. He’s just a godsdammed CHILD!!! You are torturing a 10-year-old for Din’s sake!!!"

"No. You are. By continuing to defy me, you are the one 'torturing a 10-year-old, for Din's sake'." Their impression of Time was way off, but that was probably the intent, "I would be willing to hold off on hurting him… as much… If you take his place. Either way, I should get the same results." 

"D-Don't do it, Time! I can handle it! F-Fingernails grow back!" Mask pleaded. Another nail ripped off, and another bloodcurdling scream of pain from Mask. 

"Alright I'll do it!" Time replied without a second's hesitation. He'd sworn from the day he met Mask that he wouldn't let the poor kid end up like him. Even with some damage already done, he was young. He had time to make his life a better one. And if… ugh… letting some sick bastard rip a few of his fingernails off, then so be it.

"Seems like you really do feel pain for each other's wounds after all…" Their captor chuckled, finally cutting Time loose as well.

Time only prayed that the others could find them soon.

[s0me-writ3r]

Stood Up

Fandom: Obey Me! Shall We Date?

Pairing: Lucifer × MC

Categories: One-shot, Romance/Queer Platonic, enemies to lovers (kinda?)

Pronouns used: They/Them/Theirs

Warnings and notes: 2 works in 1 day??? What??? Yeah, wasn't sure what category to put this in between Romance and QPR because likeeeee I, for one, would read it either way. Anyway, maybe I should make a follow up idk.

Well, this was awful.

Stood alone outside your favourite restaurant in the human realm, you turned your D.D.D over in your hands. You knew you should call him, that you needed to ask him to pick you up and bring you back to the Devildom, but that sounded even more humiliating than this situation already was. You look at your regular cell, holding it on top of your D.D.D, and look at your texts again.

MC: Hey, you almost here? [Read]

MC: I'm waiting outside, let me know when you're on your way [Read]

MC: I'm only waiting half an hour more, then I'm leaving. We've been planning this for a month, don't leave me here by myself. [Delivered 21:00]

Heaving a sigh, you shut off your phone entirely and pick up your D.D.D. With a shaky breath, you choose the contact you need and listen to the dial tone for a few seconds before you hear a voice you had wanted to avoid all evening.

"What do you want?"

"Hello to you too, Lucifer," you roll your eyes as you speak, mostly out of habit even if he couldn't see you, "I need you to come get me. Now."

"I thought you wanted to be picked up tomorrow at twelve, what changed?"

With a shaky breath, you feel your chest tighten and your eyes burn.

"Look, stuff happened, and I don't want to be here. Just come get me, you're the only one who's fucking able to," you're shorter with him now. You did want to be patient, but you just didn't have it in you. He seems to find this amusing.

"Oh, I struck a nerve? Let me guess, Prince charming didn't show up?"

You're silent for a moment, the fact that he finds it funny ticks you off even more and you start to regret making the call, and he actually starts to worry when you don't offer a witty response.

"MC?"

"I get it, you told me so, whatever. Just come get me, I don't want to be alone any longer than I need to."

He thinks for a moment, and you hear the click of a pen on a table and the shuffling of clothes before he responds - you can work out he was working before you called.

"Are you where I dropped you off."

"Obviously, where else would I go?"

"Right, I'll be there in under half an hour," and with that, he hangs up. You lower the phone and take a deep breath, pocketing the device and leaning back on the wall.

Passers-by stare at you for about twenty minutes. One person even approaches you to ask what you're doing alone, and you can almost feel their stare on the side of your head after they leave. You want to tell them to fuck off, to mind their own business, but you don't. You know better than to snap at innocent people.

Not much longer later, you see Lucifer walking towards you, and he actually smiles. He extends a hand to you, holding a smile that doesn't quite look forced but certainly doesn't feel genuine. You give him a strange look and you take his hand. He raises it to his lips and leaves a soft kiss on your knuckles.

"Sorry I'm late, my dear, I had some unexpected work given to me last minute. Shall we go inside?"

He took the hand he was holding and intertwined your fingers, leading you into the restaurant. You were, without a doubt, confused. This wasn't the plan, all you wanted was for him to take you back to the Devildom, that's what you agreed on. And why was he being so nice all of a sudden? You could have sworn he hated your guts and, while you didn't necessarily hate him and you weren't on bad terms, you weren't this close. When he gets a table for the two of you and you sit, he speaks again.

"You look beautiful, my love. What do you want to eat?"

"Lucifer, what are you doing?" You hissed, placing your hands on the table and leaning toward him over the table while trying to keep your voice low so the surrounding tables can't hear you, "This wasn't the agreement."

He places his own hands over yours and smiles again before he responds.

"You've been waiting so long for this, why would I let you waste it?" He says back, much calmer than you and speaking at his regular volume. You sigh and lean back in your chair, not moving your hands from his, "Look, we'll have our meal then go home for the night. I already apologised for being late, didn't I?"

"Yeah, you did," you sigh, giving into him and the novelty of the situation, "Thank you, love. I honestly didn't think you'd turn up at all."

"Of course I'd turn up, I'd hate to stand you up. I promise I'll make it up to you later, alright? Now, let's order."

You go through the whole meal quite happily. His compliments and admiration don't falter as you went either. It all sounded genuine, and you couldn't help but feel that it might have been, but it still felt very strange. Once the bill comes out, you move to get your card, but Lucifer stops you.

"No, sweetheart, I've got it. It's the least I can do," he moves to pay for your meal himself and stands up, extending an arm to you, "Let's head home now."

You stand and link your arm with his, leaning your head on his shoulder as the two of you leave. Once you're back in the Devildom, you walk together to the House of Lamentations and you don't let go of his arm. You finally ask the question that had been nagging at you all evening.

"Why did you do that?"

"Like I said, it would be a shame for you to waste your time on a man that didn't show up."

"Yeah, but..." you think for a moment, trying to work out how to phrase what you wanted to say in a way that came off too harshly, "You were nice to me. After the way you've talked to and about me for months, you were actually nice to me."

"Well, yes, it was a date. If that's an obscure way to talk to you on a date, I'm glad you got stood up."

"You know damn well that's not what I mean," you begin to get frustrated, stopping in your tracks and letting go of his arm. He also stops and turns to you, crossing his arms over his chest, "At no point have you said anything even remotely nice to me when you didn't feel you needed to. What's your deal?"

"What are you talking about? You were upset about your dinner plans, I didn't want to leave you upset, so I went on a date with you instead."

"I'm talking about how you ignore or dismiss me most of the time," you've started yelling now, getting frustrated by how he couldn't see the point you were trying to get across to him. You see him frown and his eyebrows furrow, "am I just meant to pretend you haven't threatened to end me? That you haven't called me pathetic or annoying more than once?"

"I say that about everyone," he sighs, shaking his head and looking defeated, "it doesn't mean I hate you, necessarily... I honestly thought you hated me."

"No, I just don't like being talked down to. You'll get about as much respect from me as you give me," you explain, starting your walk back to the house. Lucifer walks alongside you again.

"Noted. Would you want to do this again? I, for one, had fun," he smiles down at you again, offering you his hand.

He wouldn't verbally express it - at least not now - but he wanted to hold your hand for as long as he could. You try to stifle a short laugh that rises from your chest, feeling giddy at how bizarre and, in truth, perfect the situation is. You take his hand in yours once again and lock your fingers with his.

"Fine, we'll see how a second date goes. I hope you know my expectations are very high."

"You should expect nothing less, my dear."

[mybeautifulchristianjourney]

Civil War in Israel

18 The children of Israel arose, went up to Bethel, and asked counsel of God. They asked, “Who shall go up for us first to battle against the children of Benjamin?”

Yahweh said, “Judah first.”

19 The children of Israel rose up in the morning and encamped against Gibeah. 20 The men of Israel went out to battle against Benjamin; and the men of Israel set the battle in array against them at Gibeah. 21 The children of Benjamin came out of Gibeah, and on that day destroyed twenty-two thousand of the Israelite men down to the ground. 22 The people, the men of Israel, encouraged themselves, and set the battle again in array in the place where they set themselves in array the first day. 23 The children of Israel went up and wept before Yahweh until evening; and they asked of Yahweh, saying, “Shall I again draw near to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother?”

Yahweh said, “Go up against him.”

24 The children of Israel came near against the children of Benjamin the second day. 25 Benjamin went out against them out of Gibeah the second day, and destroyed down to the ground of the children of Israel again eighteen thousand men. All these drew the sword.

26 Then all the children of Israel and all the people went up, and came to Bethel, and wept, and sat there before Yahweh, and fasted that day until evening; then they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before Yahweh. 27 The children of Israel asked Yahweh (for the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days, 28 and Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, stood before it in those days), saying, “Shall I yet again go out to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother, or shall I cease?”

Yahweh said, “Go up; for tomorrow I will deliver him into your hand.” — Judges 20:18-28 | World English Bible (WEB) The World English Bible is in the public domain. Cross References: Numbers 27:21; Joshua 7:6-7; Judges 7:9; Judges 19:16; Judges 21:2; 1 Samuel 11:4; Psalm 78:62; Jeremiah 36:9

[gatekeeper-watchman]

Daily Devotionals for November 7, 2024

Proverbs: God's Wisdom for Daily Living

Devotional Scripture:

Proverbs 27:21 (KJV): 21 As the fining pot for silver, and the furnace for gold; so is a man to his praise. Proverbs 27:21 (AMP): 21 As the refining pot for silver and the furnace for gold (bring forth all the impurities of the metal), so let a man be in his trial of praise (ridding himself of all that is base or insincere; for a man is judged by what he praises and of what he boasts).

Thought for the Day

Just as the refining process brings out impurities in silver and gold, receiving praise will bring out impurities in us, as well. Some of the hardest areas for any of us to handle are fame, success, and the praise of people. Our fallen nature always wants recognition for what we achieve. Certainly, people should be commended for worthy accomplishments, but we must keep in mind that we can do nothing apart from God's grace in our lives. God warns us not to boast about what we have done or plan to do. "Boast not thyself of tomorrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth" (Proverbs 27:1). Everything that we are able to accomplish is due to the fact that the great God gave us the breath of life and He has enabled us to do it.

"So then neither is he that planteth anything, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour. For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building. According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise master builder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon..." (1 Corinthians 3:7-10).

Years ago, the Lord spoke to my heart: "Betty, I desire to free you from man's opinions of you. I want you to grow in Me so that the praises of men will not cause you to feel prideful, nor will their criticisms cause you to be fearful or discouraged. If you will offer the praises to Me, and discuss the criticisms with Me, you will not become lifted up in pride or knocked down by fear. Only by abiding in Me can you know this freedom."

We must remain humble before God, remembering that whatever we do without Him is worthless. One day we will stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ and our works will be tried by fire. Carnal works will not withstand the test. God desires each of us to surrender our will to Him and allow Him to reveal His plan for us. If our works are commissioned by God, He will use life's fiery trials to purify us like gold and bring much glory to Himself. If we abide in Him (John 15:4-7), He will fulfill the amazing promise; to grant whatever we ask! When we truly abide in Him, we will not ask anything amiss! God desires to work in us, with us, and through us so that we will bear much fruit for Him.

Prayer Devotional for the Day

Dear heavenly Father, I am humbled that You would use me as an instrument of Your love in this earth. I stand in awe at the amazing plans You have for everyone of us who will come to You, and allow You to live Your life through us. I am so happy to be a part of Your family. Lord, I ask that You deliver me from all pride and fear, and especially the fear of man. May I always be more concerned what You think about me, than what men may think of me. I ask this in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.