#Bible says about flattery

[anniflamma]

Can you please tell me how you think Darius came to meet and fall in love with Daniel 🥺🥺 (or when he started trying to court the poor dilf)

Hold on here, you have opened a floodgate!

A lot of the text below will be a mix of the Bible itself and my headcanons! I will sometimes clarify what is canon or not… Maybe….

So everything starts when Daniel is still serving his second king, Belshazzar, as his saris (eunuch/dream interpreter). Then the day comes, God crashes one of Belshazzar's "scandalous" parties and graffitis the wall. Daniel is ordered to translate the message, and he delivers the news that King Belshazzar will soon die by the Persians. This prediction comes true. That night, Persian assassins arrive and assassinate the king, and the next morning Darius and his army take over Babylon and the city.

When Darius arrives at the palace, he sees Daniel standing beside the throne, dressed in purple clothing and wearing a beautiful golden necklace. Darius is impressed. Daniel is dressed this way because before Belshazzar was killed, he ordered Daniel to be dressed in royal clothing and crowned him as king of Babylon. According to the Bible, Belshazzar did this out of gratitude for Daniel's honesty about telling him his fate. However, I interpret this more as Belshazzar trying to get the Persians to believe that Daniel was the king of Babylon instead of him. It kind of makes more sense in a way. But either way, this plan doesn't work.

Darius immediately notices that Daniel isn't a random nobleman but instead the previous king's eunuch, and that this eunuch was the one who predicted King Belshazzar's death. So Darius makes Daniel his own immediately. Yes, Daniel predicted a king's demise, but he also, in a way, predicted Darius's victory, so of course, Darius spares Daniel's life and makes him his own servant.

(I swear, Daniel literally gets passed around all the time by different kings.)

I think Darius finds Daniel attractive, and that attraction turns into a type of admiration. Darius, used to flattery and superficial courtly interactions, finds himself drawn to Daniel's rough but genuine authenticity. Gradually, Darius's way to court the poor fellow would be giving him tasks or positions that expect him to spend time with the king. Darius's way of flirting is very on the nose, and Daniel is very aware of it. He just isn't used to this kind of affection from his superior, nor does he have the experience to handle this. King Nebuchadnezzar was just an abusive wreck, and the reason why Daniel became a slave to the royal court, and King Belshazzar, well, I would say that he wasn't really abusive but more indifferent towards Daniel. So having Darius as his new king to serve makes the eunuch a little bit confused but appreciative.

The moment when Daniel and Darius become "true" friends is the moment when Darius finds out Daniel's real name. You see, when King Nebuchadnezzar took Daniel as his dream interpreter, he also changed Daniel's name to Belteshazzar (which is yes, really similar to King Belshazzar, another proof that King Belshazzar thought he could make the Persians mistake Daniel as him). Darius in the Bible calls Daniel by his real name and not his given Babylonian name.

For me, it's a small but important moment. I think there isn't really "the" moment Darius fell in love with Daniel, but more like a gradual awakening, and it's more on Daniel's side to realize that he has become an integral part of Darius' heart.

[gatekeeper-watchman]

Daily Devotionals for November 23, 2024 

Proverbs: God's Wisdom for Daily Living

Devotional Scripture:

Proverbs 28:23-24 (KJV): 23 He that rebuketh a man afterwards shall find more favour than he that flattereth with the tongue. 24 Whoso robbeth his father or his mother, and saith, It is no transgression; the same is the companion of a destroyer. Proverbs 28:23-24 (AMP): 23 He who rebukes a man shall afterward find more favor than he who flatters with the tongue. 24 Whoever robs his father or his mother and says, This is no sin -- he is in the same class as (an open, lawless robber and) a destroyer.

Thought for the Day

Verse 23 - If the body of Christ is to mature, we must conform to Jesus, who is the truth. "That we henceforth be no more children...But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ..." (Ephesians 4:14-15). Giving an honest rebuke is part of speaking the truth in love. This is often difficult to do, since we risk the anger and rejection of the person rebuked. However, we will eventually be appreciated more than a flatterer. A true friend will appreciate our honesty, for it shows genuine concern. Lying flattery leads someone to continue in error. Many portions of Scripture admonish us not to lie to each other, such as Colossians 3:9-10.

A news organization recently did a survey here in America and asked several questions to determine the percentage of people who were dishonest about things. Some of the questions were: "Do you cheat the IRS? "Do you compliment people when you do not mean it? "Do you tell your spouse to tell callers you are not at home? "Do you tell 'little white lies' if it will keep you out of trouble? "Do you tell creditors that the check is in the mail when you have not yet mailed it? "Do you exaggerate when repeating things you have heard?" It was determined that 90% of Americans surveyed are not truthful under certain circumstances.

Lying began with Satan whom Jesus revealed as the father of lies (John 8:43-44,47). We can understand a high percentage of liars in corrupt society, but it is alarming that many Christians are also dishonest. God always keeps His word. He is faithful to every promise recorded in the Bible. That is why we can trust Him. We are called to be like Him, and must prove ourselves honest and trustworthy in order to represent our Father well. Jesus said that a man's words proceed from his heart (Matthew 15:18-20). If we lie, fib or break our word to others (another form of dishonesty), we need to ask God to cleanse our hearts, and begin studying the Bible so that His Word of truth resides in us.

Verse 24 - Those who steal from their parents are likened to destroyers. Grown children can "steal" from their parents in a number of ways; such as living irresponsibly and relying on their parents to pay their bills. Some parents entrust their businesses or their affairs to their children, only to have the children squander them. Thinking one has the right to steal from their parents in this way and making no effort to repay them, is a terrible evil. To deny this sin makes it even worse. Lying and stealing are evils that we must ask the Lord to deliver us from, if we are to become overcomers.

Prayer Devotional for the Day

Dear heavenly Father, I am thankful that You are faithful and that You always keep Your Word. Lord, do a work in the hearts of all Your children and deliver us from lying. May the words that we speak always be the truth. Lord, help us not to make promises that we are unable to keep. We want our words to be like Your words. You not only never lie, but every promise that You have made in the Word of God You will keep. You are not a man that You should lie. Lord, cleanse our hearts so that we will speak the truth in love instead of ignoring confrontations. I ask this in the name of Jesus. Amen.

[christian-perspectives]

The Lord's Promises Are Pure

The Lord's promises are pure, like silver refined in a furnace, purified seven times over. Psalm 12:6 The opening verses of Psalm 12 point to a godly society changing to godlessness. David clearly observed people moving away from the Lord. Help, O Lord, for the godly are fast disappearing! The faithful have vanished from the earth! Psalm 12:1 We can compare the experiences David wrote about with the growth of godlessness in our world today. Pardon the expression, but we live in a dog-eat-dog world. Neighbors lie to each other, speaking with flattering lips and deceitful hearts. Psalm 12:2

The Deceit of Flattering Lips

The phrase "flattering lips" means that someone offers lavish, insincere, and manipulative praise. The flattering person seeks some kind of benefit for themself. Flattery effectively appeals to our vanity. It also lays traps to snare us in our most vulnerable areas. Then, we believe these lies to feel loved and accepted, admired, and even envied. In reality, though, if we buy into that type of lie, we must act in ways that support a false self-image. Plus, we can come to a place where we don't need God. David may have written this Psalm during Saul's reign as king. Saul used flattery on David, trying to lure him in. David wanted to believe Saul's flattery but deep down felt its deception. Therefore, in the next verse, he asked the Lord to stop the flattering lips and silence the boastful tongues. He went to the Lord with his request because he knew it wouldn't stop on its own. They say, "We will lie to our hearts' content. Our lips are our own—who can stop us?" Psalm 12:4 We would expect an attitude like that from the world influenced by its sinful nature. I'm sad to say that I have seen that same attitude in the church.

The Lord's Reply with Promises

Thankfully, David stopped writing about the negative things going on around him. The rest of this Psalm focuses on the Lord's response and His promises. The Lord replies, "I have seen violence done to the helpless, and I have heard the groans of the poor. Now I will rise up to rescue them, as they have longed for me to do." Psalm 12:5 The Lord's reply begins with promises to two classes of people: the helpless and the poor. David often felt helpless; therefore he included the helpless in many of the Psalms. Helpless means not having the strength or power to do anything useful or to control or protect. This means helplessness could affect any area of our lives. Jesus identified the helpless like this. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Matthew 9:36 Paul also referred to the unsaved as helpless when he said the following. When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. Romans 5:6 Secondly, the Lord's promises also dealt with the groans of the poor. The Bible mentions two types of poor. Those physically poor and spiritually poor. Being physically poor means lacking "sufficient money" to live at a standard considered comfortable or normal in a society. Even though God cares for the poor, Jesus said we will always have poor people. Maybe because of a choice or inherited choices of past generations. The church has a mandate to help its poor. They (apostles) encouraged us to keep preaching to the Gentiles, while they continued their work with the Jews. Their only suggestion was that we keep on helping the poor, which I have always been eager to do. Galatians 2:9-10

The Lord's Promises in the Psalms

We've come full circle to the verse we started with that talks about the Lord's promises. The writers of the Psalms mentioned the Lord's promises several times, including the following. - All the Lord's promises prove true. Psalm 18:30 - God is faithful to His promises. Psalm 71:22 - His faithful promises are your armor and protection. Psalm 91:4 - Your promises have been thoroughly tested; that is why I love them so much. Psalm 119:140 - The Lord's promises are backed by all the honor of your name. Psalm 138:2 - The Lord always keeps his promises. Psalm 145:13 In this Psalm, however, David reported that the Lord's promises are pure. As I found that description interesting, he continued by telling us how pure they are. He said pure as refined silver, not once, but seven times. Refining silver once leaves it fairly pure. But repeating the refining process seven times would make it wholly pure. I don't believe the Psalmist just picked the number seven out of the air. The number seven in scripture represents "perfection," "finished," or "complete," making God's promises flawless. According to the last two verses of this Psalm, the Lord's promises go beyond helping the poor and helpless. Even while the wicked strut around, God will protect all of the oppressed. Therefore, Lord, we know you will protect the oppressed, preserving them forever from this lying generation, even though the wicked strut about, and evil is praised throughout the land. Psalm 12:7-8 Thank you, Lord, for all of your promises. We can rely on you when we feel helpless and during our poorest moments. Like the Psalmist said, you always keep your promises. Check out these other related Posts on the Lord's promises. - How to Trust God in Difficult Circumstances - God Will Pour His Holy Spirit Upon All People - Are You Living Under The Shadow Of His Wings - God Keeps His Promises, Guaranteed - Abraham Intercedes For Sodom Read the full article

[abalidoth]

🌻

Oh shit I totally missed this one, I'm sorry! I was doing Weird Tessa Stories for these, right? Alright, a long one to make up for the delay -- the worst photo experience of my life.

So the year is 2017, I'm finishing up my Ph.D. in Laramie, WY. I'm massively stressed and dissociating all the time from both the stresses of academia and four years in the closet. This was distinctly in my "nail polish and skirt goes on Friday afternoon and comes off Sunday evening" era. I'm also looking for jobs to get OUT of Laramie.

My parents see my LinkedIn picture, which at that point was a selfie, and as a birthday present they offer to buy me a professional photography session to get a nice looking picture for my website/linkedin/etc. Okay, this seems fine. They find a photographer, I go meet with her.

I immediately get Weird Vibes from her. Her office is in this loft thing downtown with tons of example pictures, it looks like she specializes in senior photos and wedding photoshoots but in a way that feels very pandering to that crowd? Also she's talking about her second vacation home in Colorado so I'm like, lady you're already wealthy why the fuck are you doing this

She's incredibly solicitous, all praise and flattery and fluff. Her emails are downright florid, and she's the same way in person. She's the walking incarnation of a Hobby Lobby wooden Bible verse sign.

But the most salient part of the consultation for this story is that she insists on COMING TO YOUR HOUSE to critique your wardrobe.

She comes over and paws through my selection of Guy Clothes (which despite making up most of my wardrobe, I don't care that much about at this point) while constantly making comments to Emma about "Oh, haha, he's such a guy, you know how men are!"

(Emma, for her part, is doing a valiant job of defending me against this dysphoria without actually outing me, because she's the best.)

So, a suit that fits her specifications is selected and the day of photographs comes around. At this point, if I was paying for this myself, I would have bailed long ago; but it was a gift from my parents and I'm debilitatingly conflict averse, so out I went.

Immediately she takes me to a back alley in Laramie. I ask her why, she says she wants to get some casual shots of me first. I tell her I'm just here for business shots, she tells me to loosen up, it'll be fun!

Did I mention I'm conflict averse?

So I'm standing there in an alley, holding my suit jacket over my shoulder in the most awkward possible way, staring at a piece of graffiti that says "JESUS SUCKED YOUR DAD'S COCK", when I start to realize that maybe this has all gone a little off the rails.

Eventually we do get some good professional shots by the river.

A couple weeks later she calls me in for a consultation. I bring Emma along for moral support, because the weird vibes at this point are getting pretty overwhelming. The photographer sets up a projector and shows off these hugely blown-up portraits of me on the wall, saying "Oh, getting a print of this size is only $930, I have one above my couch!"

(Also, she's showing off the alley pictures. I do not want the alley pictures. I think maybe Modern Tessa could pull it off in like a crop top or something, but Awkward 2017 Closet Tessa in a suit could not. We tell her we do not want the alley pictures. She shows us more alley pictures.)

Each time, she's trying to talk us down and down to smaller and smaller sizes of print. My dysphoric ass at the time doesn't want ANY picture of myself hanging on the wall; also, that's just not the tenor of our decor at all. We keep politely saying no.

Also keep in mind that MY PARENTS HAVE ALREADY PAID HER FOR THE PHOTOGRAPHS.

Eventually we're just blunt with her: my parents already paid, can you just give us the digital files? We hired you for a LinkedIn photo, you have taken the photos, we don't want prints.

She says "I don't give out digital files."

Not once during this whole process has she mentioned this; not once in all the times that either my parents or myself have told her that this is for job hunting. We say this, and additionally say "When we hired our wedding photographer, she gave us a thumbdrive with ALL the pictures she took, AND the retouches, as part of the package."

This woman has the fucking gall to say "Well, I'm sure some people do that, but not serious portrait photographers."

We manage to get out of there without buying a fucking poster-size print of Jesus Cock Alley Tessa. I call my parents and tell them the situation. My parents, eminently practical people, say they'll deal with it.

Two days later I get an email from her, forwarded from my dad. It has the subject "linked in photo attached", no text, and a single medium-resolution picture from the river photoshoot, and I never hear from her again.

[coreancitizen]

Thoughts on 'Reborn Rich' ep 15

One of the first things I noticed at the chairman's first death anniversary was Hwa Young and Change Je sitting with Yoon Ki's family at one table, while the Young Ki's and Dong Ki's families had separate tables for themselves. Since the chairman's death, Hwa Young truly has become a mere garnish for her brothers.

"Boast about it only after you become the chairman, OK?" Hyeon Min to Seong Jun: Stop counting your chickens before they hatch, goddamnit.

His uncle needing Do Jun to spell out everything about Soonyang card the shares was hilarious. Dude! He's been doing this for years, playing you off against each other. If you weren't so blinded by your greed and ambition to be Soonyang's chairman you would have seen this coming a mile away!

That was a rather painful but much needed conversation between father and son. Seong Jun has a point about how the world has changed, that there are now things such as profit and shareholders' rights under consideration. Dong Ki gets a similar lesson from Mason later in the ep. But the more important part of this conversation is Seong Jun telling his father what he really thinks of him — he a loser.

One of my favorite things about this show, even though we don't get much of it, is Do Jun's relationship with his celebrity mom. I thought he would have moved out by now so it was nice to see him home and her waiting up for him. Laughed-cried at her comment about not knowing whether she was raising a son or a boarder. Kinda teared up when she talked about wanting her son to find someone he can talk and open up to. Do Jun says he does, and Song Joong Ki really sells the smitten look so I'll forgive the rather perfunctory development of this romance.

Speaking of romance, Min Young has Do Jun served with an arrest warrant for alleged illegal handover of political funds. Not a subpoena for an interview, an ARREST warrant because she didn't want him destroying evidence or fleeing the country hahaha. I'm not gonna break down how Do Jun bested his uncles and cousin again but the whole thing pretty much depended on Min Young being VERY good at her job and her knowing what kind of person Do Jun is. She later tells Do Jun she's still not sure whether he was set up or did the setting up (girl, you know the answer, c'mon!).

One of my fave scenes from this ep: Mason describing the concept of "the Korea discount." Per a Sept. 20, 2022, Reuters story, the discount refers to a "tendency for South Korean companies to have lower valuations than global peers due to factors such as low dividend payouts, the dominance of opaque conglomerates known as chaebols and geopolitical risks involving North Korea." Mason lays out just how ridiculous the idea of handing down the business to one's children is. "It's like selecting a national team athlete based on the sole fact of whether their parents were medalists regardless of how competitive they are in the international market." Dong Ki, with his attempts at flattery and intimidation, is completely put in his place.

Looks like Dong Ki is not getting the "3 and 5" deal (sentenced for 3 years with 5 years suspended sentence on good behavior) so his wife hustles over to Jeongsimjae to ask Young Ki, the dude who went to prison for his dad and still suffers leg problems because of it, for help saving his ass. Of course the answer was no, considering all the scheming Dong Ki has done all these years that undermined older bro. Young Ki's wife couldn't wait to get her dig in. Unfortunately, it bites her and her family in the ass later as the investigation expands into Soonyang Corporation.

Did the Prosecutor's Office really detain Do Jun in that tiny room for 48 hours??? And how impressive and fast are Min Young's investigators?? Anyway, we get a "Leverage"-style montage of how Do Jun set up his uncles and the competence porn is truly topnotch. Plus Bible and art lessons from Change Je and Hyeon Min, respectively. The end result is Young Ki throwing his one asset under the bus and his son returning the favor in the next available moment.

With the uncles AND cousin seemingly out of contention for chairmanship of the group, Do Jun burnishes his image by donating his $700 million "inheritance" from Chairman Jin (is that from the Micro Project slush fund?) and quickly turns public opinion around. Not surprisingly he gets voted the next chairman of Soonyang Group.

What does he do next? Goes to that infernal museum he and his grandfather were supposed to visit on the day Chairman Jin was to announce him as the CEO of the holding company and his heir apparent. This time he does get a chance to enter building and look around. In front of a bigger-than-life portrait of his bigger-than-life grandfather, he wonders if he finally got his revenge or if he can finally call himself his grandson now, the series-long struggle of his character boiled down. He has no answer yet, right now he just misses the cantankerous old man.

What follows is next is both a surprise and not — another car accident, supposedly because some things are just fixed. The shocker comes from who is at the scene of the crime. Do Jun, as he's looking at Hyun Woo, thinks the person who killed me is no other than myself. Dun dun dun!

Questions galore: Is Hyun Woo there by coincidence or part of the plan to murder Do Jun? If he's part of the conspiracy, did whoever hire him notice he's the mirror image of Jin Do Jun? I can't imagine this being a closed (time travel) loop. That Hyun Woo will now end up serving the family. Wouldn't he remember the murder he was a part of? He didn't even know Do Jun died. How would all this match up with what we saw happened in the first episode? I really hope the writers have a satisfying answer. Maybe it'll be more like The King Eternal Monarch, that with big enough changes, Do Jun can change his fate.

[alephskoteinos]

throwing in my 2c on the christianity and magic&occultism.... christian doctrine rules a lot of things as sinful and managing sin is an ongoing, perpetual battle within every adherent. Pride, for example, is a serious sin, and it both common and really difficult to uproot. For a more mundane example, all forms of non-reproductive sex are deemed sin. And yet christian behaviour is not defined by perfect adherence to the commandments, but by an ongoing dialogue with God regarding our sins. So there's a lot of room between a christian and that model of perfection. Aquinas described the Devil as a master theologian, too, so there's spiritual danger inherent to Christian theology that I think many do not appreciate. I don't know where I'm going with this lol but i felt awkward seeing that discussion about witchcraft on my dash because something being sin doesn't mean it doesn't happen, and we should be able to discuss Christian tradition as a historic practice of peoples, not just as a "nuh uh" ruleset.

The whole thing here for me is that even this illustrates the fundamental problematic of Christianity itself. Christianity bases itself on the orthodoxic premise of religiosity, summarised by Lactantius' etymology where "religion" effectively means ritual adherence to truth, which is inevitably expressed by God's law and therefore his say on what constitues sin vs piety. But the historical development of Christianity shows that it cannot neatly adhere to that expectation in the way that would be merited by the stature of "the absolute truth of God". And that's not even getting into the Bible being simply a self-contradictory text. Christianity in its lived experience was always destined to develop into contradictions, and the fact is it is hegemony that has kept it alive all these years.

Honestly though I kind of need to see Aquinas' quote on the Devil being a master theologian. That sounds like a level of flattery that should seem absurd from the Christian standpoint.

[childofchrist1983]

But woe unto you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation. Woe unto you that are full! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep. Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets. - Luke 6:24-26 KJV

We are probably more familiar with the Book of Matthew's Sermon on the Mount and the Beatitudes than we are with the woes Jesus spoke of as He gave the sermon. But Luke's version of this gives us something a little different to think about. Let's look at these woes.

"Woe to you who are rich". This must have sounded very unusual to the people as they would have presumed that the rich had been blessed and the richer they were the more blessed they were. Unfortunately, this idea came up again in the sixteenth century and there are people even today who think this way. But Jesus is saying that they have already received their reward. The hungry hunger and thirst for the Word of God, while those who have everything they need often don't think that they even need God. There's a big difference between flattery and honest approval! People who flatter usually want something. They have their own agenda and feel that the person being flattered can get it for them.

We are more apt to turn to God in times of difficulty than when all is going well, so it makes sense that when everything is wonderful we ignore God until we are in trouble caused by foolishly following our own way and not the way of Jesus Christ as written in the Holy Bible - God's living and Holy Word. We need to pay attention to how well we follow the path that Jesus has pointed out to us and not follow the path that leads to sin and eternal damnation. He keeps showing us the path to Him, His ultimate Truth and eternal life in Heaven. May He give us the courage and the grace we need to continually follow it and Him all our lives.

May we humble ourselves before God always, asking Him to forgive our sins and make our hearts and lives anew through His Holy Word and Spirit. May He help us make Him and His Holy Word top priority, so we can grow spiritually and grow in our relationship with Him as we apply it to our daily lives. Thank God that we can focus on Him and everything about Him, for that is what keeps us sane and at peace. May our words and actions always be a reflection of Him and His Holy Word and Spirit and will for all our lives.

Everyday, we must remember to thank Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ for the grace that He poured out for us on the cross at Calvary. He has freed us from the burdens of sin and guilt. May He help us to always walk in His grace and Holy Spirit, not by our own measure. May He give us the humble humility to know that our freedom and eternal salvation is found only in Him, so that His grace may sustain us, and we may never lose sight of His love and light and mercy. Thank Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ for calling us to Him and to serve Him. May He equip us to do all that He has called us to do so that as He works through us, He may use us to produce fruit, to reach others, and to encourage all brothers and sisters in Christ. May He work all of these things in us and through us for His Kingdom and His glory. Thank Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ for all His creation, for His miraculous ways and for everything He does and has done for us! Keep the faith and keep moving forward in your walk with Jesus!

Thank Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ for His Holy Word and for sending His Holy Spirit so that we might have His grace, not only to awaken us and transform our hearts in our spiritual rebirth and guarantee our eternity with Him, but to also call upon Him whenever we are in need. Thank Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ for all the reminders of His love and mercy and faithfulness within His Holy Word. He is bigger than any challenge or circumstance in our lives. Knowing this within our minds and our hearts, nothing can deter our faith in Him and His Truth. May we all accept Him and His eternal gift of salvation and ask that He would transform our hearts and lives according to His will and ways. Thank Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ for His Holy Spirit who saves, seals and leads us. May we always thank Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ for His almighty power and saving grace. For He is our strength, and He alone is able to save us, forgive our sins and gift us eternal salvation and entry into His Kingdom of Heaven.

May we make sure that we give our hearts and lives to God and take time to seek and praise Him and share His Truth with the world daily. May the LORD our God and Father in Heaven help us to stay diligent and obedient and help us to guard our hearts in Him and His Holy Word daily. May He help us to remain faithful and full of excitement to do our duty to Him and for His glorious return and our reunion in Heaven as well as all that awaits us there. May we never forget to thank the LORD our God and our Creator and Father in Heaven for all this and everything He does and has done for us! May we never forget who He is, nor forget who we are in Christ and that God is always with us! What a mighty God we serve! What a Savior this is! What a wonderful LORD, God, Savior and King we have in Jesus Christ! What a loving Father we have found in Almighty God! What a wonderful God we serve! His will be done!

Thanks and glory be to God! Blessed be the name of the LORD! Hallelujah and Amen!

[raz-b-rose]

Warnings Against False Teachers

 “I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naïve.”

Romans 16:17-18

Paul addresses false teachers in all of his letters, and is always warning his readers to be on the lookout for them, that their interests are not in growing fellow believers into further practical and applicable knowledge in Christ but to make themselves look and feel wise. To be the center of attention, and even some, deliberately lying to their audience for some twisted satisfaction in being able to convince people of their lies. Or even those who have a terrible misunderstanding or blindness to the truth of God's word, His doctrine, and even His commandments and therefore lead others away with their self satisfied assured ignorance. 

“for such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites'.” 

The best translation here is belly instead of appetite. And the Greek word for that is koilia (koy-lee'-ah) can mean the physical organ but also “the inner man” and its origin is koilos which means hollow. 

Jesus also uses this word when he is talking about how food is not what makes us clean or unclean, but rather the contents of our heart and desires is what does so. 

And he called the people to him and said to them, “Hear and understand: it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person.” Then the disciples came and said to him, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?” He answered, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be rooted up. Let them alone; they are blind guides. And if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.” But Peter said to him, “Explain the parable to us.” And he said, “Are you also still without understanding? Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach and is expelled? But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a person. But to eat with unwashed hands does not defile anyone.”

Matthew 15:10-20

This is why it is so important that we know God's word for ourselves. That is why the Holy Spirit is with us, to help combat the whispered enticing lies of the world trying to convince us that parts of the bible aren't true because they don’t sound “loving, kind, or nice.”  We do not want to defile ourselves with lies and the slandering of God's character. 

For the bible to be called a sword is so appropriate because it needs to be sharp to cut down the supernatural enemy. We don’t want to ever use God's word to tear someone down however, and all truth needs to be delivered in love. Our tongue is described just as sharp, and so we need to make sure God's word is sharpening our tongue, our words, in turn to be used properly and in a way that is honoring to God. 

“Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting,”

2 John 9-10

John says to not even greet them, let alone allow them into your home. It can even be read as the home. The early church didn’t have separate buildings for worship and teaching, but met in each other's homes. So John is most likely saying here  “do not let them into the Lords home to give them a foot hold to spread their deceit” 

We also know that the word of God spread because of those traveling on foot (going on ahead), town to town, often staying with fellow church members during their missionary work. John's concern here is allowing these false traveling teachers into your home, into the church, that it could be perceived as an agreement with their beliefs. 

Earlier in his letter however he reminds the readers that we are to love as God commanded us to. Love God and follow his commandments and all work for His glory and our growth. If our feet are solidly set on Jesus, and our words prepped with love I know the Holy Spirit can help us through any situation we may come across that could have us interacting with a false teacher seeking to drag us away from Christ. 

And this does not mean we are to cut ourselves off from unbelievers (how else are they to become believers) but that we should be careful with how we interact with them, especially if it's a believer weaker in faith, for our own spiritual health. 

we are responsible for the words we use, our interpretations of God's word, and how we share our knowledge with others. We need to be intune with God -be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God (Romans 12:2a)- so that we don’t take the proverbial mic from Him, misleading people with our own corrupted opinions. (Corrupted in the sense that our sin nature is not God's nature.) 

Those who deliberately twist God's word for their own gain will have a hefty consequence to answer to, due to the grave sin of leading others to death. Teaching carries a weight of responsibility for others. So ensure you know God’s word as He wrote it, and don’t try to twist it to justify yours or others sins. 

[rijl]

This was very fun to read and OP’s attention to detail is incredible. I will be delighted if some of this is revealed to be accurate in the third season. However, I see a few holes in this theory, and one of them is pretty fundamental.

I am putting on my Master of Divinity Degree hat. I agree with OP on Neil Gaiman’s skill as a writer, and one thing I love about Good Omens is all the religious stuff. GO is kind of religious fanfiction*, and I am impressed by the writers’ religious literacy and how loyal they are to the religious canons that they are drawing from. Of course they are putting BIG twists on things, but every change is for a reason. They aren’t misappropriating religious images and ideas willy-nilly and saying fuck the context.

My first correction is small. OP asked:

“Why was Crowley wearing sunglasses in the Job scene (2500BC) when he wasn’t wearing them in the two scenes bracketing it in the S1E3 cold open (the Flood and the Crucifixion)?”

I did not notice this! But I love that OP did and I think I know the answer, or at least part of it. In the Hebrew Bible, the story of the Great Flood marks a shift in eras and genres. In the time before the flood (AKA the antediluvian period), the setting and stories are more fantastical, with humans living hundreds of years, and mystical beings (Gibborim and Nephilim) walking around interacting with humans. Essentially, weird stuff was normal, and Crowley’s eyes may not have seemed out of place enough to bother hiding them. By Job’s time, special humans have occasional encounters with angels, but mystical beings are not just hanging out. I don’t have as satisfying of an answer for why he goes without glasses in the crucifixion scene. My guess is that Aziraphale and Crowley are keeping to themselves and not interacting with the humans, whose attention is obviously elsewhere. As opposed to in the Job minisode, where there’s a lot of interaction with humans.  

My second correction is more consequential. OP’s whole theory hangs on the idea that the Book of Life is something like a narrative of history and reality that can be controlled and rewritten by God and/or the Metatron, with great consequences for anyone whose storyline gets edited. I think OP’s concept of the BoL comes from Michael’s very brief reference to “Extreme Sanctions” and “Book of Life” on the phone with Beelzebub in E1, and the scene where Beelzebub snatches Crowley down to hell to try to intimidate him into helping Beelzebub find Gabriel:

B: According to what I’m hearing on a grapevine that obviously doesn’t exist, upstairs is seriously troubled about Gabriel’s disappearance. I’m hearing that anybody they find involved in this affair will be dealt with.

C: How?

B: Extreme Sanctions

C: That isn’t actually a thing? That’s just something we used to joke about to frighten the cherubs.

B: No, it exists. Extreme Sanctions. Anyone found involved in Gabriel’s disappearance will be erased from the Book of Life. They won’t just be gone—they will never have existed.

Here are the problems with believing Michael’s and Beelzebub’s take on how the Book of Life works:

Crowley says right there that it’s not true. I’m surprised he believed Beelzebub so easily.

We know now that Beelzebub is desperate to find the angel that they fell in love with, and is pulling out all the stops! Bribes and flattery didn’t work, so they switched to empty threats. Michael’s delivery of the line over the phone is very fishy. And you can hear in Beelzebub’s hesitations that they don’t entirely believe what they’re saying themself. Beelzebub’s elaboration on what it means to be erased from the BoL doesn’t come from Michael—it seems to be made up on the spot.

Most importantly, this is just not what the Book of Life is. In the Hebrew Bible, the Book of Life is described as a book where the names of righteous people get written, indicating that they will be rewarded on the day of judgement (and go to heaven, or have eternal life, etc.) It’s a list of names—a guest list—not a narrative that controls reality. Getting your name erased would suck, but it wouldn’t mean you never existed. And there’s nothing else in it to edit or rewrite. The concept of a supernatural narrative of history and reality does exist in Good Omens—as “The Ineffable Plan.” I don’t believe that Gaiman would confuse these two things.

Now putting on my Bachelor of Googling and Bonus Content and Opinions hat for few little non-religion things:

Muriel shows off the book cover they’re reading because the author (Iain Banks) is a friend of Showrunners Neil and Douglas. (source: X-Ray trivia on E2)

OP asks why Aziraphale rejects Crowley’s offer of wine in the Job minisode. I believe this is just showing that Crowley manages to turn Aziraphale onto alcohol sometime between Job and WWII. David Tennant says in the “Biblically Good” BTS video: “[Crowley] doesn’t manage to introduce Aziraphale to wine that early on, although clearly that’s a part of their relationship that develops.”

The Blitz: Not strange that the theater as open, as this is the historic Windmill Theater, where notably, “performances continued throughout the Second World War even at the height of the Blitz.”

Aziraphale babbles about saving wee Morag instead of actually doing it, because the whole thing is a moral exercise to him, not real until it’s too late. When he thwarts Elspeth’s first sale attempt, he says, “I did a very good thing then,” and he would love to be able to say that about the whole situation. His preoccupation with his own moral purity and clean conscience ties him in knots and prevents him from acting fast enough to save Morag. This is the point of this whole Edinburgh story—that Aziraphale’s lofty sense of good and evil doesn’t work in reality and causes material harm to the most unfortunate humans. Also, is OP asking why the pub is called “The Resurrectionist” if no one actually got resurrected? Because “resurrectionists” is what body snatchers were called in the UK at that time.

I would be thrilled if Crowley’s discordant look in the Job minisode really is about the postdiluvian genre shift, but realistically it’s probably more an artistic choice. X-Ray trivia says that the design of the Job story is based on the biblical illustrations of Harold Copping, and Crowley’s costume is inspired by Moses’s look in The Ten Commandments (1956). Combined with his John Lennon-esque glasses and hair, he’s humorously evoking the 60’s/70’s aesthetics of hippies, the Jesus Movement, and even Jesus Christ Superstar (1973). His flood/crucifixion look just would not have gone with the more playful vibe of the Job minisode. If I took anything from the bonus content, it’s that the creators of this show are just as obsessed with obscure artistic and aesthetic references as they are with sneaky plot references. [Edit: Now I'm wondering if the flood/crucifixion look is inspired by Satan's look in The Passion of the Christ (2004).]

I know too many smart and well-meaning people brainwashed by corporate institutions to be surprised that even an Aziraphale with some growth and understanding under his belt would fall for the offer of “a promotion where you could make a difference.”

These holes in OP’s theory don’t necessarily mean that there’s no memory fudging going on though! It just cannot be to extent (and by the mechanism) OP described. The last reason being it would take a whole season's worth of exposition to cover all these reveals, and we would not have time to even address the hinted Second Coming. But Aziraphale and Crowley going up against doctored memories would be very dramatic and fun, and it would be so satisfying to see how they could prevail.

*We can’t truly call it “Bible fanfiction.” Some of it is based on the Hebrew Bible and Christian Bible, but some of it (Metatron) is based on Jewish Rabbinical writings, a lot of it (the heaven and hell, angels and demons stuff) is based on extra-biblical Catholic tradition, and a lot of it (the Armageddon plot in S1) is based on Futurist Christian Eschatology, a mainly Evangelical view which only got big in the 19th and 20th centuries, and which stretches and embellishes the Book of Revelation (this is my nice way of saying it is wrong).

The Magic Trick You Didn’t See: Being An Analysis of Good Omens Season 2

(or: Neil Gaiman, Your Brain is Gorgeous But I Have Cracked Your Sneaky Little Code And Have You Dead To Rights*) (*Maybe)

***

Soooooo I just spent the last 48 hours having a BREATHTAKING GALAXY BRAIN EPIPHANY about Good Omens Season 2 and feverishly writing a fuckin16,000 word essay about the incredible magic trick that @neil-gaiman pulled off. 

Yes, it’s long, but I PROMISE your brains will explode. Do you want to know how magic works? Do you want to know what Metatron’s deal is (I’m like 99% sure of this and it’s EXTREMELY FUCKING GOOD)? Do you want to know about the Mystery of the Vanishing Eccles Cakes and the big fat beautiful clue I found in the opening credits? Do you go through the whole inventory of Chekov’s Firearm & Heavy Artillery Discount Warehouse? 

Here is the essay, go read it: https://docs.google.com/document/d/193IXS11XN46lziHRb6eUpM17yK0BQkRqke1Wh64A_e0/ When ur done u can tell me I’m an insane crackpot, and u know what, i won’t even be offended

In case you don’t know whether you want to bother reading the whole enormous thing on google docs, I’ve put the first couple sections of it under the cut. JUST TRUST ME OKAY, HEAR ME OUT, THIS IS VERY EXTREMELY COOL, NEIL IS GOOD AT HIS JOB–

Keep reading

[podlater]

The Bible says, “Open rebuke is better than secret love. Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful” (Pro. 27:5, 6). A rebuke is “a sharp reproof (blame or censure for a fault) a chiding, reprimand, to reprove sharply, a scolding; to address in sharp ...

Open rebuke is better than secret love because “in the end, people appreciate honest criticism far more than flattery” (Proverbs 28:23, NLT). For this reason, the psalmist prayed, “Let the godly strike me! It will be a kindness! If they correct me, it is soothing medicine.

The man Rod Parsley is verbally abusing in this audio is Caucasian. The other video that has been published is also with a Caucasian man.Larry why do you think the trans-atlantic slave trade only went from West Africa to North America? Not to mention that we have more people and children enslaved today than anytime in world history. As Americans we think the world is all about us and only about us which is at best intellectually dishonest and even worse narcissistic.I think you handled this exceptionally well. Yes, scripture teaches us to confess our faults one to another, pray one for another so that we may be healed. I do hope that Pastor Evans will stand before the Oak Cliff Church and confess that he sinned against God and _______ whomever it was that he hurt. In his statement to the church he didn't apologize or express remorse over his secret sin, he didn't say "I repent for breaking God's heart" he didn't even offer an apology to his members for how this will impact them. He only states that his family & the elders forgave him, but his youngest son just admitted (on Sunday) that he doesn't know anymore than the members and his father will return to the pulpit. I think it was a poor decision to be vague and hope they will choose to be explicit about what is happening. God bless everyone involved and have mercy on us all.I think you handled this exceptionally well. Yes, scripture teaches us to confess our faults one to another, pray one to another that we may be healed. I do hope that Pastor Evans will stand before the Oak Cliff Church and confess that he sinned against God and _______ whomever it was that he hurt. In his statement to the church he didn't apologize or express remorse over his secret sin, he didn't say "I repent for breaking God's heart" he didn't even offer an apology to his members for how this will impact them. He only states that his family & the elders forgave him, but his youngest son just admitted (on Sunday) that he doesn't know anymore than the members and his father will return to the pulpit. I think it was a poor decision to be vague and hope they will choose to be explicit about what is happening. God bless everyone involved and have mercy on us all.When did Evans say God put it on his heart to come forward? He hasn't yet apologized to the church or to the person he wronged, nor did he ask Oak Cliff to forgive him for his secret sin.I think you handled this exceptionally well. Yes, scripture teaches us to confess our faults one to another, pray one to another that we may be healed. I do hope that Pastor Evans will stand before the Oak Cliff Church and confess that he sinned against God and _______ whomever it was that he hurt. In his statement to the church he didn't apologize or express remorse over his secret sin, he didn't say "I repent for breaking God's heart" he didn't even offer an apology to his members for how this will impact them. He only states that his family & the elders forgave him, but his youngest son just admitted (on Sunday) that he doesn't know anymore than the members and his father will return to the pulpit. I think it was a poor decision to be vague and hope they will choose to be explicit about what is happening. God bless everyone involved.

[gatekeeper-watchman]

Daily Devotionals for July 13, 2024

Proverbs: God's Wisdom for Daily Living

Devotional Scripture:

Proverbs 20:19-21 (KJV): 19 He that goeth about as a talebearer revealeth secrets: therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips. 20 Whoso curseth his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in obscure darkness. 21 An inheritance may be gotten hastily at the beginning, but the end thereof shall not be blessed. Proverbs 20:19-21 (AMP): 19 He who goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets; therefore associate not with him who talks too freely. 20 Whoever curses his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in complete darkness. 21 An inheritance hastily gotten (by greedy, unjust means) at the beginning, in the end, it will not be blessed.

Thought for the Day

Verse 19 - People who talk in a degrading fashion about others cannot be trusted, especially with private issues. Those who are loose with the secrets of others, will not hesitate to share yours. They will also manipulate people with flattery in order to gain their trust for their own selfish gain. They are not truly interested in helping others, only in finding out their secrets so that they may spread them.

Verse 20 - Although the basic meaning of the word used for "curse" can include "to wish or to speak evil," the basic meaning here is "to esteem lightly." Many people say they are not guilty of cursing their parents, but they may not consider that they are esteeming them lightly. According to the Hebrew meaning of this verse, to disrespect or disobey one's parents is actually to curse them. One of the Ten Commandments unjustly will not give the benefit expected of it. Genesis tells how Jacob gained his brother Esau's inheritance by deceiving their father. It cost him the loss of a relationship with his brother and many years of living in fear that Esau would kill him for his act of treachery. The whole incident caused years of heartache for the entire family. Jacob also later reaped treachery from his own sons and suffered bitterly when they sold their youngest brother into slavery. The Bible teaches us to value relationships more than riches or material things. Tells us to honor our father and mother, so that our days may be long upon the earth (Exodus 20:12).

"Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honor thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise; That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth" (Ephesians 6:1-2). According to verse 20, the penalty for cursing one's parents is that the children will lose their guidance in this dark world (their lamp will be put out). If we cannot see the proper path to walk down, we will end up on the wrong path which leads to destruction.

Verse 21 - Greed can lead people to obtain their inheritances underhandedly. An inheritance obtained

                                 Prayer Devotional for the Day

Dear heavenly Father, thank you for the wonderful friends and family You have given to me. Lord, may I always value these gifts of love and friendship and never violate them. May I always be the kind of friend who is trustworthy and that others will know their secrets are safe with me? Guard my mouth and let me only speak things that are edifying and needful. May I always respect my parents and elders and give them honor. Lord, may I treasure my relationships and always value them above things. If I lose things, they can be restored; but if I lose a relationship because I value material things above my friendships and cause a brother or sister to be offended, I may never win their trust again. Help me always to embrace the truth that -- relationships are more valuable than things. I ask this in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

[yhwhrulz]

Wayside Chapel Daily Devotional 15th May 2024

5/15 2 Samuel 15:4

4 Then Absalom would say, "Oh that I were judge in the land! Then every man with a dispute or cause might come to me, and I would give him justice."

One of David's sons, Absalom, had his half-brother murdered in revenge for raping his sister. Then Absalom fled to another country. After a bit of trickery on General Joab's part, the king allowed Absalom to return to Israel. Eventually the relationship with his father was restored. But Absalom had something else in mind.

Absalom used his good looks and flattery to win the hearts of the people. In return for the mercy shown him, he plotted insurrection. Every time someone would come with a complaint, Absalom would sympathize with them and tell them how he wished he were judge so that he could help them. He slowly won over the heart of many of the people.

Absalom was an ungrateful con man. He cared only about himself. Everything he did was to advance his own cause, while pretending to really care about others. This kind of personality is still among us, and we must be discerning. This was the very thing that Nathan the prophet predicted would be the consequence of David's indiscretion. While it was Absalom's freewill to be so treacherous, it was his father's sin that set things in motion. Had David foreseen all the consequences of fulfilling his lusts, he surely would have run the other way. When sin knocks at the door, we rarely stop to consider the long-term consequences and pain that will result from a moment of pleasure.

Consider: Be discerning, both of words of flattery, and of temptation when it knocks at your door.

[mikewxrren]

Emma was beautiful and classy. But he could not bring himself to say that. Neither of them were in the mood for flattery. And Mike was not really in the mood to give anyone it. Not after the disappointment he had just endured. 

‘The dress screams…’ Mike was about to tell her that she looked like his mom. But that disturbed him too much. ‘It's very boss lady.’ 

'What about me?' He flashed her his teeth before offering his outfit for judgment. ‘I just need to carry a bible, huh?’ 

He playfully spun for her before turning to the mirror to fuss with his hair. ‘So, who’s playing our daddy?’ He glanced over his shoulder at her. ‘Did Briggs give us a name?' 

So far, none of this was by the book. Mike could not even say that he was really on duty yet.

'Maybe that’s what we want to look like now.’ She chuckled as he moved. 'Maybe it will make Carmine want to keep his distance in this next meet.’

Emma’s gaze lingered on the rack he slipped behind and when she turned back to the one in front of her, she chose a dark blue, long, but formfitted. It would hug her body, but it still didn’t show off nearly as much as the other dress had in their first meeting.

She began to peel her clothes off, draping them over one of the chairs as she slipped the dress on. The zipper scraped against her brand causing her to swear under her breath before she quickly zipped it up.

'So…’ She huffed. 'Tell me, does this dress scream, keep your hands off me? But so help me if you do I’ll cram my fist down your throat?’

[ancestorsofjudah]

2 Kings 22: 8-13. "The Division."

Hilkiah, the High Priest represents the territory the soul occupies once it achieves Malchut, self-awareness and self-control. It is an office that represents something other than the Sanskrit Kshetragna, which is the knower of the field, Hilkiah is the enjoyer of the field, a state of being seldom praised in any type of religion:

Verb חלק (halaq I) means to divide and apportion. Noun חלק (heleq I) and חלקה (haluqqa) mean portion, tract of land, even one's mode of life. Noun חלקה (helqa I) means field. Noun מחלקת (mahaloqet) describes a division of some organization.

Verb חלק (halaq II) means to be smooth or slippery, either of items such as stones or speech and flattery. Nouns חלק (heleq II) and חלקה (halaqqa) describe smoothness or seductiveness of speech. Adjectives חלק (halaq) and חלק (halluq) mean smooth.

The singular noun חלקה (helqa II) and the plural noun plural noun חלקלקות (halaqlaqqot) may describe smoothness, slipperiness, flattery, or pleasant nonsense.

The Priest says to Shaphan the Secretary, which means "to watch from above on down" "read this Law which explains the essence of Shabbat": "do not practice religion, practice being happy instead."

All of Judah gathers to hear about this new aspect of the Law.

8 Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the secretary, “I have found the Book of the Law in the temple of the Lord.” He gave it to Shaphan, who read it.

9 Then Shaphan the secretary went to the king and reported to him: “Your officials have paid out the money that was in the temple of the Lord and have entrusted it to the workers and supervisors at the temple.”

10 Then Shaphan the secretary informed the king, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a book.” And Shaphan read from it in the presence of the king.

11 When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore his robes. 12 He gave these orders to Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Akbor son of Micaiah, Shaphan the secretary and Asaiah the king’s attendant:

13 “Go and inquire of the Lord for me and for the people and for all Judah about what is written in this book that has been found. Great is the Lord’s anger that burns against us because those who have gone before us have not obeyed the words of this book; they have not acted in accordance with all that is written there concerning us.”

Imagine wanting to be punished for not being happy enough in life. This is the hilarious conundrum experienced by the people of Judah after they heard the announcement made by the High Priest and the Officials of the Kingdom of Judah when they were told they have to observe Shabbat. Which means they have to use the Torah and the documents in the Tanakh in order to teach themselves how to be pleased with themselves, as there is no other way to please God.

The process for finding one's way off the spiral staircase of the Jewish faith at the final floor called Shabbat, and self-actualization is explained by the Gematria. It is the Secretary's job to carry these instructions to the rest of the offices of the Self, called the Officials.

v. 8: I have found the Book of Law. The Value in Gematria is 7286, ז‎בחו‎‎ , slaughter.

v. 9: Money is time spent studying the Torah hoping it will lead to freedom and independence someday. The Value in Gematria is 12526, יבהבו‎ ‎, they will love.

v. 10: Then Shaphan the Scribe read it. The Value in Gematria is 4574, דהזד‎‎ , dehzad, that side.

v. 11-12:

Hilkiah the priest, "the Joy Division"

Ahikam son of Shaphan, "the brother who makes known how one stands up and denotes the substance of existence."

Akbor son of Micaiah, "who reveals the jargon behind the reason we are sentient?"

The noun עכבר (akbar) means mouse. In the Greek symbolic jargon, the mouse (μυς, mus) was associated with secrecy and esotericism (μυστης, mustes; hence words like mystery and muse). In Hebrew the mouse was associated with the עכביש (akkabish), or spider, the notorious web-weaving ambush predator.

The Bible promotes transparency and free exchange of services and ideas, and abhors secrecy and selective elites, particularly those with mere interest in economic gain.

Micaiah= who is the reason we have dry land?

The interrogative pronoun מה (ma) asks "what?" Its counterpart מי (mi) asks "who?" The latter pronoun is spelled the same as the construct-plural form of מים (mayim) and thus also means "waters of ...". Its opposite, namely dry land, signifies certainty and mental footing. A similar particle מו (mo) combines with the usual prefixes to form poetic equivalents of these particles.

Shaphan the secretary, "who overlays with hope from above"

and Asaiah the king’s attendant: "who makes everything work."

The verb עשה ('asa) means to do, make happen or work with. Noun מעשה (ma'aseh) means deed, act, work, doing, making and so on.

He gave these orders. The Value in Gematria is 8626, חו‎בו‎, "We owe Him a debt."

v. 13: Go and inquire. The Value in Gematria is 10490, אאֶפֶסד‎‎טאֶפֶס‎, Apsed tapes, "the loss taps."

Why were we made with the hidden capability to be intelligent, wise, and creative? Because otherwise life on earth is inhospitable to us. It is inhospitable to us if we can't behave on it or elect people to office who can behave themselves.

Given that we can build amazing and beautiful and comfortable places to live, feed, entertain and experience good times together, why are we tapping ourselves, wasting time in other ways?

To observe Shabbat is forced cognition of how life on earth was meant by God to be spent, it teaches us it is worthwhile to make it happen. This is a requirement. If that is too jagged a pill to swallow, then to hell with you.

[wolint]

FRESH MANNA

MANIPULATION

Leviticus 25:17

Manipulating is negotiating, controlling, or influencing for one’s advantage. Manipulation is when we use others to get what we want. People become a means to an end, tools to serve our self-centred desires.

Spiritual manipulation is a technique used to control individuals and acquire gain while giving the impression that their teachings are based on the Bible.

Some people always use manipulation to get their way, both mental and physical manipulations. Or maybe you are the one manipulating others to your advantage.

Oppression is at the heart of manipulation with cheating, seduction, flattery, bribery and lying which the enemy uses as his tools of the trade, we hear Jesus say so clearly in John 8:44.

So many have fallen into manipulative relationships that are not letting up because the manipulator is so good at using emotional blackmail to victimize others, they missed 1 Corinthians 13 which tells us that love is not to harm others.

Greedy false teachers use manipulation daily to lie to people in the name of the gospel to take their resources, time and money from them, these are the ones Proverbs 12:20 talks about, that deceit fills their hearts and makes them plot evil.

As 2 Corinthians 11:14 says, they appear as real to exploit our weaknesses, stroke our pride, and assure us that following them and doing whatever they tell us is best for us, just as Satan does with his lies and manipulations, he is artful in his many ploys to bring us under his control. Some even try to manipulate God. We also try to manipulate God when we tell him that we’ll do something for him if he shows us a sign or miracle, I’ll do that for you only if you do this for me.

Paul was appalled at the manipulation of the Galatians in 3:1, especially since they knew the truth, the same way we should be appalled at the manipulation of those around us either by the enemy or someone they know.

Manipulators are among the list that 2 Timothy 3:1-6 commands us to avoid, saying that they creep into lives and homes for destruction.

manipulators trample the poor and steal what little they have through taxes and unfair rent according to Amos 5:11.

Ephesians 4:25 encourages everyone, specifically believers to not engage in manipulation or take advantage of others in any way, especially the vulnerable. We must speak the truth always to everyone and not use manipulating words or actions of falsehood on our neighbours, friends and families for our benefit.

Manipulators are self-serving, and Romans 16:18 says they are not serving Christ, they are serving their interests. By smooth talk and glowing words, they deceive innocent and vulnerable people, even when according to Luke 16:15 they justify themselves in the eyes of others, God knows their hearts.

We must be careful when dealing with manipulative people, especially when they are within our families, it’s very easy to mistake manipulation for caring and it’s equally important that we don’t allow ourselves to be manipulated in any way.

We may be manipulated to part with things we don’t wish to because we’ve been made to feel guilty for what we have but nobody has the right to use blackmailing words to cheat us out of what rightly belongs to us.

Victims of manipulation, spiritual, emotional or any other seldom realize that they’re being manipulated.

Spiritual manipulation occurs daily in churches and ministries and it’s often hidden under the “thus says the Lord” message. Beware of the demand for obedience, unquestioning submission, punishment for not obeying certain rules (loss of privileges, shunning, or expulsion), misplaced loyalty, emphasis on your performance and isolation or exclusion from general activities.

We must be confident in and have a complete understanding of God’s secret plan, which is Christ himself. In him lie hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, so that no one will deceive us with persuasive arguments according to Colossians 2-2-4. Be alert to spiritual manipulation and obey Matthew 10:16 to be “shrewd as snakes yet be as innocent as doves”.

PRAYER: Lord, help me to know your Word to be able to recognise the real character in others, help me discern whether people are trying to help or manipulate me in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Shalom

WOMEN OF LIGHT INT. PRAYER MIN.

[childofchrist1983]

Many "believed" in Jesus Christ because of seeing the miracles He did in Jerusalem (John 2:23), but these two Bible verses strongly imply that many of these "believers" were not true converts.

Saving faith is more than merely to recognize the facts about Jesus, to simply acknowledge that He is the promised Messiah. Physical miracles may have convinced these men of Christ's Messianic status, but many of them seem not to have experienced that "miracle of the soul" called conversion. Jesus did not put His trust in men when He walked this Earth. He did not seek to build up His own fame or fortune or seek out flattery from men. He simply went about doing the work the Heavenly Father gave Him to do. May we who have experienced His saving grace and almighty power follow His example in this and seek simply to be faithful to Him in all things. Thank God for His strength and guidance when we are faced with sin. Thank Him for His mercy and grace. Through Bible study and prayer, God reveals His wisdom and guides us to see opportunities to grow closer to Him and grow spiritually. He gives us direction to live our lives according to His Holy Word and will. We must make God top priority everyday! May we be motivated to spread God's Holy Word and Gospel Truth to all the Earth, knowing that it is the only hope of all those lost in their sins. Let us not hold out a false hope for men to be saved without the Gospel, but instead, strive to do our part to get the Gospel out to a lost and dying world.

Leaning on Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ through prayer and His Holy Word and Spirit strengthens us and our knowledge and wisdom about God and His Gospel Truth, exposing these imposters. May God help us to seek and lean on Him daily to gain the strength, wisdom and spiritual discernment needed to expose Satan and his imposters who seek to destroy us and God's ultimate Truth. Everyday, we must remember to share Jesus Christ's Gospel Truth with the world and to thank Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ for the grace that He poured out for us on the cross at Calvary. He has freed us from the burdens of sin and from the eternal damnation of Hell. In all we say and do, may all praise, honor and glory always be given to Him and His Kingdom of Heaven.

With renewed minds, hearts and wills, let us serve Him humbly and faithfully out of pure love and grateful rejoicing. May He remind us of His presence and to remain at peace, fully knowing that all will be well because He is always with us. Let us seek Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ today and everyday with all our heart and being, looking for His love, light and will for our lives with each step we take. Let us seek to please Him with our thoughts, words, and deeds and seek to advance His Kingdom of Heaven and His glory with our lives. Let us seek Him from a pure and humble heart, and when we so seek, we believe Him and His promise that we will find. May He help us all to be more sensitive to the teaching ministry of His Holy Word and Spirit, relying on Him and allowing Him to speak to us and guide us every step of our Christian journey.

God gave us the Holy Bible - His living and Holy Word - to let us know of Him and His abiding love and care as well as guide and prepare us for all our lives. May He help us encourage one another as we continue our walk with Him and our duty to Him daily. Thank Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ for being present for all our new beginnings and all our lives. May He redirect any anxiety we feel as He provides countless opportunities for growth and change. May we humble ourselves before God always, asking Him to forgive our sins and make our hearts and lives anew through His Holy Word and Spirit. May He help us make Him and His Holy Word top priority, so we can grow spiritually and grow in our relationship with Him as we apply it to our daily lives. Thank God that we can focus on Him and everything about Him, for that is what keeps us sane and at peace. May our words and actions always be a reflection of Him and His Holy Word and Spirit and will.

May He help us to always walk in His grace and Holy Spirit, not by our own measure. May He give us the humble humility to know that our freedom and eternal salvation is found only in Him, so that His grace may sustain us, and we may never lose sight of His love and light and mercy. Thank Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ for calling us to Him and to serve Him. May He equip us to do all that He has called us to do so that as He works through us, He may use us to produce fruit, to reach others, and to encourage all brothers and sisters in Christ. May He work all of these things in us and through us for His Kingdom and His glory. Thank Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ for all His creation, for His miraculous ways and for everything He does and has done for us! Keep the faith and keep moving forward in your walk with Jesus! He loves us and He knows what is best for us. Seek, follow and trust in Him - Always!

Thank Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ for His Holy Word and for sending His Holy Spirit so that we might have His grace, not only to awaken us and transform our hearts in our spiritual rebirth and guarantee our eternity with Him, but to also call upon Him whenever we are in need. Thank Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ for all the reminders of His love and mercy and faithfulness within His Holy Word. He is bigger than any challenge or circumstance in our lives. Knowing this within our minds and our hearts, nothing can deter our faith in Him and His Truth. May we all accept Him and His eternal gift of salvation and ask that He would transform our hearts and lives according to His will and ways. Thank Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ for His Holy Spirit who saves, seals and leads us. May we always thank Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ for His almighty power and saving grace. For He is our strength, and He alone is able to save us, forgive our sins and gift us eternal salvation and entry into His Kingdom of Heaven.

May we make sure that we give our hearts and lives to God and take time to seek and praise Him and share His Truth with the world daily. May the LORD our God and Father in Heaven help us to stay diligent and obedient and help us to guard our hearts in Him and His Holy Word daily. May He help us to remain faithful and full of excitement to do our duty to Him and for His glorious return and our reunion in Heaven as well as all that awaits us there. May we never forget to thank the LORD our God and our Creator and Father in Heaven for all this and everything He does and has done for us! May we never forget who He is, nor forget who we are in Christ and that God is always with us! What a mighty God we serve! What a Savior this is! What a wonderful LORD, God, Savior and King we have in Jesus Christ! What a loving Father we have found in Almighty God! What a wonderful God we serve! His will be done!

Thanks and glory be to God! Blessed be the name of the LORD! Hallelujah and Amen!