#Matthew 11:12

[vilnmelling]

It's Bill and Paul headcanon time!

Featuring the Jon Matteson family tree!

Bill is quite a bit older than Paul, being 43 in TGWDLM, while Paul is 31. For Paul to be Richie's uncle, he'd need a sibling (most likely a sister, considering the different last names) who's also a fair bit older. If Paul's sister (Richie, Trevor and Daniel's mother) was 12 years older than him, that would make her 27 at the time of having the twins, which is a very fair age to start a family.

My sister and I have named her Joan Lipschitz, after Jon. And that should have you all caught up on our Jon Matteson family tree.

NOW! Bill and Joan went to school together at Sycamore, and they were in the same, fairly big (8–9 people) friend group. The two of them as a pair weren't super frickin close or anything, but in the company of others from the group, they did visit each other's houses sometimes.

The first time Bill met Paul, Bill was 16 and Paul was 4, and Bill + a few friends were hanging out at the Matthews' house. Bill hung out at Joan's a few more times, meeting her baby brother maybe 10–15 times in total throughout high school.

Bill and Joan weren't close enough to keep in close touch once they graduated, but they were (and are) still friendly with each other. Eg. if they run into each other at the supermarket, they'll stop in the middle of the aisle and spend fifteen minutes catching up, much to Alice, Trevor, Richie and Daniel's dismay. (The first time Bill met Trevor and Richie, probably under exactly those circumstances, he was like "Wow, they look almost exactly like how I remember your little brother!". Matthews genes are STRONG).

Anyway, skip forward a few years, Bill's 36 and Paul's 24, and Paul starts working at the CCRP technical department. Bill was immediately like, "Huh, I feel like I recognize you." (Again, 'cause the genes in that family are fucking strong; Joan basically looks like a female version of Paul). Paul's like, "Huh. I don't recognize you." and then he leaves it at that.

A day or two later, it finally clicks for Bill, and in the middle of their noon coffee break, Bill just goes, "OH MY, PAUL MATTHEWS AS IN JOAN MATTHEWS' BABY BROTHER?"

And that was the true beginning of their friendship, thank you very much.

[rabbits-of-negative-euphoria]

yes, marriage to dicephalic conjoined twins is polygamy and adultery and fornication

[jesus-is-lord-and-savior]

11 The greatest among you shall be your servant. 12 Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

(Matthew 23:11-12, ESV)

[disneynerdpumpkin]

~ Scriptures about forgiveness ~

Matthew 6:15 "But if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."

Ephesians 4:32 "Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you."

Colossians 3:13 "Bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive."

Daniel 9:9 "To the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness, for we have rebelled against him."

Romans 3:23 "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."

Proverbs 10:12 "Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses."

Micah 7:18 "Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love."

Mark 11:25 "And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses."

Luke 17:3-4 "Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him."

Luke 6:37 "Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:"

Matthew 6:14 "For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:"

1 John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

Isaiah 1:8 "Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool."

James 5:16 "Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much."

[mybeautifulchristianjourney]

Blessed are You

11 “People will say bad things about you and hurt you. They will lie and say all kinds of evil things about you because you follow me. But when they do these things to you, you are happy. 12 Rejoice and be glad. You have a great reward waiting for you in heaven. People did the same evil things to the prophets who lived before you. — Matthew 5:11-12 | International Children’s Bible (ICB) The Holy Bible, International Children’s Bible® Copyright© 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Tommy Nelson™, a division of Thomas Nelson. Cross References: 2 Chronicles 36:16; Isaiah 25:8; Isaiah 51:7; Jeremiah 37:14; Matthew 23:37; Acts 7:52; Romans 5:3; Philippians 1:29; 1 Thessalonians 2:15; 1 Peter 4:14

[walkswithmyfather]

“He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” —Matthew 11:15 (NASB)

“As He passed by, He saw a man blind from birth. And His disciples asked Him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he would be born blind?”

Jesus answered, “It was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents; but it was so that the works of God might be displayed in him. We must work the works of Him who sent Me as long as it is day; night is coming when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the Light of the world.”

When He had said this, He spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and applied the clay to his eyes, and said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which is translated, Sent). So he went away and washed, and came back seeing.

Therefore the neighbors, and those who previously saw him as a beggar, were saying, “Is not this the one who used to sit and beg?” Others were saying, “This is he,” still others were saying, “No, but he is like him.” He kept saying, “I am the one.”

So they were saying to him, “How then were your eyes opened?” He answered, “The man who is called Jesus made clay, and anointed my eyes, and said to me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash’; so I went away and washed, and I received sight.” They said to him, “Where is He?” He said, “I do not know.” —John 9:1‭-‬12 (NASB)

“Telling Your Story” By InTouch Ministries:

“Our job is to faithfully share the good news and trust the Holy Spirit to change hearts.”

“Human beings are designed by God to love stories. That’s why, when we tell others about how God has rescued and changed us, the Holy Spirit begins to work in the hearts of those who have ears to hear. (See Matthew 11:15.)

Consider today’s Scripture passage, which relates the story of the man born blind. Many questioned him about how he received his sight, and he simply shared the facts: “The man who is called Jesus made mud, and spread it on my eyes, and said to me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash’; so I went away and washed, and I received sight” (v. 11).

“Is this not the one who used to sit and beg?” they asked. Some said, “This is he,” but others said, “No, but he is like him” (vv. 8-9, emphasis added). The man’s transformation was so amazing, so impossible by human standards, that observers began to craft their own narrative trying to explain what had happened. The man simply repeated, “I am the one” (v. 9).

Like him, we don’t have to know every answer to every question in order to talk about our Savior; we need only tell what Jesus has done for us. The Holy Spirit will do the rest.”

[lawfullibertarian]

I would prefer not to become an enemy of Calvinists as I have with Catholics because I see the difference between Calvinists and Arminians as unbelievably trivial and petty, to the point where I feel debating it at all detracts from worship. I cannot even say with absolute certainty whether my own church professes Calvinist or Arminian belief, because the question simply does not come up.

So I would like you to understand that what I am about to talk about, I do not take personally, neither for myself, nor for my church, nor for Arminians generally. But I have become aware that certain Calvinists enjoy using loaded language to suggest that Arminians believe things that they do not, and though I hesitated, I feel compelled to condemn this behavior. Lies are unacceptable no matter your belief.

This is about specific people and not Calvinists generally, but for any believer who may need to hear this, whether you are Calvinist or Arminian, Protestant or Catholic or Orthodox or Jewish, I pray that you learn temperance, for your own sake.

[phoenixflames12]

[weaverworks]

[touchofgoddotworld]

The Father's Grace to Rescue Us from Deserved Punishment (264) - September 21 2024

Choose your Podcast App to Play this episode This week we look at God’s Grace. God is love, and so it is the love of the Great Jehovah for His creation, that reveals itself through His grace (undeserved favor) and mercy (withholding of deserved punishment). All of humanity gets to choose whether to love God in return, receive the undeserved free gift of salvation. This program covers the…

[mindfulldsliving]

Understanding the Fear of God: Impact on Faith and Wisdom

It is vital to rest in God's love, but that love is best understood when seen against the backdrop of His awe-inspiring greatness and our own need for His mercy. This perspective doesn’t just comfort us; it transforms us, grounding us in true wisdom that

Photo by Jr Korpa on Unsplash Introduction Proverbs 9:10-12 provides profound insights into the interconnectedness of the fear of God, faith, wisdom, and God’s love. These verses emphasize that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and that understanding leads to a fulfilling life. To fully grasp the depth of these concepts, it’s essential to explore related scriptures and their…

[martyschoenleber]

Christo-Centric Reflection on Psalm 24

Today we heard a message from one of our newly ordained pastors on Psalm 24. It was a good reminder that when we (Christians) read the psalms, we read through the lens of the New Testament, Christ, and the resurrection. We are built up in our most holy faith (Jude 1:20) on the foundation of the Old Testament Law and Prophets and the New Testament Apostles and prophets of which Christ is the…

[bojackson54]

Look In the Mirror. If You See a Judge, It's Time for a New Look

Jesus must have been pretty familiar with Obadiah, since many of his statements about being judgmental resonate pretty strongly with this short prophetic word. (In fact, Jesus seemed pretty familiar with ALL of the Old Testament, but that’s a whole ‘nother blog!) One of the things Obadiah said could be paraphrased like this: Take a hard look in the Mirror: if you see a judge looking back at you,…

[ancientcatbuddy]

[dwuerch-blog]

On the 12th Day of Christmas....Epiphany

“On the 12th day of Christmas my true love gave to me…….” Let’s talk about those 12 days of Christmas. The true Christmas season starts on Christmas Day, the 25th. And it marks the official start of the 12 days of Christmas, and that relentlessly stick-in-your-head Christmas carol. But there’s so much more than the song. The 12 days of Christmas is the period that marks the span between the…

[walkswithmyfather]

FAITH!

• “Now FAITH is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” —Hebrews 11:1 

• “And without FAITH it is impossible to please God because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.” —Hebrews 11:6

• “I tell you the truth, if you have FAITH as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” —Matthew 17:20

• “Fight the good fight of the FAITH. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. ” —1 Timothy 6:12

• “We live by FAITH not by sight.” —2 Corinthians 5:7

• “Be on your guard; stand firm in the FAITH; be men of courage, be strong.” —1 Corinthians 16:13

Faith is the most important gift a Christian has (other than Salvation in Jesus Christ and God’s Word: The God-breathed, Spirit-filled Holy Bible). With God and faith, the impossible can become the possible. Hebrews chapter 11 (https://bible.com/bible/116/heb.11.NLT) is all about the faith of people in the Bible: Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses (and his parents), Rahab and the people of Israel! And these are just the people mentioned in Hebrews 11! There are many more ordinary people throughout the Bible who were chosen by God and, by faith (and with God’s help), did amazing, miraculous things.

Friend (just like the people in the Bible), with faith and God’s help, there is nothing you and God can't achieve together. Keep seeking God’s will, keep praying, keep believing (Lk 11:9-10, Mk 11:24) and you will see miracles begin to happen. Amen and Hallelujah! 🙌🙌🙌