#The Heavenly Father Vs the earthly father

[becominghistapestry]

SEEKING THE LOVE OF A FATHER

[mythicaldemigoddess-of-deltarune]

Helluva Boss Fan Headcanon: Little Stolas & Phenice (2023)

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[Don’t Reblog Without Permission.]

Credit for Helluva Boss goes to Vivziepop

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I did this drawing on March 26, 2023 and I’m finally posting it here on April 22, 2023...

Dead-Name would be their Title, but the name Phenex could still be gender neutral enough for them to keep, but she might still prefer to be called Phenice.

I like the idea of Phenice/Phenex being one of Stolas’s half-siblings, and it turning out they have a better sibling relationship than with their other half-siblings...

if I decide to draw this version of Phenex again I will.

it could be possible that while Stolas was very supportive of Phenex coming out as a Transwoman, their father may of had a different feeling about it and wasn’t as supportive.

Phenice could of been very against Stolas being married to marry Stella,

but only sees one good thing that came out of that marriage and that would be her niece.

I don’t think Phenice would get along well with Stella’s brother...

that would be like Fire Vs Ice...

plus Phenice might know the real reason to Stella not wanting to have the divorce, because it would mean she would no longer hold the title of Princess and she will be back down to her original birth title...

and if it wasn’t a prank made my my pendulum, and if it were true that Phenex is my Other Soul-Parent (and the other being another Earth Angel), I guess I would technically be a Phenex II and be ranked the same as them...

but then there is that whole “Earth Angel Princess” thing, that is still freaky and weird, and it took me until just now in April 2023, to fully figure this out.

also the whole King Solomon’s curse where his line, like that has Rehoboam his son and his son’s descendants can’t take the throne...

still not a curse, it is a blessing, and I’m both King Solomon and his son’s descendant, and the song that matches my feelings about that “curse” being a blessing, while others still believe it’s a curse....

is still gonna be “The Jokes On You” by Niki Watkins.

also because of something I looked up, that has to do with some Angels who are suppose to be watching over you....according to the month & day of when you were born...

and apparently I found Zadkiel....guess that would explain the violet ethereal wings (even if I can’t really see the violet ethereal wings)....wonder if it means Holy Amethyst would be watching over me as well...?

 I’m still gonna view some Angels as Eon-Boomers, that would also include the Fallen Angels....

I’m weird and that is just how I started to view them...

 and yeah kind of have thoughts of wanting to flip Lucifer the double bird, and the whole thoughts of wanting to grab both Jesus and Antichrist by their ears...

even if I can still believe in Jesus, like the good parts, but if he crosses a line and if Heavenly Father & Earthly Mother allowed me to, I would grab him by his ear....and I have some reasons to want to...

and yeah I’m weird for no longer viewing Abel as a good person, and him not seeing that he was being part of the reason his own brother’s depression got worse to the point it crossed a VERY dangerous line...

and because of some info I read that says Cain was going through a spiritual depression, it makes me want to give him a hug...

and it also makes me view Abel as the embodiment of ego...

both brothers were in the wrong in different ways, but even if Adam did try to get Abel to stop using animals as offerings, because what he was doing wasn’t right....Abel probably still did it and ignored Adam.

Stolas and Phenex would probably have a better sibling bond than what Cain and Abel had, and one of them was kind of a monster from the very start...

and no I’m not talking about Cain, I’m talking about Abel...

even if there might be some who disagree with this, I mean I’m a Defective Earth Angel who doesn’t work 100% right like other Earth Angels...

but it makes sense, at least it does to me...

while animals can be used as food and clothes, and even some as animal companions, but what Abel was doing was still wrong...

some people only see Cain as the monster, but things are not always what they appear, he only became one when the dangerous breaking point happened.

both brothers became monsters in different ways, the differences is, is that Abel was the first of the two of them to become one.

plus if Adam and Eve had tried to do better parenting, they could of tried to help Cain during his depression and try harder to stop Abel from doing something that he shouldn’t.

I wouldn’t be surprised if it turned out King Paimon is a terrible to a father to all his kids, and not just Stolas...well from how he acts and how he believes he is “so good daddying” well that would have to be wrong...

at least Greg from Steven Universe, as not as 100% good parent he was, and he was more maybe in the 95% good parent, at least he tried to make sure to be there for his son....even if the worse thing he did was NEVER take Steven to see a doctor, I mean seriously, his human half will still need treatment and you got enough money to pay for it, and let’s not forget he could of hired a tutor to teach Steven at home and teach him what grades are.

at least Steven’s Adoptive Family that makes up Pearl, Garnet and Amethyst

have a better excuse than Greg....

Stolas’s Dad, might not really have a good excuse for being a terrible dad...

and if Phenex turns out to be Stolas’s half-sibling, then I wouldn’t be surprised if King Paimon was a terrible dad to them as well.

I also like the idea that I put in this drawing, and if Phenex does have kids of their own, maybe they would be they would spend time with them...

it be interesting if Phenex is very protective of Stolas, and if she ever got word about what Stella was trying to do to him because he cheated and wanted a divorce...like she could try to attack Stella, even so much as threaten to burn her feathers off and even saying she would kill her and then use her powers to bring her back, and then do it over and over again...

even if Phenex might not appear in the canon, there is always the fanon.

it could turn out that Phenex loved to spoil Stolas when they were growing-up, and would baby him and even call him a precious cinnamon roll.

Little Stolas is like a Precious Cinnamon Roll that is too pure for this world.

Older Stolas however, might still be that Precious Cinnamon Roll that is still too pure for this world.

it could turn out that Phenex is dating a Imp or sinner demon.

even if it would be more Fanon, but can you picture Phenex dating Cherri Bomb from Hazbin Hotel, would that be like dangerous chemistry...? XD

or if Phenex was dating one of Millie’s Older Brothers or even Millie’s sister Sallie-May....

wonder if we will learn Millie and Sallie’s brothers names in the future...?

well maybe we will and maybe we wont, plus we can always call them by fan names for now.

anyway if we ever see one of Stolas’s siblings in a future episode, maybe we can see if they have a bad relationship or not, but it might be possible we wont see them.

we will see Stella’s brother Andrealphus in one of the future episodes, don’t know which one though....is it weird that I want to call him Andrea for short...?

I still think Phenex and Andrea wouldn’t get along too well, plus if Andrea does have ice powers, and Phenex has fire powers, you know which one will be the most likely to win, well unless the ice is far stronger, but for all we know, Phenex could be much stronger than Andrea.                                                         

[intentionall-faith]

Is God in control of everything?

Yes, God is in control

God has a plan to advance his kingdom. Nothing we can do can thwart that plan.

God's Plan

God's plan for my life doesn't guarantee prosperity. The most heinous act in history, the murder of Jesus Christ, took place according to God's plan.

"...for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place." Acts 4:27‭-‬28 ESV

God's plan included the murdering of disciples for their faith. It costed Christians their life to follow Jesus.

God has plans for me, but it doesn't mean there won't be suffering. I don't believe that it's God's will for me to suffer and to give me over to my sins; however, I believe that in God's plan, he allows suffering and gives me over to my sins so his will for me to know and believe him will be accomplished.

God's Will vs. God's Plan

God has a plan to bring about his kingdom and that plan can't be stopped no matter what we do or what we believe. When people get what they want or don't want, they claim that it's God's will. God's will doesn't have anything to do what we want.

"For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day" (John 6:40 ESV)

"For his is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people" (1 Peter 2:15 ESV)

None of these verses have anything to do with whether or not we got a job, got into graduate school, a promotion at work, a spouse, or children. God's will is for people to know and believe him. God's will is for his people to do good.

So, is God in control? Yes. Are there consequences for our thoughts and actions? Yes. God didn't promise or not promise my dream job.

I know that God doesn't want me to sin. God can hand me over to my desires (Romans 1). I ask God to plan out my life.

Christians nowadays confuse God's will with God's plan. Many times when Christians say "God's will" they really mean "God's plan."

What about the quote "do your best and let God take care of the rest"?

There are two types of people who say this. The first group is focused on earthly desires and not heavenly ones. They are trying to use God to gain earthly possessions. For them, it's a lack of responsibility. For them, Christianity is a transaction.

The second group of people focus on the process. They stop after "do your best."

Replacing "it wasn't God's will" with "it wasn't in God's plan"

How do I know I didn't work hard enough for the job or entrance into graduate school? Maybe this is when I'm denied something good. Idk.

We shouldn't wait around for God's plan to reveal itself to us. Paul didn't sit and contemplate where God wanted him to go next. Paul made plans and God intervened, stopping him in certain places along the way.

Do we always fall short? Is everything "good" we accomplish not done by ourselves but through God's power and control?

How Can Christians Take Responsibility for Their Actions?

I believe that for every action, there is a consequence. When we don't believe in God's promises or "do good", then we or someone else has to deal with those consequences. For example, Hagar and Ishmael had to deal with the consequences of Sarah's actions.

The question isn't whether God can, the question is whether God is willing. When people are sick, God is able to heal them. The question is whether God is willing. The essence of Jesus, the heart of Christ, is willing to heal the sick. It's why he did so when he was on earth.

[psalmonesermons]

Our Identity is in Christ Part 2

Identity crisis

Many believers today seem to be experiencing an identity crisis. What I mean by this is that the life they are leading does not match up the life of the believer that is found in scripture. The identity crisis leads to them being defeated, dejected, downtrodden and beaten up by life whereas the scriptures tell us we should be living in victory and that we are more than conquerors, we are the head and not the tail, we are the winners and not losers etc. We are being conditioned to believe we are less than God says we are, conditioned to believe we have nothing to offer in the Kingdom, conditioned to only see the natural instead of the supernatural.

Satan seeks to steel our identity in Christ.

We must remember that we are no longer under the circumstances, but we are overcomers through Jesus Christ. The basis for victory in the believer's life comes from the magnificent victory of Jesus Christ.

The magnificent victory of Jesus Christ

God expects us to live victoriously in and through Jesus Christ. Jesus victory was achieved via the cross and resurrection but especially in his ascension to the Father’s right hand. In this way Jesus who was 100% man and 100% God, took his humanity on to the level that increased our ranking to above the angels and fallen angels.[2]

John 20:16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”).

17 Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”

Ephesians 1:19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength 20 he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms,21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.22 And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.

All things are under Jesus' feet.

Jesus is head over all things pertaining to the church.

Ephesians 4:8 This is why it says: “When he ascended on high, he took many captives

and gave gifts to his people.” 9 (What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions? 10 He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.)

When Jesus Christ won the victory over sin and death at the cross and then ascended into heaven and sat at the right hand of the Father he gave us victory in every area of life; we are completely identified with Jesus Christ. The picture here is like a victorious general returning to Rome, with his legions, and fierce captives, in Jesus case he defeated the fallen angels.

When we become born again we move from the old creation into the wonderful new creation.

Old creation vs New creation

God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit

I

Born again believers

Old Creation Order New Creation Order

Angels (Elect and fallen) Angels (Elect and fallen)

OT believers Unbelievers

OT unbelievers Animals

Animals

Hebrews 2:5 It is not to angels that he has subjected the world to come, about which we are speaking. 6 But there is a place where someone has testified:

“What is mankind that you are mindful of them,

a son of man that you care for him?

7 You made them a little lower than the angels;

you crowned them with glory and honour

8 and put everything under their feet.”

Although mankind was created a little lower than the angels when we become born again through Jesus Christ we are so identified with Jesus that we receive his ranking which is now above the angels and this includes fallen angels/demons.

Amen

Personal Prayer

In Part 3 we consider Jesus as the glorified man

[sacredcynic]

Letter to the States

Paul’s Letter to the American Church

1  Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, with my friend Douglas, to the saints in the States who are called to be holy by our Lord Jesus Christ: grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

 I thank God every time I remember you because of your work in spreading the gospel around the world and in every nation.  When I think of all the people around the world who have been reached because of your generosity it fills me with joy. I am filled with affection for all of you because of your work in sharing the gospel with Jew and Gentile, African and Asian, and from Antioch to Spain.

  My prayer for you is that your love might be perfected and that it may grow so that you may discern not what is merely good, but what is best so you may be kept blameless as we await the return of Christ. My highest hope is that you may be filled to the measure of the fullness of God through the grace of Jesus Christ.

     Until that day live worthy of your heavenly calling in Christ Jesus.  May your generosity continue for we know that God will continue to use your gift to His glory around the world. While we may not see the direct benefit of giving, God is using your generosity to redeem a world. Stand firm, and do not be fearful of anyone who opposes you knowing that you are being saved.

2 I have written this letter so that there may not be any division among you. I have heard that you are divided as perhaps never before.  I would expect to hear of such things among the pagans, but not in His church. Is Christ divided? Certainly not! My hope is that God’s people would be of one heart, one mind and one soul.  After all, we share one faith, one Lord, and one baptism.

  I have been a servant of this faith through God’s grace, and my task is to spread this grace among those who have never heard of the gospel. God’s purpose is that the grace and wisdom of God should be made known to every ruler, power and tyrant in the world. Earthly rulers thrive on division and dissension and amass power by promising to protect “us” from “them.” When God’s people overcome the petty divisions of this world, we announce the good news that God’s kingdom is here. When Jew and Gentile, Republican and Democrat, Bears and Packers fans love each other, the church proclaims to every ruler that Jesus is Lord. If Jesus is Lord, then the governor is not, the Senator is not and no President is either.  Yet I hear that fear has been allowed to run rampant among you. Even now, you are experiencing the consequences of fear that has been left unchecked.  The principalities and powers of this world use fear to divide and control. We should remember that we serve a Savior who has been raised from the dead and is seated at the right hand of the Father far above every power and authority.  Why then, should we fear?

   When we allow the divisions of the world to divide God’s people then we also announce that we are no different than the world, and the weak and beggarly power of earthly rulers is necessary.  If we as God’s people divide and pull away from each other over carpet color, new vs the old pastor, or music styles during worship then our actions proclaim that we are no different than the world around us.  In this present evil age, there are always times of hardship for God’s people.

    I have heard that some are placing undue importance on political power which results in division.  There are even reports that some are pulling away from your brothers and sisters in Christ because of political allegiances.  Such behavior should never be present among those who call on Christ Jesus.  In times like these we should be reminded that our citizenship is in heaven, and we serve Jesus who sits far above every ruler and authority, power and dominion, and every name that has been named, not only in the present age but in the age to come.  We serve a savior who came to us from the heavenly places and we should remember our savior would be unwelcome at both political party conventions.

3 As I mentioned earlier in my letter your generosity has been used by God around the world. The gift that you give is not only supplying the needs of the Lord’s people but is also an expression of praise to God. You have been materially blessed in ways that overflow to you.  These gifts are not given to enrich you alone, but to also be used to bless God’s people in the States and around the world.

   As I have stated in other letters each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not because you have to, but because the Lord loves a cheerful giver.  Even as you give remember that God is able to bless you far above what you can even imagine, so that in every situation you will have all you need to demonstrate good works. You can trust that God is able to enrich you in every way so that you can be generous in any occasion, and because of your generosity many will give thanks to God.  The purpose of each talent that we have and the blessings with which we are endowed is to bring glory to God, and not to simply amass for ourselves. As I look at your churches and blessings, I can only thank God for His wonderful gifts, even as I wait to see what your continued generosity will accomplish for the gospel.

4 You live in a culture that has abandoned the glory of God for a vain and tragic pursuit of lesser gods.  The character and goodness of God can be seen in the majesty of Creation yet your society worships what ought not to be worshipped. It considers things that are not gods as godlike, and has forsaken the truth of God for lesser things which we know are nothing.  You claim to not know idols but you worship images created from airbrushing and photoshop that are every bit as contrived as any wooden idol.  You seem willing to trade a life with someone created in the image of God for a 2 dimensional image from a computer screen. As a result, where once clarity stood, now confusion reigns.  We vainly believe that everything is not only permissible, but equal to the new life that the resurrection makes possible. Many look at the lost culture in which we exist and desire to condemn the things that culture values but God would find destructive.

   My concern is not as much for the world as it is for what is practiced in my churches. You should live such an exemplary life among the pagans that they see God in what you say and do.  Why condemn those outside the church when we grow ever more comfortable with the sin that exists within our body?  What if our homes were an example of grace more than a reflection of our culture?  In light of the degraded culture around us you should: submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.  Husbands, love your wives and give yourselves wholly to them just as Christ sacrificed Himself for the church.   Wives respect and support your husbands in all you do, as is pleasing to the Lord. Children, obey and honor your parents in everything, for this will make your life easier. Parents, raise your children tenderly and be careful to avoid making them feel diminished and bitter lest they become discouraged.  When you go to work give your best effort all the time. Do this not only when your employers are watching but also when you are working alone.  While this is always a good idea, don’t do this solely out of self-interest but out of reverence for Christ, for whom you are an ambassador.  Remember, it is the Lord whom you are serving, and you will be rewarded richly from Christ.

5 It is for freedom that Christ has set us free, and you live in a place that has a reputation for freedom.  Yet freedom is meaningless without the responsibility that accompanies it.  You have forgotten the weight that those with freedom must carry. The Spirit grants freedom so we can love our neighbor and serve with a whole heart.  Real freedom always serves the Lord and your brothers and sisters.  My fear is that you have forgotten that responsibility and freedom has become nothing more than a desire to do whatever you want. When freedom is used to indulge our sinful nature then slavery is inevitably the result.

  You live in freedom, yet your land is marked by a slavery to lust and material pursuits. In a desire to constantly chase after a false ideal of joy you have become slaves to substances that degrade and destroy. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh.

  The acts of the flesh are obvious: sex outside of marriage, pornography, idolatry, discord, dissensions, drunkenness, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. May our life in the Spirit never become a source for personal arrogance or pride, and may we never show conceit or envy, instead let us rejoice in the Lord always.

6 In every generation there is the temptation to substitute a vibrant walk with the Spirit with mere obedience to a written code. I formerly gave my life to a zealous pursuit of this code because I hoped that by perfectly following every rule, I would be closer to God, and I kept every rule blamelessly. I thought my performance of keeping every rule perfectly would be for my personal benefit. To my surprise I finally was able to personally experience God that day on Damascus Rd. but it had nothing to do with the law that I formerly zealously followed.  More importantly, I once considered law following for my profit, however I now realize that was actually a loss. In fact, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. Following the law led me further away from the God I loved, not closer.

   I now see the Jewish legal code in a new light.  The problem is that the law was never intended to bring life and it was never meant to be the centerpiece of God’s purpose for His people. The law was only given after His promise given to Abraham to redeem His people. The law was meant to serve as our baby-sitter, keeping us safe from our worst tendencies, and teaching us the nature and character of sin. The law was meant to take our tendencies for selfishness and show how those tendencies are contrary to God. It was a temporary measure until the fullness of time came, and Jesus walked among us, died on a cross, rose again and gives us the offer of new life. Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift.

  I always remind my churches that it is the Spirit who gives life and sets us free from the power of sin.  The law cannot overcome sin but God has already defeated sin by dying on the cross. Through a walk with the Spirit the righteous requirement the law always pointed to can be fully met in us, who live according to the guidance of the Spirit. So set your heart and mind on what the Spirit desires and not on your own wishes.  If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of His Spirit who lives in you.

   We must always remember that the redemption which Christ provides is not for ourselves alone. The entire world is imprisoned by sin and is subject to the decay and degradation which inevitably accompanies sin. The world groans with us as we await our redemption and adoption into the family of God. We are saved into this great hope.  Even if we do not have the fullness of this hope yet, we wait for it patiently.  On those days when we are frustrated and have doubts, we know that the Spirit intercedes in our behalf in alignment with God’s will. So in a world where people and powers seem arrayed against us we can say with confidence, if God is for us, who can stand against us?

7 Therefore, since we serve Jesus Christ who stands at the right hand of the Father in our behalf, Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

   I hope to come personally and visit you for a while if the Lord permits.  When Douglas comes continue to receive him as you would the Lord, and do it with others who serve faithfully among you. Always live carefully and purposefully. Stand firm in our shared faith and be strong and courageous. Do everything with a heart of love. Always think the best of each other and strive for full restoration in all things as you live in peace.  As you do this the God of love and peace will go with you. May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

[yallemagne]

Even More Stuff That Happened In Godspell 1973

SPOILER WARNING!!!

This covers from Bless The Lord to All Good Gifts.

BLESS THE LORD! Lynne is an amazing singer, this is her FIRST MUSICAL!! CAN YOU BELIEVE??

I love her ahhh, this song is so good, and the choreo is so fun, the contrast between the slow and fast parts, I love

All of them falling like dominos and then Lynne and Jesus helping them up

Judas holding Lynne’s leg up in the end pose, these icons

The Beatitudes! Ya know, all those “blessed are (blank), for they (blank)”

Judas kills the mood by bringing up Jesus’ own persecution 

“BLESSED ARE YE!!”

Awkward,,,

This scene:

“It says Keds.”

“No-”

Hhhhh, then it’s the tap-dancing clown sequence. 

Jesus and Judas kinda debate the importance of heavenly rewards vs earthly rewards. 

Jesus says “c’mon, you guys will get to Heaven no matter how tough your lives are!” 

Meanwhile, Judas retorts with the belief that the sun and the sand, those fragments of Heaven found on Earth, should belong to the righteous. 

BUT BESIDES THE COMMENTARY THEY HAVE MAGIC STICKS

Jesus pulls one out of thin air and Judas jumps into frame like SO CAN I!

he,,, can’t

so Jesus magics one into his hand!

hhh and then they just,,, they,,, hhhh

This is such a good song and no I don’t just say that because I ship Jedas,,,

Jesus: “Now, how to to take the spec from your brother’s eye when all the time there’s this great plank in your own?” Judas: “I don’t know, how do you take the spec from your brother’s eye when all the time there’s this great plank in your own?” Jesus: “YOU HYPOCRITE!” Judas: “EWAHEH” Jesus: “First you take the plank from your own eye so you can see clearly to take the spec of sawdust out of your brother’s!” Judas: “WAIT A MINUTE! That’s no answer to the question!” Jesus: “Did I promise you an answer to the question?” Judas: *sheepishly* “hahaha, nope.”

that whole interaction hhh

hhh the “love your enemies” scene, lots of slapstick, poor Judas gets smacked over the head with a balloon. I wouldn't feel so bad for him if he didn’t recoil like it actually hurt, poor baby

Gilmer and Robin, the sweethearts, they watch in confusion until-

oops, they start fighting too

Jesus breaks it all up with “love your enemies” so of course the disciples all start kissing and hugging each other, the darlings hhh

Judas: *to Joanne and Jeffrey, who are dancing together* “may I have this dance” Judas: *dances with Jeffrey* 

We stan a gay icon

Parable of the Sower! Katie tells this one, I just love her voice

Joanne’s giggling as Merrell pecks her leg

Jerry- a vocal magician- dies, can we get an f in the chat

Judas and Jeffrey kill Robin, can we get an F IN THE CHAT

The good soilers are slackers,, maybe that means something

Jesus is so proud whenever they put these things on, this time he asks if they already understand the moral, hhhh

Jesus: “Do you know what the seed is?” Katie: “A baby! :D” Jesus: “Wrong! :)”

Jerry: *dead* “Bye.” Jesus: “Seeya.”

Sorry, I'm just quoting at this point.

Jesus: “-they hear the word but their further growth is impaired by wealth-” Robin: *looks to Judas*  Jesus: “-and cares-” Robin: *looks to Jeffrey* Jesus: “-and the pleasures of the world! They bring nothing to fruit.” Katie: “No fruit, Robin!” Robin: *fake sobs into Judas’ chest*

hhhh the song I simp for,, (gotta be more specific than that) All Good Gifts is so sweet and wholesome, Merrell’s falsetto is soooo pleasing to the ear

He spins into frame and they all ring around him all happy

I just want to hug him tightly

then JESUS’ PART OF THE SONG AND I WANT THEM ALL TO HUG HIM AND--

They’re all like, dancing on big rocks in the background while he says some bible stuff about clothing the grass-- then they come over and AHHH

“We thank thee then, O Father, for all things bright and good”

the harmony is enough to make me start crying

SPECIFICALLY MERREL AND JOANNE HARMONIZING ON LOVE

“I really wanna thank you, Lord!”- AND THEN THE DRUMS KICK IN AND IT JUST GOES HARD

This song has no right to go this hard

Jeffrey has a lovely recorder solo, recorders can sound good if you play them well

[rucbarthatbowtiesarecooldw]

Saturday Afternoon Session

Hark All Ye Nations Sustaining Vote – Pres Eyring Beautiful Savior D Todd Christofferson

A thriving society can fail in time if it abandons the principals and virtues it needs to uphold

Trust in God – make Him your highest priority

God: The Devine Author of Human Rights and Human Dignity

Seek to grow in the knowledge of He who created you – or in the knowledge of all that is just and true

Integrity, Responsibility, Compassion, Respect for others, Service, Fidelity in marriage (I missed a couple I think)

Belief in and allegiance to God are important

Those who profess no religion can be and often are good and moral people.

Do not cut the plant from its roots

Reliance on culture and tradition alone is not sufficient

The truth of God points a better way – let it guide your lives

Refers to the core truths:

God lives

He is the Heavenly Father of our Spirits

As a manifestation of His love he gives us commandments

He sent Jesus Christ to suffer for our sins and rise from the dead to bring about the atonement 

Jesus Christ doeth not anything save it be for the benefit of the world. 

Steven J. Lund – YM President

• His poor son oh goodness

“Are you sure you are strong enough to go to church?” “I’m supposed to pass the sacrament today . . . I see how people look at me when I pass the sacrament. I think it helps them.”

Willingly suffering to serve

The Saviors mission has always been to serve his father by saving the children of men. 

Young men and young women do not need to get sick to discover joys and purpose in serving the Savior. 

Our youth cannot wait for the world to right itself to find their true identity

Gerritt W. Gong

As saints, we’re invited to change the world for the better

We worship God, the Eternal Father, and His son, Jesus Christ, not Joseph Smith or any other mortal man or women

In 138 nations and counting, BofM in 112 languages

New magazines for everywhere!! For the Strength of youth, the Friend, and the Liahona!!

https://store.churchofjesuschrist.org/magazinesfaq

Heavenly Father invites us everywhere to feel His love

He loves us better and knows us better than we love or know ourselves.

One person. One village. One tree at a time

I the Lord make you free, therefore ye are free indeed.

Great things often begin small but God’s miracles are manifest daily

Go Forth With Faith

Bishop W Christopher Waddell

What am I doing to prepare for what is to come??

The prophets understand the needs to prepare

Devastating things like covid -19 and natural disasters affect everyone with no respect to anything.

God does not expect us to do more than we can do, but He does expect us to do what we can when we can do it. . . The Lord loves effort

Personal Finance for self reliance

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/bc/content/ldsorg/topics/self-reliance/personal-finances-na-eng.pdf?lang=eng&download=true

Embrace small and simple things – a demonstration of faith that God will supply

The most important step of all is to begin.

Mathew S. Holland – Seventy

He yearned to become extinct, both soul and body (yeah dude me too)

Until he was filled with exquisite joy because of the atonement

Christ does not want us to suffer like He did. That is why He did what He did – He suffered and offers the atonement and repentance to prevent us that pain.

Sometimes, exquisite pain comes not from sins, but honest mistakes, the actions of others, or events beyond our control.

All good gifts come from the Savior

Regardless of the source of pain the ultimate source of relief is the same – Jesus Christ

The process will unfold in his way on his schedule but Christ stands ready to heal every ounce, every aspect of your pain.

Through your sufferings you may be made perfect. 

Your particular ashes will become beauties

There shall be no more sorrow or crying or pain

William K Jackson – Seventy

The greatest of all cultures – The Culture of Christ

We need the culture based on the Savior’s teachings 

We are here for a reason

Unites rather than divides

There is no prejudice or “us vs them” – we are all “us” and we are all “them”

Women are full and equal partners here and in the world to come – not servants

It is inclusive not exclusive

We can indeed all cherish the best of our individual earthly cultures and heritages, and still be full participants in the oldest culture of all.

(This is great honestly I love it I just want to reread already)

Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Heavenly Father knew this was going to happen.

Even though this pandemic is not what we wanted or expected, God has prepared His children and His church for this time.

We are seeds, and for seeds to reach their potential they must be buried and sprout

God will never forget us – He has something unimaginable in mind for us.

We will do more than simply grit our teeth, hold on, and simply wait for things to return to the old normal. We will move forward, and we will be better as a result.

We all must walk through difficult times and those times will

our heavenly father knows that we suffer and will not abandon us

God will watch over and Shepherd you through these times of uncertainty and fear. . . He will fulfill His promises.

Our best days are ahead of us and not behind us.

The righteous are not given a pass that allows them to avoid the valleys of shadow

You can choose how you prepare and how you react

Return to what matters most

Make decisions based on what you can do

Airplane reference, sometimes clouds with come up or storms or whatever and we will need to get through them

With Christ at the helm things will not only be alright, they will be unimaginable

Focus on the things you can do, and not on the things you cannot.

Things will not only be alright, they will be unimaginable!

God holds us in the palm of His caring and compassionate hand.

 How Firm a Foundation

[mantra4ia]

Desires: Lucifer season 5 on Netflix

Created: August 21, 2020. Last Modified: August 22, 2020.

Preface: Alright my Lucis, here’s the sitch: it’s been a minute. Life got a bit chaotic I wasn’t able to start season five quite on time when it premiered on August 21st because I haven’t finished the great 2020 Lucifer rewatch. I’m nearly done however and should be able to jump into it either later today or tomorrow, which is why beforehand I want to — as I’ve traditionally done for a few seasons — create a desires list and keep a tally throughout the season to see how many are met. I am going to try to pace myself, not binge, and watch a single episode a day so don’t spoil me. Likewise I will tag my spoilers. Here we go... #21DaysofLucifer

Season 3 and 4 Roundout - Desires Fulfilled / Questions Answered

✔We’ve seen other demons “like Maze” and a bit of what havoc they can reek. Well sort of. To be quite frank, although it was cool to see them possess the recently deceased, it wasn’t as impending doom as I was expecting. They didn’t seem nearly as disciplined or intimidating as Mazikeen, even Dromos, more bored and desperate.

✔ We’ve seen a little more or the heavenly host in Remiel. Remi was cool, if a bit intense. Her character, and her affinity to Amenadiel was a nice foil to see how far his character has come in evolution. But again like Uriel was for Lucifer, she kind of became a driving force character device to push Amenadiel’s growth. So I wonder if we’ll get to see more of her or not.

✔ (s3) The backstory of Lucifer’s arrival in LA, finding LUX, and making a deal with Amenadiel.

✔ (s3) Cain finally went to hell, YES! Not that I didn’t like Marcus Pierce/Tom Welling, there were some great interactions there, but I just think he was a wishy-washy antagonist based on how he was written and I can’t wait to trade up for Michael.

✔ Maze finally had some happiness and attachment to this silly mortal coil and it slipped away! Why Eve why? I love Maze’s bonding with humans, Linda, Trixie, Chloe. But I love that after a Millennia of serving, and then watching Amenadiel and Linda be happy in a family unit, that she might actually make her own and my hopes were dashed. 

Things we got that we didn’t even know we wanted. SO GOOD:

Season 4 ep 8: Amenadiel bonding with Caleb and confronting community violence, police brutality, and systemic racism. It was a rough episode to be sure, but absolutely needed,

Chloe talking Lucifer down and out of a self-hatred spiral and his transformation into full-fledged devil and back again.

Lucifer playing Creep on repeat while missing the detective (even after insisting in a therapy session that “he’s not a teenager playing Adele on repeat) and Mr. Said Out B**** trying to rob Lucifer and gun point and ultimately get rich. What a fun twist.

The Dan and Maze Los X’s fight. They are wicked good at laying down the  hurt on the criminal element and I was wondering when they’d pair up again after dispatching Warden Perry.

The devil in a bar fight! I mean, it’s only fair since the ladies had their brawl. I love how this fight sequence was filmed in bursts of slo-mo from various angles, involved everything from fists, to tasers, knives, bottles, and the infamous pool cue, and they picked the perfect song for pacing (Jake Bugg, Lightning Bolt, could listen to it all day on repeat.)

Time for all good demons to go home / Enough, you will bow down to your king. Go home! (aka appropriate use of Devilish intimidation face)

Amenadiel vs Remi 

A Rocky montage with Lucifer and Amenadiel / Amenadiel’s face the first time Lucifer drives the Corvette

Lucifer at the roller derby

Chloe the YA fangirl

Maze teaching Trixie about knives, with each handle decorated in a different toy.

Amenadiel and Chloe catching up: your father is so proud of you. Like and angel BOSS!

SEASON HIGHLIGHTS:

★ (s3) Amenadiel taking Charlotte home

★ Dan being comforted in his grief by Amenadiel

★ Amenadiel’s wrath and the brotherly duo tag team to lay the hurt on the drug dealer that got Charlie killed. It’s been a while since we’ve seen warrior angel ready to dispatch anyone in his way. And it was glorious!

★ (s3) Lucifer’s almost driving lesson with Trixie “Morningstar”

★ (s3) Maze torturing Lucifer by making him think he’s the Angel of San Bernadino

★ (s3) Amenadiel and Lina helping to dispose of Lucifer’s wings

★  Lucifer kicking Julian, Tiernan’s son, through a glass pane window

★ The goodbye kiss between Lucifer and Chloe

 DIDN’T LIKE:

☒ (s3) Cain playing guitar and singing. What is he, a crime lord, a top cop, or an act that the improv club wouldn’t take? 

☒ Eve. I liked Eve, but we mostly got to see one side of her around Lucifer, and a kind of floundering an confused side when she was with Maze. The side that I would have liked to see more of was the maternal side that came out when she briefly talked about Abel or was interrogated by Trixie. That made her more layered.

☒ Father Kinley. That dude is just meh.

☒ Dan’s broken heart and rebounding with Ella. Don’t get me wrong, its a good arc, but I don’t see it lasting

☒ (s3) Abel and Reese. Those were two side stories I could have done without, although they had great moments of humor. I quite enjoyed Reese’s character, and although I didn’t like Abel Lucifer’s stick-figure comic illustration of Cain fighting with him over a rock was quite enjoyable.

WHAT I TRULY DESIRE: SINFUL SEASON 5, my BURNING QUESTIONS, and SPECULATIONS

Obviously, don’t spoil anything for me, but if any of my desires end up coming true in any of the first eight episodes maybe drop me a hint in the comments...

A big time jump. We need to see the lasting impact of Lucifer’s absence. I know that time in hell works differently per that episode where Lucifer saved Chloe and almost got stuck in a loop, but we still need enough time to elapse that the impact is felt on the mortal side. Or, we need to see the passage of time through a series of events without Lucifer, like a montage of character development. At least a year or so, if for no other reason then Trixie is growing up and I actually want to see her take driving lessons with Lucifer.

Last season Maze gave baby Charlie a gift, something she’d wished she’d had growing up, and previously had alluded to the language of demons, her many siblings, and teased her mother, the mother of all demons. Will we finally get to meet Maze’s mom Lilith (or however they address her)? And, in spite of Mazikeen’s found family, she still has restlessness and abandonment issues. Will her mom finally finally bring her peace, or will clashing with her resolidify Maze’s purpose on earth?

A Decker/Mazikeen team-up or girls night out 2.0 would always be appreciated. At this point its probably 4.0 if you count the bar fight and the bachelorette party.

Will we see tougher, scarier demons, or are they just warmup to the really scary depths of hell?

Speaking of hell, more hell. Tons of hell. I want to know the minutia of all the mechanics. If Lucifer’s gotta be down there in self-imposed exile, he may as well show us around. Pour us a drink.

Will Lucifer see Cain in Hell? Not that I’m dying to see more of “sad Cain” but it would be interesting to see a more dark or desperate or cunning side to him at least now that he’s actually neck deep in torment. Or, alternatively, I’m hedging my bets that he could be a good candidate to light the fire under Lucifer’s *** to get of hell back to the earthly realm. Even in hell, I’m betting Cain would have a soft spot for Chloe, and if news reached Lucifer that Michael were trying to abscond with his life and with Chloe, it would give Cain and Lucifer one last bit of “A-Hole brothers” common ground to bond over. Like “Brothers, am I right? Go kick, get Chloe back, I’ll still have enough guilt to torture me with in a few thousand years when you get back,”   

Will Lucifer fall into peril in hell of once again potentially getting distracted and stuck in a hell loop? Will his servants be satisfied with his return? Will Amenadiel bust him out.

Mr. Said Out Bitch needs a role reprise. He’s been in every season opener 2-4, we’ve gotten to know his undergarments very well.  Its high time we get to know his name and story. He’s put in the work!  

Amenadiel should be running LUX in Lucifer's absence. We got a tease of that in previous seasons (remember when he asked what would Lucifer do?) its time for that to come to fruition. Plus, any excuse to put DB Woodside in a suit, just because he wears them so well. It would also be interesting if, after that tragedy he’s experienced, Amenadiel will start taking after Luci. Maybe not the punishing, not yet, but wanting to seek out evil and corruption. It has been teased since s1 “fall as I did.” Perhaps he’ll start developing a taste for his bother’s line of work whereas he found it repugnant in the early days

Dan and Maze or Dan and Ella pair up. Both Dan and Maze are due for some happiness.

An Azrael reboot, when need more of her. She’s the angel of Death for pity’s sake. I don’t know if the original actress is still available or if they would have to recast, or if the character concept by Netflix would even be the same, but I need Azrael to be capable of sweet and unassuming and on a coin flip downright menacing.

More of Lucifer as a godparent, bless! And maybe a cool montage of “cousin” Trixie and Lucifer co-babysitting Charlie please.

Whilst on the subject of Lucifer and parenting, and without putting Trixie too much into harm’s way, I need to see what “I would do anything to protect that little urchin” looks like. Trixstar ride or die.

Father Frank, come back! I need a cameo or recurrent role pleeeeease.

Trixie in every episode. This is non-negotiable, much like chocolate cake. Beatrice is an all-star. In fact, I’ve decided that when Dad/God finally does show up, Trixie needs to be the one to get to know him / introduce him first. She’s been captain on the celestial cheer squad for four seasons, she’s earned this.

Who's going to see through Michael's facade first? I mean, I know that trailer shows Maze torturing it out of him, but as far as intuition goes, I've got a 50/50 split between Trixie and Linda, with an honorable mention to Dan.

If Michael is Lucifer's twin, does he have the same angelic compulsion skill set? Or something different? And will it work on Chloe or is she universally immune?

A “be like Mike” pop-culture reference. ******Spoilers: ******* all the trailers have revealed Michael already, so they owe us this for letting the steam out.

As far as pop-culture, how many movie and TV references will we get from Lucifer and ensemble this year? I expect A-game, from sci-fi to 80s action, on par with the previous likes of Parent Trap, Star Wars, Home Alone, Kim Possible, and Rocky.

Will Amenadiel’s necklace make a reappearance, even after he put it around Caleb’s neck in the morgue? Heavenly artifacts have a way of causing trouble in this show.

Will what finally learn what, if any, significance there is to Lucifer’s ring? Again, as all my fictional writings will attest, I really kind of want it to be a stolen little trinket from him Dad.

Plot twist: will we get to see Hell and the silver city all in one season, or is that too devilishly good to ask? It would be intriguing if Lucifer fell from Heaven for rebelling and now some threat like, for example, the mother of demons would pose a threat to the gates such that Lucifer was called upon to defend them. Not expecting anything Endgame level with a host of Angels popping up like sorcerers...but it is food for the imagination.

Plot twist: will Michael, duplicitous twin that he is, be revealed as the reason that Lucifer does not lie and can’t stand liars? Will be get a Michael back story? Is he perhaps the true rebellious son? see: my original fan conjecture here.

Additional links to previous recaps, roundouts and wishlists: 

Season 1: Best Moments // Season 2: Predictions, Desires, Roundout, Best Moments // Season 3: Speculations, Quick-shot summary 

[hardcorefornerds]

According to Spotify, by most listened-to track of 2019 was a performance of Nikolay Golovanov’s ‘Cherubic Hymn’, from the album Russian Treasures by the London-based vocal ensemble Tenebrae.

How it came to be so is the confluence of several factors. Spotify added the track to my automatically/algorithmically generated playlist based on choral music. I really liked the track and started listening to the album it came from, although the algorithm* kept serving up just it**. I also included in a playlist for this post where I was trying to work through the mechanics and history of harmony in music - mainly I found it a good example of the chills I get from layered, harmonized voices, but also because I was and still am curious about how Russian music fits into or differs from the Western tradition.

The ‘Cherubic Hymn’ or Cherubikon is a hymn sung as part of the Orthodox liturgy, as the celebrants enter the altar area through a screen (known as an iconostasis), which makes it a little like the offertory hymn in the Western tradition, although it is based on a single text. A translation is below (with a transliteration, which is useful for listening along):

Let us represent the cherubim in mystic harmony, mystic harmony, praise the Father, Son and Spirit, raise our three-fold song, raise our three-fold song, praise the Trinity, praise the Trinity, raise our three-fold song to the Trinity, Let us now cast aside, cast aside, let us cast aside all this earthly life, cast aside, cast aside, cast aside, all this earthly life. Amen. King of all, we may receive God the King, we may receive Him! He who in glory enters in with mighty hosts of angels, with mighty hosts of angels. Alleluia!

There are many performances of the Cherubic Hymn as a traditional Orthodox chant on Spotify, as well as various settings by later composers. Notably, among familiar Russian names, both Tchaikovksy and Rachmaninov have extensive bodies of sacred choral work. The latter’s Cherubic Hymn verges on the bombastic with the “King of all” (Yako de Tsarya) section, but in general the piece lives up to its name as ethereal, heavenly and angelic in character. It’s the middle part that interests me the most, textually - “let us cast aside all this earthly life” (for they curious, the word translated as “cast aside” is otlozhim) - I’d like to try and write something a little deeper on the theme of renunciation in early Christianity, vs, say, Buddhism (or Foucault).

* sidenote: this year I noticed the tendency to use the a-word when it isn’t strictly necessary, informative or even correct, usually to describe ‘the output of a (digital) process over which I have little or no direct control’. In that sense, it is the opposite of autonomy - to borrow a phrase I discovered in André Gorz, it is ‘heteronomous’ or other-directed, only in this case the ‘other’ is not another person but a process. The crux, to me, is to what extent this process is itself autonomous - somewhere along the line between, in the popular imagination, ‘AI’ (at the limit of actual computer development) and more likely, in the heteronomous domain of a set of very human-defined parameters (though here still ‘control’ is a murky concept, a power-knowledge nexus of biases, incentives, workarounds, bugs, fixes…)    

** sidenote two: the algorithm has since merged the ‘choral music’ playlist with the ‘string quartet’ playlists, which I’m not happy about at all. Notice how we don’t have any direct control over what goes into these playlists, no sliders, no conscious input (other than ‘play or skip’)? Heteronomy vs. autonomy... 

[romancatholicreflections]

10th March >> Sunday Homilies and Reflections for Roman Catholics on the First Sunday of Lent - Year C

To be celebrated on 10 March 2019

Gospel reading: Luke 4:1-13 vs.1  Filled with the Holy Spirit, Jesus left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit through the wilderness, vs.2  being tempted there by the devil for forty days. During that time he ate nothing and at the end he was hungry. vs.3  Then the devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to turn into a loaf. vs.4  But Jesus replied, “Scripture says, ‘Man does not live on bread alone.'” vs.5  Then leading him to a height, the devil showed him in a moment of time all the kingdoms of the world and said to him,

vs.6  “I will give you all this power and the glory of these kingdoms, for it has been committed to me and I give it to anyone I choose. vs.7  Worship me, then, and it shall all be yours.” vs.8  But Jesus answered him, “Scripture says, ‘You must worship the Lord your God, and serve him alone.'” vs.9  Then he led him to Jerusalem and made him stand on the parapet of the Temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said to him “throw yourself down from here, vs.10  for scripture says, ‘He will put his angels in charge of you to guard you,’ and again: vs.11  ‘they will hold you up on their hands in case you hurt your foot against a stone.'” vs.12  But Jesus answered him, “It has been said, ‘You must not put the Lord your God to the test.'” vs.13  Having exhausted all these ways of tempting him, the devil left him, to return at the appointed time.

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We have four commentators available from whom you may wish to choose .

Michel DeVerteuil :     A Trinidadian Holy Ghost Priest, director of the Centre of Biblical renewal . Thomas O’Loughlin:  Professor of Historical Theology, University of Wales, Lampeter. Sean Goan:                    Studied scripture in Rome, Jerusalem and Chicago and teaches at Blackrock College and works with Le Chéile Donal Neary SJ:         Editor of The Sacred Heart Messenger and National Director of The Apostleship of Prayer.

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Michel DeVerteuil Lectio Divina with the Sunday Gospels www.columba.ie

General comments

The story of Jesus’ temptation reveals to us the deepest thing about him: he had total trust in his heavenly Father. This is why the incident is placed at the very beginning of his public life. The evangelists are telling us that he chose this path and he would remain faithful to it through all the ups and downs of his ministry.

Telling the story in the form of ‘temptations’ does two things: • Jesus’ attitude is highlighted since it is set in contrast with other possible attitudes; • we are reminded that for Jesus trust was a free and deliberate choice, as it is for every human being: he chose to trust.

In meditating on the temptations, feel free to focus on the one that appeals to you and remain with it until you find yourself identifying deeply with it. Eventually you will find that all three are really variations on the one temptation not to be totally trusting.

The story has an introduction in verses 1 and 2 and a conclusion in verse 13. You might like to spend some time on these verses as they are very significant.

Scripture reflection

“What use are victories on the battlefields if we are defeated in our innermost personal selves?“   …Maximilian Kolbe

Lord, we like to remain on the banks of the river Jordan where we busy ourselves with external activities, organizing communities, entering into relationships, academic discussions.

We have bits of ourselves hidden deep within the obvious. Often left unprocessed, undefined

We pray that during these forty days of Lent we may allow ourselves to be led by the Holy Spirit into the depths of ourselves, into the wilderness, away from the world of achievements, where we can face up to the evil tendencies that are active within us: – our feeling that as children of God we have the right to dominate the world as we will; – our yearning for the power and the glory of earthly kingdoms; – the subtle ways in which we try to manipulate you. We need not be afraid of this wilderness experience, Lord, because even if we have to face evil in ourselves, we will also discover, like Jesus, that trust in your love is a law written deep within us, and when the devil has exhausted all these ways of tempting us he will leave. But, Lord, do not let us become complacent, because he will return at some time you have appointed, and we must be ready to start the struggle all over again.

Lord, as a Church, we are inclined to remain on the banks of the Jordan,content to baptise and preach and look after our Church affairs.But if, like Jesus, we are filled with your Holy Spirit,we too will leave the Jordan and let the Spirit lead us through the wilderness,through the worlds of politics, business, industrial relations and international trade,being tempted there by the devil as all our contemporaries are,so that we can find even within those wildernessesthat the words of scripture are still true.Lord, we remember today a difficult period in our lives:• our financial situation was very precarious;• we had a succession of failures in our work;• our children were causing us problems.You led us through the wilderness for those forty days;we felt as if we had nothing to nourish ourselves and we were hungry.We were resentful too: were we not the children of God?Why could we not take up a stone and tell it to turn into a loaf of bread?Then one day it suddenly came home to usthat there is much more to life than having our needs satisfied.We had discovered that we had loyal friends, good health,and most of all trust in you.Jesus had reminded us how scripture says that man does not live on bread alone.

“The hope that rests on calculation has lost its innocence.”     …Thomas Merton

Lord, in the world today, people like to plan things rationally and we would like to plan our lives that way too. We would like to go up on a height and see in a moment of time all the kingdoms of this world, and then find out to whom the power and the glory of these kingdoms have been   committed so that they can be given to us. But that, Lord, is the way of calculation, whereas to become whole persons we must take the way of Jesus, which is to have as our only security that we worship you, our Lord and God, and that we serve you alone.

Lord, we thank you for great people who have touched our lives,not world figures or those who make the headlines,but ordinary people who have done their duty without fuss:• parents who brought up handicapped children;• dedicated teachers;• business people who remained honest.We thank you that they knew how to remain in the wilderness,not threatening to throw themselves from the parapet of the templeand calling on you to send angels who would guard them and hold them on their handsso that they would not hurt their feet against a stone.Like Jesus, they knew that you were their Lord and God,and they did not have to put your love to the test.Lord, Lent is a time when we have deep prayer experiences,and we might think that in those experiences we are free from the evil one.Remind us, Lord, that there is a temptationspecial to those who stand at the parapet of your temple,and that is to become arrogant towards you,to insist that your angels must hold us up in case we hurt our feet against a stone.Help us, Lord, in our prayers, to remain perfectly still and trusting,remembering, like Jesus, how it is saidthat we must not put you, our Lord and God, to the test.

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Thomas O’Loughlin, Liturgical Resources for the Year of Luke www.Columba.ie

Introduction to the Celebration In every area of our lives there are periods of mending, renewing, and refocusing. We talk about ‘spring cleaning’, ‘annual reviews, and ‘in-service training’. Now we enter a period to renew our discipleship prior to celebrating the death and resurrection of Jesus at Easter. So now can we spend some moments considering how God our creator made us and has provided for us. Let us recall that God our saviour has called us to live in a new way and to build a world of justice and peace. Let us remember how God our inspiration offers us strength for our discipleship.

Homily Notes

1. Lent has three themes intertwined within it as we celebrate it. (1) It is a time of preparation for Easter, especially for those who are to be baptised. (2) It is a time of repentance and reparation for wrongs done to others around us, the larger community, and the creation. (3) It is a time of stocktaking and renewal in discipleship, the skills needed to be a disciple, and in the commitment to the work and activities of being a Christian.

The homily today could take the form of a ‘checklist’ or ex­amination of conscience on these aspects.

1. Preparing for Easter.

• What plans has the community to make Easter the central moment of the year? We should recall that today in many places this is the time when many people think of going for a , spring break’ and a time when many who are involved in the liturgy during the school-term times are going to be away. • If people are going away for Easter, how do they view it as their community’s central celebration: will they miss the community, will they be missed? • What opportunities are going to be provided, and by whom, for preparation and reflection; and do people see this as important? • Are there candidates preparing for baptism; how is the community involved in this; are there people designated to pray for the candidates? • Can particular talents be harnessed for all this lenten preparation? 1£ so, what are they and who has them?

2. Repentance and reparation.

• How does the community plan to celebrate reconciliation with God in Christ this Lent? How will people be helped to experience this reconciliation? What help do members of the community want to help them overcome bad memories of the confessional? • Will the community want to celebrate healing during this time? • What plans have the community to make reparation to poorer peoples across the globe this Lent? • How willienten preparation take concrete forms in work­ing for justice, peace, and reconciliation in our world?

3.Stock-taking of discipleship.

What plans have the community to renew itself in prayer? What plans are there for fasting to give physical form to prayer? What plans have the community for generosity that will enhance the world, aid the poor, and provide resources for building the kingdom of justice, love, and peace? How will the community support these plans with special liturgies, groups, or inputs form other Christians? • How can the community’s liturgy be enhanced during this time?

6. Lent and the community

Many clergy think that these are only questions for them, but it is the whole community that needs the time of renewal; and if any lenten activity is to have more support than just ‘the usual suspects,’ then the whole lenten agenda has to be owned by the community. The community can only own it if it has been offered to them as an option.

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3. Sean Goan Let the reader understand www.columba.ie

Gospel

Lent is a time of repentance, a time to set aside the usual stuff of life in order to take stock of where we are and where we want to go. It is, therefore, no accident that Lent begins with a reflection on Jesus’ time in the desert. In keeping with a central theme of his gospel, Luke says that Jesus was filled with the Spirit and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness.

For Luke, the presence of the Spirit is the evidence that God is with Jesus and that Jesus is from God. It is the Spirit that allows him to recognise the temptations of the devil for what they are, and it is the Spirit that guides him in his rejection of the temptation. This is the same for his disciples; we can only follow Jesus by an awareness of his Spirit within us. All our Lenten endeavours will be just a waste of time and effort if we are not guided by the Holy Spirit in what we do.

Reflection

The gospel for the first Sunday of Lent is always the story of the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness. It is intended to make us think not only about Jesus and his struggle but to help us realise that the history of God’s people from Adam and Eve to the present day involves a similar story. The essence of the temptation of Jesus was the idea that he could go it alone, that he could be entirely self sufficient. Jesus resisted this because he recognised his complete dependence on the Father. He knew that he needed to be nourished by God’s word and that his true destiny lay in his seeking to do his Father’s will. When Satan succeeds in convincing us that we have it in our power to save ourselves then we are on the path to self destruction. Lent is a time for us to humbly take God’s hand and to walk the path of faith and love that leads to Easter.

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Donal Neary S.J. Gospel reflections www.messenger.ie/bookshop

Jesus tempted off course

Jesus was brought out of the ordinary into a place where he was tempted off course with three temptations – to comfort, power, and wealth – three things that can take us over.

Money, power and comfort can lead us astray….when we want wealth, to be no. 1 and prioritise  comfort in various ways. ……..

He goes back to the word of God to find strength and insight to fight off evil – to the words he learned at home, and at school.

A big source of energy for us is the word of God. On Ash Wednesday the invitation was to believe the good news. That is where we may find life and strength.

We remain in the Church because of Jesus Christ. The word of God in his gospel remains life-giving and strong. Today’s scripture shows us that temptations happen often to take us off the path. So too does the unexpected, and scandals have happened in many of the national institutions. Church life may leave us down and weak, but the spirit who kept Jesus strong in the desert will do the same for us.

A Lenten thing to do could be to read a bit of the gospel every day. Look up Sacred Space on the web and pray from that. Or Pray-as-you-go. Pray your own favourite gospels. Read the gospel to the children. Hear the word at weekday Mass. We look to the word of God to build us up as God’s children and community and find strength to use all in the service of God and others in love.

Speak your word O Lord, and we shall be the better for it.

[heartforchrist]

Teaching False Doctrine about Salvation....

     So the other day, I drifted off into thoughts about salvation. What are the “requirements” to be saved. From others that I have spoken to and searching out different Ministries it was split in what one must to to be truly saved. Many stated that not only do you have to accept Jesus Christ but you must be born again through baptism to finalize your salvation, others stated that through faith and grace alone you are saved. I have researched like crazy to see what was true and what was false doctrine. After a 3 day fast and prayer, my spirit had been led to some very interesting scriptures that tell you the truth. However, if your not looking for the answer it blends in and the truth is either hidden in between the lines, or its all ran together and not actually seen. One reason why I cannot stand reading only one verse of the bible and not the whole chapter,  things can be taken out of context in just one word. 

     After reading and hearing several different “expert” opinions I began to worry, not for myself. because I have been baptized and have faith (the critical portions of salvation, )I began to worry about my younger daughter. She does not live with me. I know she believes and when I have the opportunity to go and see her, I partake in communion with her, and we always spend at least 10 minutes in prayer and talking about Jesus during our visit. However. she is not baptized. My concern turned to fear, if our Heavenly Father where to come today would she go to heaven, despite the fact that she is not baptized. What about my step-daughter who had passed away did she indeed go to heaven? Of course my mind ran with even deeper thought about those who finally found and accepted Jesus Christ and died before there baptism (maybe they were on there way to the baptism and was in a fatal car accident.) What happens to them? Then, I felt as if the holy spirit posed this question to me, what about the thief on the cross? So many questions and so many grey answers. So lets begin. Hopefully after this study It gives clarification on what the true written word of God says about salvation using only biblical scripture, because no matter what, if its not in the bible its false doctrine. I will be sure to include all scriptures so that you too may do your own continued study Lets begin.      

     First of all lets go over the definitions of what salvation and born again means. 

Salvation- 1.)preservation or deliverance from harm, ruin, or loss.

                 2.)deliverance from sin and its consequences, believed by Christians to be brought about by faith in Christ.

Born Again- (of a person) converted to a personal faith in Christ (with reference to John 3:3

Now that we know what these 2 words mean lets open the bible and dive in to the word God.

John 3

3 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:

2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.

3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?

5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.

9 Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?

10 Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?

11 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness.

12 If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?

13 And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.

14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:

15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

     So Here Jesus is speaking with Nicodemus in a secret meeting late at night explaining to him the way man is to be saved and have eternal life. The highlight of this scripture that most use to justify that you mut be baptized to be born again is vs 5 “Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.”

Lets look at this since this is the strongest argument that most Christians use regarding baptism saves. We must put ourselves in Nicodemuses shoes. Yes he is a teacher and should be very wise in the word and have understanding correct? Not really, as you can see he is quite confused when Jesus makes this statement. However, the statement that Jesus made was to give Nicodemus an understanding he could relate to. Nicodemus asked him, we have to go back into the womb and be born again?

So lets get the understanding the way it was meant: 

5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

So when Jesus is explaining that he must be born of water, he is not saying he must be baptized, he is stating he must be born from the womb. Flesh is flesh, he must be human; being of flesh the 1st birth from the womb in water. He goes on to say once the Flesh is born the 2nd birth (born again) takes place. The second birth is being born into the holy spirit.

8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.

 The explanation of this is Faith. Whoever believes in Christ is born again unto the spirit. The wind blows we can feel it, you can hear it but we don’t see it we know its there because we believe it is but we have never ever seen wind, just like the holy spirit. This is backed up by the scripture 11 “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness.12 If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?”

To believe in the Lord Jesus Christ is your salvation, is the rebirth. Believing in him is being born again, not baptism. Nothing in this chapter says you must be born in flesh be baptized and believe in him in order to be saved. He explicitly states 16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” So It has been made clear that believing in him through faith you will be saved. Now lets go on there’s still so much to cover. 

So since we touch on Baptism lets find out why then people think that you must be water baptized to be saved.

Acts 2 

38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

(*Again I stress that when you read a scripture read the whole thing from the start of the chapter to the end. I cannot stress this enough. If we pick and chose single scriptures of course it can fit the purpose that you intend on using it for and then that can get you in trouble because then it is teaching false doctrine.)

So Peter is telling everyone to repent, be baptized and you will receive the holy spirit. So lets look at the begining of this chapter.

2 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.

2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.

3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.

4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

 The baptism that Peter is speaking of is not a water baptism, it is the baptism of the holy spirit and the gift from the holy spirit was tongues. How can I be so sure of this. First of all he does not say repent and be water baptized (which when discussing water baptism the bible does distinctly define this throughout the bible.) he says repent (ask for forgiveness) be baptized ( with the holy spirit) and receive the gift of the holy spirit (speaking in tongues) to be saved. In addition if you notice when reading the full context of the scripture it also says 39 “For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.40 And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.” You are probably asking how do I know what baptism they are speaking of, how can I be sure that this is not a water baptism. Lets take a look at

 Acts  1 . 

1 The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach,

2 Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen:

3 To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:

4 And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me.

5 For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.

6 When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?

7 And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.

8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.

These are the words of Jesus! He is not telling him that they would be baptized with water he is telling him they will be baptized with the Holy Spirit. 

Think about this Three thousand souls were added that day because they received the gospel. how then did they water baptize three thousands souls? They didn’t the holy spirit baptized them. As quickly as the destroyer ran through the city killing off the first born; the same with the holy spirit quickly dispersed and baptized these early Christians.

Here one more example of the baptism that Peter is speaking of that shows you saved through your belief of Jesus Christ alone and that water baptism does not save you. 

Acts 11

11 And, behold, immediately there were three men already come unto the house where I was, sent from Caesarea unto me.

12 And the Spirit bade me go with them, nothing doubting. Moreover these six brethren accompanied me, and we entered into the man's house:

13 And he shewed us how he had seen an angel in his house, which stood and said unto him, Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon, whose surname is Peter;

14 Who shall tell thee words, whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved.

15 And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning.

16 Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost.

17 Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God?

18 When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.

We know that they were saved before being baptized because they had received the Holy Spirit, which is the evidence of salvation. Countless passages of Scripture clearly teach that salvation comes when one believes in the gospel, at which time he or she is sealed “in Christ with the Holy Spirit of promise”

     The next argument would be Jesus was baptized so we are to be baptized to be saved. First of all why was he baptized? Surely it was not to be saved. Jesus bore no sins. He was perfect. He did not need to be saved, he was sent here to save us. So lets check it out. 

11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance. but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:

12 Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.

13 Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.

14 But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?

15 And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him.

16 And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:

17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

     John’s baptism was the baptism of repentance, but Jesus was sinless and had no need of repentance. Even John was taken aback at Jesus’ coming to him. John recognized his own sin and was aware that he, a sinful man in need of repentance himself, was unfit to baptize the spotless Lamb of God: “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” Jesus replied that it should be done because “it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness” 

     There are several reasons why it was fitting for John to baptize Jesus at the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry. Jesus was about to embark on His great work, and it was appropriate that He be recognized publicly by His forerunner. John was the “voice crying in the wilderness” prophesied by Isaiah, calling people to repentance in preparation for their Messiah.By baptizing Him, John was declaring to all that here was the One they had been waiting for, the Son of God, the One he had predicted would baptize “with the Holy Spirit and fire” 

     Jesus’ baptism by John takes on an added dimension when we consider that John was of the tribe of Levi and a direct descendant of Aaron. Luke specifies that both of John’s parents were of the Aaronic priestly line. 

Luke 1

4 That thou mightest know the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast been instructed.

5 There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth.

6 And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.

7 And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years.

8 And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest's office before God in the order of his course,

9 According to the custom of the priest's office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.

10 And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense.

11 And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense.

12 And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.

13 But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.

One of the duties of the priests in the Old Testament was to present the sacrifices before the Lord. John the Baptist’s baptism of Jesus could be seen as a priestly presentation of the Ultimate Sacrifice. John’s words the day after the baptism have a decidedly priestly air: “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” 

John 1

29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

     Jesus’ baptism also showed that He identified with sinners. His baptism symbolized the sinners’ baptism into the righteousness of Christ, dying with Him and rising free from sin and able to walk in the newness of life. His perfect righteousness would fulfill all the requirements of the Law for sinners who could never hope to do so on their own. When John hesitated to baptize the sinless Son of God, Jesus replied that it was proper to “fulfill all righteousness.”  By this He alluded to the righteousness that He provides to all who come to Him to exchange their sin for His righteousness.

     In addition, Jesus’ coming to John showed His approval of John’s baptism, bearing witness to it, that it was from heaven and approved by God. This would be important in the future when others would begin to doubt John’s authority, particularly after his arrest by Herod. Perhaps most importantly, the occasion of the public baptism recorded for all future generations the perfect embodiment of the triune God revealed in glory from heaven. The testimony directly from heaven of the Father’s pleasure with the Son and the descending of the Holy Spirit upon Jesus is a beautiful picture of the trinitarian nature of God. It also depicts the work of the Father, Son, and Spirit in the salvation of those Jesus came to save. The Father loves the elect from before the foundation of the world. He sends His Son to seek and save the lost; and the Spirit convicts of sin and draws the believer to the Father through the Son. All the glorious truth of the mercy of God through Jesus Christ is on display at His baptism.

So why do we baptize if its not for us to be saved. 

18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:

19 By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;

20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.

21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:

Now I know exactly what your thinking; look it says right there it saves us. No actually it doesnt. it says 

(not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,)

     Peter clarifies what he means in this verse for us with the phrase “not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience.” While Peter is connecting baptism with salvation, it is not the act of being baptized that he is referring to (not the removal of dirt from the flesh). Being immersed in water does nothing but wash away dirt. What Peter is referring to is what baptism represents, which is what saves us (an appeal to God for a good conscience through the resurrection of Jesus Christ). In other words, Peter is simply connecting baptism with belief. It is not the getting wet part that saves but the “appeal to God for a clean conscience” which is signified by baptism, that saves us. The appeal to God always comes first. First belief and repentance, then we are baptized to publicly identify ourselves with Christ.

     The person is saved the moment he places his faith in the Lord Jesus. Water baptism is the visible testimony to his faith and the salvation he was given in answer to that faith. Peter is careful to inform his readers that he is not teaching baptismal regeneration, namely, that a person who submits to baptism is thereby regenerated, for he says, 'not the putting away of the filth of the flesh.' Baptism, Peter explains, does not wash away the filth of the flesh, either in a literal sense as a bath for the body, nor in a metaphorical sense as a cleansing for the soul. No ceremonies really affect the conscience. But he defines what he means by salvation, in the words 'the answer of a good conscience toward God," and he explains how this is accomplished, namely, 'by the resurrection of Jesus Christ,' in that the believing sinner is identified with Him in that resurrection.”

So in order to be saved must you be baptized,,

     Although highly important because it is commanded by Jesus Christ 

Matthew 28

18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

It does not save you! Only your faith/belief in Christ Saves you. 

I too believed that you had to be baptism in order to be saved, I have asked the question to others have you been saved and many of the times and I was met with the response of “I have” or “haven’t been baptized.” Now that I know personally what gets you saved and what doesn’t, I can tell you I feel like a weight has lifted off my shoulders. My heart is at peace regarding my youngest daughter and my step daughter that has already made it to heaven. We are in the end times the Lord is coming to get us very soon, we cannot risk losing any souls for the Lord by not teaching the word of God. We must be watchful of false teachings, false prophets, false doctrines. We must gently steer people in the right direction if they have been programmed to believe anything other than what Jesus has told us. Some do it intentionally, others simply misunderstand all we can do Is know them by their fruit accordingly to Gods word and seek council with the Lord on how to approach those situations. Besides the examples above, here are a few more that show that by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone you are saved. 

Matthew 19

25 When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved?

26 But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.

27 Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore?

28 And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

29 And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.

30 But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first.

Luke 7

44 And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head.

45 Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet.

46 My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment.

47 Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.

48 And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven.

49 And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins also?

50 And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.

Acts 15

5 But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.

6 And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter.

7 And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.

8 And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us;

9 And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.

10 Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?

11 But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.

Romans 5

5 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;

4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope:

5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.

8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

11 And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.

Romans 10

9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.

13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Ephesians2

4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,

5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)

Romans 4

8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin. 9 Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness. 10 How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision. 11 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also: 12 And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised. 13 For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. 14 For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect: 15 Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression. 16 Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all, 17 (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were. 18 Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be. 19 And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb: 20 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; 21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. 22 And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. 23 Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; 24 But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; 25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

Luke 23

38 And a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, This Is The King Of The Jews.

39 And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us.

40 But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?

41 And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss.

42 And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.

43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.

     If you notice each of these passages contain the same content, Believing, Faith and Grace. We must follow the bible, not the doctrine of man. We must start investigating the word ourselves and stay on track with what the lord says. Let us not be deceived, Teaching that baptism saves you is putting your faith in the baptism and not Jesus Christ. The Lord doesn’t tell you to believe in him and be saved  and then turn around and tell you to believe in him and be baptized as well in order to be saved. Its a contradiction, and a lie, and my Father does neither of those things. We must be vigilant and armor ourselves against the wolves. If we are going to teach, lets teach the word from the bible the whole thing not just a verse that can be twisted to fit ones needs. Its only to be taught in whole! I hope this sheds some light and if you need more evidence of what it takes to be saved please leave a comment below I have several more passages that speak on Salvation. I hope this finds you and gives better understanding of the word of God. I know it has helped me and reprogrammed my way of thinking. I give God all the glory for providing me with the tools I needed to properly study his word, and I praise Him endlessly.

2 Corinthians 11

Would to God ye could bear with me a little in my folly: and indeed bear with me. 2 For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. 3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. 4 For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him. 5 For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles. 6 But though I be rude in speech, yet not in knowledge; but we have been throughly made manifest among you in all things. 7 Have I committed an offence in abasing myself that ye might be exalted, because I have preached to you the gospel of God freely? 8 I robbed other churches, taking wages of them, to do you service. 9 And when I was present with you, and wanted, I was chargeable to no man: for that which was lacking to me the brethren which came from Macedonia supplied: and in all things I have kept myself from being burdensome unto you, and so will I keep myself. 10 As the truth of Christ is in me, no man shall stop me of this boasting in the regions of Achaia. 11 Wherefore? because I love you not? God knoweth. 12 But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from them which desire occasion; that wherein they glory, they may be found even as we. 13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. 14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. 15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

God Bless you all and much love.... now go out there and teach the gospel according to our God, Our Lord and savior Jesus Christ.

~Heart for Christ

[iyke07]

MADE FOR THE MASTER'S USE (PURIFIED LIKE A GOLD)

MADE FOR THE MASTER’S USE (PURIFIED LIKE A GOLD)

Who is this master? We have two masters as a human being, which are: 1) Spiritual master. 2) Earthly master. Now, what we are dealing with is our spiritual master, but when we come to this aspect, it is also divided into two, which are: 1) Our heavenly Father 2) Devil. We can yield ourselves completely to this two, not at the same time. Romans 6 vs 16,“Don’t you…

[pamphletstoinspire]

Will Only a Few People Be Saved?

In this Sunday’s readings (21st Sunday in Ordinary Time), someone in a crowd called out to Jesus, “Will only a few people be saved?” Why was this the wrong question to ask?

Gospel (Read Lk 13:22-30)

St. Luke tells us that as Jesus “passed through towns and villages, teaching as He went,” someone called out a question to Him: “Lord, will only a few people be saved?” This is a curious question, isn’t it? Why would anyone be interested in knowing thenumberof people saved? The idea that there are those who will be saved and those who will be lost in God’s final judgment was a constant theme in the Old Testament Scriptures. Moses laid it out before all the Israelites as they were about to enter the Promised Land: “If you obey the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you this day… you shall live and multiply and the Lord your God shall bless you. But if your hearts turn away, and you will not hear … you shall perish” (see Deut. 30:16-18a). The wisdom literature, in particular, is full of exhortations to choose life by living righteously and to avoid the destruction that comes with foolish disobedience and wickedness (see Ps 1; Wis 5:1-16). So, interest in salvation by a Jew listening to Jesus isn’t surprising.

What is surprising, however, is the question this man asks: “Will only a few be saved?” What question should he have asked? We can get a clue from Jesus’ reply: “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter but will not be strong enough.” The man who questioned Jesus was interested in the “few”; Jesus was interested in the “many.” Why?

Jesus continues to make His point by using a parable. He speaks of the “master of the house” who has “arisen and locked the door.” In this, He is describing Himself and the end of His time of visitation in Israel. He was with His own people, His “house,” for three years, teaching and preaching the Good News of the Kingdom and calling the Jews to believe in Him as their promised Messiah, the Son of God. He was rejected by the religious leaders and put to death, from which He “arose” and then departed, bringing to an end the opportunity for the Jews to acknowledge Him as their true King. He then describes Jews standing “outside knocking and saying, ‘Lord, open the door to us.” Jesus, the “master,” sends them away because although they had proximity to Him (“we ate and drank in Your company and you taught in our streets”), He doesn’t know who they are; they did not become His friends when He was with them. Theirs is a terrible fate. They will see “Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God and you yourselves cast out.” Here, of course, Jesus is describing Jews who rejected Him, refusing to believe Him when He said things like, “I am the door; if any one enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture” (Jn 10:9). However, although some of His own people will be outside, they will see people from all four corners of the earth reclining “at table in the kingdom of God.” This is not a description of “few” but “many.” It becomes clear, then, what question the man should have asked.

How different would Jesus’ reply to this man have been if he’d asked, “Lord, how can I be saved?” By the way Jesus addresses his question about “only a few,” we can surmise that this man thought of himself as being in that small number, safe, and not needing to ask this question. Many Jews of Jesus’ day, especially the religious leaders, presumed that because they were descendants of Abraham and God’s chosen people, they were the few who would be saved. This was a dangerous way to think, as John the Baptist made clear in his preaching at the Jordan River: “But when [John] saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, ‘You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruit that befits repentance, and do not presume to say to yourselves, `We have Abraham as our father’; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham’” (Mt 3:7-9).

Perhaps Jesus sensed this kind of presumption in the man who questioned Him. Instead of discussing numbers, He speaks directly to the man himself: “Strive to enter through the narrow gate.” In other words, you have work to do! In addition, He warns the man that only those who are “strong enough” will make it through the “narrow gate.” What did He mean? As Jesus regularly taught, only those willing to lose their lives, to take up their crosses, to die to themselves in order to be His disciples will be able to pass through the “narrow” gate of Jesus Himself. Salvation will not be achieved by entering the wide gate of Jewish ethnicity. It will not come through proximity to Jesus—being a Catholic, getting all the sacraments, never missing Mass. It will only come through knowing Jesus and believing in Him, obeying Him as the Messiah, God’s own Son, and our only hope of redemption.

Jesus ends His conversation with a conundrum: “Some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.” The Jews considered the Gentiles to certainly be those who aren’tsaved, yet Jesus’ description of people from all over the world (not just Jews from Israel) proved that “the last,” the Gentiles, would precede many Jews (“the first” to be called) into the kingdom. Interestingly, St. Paul confirms this when he explained that “a hardening has come upon part of Israel, until the full number of the Gentiles come in, and so all Israel will be saved” (Rom 11:25-26). This describes what happened when the Jews rejected the Gospel; it was then preached to the Gentiles, who received it with joy. However, after this period of hardening (and no one knows how long this will last), St. Paul sees the hope of Israel finally recognizing her Messiah and finding salvation (see CCC 674). “Some are first who will be last.”

Had the man in this story asked the right question, the one all of us should ask—“Lord, how can I be saved?”—Jesus’ answer would have been simple: “Follow Me.”

Possible response: Lord Jesus, help me guard against presumption. I know it’s the door to pride, judgment, and complacency.

First Reading (Read Isa 66:18-21)

This is one of the Old Testament prophecies of the gathering of “nations of every language” into God’s kingdom to which Jesus referred in our Gospel. God announces, through the prophet, Isaiah, that someday people far beyond the boundaries of Israel will see His glory. This prophecy began to be fulfilled in the Incarnation. Jesus came to be a revelation of God’s merciful love, first to the house of Israel, and then to all people. Recall that even in His own day, Gentiles were attracted to Him (see Mt 15:21-28; Jn 12:20-23). On the Day of Pentecost, the Church began her preaching mission as Jesus had instructed the apostles: “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” (Mt 28:19-20).

Isaiah’s prophecy envisions a glorious reconstitution of the new Israel, the people of God, which is the Church. It includes both Jews and Gentiles who believe in Jesus. Its dwelling place will be “Jerusalem, My holy mountain,” which we understand to be heaven. This is the future reality that Jesus did not want His questioner in our Gospel to miss out on. Neither do we.

Possible response: Heavenly Father, thank You for bringing this promise to fulfillment in Your worldwide Church. Keep alive a missionary spirit in all of us to take the Gospel to all people everywhere.

Psalm (Read Ps 117:1-2)

We should now be seeing how far off the mark our Gospel’s questioner was when he was thinking about “only a few” to be saved. It was always God’s intention that Israel, His chosen people, would “Go out to all the world and tell the Good News.” Here, the psalmist exhorts all the nations to “praise the Lord,” the God of the Jews first, then of everyone. Because of “His kindness towards us,” God wants all, not a few, to be saved (see 1 Tim 2:4).

Possible response: The psalm is, itself, a response to our other readings. Read it again prayerfully to make it your own.

Second Reading (Read Heb 12:5-7, 11-13)

Remember that Jesus said in our Gospel some would “attempt to enter [the narrow gate that leads to salvation] but will not be strong enough.” Our epistle helps us better understand what is required of us if we are to persevere as children in God’s kingdom. It is only by His grace that we are born again as His sons and daughters in baptism. We can’t do this for ourselves. Yet we need to know that “whom the Lord loves, He disciplines; He scourges every son He acknowledges.” In other words, we will face trials that will require the death to self that Jesus preached in the Gospel. We need strength for this! We have “drooping hands” and “weak knees.” The author of Hebrews, however, gives us wonderful encouragement: “Endure your trials as ‘discipline’; God treats you as sons.” We know earthly fathers discipline their children out of love; it is the same with our heavenly Father.

The discipline of the Lord that comes through our various trials “seems a cause not for joy but for pain.” How realistic this is. Yet, over time, this discipline, if we meet it with faith, hope, and love, will yield “the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who are trained by it.” The goal of this discipline is to heal our weaknesses, and, as a verse not included in our reading says, “… [the Lord] disciplines us for our good, that we may share His holiness” (see vs 10).

Make us strong, Lord, to enter the narrow gate for the joy on the other side.

Possible response: Heavenly Father, please help me remember that my trials are meant to make me strong, not crush me, to heal what is lame, not cripple me.

BY: GAYLE SOMERS

From: https://www.pamphletstoinspire.com/

[stupendousrebelpuppy]

Pope Francis prays Angelus with pilgrims Pope Francis prays Angelus with pilgrims (AFP or licensors) POPE Pope Francis Angelus Pope at Angelus: ‘Service is antidote to glory-seeking’ Ahead of the Sunday Angelus prayer, Pope Francis says the way of service is the best antidote to self-promotion and glory-seeking. By Devin Watkins Pope Francis prayed the Angelus with pilgrims gathered on Sunday in St. Peter’s Square, and reflected on the day’s Gospel (Mk 10:35-45). He spoke about how Jesus tries to correct his disciples by “converting them from the mentality of the world to that of God.” The Pope spoke about the brothers James and John, who had asked Jesus to sit at his right and left at the coming of the Kingdom of God. “Jesus knows that James and John are animated by great enthusiasm for him and for the cause of the Kingdom, but he also knows that their expectations and their zeal are polluted by the spirit of the world,” the Pope said. So, he continued, Jesus tells them: “You do not know what you are asking.” Listen to our report Service vs. glory-seeking Pope Francis said Jesus turns their request for glory into a “cup” to drink and of a “baptism” to receive. “They too, like the other Apostles, will participate in his cross when their time comes.” The Holy Father said Jesus is inviting the disciples to follow him and learn the way of love “at a loss”, that is, not for profit or earthly gain. “Our heavenly Father will take care of the reward,” he said. Read also Pope's Angelus of 21 October 2018 21/10/2018 AddThis Sharing Buttons Share to Facebook Share to Twitter Share to Google+ Share to WhatsApp Pope's Angelus of 21 October 2018 21/10/2018 Pope Francis recalls World Mission Sunday Jesus, Pope Francis said, uses the episode to point out that service is the path to greatness in the Kingdom of God. “While the great of the Earth are building ‘thrones’ for their own power, God chooses an uncomfortable throne, the Cross, from which to reign, by giving his life.” The Pope said all Christians are called to conversion away from self-seeking and honors. “The way of service is the most effective antidote against the disease that comes from searching for the first place, which infects many people and does not even spare the Church.” Finally, Pope Francis said the Gospel calls us to “bear witness with courage and generosity to a Church that kneels at the feet of the least, and to serve them with love and simplicity.”

Pope Francis prays Angelus with pilgrims Pope Francis prays Angelus with pilgrims (AFP or licensors) POPE Pope Francis Angelus Pope at Angelus: ‘Service is antidote to glory-seeking’ Ahead of the Sunday Angelus prayer, Pope Francis says the way of service is the best antidote to self-promotion and glory-seeking. By Devin Watkins Pope Francis prayed the Angelus with pilgrims gathered on Sunday in St. Peter’s Square, and reflected on the day’s Gospel (Mk 10:35-45). He spoke about how Jesus tries to correct his disciples by “converting them from the mentality of the world to that of God.” The Pope spoke about the brothers James and John, who had asked Jesus to sit at his right and left at the coming of the Kingdom of God. “Jesus knows that James and John are animated by great enthusiasm for him and for the cause of the Kingdom, but he also knows that their expectations and their zeal are polluted by the spirit of the world,” the Pope said. So, he continued, Jesus tells them: “You do not know what you are asking.” Listen to our report Service vs. glory-seeking Pope Francis said Jesus turns their request for glory into a “cup” to drink and of a “baptism” to receive. “They too, like the other Apostles, will participate in his cross when their time comes.” The Holy Father said Jesus is inviting the disciples to follow him and learn the way of love “at a loss”, that is, not for profit or earthly gain. “Our heavenly Father will take care of the reward,” he said. Read also Pope’s Angelus of 21 October 2018 21/10/2018 AddThis Sharing Buttons Share to Facebook Share to Twitter Share to Google+ Share to WhatsApp Pope’s Angelus of 21 October 2018 21/10/2018 Pope Francis recalls World Mission Sunday Jesus, Pope Francis said, uses the episode to point out that service is the path to greatness in the Kingdom of God. “While the great of the Earth are building ‘thrones’ for their own power, God chooses an uncomfortable throne, the Cross, from which to reign, by giving his life.” The Pope said all Christians are called to conversion away from self-seeking and honors. “The way of service is the most effective antidote against the disease that comes from searching for the first place, which infects many people and does not even spare the Church.” Finally, Pope Francis said the Gospel calls us to “bear witness with courage and generosity to a Church that kneels at the feet of the least, and to serve them with love and simplicity.”

Pope Francis prays Angelus with pilgrims  (AFP or licensors) POPE

Pope Francis

Angelus

Pope Francis prays Angelus with pilgrims  (AFP or licensors) POPE

Pope Francis

Angelus

Pope at Angelus: ‘Service is antidote to glory-seeking’ Ahead of the Sunday Angelus prayer, Pope Francis says the way of service is the best antidote to self-promotion and glory-seeking.

By Devin Watkins

P…

[scripturegirl]

The Loved Scripture Girl.

I started writing these blog entries because it was something God put on my heart, and something I felt Him telling me to do. I looked at different “blog” websites to start out, but He kept directing me to this, my scripturegirl Tumblr page that I created last summer. 

I sat down a few weeks ago, and finally wrote my first entry. He told me exactly what to say, and it was the most effortless thing I’ve ever written. And then so was my next entry, and the one after that. They’ve all had relatively positive themes.

This post is going to be a little different. I thought the last entry was a hard thing for me to write about, but God surprised me this week, and this will definitely be the hardest one for me to write about. It might not be one that every person can relate to, but it’s something that needs to be said, and something certain people need to hear.

This last year was the hardest of my life. There were a lot of personal things going on, and that was when I had started to turn to God again after running away for so long, and I was starting to create a new normal for myself. But not long after that, my dad left us. 

In my head, sometimes I’ll go through the pros and cons of going through this at the age of 20 vs. being really young when it happens. I don’t know if I’d prefer it happen when I was younger and didn’t know any better, or being older like I was when it happened. But after talking with girls who had their fathers leave when they were little, and girls who were older like me, it doesn’t change the fact that it’s a painful thing no matter how old you are, and it’s something that can impact the choices you make as an adult.

I’m extremely blessed that right before the biggest storm in my life, I thought I already was walking through the biggest storm in my life. God stripped away all the distractions in my life, and I was keeping my eyes on Him. The first storm was painful, but I thank God for it everyday, because it’s the storm that prepared me for the real one. That’s right; I thank God every single day for putting me through heartbreak and excruciating pain. Because it forced me to refocus, and repair my relationship with Him. 

Having a solid relationship with my heavenly Father, is what filled the void and essentially saved my life when my earthly Father walked away. That’s what He wants you to know. You have two options; you can let this destroy you and use it as an excuse, which is only adding to the vicious cycle. Or you can turn to Him, and trust Him to fill that void and fully heal you from the pain and scars this has left. And it isn’t easy, getting to a place where you’re healed and not holding onto any anger or resentment is a process--one that I’m still in, a year later--but I know that the destination will be so worth the journey it takes to get there.

Don’t let the example your biological father left, shape the choices you make in life. I waited for God to put a man in my life that was the opposite of the example of a husband I had seen my whole life, because I wanted something good to come out of what I’ve been put through. He’s a man that loves me unconditionally, supports me and my relationship with God, and prays for me everyday. I know when the time comes for us to get married, it will be a marriage that honours Him, and Christ will be at the center of it. And if God decides to bless us with a daughter someday, I know he isn’t going to abandon us, and I’ll be able to give that little girl the father that I never had.

God hears your cries. He hears you, and He’s ready to catch you, you just have to be willing to reach out to Him, and trust Him. Anything your earthly father did to hurt you, is nothing your heavenly father can’t fix. This isn’t the end of your story. Don’t let this set the tone for the rest of your life. Your earthly father may have left you feeling abandoned, and unwanted. But your heavenly father cherishes you, and chooses you everyday.

“I will not abandon you, for I am glad to make you my very own.” -- 1 Samuel 12:22

“For God has said, I will never fail you, I will never abandon you.” -- Hebrews 13:5

“God is greater than the burdens you are carrying. Cast your burden upon the Lord, and He will sustain you.” -- Psalm 55:22

[johnlharrisr-blog]

Why Couldn’t Mary Touch Jesus?

By Dr. Eli Lizorkin-Eyzenberg - October 18, 2019100781 496

One text that remains an enigma to most Christ-followers is the post-resurrection story in the twentieth chapter of John’s gospel where Jesus cautions Mary to avoid touching him, but a week later invites Thomas to do just that.

Mary, seeing her beloved and presumed-dead rabbi now alive, attempted to hug the resurrected Jesus (vs. 16). He emphatically told her that she could not touch him because He had not yet ascended to his Father (vs. 17). Shortly after (when all the disciples were gathered to regroup) Christ appeared to them resurrected! Thomas was absent from this gathering (vss. 19-21). Later, when the disciples reported to Thomas that they had seen Jesus alive, he understandably responded with skepticism (vs. 24). Eight days later, Jesus unexpectedly appeared again to the gathered disciples and challenged Thomas to touch him by placing his hands into the holes that remained in his body (vs. 26-27). The obvious question is this: why did Jesus deny Mary, but later encourage Thomas to touch Him?

In order to understand Jesus’ very different instructions to Mary and Thomas, we need to understand the purity requirements for the Jewish High Priest on the Day of Atonement. The High Priest was forbidden to come into contact with anything that was ceremonially unclean in order to avoid being disqualified to enter God’s presence the following day. So much depended on this ritual purity!

After His resurrection, Jesus (as our ultimate High Priest) would shortly be ministering in the heavenly tabernacle (Heb. 9:11). It is significant that Jesus appeared to the disciples and told Thomas to touch him after eight days, because it takes seven days to ordain a priest (Ex. 29:35).

The most-likely reason for Jesus’ instructions to Mary had to do with the fact that He was determined to enter the heavenly tabernacle in a ready-to-serve, consecrated state. Defilement would not be a sin, but it would have disqualified Him (for a period of time) from entering God’s presence. Mary may have had a number of reasons for defilement (possible menstrual circle, stepping into the tomb, etc), Jesus’ priestly mission was too important to allow for any possibility of failure. By the time Jesus met Thomas, His priestly work is done. He had returned from completing His duties and possible defilement was no longer an issue.

Jesus’ role as prophet was carried out during His earthly life. His role as king was yet to be realized at the time of the ascension. He first needed to be ordained a priest and carry out His duties in the heavenly tabernacle! Nothing could be permitted to stand in the way of his mission.

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