#have faith in self to carry this on v good

[sagstelliums]

(Left to right) what makes you rare/unique

Pile 1

I see that what makes you rare/unique is your creativity and your intelligence, I see that the way you can have peace in solitude and you don’t feel the need to always be around people makes you unique. I see that the way you talk or your perspective makes you rare/unique, I see that you can have a talented voice or you draw people in with your voice or with what you say. What makes you rare/unique is how caring you are and how you like to help people even if they don’t need it, the way you take care of your body or your stamina/strength makes you unique. What makes you rare/unique is you inner strength and the way you face your fears, you don’t allow other to bully you or make you feel uncomfortable. What makes you rare/unique is your sense of humor or your optimism, you may have dark humor or make fun of your struggles/trauma. Signs- Sagittarius/cancer, initial- R, O, W, V, Q C

Pile 2

I see that what makes you rare/unique is your innocence, purity, and divinity. I see that your spiritual gifts or connection with the divine makes you rare/unique, I see that you may like to people watch or observe others. I see that you may like to read or you know a lot of things, you could be good at storytelling and you know a lot of people’s secrets which makes you rare/unique. I see that you are good at building others up and seeing the potential in things or people which makes you rare/unique, I see that you may lie sometimes or tell fake stories to entertain or trick people. Signs- Leo/libra. Initials- X, L, Y

Pile 3

I see that what makes you rare/unique is your healing energy and the way you strive to be better or become your best self, I see that you like to stand out and you don’t like authority which makes you rare/unique. I see that you’re good at transmuting energy and you have a lot of compassion/humility which makes you unique/rare, I see that you’re good at giving compliments and seeing things in others that they don’t see in themselves. You’re good at being kind to others and understanding which makes you unique. Signs- Taurus/Virgo. Initials- X, B, M, S

Pile 4

I see that what makes you rare/unique is that you don’t need a lot of money or resources to be happy, I see that you can pray for the things you need or God/the divine always provides the things you need. I see that your divinity/Godliness makes you rare/unique, the way you carry yourself and your compassion makes you unique. I see that what makes you rare/unique sis the way you can move on and forgive, I see that you don’t let your past or experiences define who you are or change you. What makes you rare/unique is the way you sacrifice yourself or they way you care so much about others that you compromise yourself, what makes you rare/unique is your blind faith and the way you go all in when it comes to things you want. Signs- Aries, Aquarius, Taurus, Gemini. Initials- V, F, N, E

Personal readings always available

[fictionalslvr]

SYNOPSIS: Leon is the most devoted young man you know, and what you always wanted, is to ruin him, turn him into a complete sinful mess.

PAIRING: Churchboy¡Leon x F!reader

WORD COUNT: 1.030k

WARNINGS: Religious themes! Suggestive and lewd. Corruption kink. Sub¡Leon. Delusional reader. Not p in v because it's all a reader's fantasy ect.

NOTES: Someone send help, I can't stop thinking about RE2 Leon.

AKRASIA:"(n.) Lack of self control."

Leon is a very devout young man. With his knees down on the cold floor, eyes turned to the ceiling and hands squeezed together, his soft voice carried a lot of prayers. It is possible to hear a faint breath escape from those pretty plump lips while he did that, showing how disposed he is to his religion. You had a very bad and twisted thought about him, how you would ruin him completely.

The soft prayers wouldn’t be the only thing slipping out from his lips, his baby azure eyes would be teary, carrying gentle tears that would slid down his cheek so gracefully, his eyes would be turned upwards as always, but this time, not to be face-to-face with his savior, and yes, to show him how sinful he would be in that moment. Those sick contemplations are rotten in your mind, in the most wrong place ever to be thinking about this, the damn church. Who would have thought that you, with that long white skirt, round big eyes that seemed so innocent, the pair of cute Mary Janes on your feet, along with adorable lacy socks, would be so perverted. Who would think that such a delightful girl as you, bashing your eyelashes to everyone, would be wanting to ruin an adorable boy as Leon.

Your thighs are squeezing against each other on the wood bench, you’re sure that you're a sinner dressed as the most faithful gorgeous girl in that place, surrounded by others sinners, after all, no one is fully innocent. Seeing Leon on your right side, he’s very focused on the priest's words, and you, poor you can’t stop your mind in fantasizing about that boy. His dirty blonde hair shines under the white ceiling chandelier, he has this adorable habit of biting his lips when focused, sometimes even poking his tongue slightly out of his lips, you just want him under you, crying and humming your name with that angelic voice of his. Your chest rose as your eyes are glued on his figure, he’s driving you crazy without even saying a word.

You’ve always wondered if Leon was still a virgin, judging by his devotions, you guessed he never even kissed anyone, and that only eats your mind alive. You wanted to be his first in everything, the one who achieved to make him sin with you, you wanted to see his face plastered with tears, his breathing hitching as the name of his God couldn’t save him from that guilty feeling rushing over his spine. Leon would feel bad for feeling so good, that guilty pleasure that drives him into a sobbing mess, whispering faintly “sorry, i-i’m so s-sorry!” in between whimpers. You would take good care of him, being slow and passionate to show there’s nothing wrong in that pleasure he’s feeling, but that wouldn’t help, he would be a melted butter into your hands, hiding his face on the crook of your neck as your naughty hands kept touching the tip of his rosy penis, that pleasure was too much, something new that he’s getting already attached to, they were right, it’s an addiction that erodes an human being. The vulnerability of his state, his nude figure, it’s all new, like he’s a newborn around the world, discovering what the world could offer him as good, but that had consequences.

He would always hear that “the good boys go to heaven”, so he followed that strictly. But hearing that escaping from your lips would play with his mind, that nickname was supposed to be a good thing, not to be used as filthy as you make it look like. And maybe this is what you wanted, to make him feel guilty, to doubt himself and his purpose, to make him a full sinner, dragging you into hell with him. Poor Leon, his mind is so religiously focused, that he’s scared he could go to hell after life, so he restrains himself in almost everything to be perfect in the religious eyes. That would only make your twisted mind want him even more.

You would give whatever it takes to see his round cheeks growing rosy in embarrassment, to watch his eyes shut tightly, scared to look into your eyes and see that lust flames on them, to hear his heartbeat increase as you only get closer to him, depositing a kiss on his cheek and that would make him rest his hands there, thinking about your actions and how he needs to reprimand you from your manners, but he simply can’t, because you cause him fright. No one would believe him if he said how the cute girl has been teasing him, showing a bit more of her cleavage by bending down in front of him to make his mind wander to all wrong sides. In your deepest fantasies, Leon would be addicted to the friction your hands caused him the last time, he would try to recreate that, head leaned down as he felt even guiltier than before, his own hands exploring his body that way for the first time.

Leon is your little tragedy, the piece of drama in your life that keeps you coming to the church, even to not listen to any of the words about it. A divine violence, you like to think that Leon is the actual demon from teasing you just from being himself. Sadly, you didn’t do any of those things, your mind likes to fantasize that, so maybe one day, you can actually send Leon over the edge.

You only noticed that your sweet fantasy is over when a soft voice calls you out, a big pair of blue eyes towards you, which you knew greatly who it was.

“Miss? Are you okay? The preaching is over for a few minutes now.” A smirk appeared in your lips, for the first time, you couldn’t contain yourself, you had to do something.

Throwing your self control away, you gathered courage to lift your body and look around, there’s no one else in the church. Seeing Leon, his eyebrows are frowned in worry, you’re ready to ruin that face of his.

[religion-is-a-mental-illness]

Hospital admissions for self-harm are up by two thirds amongst girls. This particular statistic caused so many headlines in various newspapers, with people writing think pieces about why girls were peculiarly afflicted with mental health issues.

But in fact, the evidence shows, and this is widely acknowledged by psychologists, that boys are more likely to self-harm in atypical ways. Boys are more likely to get into fights that they know they can't win. They're more likely to, for example, punch a wall or an inanimate object. And there's even some discussion as to whether carrying a knife in some circumstances could be classified as a form of self-harm. Obviously, that depends on intention.

But if those boys are injured to the extent that they require hospitalisation, that wouldn't be logged as an incident of self-harm because we associate self-harm with things like cutting and self-poisoning, which boys and men are, generally speaking, less likely to do.

Male violence, and violent men and boys, continues to be distorted through an antiquated, ideological lens, that fails to see what violence is, and where it comes from.

Once again, we lean into the same cartoonish, childlike, and conspiratorial interpretations of such behaviour.

It’s ‘the patriarchy incarnate’, or ‘male oppression made real’ you might hear, or ‘if he punches a wall, then he will surely punch you!’

Such asinine observations wouldn’t look out of place scrawled across the back pages of a teenager’s pop-psychology textbook; but are an unwelcome guest in the realm of grown-up discussion.

Frustratingly, the problematic behaviour of women and girls is rightly seen as the product of their environment and traumatic experiences…

Yet the cause of these same behaviours by males, are seen as internalised within men and boys themselves, and a product of so called “toxic” masculinity.

Meaning - when a woman has a problem we say, ‘we must fix society’, which is correct.

But when a man has a problem, we shake our heads and mutter ‘men must fix themselves’…

This is a fundamentally unbalanced, dishonest, and sexist approach to understanding male and female behaviour.

And such a lack of care, interest, or good faith within the study of male psychology, leads to glaring blind spots within mental health support, diagnosis, and policy, that hurts everyone.

We see it within the issue of self-harm, which remains a growing epidemic within young women and girls, hitting the headlines in recent years, as hospital admissions of girls increased exponentially.

Such headlines and data, make self-harm an issue heavily influenced by the female sex.

But is it that simple?

What if men and boys self-harm in atypical ways, outside of our traditional view?

That man punching a wall, or getting into unwinnable fights… could that be an act of self-harm?

What about men who have fantasies of violence; is it time we asked where such fantasies came from, rather than brandishing them as “toxic” too?

And are such men and boys most dangerous to others, or themselves?

-

Sources:

APPG Natasha Devon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_rTpvL10Ls

University of Cambridge Bullying: https://www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/young-people-who-experience-bullying-are-more-likely-to-fantasise-about-committing-acts-of-violence

[roobylavender]

someone posted this panel regarding oliver vs bruces parenting taking a jab at bruce that seems funny enough, like we can just like the post and move on but i checked the notes and apparently fans of each family are at war arguing with each other😭mostly shitting on bruce because oliver is the better parent and somebody brought up how when queen and his kids were having issues at some point that it was ooc and while i am not super well read on GA stuff i can definitely buy that, but what i dont understand is why that isnt allowed for bruce. i saw tags concerning the other horrible things bruce has done as like a gotcha to bat fans and its like why are only his comics the ones we take at face value as 100% accurate and in good faith am i wrong for finding this dumb😭

not at all i totally agree it’s dumb lol 😭 the thing that confuses me about the bruce v oliver debate is that i don’t get why there’s a need to compare when their parenting issues are at completely different ends of the spectrum. granted i do think both of them have issues with communicating but those stem from different things. every problem bruce has as a parent has to do with how he neurotic he is about being a parent to begin with. he cares too much, he worries constantly, he carries reams of guilt, etc. he’s constantly arguing within himself whether to keep the people he loves close so he can make sure they’re safe or to let them go so they can pursue their own dreams and aren’t put in harm’s way bc he asked them to stay. he’s like, a conditional-helicopter parent, in the sense that the helicopter gene only activates when people are in his city, which is why he allows them to walk away bc then it means he’s not trying to control them (except we obv know that leads to the problem where they feel like he’s pushed them away bc they think he thinks they’re not good enough)

oliver to me in comparison is someone who initially did not take parenthood seriously enough and almost treated it like he did any other relationship. unlike bruce, he was very intentional with treating roy like an equal—when i use that modifier at the beginning what i mean to say is that bruce was very cognizant of his position as a parent. dick’s safety was a higher priority than was dick’s self esteem (at least beyond the zucco incident which had a very specific goal of closure) even though bruce very much came to believe that dick was his equal, esp as an adult—and to the extent that when roy got into serious trouble with drugs oliver not only expressed this sort of condemnatory disappointment but also only expressed pride at roy having recovered from his addiction later on bc it was something he did on his own. he respected roy’s responsibility and maturity even though realistically as a parent he should have stepped in to help bc roy was still barely an adult and he had fallen prey to drugs bc oliver left him alone in the first place

those are both styles of parenting that i think you can criticize. there’s pros and cons to being too protective of your children vs not protective enough. and i think people tend only to criticize the former style and its example in bruce bc a recovery of his relationships with his children has never been the goal in the way that it is for oliver’s writers. which is a shame bc i really don’t think you or i believe bruce is as intentionally selfish as writers portray him to be. but alas 😭

[lightningandfireinmybones]

okay i had a thought?

Disclaimer I have been listening to this while studying (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qw9_FJv2oAY&list=PLjFwUFnGRUqOtc9INZDomQlb0D-4Eu0QI&index=3&ab_channel=ASMRrooms). so you understand... i got carried away

What if in the canon universe, we gave Val the Saera treatment but with a few tweaks? She isnt related to Daemyra at all and is just a valyrian bastard from Essos? We can pretend she is the daughter of one of Saera's many sons. She has inherited the valyrian looks though. Now what if Val having grown up in Lys had been taken as an.. apprentice (?), a ward (?) at one of the pillowhouses there? Maybe even Saera's (although i think she moved to volantis later in life?)

She works the work. She is the best. Men and Women travel from across the continent just to spend a night with her. They sell their fleets, they offer their jewels and gold. Forgotten weapons made from valyrian steel are given to her just so she'll spare them a glance. Not only does she have the blood of old valyria - being a targaryen bastard- but also she is distantly related to the Targs ruling over Westeros. She is a big deal. Now, after a while she gets bored there. Everyone is eating off the palm of her hands, she was them wrapped around her fingers. It's the same song over and over again. So she decides to pack up a few things and make her way west, just to see what that strange place is like, where everyone is so uptight and where her family of old rule.

She eventually makes her way to King's Landing. She decides to visit one of the brothels there and act like a complete novice at first. (maybe though she tells them who she is so that they will hire her?)

She meets Aegon though she keeps her distance. She doesn't really want to Know these people. It's like sight seeing for her. So she uses what sway she has to ensure Aegon is kept away from her.

One night Aemond shows up to pick up aegon as one does. She sees him and she's fucked. While aemond is waiting she approaches him, starts nonchalantly singing in valyrian, wanting him to notice her but without looking too desperate. And he does.

a young valyrian woman speaking their tongue, how does she even know how?

poor, faith guilt ridden, sexualy aversed by the brothel (understandably so)and also frustrated Aemond feels for the first time ever attracted to another person. (one who looks just like him how's that for Therapy?)

he visits more often just to see her. She keeps being subtle about it. he isnt. eventually he finds the inner strength to introduce himself (one can only get So frustrated before snapping).

im not thinking that aemond will stay guilt ridden for too long. there's a mean bad very horrible dom in there hiding. fuck the faith. all he needs is some guidance (corruption) by someone who cares about him. and Val has been game since moment 1. besides -ive never been religious so idk- aren't people who come from very restrictive religions the most delectable closeted sinners?

NAUR BESTIE PLS I LOVE THIS THINKING MANY THOTS I GOT CARRIED AWAY

because valaena without her grounding family and brothers is completely unhinged, without real self preservation and impulse control,,, so she's out here doing whatever the fuck she wants

in this world, we have valaena groomed to be the very best courtesan, trained in seduction and manipulation, to use her looks as a weapon and keep her mind sharp and deadly behind walls nobody else can get past

and val is good at that,,, she's good at getting her lovers to give up their whole lives, to throw fortunes at her, but she never really feels fulfilled, like she's seen or done it all,,, still, her fame grows as word of the bastard targaryen beauty spreads,,, even making it as far as to westeros, to the family that is not that distantly removed from her

the whole song and dance of being a world famous courtesan is starting to grow old,,, she longs for adventure, for adrenaline, to feel alive again, to experience something new that will make her blood sing

rumors reach her of war in westeros, of the rogue prince and the one-eyed prince, of the dragons that bond and bow to targaryen blood

in the dead of the night, she disappears from essos, nothing more than a memory and a rumor, talks of pale targaryen ghosts haunting each port she sails through on her way to king's landing

word of her reputation and skill make it to westeros before she does, and she has her pick of brothels to work at, to make her home there

she chooses something classy but discreet, that is willing to let her observe at first, to linger back and learn the ropes of this strange place where her silver hair and purple eyes get bows and looks of fear, in addition to the lust and the excitement she's used to in essos

the first targaryen she sees and meets is aegon, of course, but he almost ruins the experience for her,,, this is the legacy of her family? a drunk who likes to watch children fight??? content to linger in the shadows, valaena continues to observe, still searching for that spark of excitement she was chasing when she came here

but then,,, aemond comes to pick up aegon

and he's everything she was hoping for, the one-eyed prince in the flesh and its like being struck by lightning,,, he doesn't look twice at any of the women or men in the brothel, content to glower and twirl a dagger between his fingers as he broods and waits for his brother,,, she has to have him, but she knows he will not be easy

but valaena is talented and patient and knows how to manipulate men,,, she drapes herself over the windowsill, making sure the moonlight catches the silver of her curls just right, and sings the most haunting valyrian lullaby

aemond, for his end, is also fucked,,, there's this woman, something out of his deepest darkest dreams, looking like a goddess and singing a language she's not supposed to know, curly hair drifting over an exposed shoulder, the sleeve of her gown slipping down

then, she stands and sails past him, walking so gracefully it almost looks like she's gliding over the cobblestones, leaving nothing but a hint of jasmine and lemon perfume in the air

for the first time, aemond wants. he knows clinically about attraction and sex, has studied up until he has mastered even his own disinterest, but she blows up his carefully structured walls, one haunting note at a time,,,, he's wrapped up in confusion and guilt and frustrated and angry that the first time he wants a woman like this, it's a courtesan who looks like a targaryen bastard who paid him no mind at all

that doesn't stop him from coming back, collecting aemond personally night after night in hopes of catching a glimpse of that courtesan, a hint of that perfume

when he gets worked up enough to finally ask aegon about her, he's surprised when his brother laughs, telling him that "her name is valaena, and no, she won't fuck you. she doesn't fuck anyone here,,, believe me i tried"

the glimpses he catches of her at the brothel are confusing,,, a bruise on her collarbone that makes something inside of him ache, a quick laugh with another girl that stops him in his tracks, a flash of lavender eyes hiding a razor-sharp intelligence

he prays for guidance, but finds his mind wandering to her little gasp of surprise when he'd passed her in the hallways, the glimpse of cleavage in her gowns, the flash of thigh as she'd hopped down from a horse (ASTRIDE,,,, THE AUDACITY),,, he loses the relief of religion, for she has sullied even that for him,,, he gets angrier and angrier the more she is so close but never actually touching him or speaking to him past a few casual words in Valyrian

she's always just out of reach, but so close,,, valaena grinds aemond down until one day he snaps, approaching her in the rose gardens as she trims some blossoms, determined to finally solve the mystery of the seemingly celibate valyrian courtesan, paying a small fortune for the privilege of a night in her bedroom

he doesn't mean to throw her against the wall when he enters her chambers, doesn't mean to let his hands slide down her hips with a proprietary grip,,, but he also can't seem to help himself when it comes to her

layer by layer, valaena peels him until the unhinged dom emerges:')

[feedingtheflockministry]

What Love Does

Introduction

How does the Bible define love? Certainly, the manner of love that John wrote about which transforms our lives into the very image of Christ is unique in the world. 

Galatians 5 tells us what love is: "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control" (v. 22-23). Scripture also tells us what love is not: "Love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity" (1 Corinthians 13:4-6). In our text, John told us what love does.

How Love Behaves

When John wrote about love, he primarily used the word agape, meaning God's divine love or unconditional love. It is the love that sees beyond the surface and accepts the recipient for who they are, regardless of flaws, faults, and shortcomings.

John said, "By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren" (1 John 3:16). Agape is translated as a verb. Love is a verb. And what makes it actionable is an outward demonstration toward another person. Paul said something similar in Romans 5:8: "God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." God's love for us is expressed through actions, not mere platitudes. This kind of love is self-sacrificing, not self-centered.

John continued, "Whoever has this world's goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth" (1 John 3:17-18). Love in deed; make it actionable. Author and pastor Warren Wiersbe said, 'Self-preservation' is the first law of physical life, but 'self-sacrifice' is the first law of spiritual life."

What Love Believes

As a follower of Jesus Christ, your behavior is an extension of God's demonstrated agape love for you. It is also a reflection of what you believe in your heart. John mentioned the heart four times in the next three verses: "By this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him. For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God" (1 John 3:19-21).

It's a complicated passage. In our hearts, are we assured or condemned? Convicted or confident? What is going on in our hearts? John was expressing God's sympathy toward our human frailty, physical weakness, and moral wickedness. God knows that the heart is unreliable. "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it? I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings" (Jeremiah 17:9-10). In other words, if you are behaving—if your ways are fruitful—don't worry about believing. God knows your heart. He searches the heart and He tests the mind. He understands.

Nelson's Bible Dictionary defines the heart as "the inner self that thinks, feels, and decides." The thinking processes of man are said to be carried out in the heart. The heart in Scripture is what we call the mind in English. Hebrews 4:12 explains this: "The word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart."

In Scripture, the battle is for your mind. We tend make emotions the engine and our minds the caboose. But the Bible teaches that feelings follow faith and behavior follows belief. 

How Love Rebuilds

Is it possible to transform your mind so that what you know drives what you do, instead of how you feel? It is. But it can only happen if you allow the light of God's love to rebuild your mind. "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind" (Romans 12:2). When you allow God to renew your mind, you will be transformed. 

Closing

Your behavior should be based on truth—on what you believe—not on your feelings. You can even choose to behave contrary to your feelings. Even if you don't feel like it, obey God. Remember your heart is unreliable, but a mind renewed by choosing to walk in the light is a mighty force of love. Walk by faith and your feelings will follow. Corrie ten Boom said, "The will can function regardless of the temperature of the heart." That's just what John was saying, too.

Prayer

Lord, I want to love in deed and in truth as it says in Your Word. Show me how I can demonstrate love to my family, my friends, and even to strangers. Let my acts of love come from my growing faith in You. And keep my heart from deceiving me, Lord. Only You can transform and renew my mind. In Jesus' name, amen.

YouVersion Bible plan Live Brilliantly

[xanadulys]

Any of this sound familiar?

The apostle Paul lists the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22–23 when he states, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, self-control.” The list is provided in the midst of a conversation he is having about the importance of living in submission to the Holy Spirit. Paul says in Galatians 5:16 that the Christian is to “walk by the Spirit and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.” And again, “Since we live by the Spirit, we must also follow the Spirit” (v. 25). These comments are indications that Paul is talking about living the Christian life and the obedience to the Holy Spirit that is to be evident within the life of the Christian.

In addition, Paul lists the evidence of the sinful life, which includes “sexual immorality, moral impurity, promiscuity, idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambitions, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and anything similar” (Gal 5:19–21). These activities are evidence of a sinful, unbelieving heart (Gal 5:22), and are not to be part of the life of the Christian. Instead, the Christian should naturally be producing fruit that is consistent with a life that is being conformed into the image of Jesus (Rom 8:29). Gabriel Etzel and R. N. Small, Everyday Theology: Exploring the Christian Faith, ed. Ben Gutierrez and Gabriel Etzel (B&H Academic, 2016), 142.

[thegospelofstjohn]

"The Beep." From the Gospel of Saint John, 8: 42-47.

Jesus maintains His Position: Sin is forbidden. Man is not permitted to sin. Sin, He says can be cured if one applies oneself to the Torah. So long as man is willing to study the Torah and still sin, there can be no respite, no Noah, no redemption, no salvation, forgiveness or Shabbat. There is nothing of value at all in life in fact so long as we believe we can sin and get away with it. Especially in the public sphere.

It is the government's job to lead in eradicating sin from the organization management of man's combined affairs. There are no excuses for immoral or unethical conduct, no rule or lawbreaking in the government. Individuals can plumb the depts of religion in search of ways to avoid sin, but governments are not allowed this luxury. Jesus is much meaner than I about this. He speaks of Tikkun Olam Ha Ba, what is to come...will it be God or the devil? We are more than capable of making this decision:

42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I have come here from God. I have not come on my own; God sent me. 

43 Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say:

44 You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. 

45 Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me! 46 Can any of you prove me guilty of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don’t you believe me? 

47 Whoever belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.”

The Values in Gematria are:

v 42. God has sent me. To be sent is 235, בגה‎ , bega, "in an instant." When God sends a message, like the Great Hillel, easy to understand, that is what a good person will do. Who would do the opposite? A sick person.

The Number is 10126, י‎אבו‎, "the desire."

The Church does not need to undergo reform it needs to satisfy the desires of God and man that overlap. We do not believe the Holy Ghost is capable of doing this because we do not trust it or heed it or pay attention to it. We worry too much about all the little gods and hogwashers that are presently distracting us from Him.

To fix the Church and fix the faith we need to study the Gospels, obey the law and unearth ways that make us all happy that do not cause us to pay too dearly for them.

v. 43: Why don't you listen? The Number is 6280, ו‎בף‎, "and BF." "The beep."

= the motions of the mouth are used to break apart nonsense and cleave together wisdom. If the mouth is not being used in this fashion it is sinning.

v. 44: You all belong to the father of lies. I cannot believe you scum reelected Donald Trump after that wet kiss between him and Elon Musk, after he told the world he allowed his son to be raped by a disgusting old pedophile or are continuingt to honor the 2024 election results after Robert Kennedy told the world he cheated in 2016 and now plans to evict millions of perfectly happy persons and send them out into the night with nothing. Something is wrong with you.

The Number is 12114, יבא‎יד‎, "the iyad", the destination. The destination is the Mashiach, a mankind possessed of messianic tendencies.

v. 45-47: Whoever belongs to God believes what God says. The Number is 14204, ידךד‎, your hand, depressed.

Life must not be lived in a state of depression. This is blasphemy against God. All must be for the sake of the Shabbos, which leads to the wisdom needed to realize the nature of the Self called Shabbat. Collaboration between persons who understand Shabbos and Shabbat is called the Mashiach.

Observe these aspects of the Gospel Torah as if they were the law, which they are the black pillar of depression that is pressing the life out of the human race will lift.

[thepitofjob]

Job 31: 24-28. "The Kiss."

Man cannot trust himself. If the Book of Job teaches us anything, it is this. The next frame emphasizes this stating our lives are chaotic and our projections for the future are always gloomy, on the brink, because we are not able to establish a national trust.

During the most delicate moment in global history, President Biden allowed a bunch of freaks and fascists to take over the world, and now the Soviet Union is rebuilding, the atmosphere is in grave danger of overheating, and millions and millions of people do not have what they need to survive and contribute. Any attempt to fix our problems such as those being made by the peole of Israel are being demonized.

The mafia is running our governments and it has to be killed for doing it. We have been made to think our problems are religious in origin, that some final fight between Christendom and the rest is taking place, but in fact it is a spiritual war, a war of the intellect against the base pleasures. These men and women in the Mormons and Republican Party, in Russia and Iran do not care about Jesus or the Jews, they want to sell and shoot heroin and meth and fuck little kids all day long and are much more willing to defend their "rights" than we are. They are winning the world right in front of our very eyes.

All President Biden had to do was tell officials in the DOJ Donald Trump was caught trafficking in sex with minors and colluding with Hamas and Hezbollah and other enemies of the State and tell them to put a bullet in his head. He was caught red handed doing this. The public would have accepted his demise.

The Zohar says we are waiting for something that has never happened before- a miracle, something competent persons enact for themselves.

24 “If I have put my trust in gold     or said to pure gold, ‘You are my security,’ 25 if I have rejoiced over my great wealth,     the fortune my hands had gained, 26 if I have regarded the sun in its radiance     or the moon moving in splendor, 27 so that my heart was secretly enticed     and my hand offered them a kiss of homage, 28 then these also would be sins to be judged,     for I would have been unfaithful to God on high.

No one is surprised by a scripture that discusses the power of temptation. Everyone who is born as a man is tempted. The Torah says the greatest temptation is to be happy without paying a price. To pay a price for happiness is called wickedness. Wickedness can be aggressive or it can be passive. When evil is aggressive, good men cannot be passive, or they are wicked too.

The desire to be happy and not wicked, the prophet says must be more insatiable than the desire to be wicked or to let wicked men be.

The Values in Gematria are:

v. 24-25: Fortune my hands have made. The Number is 10323, קג‎ב‎ג‎, kagbeg, "as a man."

Adam according to the Torah was self made. He was created by God but made man by his own devices. The Torah is how he did it. The Torah is his story.

v. 26-27: My hand was moved. The Number is 7422, ז‎דבב‎ ‎ ‎zedev, "this one will evolve."

The first order of business in the Torah is control of the hands. One does not have to understand why God doesn't want us touching each other in inappropriate ways one just has to refrain. Later God says control the speech, after that, He explains control of the thoughts behind the speech. The more deeply one goes into the Torah, one goes into the Self and learns how much more elegantly one's control of the impulses is key to spending life on earth in peace.

v. 28: Then these also would be sins to be judged, for I would have been unfaithful to God on high. If man has a bane of his existence it is this term "faith in God." God does not need faith. He is a self-effulgent being that always carries out His promises and duties. We are the ones that need faith. God is not waiting in heaven, biting His fingernails to see if a bunch of fucktards are going to accept Him or demonstrate faith. That is stupid.

The Number is 5917, ה‎טיז‎, the hatiz, "the flew" also the "plate, the platter."

The climax in the Torah is called the Seder. The Seder represents the beginning of willpower. The rules in the Torah change after the Seder. In the beginning, God tells Adam and Evil not to make a baby because they aren't ready. They do it anyway and have to leave home. The Seder represents the moment one cannot rely on the rules or ones parents any longer. It is the moment every human being must take responsibility for his happiness and figure out how to do it right. The rest of the Torah provides definitions for ways to use one's will that are ethical and proper causes of happiness.

We have legislated as much of this into secular law as we can, but we are not following any of it. President Trump cheated in the 2016 election and then he Mike Pence, Karl Rove, Mike Pompeo, Josh Hawley, Babara and David Green and the Museum of the Bible and Hillsdale College crew, and many others went on a murdering and extortion spree to protect the fact they got caught. I turned them in for it in 2018, and then for trafficking of minors in 2020. I messaged the FBI, the Department of Homeland Security, and the press all year in 2021, and on a daily basis for 2022, 2023 and all this year.

In the midst of this, Israel was attacked by the same persons who used Trump's illegal presidency as a vehicle for interstate terrorism and they tried to blame the world's Muslims for doing it. Nothing constructive has been done about this.

We are trapped in Egypt, slaves to a system that will not yield up its willpower to the Law, called the Great Hillel, "do no harm" and the laws of the land. I do not know what to do. My life is threatened publicly and privately all day long, twenty four hours a day. This has been happening for decades, and I am not the only one that has been affected. So, faith in God is not what we need at this time.

[libidomechanica]

Ere Thought

A sonnet sequence

               I

Inebriate of air-balloons, and May? Her though every hymn that my name my original is dust, or seal’d with dear Love’s exchequer doubt this—when I lie because is, one that large: how can you turn and anguish quite alone; the musk of the hope or mine. Well, Sir, from the slight to the floor beauty morn now lifts his embrace and carried. If Sleep I give? And to come—Well, to renew: his mother, a good for her true, to catch at and love and thus algate, and Lethe- wards had seized you? Love is the school and head down she learne hear the rapt oration- Sisters or daughter, and thee on the hills.

               II

That loves to unity, like his selfe boye, ah for Colin made. But cruel Ida keep her eyes already for many heart beating my will keep the flocks are cowards you, your dog, fondle your bones, and lonely hours. All the strove, and the trip and now tis buried in dear words came halting for the year is an inverted sky bloom-covered all wondrous House too though hell should adopt your hands, which is ours to wreath: I know as spectre- thin, and thy unbraided crime, winter still, a discord. Your life! The long-laid galleries past all my flowering axe was born. My little ones that I wear it—sdeath!

               III

The last leave to sink to a Saturn. When she deem’d to live a contrast, which he beat in this subject to coast, and owning flowers to the flowered spread with shades, clamouring sun; conspiring a soft and long, demand performance of men,—what we remain, nor let the dust, a name, a wretched picturesque and the blessing in it as a finer light as if alive. You shall iudge this did, I cannot guess; but thrice more in yonder do you—and steam of town: he brought. Back to the weed, my friends, and for the point where the house returne, whose exposure it is why I told how this, but waxing things.

               IV

In heaven describe the vintage! Stranger and his carriage day is music of the Land. Sing me a thrush and life looks lovely charms of ladies’ feet, and mellow’d, and on the gilded tomb, a part of my own. To cadence of theyr foldes yeeld at thy partners of fame, ambition was upon her tongue evoke your vast forbere hym in some languish, and finger to find how his mouldering ilka bud which kept through faith had fall’n asleep, all this condition, miss Edgeworth’s novels stepping from thence I have seen the curtain first as Death, or liker bene thy yoke, they want to share the blow.

               V

Now will bear it will not wait henceforth a new one, Yet now dead: to grant the started from the men of rathe and pays it there, ’ she takes a desperate eyes were clear harp in diverse drew you are chance gave way their meet it, when the dust: thou mought the foreigners—and most other range; that then this beard, and tropics in an awkward countless ills, who refuse till all our vows, one lessoned so, not that I was a truth as if I would. Abide: thy wealthy region that act. Yet have him well, tho’ left alone, I marry the best this english and eek that I might be deterr’d by this a plight. With my soul would returning helm beside; and like the forest they strikes it and conquest for herte bloody spur cannot fall, I felt so much and when t is quite understand each other’s Eyes, infinite consanguinity it bears—this is to see within the sheep-track’s maze the second toe a little move?

[bookoformon]

Mormon Chapter 2, Part 4. "The Sorrowing of the Damned."

Mormon says without a profound hatred of those who cause suffering for others and a broken heart for their victims, Christianity is a paper airplane of a religion. It will fly so far as it can be tossed, will carry no passengers or luggage and cannot be steered:

12 And it came to pass that when I, Mormon, saw their lamentation and their mourning and their sorrow before the Lord, my heart did begin to rejoice within me, knowing the mercies and the long-suffering of the Lord, therefore supposing that he would be merciful unto them that they would again become a righteous people.

13 But behold this my joy was vain, for their sorrowing was not unto repentance, because of the goodness of God; but it was rather the sorrowing of the damned, because the Lord would not always suffer them to take happiness in sin.

14 And they did not come unto Jesus with broken hearts and contrite spirits, but they did curse God, and wish to die. Nevertheless they would struggle with the sword for their lives.

The Sword as we know is the objective of all religion, to know God's Spirit and to know well beyond faith that He knows us. Without empathy for others there is not one chance the Sword will come off the backs of our necks.

The Values in Gematria are:

v. 12: I saw their lamentation. The Value in Gematria is 11055. יא‎אֶפֶסהה, '"yes, yes it's zero."

v. 13 But my joy was in vain. The Value in Gematria is 15493, י״הדטג‎, j. hadtag, "The Name. the Sword, and the Crown."

v. 14: And they did not come unto Jesus. The Value in Gematria is 13831, יגחגז‎ , "will sneer, will giggle."

To sneer is another way of saying baz, "the spoils or booty", the giggle is tzich'kuk. "the cheeky naval cook."

The verse above says "but it was rather the sorrowing of the damned, because the Lord would not always suffer them to take happiness in sin." If we are attempting to become happier by sinning more rather than less, we are working for nothing, are exhibiting not one aspect of self-sovereignty, will not store up the treasures of heaven in our heart as Christ said we must do if we want all of the above.

Compassion and empathy for others, obtained through regular repentance and atonement are what separate civil societies from the savage and they must be done in thought, word, deed, and as a matter of policy.

The recent actions of the US Government, which include the freeing of Republican politicians who have engaged in election fraud, prostitution of minors, and organized crime, who have supported Hamas and Hezbollah as the wingmen of the Mormons, denied Ukraine its military assistance package, and suffer gun violence demonstrate we Americans are not able to think or operate like a civilized collective.

First, we must, as the former two frames from the Book of Mormon state, hit those Republican fuckers, hit them hard, and make them very, very sorry, so the world sees how ashamed we are of ourselves. This shame must be real.

Then we have to reorganize our government so it never again becomes a haven for the cruel and uneducated, and finally we need to make amends to the people we have hurt. This only way we will ever be able to experience our underlying spiritual emotions is to demonstrate we are aware we have sinned and are not happy with ourselves.

So if you read my forum, insist to the press, the White House and your Congressional Representation you want the pedophiles and mobsters in the Republican Party all the cheaters and zealots thrown into jail or put to death, that you want to live in a civilized place that does not revel in its sins.

[kusnorio]

Why does Denny Ja voic the importance of reformist Muslim women in society?

Why does Denny Ja voic the importance of reformist Muslim women in society?

In Islamic society, the role of reformist Muslim women has become increasingly important. In this context, Denny JA, a well -known intellectual and public figure in Indonesia, has actively voiced the importance of the role of reformist Muslim women in society. In this article, it will be explained why Denny JA fights for this role and how their contribution can bring positive changes in society. I. Education as the main key First, Denny JA realizes that education is the main key to forming quality reformist Muslim women. In a society that is still backward or trapped in conservative traditions, Muslim women often do not get the same opportunity in getting education and self -development. In Denny Ja's view, educational reform must be a top priority so that Muslim women can become strong agents of change in society. II. Face the challenges of modernity The challenges of modernity are often a barrier for Muslim women in carrying out their roles as reformists. In this context, Denny Ja suggested the importance of strengthening faith and good religious understanding. He believes that only with a strong understanding of religion, Muslim women can answer the challenges of modernity wisely and still maintain fundamental Islamic values. III. Liberation of Muslim women from stereotypes In a society that is still bound by rigid stereotypes and norms, Denny Ja also highlights the importance of freeing Muslim women from these limitations. He argues that Muslim women must be given the opportunity to explore their potential and be empowered to contribute to society. In Denny Ja's view, the liberation of Muslim women from stereotypes will allow them to play an active role in society and contribute significantly in the development of the country. IV. Diversity in Islam Denny Ja also underlines the importance of respecting diversity in Islam. In a society that is often divided by differences in doctrine and religious schools, Denny Ja invites to understand that diversity is a necessity in Islam. He stressed the importance of tolerance and dialogue between Muslim women who have different views to reach mutually beneficial agreements. V. The importance of the role of Muslim women in society Denny Ja also explained why the role of Muslim women in society is so important. Women have social sensitivity and multitasking abilities that allow them to play a role in various aspects of life. In society that is faced with various challenges, reformist Muslim women can be strong agents of change and make a real contribution in the fields of education, economy, social, and political. Conclusion Denny Ja firmly voiced the importance of the role of reformist Muslim women in society. He stressed the importance of quality education for Muslim women, strengthening faith, liberation from stereotypes, appreciation for diversity in Islam, and important roles that can be played by Muslim women in various aspects of life. Denny Ja believes that by fighting for this role, society will become more inclusive, advanced, and fair. Therefore, it is very important for all parties to support and provide the same opportunity for Muslim women to contribute and bring positive changes in society.

Check more: Why does Denny JA voic the importance of reformist Muslim women in society?

[circlecast]

What is Your Code of Conduct

Roman code or Mos Maiorum

Mos maiorum means the way of the elders

8 virtues

Fideas - Be trust worthy

The Latin word fides encompasses several English words, such as trust/trustworthiness, good faith/faithfulness, confidence, reliability, and credibility. It was an important concept in Roman law, as oral contracts were common. 

Pietas - Be respectful

Pietas was the Roman attitude of dutiful respect towards the gods, homeland, parents, and family, which required the maintenance of relationships in a moral and dutiful manner. 

Religio and Cultus - Be religious

Related to the Latin verb religare, "to bind", religio was the bond between gods and mortals, as carried out in traditional religious practices for preserving the pax deorum (“peace of the gods”). Cultus was the active observance and the correct performance of rituals. Religious practice, in this sense, is to be distinguished from pietas and its inherent morality. See religion in ancient Rome and imperial cult (ancient Rome).

Disciplin - Be diciplined

The military character of Roman society suggests the importance of disciplina, as related to education, training, discipline, and self-control.

Gravitas and constantia - Self Control or Temperance

Gravitas was dignified self-control. Constantia was steadiness or perseverance. In the face of adversity, a good Roman was to display an unperturbed façade. Roman myth and history reinforced this value by recounting tales of figures such as Gaius Mucius Scaevola, who in a founding legend of the Republic demonstrated his seriousness and determination to the Etruscan king Lars Porsenna by holding his right hand in a fire.

Virtus - Core values

Derived from the Latin word vir ("man"), virtus constituted the ideal of the true Roman male. Gaius Lucilius discusses virtus in some of his work and says that it is virtus for a man to know what is good, evil, useless, shameful, or dishonorable.

Dignitas and auctoritas - serve others with dignatity

Dignitas and auctoritas were the end result of displaying the values of the ideal Roman and the service of the state, in the forms of priesthoods, military positions, and magistracies. Dignitas was a reputation for worth, honor and esteem. Thus, a Roman who displayed their gravitas, constantia, fides, pietas and other values of a Roman would possess dignitas among their peers. Similarly, by that path, a Roman could earn auctoritas ("prestige and respect").

Us military Code of Conduct

The Code of Conduct provides guidance for the behavior and actions of members of the Armed Forces of the United States. This guidance applies not only on the battlefield but also in the event that the service member is captured and becomes a prisoner of war (POW). The Code is delineated in six articles.

Article I:

I am an American, fighting in the forces which guard my country and our way of life. I am prepared to give my life in their defense.

Article II:

I will never surrender of my own free will. If in command, I will never surrender the members of my command while they still have the means to resist.

Article III:

If I am captured I will continue to resist by all means available. I will make every effort to escape and aid others to escape. I will accept neither parole nor special favors from the enemy.

Article IV:

If I become a prisoner of war, I will keep faith with my fellow prisoners. I will give no information or take part in any action which might be harmful to my comrades. If I am senior, I will take command. If not, I will obey the lawful orders of those appointed over me and will back them up in every way.

Article V:

When questioned, should I become a prisoner of war, I am required to give my name, rank, service number, and date of birth. I will evade answering further questions to the utmost of my ability. I will make no oral or written statements disloyal to my country and its allies or harmful to their cause.

Article VI:

I will never forget that I am an American, fighting for freedom, responsible for my actions, and dedicated to the principles which made my country free. I will trust in my God and in the United States of America.

Spartan code of Honor

The Spartan hoplite followed a strict laconic code of honor. No soldier was considered superior to another.

Suicidal recklessness, misbehavior, and rage were prohibited in the Spartan army, as those behaviors endangered the phalanx. Recklessness could also lead to dishonor, as in the case of Aristodemus.

Spartans regarded those who fight, while still wishing to live, as more valorous than those who don't care if they die.

They believed that a warrior must not fight with raging anger but with calm determination.

Spartans must walk without any noise and speak only with a few words in the laconic way of life.

 Other ways for Spartans to be dishonored include dropping the shield (rhipsaspia), failing to complete the training, and deserting in battles. Dishonored Spartans were labeled as outcasts and would be forced to wear different clothing for public humiliation.

 In battles, the Spartans told stories of valor to inspire the troops and, before a major confrontation, they sang soft songs to calm the nerves.

Bushido code

Righteousness (義 gi). Justice is the most important virtue for the samurai. A true samurai does not attack the enemy without an important reason.

Loyalty (忠義 chūgi). Loyalty is the 2nd most important thing in life. The samurai should always be loyal to his master. The samurai should also believe his duty to protect his master is the meaning of life.

Honor (名誉 meiyo). A life without honor is not a life. If a samurai makes a mistake, he should honor his name by committing suicide. (Example: The story of 47 samurai (the Ako Incident).

Respect (礼 rei). A samurai should always respect his enemy. A samurai respects his opponent before and after the fight. Even if a samurai kills his opponent, he is very respectful to the corpse.

Honesty ( 誠 sei). A samurai never lies. “Deception” does not exist in the Book of a Samurai.

Courage (勇 yū). A samurai fights until the end. A samurai is never afraid of anything. He is not afraid of death. A samurai is always brave because he fights for something he believes in.

Consistency (誠 makoto ). A samurai never change their path. He is like a dragonfly, he always moves forward, he never moves back.

What is your code?

Why do you need a code?

What is in a code?

00:00:00 Exploring Different Societal Codes of Conduct 00:00:37 Introduction to Relaxed Male and its purpose 00:10:52 The impact of parental expectations and disappointment 00:14:30 The erosion of respect and the need for a code of conduct 00:16:44 The importance of discipline in education and self-control 00:19:13 Virtus: knowing what is good, evil, and honorable 00:19:59 Roman Values: Dignitas, Auctoritas, and Core Virtues 00:24:53 Spartan Code of Honor: Equality and Prohibited Behaviors 00:26:18 Valor and Calm Determination: The Spartan Code of Conduct 00:28:17 Inspiring Troops and Calming Nerves: Singing in Battle 00:30:16 The Bushido Code: Values of the Japanese Samurai 00:33:19 Building Your Own Code: Why You Need a Code of Conduct 00:36:27 Importance of Writing and Displaying Core Values

Newest podcast episode to change your Mindset

[woven-in-christ]

What Love Does

Introduction

How does the Bible define love? Certainly, the manner of love that John wrote about which transforms our lives into the very image of Christ is unique in the world. 

Galatians 5 tells us what love is: "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control" (v. 22-23). Scripture also tells us what love is not: "Love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity" (1 Corinthians 13:4-6). In our text, John told us what love does.

How Love Behaves

When John wrote about love, he primarily used the word agape, meaning God's divine love or unconditional love. It is the love that sees beyond the surface and accepts the recipient for who they are, regardless of flaws, faults, and shortcomings.

John said, "By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren" (1 John 3:16). Agape is translated as a verb. Love is a verb. And what makes it actionable is an outward demonstration toward another person. Paul said something similar in Romans 5:8: "God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." God's love for us is expressed through actions, not mere platitudes. This kind of love is self-sacrificing, not self-centered.

John continued, "Whoever has this world's goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth" (1 John 3:17-18). Love in deed; make it actionable. Author and pastor Warren Wiersbe said, 'Self-preservation' is the first law of physical life, but 'self-sacrifice' is the first law of spiritual life."

What Love Believes

As a follower of Jesus Christ, your behavior is an extension of God's demonstrated agape love for you. It is also a reflection of what you believe in your heart. John mentioned the heart four times in the next three verses: "By this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him. For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God" (1 John 3:19-21).

It's a complicated passage. In our hearts, are we assured or condemned? Convicted or confident? What is going on in our hearts? John was expressing God's sympathy toward our human frailty, physical weakness, and moral wickedness. God knows that the heart is unreliable. "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it? I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings" (Jeremiah 17:9-10). In other words, if you are behaving—if your ways are fruitful—don't worry about believing. God knows your heart. He searches the heart and He tests the mind. He understands.

Nelson's Bible Dictionary defines the heart as "the inner self that thinks, feels, and decides." The thinking processes of man are said to be carried out in the heart. The heart in Scripture is what we call the mind in English. Hebrews 4:12 explains this: "The word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart."

In Scripture, the battle is for your mind. We tend make emotions the engine and our minds the caboose. But the Bible teaches that feelings follow faith and behavior follows belief. 

How Love Rebuilds

Is it possible to transform your mind so that what you know drives what you do, instead of how you feel? It is. But it can only happen if you allow the light of God's love to rebuild your mind. "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind" (Romans 12:2). When you allow God to renew your mind, you will be transformed. 

Closing

Your behavior should be based on truth—on what you believe—not on your feelings. You can even choose to behave contrary to your feelings. Even if you don't feel like it, obey God. Remember your heart is unreliable, but a mind renewed by choosing to walk in the light is a mighty force of love. Walk by faith and your feelings will follow. Corrie ten Boom said, "The will can function regardless of the temperature of the heart." That's just what John was saying, too.

Prayer

Lord, I want to love in deed and in truth as it says in Your Word. Show me how I can demonstrate love to my family, my friends, and even to strangers. Let my acts of love come from my growing faith in You. And keep my heart from deceiving me, Lord. Only You can transform and renew my mind. In Jesus' name, amen.

YouVersion Bible plan Live Brilliantly

[pooma-bible]

Sister. Savita Manwani

Praise the Lord! It’s time for today’s word ministration.

I welcome you all in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Let us Pray: Gracious Heavenly Father, we thank you for this hour of word ministration. We pray Lord that you be with us and direct us to know all the truth about your word. We give you all glory and honor. In Jesus name, we pray. Amen.

Topic: Six Trust Lessons from Gideon

Scripture Text- Judges 6-7

Gideon was an ordinary guy. He was not very impressive at the first look, but he makes some choices that flow from his faith in God. So significant is the mark that this very ordinary man made in his time that he is listed in Hebrews 11 alongside the heroes of faith. His story in Judges 6-7 helps us to find a primer on trusting God. There are six lessons here to help trust God more.

I. God uses tough times to get our attention (Judges 6:1-6)

As we open Judges 6, we find the nation of Israel coming off a time of relative ease. The bills are paid, the kids are behaving, and business is good. Everything's coming up roses. And as it tends to happen to us all in such times, Israel forgot God. They became self-sufficient. They didn't need God. So the Lord shook things up by rousing an enemy against them to show them how hard life can be without Him.

Verse 1 says that the Israelites did what was evil in the sight of the LORD. So the LORD handed them over to Midian for seven years. You need to know that the Midianites were extremely powerful and oppressed the Israelites mercilessly. Every year around harvest time, the nomadic Midianites would invade Israel. And v. 5 tells us that they would come in like locusts, ravaging the land. What they couldn't carry with them they destroyed. The Bible reports that it was so bad many of the Israelites left their homes to live in caves and strongholds, fearing for their lives. This went on for seven years.

Finally, the Israelites cried out to the Lord for help. Why did they wait so long to turn to the Lord? Because they're a lot like us - they waited until every possible option played out and they couldn't take it any longer.

Verse 6 tells us that Israel became poverty-stricken because of Midianites, and the Israelites cried out to the LORD. How many times have hard circumstances come to us, and we never stop to ask what God is planning for us in those circumstances? Instead we hold out, thinking that we can handle it on our own. Learn this from Gideon: every experience in life is a test. And every trial in the lives of God's people is tailored to draw us closer to God.

Here's the point: When tough times come, instead of looking at them as if God is punishing you, try to see them as God's gift of grace.

Proverbs 3:11-12: Do not despise the LORD's instruction, my son, and do not loathe His discipline; 12 for the LORD disciplines the one He loves, just as a father, the son he delights in. He loves you too much to let you keep living the way you are. He longs to be at the center of your life. So He has designs in our troubles, and they are always for our good.

C.S. Lewis said it like this, "God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains. It's His megaphone to rouse a deaf world."

II. God sees more than we do (6:7-12)

The wonderful thing about God is that even though we're slow returning to Him, He is never slow in responding to us. Verses 7-8 show us that when we cry out to God, He moves in mercy and love toward us. He tells us the truth, and begins to work behind the scenes to help us. For Israel, He first sends an unnamed prophet to call them back to total surrender and full devotion. But His plan also included a most unlikely man named Gideon. Gideon is seen in v. 11 where he is threshing some wheat in a winepress to keep it from the Midianites. Normally, you would want to thresh wheat out in the open so that the wind could blow away the chaff. But Gideon has apparently been stung before, so he goes into hiding in an underground winepress, hoping to avert the attention of the Midianites.

It's a pitiful sight, full of frustration, discouragement, and fear.

In case you ever wonder if God has a sense of humor, read v. 12: Then the Angel of the LORD appeared to him and said: "The LORD is with you, mighty warrior." Can't you imagine Gideon around for the man of valor the Lord was addressing! Was God being sarcastic? Or did He see more than Gideon saw? I believe God saw what He was about to make of Gideon. It was time Gideon saw it too.

Dear brothers and sisters, do you know who you really are? One of the biggest lies we tell ourselves is that God only uses special people. If you are a born-again believer, you are God's child (John 1:12), His friend (John 15:15), and His masterpiece (Eph. 2:10). You have been justified (Rom. 5:1), freed forever from condemnation from God (Rom. 8:1). You are adopted into His family (Eph. 1:5) and your citizenship is in heaven (Phil. 3:20). You belong to God (I Cor. 6:20), never to be separated from His love (Rom. 8:35)! And you have everything from Him you need for life and godliness! God knows who you are, even if you don't. And He will work to help you see your true identity.

III. God confirms His priorities with His presence (6:13-24)

After being called a mighty warrior, Gideon questions God: "Please Sir, if the LORD is with us, why has all this happened? And where are all His wonders that our fathers told us about?" (v. 13) Gideon's conclusion was that the Lord has abandoned them.

Verse 14 records something that must have bulldozed Gideon's sensibilities. It says that the Lord turned to him. He looked Gideon full in the face and said, "Go in the strength you have and deliver Israel from the power of Midian. Am I not sending you?" Gideon still isn't doing the math in this divine equation, so he notes just how unimpressive his resume is. He is the weakest link in his clan, the youngest in his family. He doesn't have any authority to call out the cavalry from his own tribe, let alone from others.

God confirms His priorities with His presence in v. 16, "I will be with you," the LORD said to him. "You will strike Midian down [as if it were] one man." Gideon is given an undeniable commission, told the remarkable results in advance, and promised the unrivaled partnership of the Lord Himself. After further confirmation that he was in fact, dealing with God Himself, v. 22 tells us that the pieces fell into place for Gideon. He cries out, "Oh no, Lord GOD! I have seen the Angel of the LORD face to face!" His fears comforted, His calling affirmed. So he builds an altar to the Lord.

Gideon needed a personal encounter with God. God met him right where he was, giving him a sense of peace and purpose by His promised presence. It was said among Napoleon's soldiers, "When Napoleon takes our hands and looks at us, we feel like conquerors." There's something that changes in us when we listen to His voice and look "full in His wonderful face." Suddenly, His priorities become the most important thing on earth.

IV. Private faithfulness is a prerequisite to public usefulness (6:25-32)

Before Gideon can be used publicly, he must first clean up his own backyard. His family was breaking the 1st and 2nd commandments, with idols to Baal on their property. So the first assignment from the Lord was to take his dad's special seven-year-old bull and tear down the idols. Then, Gideon was to sacrifice that prized bull using the wood from the destroyed idol.

What's the point in telling us this? If you want to learn how to trust God, you must first set your own house in order. Before God can use you mightily, He must be magnified in your own life, in your own home. Private worship prepares us for public power from God. There are no short cuts. So is there anything you've been holding on to? Is there any sin that you're clinging to? Knock down your idols. Confess you sin. Deal with it and return to full obedience to God.

Will it stir things up to do this? Sure it will, but God will honor those who honor Him! It happened for Gideon. Evidently, this bull was community breeding stock owned by Gideon's family. Verse 30 reports that the men of the city said to Joash, "Bring out your son. He must die." But Gideon's act was already affecting change. His father, Joash, awoke to the truth and stood up to the men, asking in v. 31, "Would you plead Baal's case for him? . . . If he is a god, let him plead his own case."

V. God is patient with our faith process (6:33-40)

When we get to v. 33, it says the Midianites and their partners are getting ready to make their annual raid. But instead of cringing in a cave, v. 34 says the Spirit of the LORD enveloped Gideon, and he blew the ram's horn and the Abiezrites rallied behind him. Gideon had taken a huge step of faith in his private faithfulness and now God's Spirit was drawing people from far and wide. Thirty-two thousand men show up, ready to fight!

Even after his encounter with Almighty God, even though he had been obedient, and even though the Holy Spirit was empowering him, Gideon still struggled with doubts. He knows that God has promised to save Israel through him, but he's looking in the mirror and the reflection he sees doesn't look encouraging.

Notice vs. 36-37. Gideon says to the Lord, If You will deliver Israel by my hand, as You said, 37 I will put a fleece of wool here on the threshing floor. If dew is only on the fleece, and all the ground is dry, I will know that You will deliver Israel by my strength, as You said." I love how loving, tender, and patient God is with us. Gideon is making a deal with God. He wants a confirming sign.

And the Bible says the next morning, God gave it to him: the fleece was wet and the ground was dry. Even when this "Doubting Thomas" of the OT reverses the test in v. 39, asking that the fleece be dry and the ground covered with dew, God graciously confirmed His power to Gideon. Our Lord was developing this man into a fully convinced servant, matching each doubt with kind reassurance. God will show you the same patience as well as you seek His face, allaying your fears to grow you into a man or woman of God.

VI. Success is determined by God's power, not ours (7:1-8)

Gideon's now ready to rumble but God has other plans. In Judges 7:2, the Lord said to Gideon, The LORD said to Gideon, "You have too many people for Me to hand the Midianites over to you, or else Israel might brag: 'I did it myself.'" God proceeds to give Gideon a couple of tests to whittle the number down. The first test culled 22,000 men out of the army, leaving 10,000. Still too many, said God.

So in v. 4, a second test was given. God tells Gideon to take his men down to the water and let them drink. Weed out any men who stick their face down into the water to drink; keep the ones who ladle the water to their mouths with their hands. Gideon must have gulped hard when he counted how many were disqualified: 9700 were out, leaving only 300 men.

Can you imagine how Gideon felt? Chapter 8 tells us that the Midianite army numbered 135,000 men. That's 450 Midianites to every one Israeli soldier. God wants Gideon's army to face this horde with a mere 300 men who know how to drink politely!

God created an impossible situation of human weakness to exalt His own strength. This is His specialty! What did Jesus say in Luke 18:27? "What is impossible with men is possible with God." Here's a good lesson for us: Accomplishing God's purposes is not determined by the bottom line on a finance sheet, or the size of our congregation, or the efficiency of our plans.

We need to attend to all those things, sure. But the truth is, God is looking to glorify Himself on earth through people who are fully dependent on Him, who believe He is with them and are ready to charge the hill in the name of the Lord! God doesn't need a majority vote from us on this. He doesn't need us at all.

[evanescentdawn]

I live forever in late ss, in the blankperiod & post-gaiden — in the softness & sweetness of it, how their relationship rebuilds & grows — but honestly shippuden era is probs my fav and ahhhhh, it’s really so exciting to write a fic in that era even if it’s an au. like, the tension & the angst & this ss dynamic…..gosh, it all kills me. I have so much hYPE for this.