#salvation brings fearlessness

[kyouka-supremacy]

More thoughts about Kyouka and Akutagawa since I have. A Lot. Most of this was initially rambles that were to go in the tags but got too long to fit

In the end Akutagawa likes Kyouka so much and is fond of her because he subconsciously admires how she found the courage to get out of the environment that was severely hurting her and actually call out her abusive mentor for the pain he inflicted her, whereas Akutagawa is aware that he never was and never will be able to do the same. It's only subconscious, because Akutagawa couldn't ever stand admitting it to himself- because to him that would mean admitting being in pain is his fault too, as well as second guessing every single choice he's ever made. But the admiration is still there. Akutagawa is always complimenting Kyouka, and it's kind of heartwarming‚ kind of heartbreaking when you take in that that's just what he always wanted his own mentor to do to him. Akutagawa's character is so tragic...

Also, in my opinion Kyouka never really feared Akutagawa the way Akutagawa fears Dazai. She feared being hurt as long as she stayed in an hostile enviroment, in great disadvantage and with no chance to get out on her own, but as soon as her chains were broken she really... Doesn't falter in front of Akutagawa. She threatens him with a gun the day after having left the pm- and she doesn't falter, doesn't hesitate; she almost blows him up seconds later; she's not afraid of him as they fight during the cannibalism arc; in Dead Apple, she isn't troubled by the idea of being left alone with him, because she's confident in her abilities and knows she can perfectly stand up for herself. None of this could be said for Akutagawa and Dazai. Partially because Akutagawa was much more vulnerable than Kyouka when Dazai picked him up (despite them being the same age; but Kyouka was raised lovingly and had a perception of what being treated with dignity was like, while Akutagawa lacked that), partially because Dazai is way better at manipulating people than Akutagawa could ever be, who really sucks at it. Akutagawa is terrified of Dazai and still very much subject to him: God, he didn't hesitate one second to throw himself from a balcony just to catch a repetitor for a slight chance to talk to him. He begged him to allow him to prove his power although he was beaten and exhausted and every muscle in his body hurt like hell. He didn't object to being teamed up with the person he hates the most in the whole world just because it was Dazai who asked. After four years after having been abandoned, Dazai called, and Akutagawa immediately ran to him- with that desperate look in his eyes. But the list is so long, I could go on forever; every single thing Akutagawa does (or, almost every single... ), he does for Dazai. Kyouka would never do ANY of this for Akutagawa (thank goodness). Akutagawa fears Dazai, Kyouka doesn't fear Akutagawa.

It's also sorta fun how Kyouka didn't particularly try to hide her dislike for Akutagawa even while she was still in the pm. Seriously, Kyouka is so fearless and brave. I wholly believe her being so blunt about her animosity towards him contributes to Akutagawa having a liking for her, be it self-loathing, be it having the courage to do what he himself could never. (And it's also fun to remember how Akutagawa has it in him to hate Dazai. There's a whole alternative universe where he deeply loathes him from the first to the last page).

Really, Kyouka and Akutagawa are some of my favorite foils and I'll never get tired of them. Both of them are kind of ruthless. Both have a deep bond with their siblings, who bring out the best of them. For both joining their respective organizations is seen as salvation. The way they're both very pragmatic and oftentimes even cynical. The way they were perfectly on the same page in Dead Apple, to the point Kyouka deemed it the best choice in that moment to go with Akutagawa rather than stay with Atushi. The real difference lays in how Kyouka found it in herself to rebel where Akutagawa couldn't. But that's not really a difference by itself as much as it was consequence of the environment they grew up in: Kyouka was raised in early childhood with love and support, and was able to tell that what was being done to her in the pm was wrong. Akutagawa, on the other hand, never knew what love is, so he couldn't perceive the lack of thereof.

[thenabat]

When Evil Lurks (2023)

Urban problems now encroach upon rural plots. Perceived governmental neglect and poor decisions driven by the cruelty and self-interests of the Owning class exacerbates the woes of the Renting class. In their desperation to save themselves and their loved ones, these Renters eventually return to the one thing they believe can deliver their salvation: spirituality. To disastrous results.

In the fictional world of 2023’s When Evil Lurks, written and directed by Demián Rugna, all the churches have closed their doors. After the presence of demons and demonic possessions became overwhelming in the larger cities, parishioners abandoned the places of worship. The very same churches that sold themselves as the bastion against these very horrors were ultimately impotent in the face of a crisis. So, the Renters look for this world’s version of attacking the spiritual with the scientific. All the while wrestling with their individual view of religion and spirituality, often steeped in folktale and rural tradition. Oh, and struggling to survive through the horror, grief and uncertainty of their circumstance.

Fine acting combined with (mostly) quality special effects brings the existential horror of the uncontrollable and unforeseen to the forefront. The dangers of neighbors. The struggles of criminal offenders attempting to return to a normal life after incarceration. The obvious jabs at government and organized religion. The socio-economic tensions between landlords and their tenants. And finally, an individual's struggle with spirituality when left to their own devices during the darkest moments of their life. Plus a lot of fun, scary movie imagery. Given, some of said imagery does little to nothing to further the message of any of these grandiose concepts. Some don’t even approach ironic character death which would come natural for most slasher-like films. All of which is mildly redeemed by a fearlessness to show the glorious gore without basking in it or glorifying it.

For a film so filled with things rightfully described as disgusting, repulsive, shocking and horrible; it is a strangely beautiful tale of desperation’s affect on a character’s decision-making. Yes, there are several stunning shots with subtle, natural lighting, but the more horrific shots (many of which are upsetting to the stomach as well as the eye) are the ones that truly stick out. It is clear this world is not yet lost to the grim dark, but it is tainted by the poison subsisting beneath and alongside it. The strangely beautiful comes from our protagonist’s personal feelings of helplessness and his attempts to overcome his perceived failings.

Whether or not Pedro is able to save himself and his family, physically or spiritually, I will leave unsaid here. I do fully recommend this film as a refreshing take on religious horror that deals with sprawling, heavy concepts that I also enjoy dabbling in from time to time. However, the film does not go far enough to provide any actionable response to the issues it raises, which would be far more satisfying to the viewer. Instead, we are left thinking of the inevitable consequences of fighting systemic problems with hurried decisions made under duress.

7.5/10

[feathersnek]

May I introduce her majesty, Haze Cesario Idafield

The sincere ruler of humanity's last remaining safe-haven, the kingdom of Neo-Eidyia.

Our fearless leader in Tales of the Rays new arc: Recollection. It would be my pleasure to tell you more about her. At least that we know of so far in our 3 short chapters.

On the surface:

Haze is a truly kindhearted ruler who wants nothing more than the destruction of the wraiths that brought mankind to its current desperate state. She strives to understand, bring happiness to, and deliver salvation to her people. She loves her people dearly and bears her weight as ruler with diligence.

Once you get to know her more personally you will find her to be not only earnest and caring, but also somewhat oblivious to simpler aspects of life that only commoners know of. She approaches such new things in a very headstrong manner that sometimes leads her to actions quite unexpected of her royal status.

But Haze has more to her than this. Let's delve deeper under the cut:

Haze leads not only her country and her army but also research on the wraiths and how to eradicate them once and for all. During said research, generations ago, she one day ceased to age. She knows not how or why, but views it as god's will for her to wipe out the wraiths. As such, she has lived for many lifetimes now, and her desire to save her people grows each passing day. To her, all of her citizens are like her beloved children.

Immortality has its side effects. Haze's memory is decidedly too full. She must focus intently to remember things at times, even if they happened just yesterday. It's unknown just how deeply this affects her besides momentary times of heavy thought to recall the past.

Haze is also very fond of open affection and contact. She is not shy about stating her love for her people or her friends. Neither will she hesitate to give headpats or hugs. She is confused when others get embarrassed by her doting on them in these ways, but notes when she has made someone uncomfortable and tries to give them space.

Haze has long lived to see wraiths' blight upon mankind erased.

Her constant years of research and battle are about to pay off, though in ways entirely unexpected...

[orthodoxadventure]

Prayer to Saint Tikhon, Patriarch of Moscow

O good pastor, our fervent intercessor and instructor, holy hierarch Tikhon! Hearken now to the groans and sighs which issue forth from the depths of our hearts, and accept the earnest entreaty we make unto thee; for we know that as a loving father thou abidest ever with us in spirit, watching over us, thy sinful children, and praying to the Lord in our behalf. Wherefore, O favorite of God, as thou hast boldness before the Master Jesus Christ with His all-pure Mother, be thou for us a mediator and advocate, for, now as ever, we stand sorely in need of thine intercession. As thou wast a peer of the apostles, bringing enlightenment to those benighted by heresy and schism, so lead us into the uncreated light of the grace of God, that we may pass from glory to glory, and may find rest with thee and all the saints in the mansions of heaven; and as thou wast a fearless confessor of the truth of the holy Orthodox Faith, so teach us to stand immovable on the rock of faith, unshaken by the surging tides and currents of worldly understandings and temptations; and as thou didst prevail until the end in thine awesome contest against the prince of this world and his evil minions, so do thou aid us, thy sinful and unworthy children, in our daily struggles, that by thy supplications we may escape the malice of the enemy of our salvation and may set at nought the schemes and wiles of those who, having succumbed to his influence, prefer worldly glory, riches and position to humility and all the Christian virtues and a steadfast confession of Christ our true God, Who with the unoriginate Father and His all-holy, good and life-creating Spirit, is worshiped and glorified forever. Amen.

[mybeautifulchristianjourney]

The Prayers of John Knox by Angelo Valle

John Knox (1514-1572) was a Scottish priest turned bodyguard turned galley slave turned Reformer. He grew up in a time and place where the Gospel of the Lord Jesus was just beginning to rise again across the European landscape. Scotland herself had the message of salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone come upon her shores by the likes of Patrick Hamilton. Hamilton had visited Europe and heard this precious message. Sadly when he returned home, he soon became the first Protestant martyr within Scotland. He would not be the last to shed His blood for the sake of the Gospel.

Knox himself would become convinced of the Protestant Reformed faith, that need for salvation from the wrath of God through the shed blood of Christ which is made ours by faith alone. Knox love for this message was not piecemeal, but he found himself wholly committed. Historians have often likened him to the Old Testament prophets in the days of the ancient kings. Roland H. Bainton wrote, “John Knox felt toward [Scotland’s] idolaters as Elijah the priests of Baal.” Mark Galli also added, “Knox was a Hebrew Jeremiah set down on Scottish soil.”

The problem with being like the Old Testament prophets is that rarely do such individuals find themselves to be popular. The same is true today for those bold enough to stand firmly upon God’s word. Knox found himself ridiculed by many for his zeal for the cross of Christ and his disdain for every form of idolatry which contended with God’s Word particularly from the Church of Rome. Knox is beneficial for us today because he teaches us that ordinary flawed men and women, who are committed to Christ above all else can be used to change the world. Scotland was never the same after Knox. By the mercy of God, the message of the Gospel was faithfully proclaimed regularly at St. Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh. Knox even after his death was immortalized under these words: “Here lies one who never feared any flesh.”

What can we learn about this Scottish Reformer? One lesson we can learn about is the transformative power of prayer. One of the many works left behind from the pen of Knox includes a treatise on prayer. Knox was a man defined by prayer and speaks of the necessity of prayer in this way, “For if the fire may be without heat, or the burning lamp without light, then true faith may be without fervent prayer.” In other words, a prayerless Christian is a Christian in name alone.

As a pastor, he continued by warning his flock that “Our adversary, Satan, at all times compassing us about (1 Pet. 5), is never more busy than when we address and bend ourselves to prayer.” The storming of heaven by the saints of God in prayer is a mighty tool in the hand of God Knox taught. But this persistence in prayer always stirs our sin, and that great Tempter, the Devil. Nevertheless, a Christian is called to fervent prayer, for Christians have an enemy. Knox added one other reason why prayer is so crucial for the Christian, which provides us a window into his very heart. Knox wrote, “Let no man think himself unworthy to call and pray to God . . . but let him bring to God a sorrowful and repenting heart.” Knox knew himself to be a great sinner, but knew even more that Christ was a great savior. His own prayer is appended to this very work: “in us . . . rests nothing worthy of thy mercies, for all are found fruitless, even the princes with the prophets as withered trees, apt and meet to be burned in the fire of thy eternal displeasure. But, O Lord, behold thy own mercy and goodness . . . Let thy love overcome the severity of thy judgements.”

Knox was a man so aware of his limitations. When he was first elected to be a preacher, he was emotionally overwhelmed and ran from the room in tears. Yet this man would be fearless before the face of monarchs and bishops. Knox was not special in himself, but he served a mighty God. Knox wrote, “God gave his Holy Spirit to simple men in great abundance.” He knew this concerning himself. Let us conclude then with Douglas Bond’s observation, “Knox is a model for the ordinary Christian, especially the one who feels his own weakness but who nevertheless wants to serve Christ in a troubled world. Knox is eminently relevant to all Christians who have ever been forced to come face to face with their own littleness.” May your weakness lead you to the cross of Christ, where you can be made strong in Christ Jesus.

[tomthomasblog]

Embracing Fearless Faith: Boldly Sharing God's Message of Hope

Romans 1:16 encourages us to fearlessly spread the message of Christ, embracing faith and dedication. This verse emphasizes the power of God's word and our role in confidently sharing His message of salvation. In a world often filled with darkness and uncertainty, living without shame and boldly sharing our faith can make a meaningful impact on individuals, communities, and the world. It's a call to be fearless in our convictions and actively bring hope to those around us.

Living fearlessly for Christ and boldly sharing His message of salvation have the potential to transform lives and bring hope to a world in need. Our faith should empower us to speak the truth with conviction and stand firm in our beliefs, regardless of our challenges. By embodying this fearlessness, we can become positive influences, bringing light to a world that often feels shrouded in darkness.

When we choose to live without shame and boldly share the message of Christ, we embody the transformative power of God's love and grace. As individuals, our fearlessness can inspire others to seek a relationship with Him, ultimately leading to a ripple effect that can impact entire communities and beyond.

In a culture where fear and shame often hold people back, embracing fearless faith can be a radical and life-changing choice. It reminds us that the impact of our actions, rooted in unwavering faith, can extend far beyond what we can imagine.

As we navigate the complexities of life, let us hold onto the message of Romans 1:16 as a guiding principle. Let us embrace fearlessness in sharing the gospel of Christ, knowing that our efforts, no matter how small, can contribute to a world in desperate need of hope and light. Living boldly for Christ is an invitation to be part of something greater than ourselves, and it's a call to action for all who are willing to listen.

The verse from Romans 1:16 inspired today's song lyric, which has been meticulously created across three musical genres.

Christian Rock: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vLch6uI290 Metal Rock: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NbzVmcAK1v4 Techno: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mD8cAkwwVvE

[dfroza]

to “believe…”

(it begins in the heart)

Belief begins in the heart and leads to a life that’s right with God; confession departs from our lips and brings eternal salvation.

Today’s reading of the Scriptures from the New Testament is the 10th chapter of the letter of Romans:

My brothers and sisters, I pray constantly to God for the salvation of my people; it is the deep desire of my heart. What I can say about them is that they are enthusiastic about God, but that won’t lead them to Him because their zeal is not based on true knowledge. In their ignorance about how God is working to make things right, they have been trying to establish their own right standing with God through the law. But they are not operating under God’s saving, restorative justice. You see, God’s purpose for the law reaches its climax when the Anointed One arrives; now all who trust in Him can have their lives made right with God.

Moses made this clear long ago when he wrote about what it takes to have a right relationship with God based on the law: “The person devoted to the law’s commands will live by them.” But a right relationship based on faith sounds like this: “Do not say to yourselves, ‘Who will go up into heaven?’” (that is, to bring down the Anointed One), “or, ‘Who will go down into the abyss?’” (that is, to bring the Anointed One up from the dead). But what does it actually say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the good news we have been called to preach to you). So if you believe deep in your heart that God raised Jesus from the pit of death and if you voice your allegiance by confessing the truth that “Jesus is Lord,” then you will be saved! Belief begins in the heart and leads to a life that’s right with God; confession departs from our lips and brings eternal salvation. Because what Isaiah said was true: “The one who trusts in Him will not be disgraced.” Remember that the Lord draws no distinction between Jew and non-Jew—He is Lord over all things, and He pours out His treasures on all who invoke His name because as Scripture says, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

How can people invoke His name when they do not believe? How can they believe in Him when they have not heard? How can they hear if there is no one proclaiming Him? How can some give voice to the truth if they are not sent by God? As Isaiah said, “Ah, how beautiful the feet of those who declare the good news of victory, of peace and liberation.” But some will hear the good news and refuse to submit to the truth they hear. Isaiah the prophet also says, “Lord, who would ever believe it? Who would possibly accept what we’ve been told?” So faith proceeds from hearing, as we listen to the message about God’s Anointed.

But let me ask this: have my people ever heard? Indeed, they have:

Yet from here to the ends of the earth, their voice has gone out;

the whole world has heard what they have to say.

But again let me ask: did Israel perhaps hear and not understand all of this? Well, Moses was the first to say,

I will make you jealous with a people who are not a nation.

With a senseless people I will anger you.

Then Isaiah the fearless prophet says it this way:

I was found by people who did not seek Me;

I showed My face to those who never asked for Me.

And as to the fate of Israel, God says,

All day long I opened My hands

to a rebellious people, who constantly work against Me.

The Letter of Romans, Chapter 10 (The Voice)

A set of notes from The Voice translation:

God’s plan to restore the world disfigured by sin and death reaches its climax with the resurrection of Jesus. When the King enters, all the prophecies, all the hopes, all the longings find in Him their true fulfillment. There may have been earlier fulfillments; but these are only partial fulfillments, signposts along the way to God’s true goal. The goal has been the restoration of people to a holy God. With Jesus, we find the only perfect man with right standing before God. He comes to blaze a path defined by God’s justice, not by our own sense of right and wrong. All men, women, and children who commit their lives to Him will be made right with God and will begin new lives defined by faith and God’s new covenant.

Faith is not something we do. It is a response to what God has done already on our behalf, the response of a spirit restless in a fragmented world.

Today’s paired reading from the First Testament is the 21st chapter of the book of Exodus:

Eternal One (to Moses): These are other rules and guiding principles that you must present to the Israelites:

If you purchase a male Hebrew slave, he will be your servant for six years only. When the seventh year arrives, he will go free without having to pay a price for his freedom.

If you acquire a slave who is not married, then he will depart as a single man. But if you acquire a man who is married, then his wife will also leave when he goes free.

If his master provides a wife for him, and the wife gives him sons and daughters, then both the wife and the children belong to the master, and only the slave will leave the master’s service when the seventh year arrives.

But if the seventh year arrives and the slave freely renounces his right to freedom, saying, “My heart is full of love for my master, my wife, and my children. I will not leave my master’s service as a free man,” then his master will present him to the True God. Next his master will escort him to the doorway and pierce his ear against the doorpost with an awl. Then everyone will know this slave will serve his master for life.

Women are to be treated differently. If a man decides to sell his daughter as a slave, she will not be freed as male slaves are when the seventh year arrives. If for any reason she does not please her master who handpicked her for a wife, then he is to allow her to be bought by another. He has no right to sell her to a foreign people because he has broken the agreement with her.

If the master chooses her as a wife for his son, then the master must treat her just as he would his own daughter.

If the master decides he wants to marry an additional wife, then he must not reduce his slave-wife’s food or clothing or any other marital rights. If he does not provide these three things for her, then she is free to leave without owing him any money for her freedom.

If a man attacks another and the victim dies from the attack, then the attacker must be put to death. But if God allows a person to die at the hands of another who never intended to kill him in the first place, then I will appoint a place where he can run and take refuge from those who would exact revenge. But if a man plans an attack and cunningly kills his victim, then he will find no refuge at my altar. Take him from there and put him to death.

Also, anyone who strikes one of his parents must be put to death.

Anyone who kidnaps another—whether he has already sold his victim or still has him when he is caught—must be put to death.

And anyone who curses either of his parents must be put to death.

If people are engaged in an argument and one hits the other with a rock or his fist, and the victim does not die but is bedridden for a time and unable to work, then the one who struck him will not be punished as long as the injured party recovers enough to be able to get out of bed and walk around with the help of his staff; however, he must pay his victim for lost time and wages, and make sure he has the care he needs until he recovers. If a person hits his male or female slave with a rod, and the slave dies because of the blow, then that person must be punished. But if the slave survives a couple of days, then there will be no penalty because the slave belongs to the master.

If two men are fighting with each other and happen to hit a pregnant woman during the quarrel causing her to give birth prematurely (but no other harm is done), then the one who hit her must pay whatever fine the judges determine based upon the amount demanded by the woman’s husband.

But if any further harm comes, then the standard for the punishment is reciprocal justice: a life for a life, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a hand for a hand, a foot for a foot, a burn for a burn, a wound for a wound, a bruise for a bruise.

If anyone hits one of his slaves (male or female) in the eye and blinds him in that eye, then the master is to free the slave to compensate for the loss of the eye. If anyone hits one of his slaves (male or female) and knocks out a tooth, then the master is to free the slave to compensate for the loss of the tooth.

If a bull gores a man or woman and the injury leads to the victim’s death, then the bull must be put to death by stoning. No one is allowed to eat the bull meat, and the owner of the bull has no further liability. But if a bull has gored people before and its owner is aware of the problem but has not confined it, and if that bull kills a man or woman, then the bull must be stoned and the owner must also be put to death.

There is an exception. If the relatives of the dead demand money instead of his life, then the owner of the bull may redeem his life in exchange for whatever is required of him. The same rule applies whether the bull gores someone’s son or daughter. If the bull gores a slave (male or female), then the owner of the bull is to give the dead slave’s master 12 ounces of silver, and the bull must be stoned.

If someone uncovers an old pit or digs a new pit and leaves it uncovered, and an ox or a donkey falls into it, then the person who owns the pit will be held responsible and must compensate the owner for the full cost of the animal; but the dead animal at the bottom of the pit belongs to the man who owns it.

If a person’s bull injures another’s bull and it dies, then together they must sell the living bull and split the money equally; they must also divide the dead bull equally. Now if the bull already has a reputation for goring and the owner has not confined it, then the owner of the living bull must pay a healthy bull for the dead one, but he may keep the dead bull for himself.

The Book of Exodus, Chapter 21 (The Voice)

A set of notes from The Voice translation:

After God gives Israel the Ten Directives, He gives them other instructions that derive from the first ten. They do not cover every situation but provide guidance for how God’s people should live.

In Moses’ day, slavery exists everywhere in the world, and slaves are the first to be given protection under these guiding principles or judgments.

A link to my personal reading of the Scriptures for Sunday, may 12 of 2024 with a paired chapter from each Testament (the First & the New) of the Bible along with Today’s Proverbs and Psalms

A post by John Parsons about the eternal significance of Israel:

Yom Ha'aztmaut, Israel's Independence Day, is observed on Iyar 6th, which begins Monday, May 13th at sundown and runs through the following day until sundown... Let us reconsider, then, God's "Super Sign" of Israel...

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After the Jewish people had suffered for nearly 2,000 years of exile as foretold by Spirit of God to Moses (see Lev. 26:38, 44; Deut. 28:64-64) and the other Hebrew prophets (Isa. 43:5-6; Jer. 30:11; Joel 3:2; Ezek. 36:8-10; Hos. 9:1-10, etc.), Israel was miraculously reborn as a nation in their ancient homeland on May 14, 1948 (Iyyar 5, 5708). Today Jews across the world celebrate Iyyar 5 as Israeli Independence Day (this year we observe it earlier to so it will not fall on the Sabbath).

Israel’s Independence Day is called Yom Ha'atzma'ut (יום העצמאות), the “day of independence.” In Hebrew, the word independence (atzma’ut) comes from atzmi - “my bones” (i.e., etzem: עֶצֶם), so the name itself alludes to God’s glorious promise to revive the “dry bones” (עֲצָמוֹת) of Israel by bringing the Jewish people back from their long exile during the End of Days (Ezek. 37:1-6). “Son of man, can these bones live?”

This is all remarkable, but why should Christians care about ethnic Israel? After all, many Christian denominations advocate some version of “Replacement Theology” and regard the promises God originally made to the Jewish people as belonging exclusively to their church... The existence of the modern State of Israel therefore evokes little thanks to God from these groups, and some of their ranks even regard Israel’s revived presence on the world stage as an embarrassment to their typically “liberal” theology. Hence we see the (remarkably bad) phenomena of so-called “Christian” church denominations that express anti-Israel sentiment, even asking their followers to divest investments in Israel on behalf of the “Palestinians,” etc.

As I mentioned before, the title "Christ" refers to the anointed King of Israel, the Mashiach (מָשִׁיחַ)... To confess "Jesus is the Christ" is therefore to affirm that He is none other than the Messiah, the rightful King of Israel (מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל). Followers of Jesus, the One born "King of the Jews" (Matt. 2:2), should therefore care deeply about Israel because the existence of Jewish people - and of the nation of Israel in particular - demonstrates that the LORD (יהוה) is completely faithful to the covenant promises He made to our patriarchs (e.g., Gen. 15:9-21). Indeed, the Scriptures teach that the Name of God is forever designated as אלהי אברהם אלהי יצחק ואלהי יעקב - "the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob" (Exod. 3:15), just as it is also the “LORD God of Israel” (יְהוָה אֱלהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל). The perpetuity of the Jewish people - despite so much satanic hatred over the millennia - is an awesome testimony of God’s loyal love (Jer. 31:35-37). עַם יִשְׂרָאֵל חַי / am Yisrael chai: "The people of Israel live!" Israel is a sign of the “sure mercies of David” (חַסְדֵי דָוִד הַנֶּאֱמָנִים) that are revealed in Yeshua, the Jewish Messiah (Isa. 55:1-6). Moreover, the New Covenant itself, as foretold by the prophet Jeremiah, explicitly promises the perpetuity of the Jewish people throughout the ages:

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"­Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD (יהוה), when I will make a new covenant (בְּרִית חֲדָשָׁה) with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the LORD. But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD: I will put my Torah (תּוֹרָה) within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD,' for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more."

Thus says the LORD, who gives the sun for light by day and the fixed order of the moon and the stars for light by night, who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar - the LORD of hosts is his Name: “If this fixed order departs from before me, declares the LORD, then shall the offspring of Israel (זֶרַע יִשְׂרָאֵל) cease from being a nation before me forever.” Thus says the LORD: “If the heavens above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth below can be explored, then I will cast off all the offspring of Israel for all that they have done, declares the LORD."

- Jer. 31:31-37

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­According to this theologically critical passage, if you saw the sun shine today or the stars in the night sky, you can be assured that God’s promise to preserve the “offspring of Israel” -- (i.e., zera Yisrael: זֶרַע יִשְׂרָאֵל) -- is in effect. Indeed, in the world to come, heavenly Jerusalem will have the names of the twelve tribes of Israel engraved upon its gates (Rev. 21:12). Note well that this is the only occurrence in the entire Tanakh (i.e., “Old Testament”) that the “New Covenant” (בְּרִית חֲדָשָׁה) is explicitly mentioned... It is a foundational passage of Scripture for those who claim to be followers of the Jewish Messiah.

The spiritual blessings Christians enjoy come from the root of God's covenants with Israel (Eph. 2:11-22; Eph. 3:6; Col. 1:12; Gal. 3:29, 2 Pet. 1:4). Yeshua our Savior was born the King of the Jews, and he plainly said הַיְשׁוּעָה מֵאֵת הַיְּהוּדִים הִיא- “salvation is from the Jews” (Matt. 2:2; 27:11; John 4:22). The Apostle Paul clearly warned those who think the church has "replaced" Israel: "Remember it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you" (Rom. 11:18). This doctrine is so foundational that it may be rightly said that how you think about Israel will affect every other area of your theology. Indeed, the nation of Israel is God's "super sign" that He is faithful to His covenant promises (Jer. 31:35-37). Celebrating Israel's existence acknowledges God's loyal love for us all!

[ Hebrew for Christians ]

========

Ezekiel 37:3 reading:

https://hebrew4christians.com/Blessings/Blessing_Cards/ezek37-3a-jjp.mp3

Hebrew page:

https://hebrew4christians.com/Blessings/Blessing_Cards/ezek37-3a-lesson.pdf

For more on Israel's Independence see:

https://hebrew4christians.com/Holidays/Spring_Holidays/Yom_Ha_atzma_ut/yom_ha_atzma_ut.html

See also the article, “Is Christianity Anti-Jewish?”

https://hebrew4christians.com/Articles/Christendom/christendom.html

5.10.24 • Facebook

from yesterday’s email by Israel365:

Respect for Elders as a Tenant of our Faith

By: Rabbi Pesach Wolicki

MAY 11, 2024

In the portion of Kedoshim, within a lengthy list of commandments, we read:

מִפְּנֵי שֵׂיבָה תָּקוּם וְהָדַרְתָּ פְּנֵי זָקֵן וְיָרֵאתָ מֵּאֱלֹהֶיךָ אֲנִי יְהֹוָה׃

You shall rise before the aged and show deference to the old; you shall fear your God: I am Hashem.

Leviticus 19:32

This commandment – respect for the elderly – is easily understandable. Most familiar to us as the fifth of the Ten Commandments, respect for parents and grandparents is the cornerstone of strong family relationships, which in turn leads to a healthier society as a whole. What is unusual about the commandment, as stated here in Leviticus 19, is the context in which it appears in the Bible.

Anyone who has ever seen the inside of a Bible scroll is aware that the text appears in sections with spaces separating the sections. These sections do not correspond to the chapter numbers that we are used to, which were developed by Christian scholars centuries later. It is these section breaks, the original meaning of the term parasha or portion refers to these sections.

This verse is the last of a ten-verse section that mostly deals with forbidden pagan practices. Based on this context, those laws in this section that don’t seem to be obviously referring to paganism, such as the prohibition against eating blood and allowing one’s daughter to become a prostitute, are properly understood as responses to behaviors that were associated with idolatrous practices common in the Ancient Near East. Even the opening law of the section, the agricultural rules of orlah, the prohibition against eating fruit of the first three years of a tree’s growth is understood by some to have its root in the negation of certain pagan beliefs and customs. (see Nachmanides here, and Maimonides Guide for the Perplexed III:37)

This leads to an obvious question regarding the verse we are discussing. What possible connection is there between honoring the elderly and the importance of avoiding the immorality of pagan beliefs and ways? Why specifically is this commandment linked to the general injunction to fear God, as the verse concludes, “You shall fear God, I am the Lord”?

In the preface to his classic work on paganism, The Golden Bough, Sir James Frazer writes that the fear of death and of the dead is “on the whole, probably the most powerful force in the making of primitive religion.”

Ancient paganism was obsessed with death because pagans focused their entire system of faith on the forces that govern the natural world. They feared death so strongly because they believed that they – like everything else in the natural world – were finite and mortal.

Everything in the natural physical world follows the same trajectory of life and growth. Every living thing is born or comes to life. In the first third to a quarter of its lifespan, it grows to its peak of size, beauty, and strength. From this peak, a gradual decline in strength and vitality begins until finally dying. This is the way of all living things, including plants, animals, and humans.

The exception to this rule is the human soul. A human being does not peak emotionally, intellectually, and spiritually at the same time as the body reaches its peak of health and strength. The soul of man continues to develop and grow long after the body has begun its decline towards death. In fact, the soul, if left unimpeded by the interference of the deterioration of the body, continues to grow stronger throughout life. The body, on the other hand, no matter how good the conditioning or nutritional program, inevitably deteriorates, if only gradually.

Seen this way, the soul is – in effect – immune from the rules of the rest of physical, organic life. The human soul does not follow the rules of the natural trajectory of life, growth, decline, and death.

For an ideology that sees physical nature as the only mode of existence – in a society that values the body as the primary focus of the human experience – a person whose body is at its peak of strength and beauty will be revered. If, on the other hand, the spiritual is valued as the highest purpose and definition of vitality, honor will be given to those whose souls are more fully developed. By commanding us to honor the elderly, the Bible teaches us that the essence of the human being is spiritual. Honoring our elders is a statement that we value the soul over the body.

The Bible uses an unusual verb in the commandment to respect the elderly. The Hebrew words are vehadarta pnei zaken. Vehadarta does not really mean “you shall respect.” In fact, vehadarta is a second-person verb conjugation of the word hadar, which usually translates as “beauty.” For example:

וּלְקַחְתֶּם לָכֶם בַּיּוֹם הָרִאשׁוֹן פְּרִי עֵץ הָדָר כַּפֹּת תְּמָרִים וַעֲנַף עֵץ־עָבֹת וְעַרְבֵי־נָחַל וּשְׂמַחְתֶּם לִפְנֵי יְהֹוָה אֱלֹה��יכֶם שִׁבְעַת יָמִים׃

On the first day you shall take the product of hadar trees, branches of palm trees, boughs of leafy trees, and willows of the brook, and you shall rejoice before Hashem your God seven days.

Leviticus 23:40

פָּרֹחַ תִּפְרַח וְתָגֵל אַף גִּילַת וְרַנֵּן כְּבוֹד הַלְּבָנוֹן נִתַּן־לָהּ הֲדַר הַכַּרְמֶל וְהַשָּׁרוֹן הֵמָּה יִרְאוּ כְבוֹד־יְהֹוָה הֲדַר אֱלֹהֵינוּ׃

It shall blossom abundantly, It shall also exult and shout. It shall receive the glory of Lebanon, The splendor of Carmel and Sharon. They shall behold the glory of Hashem, The splendor of our God.

Isaiah 35:2

In addition, the verse doesn’t say, “Respect an elder.” The literal Hebrew says, “Respect the face of an elder.”

Putting these two notable word choices together, the exact translation of the commandment is probably closer to “you shall find beauty in the face of an elder.” This is certainly an etymologically accurate rendering of the syntax.

How fitting.

There is a powerful natural inclination to be impressed by youthful beauty. Youthful strength and beauty are very physically appealing. The Bible is telling us that this mistaken view sees only the natural physical side of things. The essence of humanity is the soul. The spiritual side of humanity is beyond the natural experience of the body. We are to look beyond the natural and physical. We are called upon to see the true human beauty. If we see things correctly, the result will be that we will, in the words of the verse, “find beauty in the face of an elder.”

The verse ends with the injunction to fear God. The connection is clear. When we say that man was created in the image of God, we mean the soul, not the body. Proper respect for the elderly constitutes rejection of a physically-centered existence and acceptance of a spiritual reality.

May we all strengthen our connections to the elderly, our greatest sources of wisdom and spiritual guidance.

Today’s message (Days of Praise) from the Institute for Creation Research

May 12, 2024

She Shall Be Praised

“Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised.” (Proverbs 31:30)

Proverbs 31 is identified as “the words of King Lemuel” (v. 1). Since it is divided into two distinct parts, some have proposed that it has two different authors. The first part (vv. 1-9) consists of “the prophecy that his mother taught him” (v. 1), while the second part (vv. 10-31) describes “a virtuous woman” (v. 10). Perhaps it is better to understand the woman as Lemuel’s mother, for “her children rise up and call her blessed” (v. 28).

“Many daughters have done virtuously” (v. 29, same word as in v. 10). Recognizing that the only other woman described as “virtuous” in the Bible was Ruth (Ruth 3:11) gives us more complete insight into such a woman’s character. The woman described in Proverbs 31 is one who has achieved in all its fullness the glories of her womanhood, both in the home as wife and mother and in her community. Not only do her children bless her, but her husband has absolute confidence in her (v. 11), appreciates the bounty that she brings (v. 12), has the freedom to be an effective leader in the community (v. 23), and praises her virtue to others (v. 28).

Without question, the key to her accomplishments is found in our text. Her fear of the Lord blossoms into such inner beauty and diligence that, by wisdom and devotion, she so trains her children and so lovingly provides for her husband’s needs that when they leave the home she has fashioned and have occasion to speak of her, their words will be blessing and praise.

On this day when so many of us remember and are thankful for our godly wives and/or mothers, let us rekindle our own fear of the Lord and by so doing develop similar qualities and habits. JDM

[eugene114]

The marvels wrought by our blessed Lord are acted sermons fraught with holy doctrine, set forth to us more vividly than it could have been in words. We start with the assumption upon which our sermon will be grounded this morning, that Christ’s miracles are sermons preached in deeds, visible allegories, truths embodied, principles incarnated and set in motion, they are in fact, the pictures in the great book of Christ’s teaching, the illustrations by which He flashed light into dim eyes. We have heard of some ministers who could say that they had often preached from the same text, but they had never delivered the same discourse. The like may be said of Christ. He often preached upon the same truth, but it was never precisely in the same manner. We have read in your hearing this morning, the narrative of two miracles (Luke 5 and John 21) which seem to the casual observer to be precisely alike, but he who shall read diligently and study carefully, will find that though the text is the same in both, the discourse is full of variations. In both the miraculous draughts of fishes, the text is the mission of the saints to preach the Gospel— the work of man-catching—the ministry by which souls are caught in the net of the Gospel, and brought out of the element of sin to their eternal salvation. The preacher is compared to a fisherman. The fisherman’s vocation is a toilsome one, woe be to that minister who finds his calling to be otherwise. The Two Draughts of Fishes Sermon #443 Volume 8 2 2 The fisherman must go forth in rough weathers and at all hazards, if he should only fish in a calm sea he may often starve. So the Christian minister, whether men will receive the Word with pleasure, or reject it with anger and wrath, must be ready to imperil reputation and risk comfort, yea, he must hate his own life also, or he is not worthy of the heavenly calling. The fisherman’s is a rough occupation, no dainty fingers may come in contact with his nets. It is not a trade for gentlemen, but for rough, strong, fearless men, who can heave a rope, handle a tar-brush, or scour a deck. The ministry is not meant for your dainty souls who would go delicately through this world without a trial, an offense, an insult, or a sneer. Such work is meant for men who know how to do business on great waters, and can go abroad upon the sea, not fearing the spray or the waves. The fisherman’s calling, too, must be carried on perseveringly, it is not by one grand haul that a man makes his fortune, he must constantly cast forth his net. One sermon makes not a preacher, he who shall but now and then deliver himself of some carefully prepared oration, is no true minister of God. He must be instant in season and out of season, he must cast his net in all waters, he must in the morning be at his work, and in the evening he must not withhold his hand. To be a fisherman, a man must expect disappointments, he must often cast in the net and bring up nothing but weeds. The minister of Christ must reckon upon being disappointed, and he must not be weary in well-doing for all his disappointments, but must in faith continue in prayer and labor, expecting that at the end he shall receive his reward. It needs no great labor for you to work out at leisure the comparison between fishermen and the Gospel ministry, the simile is so aptly chosen. The two narratives before us have a degree of uniformity, that shall be our first point. But they have a greater degree of dissimilarity, we will bring that out in the second place. And then thirdly, we will suggest some great lessons which they both combine to teach us.

THE TWO DRAUGHTS OF FISHES (spurgeongems.org)

[vinceviralfreak]

Title: Road Warriors: A New Dawn

Chapter 1: The Wasteland

In a desolate future, where civilization has crumbled and the world has been reduced to a barren wasteland, a new breed of survivors emerged. They were known as the Road Warriors, fearless individuals who roamed the deserts in their heavily modified vehicles, seeking resources and battling for dominance. This is the story of their rise, their struggles, and their quest for a new dawn.

Chapter 2: The Birth of a Legend

Our tale begins with Max, a lone wanderer haunted by his past. He had lost everything in the chaos that consumed the world, and now he sought redemption on the open road. Max's vehicle, the Interceptor, was a formidable machine armed with weapons and equipped with survival gear. He was a force to be reckoned with, a legend in the making.

Chapter 3: The Road to Salvation

As Max ventured deeper into the wasteland, he encountered other Road Warriors, each with their own unique vehicles and skills. Together, they formed an unlikely alliance, united by their shared desire for a better future. They called themselves the Salvation Crew, and their mission was to bring hope to the desolate world they inhabited.

Chapter 4: The Battle for Resources

In this harsh new world, resources were scarce and highly sought after. The Road Warriors engaged in fierce battles, not only against each other but also against marauders and bandits who sought to control the limited supplies. The wasteland became a battleground, and survival depended on cunning, skill, and the ability to adapt.

Chapter 5: The Enigma of the Wasteland

As the Salvation Crew delved deeper into the wasteland, they discovered a mysterious signal emanating from a hidden location. Intrigued, they followed the signal, unaware of the dangers that awaited them. Along the way, they encountered mutated creatures, treacherous terrain, and remnants of the old world, all of which added to the enigma of the wasteland.

Chapter 6: The New Dawn

After countless battles and hardships, the Salvation Crew finally reached their destination. What they found was beyond their wildest imaginations—a hidden oasis, a sanctuary untouched by the chaos of the wasteland. Here, they encountered a group of survivors who had managed to preserve a semblance of civilization. Together, they forged a new society, a beacon of hope in a world consumed by darkness.

Epilogue: A Legacy Reborn

The Road Warriors, once feared and revered, became the guardians of the new dawn. They patrolled the wasteland, ensuring the safety of the oasis and its inhabitants. Max, now a symbol of hope and redemption, led the charge, inspiring others to rise above the ashes and rebuild. The wasteland was no longer a desolate place; it was a canvas for a new beginning.

In this science fiction novel, the story of the Road Warriors unfolds in a raw and unfiltered manner. The language used is English, allowing readers to immerse themselves in the post-apocalyptic world. With no specific writing style, the narrative flows freely, capturing the essence of survival, camaraderie, and the indomitable human spirit. Road Warriors: A New Dawn is a thrilling tale that explores the depths of humanity and the power of resilience in the face of adversity.

[allyaistories]

Anime: Jujutsu Kaisen

Pairing: Gojo Satoru x Mei Mei

Fluff x Scary -ish

.

.

.

In the depths of Kyoto, on a moonlit night, Gojo Satoru and Mei Mei found themselves in the middle of a spine-chilling adventure. They were tasked with investigating a haunted shrine rumored to be haunted by vengeful spirits, but little did they know that their journey would unravel a love story that transcended both time and death.

As they approached the eerie shrine, Gojo's piercing blue eyes scanned the surroundings, while Mei Mei's wit and charm concealed her trembling heart. They exchanged a knowing look, silently acknowledging the danger that awaited them.

Inside the dilapidated shrine, the air grew heavy with an ominous presence. Candles flickered, casting eerie shadows on the decaying walls. The couple's steps echoed through the empty hallways as they delved deeper into the unknown.

As they turned a corner, they stumbled upon an ancient scroll, its delicate paper bearing a tale of love and tragedy. It revealed the story of two star-crossed lovers from centuries past, a noble samurai and a beautiful geisha.

The samurai, tormented by his forbidden love for the geisha, took his own life, cursing the shrine and vowing that anyone who dared enter would be forever trapped in their own personal hell. Legend had it that the spirits of the ill-fated couple still roamed the shrine, desperate for redemption.

Gojo, the fearless sorcerer, and Mei Mei, the strong-willed sorceress, felt an inexplicable connection to the tale. Their hearts raced as they realized the spirits had chosen them as the key to their salvation.

As they continued their exploration, ghostly apparitions materialized before them, their sorrowful moans piercing the silence. But instead of fear, Gojo and Mei Mei felt a deep empathy for the souls trapped in eternal agony.

Determined to break the curse, they embarked on a perilous journey to uncover the shrine's secrets. Hand in hand, they deciphered cryptic symbols, performed ancient rituals, and channeled their magical abilities to communicate with the spirits.

With each step, their bond grew stronger. Their love, kindled by the shadows of the past, blossomed like a solitary flower in a desolate graveyard. The more they discovered about the tragic lovers, the more they yearned to bring them peace and find their own eternal happiness.

Finally, as the moon reached its zenith, Gojo and Mei Mei discovered the ultimate sacrifice that would set the spirits free. With tear-filled eyes and trembling hands, they pledged their love, vowing to carry the memories of the long-lost lovers in their hearts forever.

As they spoke the words, a blinding light engulfed them, and the restless spirits were released from their eternal torment. The shrine was bathed in a serene tranquility as the curse was broken, and the lovers' souls found solace in the embrace of eternal peace.

Gojo and Mei Mei, victorious in their quest, embraced each other tightly. Their souls entwined, forever bound by the love that had overcome death itself. In the face of darkness, they had discovered a love so powerful that it could conquer any obstacle.

And so, they left the haunted shrine hand in hand, their hearts full of love and their souls forever intertwined. Their story would be whispered in hushed tones, a tale of romance and bravery that would be retold for generations to come.

[journeydb]

April 17 2022 Hostalric, Girona, Catalonia

Happy Easter!  On this day of new Life, Resurrection, Salvation, and Hope for the Future, we took an excursion into the past.  We visited the medieval village of Hostalric with Araceli, Guillermo, Angie, Toni, and Iris.  According to Wikipedia:

“Hostalric is a village in the province of Girona and autonomous community of Catalonia, Spain. The municipality covers an area of 3.39 square kilometres (1.31 sq mi) and the population in 2014 was 4,010.

The castle was built on a basalt hill and records of it date back to the twelfth century. Its importance grew because of its strategic position, controlling the Royal Way (Cami Ral) between Barcelona and Girona, and the fact that Hostalric became the administrative capital of the viscountcy of Cabrera. It was the scene of numerous battles in mediaeval times and the old castle virtually disappeared as a result.

The original design for the modern fortress was the work of Francisco de Santa Cruz, a military engineer in the service of the Archduke Charles. Work on the construction of the fortress we see today was completed between 1794 and 1795 and it became an important point of resistance against Napoleon's army during the Peninsular War (1810-1814). In 1929 the castle's garrison was transferred and Hostalric ceased to be of military significance. In 1963 the castle and the town's walls and towers were declared a Cultural Site of National Interest.”

We visited Hostalric today because there is a medieval festival happening and, being the history buffs that we all are, we were interested in seeing how they celebrated their past.

We rode with Toni, our fearless driver, Angie, and Iris.  Along the way we “ladies” played games like “I’m going on a picnic and I’m bringing ,,,” and “How many cars of YOUR color can you count?” mostly to keep Iris from getting bored.  Some of us decided to wear masks when in the most crowded areas because, despite public opinion, the pandemic isn’t really over yet.  Yes, we are more protected because we’ve all been vaccinated, but the efficacy of the vaccines wanes and we’re all hoping to get another one soon.

As we walked around the festival Araceli called to say that she and Guillermo were in the village, so we walked through the crowds to meet them.  The stalls with all kinds of medieval paraphernalia were fascinating.

After we found Araceli and Guillermo we walked around a found a place to eat outside and had lunch.  Then we decided to walk up to the castle and see what was going up there.

The castle was locating at the top of a hill, like many castles, as protection from invaders.  The organizers of the festival had done a great job recreating the life during medieval times, along with story boards to show us what the clothing, architecture, armaments, etc. looked like.

Inside the castle walls there was a lot going on, including jousting lessons and descriptions of hand-to-hand combat.  For all we know, some of the people who organized the festival may have been descended from actual families who lived here during the Middle Ages.  There was a lot of weaponry that seemed authentic and may have been passed down from generation to generation.

The views from the top of the hill showed that anyone attacking the village would be visible before they could reach the village so, hopefully, the villagers would be prepared to defend themselves.  

This excursion was one of the most enjoyable of any we have taken in Catalonia and a good way to spend a Sunday.  It was a most unusual Easter for us because if we had been in Boulder we would have had family and friends over to our house, and when the kids were younger, perhaps had an Easter Egg hunt before the traditional ham dinner.  Of course, being a vegan, my favorite thing was always the CHOCOLATE bunnies!

[strategic-social-media]

Money and Hell

Jesus spoke a lot about money and hell. But today's pastors are afraid to speak much about hell for fear of losing money (donations). These pastors are very guilty of loving money more than loving the SOULS that God loves.

Their Jesus is friendly with only nice suggestions, not crucial standards designed to keep you out of eternal hellfire! They shrink and distort God and mar the Gospel, resulting in heart and culture and society that is NEVER TRANSFORMED into true goodness. A society comfortable in their compromise, in their road to hell.

Satan has them by their "spiritual balls", in fear instead of faith, and so NEUTRALIZED instead of being the force of love, truth, and transformation that the Apostles were. They change nothing and experience bitter regret, seeing their lives and heart in the light of God's face on His Throne.

Such compromised pastors are motivated by the earthly obsession with keeping the continuity of their physical operations, their personal lifestyle, and everything else they should know they cannot hold onto permanently. Only the genuine LOVE of God within them will have them CARE about what God CARES about - the humans made in His own Image - the souls that NEED to know the truth.

May the Holy Spirit convict them and lead them to repentance. Only someone who loves you will be fearless in telling you the truth.

These selfish pastors are #unfit and in dereliction of duty. They DISTORT God into a pathetic lover, NOT someone of truth, fierce and uncompromising love, relentless justice and heroic HOLINESS. They distort God to whatever they feel with maximize their donations, not maximize the Kingdom Of God!

But in fact, we as those RESCUED out of the Kingdom of Darkness and brought into God's Kingdom of Light - we bear the Holy Spirit within us that YEARNS for every human being to know the truth that Salvation has a Name, and that Name is Jesus (Yeshua).

Salvation has already been PURCHASED in full, at great expense by the Blood of Jesus on your behalf. You must receive it, receive Jesus, but in receiving God's Son and the Father God who sent His Son, you are also entering into COVENTNAT RELATIONSHIP as a true child of God, one in the household of God, one in the Kingdom of God. One who TURNS AWAY from the fruitless and vain things of this temporary world, and abandons sin, having a NEW NATURE placed into him/her by te Blood of Jesus.

One who is in relationship with a HOLY God and pursues relationship with Holiness. God has a personality. A perfect personality, a character overflowing with all virtue. God has HOLY standards for relationship that NO one ever met but Jesus Himself. The vain teaching of this age with mere TIPS for more convenient living must give way to the truth that Jesus is your LIFE - your everything.

All "gospels" of convenience and sloppy and selfish living are TRASH. They are deceptive. They are incompatible with the Kingdom of God. God's love is a HOLY love.

Let the FULL and TRUE Gospel go forth, through each of us, declaring that being in covenant with a holy love is your deepest and truest need. That salvation has a Name - the name of Jesus. It is not dogma that you receive, it is the Person who IS salvation.

You cannot enter heaven without RELATIONSHIP with Jesus. That means that your life here has, as central, the PERSONALITY of Jesus infusing and transforming your personality to be more and more like His personality His nature.

You don't just read the Bible as some religious activity, or to check if off some moral to do list. You read the Bible to discover more and more the PERSONALITY of God, so as to bring your life into harmony/intimacy;alignment with who God IS. This is what you were created for and only in this do you find real life, real purpose, and holy love.

Colossians 1 9 We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, 10 so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge (relationship experience) of God, 11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, 12 and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. 13 For he has RESCUED us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Because we have REDEMPTION, our debt to our flesh has been paid in full. We are no longer obligated to cave into it - to be dominated by its vain and destructive desires. We are now FREE to be our God-intended selves - those who are filled with real virtue and become a force for redemptive change out in the world, because God Himself is in covenant with their/our hearts. We are FREE to be fully responsive to the true lover of our souls, and come fully alive in His victorious Kingdom and eternal Family. Such good news was never meant to be kept (a) misunderstood or lessened, or (b) to be kept to ourselves.

[truthandlove]

Money and Hell

Jesus spoke a lot about money and hell. But today's pastors are afraid to speak much about hell for fear of losing money (donations). These pastors are very guilty of loving money more than loving the SOULS that God loves.

Their Jesus is friendly with only nice suggestions, not crucial standards designed to keep you out of eternal hellfire! They shrink and distort God and mar the Gospel, resulting in heart and culture and society that is NEVER TRANSFORMED into true goodness. A society comfortable in their compromise, in their road to hell.

Satan has them by their "spiritual balls", in fear instead of faith, and so NEUTRALIZED instead of being the force of love, truth, and transformation that the Apostles were. They change nothing and experience bitter regret, seeing their lives and heart in the light of God's face on His Throne.

Such compromised pastors are motivated by the earthly obsession with keeping the continuity of their physical operations, their personal lifestyle, and everything else they should know they cannot hold onto permanently. Only the genuine LOVE of God within them will have them CARE about what God CARES about - the humans made in His own Image - the souls that NEED to know the truth.

May the Holy Spirit convict them and lead them to repentance. Only someone who loves you will be fearless in telling you the truth.

These selfish pastors are #unfit and in dereliction of duty. They DISTORT God into a pathetic lover, NOT someone of truth, fierce and uncompromising love, relentless justice and heroic HOLINESS. They distort God to whatever they feel with maximize their donations, not maximize the Kingdom Of God!

But in fact, we as those RESCUED out of the Kingdom of Darkness and brought into God's Kingdom of Light - we bear the Holy Spirit within us that YEARNS for every human being to know the truth that Salvation has a Name, and that Name is Jesus (Yeshua).

Salvation has already been PURCHASED in full, at great expense by the Blood of Jesus on your behalf. You must receive it, receive Jesus, but in receiving God's Son and the Father God who sent His Son, you are also entering into COVENTNAT RELATIONSHIP as a true child of God, one in the household of God, one in the Kingdom of God. One who TURNS AWAY from the fruitless and vain things of this temporary world, and abandons sin, having a NEW NATURE placed into him/her by te Blood of Jesus.

One who is in relationship with a HOLY God and pursues relationship with Holiness. God has a personality. A perfect personality, a character overflowing with all virtue. God has HOLY standards for relationship that NO one ever met but Jesus Himself. The vain teaching of this age with mere TIPS for more convenient living must give way to the truth that Jesus is your LIFE - your everything.

All "gospels" of convenience and sloppy and selfish living are TRASH. They are deceptive. They are incompatible with the Kingdom of God. God's love is a HOLY love.

Let the FULL and TRUE Gospel go forth, through each of us, declaring that being in covenant with a holy love is your deepest and truest need. That salvation has a Name - the name of Jesus. It is not dogma that you receive, it is the Person who IS salvation.

You cannot enter heaven without RELATIONSHIP with Jesus. That means that your life here has, as central, the PERSONALITY of Jesus infusing and transforming your personality to be more and more like His personality His nature.

You don't just read the Bible as some religious activity, or to check if off some moral to do list. You read the Bible to discover more and more the PERSONALITY of God, so as to bring your life into harmony/intimacy;alignment with who God IS. This is what you were created for and only in this do you find real life, real purpose, and holy love.

Colossians 1 9 We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, 10 so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge (relationship experience) of God, 11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, 12 and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. 13 For he has RESCUED us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Because we have REDEMPTION, our debt to our flesh has been paid in full. We are no longer obligated to cave into it - to be dominated by its vain and destructive desires. We are now FREE to be our God-intended selves - those who are filled with real virtue and become a force for redemptive change out in the world, because God Himself is in covenant with their/our hearts. We are FREE to be fully responsive to the true lover of our souls, and come fully alive in His victorious Kingdom and eternal Family. Such good news was never meant to be kept (a) misunderstood or lessened, or (b) to be kept to ourselves.

[shammah8]

RHAPSODY OF REALITIES DAILY DEVOTIONAL

Thursday, 29th December 2022

YOUR ROLE IN THE GOSPEL

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek (Romans 1:16).

PASTOR CHRIS OYAKHILOME PHD

As God’s children, our role in the Gospel is clearly defined. Our Lord Jesus said, “...Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature”* (Mark 16:15). In Matthew 28:19, He said, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.”

Like the Apostle Paul, you ought to personalize your role in the Gospel and say, “According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust" (1 Timothy 1:11). The Gospel has been committed to your trust; how faithful are you to its spread around the world? Has it dawned on you that you’re a soldier, and taking the Gospel to every man’s world as Jesus asked us to do means war?

In every nation, you have the civilians and you have the army. The army has a role that's clearly defined for them: to defend the nation, protect vital national interests and fulfil national military responsibilities. You’re in God's army (2 Timothy 2:3-4), working in sync and in partnership with an unseen heavenly host, to cover the earth with God’s righteousness.

These heavenly hosts, by God's principles, can’t do the things they need to do without us and there’s a whole lot we can’t do without them. You have a role in the scheme of things. You’re God’s watchman, His mouthpiece and messenger.

You’re a co-labourer with God; His minister of reconciliation: “To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5:19). While there’s a raging battle for the souls of men, God needs you to prevail in prayer, and preach the Gospel with all fervency.

PRAYER

Dear Father, I thank you for raising passionate, committed and fearless labourers for the end-time harvest fields around the world. I thank you that the people’s hearts are made ready to receive the Gospel gladly and be converted to the Kingdom, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

FURTHER STUDY:

2 Timothy 1:8-9 Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God; 9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,

Romans 10:13-15 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. 14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? 15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!

2 Corinthians 5:18-20 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. 20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.

[orthodoxadventure]

A Prayer to Saint Tikhon (Patriarch) of Moscow

O good pastor, our fervent intercessor and instructor, holy hierarch Tikhon! Hearken now to the groans and sighs which issue forth from the depths of our hearts, and accept the earnest entreaty we make unto thee; for we know that as a loving father thou abidest ever with us in spirit, watching over us, thy sinful children, and praying to the Lord in our behalf. Wherefore, O favorite of God, as thou hast boldness before the Master Jesus Christ with His all-pure Mother, be thou for us a mediator and advocate, for, now as ever, we stand sorely in need of thine intercession.

As thou wast a peer of the apostles, bringing enlightenment to those benighted by heresy and schism, so lead us into the uncreated light of the grace of God, that we may pass from glory to glory, and may find rest with thee and all the saints in the mansions of heaven; and as thou wast a fearless confessor of the truth of the holy Orthodox Faith, so teach us to stand immovable on the rock of faith, unshaken by the surging tides and currents of worldly understandings and temptations; and as thou didst prevail until the end in thine awesome contest against the prince of this world and his evil minions, so do thou aid us, thy sinful and unworthy children, in our daily struggles, that by thy supplications we may escape the malice of the enemy of our salvation and may set at nought the schemes and wiles of those who, having succumbed to his influence, prefer worldly glory, riches and position to humility and all the Christian virtues and a steadfast confession of Christ our true God, Who with the unoriginate Father and His all-holy, good and life-creating Spirit, is worshiped and glorified forever. Amen.

[mybeautifulchristianjourney]

John Gossner's Treasury

Devotional for November 24th

And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good? - 1 Peter 3:13

The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock. - Psalm 27:1-5

David had only one prayer to the Lord (Psalms 27:4), only one desire, and that was that he might "dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of his life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in His temple." But David had only an outward sanctuary, the temple which was "made with hands"; and yet he perceived the Lord so powerfully there that he feared nothing yet he found cover and protection against all his enemies, did not fear either wars or armies that might rise against him and devour him. "They shall stumble," he says, "and fall; for the Lord hides me in His pavilion; in the secret of His tabernacle shall He hide me; He shall set me up upon a rock, which they cannot scale." He sought, found and enjoyed in the outward sanctuary also the inner sanctuary, in the spirit, and this made him strong and blessed. What David accomplished and possessed, a Christian must much more accomplish and possess. Thou house of the Lord, thou tabernacle of the Lord art thou no longer to be found? True, the temple which David outwardly visited is long since destroyed; but the sanctuary of which it was a type the tabernacle of God among men of which it was a prophecy exists and will continue to exist as long as there are hearts to be found that seek God in spirit and in truth. You can find and visit the Lord Himself and not His tabernacle only. You can ever have Jesus with you and in you. "I am with you alway even unto the end of the world," is a word He has given you, and it is His custom to keep His word. Heaven and earth , shall pass away, but not His word; consequently, this word shall not pass away. If you can say with David, "One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord (inwardly, in the Spirit with Him) all the days of my life, that He may constantly dwell in me, and I in Him, that nothing shall be able to separate us any more; I have laid hold of Him and will not let Him depart" you may be just as fearless as David. Then you are just as well covered, hidden and protected from all danger as he; then you stand upon a rock where no arm, no power, no disaster, and no storm can reach you.

Man may trouble and distress me, ’Twill but drive me to Thy breast; Life with trials hard may press me.

Heaven will bring me sweeter rest.

Oh! ’tis not in grief to harm me, While Thy love is left to me; Oh! ’twere not in joy to charm me, Were that joy unmixed with Thee.