Also found at https://trustjesus.substack.com/p/psalm-19

> 1The heavens are telling of the glory of God;
And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands.
2Day to day pours forth speech,
And night to night reveals knowledge.
3There is no speech, nor are there words;
Their voice is not heard.
4Their line has gone out through all the earth,
And their utterances to the end of the world.
In them He has placed a tent for the sun,
5Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber;
It rejoices as a strong man to run his course.
6Its rising is from one end of the heavens,
And its circuit to the other end of them;
And there is nothing hidden from its heat.

7The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul;
The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.
8The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart;
The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.
9The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever;
The judgments of the Lord are true; they are righteous altogether.
10They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold;
Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb.
11Moreover, by them Your servant is warned;
In keeping them there is great reward.
12Who can discern his errors? Acquit me of hidden faults.
13Also keep back Your servant from presumptuous sins;
Let them not rule over me;
Then I will be blameless,
And I shall be acquitted of great transgression.
14Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable in Your sight,
O Lord, my rock and my Redeemer. (Psalm 19)

The first 6 verses of Psalm 19 speak of general revelation. This is what every person to ever live has seen. God’s creation speaks to the existence of a creator God and tells a little about this God, but it doesn’t tell people everything about God. It doesn’t tell what God expects of His creation.

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. (Romans 1:18-20) {emphasis mine}

Through His creation, God has revealed enough about Himself that we are all guilty of not believing in Him and not submitting to Him as we should. The good news is that He has revealed Himself to us more fully and we can know, trust, and obey Him, although no one has ever done so perfectly, except Jesus Himself.

In verses 7-14, His special revelation is praised and how it is useful to us is elucidated.

> The law of the Lord is *perfect*, restoring the soul;
The testimony of the Lord is *sure*, making wise the simple.
The precepts of the Lord are *right*, rejoicing the heart;
The commandment of the Lord is *pure*, enlightening the eyes.
The fear of the Lord is *clean*, enduring forever;
The judgments of the Lord are* true*; they are righteous altogether. (Psalm 19:7-9) {emphasis mine}

Multiple words are used to describe the truth, God’s word, and the Bible: law, testimony, precepts, commandments, fear, & judgments. God’s law, testimony, precepts, and commandments are explicitly spelled out in His written word, the Bible. The fear of the Lord is our right response to that written word and the judgments of the Lord are God’s righteous reaction to our response to His written word.

You’ll notice that His word is described as perfect, sure, right, pure, clean, and true. Everything about God’s word is exactly as it should be. We should long for God’s word. Psalm 42:1 describes how we should feel about God’s word, “*As the deer pants for the water brooks, So my soul pants for You, O God.*” Instead of wanting to do anything other than read God’s word, we should long to be filled with God’s word. We should seek to live according to God’s word. We should crave the word of God and His righteousness as strongly as we crave food. “Jesus said to them, “*My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work.*” (John 4:34)

Most of us, most of our lives don’t seek God or His word as we should, but some of us do and sometimes we do. David doesn’t just long for God’s word, he takes it a step further. The first 5 references to God’s word are praised with a word and a praise, but his praise is much deeper for “*The judgments of the Lord*”.

> The judgments of the Lord are true; they are righteous altogether.
They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold;
Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb.
Moreover, by them Your servant is warned;
In keeping them there is great reward. (Psalm 19:9b-11)

How often do we praise God for His judgments? We may think they are “*true*,” at least with our heads, if not with our hearts, but do we really think “*they are righteous altogether*” or do we question God’s commands or actions? How many think God’s judgment is “*more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold*” or “*Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb?*” Most of us will do just about anything to avoid the judgment of God. We will hide from God to avoid His judgment.

When I was a relatively new Christian, I attended a large church in my home town when I wasn’t away at college. The leader of our college and career small group had what I would consider the greatest gift of exhortation that I have ever experience. Whenever exhortation is mentioned, I think of him. When it came to discussions of right and wrong and how we should live our lives, he never boldly gave a command. He would ask a question. He gently led us to the truth. I knew he was leading me to the truth, but it was very uncomfortable. In the beginning, I’d try to be as hidden as possible. I didn’t want to be asked a question because I knew I was not going to like the answer that I knew was right. I avoided him like the plague. Eventually, I realized how much being around him grew me in faith and righteousness. I learned to love and seek out those piercing questions that were so uncomfortable because they helped me grow.

In the same way, we should all seek out God’s judgment (or at least discipline).

> You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin; and you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons,

“My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord,
Nor faint when you are reproved by Him;
For those whom the Lord loves He disciplines,
And He scourges every son whom He receives.”

It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness. All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness. (Hebrews 12:4-11) {emphasis mine}

We should diligently read God’s word. We should faithfully submit to God’s discipline. We should humbly submit to God’s will.

> Who can discern his errors? Acquit me of hidden faults.
Also keep back Your servant from presumptuous sins;
Let them not rule over me;
Then I will be blameless,
And I shall be acquitted of great transgression. (Psalm 19:12-13)

Knowing God’s character and His will can aid us in submitting to Him so we do not transgress against Him. Of course, as Christians, we have the benefit of the Helper, the Holy Spirit, to help us to know, understand, submit, and obey. David didn’t have that benefit, but He knew that submitting to God was in his best interest and He sought God and God called him *“a man after my own heart*.” That is my heart’s cry. I want to be called “a woman after God’s own heart.”

> Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable in Your sight,
O Lord, my rock and my Redeemer. (Psalm 19:14)

Through learning God’s word, submitting to His will, being guided by His Spirit, and being covered by His Son, my prayer is “*Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my rock and my Redeemer.*”

I hope this is your prayer as well.

Trust Jesus.

To find more like this or to subscribe so you never miss a post, go to https://trustjesus.substack.com/

Using the words of Psalm 19 to increase our understanding of God and to seek His discipline in order to grow in Him

This is a long form article, you can read it in https://habla.news/a/naddr1qvzqqqr4gupzprf5h5jryfqv2cm3wj3akxgc0za2rsfn4mrnndj2yep9naq5hcetqqxnzde38qerqwpcxv6nzwfj357dsd


It is just amazing how much God has me writing these days.  I never wanted to be a writer.  I never liked writing.  I never thought I'd write.  Now I have an overwhelming urge to write and find great fulfillment in writing.  I already have 2-3 post scheduled for every week throughout June.  My next post will have to roll into July so I don't overwhelm my readers with too much writing.  I guess the good news is, I will be ahead when the school year starts and I have to spend time home schooling my youngest.

I'm also trying to slowly convert many of my posts to formatted long form Nostr notes instead of kind 01 notes that have no formatting and are hard to read.

I am trusting God to use my writing however He sees fit.

https://trustjesus.substack.com/

#grownostr  #Jesus  #jesus  #God  #religion  #Bible  #bible  #faith  #apologetics  #writing  #apologetics


It stinks when you have Biden and Kennedy saying basically "abortion is great and everyone should have one" and Trump who saying something like "I don't like abortion, but maybe some are OK."  He seems to be the least bad option, but they are all bad options.

It does break my heart seeing Christians fawning over Trump.  There are a lot of Christians guilty of idolatry and worship of other "gods."


Truth is the truth even if nobody believes it and it frequently takes a long time for the majority to come to understand the truth.

freeborn | ἐλεύθερος


freeborn | ἐλεύθερος


In the whole scheme of lies, this isn't an important one, but it is a good example of how schools mislead.

I grew up mostly in Florida.  Throughout my schooling, I was told repeatedly "The white men killed off the buffalo."  I was not told buffalo were extinct, but what I heard from the mantra "The white men killed off the buffalo." was that buffalo were extinct.  (I suspect that many of the teachers that repeated this line also thought buffalo were extinct because we don't have buffalo roaming around Florida)  Imagine my surprise when I went on vacation in Colorado and driving along I-70, on the North side, I saw a huge herd of more than 100 buffalo.  It seemed like a miracle.

Since that day I have learned that so many things,  I was taught, were lies.  One of the best things about homeschooling my kids was unlearning the lies I was taught and learning the truth.


Amen!


I think they went after Hunter on "gun charges" because then it looks like they are prosecuting both sides equally, but they can let Hunter off with a slap on the wrist because the left doesn't want a Biden or a Democrat punished and the right doesn't want someone punished for an error on a government form especially if that form is related to gun control.

I think there is a long list of crimes for which Hunter should be punished, but inaccurately filling out a government form that I don't think should exist is not one of those crimes.


I totally understand your sentiment, but thought it worthwhile to detail the balance between two extremes which both have some truth.


In college I was taking a chemistry class.  The professor one day made an aside saying, "The Bible talks of Hell as being a lake of fire and brimstone.  Brimstone is sulfur.  Sulfur is a liquid between 266 degrees and 309 degrees Fahrenheit.  I just thought some of you might need to know this fact.  Now where was I?"  He then went back to his normal lecture.

That is a memorable way to sneak some theology into a college class.


It depends on the season of life.  I've had periods that I have more time than money and I've had periods that I have more money than time.  It depends what your time is worth.  Could you earn more money doing something else or is there something else more important to do that isn't directly money related (time with family, etc.)

I agree that lots of people are lazy and don't try to figure things out that could save them a huge amount of money (and frequently they then complain about how broke they are).  At the same time, there are times that it makes sense to pay the money so you can put your mind and time into something more important.


Exactly!  If we assume that we are just a chemical accident, why should we trust our senses or our logic or assume that we can know anything.  If we assume that we are created in the image of God and that God designed everything that is, then it is an obvious conclusion to trust our senses and logic and that the universe works according to certain reliable, trustworthy, continual rules and can be known.

freeborn | ἐλεύθερος


I would argue that true, open minded science will always lead a person to the understanding that there is a creator God.  Unfortunately,  most of what is called science starts with the premise that "there is no God," or at least that "nothing can happen supernaturally."  If you start with these premises, you are ruling out the truth and therefore "science" won't lead you to the creator God.  If you accept that there can be a "first cause" or "creator God", the evidence will lead you to Him.  The Bible and/or direct revelation is required to truly know God, but science can lead a person to understand that there is a God and start them on the path to seeking who that God is.


FYI, Previously posted as a kind 01 note without formatting.

---

At the end of time we will all be put before God in judgment. We can face the Judgment seat of Christ or the Great White Throne Judgment. The judgment seat of Christ will judge Christians to determine their rewards (yes rewards!). The Great White Throne Judgment will determine our punishment for denying God and disobeying His clear commands. Every person will face one or the other judgment. The only question is whether we will be rewarded as children of God or punished as criminals against God.

> Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this, love is perfected with us, so that *we may have confidence in the day of judgment*; because as He is, so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love. (1 John 4:15-18) {emphasis mine}

If we have trusted Jesus as savior, we have nothing to fear. “*We may have confidence in the day of judgment*.” because God will see the perfection of Jesus in us instead of our filthy sins.

> Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each man’s work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work. If any man’s work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire. (1 Corinthians 3:12-15) {emphasis mine}

Many of us have a hard time thinking that we will receive rewards in heaven for our actions on Earth. We have known that “*as it is written, “There is none righteous, not even one*;” (Romans 3:10), so it is hard for us to consider that we will receive rewards for our actions, but there are many verses saying it is so. When we are children of God, we are judged differently than those who are outside the family of God, just like we, as parents, judge our children differently than those outside. We encourage, praise, and reward our children for earnest attempts to obey and please us. In the same way, God rewards us for what we do in obedience for Him.

Our works here on Earth will be judged. Our focus on Earthly things will be burnt up like “wood, hay, straw.” All of our actions done in obedience and for the glory of God will be rewarded from the smallest action to the biggest accomplishment.

> “Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.’ Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’ (Matthew 25:34-40)

> Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. (2 Corinthians 5:9-10)

God does not judge us on how many souls accepted Him or how many people we got to attend church or any other end measure. He judges us solely on our willingness to obey Him and to share Him with others. Whether they accept Him or reject Him isn’t our concern. God determines the outcome.

We should act as Paul does:

> To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak; I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some. I do all things for the sake of the gospel, so that I may become a fellow partaker of it. (1 Corinthians 9:22-23)

The end result is up to God. If He has called someone, they will come to Him whether we have obeyed His command to share the gospel or not. A weak and poorly worded call will not turn someone away if it is God’s will that they accept Him. Despite this, we are held accountable for whether we obey or refuse to obey His call to share the gospel.

> And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Son of man, speak to the sons of your people and say to them, ‘If I bring a sword upon a land, and the people of the land take one man from among them and make him their watchman, and he sees the sword coming upon the land and blows on the trumpet and warns the people, then he who hears the sound of the trumpet and does not take warning, and a sword comes and takes him away, his blood will be on his own head. He heard the sound of the trumpet but did not take warning; his blood will be on himself. But had he taken warning, he would have delivered his life. But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet and the people are not warned, and a sword comes and takes a person from them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood I will require from the watchman’s hand.’ (Ezekiel 33:1-6)

We are called to be the faithful watchmen. We are called to share the good news and to warn of the coming judgment. We are not responsible for the response of those we warn. They are responsible for their own wise or unwise actions.

Unfortunately, not all people will get the benefit of the Judgment Seat of Christ. Not all will be judged generously to receive rewards. Many more will have to face the Great White Throne Judgment, which is the judgment of those who rejected their creator God and savior. They will face the omnipotent, holy God in all His glory and receive their just punishment.

> Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:11-15)

There is a way for all to avoid this judgment, but the decision has to be made ahead of time. You can’t put it off till the end times. If you haven’t accepted Christ, I am including some verses to help you understand what you must do.

> But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; (Romans 3:21-24)

> For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23)

> They said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” (Acts 13:31)

> That if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes in Him will not be disappointed.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him; for “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Romans 10:9-13)

> If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us. (1 John 1:6-10)

> You will be hated by all because of My name, but the one who endures to the end, he will be saved. (Mark 13:13)

> Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel; in no way alarmed by your opponents—which is a sign of destruction for them, but of salvation for you, and that too, from God. For to you it has been granted for Christ’s sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake, (Philippians 1:27-29)

If you are a Christian who has trusted Jesus as savior, you have nothing to fear. If you have rejected Jesus, you have everything to fear. Don’t let another day go by without Jesus.

> And to man He said, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; And to depart from evil is understanding.’ ” (Job 28:28)

Find more by this author at https://trustjesus.substack.com/p/the-carrot-or-the-stick

This article compares the Judgment Seat of Christ for Christians with the Great White Throne Judgment for non-Christians and makes suggestions on how we should react to this reality.

This is a long form article, you can read it in https://habla.news/a/naddr1qvzqqqr4gupzprf5h5jryfqv2cm3wj3akxgc0za2rsfn4mrnndj2yep9naq5hcetqqxnzde38qcrgvejxccnqd35hcq8mn


I'm a cheese addict, but 6 months ago, a blood test for food sensitivities said I have a sensitivity to dairy, or at least cow dairy.  Technically it said I can have goat or sheep dairy.  Lately I have been trying to fit in some goat or sheep cheese because I miss cheese soooo much.  It is harder to find and more expensive (especially any aged/sharp cheese), but it is worth it to have a little cheese in my life.

My old theory on food was that all food can be improved by adding cheese and/or chocolate.  I've since modified that theory to all food can be improved by adding cheese, bacon, and/or chocolate (and by chocolate I mean 70% cacao or darker, not the Hersheys garbage).


There may still be a few Davids that believe that God can conquer even those who seem unconquerable and that all things are possible with God.  I agree with your basic premise, but maybe we do really need more Davids who refuse to give up to anyone blaspheming God.


When my kids were very little (crawling stage), I found places with maybe 2-4 steps for them to climb.  They learned what happened when you fell or misjudged steps, but they did so in a situation where they would be scared and maybe even get a little scrape or bruise, but they couldn't be seriously injured.  This enabled them to learn consequences without the consequences being too bad.

Unfortunately most parents today protect their kids from experiencing consequences of their actions.  When they become adults, they can't see the consequences of their actions.  Also, as adults, the consequences tend to be much more severe.  Parents overprotecting their kids leads to their adult progeny suffering 10 or a 100 times more when they experience true consequences.  Unfortunately, they aren't the only ones suffering from the bad parenting.  We all pay the price.


At the end of time we will all be put before God in judgment. We can face the Judgment seat of Christ or the Great White Throne Judgment. The judgment seat of Christ will judge Christians to determine their rewards (yes rewards!). The Great White Throne Judgment will determine our punishment for denying God and disobeying His clear commands. Every person will face one or the other judgment. The only question is whether we will be rewarded as children of God or punished as criminals against God.

> Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this, love is perfected with us, so that *we may have confidence in the day of judgment*; because as He is, so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love. (1 John 4:15-18) {emphasis mine}

If we have trusted Jesus as savior, we have nothing to fear. “*We may have confidence in the day of judgment*.” because God will see the perfection of Jesus in us instead of our filthy sins.

> Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each man’s work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work. If any man’s work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire. (1 Corinthians 3:12-15) {emphasis mine}

Many of us have a hard time thinking that we will receive rewards in heaven for our actions on Earth. We have known that “*as it is written, “There is none righteous, not even one*;” (Romans 3:10), so it is hard for us to consider that we will receive rewards for our actions, but there are many verses saying it is so. When we are children of God, we are judged differently than those who are outside the family of God, just like we, as parents, judge our children differently than those outside. We encourage, praise, and reward our children for earnest attempts to obey and please us. In the same way, God rewards us for what we do in obedience for Him.

Our works here on Earth will be judged. Our focus on Earthly things will be burnt up like “wood, hay, straw.” All of our actions done in obedience and for the glory of God will be rewarded from the smallest action to the biggest accomplishment.

> “Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.’ Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’ (Matthew 25:34-40)

> Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. (2 Corinthians 5:9-10)

God does not judge us on how many souls accepted Him or how many people we got to attend church or any other end measure. He judges us solely on our willingness to obey Him and to share Him with others. Whether they accept Him or reject Him isn’t our concern. God determines the outcome.

We should act as Paul does:

> To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak; I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some. I do all things for the sake of the gospel, so that I may become a fellow partaker of it. (1 Corinthians 9:22-23)

The end result is up to God. If He has called someone, they will come to Him whether we have obeyed His command to share the gospel or not. A weak and poorly worded call will not turn someone away if it is God’s will that they accept Him. Despite this, we are held accountable for whether we obey or refuse to obey His call to share the gospel.

> And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Son of man, speak to the sons of your people and say to them, ‘If I bring a sword upon a land, and the people of the land take one man from among them and make him their watchman, and he sees the sword coming upon the land and blows on the trumpet and warns the people, then he who hears the sound of the trumpet and does not take warning, and a sword comes and takes him away, his blood will be on his own head. He heard the sound of the trumpet but did not take warning; his blood will be on himself. But had he taken warning, he would have delivered his life. But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet and the people are not warned, and a sword comes and takes a person from them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood I will require from the watchman’s hand.’ (Ezekiel 33:1-6)

We are called to be the faithful watchmen. We are called to share the good news and to warn of the coming judgment. We are not responsible for the response of those we warn. They are responsible for their own wise or unwise actions.

Unfortunately, not all people will get the benefit of the Judgment Seat of Christ. Not all will be judged generously to receive rewards. Many more will have to face the Great White Throne Judgment, which is the judgment of those who rejected their creator God and savior. They will face the omnipotent, holy God in all His glory and receive their just punishment.

> Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:11-15)

There is a way for all to avoid this judgment, but the decision has to be made ahead of time. You can’t put it off till the end times. If you haven’t accepted Christ, I am including some verses to help you understand what you must do.

> But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; (Romans 3:21-24)

> For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23)

> They said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” (Acts 13:31)

> That if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes in Him will not be disappointed.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him; for “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Romans 10:9-13)

> If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us. (1 John 1:6-10)

> You will be hated by all because of My name, but the one who endures to the end, he will be saved. (Mark 13:13)

> Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel; in no way alarmed by your opponents—which is a sign of destruction for them, but of salvation for you, and that too, from God. For to you it has been granted for Christ’s sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake, (Philippians 1:27-29)

If you are a Christian who has trusted Jesus as savior, you have nothing to fear. If you have rejected Jesus, you have everything to fear. Don’t let another day go by without Jesus.

> And to man He said, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; And to depart from evil is understanding.’ ” (Job 28:28)

Find more by this author at https://trustjesus.substack.com/p/the-carrot-or-the-stick


This is a post I previously posted a link to. [Mind of Christ](https://trustjesus.substack.com/p/mind-of-christ)
   I am trying to post it as a long form, formatted note to see if I can make it more readable in the future.

A few years ago, I read that the majority of people never read a book, cover to cover, after finishing formal schooling (whether high school or college). This blew my mind and I had trouble comprehending that most people don’t read books. One of my favorite past times is reading. I have learned more since graduating college, with a degree in Electrical Engineering and a minor in Business, than I did through all of my formal schooling. Reading and learning is a way of life for me. I can’t imagine not continually learning.

As Christians we are called to “obey God”, “imitate Christ”, “speak the truth”, etc. The Bible says the Holy Spirit will “*bring to your remembrance all that I said to you*.” (John 14:26b). How can He “bring to your remembrance” what you never heard or seen? How can you obey if you don’t know what God demands? How can you imitate Christ if you don’t know what He did? How can you speak the truth if you don’t know what is true? How do we know these things so we can lead lives that honor God?

Obviously we need to study God’s written word. We need to read the Bible. We need to study it. We need to pray about it. We need to memorize it.

> But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. But he who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no one. For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he will instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ.  (1 Corinthians 2:14-16)

To truly understand the Bible, we need to accept Jesus as savior. We need to repent of our sins. We need to follow God. As 1 Corinthians says, God’s word is “*spiritually appraised.*” We need the “*mind of Christ*” to be able to fully understand God’s word. Even though the Bible is written clearly, an unrepentant mind cannot accept the truths written in the Bible because *“a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him.*”

As we study God’s word, we learn the truth. Our culture today likes to talk of truth as relative. People talk about “my truth” vs “your truth.” They are wrong. The truth is the truth even if not one person believes it. Truth is not dependent on knowledge or opinions. Truth is fact. Truth is immutable. God is truth and God speaks truth.

As Christians, knowing and speaking the truth should be a priority. This means we have to seek the truth. We can’t just sit by and passively expect to know the truth.

Ultimately we need to read, to know and to trust the Bible, but it can also be useful to read or listen to Godly men and women to learn more about the truth. We can learn a lot from those who have devoted years and decades to studying God’s word. We can learn much from those who have seen God’s faithfulness throughout their lives. At the same time, we need to test any teaching of man by the words in the Bible.

This is one reason that reading, studying, and memorizing the words of the Bible is so critical. No matter how good a person sounds, if their words contradict the Bible, their words are false. It doesn’t matter if the speaker is a PhD theologian or a PhD scientist. Nothing that contradicts the Bible is the truth. There are no exceptions. There can be misunderstandings regarding what the Bible means, but usually the Bible speaks clearly. The most obvious meaning is almost always the actual meaning intended by God. (I’m hesitant to use absolutes, but I don’t know of any case where the actual meaning is other than the obvious meaning.) When someone speaks contrary to what the Bible says, the most common reason is the error of the speaker and not some difficulty in understanding the clear meaning of the Bible. There are so many people who try to twist God’s word to mean what they want it to mean whether this is to match a scientific theory or to allow a particular behavior or some other reason.

Knowing God’s word allows us to stand firm in our faith. It allows us to know when someone is speaking intentional lies or speaking untruths that they believe are truth. Knowing God’s word protects us from being misled, whether that person is intentionally trying to mislead us or whether they are misled themselves.

> We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ, (2 Corinthians 10:5)

As we learn God’s word, we can grow in faith; we can speak the truth; we can obey God faithfully; we can imitate Christ; and we can stand firm against the lies of this world.

> but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence; (1 Peter 3:15)

Another reason to know God’s word is because we are told to be “ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you.” We need to know God’s word so we can explain Him to others. We need to be able to stand up for the truth. We need to be faithful to the truth. We can only do that if we know the truth and truth comes from God.

> Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12:1-2)

Let’s not be lazy and take the easy path. Let’s work hard to renew our mind with God’s word so we can be transformed into the image of God for His glory. You won’t regret it.

Trust Jesus.

https://trustjesus.substack.com/p/mind-of-christ

This is a long form article, you can read it in https://habla.news/a/naddr1qvzqqqr4gupzprf5h5jryfqv2cm3wj3akxgc0za2rsfn4mrnndj2yep9naq5hcetqqxnzde38qcrxwp5xq6nzdfevfhsta


This is a post I previously posted a link to.  I am trying to post it as a long form, formatted note to see if I can make it more readable in the future.

A few years ago, I read that the majority of people never read a book, cover to cover, after finishing formal schooling (whether high school or college). This blew my mind and I had trouble comprehending that most people don’t read books. One of my favorite past times is reading. I have learned more since graduating college, with a degree in Electrical Engineering and a minor in Business, than I did through all of my formal schooling. Reading and learning is a way of life for me. I can’t imagine not continually learning.

As Christians we are called to “obey God”, “imitate Christ”, “speak the truth”, etc. The Bible says the Holy Spirit will “*bring to your remembrance all that I said to you*.” (John 14:26b). How can He “bring to your remembrance” what you never heard or seen? How can you obey if you don’t know what God demands? How can you imitate Christ if you don’t know what He did? How can you speak the truth if you don’t know what is true? How do we know these things so we can lead lives that honor God?

Obviously we need to study God’s written word. We need to read the Bible. We need to study it. We need to pray about it. We need to memorize it.

> *But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. But he who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no one. For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he will instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ. *(1 Corinthians 2:14-16)

To truly understand the Bible, we need to accept Jesus as savior. We need to repent of our sins. We need to follow God. As 1 Corinthians says, God’s word is “*spiritually appraised.*” We need the “*mind of Christ*” to be able to fully understand God’s word. Even though the Bible is written clearly, an unrepentant mind cannot accept the truths written in the Bible because **“a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him.**”

As we study God’s word, we learn the truth. Our culture today likes to talk of truth as relative. People talk about “my truth” vs “your truth.” They are wrong. The truth is the truth even if not one person believes it. Truth is not dependent on knowledge or opinions. Truth is fact. Truth is immutable. God is truth and God speaks truth.

As Christians, knowing and speaking the truth should be a priority. This means we have to seek the truth. We can’t just sit by and passively expect to know the truth.

Ultimately we need to read, to know and to trust the Bible, but it can also be useful to read or listen to Godly men and women to learn more about the truth. We can learn a lot from those who have devoted years and decades to studying God’s word. We can learn much from those who have seen God’s faithfulness throughout their lives. At the same time, we need to test any teaching of man by the words in the Bible.

This is one reason that reading, studying, and memorizing the words of the Bible is so critical. No matter how good a person sounds, if their words contradict the Bible, their words are false. It doesn’t matter if the speaker is a PhD theologian or a PhD scientist. Nothing that contradicts the Bible is the truth. There are no exceptions. There can be misunderstandings regarding what the Bible means, but usually the Bible speaks clearly. The most obvious meaning is almost always the actual meaning intended by God. (I’m hesitant to use absolutes, but I don’t know of any case where the actual meaning is other than the obvious meaning.) When someone speaks contrary to what the Bible says, the most common reason is the error of the speaker and not some difficulty in understanding the clear meaning of the Bible. There are so many people who try to twist God’s word to mean what they want it to mean whether this is to match a scientific theory or to allow a particular behavior or some other reason.

Knowing God’s word allows us to stand firm in our faith. It allows us to know when someone is speaking intentional lies or speaking untruths that they believe are truth. Knowing God’s word protects us from being misled, whether that person is intentionally trying to mislead us or whether they are misled themselves.

> *We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ, *(2 Corinthians 10:5)

As we learn God’s word, we can grow in faith; we can speak the truth; we can obey God faithfully; we can imitate Christ; and we can stand firm against the lies of this world.

> *but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence;* (1 Peter 3:15)

Another reason to know God’s word is because we are told to be “ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you.” We need to know God’s word so we can explain Him to others. We need to be able to stand up for the truth. We need to be faithful to the truth. We can only do that if we know the truth and truth comes from God.

> *Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.* (Romans 12:1-2)

Let’s not be lazy and take the easy path. Let’s work hard to renew our mind with God’s word so we can be transformed into the image of God for His glory. You won’t regret it.

Trust Jesus.

https://trustjesus.substack.com/p/mind-of-christ


People do need to learn that there are consequences from their beliefs, actions, and votes.

As a business owner, when my employees made a mistake, I used to just fix the mistake.  They kept making the mistake again and again because they didn't feel the pain.  I finally realized I needed to teach them to fix the mistake and make them do the work.  Suddenly they stopped making the same mistake again and again because they felt the pain and not just me.


This was an interesting article with a lot of good spiritual points that can be summarized with the quote, The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist.”   I felt it could have gone deeper, though.

At the end it did have some strong words against Democrats while leaving Republicans off the hook.  I'd argue both parties are generally bad.  The difference is just in degrees, although the Republicans have a handful of decent (not perfect) people.  I'm not sure the Democrats (at least at the federal level) have any left.  I think all of the ones with a hint of principles have left the party.
#christian  #jesus  #politics  #devil  #satan  #Bible

Check out the article:
https://canadafreepress.com/article/the-devil-knows-scripture


So how do we set up a relay farm in the middle of the ocean where it isn't under the thumb of any government?


I've been interested in seceding for well over a decade and even picked out which states I want in my new country.  I've mentioned my thoughts a few times expecting blank stares or anger and I've gotten agreement almost every time.  I think Americans all know that the best thing that could happen is to split up the US into several countries where each has common culture and beliefs.  We have reached the point of irreconcilable differences.

The only problem is that those in power don't want to allow any of their "tax slaves" to leave and they are willing to commit violence to stop anyone from leaving.


I've been reading about how death was redefined to aid organ donation and how brain dead isn't really brain dead.  I will be taking organ donation off my driver's license.


Most personal care products.


I think all freedom loving people should do the research to vote intelligently and to vote.  If only the evil and indoctrinated vote, we will go downhill like an eagle diving to catch a fish.  On the opposing end, we shouldn't believe that voting will ever fix everything and make life perfect.  There are zero savior politicians.  We also need to accept the fact that there is significant fraud, so the good candidates have to win by a large margin to be counted as winners.


Does growing white strawberries reduce the loss to the birds?


I agree 100%


That is basically what we had for dinner last night minus the avocado.  Also the riced cauliflower had goat cheese and bacon mixed together with a few spices.


I think it is true and untrue just like with yogurt.
Generally thicker yogurt is better because it was fermented longer, but knowing this, cheap yogurt makers add thickeners.

With soaps, in theory, thicker soap has more soap and less water, so it is better.  Cheap soap manufacturers add cheap chemical thickeners to make poor soap seem like high quality soap.  At this point, I don't think it means much.


The only thing that would make it better would be including something about it being humid and making me sweat like a stuck pig.


That's definitely an indication that you are a good parent.  Good job!  Parenting is hard, but in moments like this, it is so incredibly satisfying.


I'd consider it, but it isn't a slam dunk at my age.


People say that the dollar is money printed out of thin air, but it is worse than that.  It is created with debt and the debt has to be paid back with interest.  There isn't enough money to pay back the debt with interest, so the money(wealth) is just slowly transferred from the people to the banks (Fed).  It is a method of theft and the more they print, the more value and the quicker they steal from us.


What a blessing!

My parents have been married almost that long, but they aren't Christians, so I didn't have the benefit of the love of God being modeled as well as the love between a husband and wife.  I did see commitment, though.  So few kids today get to see that.


Only the mind of an infinite God can design something so beautiful and so functional.  The more we learn about how complicated life is, the more obvious it is that there is no way it could have evolved by chance, no matter how many billions of years you give it.


I haven't seen the whole thing, but saw a clip of him talking about Trump calling him while he was on the floor during a vote.  It was hilarious and he did a great Trump impression.  I'll have to see if I can find the time to watch the whole thing.


A child of God.


Exactly!  He prunes those He cares about.


What is a good way to do long form posts.  I tend to post my short and long form posts the same way, so the long form are not properly formatted and are hard to read (I do link to my substack)?  I'd rather be able to post a proper long form post on Nostr.


Fantastic definition.


Most of the far right is now to the left of JFK


With your toe.
https://image.nostr.build/360d3490dba18fac927dab6ca9e9f66e79d31c317c17db33421fa32c0fdf4074.jpg


It is very frustrating seeing so many Christians treating various politicians as saviors.

Most Christians seem to error towards one extreme or another.  They think a politician is going to save them and put all of their effort into politics or they think politics is below them and refuse to vote at all.  I think both are errors.  Neither politics nor politicians will completely fix things, but if Christians don't stand up for right by voting for the best candidate (even if that person is a poor candidate), they are allowing evil to happen in the same way that Christians in Germany allowed the holocaust to happen.  They either err towards idolatry or permissiveness or complacency.


There are so many things that the average American cares about, that just seem so useless and worthless to me.  I have never been normal, but I'm feeling even more abnormal these days.  (Don't worry, I never cared if I was normal.  My eldest son takes getting called "weird" as the greatest complement)


I agree.

This is my favorite sunflower that I have grown.

https://image.nostr.build/cf5497a446c0ee12adf356e6ee769d904f815f4e0fd9d82085bb047f45de0cd8.jpg
#sunflower  #flowers  #photos


I've thought that the fact that gas prices have stayed low, despite all that is going on in the Middle East, is likely a sign that the world's economy is plummeting and we just don't see it yet.  After the October 7th attack and the Houthi attacks on shipping, I expected gas prices to sky rocket over $5/gallon and they have stayed right around $3/gallon.  That says to me that demand is extraordinarily low.


This is my part 2 post on prayer

https://trustjesus.substack.com/p/lord-teach-us-to-pray

I recommend you read Part 1 first.Jesus’s disciples saw Jesus pray continually. He prayed for them. He prayed for the crowds. He went off by Himself to pray. One day, they asked Him to teach them to pray because who could be better to ask?Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.”So He said to them, “When you pray, say:Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us day by day our daily bread.
And forgive us our sins,
For we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us.
And do not lead us into temptation,
But deliver us from the evil one.” (Luke 1:1-4)I like the version in Matthew:In this manner, therefore, pray:Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
As we forgive our debtors.
And do not lead us into temptation,
But deliver us from the evil one.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.
Amen. (Matthew 6:9-13)“Our Father in heaven,” A father is someone who has authority over you, but loves you dearly. By addressing God as Father, we are submitting to His authority while showing love. This is a good way to start our prayers. (I’ll admit, with the trinity, I always fret over the best way to address God: God, Father, Jesus, Spirit. I have the tendency to address my prayers to Jesus, but probably should address them according to Jesus’s recommendations in His model prayer.)“Hallowed be Your name.” Hallowed means holy. God is holy. His name is holy. His word is holy. (I’m currently reading a book “The Holiness of God” by RC Sproul and may need to write a post on God’s holiness.) God’s holiness is amazing and is important to understand if we want to have any idea of who God truly is. I’d say this line of the model prayer is how we should praise for who God is. There are many things to praise Him for. We can praise Him for His holiness, for His mercy, for His sacrifice, for His creation, etc. Worshipping Him for who He is and not just what He has done for us should be a part of our prayer to Him.“Your kingdom come.” We should be excited about the return of Jesus and the establishment of His kingdom. We should be so excited that we call for His kingdom where righteousness and justice reigns, where His mercy is fulfilled and evil is judged. We should say as the second to last verse of the Bible states, “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.”“Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” In everything we should ask that God’s will be done. Praying for God’s will is always an appropriate prayer, but I especially like this prayer as a start to my day. I found a nice little prayer in a book on prayers that I read. I got it printed up on my sunflower picture and hung it in my toilet room, so I would see it first thing every morning and encourage my prayer.O God, all my life is thine. Help me so to plan and arrange the hours of this day that I may serve thee in them all, for they are thine. — M.L. PlayfootI am praying that I will live my life according to His will in all that I think, say, and do. I am praying for help submitting to His will in all things and acknowledging His authority. This is a hard prayer to do, but everything in life gets better when we fully submit to His will.“Give us this day our daily bread.” This is our request for help with our needs. It is also the area that is most misused. So many people try to use God as their magic genie who will give them everything they ever desired (whether it is actually good for them or not). Notice that this prayer is primarily a prayer for needs. It isn’t a prayer for a big house, a high paying job, a fancy car, etc. This doesn’t mean we can’t pray for something really want, but just like Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, prayers for wants should be followed with “not My will, but Yours be done.” We should center our prayer on requests that our needs will be met and for the needs of others. Jesus says,“And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words. So do not be like them; for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him. (Matthew 6:7-8)We don’t necessarily need to go through every detail of our needs because God knows what we need better than we know ourselves. He does want us to ask for His help. He wants us to acknowledge His love, His strength, and His wisdom. Wisdom is one of those needs that we all have and should ask for daily.When it comes to requests, I have learned to pray problems rather than solutions because God knows what we really need. One perfect example is this story from Jesus’s life.And some men were carrying on a bed a man who was paralyzed; and they were trying to bring him in and to set him down in front of Him. But not finding any way to bring him in because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down through the tiles with his stretcher, into the middle of the crowd, in front of Jesus. Seeing their faith, He said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven you.” (Luke 5:18-20)Notice this was a man who was paralyzed. We would consider that a major NEED. We would pray for Jesus to heal this man’s paralysis, but Jesus saw his greatest need and said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven you.” More than physical healing, this man needed forgiveness. Of course, Jesus being the loving God that He is, also healed the man and made him able to walk. We need to make sure our prayer requests aren’t too narrow. God can give us better than we can imagine and can give us, and the people we care for, more than we can ever dream. Sometimes He gives us what we don’t want, but what we need. We need to be open to God’s best.“And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors.” We all need to repent and ask for forgiveness. This isn’t just a once at salvation kind of thing. We always need to repent. The key point here is that we need to forgive as we are forgiven. We can’t expect to be forgiven when we are being unforgiving. Sometimes we may need to make a prayer request for the ability to forgive someone who has hurt us deeply. Forgiveness definitely doesn’t come to us as easily as it does to God.“And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one.” Our goal in life should be to live our lives in obedience to God and according to His will. We cannot do this on our own. We need to pray for protection from temptation and from the evil one. We need to pray for the wisdom to know what is right and what is wrong. We need to pray for guidance from the Holy Spirit, who indwells all true believers.I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you.“These things I have spoken to you while abiding with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you. (John 14:16-17,25-26)“For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.” Bookending your prayer with more praise and worship is a great idea because our God, creator, and savior deserves non-stop praise: praise for what He has done and praise for who He is.“Amen.” Many of us robotically say “Amen” at the end of our prayers, but do we really think about what we are saying or is it just a religious form we do without thinking? Amen means “so be it.” We are effectively saying “Your will be done.” We are accepting His will, His result. If we truly trust His goodness, His holiness, His love, His wisdom, His strength, we should be happy to submit to His will because “… we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28)When it comes to praying continually, there isn’t just one formula you have to follow for every prayer. There are many kinds of prayers that are all appropriate at the right time. Don’t let this formula make you avoid prayer because you don’t think you can do it right or because you don’t think you have time. It is better to fit a few short, casual prayers into your day than to have just one prayer that fits a formula. That being said, this was an example given by Jesus, so there is a lot to learn about a deep, God-honoring prayer.When my youngest gets frustrated during homeschooling because I correct him on something, I remind him that we are all learning. We practice because we need to get better. We wouldn’t be doing school if he knew everything perfectly. In the same way, nobody starts praying in what anyone would consider a perfect manner. Everyone needs practice. As you pray more, your prayers will grow deeper, more meaningful, and more frequent. Unlike schooling, getting better at prayer will lead to more prayer and not less practice. My prayer is that your prayer life will grow and draw you closer to the savior and creator God.Trust Jesus.
#prayer  #pray  #jesus  #Jesus  #god  #God  #Bible  #bible  #Christian  #christian  #christianity  #faith  #ChristIsKing  #HowToPray


God defines what is justice and what is fair and claims justice for Himself.

"Counsel and sound judgment are mine; I have insight, I have power." (Proverbs 8:14)

"For we know him who said, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” and again, “The Lord will judge his people.”" ( Hebrews 10:30)


Justice is getting what God says you deserve when you refuse to obey His commands.


It now looks like Russia is sending a fleet into the Caribbean to do some exercises with Cuba and Venezuela.  Who thinks this is at least partly a response to the attack on their nuclear deterrent radar?  Who thinks they might have a nuke aboard one of those ships, just in case?


freeborn | ελεύθερος


I can't say if that is true for all of the conflicts, but it is definitely commonly true.


I don't think the USPS is worth saving.  I think private companies could do better.  UPS and FedEx already do, with packages.  NIST is helpful.  NOAA does some good things, but I'm guessing more than half of what they do should be eliminated.

For me it isn't agencies that should exist.  There are a small number of actions that are useful, although almost all of them are difficult to impossible to keep in their useful, but not harmful limitations.

I'd argue that the only purpose of government is to protect life and private property, so the only valid actions are towards those goals.

Protecting life would include things like punishing murderers, protecting borders against invasion and maybe a few other things.

Protecting property would also include protecting borders against invasion, but would also be punishing thieves, protecting patents/copyrights/etc., enforcing contracts( entered into without force).  There is probably a few more minor things.

99% of what the government does is not only not these things, I'd argue that the majority of the government's actions are actually the opposite of these things making the government worse than the things we created them to protect us from.

I think nostr:nprofile1qy2hwumn8ghj7un9d3shjtnyv9kh2uewd9hj7qgwwaehxw309ahx7uewd3hkctcpremhxue69uhkummnw3ez6ur4vgh8wetvd3hhyer9wghxuet59uq3qamnwvaz7tmwdaehgu3wd4hk6tcpz4mhxue69uhhyetvv9ujumn0wd68ytnzvuhsz9thwden5te0dehhxarj9ehhsarj9ejx2a30qywhwumn8ghj7mn0wd68ytnzd96xxmmfdejhytnnda3kjctv9uqzqp5fmavy02xnxa5f9k3fvgkhcr7urmcetr6tc3r3myykd2s7e20jx9mhx9   is probably correct that we can never keep the government within these limitations.  If we could, I would be happy with this kind of government.


I'd argue that the only valid powers of government are protecting life and private property.  From the moment of fertilization, the baby is a life as defined by every biology text book and it is human because of its unique human DNA.  Killing a human life for convenience is wrong.  Period.  You talk about abortion saving a life, but that is basically never the case except in the case of a tubal pregnancy.  In that case it makes sense because the choice is between two deaths or one death and we should want to minimize death of human lives.


Government should have no say on religion, whether that means what one has to do and believe or what one must not do or believe.

On the other hand, someone who believes the Bible is true, is commanded to share the Gospel (not being pushy, but available).  They would be wrong to be silent on spiritual truths.


I'd say that is natural, not necessarily normal.


Normal isn't a measurable thing.  It is what we expect.  We expect people to think, speak, and act in a particular way.  Abnormal is when a person acts differently than we expect or things work out differently than we expect.  Because normal isn't a definite thing or an absolute truth, it depends on the expectations of each person and what is considered normal depends on who is defining it.

Normal is boring and unenlightening.  I prefer abnormal.


I still  prefer banning all taxes except sales taxes to prevent the continual adding of new taxes and being killed by a thousand cuts.

That being said, I greatly prefer your proposal to what we have now.


I agree in principle.  I'd probably make a few very minor tweaks, but I am 100% for eliminating all taxes except a sales tax and making every receipt show how much we are paying to each taxing authority.  People need a reminder of how much they are actually paying.  When they are nickel and dimed to death by a 100 different taxes, they have no idea how much they are actually paying.  Many taxes cost more to comply with or to enforce than the revenue they bring in to the government.  It is such a waste.


I agree wholeheartedly with replacing every tax with a sales tax.  The other benefit you didn't mention, is that paying a sales tax with every purchase (especially if it was mandated to show on the receipt how much went to every taxing authority) would make people realize how much they really pay.  It would make them realize that nothing is free and make them quit voting for whoever promises them the most "free" stuff because they would realize how much they were paying.  If the sales tax replaced all taxes, (not just income tax), it would overall reduce the burden for small businesses.  As a small business owner, I know I pay several taxes, that the cost of figuring how much I owe and doing all of the paperwork, is higher than the tax itself.

On the other hand, I disagree vehemently with a land tax.  If you have a land tax, you never own your property.  You are just renting and can be evicted if you ever fail to pay your tax.  Property tax is as evil, probably more evil than the income tax.


So far the American people have been able to play tough with no repercussions at home, but I fear they might feel real pain soon as the consequences of their worldwide bullying.  The world is losing respect for and losing their fear of the US.


Is there any nation more guilty of "do as I say and not as I do" than the US?  They constantly blow their tops when another nation does to them half of what they do to others.


There are a handful of tasks for which the government is useful, but given the choice between  what we have now and zero federal government, I'll chose zero federal government every time.  Unfortunately those in power will always increase their power and never decrease it, so the only way to make a decrease is to abolish it completely.


I've read the same basic information from at least 3 different sources (Maybe 4 or 5).  Unfortunately, your mind is made up , so I'm not going to waste my time to dig them up again.  In the original post, I said where I read it and most of the post was copied from the Bob Livingston Letter as mentioned in the post.


Agreed.  There are no good guys in the Ukraine/Russian conflict.  There is zero benefit to being involved and a huge downside.

Even though I believe one side is better than the other in the Israel/Hamas conflict, I don't want to be involved in that one either.  Every time the US gets involved in a conflict between two nations (at least for the past 50 years), they seem to make matters worse.


Thank you.  I try to faithfully communicate the word of God.  Lately I've been feeling an overwhelming need to write about God and His word.


It always amazes me when people go off on me and argue with points I didn't make.  Not one thing he said directly contradicted a single point in my post or anything about me.  I guess haters are going to hate.


freeborn | ελεύθερος


I was recently talking to a friend about how schools should teach basic skills including things like balancing a checkbook, interest, investment, how money works, and basic money management.  At that moment I realized why none of these things are taught in government schools.

Looking back at covid, many people, who didn't want the jab, took it because they were in such debt that they couldn't afford to miss even one paycheck.  By making everyone in debt and broke, they are easier to control.  If they can't survive if they miss even one paycheck, then they can't stand up to their employer or the government.  The government schools have produced wage slaves that can be made to do whatever the media, the large corporations, or the government wants them to do.


These are some concerning developments regarding Russia from Brandon Smith at the Bob Livingston Letter.

It does line up with some of my beliefs regarding end times.

There's something very strange happening on the nuclear front between NATO and Russia, and I believe it might be time to start considering the possibility that WWIII is about to officially begin. If we accept the fundamental truth that Ukraine is nothing more than a proxy battleground between Russia and the West, then you might say WWIII has already begun. However, an event has recently taken place which suggests a major escalation is at hand.In the past two weeks, Ukraine has taken credit for at least two separate strikes on Russian "over the horizon" radar stations using drones with an impressive flight range of at least 1200 miles. The Voronezh-DM stations were positioned outside the city of Orsk and the region of Krasnodar (Armavir); far away from the front lines in Ukraine. The strikes are being hailed as the furthest Ukraine has attacked the heart of Russia, but the corporate media has ignored the wider implications of the situation.The drones used were likely of U.S. or European origin. NATO has (until the past couple of days) enforced tight restrictions on how their weapons can be used by Ukraine. Long-range drones and cruise missiles hitting targets deep in Russia invites major blowback, including the threat of a nuclear response.That said, it's not so much the weapons used that concern me, it's the specific targets that Ukraine supposedly chose.Russia's over-the-horizon radar systems have a detection range of at least 6000 miles and scan specifically for high-altitude ballistic missiles. They are not designed to detect lower-flying cruise missiles (ATACMS) and drones. Meaning, the two stations destroyed by Ukrainian weapons are meant to act as an early warning system for a nuclear attack.The Ukrainians supposedly defied NATO restrictions, not once, but twice, to target radar systems that have nothing to do with them. In fact, the arrays sit in permanently fixed positions and neither array was actually aimed at Ukraine, they were aimed at the North and Southwest of Russia. Instead of attacking vital strategic resources like oil refineries or ammo depots, Russia's nuclear defenses are being systematically damaged. Why?It's important to understand that a strike of this kind deep into the center of Russia requires complex planning and logistics. It cannot be achieved without intel on the ground as well as aid from satellite surveillance (Ukraine relies completely on NATO satellites and intel). Furthermore, the drones used would have to have the ability to evade early detection systems and remain in stealth for thousands of miles. This kind of technology comes strictly from the West.In other words, there's no way that these attacks were accomplished by Ukraine without extensive help and approval from the U.S. or European command. I question the idea that a Ukrainian pilot was even remotely flying the drones. We're talking about some of the most closely defended radar stations in the whole of Russia.

Why does any of this matter? Let us count the ways...First, the targeting of Russian nuclear defenses might make the Kremlin believe they are being prepped for a nuclear strike. Why else would their ballistic radar be singled out? This means they will be on high alert for a possible nuclear exchange. Not good.Second, the Voronezh-DM stations are used to identify FALSE POSITIVE alerts of nuclear attack. Meaning, if a weapon is used against Russia that mimics a high-altitude ballistic missile, their ability to detect that it's NOT a nuke has been reduced. They might launch their own warheads in response to a non-nuclear strike.Third, it's possible that NATO and Ukraine believe dismantling the radar sends a message that if Russia threatens a nuclear attack, they might be hit first. All this means is that Russia won't give a warning, they'll simply launch.Fourth, the attack on Armavir alone could meet the conditions the Russian government laid out publicly in 2020 for actions that could trigger a nuclear retaliatory strike. Russia's early warning network is part of the country's broader nuclear deterrent posture."The conditions specifying the possibility of nuclear weapons use by the Russian Federation" include any "attack by an adversary against critical governmental or military sites of the Russian Federation, disruption of which would undermine nuclear forces response actions," according to the Basic Principles of State Policy of the Russian Federation on Nuclear Deterrence the Kremlin put out two years ago.So far there has been no indication of how Russia will retaliate, but let's consider the circumstances at the front right now. Ukrainian defenses are thin and they lack the manpower needed to maintain the most rudimentary of strong points. As I noted last month, Ukraine's front line is about to be overrun, likely this summer, with Russia opening a new offensive push in the north near Kharkiv.NATO countries are now indicating they will support Ukraine's use of long-range weapons inside Russia. This means major metropolitan areas of Ukraine will be on the table for Russia's own long-range strikes, a measure which they have avoided for the most part. Also, watch for the use of thermobaric bombs (vacuum bombs) by Russia; these are massively destructive weapons that have so far been absent from the battlefield (aside from unverified reports).The West is sending Russia the message that they will not allow Ukraine to lose, they will not pursue diplomatic solutions and if Russia begins gaining significant ground, anything goes. Does this include nukes? It's hard to say.I highly doubt the establishment wants to trigger a global nuclear war. They have everything to lose and very little to gain. They just spent the better part of the last century building up one of the most intricate economic and political control grids in the history of humanity. I don't think they would be happy to see it all vaporized in the blink of an eye.A limited nuclear event, though, might serve their interests well. A mushroom cloud over Kyiv would scare the tighty-whiteys off most of the population and certainly spur NATO to fully commit to the war. Here is where the risk of a false flag comes into play.I have a growing suspicion that the dominoes are being stacked in favor of a rigged event. Ukraine is losing the war, that much is clear. Russia is amassing troops for a summer offensive, that much is also clear. The destruction of their early warning radar serves no purpose in the defense of Ukraine, but it does serve NATO should there be some kind of false positive, a way to get Russia to overreact, opening the door to an official declaration of war between east and west.As I write this multiple governments including the French government are calling for European troops to be deployed to Ukraine. Some political leaders want them to go as "advisers" and trainers. This is exactly what the U.S. did right before it deployed extensive military forces to Vietnam. Remember the fraudulent Gulf of Tonkin incident?Something very odd is going on here. I have no doubt that WWIII is the intended outcome of the confrontation between NATO and Russia in Ukraine. The question is, how do they plan to arrange that outcome while convincing the American and European public to join the war effort? They need a serious false flag.
#grownostr  #currentevents  #news  #WWIII  #Russia  #endtimes


You, too.


This is my part 1 post on prayer.  Part 2 is already written (I'm trying to make my posts a bit shorter)  I've started Part 3, but gotten distracted by another series, so we'll see.

https://trustjesus.substack.com/p/conversation-with-god

My youngest son has Down Syndrome. Communication isn’t his strong point. He is very sociable, but he isn’t good at having deep conversations. As a little kid, he knew no strangers. He talked to anyone and everyone. He was goofy. He did cute baby talk to flirt with older girls. As he grew farther into his teen years, he came to the realization that this baby talk and foolish talk wasn’t appropriate, but he hadn’t mastered a proper conversation. It made him shy. When we would have people over, he would frequently hide just outside the room, listening, but not being seen or heard, because he wanted to be part of the conversation, but didn’t know how to join in.I think many of us feel this way with God. We are told “pray without ceasing;” (1 Thessalonians 5:17), but we don’t know what to say. We feel that we shouldn’t pester God with our little cares because He has more important things to do, but this isn’t true.Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you. (1 Peter 5:6-7)The NKJV says “casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.” God doesn’t want to just hear about your death defying emergencies. He wants to hear from you about how your day is going, good or bad. He wants to hear about everything you care about, just like good parents do. Parents don’t tell their kids, “I don’t care what is going on at school.” Instead they do everything they can to drag out of their kids how their day went (even when they heard some details from another source), what they did, and what problems they are having. It isn’t that God doesn’t know. He wants to hear it from us because “He cares for you.”When I was a young Christian, I only brought my really big cares to God. I didn’t want to bother Him with my minor cares. They seemed too insignificant for His awesomeness. We need to remember that not only does God love us more than our parents, He also can listen to and solve every problem of every person in the world over all of history at the same time. We aren’t interrupting something more important. He isn’t like me who gets frazzled if pulled in too many directions at once. Intently listening to and answering all of the prayers in the world is easy for Him. It is what He loves to do.When 1 Thessalonians 5:17 says, “pray without ceasing,” it doesn’t mean that God expects us to spend every second of every days on our knees praying. It means we should have a way about life of including Him in everything. Our relationship should be a little like an old married couple who go about their business, but interject a comment about what is going on, what they found interesting, what concerns them, plans, etc. It isn’t that the couple never stops talking to each other, but they do include each other in their thoughts and in everything that matters to them.With prayer we can have lots of different kinds of prayer. Sometimes we have a deep heart to heart that might be the traditional fervent prayer on our knees, but more often it includes a quick comment to God, a quick request when something comes to mind, a quick “help me” that might not be more specific than that. God knows what we need without a detailed description. In reality, I’ve learned that the best way to ask for help is to share your need and let God solve it in His way. He does a much better job than we do. We don’t get His best when we always pray for the solution we want. He knows better than us what we need.We may get intimidated when we hear someone stand up and give a big eloquent prayer in front of everyone, but we don’t have to be eloquent. We just have to be honest with God. Although there is a place for the eloquent public prayer, we also need to master the personal, private prayer with God.We want to fit prayer into our daily lives. One thing I’ve found that helped me get started with including prayer throughout my day was associating prayer with various things I do every day. Say a quick good morning prayer first thing when you get up and ask for God’s help focusing your day on what is truly important. Pray before meals. Pray before bed. Pray with your family before the kids go to bed. There may be other things you do every day that you can link to prayer. My eldest son prays when he gets into his car before he drives off. (I probably should add that to my list).When someone mentions a personal concern, whether it is mentioned as a prayer request or not, use this as an opportunity to pray for them immediately. Ask them, “can I pray for you now?” If the time isn’t appropriate for a public prayer, you can still throw up a quick “please help them, God.”The more you incorporate these little prayers into your life, the more natural it will become. The more these little prayers, comments, requests, thanks, and praises will become a natural part of your relationship with God.Hopefully you can start fitting more prayer into your life.Trust Jesus.
#pray  #prayer  #Jesus  #jesus  #god  #God  #Christ  #christian  #christianity  #Christian  #Bible  #faith  #childofgod


Something like that.  I don't think they want her in prison.  She knows too  much and might spill the beans.  It is incredible how not bright she is.


I can handle disagreement if it is thought provoking and logical.
The name calling and personal attacks, that are more common online, get boring really fast, though.


Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its
victims may be the most oppressive. It would be better to live under
robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber
baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point
be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment
us without end for they do so with the approval of their own
conscience.

-- C. S. Lewis17


Priorities definitely changed.  I was focusing on being self sufficient and preparing for bad times in America and likely the whole world.  I've changed to focusing on hopefully bringing as many people as possible into the kingdom of God and helping people to grow in their faith.  Prepping helped some with stress, but trusting God and doing what He has called me to do is a total stress reducer.  The world may be falling apart, but God's got this.

freeborn | ελεύθερος


I have no doubt it will be worth the wait.


I have read and enjoyed a bunch of his quotes, but somehow haven't ever read any of his stuff.  I'll have to add him to my very long reading list.


Kamala is so much in the way, she should be fearing for her life.  I can see her suddenly dying of something or being randomly attacked or something.  She is too power hungry to step aside willingly and those pulling the strings have a habit of making things happen.


Civil asset forfeiture is what happens when your government turns into a greater criminal enterprise than the criminals they were created to protect us from.


Also, the truth is the truth whether anyone believes it or not.  Consensus does not make truth.


Just like their attacks on Trump have made Trump more popular than he would be otherwise, the constant, unprovoked attacks on Russia/Putin have made Putin (who I don't think is  a nice guy) seem like the only adult in the room.  Their attacks are propping up their opponents instead of tearing them down and instead of adjusting tactics, they keep doubling down.  Insanity!


I've already seen a bunch of people ,who hate Trump and/or normally refuse to vote, say they will vote for Trump this election, not because they approve of Trump, but just to stand up to the tyrants.


Refusing to say that homosexuality is a sin is much worse than refusing to share a cure for cancer.  The ensuing death is much worse.


A wonderful truth for these evil and unpredictable days.


These same inconsistent people who say we have to use their chosen pronouns will then refer to God as "she" even though He has revealed His chosen pronoun.


... so pro-choice that Colorado made it illegal for doctors to prescribe an abortion reversal pill to women who don't want to kill their babies.


Unfortunately, those who are in power through cheating and corruption don't want a system like that.


I don't like the progression I've seen.

 When I was young, my Dad said that most people are stupid.  I thought he was just being egotistical.

When I got older, I realized that he was right (at least mostly)

When he got older, he joined the crowd of people who can't think for themselves and who react based on fear rather than thought.

I sure hope I don't follow that same trend.


You do realize that a command like that on Nostr is likely to get people to act contrary to your command?


Amazingly concise.


Discomfort caused by the unknown (frequently what you think you know, but which might be wrong)

Thinking about what might go wrong or badly and being unsure of your ability to deal with the "what ifs".


Whether you are talking a Christian or a secular life, it isn't whether you made a mistake or not, but did you learn from that mistake?


Things are so messed up right now, there is no way to truly fix it that doesn't hurt.  All fixes will cause a crass/depression/recession as markets correct.

We have two choices.  We can keep doing things to prop up the markets and the money and then have a terrible crash and years/decades of pain or we can make fixes that cause short term pain, but cause improvement for the long term.  I prefer the latter, but can guarantee we'll get the former because people are stupid and are unwilling or unable to look past today's comfort.


Does that mean it doesn't effect direct deposit?

freeborn | ελεύθερος


freeborn | ελεύθερος


Nice!


It is a good thing I'm not famous.  I'd get myself in trouble all of the time because that type of thing never crosses my mind.


I never want to condone the sin of pride, but skittles without all of the toxic dyes would be a tiny bit better for you than normal skittles.


When I first read this quote, my gut denied its truth, but once I thought about it, I discovered it speaks a deep Biblical truth.  We all inherited a sin nature and can therefore be easily led astray.  At the same time, we were all created in the image of God.  Although that original perfect creation has been tainted, we still see glimpses of it even in the lost.
https://image.nostr.build/a21fd72cdaee884a66739380417e7e80bf81a5f7d1ecb6dd4878d889784f0f48.jpg

#Jesus  #Bible  #Christian  #Christianity  #Truth  #sin  #creation  #hero