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officialyourdailyinspiration · 1 year

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Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion

Devotional for December 8th

Now may the God of peace— who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great Shepherd of the sheep, and ratified an eternal covenant with his blood—may he equip you with all you need for doing his will. May he produce in you, through the power of Jesus Christ, every good thing that is pleasing to him. All glory to him forever and ever! Amen. - Hebrews 13:20-21 NLT

Insight

This verse includes two significant results of Christ's death and resurrection. God works in us to make us the kind of people that would please him, and he equips us to do the kind of work that would please him.

Challenge

Let God change you from within and then use you to help others.

#Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion #Hebrews 13:20-21 #God #transformation #Christ's death #Christ's resurrection #new creation in Christ #evangelism #help #December 8 #2022 #Tyndale House Foundation

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drshermaines-wisdomnuggets · 7 months

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"YES, GOD CAN STILL USE YOU!"

Ephesians 2:10, “For we are His workmanship [His own master work, a work of art], created in Christ Jesus [reborn from above – spiritually transformed, renewed, READY TO BE USED] for good words, which God prepared [for us] beforehand [taking paths which He set], so that we would walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us].” (AMP) When David first arrived at…

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graceandpeacejoanne · 2 years

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Revelation 2: Smyrna

The only surviving city of the seven represented in these letters, Smyrna—now Izmir, Turkey—was the second largest city of the region. And reportedly, the most beautiful. #Smyrna #Revelation2 #IzmirTurkey

Then, to the angel of the assembly in Smyrna write, “These things say the First and the Last, Who became dead and lived: I have perceived your crushing oppression, and your poverty—but rather you are abundantly opulent—and the blasphemy of those saying they are Jews and are not, but rather are of the synagogue of the Adversary.“Do not fear any of the things you are about to suffer. Behold the…

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resplendent-ragamuffin · 2 months

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Six Months Since

By Shoshana bat-Yehonatan

A poem for the six (Hebrew) month anniversary of the Simchat Torah Massacre. With thanks to the JPS, Koren, Metsudah, and other translations on Sefaria.org. Footnotes link to sources of quotes. Footnotes connect to sources which will be in reblog, because otherwise it's too long to post.

TW: RAPE

Six months has it been

Since the fields turned red without flowers

Now calaniot bloom where once my darlings danced

But still, my precious ones are gone.

I have no prophets to comfort me

No visions from God [1]

My king remains in exile [2]

How can I sing a song of God on alien soil [3]

In an alien tongue?

Yet I have been too long a stranger in a land not mine[4]—

Two thousand years, to a paltry hundred and twenty—

And I forgotten even how to speak the Holy Tongue

Let alone write in it.

I have neither wit nor words to sing my grief.

And so I turn to those before me

As they turned to those before them

And say,

“God, open my lips, and let my mouth declare my grief.” [5]

Oholiva cries [6]

And Ohola wails [7]

This year was pregnant[8] with a second month of joy

Instead she wails in travails unending

“When will my children return?” [9]

Oh wall of Fair Zion [10]

Shed tears like a river [11]

Cry out in the night and pour your heart out like water [12]

Rachel’s eyes are red as her sister’s [13]

As she weeps over the fate of her children [14]

Six months it has been

Since they ravaged women in Zion [15]

Maidens in the towns of Judea [16]

Since their hands tore my princes apart

No deference shown to elders [17]

On this day six months ago

My infants were taken captive before the enemy [18]

The joy of our hearts was seized

And our dancing turned to mourning [19]

For the youths are gone from their music [20].

Now my eyes shed rivers of water [21]

Over the ruin of my people’s daughter [22]

Bitterly I weep in the night [23]

My cheeks wet with tears [24]

There is none to comfort me: my friends have betrayed me [25]

I cry:

Behold my agony! [26]

My priests and my elders have perished in the city [27]

The elders strewn like dust on the ground [28]

Those whom I dandled and reared my foe has consumed [29]

“This is the day we hoped for! We have found it, we have seen it!” [30]

My maidens and youths have gone into captivity! [31]

“It is your doing.” [32]

Blood on her legs, her nakedness seen, [33]

Zion reaches out for comfort [34]--

“Away! Unclean!” [35]

She can only shrink back and sigh [36]

“May it never befall you.” [37]

The nations have resolved “They shall stay here no longer” [38]

We wander and wander [39]

But where are we to go?

How can I bear to see the destruction of my kindred? [40]

“My life as my wish, my people as my request,” [41]

I begged my Husband [42]

“For we have been targeted, my people and I, to be destroyed, massacred, and exterminated.” [43]

But the King turned His face from me.

My dear ones were purer than snow [44]

Ruddier than rubies or coral [45]

Their bodies lovely as sapphire [46]

Now their faces are darkened with ash [47]

Unrecognizable amid the ruin of the streets [48]

See, God, and behold to whom You have done this! [49]

Look at me, answer me, Oh God! [50]

How long will You hide Your face from me? [51]

I have no prophets now to comfort me

And must take my comfort from those before:

You promised “God will restore your captives.” [52]

Return them, God, and let them come back [53]

Renew our days as of old. [54]

#october 7 #bring them home now #israel #am yisrael chai #jumblr #tw: rape #I'm so tired #poetry #jewish

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devildomwriter · 1 year

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Beelzebub Birthday Special 100 Fun Facts

1. Beelzebub makes up elaborate stories about befriending food to try to avoid eating it

2. Before his fall, Beelzebub was a cherub and recommended for Seraph

3. Beelzebub dislikes Mammon’s cooking

4. The only food Beelzebub refuses to eat is Solomon’s cooking

5. As an angel, Beelzebub initially wanted to use his strength to fight but became depressed after Raphael made fun of him. Instead he focused on protecting thanks to Lucifer’s advice

6. Beelzebub used to guard the gates of the celestial realm

7. Beelzebub considers him and Belphegor twins because they were created the same day

8. Beelzebub is usually quiet except when around Belphegor

9. Beelzebub has survivors guilt

10. Beelzebub blames himself for Lilith’s death since he chose to save Belphegor instead and until MC got him to open up to Belphegor, he believed Belphegor blamed him too

11. Beelzebub picks his loyalty based on if he’s offered food

12. Beelzebub will usually follow orders from any of his brothers, especially when it comes to helping restrain another brother

13. Beelzebub claims he never felt insatiable hunger up until the exact moment he fell from grace

14. Beelzebub is completely unaware of his surroundings when he is eating food

15. Beelzebub was the only brother not angered that MC had a plan with Belphegor to make pacts with them all

16. Beelzebub used to be Lucifer’s personal body guard

17. Out of all the brothers, Beelzebub insults Mammon the least

18. Beelzebub is able to feel Belphegor’s feelings and to an extent, read his mind

19. Beelzebub’s name in Hebrew translates to “Lord of the Flies”

20. Beelzebub’s worst subject is potions because he tends to eat the ingredients

21. Beelzebub’s favorite song is the jingle for the ad from Hell’s Burger

22. Beelzebub prefers pop music

23. Beelzebub loves Devilcat and feels he can relate to him

24. Beelzebub mentions his type of person is someone who will make him piles of food

25. Beelzebub prefers dogs because he believes they’re loyal

26. Beelzebub states he loves food from every world equally

27. Beelzebub prefers to work out in silence

28. Beelzebub’s favorite activity is working out

29. Beelzebub hates high heels, they hurt his feet and always snap because of his weight

30. Beel’s motto is “You can’t fight when you’re hungry”

31. Beelzebub usually eats the plates his food is served in alongside the food

32. Diavolo states Beelzebub once ate a pillar at the Demon Lord’s Castle

33. If the Devildom disappeared tomorrow Beelzebub said he’d eat all the food because it’s be a pity

34. Beelzebub states he probably starts his baths washing his head but can’t remember

35. Beelzebub is the active one when it comes to love

36. When asked if he’d bind or be bound by his lover he chose “other” because he wasn’t sure

37. Beelzebub easily forgets special dates of remembrance and anniversaries

38. For a relationship with obstacles his choice is to just give up

39. He won’t have sleepless nights thinking about the person he loves

40. Beelzebub is able to express his feelings frankly

41. Beelzebub can call forth a legendary rock giant

42. Beelzebub is shown to have wind related powers

43. Beelzebub, like all demons with wings, can fly

44. Beelzebub has such a strong sense of smell he can tell if someone is a human, demon, or angel

45. Beelzebub once attempted to diet, it didn’t work out

46. Beelzebub recalls Michael smelling tasty, due to him always eating sweets

47. During dance battles Beelzebub will sometimes shout “here comes my next meal” and “that was a nice feast”

48. Beelzebub sometimes states that MC looks delicious

49. The angrier Beelzebub is the hungrier his gets

50. In exchange for food, Beelzebub will groom and walk Cerberus

51. Beelzebub thinks it’s dumb Mammon likes money, since he can’t eat it

52. According to Beelzebub poison jellyfish don’t sit well in his stomach

53. Beelzebub binged TSL with MC and Mammon specifically for the popcorn

54. Beelzebub chooses his outfits based on if they’re easy to eat in

55. Beelzebub helped choose Mammon’s human world outfit

56. Mammon usually gives Beelzebub treats, he even mentions it on the home screen

57. The first time Beelzebub attempted to attack MC it was because they were convinced by Mammon to eat his custard

58. Beelzebub seems to be the only one who knows Simeon is hiding candy from the celestial realm

59. Beelzebub still considers it his duty to protect Lucifer

60. Beelzebub is a terrible artist but doesn’t seem to realize it

61. Beelzebub believes Solomon wouldn’t taste good

62. Beelzebub loves Luke’s cakes

63. Beelzebub believes Simeon’s pancakes are the best

64. Simeon’s wishes he could clone Barbatos so he’d have him to make him food every day

65. Beelzebub thinks it’s important to work so you have money to buy snacks

66. Beelzebub asks MC if they’re good at cooking, if they are he never wants them to leave his side

67. Beelzebub refers to MC as his angel

68. Beelzebub doesn’t like it when things get mushy and gross

69. Beelzebub will take home random fauna to see what it tastes like, he once brought home a giant black slug that scared Asmodeus

70. Beelzebub mentions on several occasions to love Red Spider Sandwiches

71. When given chocolates (a special item) Beelzebub tells MC he has his eyes and ears out to make sure no drunk people lay a finger on MC

72. Beelzebub thinks trees are delicious

73. When gifted a scarf, Beelzebub initially believes it was a long donut

74. When MC gifts Beelzebub a handmade Devilcat plushie, he isn’t sure what it is

75. Beelzebub says when he was eating a cat shaped pancake that Satan was giving him suspicious looks

76. Beelzebub says he can play the music from the Hell’s Kitchen ad on the Otomatone

77. Beelzebub mistook fireworks for churros

78. Beelzebub reveals to MC he sometimes wishes they were kind only to him

79. Asmodeus would prefer not to say what the most shocking thing he saw Beelzebub eat was

80. Beelzebub often mistakes shaped bath bombs for food

81. Beelzebub was banned from the Devildom botanic gardens for eating all the cherries off the cherry picking trees

82. Beelzebub once ate a tomato meant to make you reveal things, apparently it tasted like nothing to him and Mammon says he’d never seen him look so sad while eating

83. When going out to swim, Beelzebub chose to hunt and grill squid instead

84. Beelzebub always tries to eat all the hidden Easter eggs

85. As I asked Beel for advice on cleanly eating candy apples and was disappointed when Beel recommended just eating them in one bite

86. When Beelzebub expressed interest in a car his brothers were excited and then shocked when they realized Beelzebub only likes the shape as he saw it would be good to dead lift

87. Beelzebub gave MC a Devildom star

88. Beelzebub once tried bribing Mephistopheles into allowing him to help the newspaper club by kidnapping him and trying to force him to eat mountains of food

89. Beelzebub believes a cruise ship anchor is light weight

90. Beelzebub believes he can rely most on Lucifer and Belphegor

91. Beelzebub can run .3 miles (500 meters) in two seconds

92. Beel still enjoys games of tag

93. Beelzebub once put a whole in the RAD building

94. Beelzebub often accidentally breaks through doors and walls

95. Beelzebub is very slow to reply to texts

96. Beelzebub always lifts weights before bed

97. Beelzebub often chews on his pillows in his sleep and frequently sleep walks to the kitchen

98. Beelzebub ate a keychain Barbatos gave Luke and Luke was so angry he scared Beelzebub enough that Beelzebub was running away from him

99. According the Belphegor they once decorated a cake with fireworks but Beelzebub ate them too

100. Beelzebub has been banned from drinking Super Soda water

#obey me fun facts #obey me Beelzebub #obey me birthday #obey me happy birthday beelzebub #this took three hours my god

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indigovigilance · 7 months

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The Hornet in the Beehive

The passages of the Bible that mention hornets (or, notably, just a single hornet) are talking almost exclusively about the Exodus of the people of Israel from Egypt and God guiding them to the promised land. Specifically, these verses discuss how the people already living in the promised land will be destroyed ahead of the chosen peoples’ arrival by the hornet(s).

The hornet is not who you think it is.

Read on Ao3

Exodus 23:28

The reference in verse 28 appears within this section, entitled God’s Angel to Prepare the Way:

20 “See, I am sending an angel ahead of you to guard you along the way and to bring you to the place I have prepared. 21 Pay attention to him and listen to what he says. Do not rebel against him; he will not forgive your rebellion, since my Name is in him. 22 If you listen carefully to what he says and do all that I say, I will be an enemy to your enemies and will oppose those who oppose you. 23 My angel will go ahead of you and bring you into the land of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hivites and Jebusites, and I will wipe them out… 28 I will send the hornet ahead of you to drive the Hivites, Canaanites and Hittites out of your way.

From this, we may be able to take that the guardian angel sent ahead of the Chosen People to wipe out the unclean is synonymous with the hornet (in the original Hebrew, הַצִּרְעָ֖ה, “haṣ-ṣir-‘āh” and yes it seems that the Hebrew word for hornet is pronounced Azira, or more specifically, “A-tsira,” “the-hornet”). (Why did I look at this? Because I wanted to know if the translation for hornet(s) was from a singular, plural, or group noun. Seems like it’s a group noun but I’m not certain.)

So what we have here is an angel symbolically represented as a hornet, pronounced Azira in the original language of the Bible, whose job it is to wipe out those God deems unworthy.

Do with this as you will.

Deuteronomy 7:20

This verse appears in a section entitled Driving Out the Nations

1 When the Lord your God brings you into the land you are entering to possess and drives out before you many nations—the Hittites, Girgashites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites, seven nations larger and stronger than you— 2 and when the Lord your God has delivered them over to you and you have defeated them, then you must destroy them totally (footnote: The Hebrew term refers to the irrevocable giving over of things or persons to the Lord, often by totally destroying them; also in verse 26). Make no treaty with them, and show them no mercy.

20 Moreover, the Lord your God will send the hornet among them until even the survivors who hide from you have perished.

Notably, “hornet” is translated in the singular in seven out of eight translations available here. The Message even capitalizes it.

Joshua 24:12

This section is entitled The Covenant Renewed at Shechem

8 “‘I brought you to the land of the Amorites who lived east of the Jordan. They fought against you, but I gave them into your hands. I destroyed them from before you, and you took possession of their land.

11 “‘Then you crossed the Jordan and came to Jericho. The citizens of Jericho fought against you, as did also the Amorites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hittites, Girgashites, Hivites and Jebusites, but I gave them into your hands. 12 I sent the hornet ahead of you, which drove them out before you—also the two Amorite kings. You did not do it with your own sword and bow. 13 So I gave you a land on which you did not toil and cities you did not build; and you live in them and eat from vineyards and olive groves that you did not plant.’

Translation choices here are getting a little tricky: nine translations use “the hornet,” and the Lexham English Bible specifically emphasizes the hornet. New Living Translation and New Century Version have both replaced “the hornet” with “terror.” A footnote available here reads: Traditionally, “the hornet” (so KJV, NKJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV) but the precise meaning of the Hebrew word is uncertain (cf. NEB “panic”).

In summary

There’s a hornet (someone very powerful and very dangerous) in the beehive (Heaven), but it isn’t Crowley.

This is (in my humble opinion) some strong evidence that the intended symbolism behind Aziraphale’s name is a reference to the Hornet that goes before the people of Israel, slaying the Amorites, et cetera, to claim their land. There is some apparent parallelism between an angel clearing out the unfaithful to make way for the chosen people in the Exodus, and an angel whose major responsibility it is to bring about the Second Coming, the Day of Judgment which will also result in the wiping out of those who are found wanting.

The Final Fifteen, again

Aziraphale could not have said no. He could not have refused the Metatron and run away with Crowley. Aziraphale is the Hornet that goes before the righteous to rid the world of the unrighteous.

This was always Aziraphale’s destiny.

~~~

Author’s note: we live in interesting times. My use of the word “Israel” and surrounding language in this meta is strictly with regard to ancient Biblical texts as they are relevant to a fictional work, Good Omens. None of this should be construed as an opinion regarding current political events.

~~~

If you enjoyed this, please check out my meta index for some additional light reading!

#good omens #good omens 2 #good omens meta #crowley #aziraphale #good omens speculation #ivoc

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girlbloggercher · 3 months

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how to read the Bible

this is in order!

1. John

2. Mark

3. Matthew

4. Luke

5. Genesis

6. Exodus

7. Leviticus

8. Numbers

9. Dueteronomy

10. Romans

11. Galatians

12. Colossians

13. Proverbs

14. Ecclesiastes

15. Job

16. 1 Peter

17. 1 Corinthians

18. 2 Corinthians

19. Ephesians

20. Philippians

21. 1 Thessalonians

22. 2 Thessalonians

23. 1 Timothy

24. 2 Timothy

25. James

26. 2 Peter

27. 1 John

28. 2 John

29. 3 John

30. Jude

31. Psalms

32. Joshua

33. Judges

34. 1 Samuel

35. 2 Samuel

36. 1 Kings

37. 2 Kings

38. 1 Chronicles

39. 2 Chronicles

40. Ezra

41. Nehemiah

42. Jeremiah

43. Lamentations

44. Ezekiel

45. Joel

46. Amos

47. Obadiah

48. Nahum

49. Habakkuk

50. Zephaniah

51. Haggai

52. Zechariah

53. Malachi

54. Micah

55. Hosea

56. Luke

57. Esther

58. Jonah

59. Song of Solomon

60. Acts

61. Titus

62. Philemon

63. Hebrew

64. Isaiah

65. Daniel

66. Revelation

#that girl #wonyoungism #clean girl #glow up #coquette #health and wellness #christianity

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cynthicaster · 3 months

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Ranking my favourite natural writing systems by sexual appeal

1. Burmese: မြန်မာအက္ခရာ

2. Tibetan: བོད་སྐད

3. Mkhedruli (Georgian): მხედრული

4. Baybayin (Tagalog): ᜊᜌ᜔ᜊᜌᜒᜈ᜔

5. Devanagari (Sanskrit and Hindi): देवनागरी

6. Hebrew: אָלֶף־בֵּית עִבְרִי

7. Arabic: كتابة عربية

8. Javanese: ꦧꦱꦗꦮ

9. Thai: ภาษาไทย

10. Bengali: বর্ণমালা

11. Sinhalese (Sri Lankan): සිංහල (yes this is the language with the ඞ character)

12. Greek: ελληνικά

13. Katakana (Japanese): カタカナ

14. Hangeul (Korean): 한글

15. Hiragana (Japanese): ひらがな

16. Amharic (Ethiopian): ኢትዮጵያ

17. Kanji (Japanese): 漢字

18. Syriac (Aramaic): ܫܢܐ ܣܘܪܝܝܐ

19. Akkadian: 𒀝𒅗𒁺𒌑

20. Mandarin (Sorry, it’s the only Chinese language I’m semi-familiar with, I’m basic): 官话

21. Cyrillic (Slavic): кириллица

I LIKE ALL OF THESE, I JUST LIKE SOME EVEN MORE THAN OTHERS

#linguistics #writing systems #burmese #tibetan #georgian #baybayin #devanagari #sanskrit #hindi #hebrew #arabic #javanese #thai #bengali #Hebrew and Burmese are the ones I’d write English in

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yieldfruit · 5 months

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Walking Away From The Truth: How Does Apostasy Happen?

As believers, we love Jesus, we follow Him, we’re all in. We’re so thankful for the gospel—for being transformed and given new life. So we don’t understand how anybody who’s tasted that could ever walk away from it. How does apostasy happen? I’ve discovered about thirty different reasons the Bible has for why it happens. Here are a few.

Number one, persecution. People just do not want to pay the price to follow Jesus, especially publicly. Popularity and other people’s opinions are just way too important to them. “If I made a big deal about Jesus publicly, it could hurt my business or my status in the community.”

In Jesus’ parable about the sower and the seed, there are different hearts of people who heard the message. Jesus said that when persecution or tribulation arises because of the Word, some fall away. They stumble (see Matthew 13:20-21).

Another reason is mixed devotion. Some people come to church, but they’re fence-sitters. They think, “I’m attracted to the Jesus who forgives me for my sins and gives me joy and purpose, but there’s a lot of fun stuff to do in this world.” They’re earthbound. They’re after momentary comfort rather than Jesus and discipleship.

The Bible says, “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him” (1 John 2:15). In the sower parable, Jesus said, “The cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful” (Matthew 13:22).

A third reason it can happen is because it’s just plain hard to follow Jesus for some—probably for all of us—at one point or another. Have you ever read something and thought, “I have to live that? That’s hard!” I certainly have.

When people heard Jesus’ sermon in John 6, it was a tough message to receive. They said, “This is [a] hard saying; who can hear it?” (John 6:60, KJV). And then we’re told, “From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more” (John 6:66). The demands were too difficult.

Another reason people apostatize is because they’re not paying attention. Sounds like something your teacher would say, right? But it’s possible to fall away because you’re not really grabbing hold of the truth. Hebrews 2:1 says, “Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away.”

Another reason it can happen is laziness. Some people just aren’t interested in coming to church. They distance themselves from it because they don’t want that accountability of having other believers around them.

But Hebrews 10:25 says, “not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.”

These are just a few reasons. The Bible lists many more, including Satan’s devices, an unbelieving heart, a hardened heart, rebellion, bitterness, immorality, disrespect of leadership, not mixing God’s promises with faith.

In fact, the majority of those exposed to the Gospel will turn away from it. Look at the math from the parable of the sower and the seed. Of all the people that heard the truth, only twenty-five percent bore any kind of fruit, and a very small percentage bore what Jesus called hundred-fold fruit (see Matthew 13:23).

It’s no wonder that Jesus said, “Wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction…. Narrow is the gate…which leads to life, and there are few who find it” (Matthew 7:13-14). Not most, not a lot—few. No wonder Jesus will say to many, “I never knew you; depart from Me” (Matthew 7:23).

Skip Heitzig

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officialyourdailyinspiration · 1 year

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Benediction and Farewell

Now may the God of peace who raised our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, from the dead, with the blood of an eternal agreement may he provide you with all that is good so you can do his will. May he work in us, doing everything that pleases him, through Jesus Christ—glory to him forever and ever. Amen. — Hebrews 13:20-21 | Free Bible Version (FBV) The Free Bible Version is a project of Free Bible Ministry; Copyright © 2018, Free Bible Ministry. All rights reserved. Cross References: Exodus 24:8; 2 Chronicles 30:12; Isaiah 55:3; Isaiah 63:11; Romans 11:12; Romans 11:36; Philippians 2:13; 2 Timothy 3:17

#Jesus Christ #God #peace #Shepherd #God's will #resurrection #glory #Hebrews 13:20-21 #The Epistle of Hebrews #New Testament #FBV #Free Bible Version #Free Bible Ministry

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bibleversegarden · 28 days

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Jesus, our Great Shepherd, is leading us through our days and our nights. He is the One who truly cares for us and is watching over us for good. He loves us and desires that we stay close to Him. Apart from His guiding presence, we become the prey of evil that lurks on every side.

We cannot make it through life in our own strength; it is way too small. Our Great Shepherd is our Savior and Lord, who has called us to His perfect rest.

Psalm 23 The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. See Also John 10:1-18 and 1 Peter 2:25

Hebrews 13:20-21 Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well-pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

- A Walk In The Garden Devotions

#Great Shepherd #God's sheep #christian inspiration #christian encouragement #Bible Devotion

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walkswithmyfather · 4 months

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‭‭Titus‬ ‭3:5‭-‬8‬ ‭(NLT)‬‬. “...He saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior. Because of his grace he made us right in his sight and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life. This is a trustworthy saying, and I want you to insist on these teachings so that all who trust in God will devote themselves to doing good. These teachings are good and beneficial for everyone.”

“How to Serve God” By In Touch Ministries:

“When you confidently pursue God’s call, He will overcome every obstacle and empower you to succeed.”

“When you encounter opportunities to serve the Lord, how do you respond? God wants us to be servants willing to seek His specific plan for our life and to do whatever He calls us to do. He uniquely gifts His followers to serve according to His will. But if we’ve already decided what we can’t, won’t, or are ill-equipped to do, then we’re acting by our own will. We don’t want to miss the blessings that come with trusting God.

You may serve the Lord as a godly parent, as an employee who shares the gospel with coworkers, or as a friend who listens to people who are hurting. There is no restriction on what God can do with a willing heart. The strength of His Spirit overcomes human limitations. Don’t have enough courage? God can fix that. Don’t have the right skills? God can fix that too.

Laying down our excuses is the wisest thing we can do to serve the Lord. Trust that He will empower you to accomplish whatever He calls you to do—and will see to it that you are properly equipped and trained (2 Timothy 3:16-17; Hebrews 13:20-21). All He asks of you is that you say yes.”

[Photo by Mohammed Alizade at Unsplash]

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orthodoxadventure · 2 months

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The άνάλαβος (analavos) is the distinctive garment of a monk or a nun tonsured into the highest grade of Orthodox monasticism, the Great Schema, and is adorned with the instruments of the Passion of Christ. It takes its name from the Greek αναλαμβάνω (“to take up”), serving as a constant reminder to the one who wears it that he or she must “take up his cross daily” (Luke 9:23). The ornately-plaited Crosses that cover the analavos, the polystavrion (πολυσταύριον, from πολύς, “many,” and σταυρός, “Cross”) — a name often, though less accurately, also applied to the analavos — reminds the monastic that he or she is “crucified with Christ” (Galatians 2:20).

With regard to each image on the analavos, the rooster represents “the cock [that] crowed” (Matthew 26:74; Mark 14:68 Luke 22:60; John 18:27) after Saint Peter had “denied thrice” His Master and Lord (John 13:38).

The pillar represents the column to which Pilate bound Christ “when he scourged Him” (Mark 15:15) “by Whose stripes we were healed” (Isaiah 53:5; I Peter 2:24).

The wreath garlanding the Cross represents the “crown of thorns” (Matthew 27:29; Mark 15:17; John 19:2) that “the soldiers platted” (John 19:2) and “put upon the head” (Matthew 27:29) of “God our King of old” (Psalm 73:13), Who freed man from having to contend against “thorns and thistles in the sweat of his brow” (Genesis 3:18-19).

The upright post and the traverse beam represent the stipes and the patibulum that formed “the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Galatians 6:14), upon which “all day long He stretched forth His hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people” (Isaiah 65:2; Romans 10:21).

The four spikes at the center of the Cross and the hammer beneath its base represent the “nails” (John 20:25) and hammer with which “they pierced” (Psalm 21:16; John 19:37) “His hands and His feet” (Luke 24:40). when they “lifted up from the earth” (John 12:32) Him Who “blotted out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us by nailing it to His Cross” (Colossians 2:14).

The base upon which the Cross stands represents “the place, which is called 'Calvary' (Luke 23:33), or 'Golgotha', that is to say, the Place of the Skull” (Matthew 27:33), “where they crucified Him” (John 19:18) Who “wrought salvation in the midst of the earth” (Psalm 73:13).

The skull and crossbones represent “the first man Adam” (I Corinthians 15:45), who by tradition “returned unto the ground” (Genesis 3:19) at this very spot, the reason that this place of execution, “full of dead men’s bones” (Matthew 23:27) became the place where “the last Adam was made a quickening spirit” (I Corinthians 15:45).

The plaque on top of the Cross represents the titulus, the “title” (John 19:19-20), with “the superscription of His accusation” (Mark 15:26), which “Pilate wrote” (John 19:19) “and set up over His head” (Matthew 27:37); however, instead of “Jesus of Nazareth the king of the Jews” (John 19:19), which “was written over Him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew” (Luke 23:38), the three languages being an allusion to the Three Hypostases “of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19), this titulus reads, “The King of Glory” (Psalm 23:7-10), “for had they known it they would not have crucified the Lord of glory” (I Corinthians 2:8).

The reed represents the “hyssop” (John 19:29) upon which was put “a sponge full of vinegar” (Mark 15:36), which was then “put to His mouth” (John 19:29) when in His “thirst they gave Him vinegar to drink” (Psalm 68:21), Him of Whom it was said that “all wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of His mouth” (Luke 4:22).

The lance represents the “spear [that] pierced His side”; “and forthwith came there out blood and water” (John 19:34) from Him Who “took one of Adam's ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof" (Genesis 2:21) and Who “washed us from our sins in His own blood” (Revelation 1:5).

The plaque at the bottom of the Cross represents the suppedaneum of Christ, “His footstool” (Psalm 98:5), “the place where His feet have stood” (Psalm 131:7). It is slanted because, according to one tradition, at the moment when “Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the spirit” (Mark 15:37), He allowed a violent death spasm to convulse His legs, dislodging His footrest in such a manner that one end pointed upwards, indicating that the soul of the penitent thief, Saint Dismas, “the one on His right hand” (Mark 15:27) would be “carried up into Heaven” (Luke 24:51), while the other end, pointed downwards, indicated that the soul of the impenitent thief, Gestas, “the other on His left” (Mark 15:27), would “be thrust down to Hell” (Luke 10:15), showing that all of us, “the evil and the good, the just and the unjust” (Matthew 5:45), “are weighed in the balance” (Ecclesiasticus 21:25) of the Cross of Christ.

The ladder and the pincers beneath the base of the Cross represent the means of deposition by which Saint Joseph of Arimathea, “a rich man” (Matthew 27:57) who “begged for the body of Jesus” (Matthew 27:58; Luke 23:52), “took it down” (Luke 23:53), so that as in body He descended from the Cross, so in soul “He also descended first into the lower parts of the earth” (Ephesians 4:9), “by which also He went and preached unto the spirits in prison” (I Peter 3:19).

Through these instruments, “the Cross of Christ” (I Corinthians 1:17: Galatians 6:12; Philippians 3:18) became the “Tree of Life” (Genesis 2:9; 3:22, 24; Proverbs 3:18, 11:30; 13:12; 15:4; Revelation 2:7; 22:2,14), by which the Lord Jesus reified His words that, “I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live, and whosoever liveth and believeth in Me shall never die” (John 11:25-26).

[source]

#Christianity #Orthodox Christianity #Monasticism #Great Schema #Orthodoxy

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postsforposting · 6 months

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the god damned shaking camera in GO s2

No, literally.

These aren't the only time the camera shakes--specifically the camera, and not the environment, like when the characters stumble and lose their footing because the actual ground is shaking. The camera is also not terribly smooth in s1 either, but it's far less noticeable. In the last gif, that's the present day--so this happens in the present too, not just the past.

Every single one of these moments where the camera shakes happen at a crucial moral, character-point: a point that changes the characters' values, who they are.

What is actually shaking, though? The camera is essentially our view; in s1 our view was god's view. That makes the camera-view the sky, aka the heavens. The heavens are shaking.

Biblically, a "shaking of the heavens and earth" is a common phrase, and it's tied to the end times. Shaking of the earth is used to indicate god's presence and power--in GO we saw Satan's arrival shake the earth, and when angels and demons arrive they often cause a little quake. The shaking of the heavens refers to the destruction of the enemies of the righteous, of Jesus (keep in mind this is about real Christianity, not GO itself):

For Hebrews, the “shaking” of heaven and earth refers to the judgment of the enemies of God. This is what God promised at the enthronement of Jesus. God said to Him: “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet” (Heb. 1:13, ESV). Thus, Jesus has defeated the enemy (Heb. 2:14–16) and been enthroned (Heb. 1:5–14), but the enemies have not yet been destroyed (Heb. 10:11–14; 1 Cor. 15:23–25). But God will destroy these enemies in the future, when He will shake the heavens and the earth. The shaking of the heavens and the earth means, then, the destruction of the earthly powers that persecute God’s people and, more importantly, the destruction of the evil powers (Satan and his angels) who stand behind the earthly powers and control them. God has also announced that He will “shake” the heavens and the earth, which means that He will destroy enemy nations. Many modern translations of Hebrews 12:27 suggest that the shaking of the heavens and the earth means that they will be removed and forever gone. The Bible is clear, however, that God will create new heavens and a new earth (Isa. 65:17; Rev. 21:1–4), and we will be resurrected and have a new body (1 Thess. 4:13–17; Phil. 3:20) on this earth. Thus, the “shaking” implies the cleansing and renovation of creation, not its complete removal. What is here will be re-created, and it will be where the redeemed live. There are some things, however, that will not and cannot be shaken. They include the righteous. They will not be shaken because they trust in God. The Creator sustains them and guarantees their survival. Note that in Hebrews, permanence and stability are associated with Jesus. [...] In the final judgment, those who hold fast “in Jesus” will not be shaken (Ps. 46:5).

There are some things, however, that will not and cannot be shaken.

The characters in scenes where the camera shakes are not themselves shaken. Why not? They're not the enemies who are being destroyed.

What is, then? Who, or what, are the enemies?

Hate, distrust, bystanding, the morals of heaven, all that nasty stuff. You know, evil.

In the first gif, the angel who will be Crowley creates the stars with Aziraphale's help, shares info and concerns with him, and shields him from the fireballs. The scene gently bops around, but the true shaking is during the creation of the nebula and at the end as shown in the gif. Any angel could have happened by and could have participated up until the end, but Crowley shows us he doesn't really care for just anyone: he doesn't introduce himself. His act of shielding Aziraphale at the end, then, is meaningful and specific to Aziraphale, for specifically him, not just anyone.

During the Job flashback, there are several shakes, but it's most obvious during the ox rib temptation and feast. Crowley does not judge Aziraphale for indulging, and they both experience changes: Crowley learns he's not alone in doubting and being a black sheep, learning to trust outside himself and especially in a group that's done him harm, and that he enjoys someone else's joy; Aziraphale learns physical experience, that not everything he's been told about himself and his people is true or trustworthy--the first steps to doubt, and the first steps to trusting. What is reduced is distrust, indifference, and lack of care for people you are supposed to hate.

The demon attack on the bookshop forces Aziraphale to take drastic measures, specifically acts of war, to protect two humans. He permanently discorporates a lot of demons to protect both Gabriel and the humans. Gabriel has harmed him in the past, tried to kill him, and the humans have done nothing to help him, indeed they put themselves in this situation by refusing to leave when he told them to and who caused the problem by allowing the demons into the shop. Aziraphale is showing how far he will go to help others, even others he himself does not like, others whose predicament is both their own fault and who have put Aziraphale himself in danger. He believes it's not right to allow demons to have them: sinning, even against an angel, should not result in eternal punishment in hell, and he's willing to go to war over this. That's the final evil to be purged, of course that would shake the heavens, literally and figuratively.

What does all the Biblical stuff mean for the GO universe?

The afterlife system is an enemy of Jesus. God herself is an enemy of Jesus. Perhaps we don't hear god this season because she's being transformed, or utterly destroyed, by the second coming herself: it is written that all enemies will be destroyed, and what is written must come to pass. Will god herself be overwritten, like Gabriel was? Will god fall, like her own angels fell, and be remade? Will her identity too be lost, like Lucifer's was lost? Like Gabriel's was threatened?

Rebirth is a huge theme; it's what the second coming actually is, both for Jesus and for humanity. Jesus is reborn, and Jesus is god. Perhaps whatever happens to Jesus, also changes god herself. Perhaps the universe itself will be reborn too, with a new god, where the Fall never happened, where the horrors of the bible never happened, just like in s1 where Satan was never Adam's father. It would be a perfect symmetry, where god was never humanity's mother, and that would reach back to before the beginning to change when god originally planned it. It would change god herself, as it changed Satan himself, and rippled through all reality.

At the end of s1e6, we do hear god say: "Perhaps the recent exertions had had some fallout in the nature of reality, because while they were eating, for the first time ever, a nightingale actually did sing in Berkeley Square. Nobody heard it over the noise of the traffic, but it was there right enough."

How do you make a horrific god into a good god? You don't, unless you reboot it and utterly remake it. Perhaps that's why there is no god in s2, because the nature of reality has changed. Perhaps that's why there's weird time issues. Perhaps the nature of miracles changed, and what was previously impossible is now possible, or the opposite.

#good omens #shaking camera

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religion-is-a-mental-illness · 1 year

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"Moses supposedly freed the Jews from slavery, then gave them strict instructions on how to be brutal slave owners themselves."

Exodus 21:2-7

When you buy a male Hebrew slave, he will serve you for six years. But in the seventh year, he will go free without any payment.

If he came in single, he will leave single. If he came in married, then his wife will leave with him.

If his master gave him a wife and she bore him sons or daughters, the wife and her children will belong to her master. He will leave single.

However, if the slave clearly states, “I love my master, my wife, and my children, and I don’t want to go free,”

then his master will bring him before God. He will bring him to the door or the doorpost. There his master will pierce his ear with a pointed tool, and he will serve him as his slave for life.

When a man sells his daughter as a slave, she shouldn’t be set free in the same way as male slaves are set free.

Exodus 21:20-21

When a slave owner hits a male or female slave with a rod and the slave dies immediately, the owner should be punished.

But if the slave gets up after a day or two, the slave owner shouldn’t be punished because the slave is the owner’s property.

Leviticus 25:44-46

Regarding male or female slaves that you are allowed to have: You can buy a male or a female slave from the nations that are around you.

You can also buy them from the foreign guests who live with you and from their extended families that are with you, who were born in your land. These can belong to you as property.

You can pass them on to your children as inheritance that they can own as permanent property. You can make these people work as slaves, but you must not rule harshly over your own people, the Israelites.

Genesis 16:8-9

And he said, Hagar, Sarai's maid, whence camest thou? and whither wilt thou go? And she said, I flee from the face of my mistress Sarai.

And the angel of the Lord said unto her, Return to thy mistress, and submit thyself under her hands.

Deuteronomy 20:13-14

And when the Lord thy God hath delivered it into thine hands, thou shalt smite every male thereof with the edge of the sword:

But the women, and the little ones, and the cattle, and all that is in the city, even all the spoil thereof, shalt thou take unto thyself; and thou shalt eat the spoil of thine enemies, which the Lord thy God hath given thee.

#judaism #christianity #bible #bible study #hebrew bible #old testament #god of slavery #slavery #god is pro slavery #religion #religion is a mental illness

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holystormfire · 2 months

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What should have our attention?

Ecclesiastes 7:13

Accept the way God does things, for who can straighten what he has made crooked?

John 5:19

So Jesus explained, “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does.”

We should pay attention to what God is doing and the way he is working in our lives and in the world around us.

Hebrews 2:3-4

So what makes us think we can escape if we ignore this great salvation that was first announced by the Lord Jesus himself and then delivered to us by those who heard him speak? And God confirmed the message by giving signs and wonders and various miracles and gifts of the Holy Spirit whenever he chose.

Luke 8:18

So pay attention to how you hear. To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given. But for those who are not listening, even what they think they understand will be taken away from them.

1 Corinthians 2:2

For I decided that while I was with you I would forget everything except Jesus Christ, the one who was crucified.

We should pay attention to the message Jesus has for us. What Jesus says is reinforced by who he is—God’s Son. If Jesus was not God’s Son, he would be incapable of raising us from the dead. He would have no power to save us and take us to heaven. Think of the most important person on earth. If that person wanted to talk with you, would you listen? Would you give him or her your full attention? How much more important is the Son of God!

Psalm 119:78

I will concentrate on your commandments.

2 Peter 1:19

Because of that experience, we have even greater confidence in the message proclaimed by the prophets. You must pay close attention to what they wrote, for their words are like a lamp shining in a dark place—until the Day dawns, and Christ the Morning Star shines in your hearts.

God’s Word deserves our attention. Through his Word, God speaks to us and brings us life that last forever.

Proverbs 16:20

Those who listen to instruction will prosper; those who trust the Lord will be joyful.

Proverbs 19:27

If you stop listening to instruction, my child, you will turn your back on knowledge.

Proverbs 22:17

Listen to the words of the wise; apply your heart to my instruction.

Proverbs 5:13

Oh, why didn’t I listen to my teachers? Why didn’t I pay attention to my instructors?

Proverbs 5:1

My son, pay attention to my wisdom; listen carefully to my wise counsel.

It’s essential to pay attention to the instruction we receive from God’s Word and from wise counselors or teachers. If we don’t, we may be turning our backs on God himself.

Matthew 7:15

Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves.

Matthew 16:11-12

Why can’t you understand that I’m not talking about bread? So again I say, “Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.’” Then at last they understood that he wasn’t speaking about the yeast in bread, but about the deceptive teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

We must be alert to the deception of false prophets and false teachers, those who twist God’s Word to make it say whatever they want. Pay attention to their wiles, but not their words. If a person is not speaking for God, we should not accept that person’s teaching as from God.

Mark 13:32-33

However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows. And since you don’t know when that time will come, be on guard! Stay alert!

Luke 21:31, 34-36

In the same way, when you see all these things taking place, you can know that the Kingdom of God is near . . . Watch out! Don’t let your hearts be dulled by carousing and drunkenness, and by the worries of this life. Don’t let that day catch you unaware, like a trap. For that day will come upon everyone living on the earth. Keep alert at all times. And pray that you might be strong enough to escape these coming horrors and stand before the Son of Man.

1 Thessalonians 5:4-6

But you aren’t in the dark about these things, dear brothers and sisters, and you won’t be surprised when the day of the Lord comes like a thief. For you are all children of the light and of the day; we don’t belong to darkness and night. So be on your guard, not asleep like the others. Stay alert and be clearheaded.

Be prepared for the day when Jesus promised he would return again by paying attention to the way you live. Live as if he is coming back today.

Ephesians 6:18

Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.

Colossians 4:2

Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart.

Matthew 26:41

Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak!

Your prayer life deserves your focused attention. That’s how you best connect to God himself.

1 Corinthians 16:13

Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong.

1 Timothy 4:16

Keep a close watch on how you live and on your teaching. Stay true to what is right for the sake of your own salvation and the salvation of those who hear you.

1 Timothy 4:8

Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come.

The growth and strengthening of our spiritual lives deserves our attention. If it pays to exercise our bodies so we keep them healthy, how much more it pays to build our souls so they are healthy.

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