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Proclamation versus Petition

The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, Because the LORD has anointed me To bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to captives And freedom to prisoners; Isaiah 61:1 (NASB)

 

Insight

There is a big difference between a petition and a proclamation. A petition entreats someone in power to grant a favor. A proclamation is an announcement that something has already been done. Both are important types of prayer, and it is important to know the difference and when to use each.

Most people who pray use petitions. They often have a list of things to ask God to do for them or others. The Bible tells us that when we ask for things in accordance to God’s will, he will hear us and answer our prayer.

This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15  And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him. 1 John 5:14-15 (NASB)

A proclamation is more like a prophecy. It is an announcement or a faith declaration of what God has done or certainly will do.

Rather than ask him to do something, we declare that he has already done it and/or that it will certainly come to pass.

The gospel is such a proclamation. We do not tell people that they should petition God to forgive their sins, as if Christ had not already perfectly and completely accomplished this. Rather, we announce that if people put their faith and allegiance in Christ, their sins will be forgiven. Christians do not need to petition God to raise them from the dead one day. Instead, we boldly declare that he will do that for each person who trusts in him.

I remember once I was on a trip to West Africa with a friend to visit missionaries and participate in a church conference. I had a large sum of money to give our friends there that many believers had contributed. We unwittingly got caught in an Air France strike and were told that we would not be able to get through for over a week. My friend began to petition God and engage in what he called spiritual warfare, rebuking the devil’s attempts to thwart our trip. I had just read an inspirational book about how God works all things for good (Romans 8:28). God had elevated my faith so that I believed nothing would be able to stop us from getting through. I began to praise God for working our situation out for good and declared his victory over our circumstances. Within a few hours we were on board a plane for our destination, a true miracle.

When God shows us that something has already been done, it is time to make faith proclamations as our preferred form of prayer. Such prayers act as prophetic declarations that release God’s power and authority to accomplish his declared will.

When our faith and God’s promises link together, amazing things take place.

Prayer

And 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 (NASB) 

Rejoice always, 17  pray without ceasing, 18  give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (ESV)

Abba Father, I praise you and believe that you are working all things out for good in my life because I love you and am called according to your purpose. I surrender myself once more to your will and plan for my life. May I bring you glory and pleasure by trusting and praising you at all times. Praise you, Father, because you chose me before you created the world, and you appointed me to be transformed into the image of your Son, which you are accomplishing each day. Thank you, Father, that you made me a part of your family. You reconciled me to yourself and gave me a right standing before you through your Son. Thank you that have appointed me to share in Jesus’ glory.

And he said, “Listen, all Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem and King Jehoshaphat: Thus says the LORD to you, ‘Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed at this great horde, for the battle is not yours but God’s. 2 Chronicles 20:15 (ESV)

As King Jehoshaphat of old, I declare that you have already won the victory. (Fill in the blank for your particular situation.) It is done. I rest in you and your promises. I let go of all striving and worry. (Psalm 46:10) Now I will watch and wait for what you will do. Amen.

For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. 1 John 5:4 (ESV)
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Prayer of Praise When the World Has Gone Crazy

"This Jesus God raised up again, to which we are all witnesses. 33  "Therefore having been exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He has poured forth this which you both see and hear. 34  "For it was not David who ascended into heaven, but he himself says: 'THE LORD SAID TO MY LORD, "SIT AT MY RIGHT HAND, 35  UNTIL I MAKE YOUR ENEMIES A FOOTSTOOL FOR YOUR FEET."' 36  "Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ—this Jesus whom you crucified." Acts 2:32-36 (NASB)

The Gospel is the true story of how God reclaimed for himself authority and dominion over his creation. The Bible teaches that Father God is the Creator who made all things through the agency of his Son and the Holy Spirit.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2  He was in the beginning with God. 3  All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. John 1:1-3 (NASB)

In addition, God sustains his creation moment by moment; otherwise, it would fold up like a cheap tent.

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16  For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. 17  He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. Colossians 1:15-17 (NASB)

Adam and Eve gave to Satan the authority and dominion God has invested in them, opening the door for satanic oppression to warp and destroy God’s beautiful masterpiece. Only by sending his own Son as the Lamb of God could Father God regain dominion over his creation and reverse the horrible process of death and destruction sin introduced. Jesus willingly offered his life as a perfect sacrifice to atone for our sins. In so doing, he liberated us from the shackles of death.

Three days later he rose victoriously from the tomb as Lord of lords and King of kings. All authority and power was put in his hands. Forty days later, he ascended into heaven, where he sits upon his Father’s throne, waiting for his enemies to be thoroughly and finally defeated through the agency of his church. On Pentecost, as Lord of the Harvest, Jesus poured out his Spirit upon his disciples to equip, empower, and embolden them to spread the Good News of his reign to all the earth, making disciples as they went. The kingdom of God began to spread throughout the earth as leaven does in a lump of dough.

Still Jesus waits in heaven for his enemies to be made his footstool. What remains? What is our responsibility in the matter? God’s initial command to his newly created first couple is still in effect.

God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. 28  God blessed them; and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth." Genesis 1:27-28 (NASB)

We have been given a dual responsibility: we are to multiply and rule in the natural realm and the spiritual. Just as we realize that we must reproduce children in the natural, we must also do so in the spiritual through the preaching of the gospel. Just as we nurture and prepare our children to become responsible adults, we must also disciple people to be responsible reproducing followers of Christ. Just as we realize we must take dominion in natural areas of life, we must do so spiritually. We are to be involved in government, not politics per se. The government is upon Christ’s shoulders, and we are his representatives. Jesus is coming back for a dynamic involved church, not one that is defeated and passively letting the world go to hell in a hand basket. (Romans 16:20)

We can know for a fact that all things are working toward God’s glory, which shall fill the earth. We who know God are also assured that things are working out for our good. (Romans 8:28) Therefore, we are always able to praise God as we participate in his end game for the ages.

  • God is Creator and sovereign over his creation.
  • God is Sustainer. Everything and everyone depend on his power to uphold us. Therefore, nothing can happen that he does not allow. He can pull the plug on evil at any moment he desires. Evil does not nor ever will have the upper hand.
  • Jesus is Redeemer. Those who put their trust in him are safe.
  • Jesus is Lord. When Jesus rose from the dead, he assumed authority over all creation. Every knee will bow to him and confess his lordship. All of history is moving toward that climactic event called the Last Judgment. All things must bow the knee as history moves irreversibly toward God’s will for his Son to be glorified. We can count on that.
  • We are destined to co-reign with Christ, both here and in the final state of things. We are to be active, not passive, filled with faith, not fear, giving praise, not complaining.
  • All things are also working for our good; so, we are able to praise him even when, especially when, we cannot see yet how that will come to pass. This gives God much glory and us much joy.

Prayer

Lord, I give you thanks and praise that you are my Creator God. I am here because you willed it so. I praise you that you sustain your creation moment by moment. The reason I have my breath is because of you. It is so easy for you to control the outcomes of world events since you are the Sustainer. If you remove your support, no one can continue. We are totally dependent on you, despite our bravado and blustering. Thank you, Jesus for dying for me so that I might be forgiven and receive eternal life. Thank you that I am part of the family of God and my destiny is to rule and reign with you. Thank you that you conquered death for our sake so that we no longer have to fear. Thank you, Jesus, that when you rose from the dead you took command over all things, even though it does not yet appear to be so. It is so. Everything is aligning with your ultimate will. Every person eventually will acknowledge your lordship and rule. I do so now. Thank you, Jesus that you are working all things out for our good and your glory.

I pray for my government, as Paul commanded us. I pray that you will work through our leaders to provide just government to our nation. Help me to be involved at whatever level you choose. Lord, you are sovereign in power and overflowing in mercy. You know that evil people are scheming and working to accomplish their plans at the expense of those who love your name because they hate you and your rule. Don’t let their evil plans succeed. Work things out to be a blessing for your people and for your glory instead. Let the plans of evil people backfire on them. Let truth prevail and liars be exposed. Uncover the hidden things of darkness so that truth wins and your Son is glorified. In the midst of your judgments, have mercy on those who are willing to repent. Open their eyes to believe the Gospel. Strengthen those of your people who are suffering persecution for your sake around the world. Have mercy on the persecutors. Bring justice to the poor and oppressed. Let your people always be praising you. Amen.

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Why Evolutionary Materialism Is Blasphemy

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Bible opens with these words…

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Genesis 1:1 (NLT)

Before all else, from our human perspective, God is the Creator. Everything in the universe derives from him, is sustained by him, and will ultimately glorify him.

"You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being." Revelation 4:11 (NIV)

The rebellion that began in the Garden was a rejection of God’s benevolent authority over his creation.

Satan tricked Adam and Eve into doubting their Creator’s love and good intentions for them. They opted for a self-directed life in place of one of worshipful and loving dependence on the one who made and sustained them. Over time man’s rebellion progressed to an outright denial of God’s existence, which has been codified in many modern philosophies, one of which is evolutionary materialism.

Evolutionary materialism is the theory that matter got here by itself and everything in the universe, including life, can be explained completely by naturalistic processes.

Sin blinds our reasoning ability. It robs us of seeing God’s hand in everything he made. Those who arrogantly dismiss God rejoiced when Darwin developed his theory of evolution, realizing that it gave a plausibly “scientific” cover for their atheism. Those who have chosen to adopt this “faith” position, for it cannot ever be proved, haughtily dismiss those of us who adhere to the biblical creation view as being backward and unscientific. The education establishment forbids the teaching of the creationist point of view, using their dominance to poison the minds of generations of young people against God, fueling the fires of mankind’s rebellion. Unless they repent, they surely will reap the judgment they deserve. Paul wrote:

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19  because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. 20  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. 21  For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Romans 1:18-21 (NASB)

Godless humanity continually replicates Adam’s sin by insisting we are self-created and self-determinate beings.

Nothing could be further from the truth. We are created, dependent beings, who live to bring glory to our Creator. If we miss that, we miss everything. Evolutionary materialism is blasphemy, pure and simple.

The suppression of the truth that God exists and is the Creator and Sustainer of the universe of the beginning of all deception and lies.

What Then Must We Do?

If you now realize that you are guilty of dismissing God as your Creator, here is what you can do.

  • Ask Him to forgive you on the basis of Christ’s death on your behalf.
  • Make the choice to surrender all of your supposed rights to self-determination by acknowledging that Jesus is your Lord. Water baptism is the way we publicly declare our allegiance to Christ.
  • The third step is to receive the baptism in the Holy Spirit and join Christ’s intrepid band of disciples who are spreading the Good News to as many people as will listen.
  • Become part of a Spirit filled local church that takes the Great Commission seriously.
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Forgiveness… on what basis?

Gospel in a Minute

I have heard it said that God forgives us because it is his “job.” It is amazing to me how cavalier people can be regarding God’s mercy, as if they know for certain that he will forgive anything and everything and that they have nothing at all to be concerned when they one day face God. I believe this attitude reveals a woeful lack of appreciation for God’s justice and an absence of a proper sort of fear of the Lord.

Jesus warned his disciples:

But I’ll tell you whom to fear. Fear God, who has the power to kill you and then throw you into hell. Yes, he’s the one to fear. Luke 12:5 (NLT)

Jesus was anything but reassuring when it came to God’s justice. That being the case, how could Jesus so blithely grant forgiveness to a person, as in the following passage?

Jesus climbed into a boat and went back across the lake to his own town. 2  Some people brought to him a paralyzed man on a mat. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, “Be encouraged, my child! Your sins are forgiven.”  Matthew 9:1-2 (NLT)

The Pharisees who were present accused Jesus of blasphemy, realizing that granting forgiveness before God is a divine prerogative. They condemned him for assuming to have such authority, not realizing who he was. But how is God himself able to forgive without violating his perfect justice? On what basis did Jesus forgive this man and others?

The answer is simple. When Jesus forgave anyone in the gospels, he made an advance draw from his account, guaranteeing he would have to be crucified. He would soon pay an incalculable price by dying on the cross as the Lamb of God to satisfy God’s wrath against sin and purchase our forgiveness.

Never forget: God does not forgive because it is his job. He forgives because he loved us enough to allow his only Son to die for us.

Have you told God how much you appreciate what he did for you?

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Is the Covid Vaccine the Mark of the Beast?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lately I have become aware of a conversation among some followers of Christ asking the question if the Covid vaccine might be the mark of the beast mentioned in Revelation. I understand why someone might venture in this direction because of all the talk of vaccine passports and implanted nano chips. However, I believe asking such a question betrays a fundamental misunderstanding of the nature of salvation. Please let me explain.

First, let’s take a look at the relevant passages in Revelation.

He required everyone—small and great, rich and poor, free and slave—to be given a mark on the right hand or on the forehead. 17  And no one could buy or sell anything without that mark, which was either the name of the beast or the number representing his name. 18  Wisdom is needed here. Let the one with understanding solve the meaning of the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man. His number is 666. Revelation 13:16-18 (NLT) 

Then a third angel followed them, shouting, “Anyone who worships the beast and his statue or who accepts his mark on the forehead or on the hand 10  must drink the wine of God’s anger. It has been poured full strength into God’s cup of wrath. And they will be tormented with fire and burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and the Lamb. 11  The smoke of their torment will rise forever and ever, and they will have no relief day or night, for they have worshiped the beast and his statue and have accepted the mark of his name.” Revelation 14:9-11 (NLT) 

Then I heard a mighty voice from the Temple say to the seven angels, “Go your ways and pour out on the earth the seven bowls containing God’s wrath.” 2  So the first angel left the Temple and poured out his bowl on the earth, and horrible, malignant sores broke out on everyone who had the mark of the beast and who worshiped his statue. Revelation 16:1-2 (NLT)

Then I saw thrones, and the people sitting on them had been given the authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their testimony about Jesus and for proclaiming the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or his statue, nor accepted his mark on their forehead or their hands. They all came to life again, and they reigned with Christ for a thousand years. Revelation 20:4 (NLT) 

And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who in its presence had done the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur. Revelation 19:20 (ESV)

For centuries Bible readers have wondered about this mark and about the identity of the person called the antichrist. Modern technology has made it possible to envision the insertion of a chip beneath the skin that could act as an identifier and a sort of credit card for making financial transactions. I do not want to take the time to give examples of how this is possible right now.  You can do that research on your own time. What I am more concerned about is the theology behind fearing that receiving a vaccine might consign a person to the Lake of Fire.

I believe we should be far more interested in God’s mark than the one from the “beast.” All people who are born again receive what the Bible calls a “seal” in the Spirit.

The Spirit of God comes to live in and through those who put their faith and allegiance in Christ for all eternity, effectively sealing us as God’s property and guaranteeing us a place in the resurrection. Let’s look at some verses to this effect.

And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, 22  and who has also put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee. 2 Corinthians 1:21-22 (ESV) 

In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14  who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory. Ephesians 1:13-14 (ESV)

The Holy Spirit was God’s “down payment” on the resurrection, so to speak. While we wait for that glorious event, we have the proof that God will complete what he has begun in us in the form of God’s resident Spirit. This mark or seal is invisible to the human eye, but fully visible in the spiritual realm, just as ultraviolet light cannot be seen with the human eye, but is nevertheless real.

God’s mark is far more powerful and important that Satan’s.

Our salvation in Christ is based on our being birthed into God’s family, which was made possible by Jesus’ paying the price for our guilt. Father God forgave us, declared us righteous in his sight, reconciled us to himself, and birthed us into his family.

But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. 13  They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God. John 1:12-13 (NLT)

No one is able to measure up to God’s righteousness through a perfect adherence to God’s commandments. The Bible says no one on earth is righteous before God. (Romans 3:10) The Law was always intended to reveal our abject spiritual poverty so that we would turn to God in our desperation and receive his solution, the Lamb of God, who died for the sins of the world. God removed us from the treadmill of performance-based religion and gave us eternal life as a free gift. Why then do we so easily wish to get back on the religious treadmill?

If we think that receiving a vaccine will somehow disqualify us from eternal life, we have never even understood the New Covenant. The vaccine may prematurely end our lives here on earth, but it will not short circuit our eternity with Christ.

The mark of the beast, if it is a literal thing, will be integrally part of denying Christ and worshiping Satan. The vaccine is neither of those things. Taking the vaccine might be viewed as a fearful surrender to an overreaching government bent on controlling every facet of life, but it is not an overt denial of Christ. I refuse to take the vaccine for a number of reasons, mainly health related, but not because I am afraid it might consign me to the Lake of Fire. In fact, it might actually help me get to heaven more quickly. I hope this article relieves you of any fears regarding this topic. Blessings, and please don’t take the vaccine, unless you are in a hurry to get to heaven…

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The First Fact Checker

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A faithful witness does not lie, but a false witness breathes out lies. Proverbs 14:5 (ESV)

One of the cardinal sins God condemns is bearing false witness or lying. This is because God by nature always speaks the truth.

God is not a man, so he does not lie. He is not human, so he does not change his mind. Has he ever spoken and failed to act? Has he ever promised and not carried it through? Numbers 23:19 (NLT)

Jesus told us that he is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. (John 14:6) All truth is God’s truth. Truth leads to life and freedom. As Jesus said, “The truth will set you free.” (John 8:32)

God’s truth produces life and saves us from destruction; whereas the purpose of lies is to deceive and destroy us.

When God first created the world and put Adam in the garden, he provided every fruit tree for his food, except one, which was called the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. That one was off limits. God warned Adam that, if he ate from it, he would die. That was the truth. If Adam believed that truth and kept away from the deadly tree, he would live. In direct contrast, God also put the tree of life in the garden. If Adam ate that, he would live forever. This is the backdrop for the appearance of the world’s first “fact checker.”

Anyone who uses the worldwide web to gather information knows about fact checkers. These mysterious people, who supposedly know most everything and are completely unbiased, act as judges or arbiters of what is true and false. But just who are these people? What are their credentials? Can they be trusted? Do they speak truth or have a political agenda? Are they paid by the people they are protecting? Many never ask these questions. They simply accept what the fact checkers tell them.

I and many others refuse to accept the narrative being given to us by our government and the mainstream media and have turned to alternative sources of information. But even these must be regarded as potentially suspect. The truth can be hard to find. When we have alternative sources of information which contradict each other, how do we distinguish truth from a lie? It takes a commitment to truth, time and effort to research, and a reliance upon the Bible and the Spirit of truth to guide us. The sad fact is that human beings have an absolutely horrendous track record in this department. We generally are too lazy, too biased, too self-centered and self-reliant, and too easily manipulated.

One great indicator of what is true is what big tech is censoring.

They never censor anything coming from the Left, no matter how hateful. But when people from the opposite political spectrum are over the target, they get plenty of flak. We are living through a time when the truth has fallen in the street, to quote the words of Isaiah. (Isaiah 59:14) However, another Bible verse assures us that nothing can stop the truth. (2 Corinthians 13:8) For the truth to remain hidden, it must be actively suppressed, which God hates and will judge. (Romans 1:18)

Adam and Eve, newly created in a perfect world, never having been mistreated by God or deceived, fell for a lie that challenged God’s words and defamed his character the first time it was presented to them.

Satan appeared in the form of a snake and “fact checked” God. Here is how the conversation went.

The serpent was the shrewdest of all the wild animals the LORD God had made. One day he asked the woman, “Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?” 2  “Of course we may eat fruit from the trees in the garden,” the woman replied. 3  “It’s only the fruit from the tree in the middle of the garden that we are not allowed to eat. God said, ‘You must not eat it or even touch it; if you do, you will die.’” 4  “You won’t die!” the serpent replied to the woman. 5  “God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil.” 6  The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it, too. Genesis 3:1-6 (NLT)

Satan “debunked” God’s warning, declared it to be a “conspiracy theory,” and made Eve think she was a rube for believing it. Sound familiar? Satan accused God of having an agenda of wanting to keep them back from something good in order to maintain his elevated status as the only one who knew good and evil.

In one bold faced lie, Satan, the first fact checker, undermined truth, demonized the truth teller, and manipulated Adam and Eve into making the choice to kill themselves.

The Bible warns us that sin leads to death. (Romans 6:16) Proverbs warns us about “snares of death.” (Proverbs 14:27) It seemed at first that Satan had been right. Adam and Eve did not fall over dead when they ate the forbidden fruit. It must have looked as if they got away with disobeying God, but appearances can be quite deceiving. Death indeed penetrated their being that day. It took years for physical death to follow, but spiritual death was immediate. Guilt and shame filled their souls for the first time, inspiring them to try to hide from God. But despite their outright rebellion and their horrendous death producing choice, God in his mercy promised to send a Savior. Hallelujah!

Satan still uses lies to ensnare and kill us. If we believe his lies and act on them, we put ourselves on a pathway to ruin.

And let us not over spiritualize this. Satan’s lies are not confined to the religious realm. Yes, it is true that he uses lies to persuade people to sin against God’s moral commandments, but he also seeks to destroy people physically and emotionally by leading them into making destructive decisions in the natural world. Smoking cigarettes might be a good example. There is nothing inherently sinful about smoking, but now we know that it is very destructive to our health. My grandmother became addicted after her doctor advised her to start smoking for health reasons. He did not mean to lead her to addiction and death, but he did. She died of emphysema later in life. Bad advice led to a bad choice that eventually killed her. I believe she is in heaven today because her faith in God sustained her, even in sickness and through death.

Let’s Get Practical

Today fact checkers are working overtime “debunking” the “conspiracy theory” that the Covid “vaccine” is actually or potentially harmful.

However, many reputable scientists and doctors have been sounding a warning against taking this injection for some time now, but the media and big tech are working hard to “debunk” their warnings. (I put some links below if you wish to read more about this.) Is this mRNA injection falsely labeled a “vaccine” God’s gift to mankind, is it a lethal bio-weapon being unleashed on humanity to depopulate the world, or is it something in between? What is the truth?  Should we get the vaccine, refuse it, or wait and see?

I am of the opinion that the so-called “vaccine” is at the very least a serious medical mistake being pushed upon a naive and unsuspecting public to make billions of dollars. At the worst it is a de-population bio-weapon. Regardless of whether I am right or wrong, I see no good reason for it to continue to be pushed now that so many serious side effects have come to light and the so-called pandemic is over for all intents and purposes, at least where we live.

Let’s ask ourselves some serious questions.

  • Why would anyone choose to allow whoever is behind this experimental injection to alter the immune system God designed for us?  Are we really smarter than God?
  • Why allow “scientists” to use us as their “lab rats” in a worldwide gene therapy experiment with unknown consequences, especially when the death rate for Covid is so low and there are low-cost effective medicines (HCQ and ivermectin) to treat it? Remember no mRNA injection has ever successfully passed animal testing because the animals did not survive.
  • Why trust people who have lied to us in the past?
  • Why “vaccinate” young people who have a very minuscule chance of contracting Covid but who run the risk of being harmed or even sterilized by the injection?
  • Why turn the human body into a manufacturing center for the most toxic part of the virus, the protein spike? Why indeed?

Can you imagine how Adam and Eve felt after experiencing the full impact of their fateful decision to believe the lie pushed by the original fact checker in the garden?

There was no “re-do” for them. They could only live with the consequences while depending on God’s amazing mercy. If I am correct, we are in the midst of a modern day garden of Eden type lie that is designed to destroy us. We are being told, “You will not die,” but thousands have already succumbed after receiving the “vaccine”. Some predict deaths in the millions before it is all said and done. I certainly hope that they are wrong.

Adam and Eve failed their test because they so easily mistrusted God, thought they knew better than God, believed a lie, and acted on it.

How are we doing? As for me, even if my conclusions are incorrect, I do not think I will ever regret voicing my legitimate concerns. In the past, that is what America stood for – freedom of speech. If I am right and people take heed, perhaps what I have written will save some lives.

We all must make our choices before God and live with the consequences, while depending on his mercy and grace to help us, even if we decide wrong. Thankfully, God is greater than all the schemes of man. (Psalm 2:2-9)

May God give us all the wisdom, courage, and faith to do the right thing.

Below are links to some resources on the purported dangers connected to the “vaccine”. These are simply samples. Do your own research. Don’t rely on Google, which is censored. Use Duck Duck Go for searches.

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Why it is impossible for some people to understand and believe the truth

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jesus said some very interesting things about why people reject truth in the 8th chapter of John’s Gospel. The Jewish leaders for the most part opposed Jesus to the point of plotting to kill him. John records some conversations between our Lord and those leaders which highlight the tension and antagonism between them. Being a prophet, Jesus did not shy away from telling the truth to people, even when it produced a furious response. Below are some reasons the Lord gave why people refuse to listen to the truth.

Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. 32  And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” 33  “But we are descendants of Abraham,” they said. “We have never been slaves to anyone. What do you mean, ‘You will be set free’?” 34  Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave of sin. 35  A slave is not a permanent member of the family, but a son is part of the family forever. 36  So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free. 37  Yes, I realize that you are descendants of Abraham. And yet some of you are trying to kill me because there’s no room in your hearts for my message. 38  I am telling you what I saw when I was with my Father. But you are following the advice of your father.” John 8:31-38 (NLT)
  • The first reason that the Jewish leaders resisted truth was because it revealed that they had a sin problem. When we refuse to admit our need for God’s help it erects a barrier to the truth. The pride behind this refusal did not allow truth to enter their hearts. Jesus said that there was “no room in your hearts for my message.” The proud refusal to acknowledge our sin and turn to God for help is behind our hatred of truth.
  • Secondly, his listeners were tuned in to the devil. We get our information from somewhere – either God or someone else. In the garden of Eden, after God found Adam and Eve hiding from him, he asked them, “Who told you you were naked?” Satan has been speaking into the hearts of men, women, and children ever since. Jesus told the Jewish leaders that their inability to hear God’s words indicated they were listening to the devil. If we love the devil’s lies, there is no room in our hearts for God’s truth. (2 Thessalonians 2:10)
“Our father is Abraham!” they declared. “No,” Jesus replied, “for if you were really the children of Abraham, you would follow his example. 40  Instead, you are trying to kill me because I told you the truth, which I heard from God. Abraham never did such a thing. 41  No, you are imitating your real father.” They replied, “We aren’t illegitimate children! God himself is our true Father.” 42  Jesus told them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, because I have come to you from God. I am not here on my own, but he sent me. 43  Why can’t you understand what I am saying? It’s because you can’t even hear me! 44  For you are the children of your father the devil, and you love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45  So when I tell the truth, you just naturally don’t believe me! 46  Which of you can truthfully accuse me of sin? And since I am telling you the truth, why don’t you believe me? 47  Anyone who belongs to God listens gladly to the words of God. But you don’t listen because you don’t belong to God.” John 8:39-47 (NLT)
  • Thirdly, people hate truth because they are not related to God. Although every person can claim God is his or her Creator, only people who have been born again by the Spirit can say that they are God’s children. Until we are born of the Spirit, there is no affinity between us and God. We cannot love the truth because nothing in us loves truth. We naturally believe lies because our “father” is the father of lies.

None of us can love God’s truth unless the Spirit of God does an internal work to change us on the inside, which is the essence of the New Covenant.

“The day is coming,” says the LORD, “when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and Judah. 32  This covenant will not be like the one I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand and brought them out of the land of Egypt. They broke that covenant, though I loved them as a husband loves his wife,” says the LORD. 33  “But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel on that day,” says the LORD. “I will put my instructions deep within them, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. 34  And they will not need to teach their neighbors, nor will they need to teach their relatives, saying, ‘You should know the LORD.’ For everyone, from the least to the greatest, will know me already,” says the LORD. “And I will forgive their wickedness, and I will never again remember their sins.” Jeremiah 31:31-34 (NLT)

If people have no interest in the gospel or are hostile to it, we can be sure that they have no room in their hearts for God’s message because their father is the devil and they are only able to hear lies.

We should never give up on them, however. God is able to use the power contained in the Word of God to transform hearts through the internal work of the Holy Spirit. Who knows? We may be given the privilege of sharing the Good News with a Paul, someone who is initially hostile but in whom God is working. That would have been I. Thank God my wife did not easily give up!

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How the Gospel Liberates Us from Fear of Rejection and Abandonment

 

 

 

 

 

In the last post, I showed how the gospel sets us free from fears associated with invalidation or lack of proper affirmation. Our true identity is derived from the one who made us. Unless we are connected properly to the Creator, we cannot possibly know for sure who we are, our value, or our purpose. The lack of proper validation produces insecurity, often leading to the expectation of being rejected and maybe even abandoned because we believe we are not “worth” loving. When life corroborates these fears with the actual experience, it implants lies and fears deep in our hearts. The gospel can set us free.

Adam and Eve experienced partial rejection after they sinned when they were expelled from the garden of Eden. In actuality, they rejected God, bringing his judgment upon their lives. Even though our first parents were excluded from the garden and blocked from partaking of the tree of life, God did not abandon them. In the very process of addressing their sin and proclaiming his judgment upon it, he also graciously promised Eve (and us) that one of her descendants would crush Satan.

And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel." Genesis 3:15 (NIV)

This is the very first messianic promise and an important foundation stone in the gospel message. In a real sense, this is the first gospel presentation, which is a beautiful proof that God never even thought about abandoning his creatures, even after they so rudely rejected and rebelled against him.

Sadly, we have shown over and over again how susceptible we are to lies. Satan finds fertile ground in our hearts for sowing deception, of which he is a master. Jesus called him the father of lies. Men and women over the ages have continued to believe the original lie that God does not really love us. When we begin to attribute bad motives to God, we are in trouble. Adding to this original lie, Satan convinces people that God has rejected and abandoned us, too.

It is a natural and spiritual truth that we can only give away what we possess. Sadly, rejected people only have rejection to impart to others. We cannot “fix” ourselves. Only the Creator – Sustainer – Redeemer has that ability. Only God is able to break the chains of fear that are associated with these lies, and he began the process with his Son.

The dramatic proof that God has not and will never abandon us is the cross.

Jesus experienced the affirmation of his Father at his water baptism, at the transfiguration, and at many other times. He was secure in his identity, his value in God’s sight, and his mission. This allowed him to endure and triumph over the vicious and violent forms of rejection and abandonment he experienced during his ministry years, which crescendoed during his passion and crucifixion.

The prophet Isaiah informs us that Jesus was well acquainted with rejection. (Isaiah 53:3) He knew the pain of being called a bastard son of unmarried woman. (John 8:41) He knew what it was like to be spurned by those who held religious and political authority and power. (John 7:48) He knew how it felt to have masses of followers turn away from following him. (John 6:66) He experienced the pain of betrayal by one in his inner circle and being denied by one of his closest three. (Luke 22:48, Matthew 26:34) He was abandoned by almost all his followers when the passion began (Matthew 26:31), but his relationship with his Father enabled him to weather all that. God wants to establish us in his love, too, so we will not be moved by rejection and abandonment by people.

During his passion and crucifixion, the pain of rejection and abandonment reached its peak. He was spat upon, mocked, beaten, publicly humiliated, reviled, and finally crucified unmercifully. He maintained his composure and confidence through it all. At the last, in some mysterious way, it seems he experienced abandonment by his Father. Theologians speculate that when Jesus “became” sin on our behalf (2 Corinthians 5:21), the Father was forced to turn away momentarily from his beloved Son. The curse or judgment of God against sin fell upon the innocent Lamb of God. (Galatians 3:13) What agony Jesus must have felt when he uttered, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46) This was a quote from Psalm 22:1, a prophecy by King David, which Jesus fulfilled.  In summary, Jesus experienced every aspect of invalidation, rejection, and abandonment at the hands of men and, at least for a moment, by his heavenly Father when he laid down his life on our behalf as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.

As a result of what Jesus endured for our sake, we can experience freedom from the lies and fears associated with invalidation, rejection, and abandonment.

Here are some of the Bible promises we have if we put our confidence and allegiance in Christ.

However, those the Father has given me will come to me, and I will never reject them. John 6:37 (NLT) 

I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; 17  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. 18  I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. John 14:16-18 (NASB)

The gospel of grace informs us that our acceptance with God hinges upon our Lord Jesus’ perfect life and sacrifice, not on our own performance.

This pulls the rug out from under the accusation that we are not good enough for God to love us. Our relationship with our heavenly Father, the Creator-Sustainer-Redeemer, is based upon our being “in Christ.” When Father looks at us, he sees his Son. (Galatians 2:20) When we worship him, we do so “in the Spirit.” The Spirit of Christ who resides within each believer cries out, “Abba, Father.” (Romans 8:15) Although, we are not divine, we have the Spirit of God indwelling us, giving us the same relationship with Abba that Christ has. (1 Corinthians 6:17) This is the secret of the Christian life and the means of our liberation from fear.

God has done the “heavy lifting” through his Son, but we must do our part, too, which is to meditate upon the scriptures and believe them. The Holy Spirit within will help us.

So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, "If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; 32  and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free." John 8:31-32 (NASB)

I leave you with this fabulous passage to think about. Hopefully you will be inspired to believe the truth about God’s love for you. You might even wish to pray the prayer below.

So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. 17  By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. 18  There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. 1 John 4:16-18 (ESV)

Prayer

Father God, I have wrestled with lies and fears all my life. I now come to you because I put my faith in the love you have for me, which was demonstrated when Jesus died for me on the cross. I choose to believe the truth that you will never reject or leave me. I now realize that I am your beloved child. My sins are forgiven and my destiny is secure in Christ. Help me from this day forth to live and serve others out of the security of your love for me and the truth about what you say about me. Help me to be a faithful messenger of your love and truth to others. Amen

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The Dangers of Playing God

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Prior to writing this article, as a good shepherd, I have tried to sound a warning to God’s “sheep” regarding the dangers associated with the experimental Covid “vaccine” by forwarding articles and videos to people who have showed an openness to such information. Yesterday, it suddenly struck me that there is also a theological reason not be “vaccinated.” Here is my attempt to share my thoughts. I hope it will help you decide what to do, if you have not already received the injections.

Satan, the being Jesus identified as the father of lies in whom is no truth, apparently came to a point where he decided to play God (Isaiah 14:12-15). He wanted to take over God’s throne, but it did not turn out well for him. If he could not be God, he decided to spread his misery and rebellion to planet earth and humanity. Being a liar, he used what he knew best to deceive Adam and Eve into disobeying God, promising her that doing so would enable her to become “like” God, knowing good and evil. (Genesis 3:5) The big lies Satan released upon these unsuspecting and naive humans were that God cannot be trusted to do the right thing, disobedience to God will produce good results, and sin will not result in death.

I submit that these are the same lies being used to trick people into receiving the experimental gene therapy called the Covid vaccine. We are being told that we cannot trust our God-given immune system, tinkering with God’s creation will produce good results, and altering God’s design will not result in death.

Indeed, Adam and Eve did come to know good and evil on a first hand basis, but it caused them to lose their spiritual link with God and introduced death into humanity. Adam and Eve were already created in God’s image, but they wanted more. They thought they knew best. It destroyed them.

At the tower of Babel, mankind once again tried to play God by building a tower to reach to heaven and make a name for themselves. (Genesis 11:4) God stopped that sinful work of pride in its tracks and scattered mankind over the earth by confusing their languages. Nevertheless, the Babel principle remains: humans still want to play God.

God sent his Son to actually elevate humans to the throne of heaven. The thing Satan covets God will give to anyone who puts their faith in the Son. This is why Satan hates believers.

Jesus is the second person of the Trinity, who became a human and came to earth to testify to the truth (John 18:37) and make a way for us to sit on God’s throne as co-rulers, enjoying his glory and authority forever. (Ephesians 2:6) The only way we get to enjoy these things is by entering through the doorway of repentance. To repent essentially means that we decide to stop trying to live independently from God and willingly surrender to Christ’s benevolent rule. It includes being sorry for having lived that way in the past and for all the wicked things we did and thought while in that mindset. Faith allows us to accept what Christ accomplished on our behalf – forgiveness, being made right with God, being restored to God’s family, being set free from all that enslaved us, and being given the rights, privileges, and authority of sons and daughters of God. We cannot earn this, steal this, or in any way accomplish this on our own. It is a gift pure and simple to those who will repent and believe.

But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5  even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6  and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7  so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8  For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9  not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. Ephesians 2:4-9 (NASB)

Unfortunately, those who refuse to accept the gracious offer of eternal life and sonship through the gospel still are trying to be God and steal his glory, thinking they know best.

In my opinion, one of the latest examples is the mRNA vaccine.

Instead of being grateful and awed by the immune system given to us by the Creator, men and women, who probably believe we evolved out of nothingness, fearlessly tinker with God’s creation in an effort to improve upon God’s design.

What could go wrong injecting a synthesized mRNA sequence into our immune system?

The following has been extracted from Moderna’s own website.

At Moderna, we are leveraging the fundamental role that mRNA plays in protein synthesis. We have developed proprietary technologies and methods to create mRNA sequences that cells recognize as if they were produced in the body. We focus on diseases where enabling targeted cells to produce – or turn ‘on’ – one or more given proteins will enable the body to fight or prevent a given disease.

      • We start with our desired sequence for a protein.
      • We design and synthesize the corresponding mRNA sequence – the code that will create that protein.
      • Before synthesis, we also engineer that mRNA sequence to optimize the mRNA’s physical properties, as well as those of the encoded protein.
      • We deliver the mRNA sequence to the cells responsible for making that protein via one of several modalities. Reaching different types of cells requires different delivery methods.
      • And, once the mRNA – the instructions – are in the cell … human biology takes over. Ribosomes read the code and build the protein, and the cells express the protein in the body.

I feel sure that many vaccine scientists believe that great good will come out of this new technology, which, by the way, has been falsely labeled as a vaccine. It is hoped that this new technology will lead to a cure for cancer and other diseases; but we must consider whether using it might be as when Adam and Eve ate the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil. Will it release a “Pandora’s box” of disastrous consequences upon the human race? Many think this is a distinct possibility.

Due to the current Covid “pandemic emergency,” this “vaccine” was manufactured and distributed without having successfully navigated the normal animal safety trials, despite there being two known effective treatments for Covid – hydroxycholoriquine and ivermectin, not to mention vitamin D and zinc. These treatments have been suppressed by big pharma and the media to allow the vaccine to be introduced. (Here is a very good short video of a presentation by Dr. Ryan Cole on this subject.)

All previous mRNA “vaccines” failed animal testing because within several months the animals died or were severely compromised when exposed again to a wild pathogen against which they were supposed to have developed an immunity. (Here is a video segment by Dr. Tenpenny which exposes this – go to minute 21:35) Dr. Tenpenny warns that animals previously tested with other mRNA “vaccines” were permanently altered by the vaccine so that the virus actually penetrated their DNA by an irreversible process called transduction. Here is another good video interview on this subject with Dr. Lee Merrit.)

The big question before us today is this. Will we start seeing a massive death event in a few months experienced by all who have received the mRNA injection due to being primed to experience a fatal cytokine storm? We certainly hope and pray not. Time will reveal the answer, however. The verdict is still out. In addition, it is feared that many may develop various autoimmune disorders. We are already seeing people develop blood clots. Many have experienced other weird symptoms, including death. It is also feared that the “vaccine” can produce sterility in women. Spontaneous abortions have already followed some pregnant women who were vaccinated.

What is my point? It is certainly not to ring a death knell on behalf of those who already submitted to receiving an injection of an alien synthesized mRNA sequence. We hope for the best for all of you.

However, I warn those who are pondering whether or not to receive this experimental gene therapy that doing so is tinkering with God’s creation and submitting to a trans-humanist agenda. I personally think it is another attempt at playing God and thinking that we know better than God. I predict no good will come from this.

True vaccines use the body’s defense system. This shot alters it.

I don’t know about you, but I plan to stick with God’s design, not experiment with man’s.

Below is a wonderful video compilation of doctors from around the world sounding the alarm. We do well to take heed. It is found on Bitchute, one site that is not censored.

DOCTORS & MEDICAL EXPERTS WORLDWIDE WARN HUMANITY AGAINST TAKING THE COVID19 VACCINE

I understand that some of my readers will dismiss this article as being a “tin foil hat” conspiracy theory. We are living in an era when truth is hard to discern at times. I have sounded the warning. It is up to you what you do with it. We shall soon know who was telling the truth. We will also soon know the truth about the gospel. According to the Bible, when we die, we will all stand before Christ’s judgment seat. If we ignored his warnings and refused the gospel offer, we will have no one to blame but ourselves. Don’t refuse God’s amazing offer of eternal life through the gospel. If we miss that one,we will discover that we made the greatest mistake imaginable. If the vaccine kills us, that is only our physical life, as precious as that is; but, if we refuse the gospel, it will result in a spiritual death and an eternity without God, which is far worse.

Prayer

Jesus, I repent of my misguided attempt to live without you. I now choose to come under your benevolent rule. Please forgive all my sins and give me eternal life through your indwelling Holy Spirit. I believe you defeated death on my behalf when you rose from the grave. Thank you for loving me so much. Help me to serve you all my days and tell others about the good news. Amen.

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Faith Waits During Dark Days

 

 

 

 

 

Darkness often descends upon those who are waiting to receive a promise from God. God allows our faith to be tested to prove its genuineness. (1 Peter 1:6-7) Persevering faith brings great glory to God. King David spent years waiting for Samuel’s prophecy of his coming kingship to be fulfilled. Even though he was anointed king as a young boy, he had to wait for God’s timing. So did Abraham and countless others. Joseph was also a great example. The scriptures say the following about his wait.

Until the time that his word came to pass, The word of the LORD tested him. Psalm 105:19 (NASB)

How discouraging and dark were those years of captivity in Egypt? How distant and unreal did those boyhood dreams of having authority over his brothers and parents seem? Was he tempted to cast away his confidence? There is no indication that he ever wavered.

The Letter to the Hebrews encourages us to likewise remain strong during our dark days of waiting on God to fulfill his promises to us.

Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. 36  For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised. Hebrews 10:35-36 (NASB)

Jesus told his disciples before he ever went to the cross that he would be crucified, but would rise again after three days. They were not able to grasp or believe his words. As he hung dying on that instrument of torture, the altar upon which he freely gave away his life as payment for our sins, he announced, “It is finished.” (John 19:30) He announced to the world, heaven, the angels, demons, Satan, and his Father that his mighty work of redemption was complete. Nothing more needed to be done on his part. All that remained was to wait for God the Father to do his part – the resurrection.

How do you suppose the disciples felt during that Sabbath between the crucifixion and the resurrection? Were they able to rest in and rejoice that, just as in the creation, God had finished his work? Or did they wallow in despair, confusion, and self-pity? What would you have done? What have you done when God has required you to wait for him to fulfill a very specific promise to you? Maybe you are in just such a time right now. How is your faith doing? Is it getting stronger? That is what God wants. That is what happened to Abraham when he had to wait twenty-five years for a promise to be fulfilled.

Even when there was no reason for hope, Abraham kept hoping—believing that he would become the father of many nations. For God had said to him, “That’s how many descendants you will have!” 19  And Abraham’s faith did not weaken, even though, at about 100 years of age, he figured his body was as good as dead—and so was Sarah’s womb. 20  Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God. 21  He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises. Romans 4:18-21 (NLT)

Faith is able to wait during dark days because it is focused on God’s faithfulness and it is upheld by God himself. He is the Author and Completer of our faith. (Hebrews 12:2)

However, Jesus is compassionate when we waver. This is shown in the resurrection account of his appearance to the two disciples who were walking to Emmaus. They had lost hope, but Jesus chose to appear to them before he ever visited his main disciples. How remarkable! In fact, his chief band of disciples still did not believe! If you are struggling to keep the faith during your wait for God to fulfill his word, know that God is there for you. Hang in there, just as King David wrote so long ago.

Yet I am confident I will see the LORD’s goodness while I am here in the land of the living. 14  Wait patiently for the LORD. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the LORD. Psalm 27:13-14 (NLT)
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