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      "author": "steemitboard",
      "body": "Congratulations @seandirk! You received a personal award!\n\n<table><tr><td>https://steemitimages.com/70x70/http://steemitboard.com/@seandirk/birthday2.png</td><td>Happy Birthday! - You are on the Steem blockchain for 2 years!</td></tr></table>\n\n<sub>_You can view [your badges on your Steem Board](https://steemitboard.com/@seandirk) and compare to others on the [Steem Ranking](https://steemitboard.com/ranking/index.php?name=seandirk)_</sub>\n\n\n###### [Vote for @Steemitboard as a witness](https://v2.steemconnect.com/sign/account-witness-vote?witness=steemitboard&approve=1) to get one more award and increased upvotes!",
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      "author": "partiko",
      "body": "Thank you so much for sharing this amazing post with us!\n\nHave you heard about Partiko? It’s a really convenient mobile app for Steem! With Partiko, you can easily see what’s going on in the Steem community, make posts and comments (no beneficiary cut forever!), and always stayed connected with your followers via push notification!\n\nPartiko also rewards you with Partiko Points (3000 Partiko Point bonus when you first use it!), and Partiko Points can be converted into Steem tokens. You can earn Partiko Points easily by making posts and comments using Partiko.\n\nWe also noticed that your Steem Power is low. We will be very happy to delegate 15 Steem Power to you once you have made a post using Partiko! With more Steem Power, you can make more posts and comments, and earn more rewards!\n\nIf that all sounds interesting, you can: \n\n- Download Partiko Android at [Google Play](http://bit.ly/2SRFIta)\n- Or Download Partiko iOS on the [App Store](https://apple.co/2PcXkSd)\n\nThank you so much for reading this message!",
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      "author": "seandirk",
      "body": "(Disclaimer: This work is not related to the author's personal life, and should not be taken as such.)\n\n\nMy dreams keep coming,\nI keep stumbling, \nHoping for honest reprieve.\nRenewing my hopes,\nputting all of my scopes, \non the newest plan up my sleeve.\n\nI keep on wondering,\nAnd earnestly pondering,\nDo I deserve this fate?\nIs this my malady, \nWithout a remedy,\nIs it already too late?\n\nI made some mistakes, \nand that's all it takes,\nto go from 100 to 0 in stride,\nbut despite circumstances,\nthere are second chances,\nI can turn back the tide.\n\nI cannot fix it,\nshould I leave it,\nshould I leave myself to fate.\nI want to chase this,\nThe chance to change this, \nBefore it is all too late.\n\nI have lost friends,\nno one comprehends,\nthe depth that my sorrow goes.\nWhat shall I do then, you see,\nMy anger is in me,\nand there is no way to let it go.\n\nMy mistakes are for real,\nand those of others a big deal,\nI've wronged and been wronged by others.\nEven by those that you see,\nare the closest to me,\nby those I would call my brothers.\n\nHis burden is easy,\nHe definitely sees me,\nfilled with anger and strife.\nI do not go hiding,\nI know about fighting, \nI have been doing it all my life.\n\nI pray that my deck,\nis brought into check,\nand I am brought back to life.\nIt is not enough, \nyou see all this stuff, \nthat fills me with anger and strife.\n\nPlease God, I beg you,\nI need you to renew, \nmy fortune, my fate, my soul.\nI need you to make me,\nI need you to save me,\nTo finally make me whole.\n\nI am done with this God,\nI won't ask you to applaud, \nthat I am coming back to you sore.\nI am here God, you see, \nI present myself to Thee,\nI'm not running away anymore.",
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      "author": "seandirk",
      "body": "I woke up this morning,\nWhat can I say?\nI will never forget, \nThat horrible day.\n\nA flick of the wrist,\nThat was all it took,\nAs my wife fell on the ground, \nAnd then my world shook.\n\nI was next to die, \nHow come I am here to say,\nA citizen was armed,\nBlew the three assailants away.\n\nI told the police,\neverything I knew,\nMy friends say I am fine,\nThat everything is cool.\n\nJust stop it you hear me,\nThat is what I say,\nYou are not there reliving,\nThat moment everyday.\n\nI look on my own daughter,\nWith fear and dread,\nThat she will be taken,\nRight from her bed.\n\nI knew Melissa,\nSeven years of my life,\nBefore my world,\nBecame agony and strife.\n\nI cannot even hold,\nour wedding picture, you see,\nShe was killed right in front of me,\nOn our Seventh Anniversary.\n\nDo not give me websites,\nEHarmony you say,\nI found my true love,\na mugger took her away.\n\nMy days are sorrowful,\nfull of solace and complaint,\nAs my everyday trauma,\nGives me bitter constraint.\n\nHow do you explain it,\nHow do you tell why,\nTo a four year old girl,\nHow her mother had died.\n\nI live and relive,\nthat moment everyday, \nBegging for God to just come,\nand take me away.\n\nMelissa is gone God,\nCan you not see,\nI have no reason to stay,\nOnly dying in misery.\n\nPlease God, I am begging,\nImploring somehow,\nOh God, my God, please,\nBring her back right now.\n\n(The work is not advocating this tone in terms of the authors relationship with God. It is exploring the characters mental state.)",
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{
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      "author": "steemitboard",
      "body": "Congratulations @seandirk! You have completed the following achievement on the Steem blockchain and have been rewarded with new badge(s) :\n\n<table><tr><td>https://steemitimages.com/60x70/http://steemitboard.com/@seandirk/voted.png?201811010020</td><td>You received more than 50 upvotes. Your next target is to reach 100 upvotes.</td></tr>\n</table>\n\n<sub>_[Click here to view your Board of Honor](https://steemitboard.com/@seandirk)_</sub>\n<sub>_If you no longer want to receive notifications, reply to this comment with the word_ `STOP`</sub>\n\n\n\n**Do not miss the last post from @steemitboard:**\n<table><tr><td><a href=\"https://steemit.com/steemfest/@steemitboard/i06trehc\"><img src=\"https://steemitimages.com/64x128/https://ipfs.io/ipfs/QmU34ZrY632FFKQ1vbrkSM27VcnsjQdtXPynfMrpxDFJcF\"></a></td><td><a href=\"https://steemit.com/steemfest/@steemitboard/i06trehc\">Be ready for the next contest!</a></td></tr><tr><td><a href=\"https://steemit.com/halloween/@steemitboard/trick-or-treat-publish-your-scariest-halloweeen-story-and-win-a-new-badge\"><img src=\"https://steemitimages.com/64x128/http://i.cubeupload.com/RUyB3u.png\"></a></td><td><a href=\"https://steemit.com/halloween/@steemitboard/trick-or-treat-publish-your-scariest-halloweeen-story-and-win-a-new-badge\">Trick or Treat - Publish your scariest halloween story and win a new badge</a></td></tr><tr><td><a href=\"https://steemit.com/steemitboard/@steemitboard/steemitboard-notifications-improved\"><img src=\"https://steemitimages.com/64x128/http://i.cubeupload.com/NgygYH.png\"></a></td><td><a href=\"https://steemit.com/steemitboard/@steemitboard/steemitboard-notifications-improved\">SteemitBoard notifications improved</a></td></tr></table>\n\n> Support [SteemitBoard's project](https://steemit.com/@steemitboard)! **[Vote for its witness](https://v2.steemconnect.com/sign/account-witness-vote?witness=steemitboard&approve=1)** and **get one more award**!",
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      "author": "seandirk",
      "body": "Life was once kind, \nFull of goodness, you see,\nBut now it is just darkness,\nFull of anguish and misery.\n\nIt is the cycle of life,\nOne can venture to guess,\nThe secret about life, \nIt is called the Regress.\n\nFloating between various stages,\nYou see,\nAs happiness and sadness, \nBoth come back to me.\n\nThe memories of better days,\nWarmer seasons of old, \nNow all of my seasons, \nHave grown bitter and cold.\n\nThough I, in diligence,\nDo work at my craft,\nThe world, with disdain,\nJust gives me the shaft.\n\nNever in the wrong, \nHave my hands done labor,\nNever contempt in my heart,\nTo merit such disfavor.\n\nMy friends did love me,\nThey cared do you not see,\nUntil time rolled over,\nThen they abandoned me.\n\nLife was once mirth,\nTime of great jubilation,\nThey have faded, since then,\nTo complete tribulation.\n\nI feel like Jesus,\nAs He was crying you see,\n\"My God, My God,\nWhy have you forsaken me?\"\n\nOh God, please God,\nPlease remember how,\nYou saved me once before,\nDo not abandon me now.\n\nRemember your servant,\nBroken is He,\nLanguishing, agonizing,\nIn total misery.\n\nI have done your work,\nLord, remember the day, \nThat you atoned for my sin, \nAnd took my guilt away.\n\nAll I am saying, God, \nIs I wait for progress,\nTo fight back the cycle, \nOne of constant regress.\n\nI want to say it God,\nbut I do not know how;\nHere it goes, \"Hey God,\nI need you right now.\"",
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      "body": "Here is the latest update for the blog. Indeed, the matter of the literacy of the Jews in the 1st century is of consequence when the charge is that the they were illiterate, and by extension of the that presupposition, the apostles were as well, putting the authorship of the New Testament into question.  If the issue has actually been misrepresented based on a narrow margin of data, then it behooves Christians to rebut the charge with a well-orchestrated apologia. With this thought in mind, here is the article.\n\nhttps://intheserviceofthekingblog.wordpress.com/2018/10/05/what-do-you-mean-he-cannot-read-making-illiterates-out-of-the-apostles-part-1/",
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      "body": "That is indeed the point of the article concerning the Faustian peril. While the soul cannot be sold, because the soul is either secured by God for salvation, or segregated to receive damnation, the peril of Faust is far more cunning. That people can, and do, deny Christ for the sake of preserving their wealth, status, or success, or even profane Christ for the sake of enriching their status quo. This peril is to convince man that this life is all there is, so you better make the most of it, in how they behave if not what they believe. We all must run from this peril; for even if we are saved through Christ, we will damn souls to Hell if we let the world bribe us into silence concerning the gospel.",
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      "body": "You can't sell your soul to the devil because if you're not saved you're already going to hell. And if you are saved you belong to God. Your soul isn't something that can be bought or sold.",
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      "body": "![](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmR9272oRe4ViFX6iQCApocvyVoYGu27hhJqcaKEWysXw4/image.png)\nhttps://intheserviceofthekingblog.wordpress.com/2018/08/10/gain-the-world-loose-your-soul-the-faustian-peril/\n\nFaust has been one of the more enrapturing tales of Western literature and stage theater. The discontented Faust striking a bargain with the cunning Mephistopheles. The tale has, indeed, been at the route of the pact with the Devil trope in Western literature. Under the lens of Scripture, however, to what extent is it fitting with soteriology (nature of salvation) and demonology (the powers and nature of demonic entities)? Truth be told, much of it, if not most to all, is divorced from any biblical exegesis. If one wishes to know the reason why, the article posted will explain.",
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      "body": "![](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmYzBBpKzY5G7izZia4f9rcSszPp8KMn8M4RtunwqNfrGo/image.png)\n“You have head that it was said, ‘an eye for and eye and a tooth for a tooth. ‘But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil.  But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one would borrow from you. (Matthew 5:38-42)” This verse is one of the most famous appeals to what is called Christian pacifism. The idea is the believer is, under the directive of this verse, never to participate in any form of violence. There are two different variants of this attitude: hard and soft. The hard stance is that no Christian is to participate in any armed force, even as a police or military member. The other camp is that the officials of the state are the only ones responsible for defense of the citizen from bodily harm, and only Christians in the military and police are permitted to be armed and use force in defense of their fellow neighbors. This, however, is a grave misinterpretation of the passage, and one that is upheld out of the false assertion that the Great Commission, and this passage, forbids us, to the point of judgement, from defending ones bodily person and others. The problem here is two ideas: one that the resistance of the believer against rape, assault and battery, mugging, and even homicide impedes the gospel of Jesus Christ, and two that the death of the believer by these tragedies is necessary for the gospel to advance. The gospel’s deliverance and fulfillment is under the direction of the Holy Spirit, and fulfilled through the Spirit’s impression on unbelievers, not through the actions of believers themselves. So how does one interpret the issue? Is it wrong to own means of protection of family and friends? Is it wrong to use such means? Is the government the only entity allowed to use such means? Even the question, “Does carrying a weapon imply a lack of faith in God?”.\n\nThe first part is to breakdown the most common passage appealed to in the argument for Christian pacifism. “But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the cheek, turn him the other also.” (Matthew 5:39 ESV) The passage, taken of its own accord, would seem to give implication of condemnation for use of force or resistance of any kind. However, the previous verse gives much important background to the use of the verse. “You have heard it said, An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.” The importance of this is the that the phrase is a throwback to the old expression in the Hammurabi code of law of equal punishment for the crime, of which was abused to extend to matters of retaliation. The key of “the one who is evil” is the surrounding persons by which the person who is evil is explored. Verse 39 “anyone slaps you on the cheek, turn him the other also.” The context comes from the Jewish culture surrounding what such a blow actually meant. A slap on the face was not a form of physical abuse; the practice was offering insult to the person receiving it. (1.) Understood in context, turning the other cheek has to do with refusing to retaliate, and letting the person who insults you condemn themselves. However, the interpretation of the verse is left ambiguous by virtue of the opening. “Do not resist through violent means of self-defense. (1.)” This is incumbent on whether the interpreter is taking Jesus’s words in response to insult and civil dispute, or taking His words in response to assault and battery, rape, and murder. If the former case, they are abiding in the context. If the latter, they have jumped ship into eisegesis. Offering ones cloak was a matter of resolving a dispute by offering the means by which even the warmth and security of the person during night was given to resolve a dispute with an enemy. (2.) Both (1.) and (2.) address the issue of Roman obligatory carry of possessions for the stretch of a mile, hence the expression “go the extra mile”, referring to giving more than was asked for. The interpretations of verse 42 are widely divergent. The first one tries to argue the beggar turned bully, from which they should not resist the evildoer. The second one interprets the passage in reference to an enemy who is now in need, not depriving them out of retaliation. Of the two interpretations, the second is the most faithful to the context of the passages subject matter. The issue of Matthew 5:38-42 is the matter of retaliation against injury and insult, not threat of death or bodily harm. The person is not condemned for defending against a stabbing or shooting of themselves or others because the context determine the meaning: no interpretations are to be impregnated on Scripture that exceed what it discusses.\n\nAnother passage commonly employed in the matter is Matthew 26:52-54, specifically 52. People take the first passage as an indictment against all use of force exempt, as Romans 13 discusses, by the state itself. This means no possession or use of arms or martial arts in personal bodily defense of self or others. A clear error in exegesis emerges from this interpretation though. The line is delivered after v.47-51, when a mob, including temple officials, came to ARREST Jesus. They had an official arrest that would have been recognized by the state, and Peter striking the slave was him attempting to thwart the ordinance of the state, which Romans 13 makes clear is the ordinance of God. The following verses of 53-54 address it in the sense of the fulfillment of Scripture and the power of Jesus to call 12 legions of angels to His defense. The fact that they were armed with swords and clubs made it clear that Jesus was, especially by healing the slaves ear, saving Peter’s skin by preventing the arrest, and possible execution, of Peter for attacking officials of the state.  Those that draw on the sword will die by the sword. This proverb does not make sense in the context of a condemnation of possession of arms and personal defense because Jesus was aware of the possession of swords by His disciples by His omniscience, and Luke 22:35-38 only solidifies the matter. If Jesus was at odds with personal defense from bodily harm, he would have condemned that possession of sword among the disciples, not ignored it (though it cannot dogmatically be stated, it is fair to interpret Jesus as telling His disciples to possess swords among them for personal protection). As such, the passage is being taken out of context when people argue pacifism as a mandate for believers from this passage.\n\nRomans 13 puts a moral imperative, and a supernatural command, from God in a specific manner. The chapter calls believers to be subjects to government under the fact that all authority is instituted by God, to where armed resistance is to resist God himself, and incur judgement accordingly. The big question comes, “If the Bible describes the power of the sword being in the hands of the state, does that mean believers should not possess arms of any variety?” The answer to that is that the term sword does not, in this case, constitute a physical sword. Rather than a literal interpretation, it is better taken in reference to what the sword represents to major society. The sword has always been a symbol of administration of judgment and judicial force, so it was a common symbol of justice. The issue of the verse concerns the power of the state to administer justice in accordance with God’s will, which puts the death any spirit of vigilantism that one can bluster. The fact that justice and judgement is excluded to the state leaves the issue squarely under the purview of the state, rather than having ground in the self-appointed judgment of the subjects. Does that mean defense of bodily person, and other people, is out of the question? By no means. Self-defense concerns preservation of life, not self-appointed executioners of it. This context, even more so, puts a moral imperative on the believer. When one is suffering the threat of death or bodily harm, believers are not to be idle and walk away? If we are to be Christ to the least of these, the bystander effect has to end. Believers do not invoke a heaven mindedness that makes them no earthly good, otherwise they affirm the common complaint of Marx that religion is the opiate of the masses (meaning an anesthetic that removes any sensation of pain and anguish at social injustice and wrong doing).\n\nThe final thing to address the ever-present “if you have a gun, knife, sword, mace, taser, or your bare fists (a la martial arts), you are putting your faith in them rather than God.” The crux of the argument is that deference to God’s Sovereignty is the absence of the exercise of human agency, and, by extension, the expectations of preparation and pro-activity. A man does not lack faith in God when he (or she if a woman is involved) puts on a seat belt while driving. Nether are they fools in their faith when they irrigate channels for their crops. Neither in acquiring a job, and laboring for their daily bread. Nor hunting animals to put food on the table. And especially not in the matter of using Xanax and Prozac for anxiety and depression respectively. So in what manner would preservation of human life through defensive, and/or deterring force, be any different? The League of Nations may have felt that appeasement and pacifism was an appropriate response to Adolf Hitler’s blitzkrieg military imperialism, but they would pay for it dearly when it really came to war with Germany when they threatened even the nations that were members of the league. As such, submitting to a city of felons only empowers evil to do evil unto others, rather than leave evil abated. Prevention of violence and crime does not hinge on the backs of military and police personnel alone; the citizen must be an active measure, and component, of this process.\n\nSo what do believers say? Are we to continue in pacifism that evil may abound? By no means. How can believers, those who have been called to bring hope and the light of Jesus, let those who could hear the gospel die at the hands of those who have hardened their hearts to the imago dei in other human beings? If believers are serious about bringing the redeeming gospel of Jesus the Christ to the world, we must be serious about the fact that life is valuable to the point it must be defended, and preserved, even to the point of the death of the one whom is, at that point, hard-hearted and impenitent. Could they come to Christ in the future if they lived? The question is invalid because it presumes another path of God’s metanarrative of history that the story may take. If God has appointed something to happen, it will happen irrespective of who is the agent, and the agency is exercised. Pursuing godliness, and love for one’s neighbor, means doing good unto all who are in need. Let God ordain events, man act in the conscience of the Holy Spirit, and let the plan unfold, whatever means God chooses to use.\n\n(1.)  Burrick, George Arthur, John Knox, Nolan B. Harmon The Interpreters Bible: New Testament Article Matthew Mark (Nashville, Tennessee: Abingdon Press, 1951) p.301\n\n(2.)  Blum, Edwin A., Jeremy Royal Howard, Charles L. Quarles Holman Christian Standard Bible Study Bible (Nashville, Tennessee: Holman Christian Standard Bible, 2010) p.1621",
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      "author": "steemitboard",
      "body": "Congratulations @seandirk! You have received a personal award!\n\n[![](https://steemitimages.com/70x70/http://steemitboard.com/@seandirk/birthday1.png)](http://steemitboard.com/@seandirk)  1 Year on Steemit\n<sub>_Click on the badge to view your Board of Honor._</sub>\n\n\n**Do not miss the last post from @steemitboard:**\n[SteemitBoard World Cup Contest - Semi Finals - Day 1](https://steemit.com/steemitboard/@steemitboard/steemitboard-world-cup-contest-semi-finals-day-1)\n\n---\n**Participate in the [SteemitBoard World Cup Contest](https://steemit.com/steemitboard/@steemitboard/steemitboard-world-cup-contest-collect-badges-and-win-free-sbd)!**\nCollect World Cup badges and win free SBD\nSupport the Gold Sponsors of the contest: [@good-karma](https://v2.steemconnect.com/sign/account-witness-vote?witness=good-karma&approve=1) and [@lukestokes](https://v2.steemconnect.com/sign/account-witness-vote?witness=lukestokes.mhth&approve=1)\n\n---\n\n> Do you like [SteemitBoard's project](https://steemit.com/@steemitboard)? Then **[Vote for its witness](https://v2.steemconnect.com/sign/account-witness-vote?witness=steemitboard&approve=1)** and **get one more award**!",
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      "body": "![](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmXpV57xAejFugJXsrxococVuxdr6arsXzZoE4tQYc6TY3/image.png)\nComing on the eve of the fourth of July has put believers in a moral quandary as it pertains to the question of is patriotism appropriate, or acceptable, within the body of Christ. “After all,” people say “is patriotism not simply nationalism, and patriotism is insulting to every believer on earth that is not American?” The failure to contextualize is to fallaciously equate patriotism with nationalism, in spite of the that fact that there is a concrete world of difference between the two, and treating any affection towards the ideals and beliefs of a nation as putting those of others down. Some would call the pursuit of happiness a apathetic pursuit of self-interest at others expense, and at the expense of the gospel. What if, however, the pursuit of happiness through proclaiming the good news involved producing the means to provide for the needs of those in need of the gospel? Whoooa, say that three times fast. Then the argument falls apart by the gospel preserving the American dream, but flipping the end goal on its head. Theocentric enrichment of means to provide for others and proclaim the gospel, in contrast to gross anthropocentric advancement (the Good News of Christ be darned in this view). Anyway, now that the author has opened the topic with probably excessive snark, onward with the topic.\n\nTo answer the problem of what is the proper road in the path of patriotism for the believer, one must first consult Scripture on what government’s role actually is.\n\nLet every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. There whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those that resist will incur judgment. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer. Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience. For the same reason you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers God, attending to this very thing. Pay all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to who revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed. (Romans 13:1-7 ESV Bible)\n\nSo, for all intents and purposes, honor, respect, and revenue are due to the government, as to the extent the law of man does not contradict the ordinance of God himself. So in most respects, patriotism is not only aspirational, it is mandated for the believer. The point where devotion to the state ceases and desists is when the government tramples on the image of God, through things like murder and rape, and demands the believer's, and/or churches, complicity in the act. Dietrich Bonhoeffer expressed the true meaning of biblical patriotism by actively resisting a state  that openly, and shamelessly, decreed the abuse and murder of multiple ethnic groups in the power fantasy of German racial supremacy. The Founding Fathers are an up in the air case of “were they justified in resisting the British state over taxation with only virtual representation (the British parliament members speaking on the colonists behalf, not the colonists having their own ambassador to speak their concerns of how the Seven years tax debt was heavily squared on their shoulders). While the question is up in the air about the level of justification the American colonists, much like any other colony group, had in the past of the question of national sovereignty and self-determination, one must deal with the present day country the decision forged.\n\nAn important delineation that must be explored is the line of patriotism vs. nationalism. To elaborate, the difference is not only in what they represent, but the extent of the devotion to one’s nation in question. A patriot will defend their nations liberties, freedoms, virtues, principles, and, at the same time, possessing no myopia to its faults. A nationalist, by contrast, does not desire to defend a nations virtue, but hammer on people’s heads its alleged supremacy in respect to other nations. The Nazi party of Germany, the Marxist party of Russia, the imperialist government of 1940’s Japan, all an expression of the true sense of nationalism. The might of their nations expressed by conquest of others in the name of national supremacy. This is the true color of nationalism. Vicious adherence to self-identity to the extent of disdain for other nations. This is especially the case where Merriam Websters online dictionary is concerned with the following paragraph.\n\nA somewhat subtler difference between the two words may be found in their modifiers and the ideas to which each is connected. When we examine large bodies of recent text we see that patriotism is more often used in a general sense, often in conjunction with such words as bravery, valor, duty, and devotion. Nationalism, however, tends to find itself modified by specific movements, most frequently of a political bent. (1.)\n\nSo nationalism is more obsessed with a unilateral national identity of conformity to a national political philosophy, making it clearly at odds with the patriotic devotion to virtue through bravery and strength of character.\n\nWhat causes the biggest issue in the church as it pertains to its relationship to government? Primarily, the dual citizenship the believer possesses, being both a citizen of Earth and the Kingdom of God. The following excerpt from The Interpreters Bible Commentary brings the gravity of the issue to the forefront.\n\nThe problem was complicated by the fact that the Christian always belongs to two communities, and has loyalties to both. Sometimes the one, sometimes the other, claims to be predominant, and to declare their separation certainly does not settle all the problems involved. The intense and eager discussion which has centered around Paul’s treatment here in ch.13  merely illustrates the perennial interest in this subject throughout Christian history. (2.)\n\nThe issue is particularly magnified in the United States where patriotism, particularly in the fourth of July season of Independence day.  Being proud of being an American does not mean conceit and hubris to third world countries, nor apologizing to Japan, Germany, Korea, and Vietnam for conducting war against the factions that viewed anyone who disagreed with their ideology as a stain on a geopolitical sheet to be washed out. These conflicts were justifiable concerning the nature of the threat America was in conflict with. America is not, however, God’s gift to the world to bring it hope, liberty, and good fortune. It is a nation of finite and fallible human beings, all with personal faults, quirks, and points of moral failure, like every nation on this earth. The question is, what does a nation champion in terms of freedom and virtue? That matters because it is indicative how badly that nation needs the gospel of Jesus Christ, and in the case of Europe and America, the need is very acute. Nations that bar the good news from discussion by threatening with fines and imprisonment anything that constitutes hate speech according to the humanist community is a sign of spiritual disparity on national levels. Sexual license is appraised while religious preaching declaring it under the judgment of God is legally reprimanded. So a Christian nationalist movement in Europe or America better examine its heart, and the moral character of their nation, before declaring its supremacy.\n\nWill the issue find resignation to a satisfactory conclusion? This issue, to answer the question, will unfortunately perpetuate to the end of days. However, the issue is not a reason to tell people not to celebrate the fourth of July. Yes, the worship service and pulpit could be seen as alienating, but outside venues from church sermons and worship are neutral ground. The proper Christian patriot will realize that America is in spiritual decline, and the liberty it cherishes is becoming licentiousness that inebriates the culture from registering sin in the negative. The mission field of the North American continent is becoming increasingly critical, spiritually dying more and more each day. This fourth of July needs to be a day of preaching that the nation of liberty in word will be free in word only if it continues to slouch towards Sodom and Gomorrah. Preaching the good news of the gospel is the most patriotic thing you can do at this point. The Bill of Rights can only matter when God’s divine imprint on man is recognized to uphold freedom, and not destroy it, for the purpose of pursuing life in any manner God and man approves. For until the love of God pours out in the hearts of believers from the Holy Spirit who has been given to us, liberty will be traded for license, patriotism will be traded for nationalism, and freedom will be traded for slavery.\n\n(1.) The Difference Between Patriotism and Nationalism (accessed at https://www.merriam-webster.com/words-at-play/patriotism-vs-nationalism on June 25, 2018)\n\n(2.) Buttrick, George Arthur The Interpreters Bible: Acts, Romans (Nashville, Tennessee: Abingdon Press, 1954) p.598",
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      "body": "![](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmYgxMEPLiNUKEh3corfUH1anPXJgTmXnG1MK84vXWzykV/image.png)\nMortgage. Bankruptcy. Unemployment. Financial hits. Bad investments. Divorce. Breakups. Count the ways anxiety hits us like a ton of bricks. The face of adversity feels like life is more in control of us than we are of it. So half of our lives is panic about how downhill a situation is going to go, and the other half is floundering in human effort to redirect the outcome of our negative circumstances. Either half of the pie, the wheels are in the mud with no traction. That is what is ironic about factors of anxiety and depression. The more human effort applied, the worse the outcome gets. It is like a man who sits on a pot of money, buries it in the backyard, pulls it out 15 years later, and inflation has rendered the amount paltry. The paralysis of anxiety will lead you to hold on to what you do have, and still loose it anyway because you fail to realize your life is not in your hands to begin with. God, who reigns in Heaven, holds all peoples lives together, and causes the rain to fall on disciple and pagan alike, ordains all things according to His purposes, with no promise of prosperity. The hurly burly of anxiety will cause you to carelessly make decisions because your fears, not your God given sense of reason, is at the driver’s seat. But if sitting on your hands and being preoccupied with a situation causes bad decision making, in response to anxiety, how do you handle anxiety?\n\nHow bad is anxiety in this day and age? The trend of anxiety seems to be a question of whether the anxiety is temporary, or long-term. Temporary state of anxiety is considered under a six month threshold, while generalized anxiety disorders are stated to occur over a six month period and beyond. (1.) That much anxiety over a six month period; talk about a boat load of insecurity. The difficulty often becomes what is the root cause of such anxiety. Sometime anxiety is an absence of security in God’s provision, and thus, has a spiritual root of sin in the causation. However, contradictory to John MacArthur’s conventional assertions, not all factors are purely sin based in causation. Some anxiety disorders, much in the same vein as depression, have neurotransmission issues at their influence. Three of the biggest players considered are serotonin, dopamine, and even gaba (gamma-aminobutyric acid), though the research is not conclusive on the matter. (2.) So anxiety is a serious matter, and should be treated as such, with all factors being taken into consideration.\n\nBeing that only a counselor, therapist, or psychiatrist can give a clinical diagnosis, and only medical professionals, such as psychiatrists, can offer recommendations for pharmaceuticals to treat general anxiety disorder, the article will tackle anxiety that is circumstantial, and based on a pattern of living. A common concern in anxiety is over finance. The nature of finance is that the factors that it effects, namely food, water, housing, and childcare, are an ever-present trigger of anxiety. The reality of needing to attend to the needs of basic survival does not dissipate; on the contrary, it compounds daily. Some days you are at work and doing well; other days you get the pink slip and you have to downsize to make ends meet. So how do you keep up your spirits in the time of struggle to make ends meet? Here the words of Matthew 6:25-34, and meditate on it.\n\n25 “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?[g] 28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.\n\n34 “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. (3.)\n\nGod gives provision to the Jew and the Gentile, for He has no partiality, as Romans 2:9-11. A fact that is often ignored when men of God complain about prosperity of the pagan, in contradiction to the whole plotline of the book of Job. Good and evil fall on the righteous (those who have received grace) and the unrighteous (those who are strangers to grace). God is not stingy when it comes to blessing His creation; He longs to lavishly bless you and give you hope. He does so according to His purposes and glory, and when He blesses, prayers of adoration and thanks are in order. Let not your fears of the future cloud God’s nature and being to where you are blind to God’s working.\n\nOne of the greatest stumbling points that stirs anxiety is an absence of the sense that God is Sovereign. Often, we give lip service to God’s omnipotence and omnibenevolence in word and paper, but not in practice. This is not to our benefit, but to our detriment. To believe that God has our best interest in heart, we must live like our every day provision is from Him, because it is. Here are a few good words about the Sovereignty of God.\n\nThis governing activity of God extends over a large variety of areas. God is described as controlling nature. Particularly dramatic evidence of God’s power over nature can be seen in the case of Elijah, who told Ahab that it would not rain except by word of God, and it did not rain for three-and-a-half years, and who prayed at Mount Caramel for God to send down lightning from heaven, and it was done……\n\nThe Lord is also sovereign in the circumstances of the lives individual persons. Hannah, inspired by the miraculous answer to her prayer (the Lord had given her a son, Samuel), expressed her praise: “The Lord kills and brings to life; he brings down to Sheol and raises up. The Lord makes poor and makes rich; he brings low, he also exalts” (1 Sam. 2:6-7). (4.)\n\nAll of nature, all of humanity, all of the cosmos under God’s Sovereignty, and we question His provision of our basic needs? Only irrational fear and anxiety, not faith, motivates our questioning.\n\nHow do we abate our fears and exercise trust in God? Philippians 4:6-7 tells us to not be anxious, but in everything, by prayer and petition, and with thanksgiving, we should let out requests be made known to God (ironically, Him knowing them already). Then the peace of God is promised to us, which surpasses all human understanding. The route to abate and alleviate anxiety will have many knots to untie, much like depression, but the starting point is to pray to have our needs made known, and will God will provide according to our need and His glory. How help comes often never appears as we might expect it. Sometimes, it come in the form of a new and better job. Other times, it is the aid and provision of the body of Christ. The author likens the faith we should have in God’s provision to that of a farmer or hunter. Both men must labor in their craft, becoming skillful in their capacity to provide. However, no matter how skilled they are, no matter how hard they work, no matter how much they prepare, they are dependent on God’s provision. If the farmer has no rain, his crops are bad and he has nothing to sell or eat. If a hunter has no game to hunt, he labors in vain, and he has no food to bring home. This is not an exception from labor to provide; believers are to labor that they may attend to the needs of the members of the church. We, however, labor in dependence on God’s power to make the ends meet, not in human fallibility, finitude, and impotence to resolve our anxieties.\n\nNo one is saying anxiety is an overnight fix. It was not an overnight fix when Joseph was thrown into prison on a trump charge, and he did not fixate on his imprisonment wondering whether or not he would see a better day. Paul did not handle his imprisonment with anxiety about how the future played out for him. The Israelites would have had every reason for anxiousness in the face of being migrated into the Assyrian empire for Northern Kingdom Israel, and Babylon for Southern Kingdom Judah, but they were told to trust the plans the Lord had for them as a people. Make no mistake people. Walking with God is not a matter of waiting on better circumstances. It is proactively living the ministry of God in faith of God’s provision. Downsizing may be a part of living that ministry out. Taking a lower income job may be a part of it. Asking the members of the church to help you with your everyday needs may be a part of it. Do not sit on your inadequate ability to resolve a situation. That is pride, which rears its ugly head in the face of adversity to put a mask of strength on when fear is what we actually feel. Satan relishes it because it kills faith, sin loves it because it fuels transgression, and Hell loves it because the transgression it makes damns souls. Do not live in anxiety: it will physically, and spiritually, kill you.\n\n(1.) Anderson, Neil T, D. Min; Terry E. Zuehlke, Ph.D.; Juliane S. Zuelke Christ Centered Therapy (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 2000) p.271,\n\n(2.) Graves, Julie,  Dr. What Neurotransmitters are involved in Anxiety Disorders? (accessed at https://www.livestrong.com/article/94954-neurotransmitters-involved-anxiety-disorder/ on May 31, 2018, published August 14, 2017)\n\n(3.) Matthew 6:25-34 (accessed at https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matthew+6&version=ESV on May 31, 2018)\n\n(4.) Erickson, Millard J. Introduction to Christian Doctrine (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 2001) p.141",
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      "body": "![](https://steemitimages.com/DQmSeMsEvxJGQnmVJ8ktcV6wgPssNTq6wzbXftAqD34trLc/image.png)\nThis topic I have given my in depth analysis on, and will be judged as people will. This topic is a heavy debate in Christendom, but it is worth considering when, as stated in my article, this is not an isolated issue. The debate between John Calvin and James Arminius rages here, and is heavy to debate and consider with a serious mind. Anyway, if you disagree with me, comment as you see fit down below, and have a good day.\n\nhttps://intheserviceofthekingblog.wordpress.com/2018/05/14/daddy-where-do-souls-come-from-the-origin-of-the-human-soul/",
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      "body": "![](https://steemitimages.com/DQmUkyEi4jbm8kKAdhNwyr7hb2xWCmbmM94kwtcczhxRbW2/image.png)\n![](https://steemitimages.com/DQmUEC2GPSajPtfQ1dEs89TA4YEuJVLrbMXZeAeB8L9Bic3/image.png)\n![](https://steemitimages.com/DQmf7CrwXoWx4fgaaPqzr8FTHwrQEZE9JSUvFbHj2vkufUc/image.png)\nHere is a question for you? Would you in your life build a Tomahawk with the handling characteristics of a hammer? I would not either. Not that it would affect the balancing too bad; it would just make the axe semi-awkward to use. That, in a nutshell, is how this tomahawk makes me feel. It has a good handle that makes it like a tool, but that is not always the best in something that may be a dedicated auxiliary to your firearm in hunting or home defense, as well as tool. This is not exactly the better choice out of myriad, but it is a choice from a company with a tool mindset about their products, which means rugged durability is an expectation.\n\nBlade material: This is where it is tricky. The website for Estwing on their product specifications lacks any insight into the steel construction. So only conjecture can be employed as a result. The best guess I can give is tool steel because of the company being a tool maker, and all the products are being designed as such. The use of the term American steel is not very helpful as a description because it does not allow us to know the properties of the axe's steel in their entirety. \n\nLength: The online specs put it at 16 inches in length for the entire axe, but there is a problem with that spec. The actual length of the axe, handle and all, is 15.5 inches. So, again, a factory specification that flies in the face of actual specifications on the product itself.  The axehead measures at the 2.5 inch mark in terms of length, and, what seems to be a quarter of an inch in thickness. A powerful and rugged design that almost feels like a tank.\n\nHandle: What seems like a dense rubber coating on the handle, built for shock absorption.  Comfortable, and definitely compensates for the hand shock this thing can generate from use of it.  How does it handle? Think hitting something with a sharpened hammer multiple times on wood, then you get the picture. Not a terrible axe, but not a great one either.\n\nSheath: Simple Nylon sheath for the axehead. Nothing to write home about. Two straps and a button is all.\n\nOther aspects: The back tip is surprisingly useful for biting into wood. Mind you it is not sharpened, but it gets the job done in a surprising manner. Some tomahawks on the market opt for hammer instead, or make the spikes questionable in their functionality, but this axe actually makes use of it.\n\nHow to finalize my axe review? The axe that could, but not as good as the competition. I have seen tomahawks on the tactical channel outperform the Estwing by fair margins. This axe is one of the budget contenders depending on where you buy it, $30-$40 and sometimes more for leather and camo versions, that is mainly a serviceable axe. At one point, I will probably invest in a Chogan from CRKT, as it is the superior axe in almost every conceivable way.  If this review tells you anything, it is this. If you are looking for a serviceable tactical tomahawk, get this. If you are looking for an excellent tactical axe, get a Chogan or Rangee T-Hawk. If you are looking for an excellent outdoor and hunting axe, the Woods Nobo and Chogan are the best of the bunch. What I am saying is buy this only if you need to scratch the itch, and as a collection piece. Other than that, about every other blade will do.",
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      "body": "If there is one area where pray is dead as a duck today, it is in adoration. Prayer has gone the route of pure supplication today, and drops the identity of the person we pray to. God is God, man is man, and we do not confuse the two. Prayer is a choice, and one that very few people make rightly. Prayer is a discipline of grace through faith in Jesus Christ we are told to exercise, but do we pray to the God of eternity, or a genie in the bottle to hear our latest demand? The prayer of adoration brings context to the relationship we possess with God, and where God is supposed to fall in our worldview. The death of this style of prayer is ultimately tragic, because it is the most important, and even the foundation, of all prayer. Is God your best buddy, or your Sovereign Lord? Before you continue praying, you better have the right answer for the next time you start.\n\nThe term adoration is important regarding prayer, but what does it mean to adore God? Simply put, it means to love, cherish, praise, and honor God for who He is. This is difficult to do because it brings us to the point of questioning of what we adore altogether. We do not adore our spouses in the same vein as we adore God, for that would favor the temporal and finite over the eternal and the infinite. How much do we adore God though? The biggest measure is not just adoration prayer in our lives, but how often, and how long, we pray to God. For if prayer is necessary to an intimate relationship with God, a brief, curt exchange is not going to cut it. Would you believe a couple loved each other if the most time they gave each other was three or four times for 1-2 minutes, topping off to 6-8 minutes per day, and 42-56 minutes per week? You would be convinced they had no relationship whatsoever. They barely talk, do not see each other, spent hardly any time with each other, and you are left to the conclusion that they are lying about what they mean to each other. Lip service can be given to loving and cherishing God all you can speak, but if your walk speaks more of apathy and indifference to God, it is clear that you have no love for Him. God is not God to you; He is an afterthought!!\n\nAre there examples of adoration in prayer being demonstrated? In fact, there is a whole book of the Bible that is giving praise to God: The Psalms. There are Psalms for when man is in despair and under death’s shadow, such as Psalm 23. Prayers for deliverance from the hands of unrighteous and wicked men, such as Psalms 3 and 4. Prayers of repentance in Psalms 6. Prayers of rejoicing in God, while declaring to not put before his eyes anything worthless, such as Psalms 101. The focal point of the Psalms is giving praise and deference to God above all else, acknowledging human impotence and finitude to accomplish to accomplish their ways. Ephesians 1 gives praise to God for believers’ adoption through Jesus Christ to the family of God. Finally, according to Revelation 19, there will be much rejoicing in Heaven at the end of days. The Word of God calls for adoration of God both as a means of prayer, and as a foundation for prayer. \nHow does one pray to God in adoration? The answer lies in changing our minds about who God is. How we think about God, how often we think it, and the extent to which we think about it will influence our prayer life in its totality. Therefore, double mindedness is not acceptable to Christ. If we are serious that God is real, and is interested in what we say, and, moreover, what He wants to say to us, we must come to Him receptive and open-minded, not obstinate and belligerent. The man who comes to prayer with a mindset of God being a means to an end will make the endeavor to slave drive God, which betrays, as noted before, a lack of conception of the ontological (nature of being) and the metaphysical (greater nature of reality) disparity between man and God. Such pretentiousness ends us inviting judgement, not counsel, from God, as the person mitigates, rather than adorates, God’s glory. And people wonder why their prayers of supplication are never answered the way they want.\n\nIf God is to be glorified, and man to be satisfied in Him by proxy, as per John Piper’s theological axiom, we better have a solid knowledge of how God handles irreverence. If the sons of Aaron in Numbers 3:4 were killed for using unauthorized fire before God, the manner from which we worship better be in shape. The Sons of Eli did not get a pass for taking from the offering the portion that was God’s, and sleeping with the women whom served at the entrance of the tent of meeting, so neither will we. If our prayers to God bear no reverence, we should not expect any blessing to come from God, for our prayers are not adoration, but sacrilege. Glory be to the father, and glory be to the father alone, as we pray in Word, in Spirit, and in Truth.\n\nA life of prayer is a life of humility, and pursuit of being more like Christ every day. If our time with Him is casual, rather than adoring, it reveals who is really the object of our devotion. God is not the director, but merely the player of our stage play. A man who conceives of God in these terms has nothing but stupidity, and should be ashamed of himself in every sense. The God who forged the heavens and the earth by vocal decree, as per Genesis 1, deserves more than a, “How is it going buddy? Hey, could you do me a favor?” Not in the light of redeeming us through His Son a, “Could let me off the hook for that nightly excursion with that lovely lady?” He deserves a “God, who formed Heaven and earth to your glory, I am a sinner. I am a man of unclean speech, and I live among a people of unclean speech. Forgive me, for the sake of your glory and Kingdom, all things rendered to your name.” That is the difference in prayer. One honors God humbly, the other dismisses God arrogantly.",
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      "body": "The struggle of man is to see things from his finite vantage point. Existence is more limited for humans because our worldview and schema are constantly in flux, which leads us to be incapable of true solidity in terms of identity because, at the end of the day, new knowledge, circumstances, relationships, and experiences rewrites our personality on a constant basis. How could man even relate to God in any capacity in terms of our worldview? That is the thing: the metaphysical and ontological divide makes this impossible. How do we get a clue for the mind of God then? The only way would be for God to relate to us about Himself, and/or examine his divine attributes.\n\nOmnipotence- The attribute is one that man has struggled to grasp, analyzing it from the angle of human cosmological impotence. An omnipotent being can reconstruct, or, more importantly, manifest reality as they will, and God would do the same. The human mind is flustered with omnipotence as a concept because human creation is merely an act of recreation through a compilation of technological advances. As a result of this reality, not only is human ability limited by technological development and scientific discovery, man is dependent on all previous inventions, and discovered knowledge, to have a base for accomplishing anything. When science and technology are absolved of humanity, man is no longer master of nature, but mastered by it. If Genesis 1:1 is to be taken into account, physical reality can be written out as quickly as God made it, rendering human impotence futility itself.\n\nOmnipresence- The ability to bear ones presence every place at once comes to the human mind as impossible as the human mind is limited by physical senses of the body, and, by extension, bodily presence, to make their existence known. We can only be present where our body is present. This is not an issue for an omnipresent being because such a being is not tethered to physical reality, and the limitations of presence that carry with it. Being spiritual and not physical in substance, dimensions of space, energy, matter, and time do not exist for such a being. To give other explanation to it would exhaust the human mind fruitlessly to give full understanding, but if all reality is perceptible to such a being, and nothing physical or spiritual can be hidden from Him, the human mind would be at no advantage to wit oneself against God. Such a thing can be grumbled against as thought police by humans, but if God is to met out justice across the universe, He would have to implement this attribute. Being His own eye witness, own lawgiver, own judge, and own executioner, all the Law is fulfilled in one person. God can wield absolute power because, as He has no capacity for evil, His nature is immutable, while man perceives power as godhood, and abuses his fellow man as such. \n\nOmniscience- This is one that people fail to take into account when it comes to God and mind. The idea of the human mind is that a functioning mind has to change and adapt to new information in order to be functional. However, a being with absolute knowledge from the start would have no need for this. The completion of His knowledge from the start renders God the only being with a perfect schema, and, by extension, a perfect worldview. This renders the changing of God's mind in a true sense, rather than mere anthropomorphic language, counterproductive because He already lives where most humans strive.  The knowledge of man is subject to previous knowledge acquired, refined, developed, and advanced, and with a brain to process and retain it. If both were taken away, the human mind would have zero ability to learn or know, and would be either a vegetable, or have a fixed identity. So in the truest sense, God has perfect mind, where man has imperfect, fallible, and perishable mind. \n\nOmnibenevolence: How can one call God good and have reason to believe such a being is worth worshiping? This question falters on an error of logic constant to the human mind: God's conception of good being equal to the human conception of it. The human conception of good is tainted by finitude, impotence, and a propensity to evil commonly referred to as sin. With this set up, good is based on present understanding of the situation, what is within our resources to attain through various means, and what the human conscience will justify. A being outside the universe, and outside physical reality, would not suffer this absence of perspective. No concepts of greed, lust, pride, ambition, or petty jealousy because the other three attributes would make them pointless. The only jealousy He could possess is one of the husband who fears his wife cheating on Him, and denigrating the intimacy and sincerity He has expressed. Such a love for humanity as His ultimate creation would reflect His goodness, not any malice in His heart, and the knowledge of sin would pertain to the fact that He knows its meaning, in contrast to being motivated by it as humans are. In the end, God is good because He is the only standard of good that transcends human thinking, rather than merely perpetuating it. \n\nNo man know the mind of God. One can speculate to high heaven, but absolute knowledge of God would only come by entering His domain. Isaiah 55:8 speaks to the mind of God, and His ways, being ultimately removed from man. What does man actually need: to conceive of God as one would see fit? What if man needed a revelation of the ultimate being of existence to know who man was supposed to be, how far they are from that, and how to get back to that vision? Would the world be any worse for it. For the author, humanity is bad and getting worse everyday. It is only a matter of time and technology before man reaches the pinnacle of his evil. Human progress is not man's salvation, fellowship with God, and salvation through His Son, is the only turning point. Until heaven and earth are one and the same, man will continue to become the very evil they fear.",
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      "body": "A big question to ask at times is whether or not we truly desire God to be there with us in the first place. Too often Christians are verbally theistic, but practically atheistic. We say God is real, but live like He is not. If not this pattern, Christians often only want God if He will answer our supplication over repentance, and if He will indulge sin rather than judge sin. To be in the right mindset of remembering God's omnipresence and sovereignty, we have to desire practical theism, with all that entails. When conviction comes, we accept it; when blessing comes, we thank Him; when tragedy occurs, we mourn with Him. We must live like Jesus matters to us, or abandon the title of Christian altogether.",
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      "body": "![](https://steemitimages.com/DQmatchaCnYKsZW7MwjiQaUwKbCnh5zgeqfTomoZWVVnnYC/image.png) Prayer. The word is a common expression among Christians, Muslims, and Jews, and other religions have their own version of prayer. However, the question begs, what is prayer? This is not a trivial question. What prayer is determines what we pray for, our mindset of prayer, and whether our prayers are accomplished or not. Jesus took the subject of prayer with utter seriousness, for He spoke about it in Matthew 6:5-8. He was so serious about it, he scalded the Pharisees for their high, lofty, lengthy, and public prayers. Public prayer was not the issue at had; the issue was they prayed for recognition and man’s praise. The heart of their prayers was human, over divine, approval. The only thing more offensive to the sinner than true religion and piety is double minded piety, which is not piety at all. The pious are content with the blessings of God, and to be counted as approved in His sight; whether man approves is a matter of no consequence. The man or woman who prays for the wrong reasons is counted no more righteous than the pagan who does not pray at all. There continues to be men, and women, who pray in wrongful spirit. If there is so much wrong in their prayer, how do we know right from wrong in prayer? Patience grasshopper, and you shall learn.\n\nThe first line in the Lord’s prayer that we are given in Matthew 5:9 is “Lord, hallowed be thy name.” The first line is the most important in the spirit of prayer. For to be hallowed means to be glorified, and be given ultimate reverence. The most important part of prayer is to be before the Lord giving praise to God and His name. The object of prayer is first, foremost, and to the last is God Himself. The object of God is to be our foundation, our rock, our refuge, our fortress, and our strength. Nothing else will count as being approved by God, for the Lord is not pleased with windy lip service that gives verbal ascent to His name, then walks out of church to practice carnality. Such a man is, before the Lord, insincere, double-minded, uncontrite, and definitively arrogant. A man of this character is arrogant because he deludes himself into thinking God approves of Him for walking into His house with no intention of repentance. This man is not, and no other person like him is, given license because He is a member of the house of God. The entrance to the house of God is an act of prayer, for as his thoughts and intentions are coming in, so God will do battle against Satan over where his heart is when he comes out. The words hallowed be thy name shatter the stone crusted over the heart to welcome the way for the King to walk and enact His will in their life. Until God is hallowed in one’s prayer life, it will come off as mere hypocrisy.\n\nv. 10 “Thy Kingdom Come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven.” The heart of prayer is one of humility before the Lord to declare that the will of God be done above the will of man. In our supplication, our prayers do not give evidence of desire for God to enact His will irrespective of our ambitions. To the contrary, our ambitions are held with recalcitrant opposition to anything of God’s will that will wage war against them. Prayer is not the fulfillment of selfish ambition; it is the place where selfish ambition dies and Christ brings the new man to bear. It is not to no point when James 4:10 says humble yourself before the Lord, and He will exalt you. Exaltation comes after humility, and humility with resignation to the hand of God’s will in our lives rather than war against it. The will of God on earth as it is in Heaven reflects where our true citizenship rests, and that which we strive for. Mind that you are not comfortable with life on earth to the point of loosing desire for Heaven. This life we bear is but a vapor in the wind, our story in the chapter of God’s play, and each person is a player. Will we play our role in the play, or will we be prideful, and war against the playwrights script?\n\nv. 11 “Give us this day our daily bread.” The passage has caused a debate to erupt between scholars over whether the daily bread is a mere spiritual reference, or is a reference to bodily needs and provision for survival. The debate, while understandable, is plagued by one fault. It is the fact that this debate is an either/or fallacy: a false dichotomy. The prayer for bread is request for nourishment of the body or provision of ones needs; after all, all provision is from our heavenly Father who richly provides for our needs. The prayer of the spiritual bread is one of the most powerful, and ironic prayers. This prayer asks for provision of spiritual sustenance to bear a healthy spiritual life, when the healthy spiritual life is already possessed by the believer by praying rightfully. The evidence of a bad prayer life, and a spiritual life as well, is the matter discussed in James 4:2-3. The person who asks for that which is correspondent to the passions of the flesh, over the will of the Spirit, insults the Spirit by the fact that it treats God as a genie/jinn. You cannot seal God in a bottle and demand of Him as you will. The Lord is Sovereign and will bring to pass that which He has foreordained. As per James 1:2-3, we are promised trials of many kinds. We are promised to be heirs of the kingdom when persecuted for righteousness sake Matthew 5:10, not if we are persecuted. We pray for endurance in trials, droughts, disparity, hopelessness, and persecution, for our final refuge is God, and God alone.\n\nv.12 “Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.” The prayer of forgiveness in proportion to the mercy we bear to our fellow man is both a comfort and a indictment. The question of how much mercy we bear toward man in God’s image for his transgression against us reflects whether God will bear mercy towards us in our sins. The hard hearted man, for which is unwilling to forgive another’s debt, will not be forgiven the debt he owed. Matthew 18:24-35 talks about a debtor who refused to forgive his neighbors debt, despite the 10,000 talents he himself owed, and was initially forgiven of, until the king reneged on it out of disgust for the servant’s ingratitude. The measure of the debt we owe for our sin before God is the incentive to forgive another’s sin because our offense against God is greater, and all sin is an act against God Himself. Lying tells a man in God’s image He is not worthy of truth, and that, by extension, God is not worthy of being spoken to truthfully. Rape tells the victim that their dignity as a human in God’s image does not matter, and neither does the dignity of God. Murder tells the victim that their life does not matter, and that God, whose image man is made in, does not matter. So before you rush to sin against your neighbor, remember this. If your transgression is an act against God in greater measure to the act you commit toward God, you must examine your hearts, cleanse your hands, and purify your mind. Do not ask God to forgive, if you will not forgive your neighbor, for you will not be shown mercy if you show no mercy to others.\n\nv.13 “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” The desire for deliverance from temptation of sin, and from the hands of the evil one, is the greatest symbol of spiritual maturity. The nature of spiritual warfare begins where it ends: on your knees praying in a sincere pursuit of God, battling with the forces of the air in their fallen horde. If you want to gauge how well you battle against sin, examine how you pray, and how frequently you pray. An anemic prayer life is the Devil’s best friend. A believer who prays like its a religious sacrament will develop a redundant, and insincere, prayer life. The prayer of the believer is to be intentional, not accidental. Pray like your life depends on it, because in some cases, your physical life will depend on it, and in spiritual life cases, it will always depends on it. James 1:13-14 makes it clear temptation is a product of human desire for sin, not God’s fault. To accuse God of tempting man into sin is a sign of ignorance, at best, and at worst, and more the case, accusation against God’s character. This should cause pause in the believer to consider asking for deliverance from sin, rather than offering complaint. If 1 Corinthians 10:13 tells us that no sin overtakes us that is uncommon to man, God will not permit temptation beyond the human ability to resist, and will provide a means of escape, what position does one have to accuse God of being indifferent to the human plight? None whatsoever. If the provision of deliverance is at the table, take it and be wise.\n\nThe last phase “for yours is the Kingdom, the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.” is exempt because, like many passage in the Bible, the earliest manuscripts do not all possess this account. So for unity in the agreement on what can be confirmed in Scripture, this passage will find no discussion. However, we are not done here. What do modern theologians and preachers have to give us about prayer. Timothy Keller gives us this insight. “To fail to pray, then, is not to merely break some religious rule-it is a failure to treat God as God. It is a sin against his glory. (1.)” What does John MacArthur have to say?\n\nFinally, Acts 2:24 explains that the early church was also devoted to “prayers.” Recognizing the necessity of divine wisdom and assistance (cf. John 14:13-13; James 1:5), these believers were characterized by a relentless commitment to corporate prayer (cf. Acts 1:14, 24, 4:24-31). That same priority ought to mark the church today, as believers rely on the providential care and sovereign power of God. (2.)\n\nFinally a word from Millard Erickson. ” While we will use every available technique of modern learning to accomplish God’s ends, we will never cease to be dependent upon his working. We will not neglect prayer for his guidance or for his special intervention. (3.)” This statement was given in reflection to the consequences of God’s transcendence, of which plays a crucial role in prayer. Acknowledging God’s transcendence outside of nature will effect prayer by keeping it reverent, and trusting. You accept God is Lord over circumstance, and you honor whatever outcome He brings about in response to prayer. God is a God of mercy and grace, but will not abide by an accusing spirit. When we pray, we pray humbly and submissively, not arrogantly and in a challenging spirit.\n\nThis topic is so big, and so huge, it requires more than a single post. It requires in depth discussion on the multiple types of prayer there are. However, that will be for another day. For now, let us work on the nature of our everyday prayers. You start with the basics, and learn the advance techniques. Make no mistake. Prayer is a spiritual martial art, one of many in the Christians arsenal. How you pray, and what you pray for, will determine how well you fight in spiritual combat. Study the Word, know the God you pray to, lean on the grace of Jesus to pray for recovery from defeat, and pray for power to overcome sin, and achieve victory for the Kingdom of God. You do not pray to become a spiritual warrior; you pray because you are a spiritual warrior. As such, no warrior fights on the days of convenience, but abstains during days of trouble: he/she fights when the time calls for it. For if Satan never quits in the supernatural realm, neither should you. Pray like your life depends on it, because, at the end of the day, it does.\n\n1.) Timothy, Keller Prayer: Experiencing Awe and Intimacy with God (New York, New York: Penguin Group Publishing, 2014) p.26\n\n2.)  MacArthur, John and Richard Mayhue Biblical Doctrine: A Systematic Study of Biblical Truth (Wheaton, Illinois: Crossway Publishing Group, 2017) p.779\n\n3.) Erickson, Millard J. Christian Doctrine (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 2001) p. 89",
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      "body": "For the blog \"In the Service of the King,\" there is going to be a multi-part series  on the life of the Patriarch Joseph. This is meant to be a study into this biblical patriarch, and the impact he has had on biblical history, but bear with me as this is new territory for my work. This man's life literally sets up the plot for the Exodus of the Israelites to come, and is a very complex figure in the narrative, and will require weeks to break down and study. So come along follow my friends.\n\nhttps://intheserviceofthekingblog.wordpress.com/2018/05/02/from-dreamer-to-prime-minister-the-life-of-joseph-part-1/",
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      "body": "@@ -2147,16 +2147,20 @@\n r those \n+who \n feel the\n",
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      "title": "It Is Not Broken, But It Needs Some Fixing: SCHF31S Survival Knife"
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      "author": "a-0-0",
      "body": "👍",
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      "parent_author": "seandirk",
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      "author": "seandirk",
      "body": "![](https://steemitimages.com/DQmQBg94bh83utujkMk1nhPTM5gSiGa4eSK29LuV2jAZEXk/image.png)\n![](https://steemitimages.com/DQmR7vVmB9twDeNqbqm8sBS6zmxRd6efU2JjMDU8bd1xjyW/image.png)\n![](https://steemitimages.com/DQmancJCTv8JFrQzP4SPvyxgvvvyMZXGsnquASZGfoGXpTN/image.png)\n![](https://steemitimages.com/DQmPed42ZEKcYDn9iaCbMMRVo1QvXQ6AbjsGdMcMjKSU6D9/image.png)\n\nThis handy dandy knife is one that really earns its place at the EDC option table because it really is a work horse. The tan design, of which also comes in black, may throw you off at first in terms of utility and quality, but this knife is the real deal. It really comes as no surprise that it is the most expensive pocket knife in my collection right now ($35-$40). The work that goes into the No Boundaries blade really speaks well to the manufacturer, giving Browning a good name as far as the Black Label knife series is concerned. Enough yammering about how good the knife is, let us get into the details.\n\nBlade Material: The typical 8Cr13MoV steel in terms of blade construction. However, the steel really does not impede the efficacy of this design too much because it is a drop point construction. As such, the design makes better use of the steel by allowing for a thicker spine, and, by extension, a more rugged blade. You would think that the knife would be heavy because of this, but the knife is quite bearable in terms of blade weight. No specs on the weight exist, but its heavy-duty nature is balanced out by a hollow grind and a fuller (do not use the term blood groove). This really helps to retain the hardiness of the blade while cutting down the material, and, by extension, the weight of the knife altogether, giving it excellent cutting performance in the process.\n\nBlade Length: The advertised length goes into 3 ¾ inches of blade length as far the No Boundaries knife is concerned. However, using my ruler, my blade measures out at more the 3 ¼ inch mark. This is not a minor point of concern, it is critical. In some jurisdictions, folders are permitted only 3 ½ inches of blade length, so wrongly advertising this knife can kill the market for this knife in certain areas where it would be legal to carry, but people think it is wrong because of giving ½ an inch greater length on paper than in real life. At first the length would seem detracting, but, as the pictures depict, the blade on the knife is quite wide. With a 1 1/8-inch-wide blade, and an 1/8 of an inch-thick spine, this knife is a cutter through and through. The geometry of the blade really is there to facilitate clean, quick, and efficient with the beveling: who could ask for anything more?\n\nHandling: The handles are designated of sculpted G-10 scales, which really give the knife a good texture that feels great in the hand. The material is only half the battle though; the sculpting of the handle must facilitate good handling as well. Fortunately, Browning knocked it out of the park with this one. The finger carve outs on the scales for the index and middle finger do wonders, and the texture pattern ground on to them gives good placement of the fingers when controlling the blade in cutting. These features really show their merit when in conjunction with the contour knife handle, giving excellent edge control and hand adjustment on the handle for different tasks, from whittling to paper cutting. The knife could be used in the hammer grip, if one was inclined, but the saber grip is the one which, with the jimping at the base of the back edge of the blade for better edge control, this knife was built in mind for. All in all, a precision tool, not a powerhouse.\n\nThe knife is advertised as a tactical knife, but it is very much a utility design. Despite the tactical moniker for many folders out there, defensive knifes are better used as fixed blades (otherwise, make a sheath for your folder). The speed of the opening is not the issue, the fact that the action is necessary to make the knife usable is the issue. When your life and well-being is on the line, the less stages you deploy to survive the encounter, the better. All in all, this everyday tool does wonders as a utility blade, durable and rugged for a little pocket folder. Cuts good, well priced at close to $35-$40 dollars, and small enough to be carried in most places in the US, this knife is a “get them while supplies last.” A nine out of 10 from this reviewer.",
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      "title": "The Workhorse Knife built like a tank: The Black Label No Boundaries folder"
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    {
      "author": "seandirk",
      "body": "I agree with you on this matter. As a survival knife, it has multiple areas where much is left to be desired. As far as would I carry this on me, that would depend on the state I was in. Some states are lenient on fixed blade carry, others are draconian about it. A bit ironic considering CCW permits for handguns do not bat too many eyes, but bloody murder is screamed if you use said permit to carry a Bowie on you.  So with survival knives of no more than five inches, such as this one here, they are usually the best you can go for in open carry to avoid getting in trouble with officers, again depending on your state.",
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      "author": "unicornvomit",
      "body": "I don't really like the design of this knife for a survival blade.  For the price, you can't complain, but I would suggest the Schrade's SCHF37 Frontier knife; it's about the same price, longer blade, coated 1095 steel, no-serrations, and better sheath.\nFor $30, you get a lot knife with SCHF31S, but Schrade has better offerings for about the same price.",
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{
  "block": 21854652,
  "op": [
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      "author": "seandirk",
      "body": "![](https://steemitimages.com/DQmQXmxgPUAzBgdv1gTqUP79k92HZ5i3uG7LMEFKCYK6rVA/image.png)\n![](https://steemitimages.com/DQmVMgwD5iP3YZQ3Gzgj21jycWQgzczBhSTk7Vh9cq4E9nc/image.png)\n![](https://steemitimages.com/DQmT6Nmv9AJP3pPckRD8E3sZeZhNsrx5J8QstpouEKqxBNP/image.png)\n![](https://steemitimages.com/DQmWbNUeKMkTfoXLbKtQ8kLQexJeDmzT8V6xC8AZKYJUjk6/image.png)\n![](https://steemitimages.com/DQmQ5Jww4AsF5YL1sDhjvQ4fQiU2pxy2EkMk4txG9rVzoxd/image.png)\n\nSchrade has a good reputation as far as knife manufacturers go. Their products are labeled budget brand as far as knives are concerned, but they do the job of giving you good quality for the price. In the case of SCHF31S, there are criterion that need to be improved, in this reviewers mind at least, to ascend the knife package into greatness. We will get into the details in a minute, but let me ask you, what do you expect in a survival knife? Rugged durability? Resistance to the elements? Good Edge Retention? Multi-functionality? Ease of sharpening? These are all factors to consider when going for the outdoor survival route when it comes to knives, with contenders such as the bowie and USMC Kabar being popular. But put your thoughts in the comment section.\n\nHandle: The handle is classified as using a material known as TPE. In my research on the material, it is a Thermoplastic elastomer. These materials are typically a mixture between a plastic and a rubber, which in terms of how it handles translates to the following. The handle scales are comfortable in texture, and durable in terms of the material, so they hit the ballpark in structuring the scales to survival situations and expectations. One of the biggest advantages to the handle, though, is the design. The contour grip with a cut out for the index finger, with a carve out for the lower three fingers, shows attention to the necessary ergonomic qualities that allow for both comfort and edge control, but of which, especially in survival scenarios, are a must. Your equipment has to be reliable and comfortable to carry, lest you become dissuaded from carrying it, much less using it. The grip does feature a lanyard hole for those feel the need to tether their knives, but whether you exploit the feature or not is up to you.\n\nBlade Material/Style: The usual 8Cr13MoV stainless steel. The question of whether this is good or not depends on whether you are about element resistance and ease of sharpening, or you are concerned with hardness and edge retention. In survival situations it may be beneficial to be able to sharpen a blade quickly if the blade should start dulling, but if the edge goes out too quickly, half the time may be spent just keeping it sharp. You be the judge of that. Anyway, the steel has handle backyard thin branches with relatively little difficulty. The design has a thick spine on the blade for rugged durability, so clearly functioning as a drop point style.\n\nBlade length: In this case, Schrade advertised the knife length correctly. The knife is with 4.5 inches of blade length, but with a caveat. In the 4.5 inches of blade length, 1.5 is dedicated to the serration of the knife itself, putting the practical knife edge length at the better part of 3 inches. This would seem a reasonable trade off at first, if not for one thing. The serrations are given a single bevel to saw into materials. In my experience of using said serrations to cut down said twigs and thin branches of dead wood, it seemed to be only good at cutting a minor notch in the wood for the thin, small branches. I had to forcefully snap the rest to completely break the branches. Some would say that the whole point is to use a serrated saw blade, not knife serration, on even small wood cutting for kindling, but that betrays the matter of if the serrations of the knife barely do the job, given the knife may be the only cutting tool in your survival kit, what is the point of having them there in the first place? My advice to Schrade, add a second bevel to increase the serration performance, otherwise forgo the serrations altogether. \n\nThe Sheath: This is an area where the ball really was dropped. The sheath is hardened nylon, with no flexibility. The sheath almost has the texture of plastic to it, showing how cheaply made it was. It would be tolerable, if the blade did not stick in the sheath so frequently. Say you were attacked by an animal in the wild, and all you had to pull out at the time was your knife, or your ranged weapon was unavailable or inoperable. You would be flustered getting it out in a heated moment where your life is on the line, and would be lucky if you got it out in time. The rub of the matter is, this sheath needs to be either traded by Schrade for a flexible nylon for ease of draw, or ditched and a new one bought, or made, for this blade by the purchaser.\n\nLike I said the blade is good, and has great potential as a survival knife for the $25 (I had Amazon Prime free shipping at the time) I paid for it. The issue is that there are margins of improvement for this knife that, until rectified, neuter much of what this knife could be. Improving the serration would go a long way to improving how utilitarian this knife is, and having a better sheath would make carry and draw of the knife more reliable in the previously mentioned scenario. There is a margin of improvement, but for $25-$40 (depending on the retailer bought from), one cannot fault this knife to much. I would give it a seven out of 10, but overall, a good blade.",
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