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Most Popular Posts of the Week:

List of Calvinist Preachers, Authors, Theologians, Websites, etc.

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I  found a lot more names to add to my list of known Calvinists (found in my various  "How to Tell if a Church, Pastor, or Website is Calvinist"  posts).  But instead of adding this huge list to all those posts, I am going to put it here, and I'll just provide a link on those posts to this one.  [FYI: I added a note at the bottom of this post on May 5, 2021.] So here it is, a "master list" of known Calvinists to help you be careful and discerning about who you listen to and where you get your theology from.  There are plenty more Calvinists out there, but these are just the names that I ran across the most.   These are either definite, self-professed Calvinists or "most likely Calvinist," in my estimation.  (I haven't heard of most of them, but it's good to know their theology before I do.)   After finding these names in various places online, I looked up each person to see if they are Calvinist.  If they did not self-identify ...
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Links to "Some Carman Songs for Halloween" and Posts on Spiritual Warfare

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For some "fun" songs from my younger years: "Some Carman Songs for Halloween" And here is a bunch of links about Spiritual Warfare, from my post called "War Rooms, Praying Scripture, and Spiritual Warfare": I strongly believe that there are angels and demons.  That prayer matters.  That there is a spiritual battle going on around us all the time ... and that we need to get involved in it, actively and consciously.  (Something I haven't been doing lately.)   Regardless of if we want it or not, we are constantly facing spiritual battles.  But if we don't acknowledge them - if we stick our head in the sand and refuse to get involved, to put on our spiritual armor, to use the spiritual weapons that are available to us - we open ourselves up to deceptions, to defeat, to being very vulnerable to the strategies and attacks of the evil one. What I have done here is compile a list of posts on spiritual warfare, on praying Scripture, and on creating a War Ro...
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Homemade "Spiced" Hand-Sanitizer with Essential Oils

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Two posts in one: Post #1: Aloe-Based Hand Sanitizer This is a repost of a recipe I posted almost exactly 3 years ago, to the day - 3/3/17.  (How funny!  I had no idea it was almost the exact same date when I decided to repost it now.)  With the coronavirus going around (and the panic surrounding it), it seems like a good time to share this recipe again.   FYI:  There are no guarantees for this recipe about effectiveness against any virus.  But this is for those who like to try natural methods for germ-control first, who want to do what they can for a little extra protection.   I am not a big fan of hand-sanitizers because I fear that their overuse leads to stronger germs.   But sometimes, it’s better to use a little than risk getting the nasty illnesses going on all around you.   I made this for the times that we need it - when I hear a kid coughing like a barking seal or when I see someone sneezing or coughing into their ...
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Happy Valentine's Day! Love, God

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"And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge - that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God."   ( Ephesians 3:17-19 ) On this Valentine's Day, remember how much God cares for you and about you, how many blessings He's given you, how many hard times He's carried you through, and how many good things He's brought out of the bad. But above all, remember how much He loves you.   God loves you - us, all of us, each and every person, all sinners,  you personally  - so much that He sacrificed Himself for you so that He could spend eternity with you and give you the fullest, most meaningful life you could ever have, on earth and in heaven.  He'd rather nail Himself to the cross for the chance that you'd believe in Him and be saved than risk losing you forever. It wasn...
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The Gospel According To ...

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The Gospel according to the Bible: "Because Jesus died for the sins of all men, the offer of salvation is for everyone.  Everyone has the opportunity to go to heaven.  God calls all people to seek Him, to believe in Him, to repent of their sins, and to accept His offer of salvation.  And it is indeed possible for everyone to do this.  But He lets us decide whether we want to do this or not.   Whether we will accept His offer of salvation or reject it.   Whether we will repent of our sins or embrace them.   Whether we will bow down to Him as our God, as Lord and Savior, or try to live as our own ‘god.’   And those who repent of their sins, who choose Jesus as their Lord and Savior, accepting His sacrificial payment for their sins, will be saved.  But those who choose to reject God and His offer of salvation have chosen to pay the price for their sins themselves, which is eternal death.   Hell.   An eternity without God.  The...
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"My Corona Blend": An Essential Oil Blend for Diffusers

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(Great, now I'll be singing "My Sharona" all day!) This is an essential oil blend I made to put in our diffusers at night while we are facing this coronavirus pandemic.  I picked oils that are known for their powerful anti-viral properties, that are good against colds/flu/fever/infectious diseases, that are good for lung/respiratory health, and that help stimulate the immune system.  (I call it "My Corona Blend" for my own reference, but I make no promises about its ability to defeat the Coronavirus.) The smell of oregano and thyme really come through in this.  It smells a bit strong, but pleasant, like a lemon thyme herb plant.  If you want a less oregano/thyme smell, add about half of both of those oils. (Check out safety recommendations for each essential oil to see if they are safe in a diffuser for your family, depending on the age of everyone in your house and whether they have compromised immune systems or not.  And then adjust accordingly, a...
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God of the Small and the Ordinary!

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            We just went through graduation season.  My own son - my firstborn - has just graduated from high school and is starting college in a couple weeks.  How time has flown!               During this time, we hear about all kinds of inspiring graduation messages, maybe we even remember the one from our own graduation.  But even if we don't, we can find these kinds of messages on all sorts of Christian blogs out there: "Dream Big!  God is the God of great things!  He wants to do huge, amazing things with your life.  Follow Him as He leads You into an exciting future full of wonderful opportunities.  Go out and do great things for Him!"             I don't know, but all of these rub me the wrong way a little.               I mean, I used to be one of these people - the "aim high, dream big, God is going to use ...
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Why is Calvinism so dangerous? #12 (Predestination, election)

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  [In this series, I'm breaking the long post   "Why is Calvinism so dangerous?"   into bite-sized pieces.] 12.  (We're getting closer to the end.  It's gonna go faster now.) Calvinism says ...  "Predestination/election/chosen" verses are always about God predestining people for salvation. No wonder they have so much support for their view.   But the Bible shows ...  "Predestination/election/chosen" verses are a bout God predetermining other things, such as predestining that believers will  grow  to be more like Christ, be redeemed, get an inheritance,  bring God  glory, or about God choosing the generation that would be the first to get salvation through faith in Jesus, or about God choosing people for certain jobs, roles, responsibilities, etc.  It's  never  about God   predestining certain people  for heaven . A sampling of verses Calvinists use to "prove" Calvinist predestination [and what...
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