This Rejoice & Praise God Sunday Open Thread, with full respect to those who worship God on the Sabbath, is a place to reaffirm our worship of our Creator, our Father, our King Eternal.

It’s also a place to read, post, and discuss news that is worth knowing and sharing. Please post links to any news stories that you use as sources or quote from.

In the QTree, we’re a friendly and civil lot. We encourage free speech and the open exchange and civil discussion of different ideas. Topics aren’t constrained, and sound logic is highly encouraged, all built on a solid foundation of truth and established facts.

We have a policy of mutual respect, shown by civility. Civility encourages discussions, promotes objectivity and rational thought in discourse, and camaraderie in the participants – characteristics we strive toward in our Q Tree community.

Please show respect and consideration for our fellow QTreepers. Before hitting the “post” button, please proofread your post and make sure your opinion addresses the issue only, and does not confront or denigrate the poster. Keep to the topic – avoid “you” and “your”. Here in The Q Tree, personal attacks, name-calling, ridicule, insults, baiting, and other conduct for which a penalty flag would be thrown are VERBOTEN.

In The Q Tree, we’re compatriots, sitting around the campfire, roasting hot dogs, making s’mores, and discussing, agreeing, and disagreeing about whatever interests us. This board will remain a home for those who seek respectful conversations.

Please also consider the Guidelines for posting and discussion printed here: 
https://www.theqtree.com/2019/01/01/dear-maga-open-topic-20190101/

On this day and every day –

God is in Control
. . . and His Grace is Sufficient, so . . .
Keep Looking Up

Hopefully, every Sunday, we can find something here that will build us up a little . . . give us a smile . . . and add some joy or peace, very much needed in all our lives.

“This day is holy to the Lord your God;
do not mourn nor weep.” . . .
“Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet,
and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared;
for this day is holy to our Lord.
Do not sorrow,
for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

Pharmakeia

Many or most of us are familiar with what people will be like in the last days. Perilous times will come, for men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despising good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God . . . 2 Timothy 3:1-4

Other verses tell us of the actions of those people . . . and the consequences:

Now, the effects of the corrupt nature are obvious: illicit sex, perversion, promiscuity, idolatry, drug use (pharmakeia), hatred, rivalry, jealousy, angry outbursts, selfish ambition, conflict, factions, envy, drunkenness, wild partying, and similar things. I’ve told you in the past and I’m telling you again that people who do these kinds of things will not inherit the kingdom of God. Galatians 5:19-21

Then a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, “Thus with violence the great city Babylon shall be thrown down, and shall not be found anymore. The sound of harpists, musicians, flutists, and trumpeters shall not be heard in you anymore. No craftsman of any craft shall be found in you anymore, and the sound of a millstone shall not be heard in you anymore. The light of a lamp shall not shine in you anymore, and the voice of bridegroom and bride shall not be heard in you anymore. For your merchants were the great men of the earth, for by your sorcery (pharmakeia) all the nations were deceived. And in her was found the blood of prophets and saints, and of all who were slain on the earth.” Revelation 18:21-24

The people who survived these plagues still did not turn to me and change the way they were thinking and acting. If they had, they would have stopped worshiping demons and idols made of gold, silver, bronze, stone, and wood, which cannot see, hear, or walk. They did not turn away from committing murder, drug use (pharmakeia), sinning sexually, or stealing. Revelation 9:20-21

But cowardly, unfaithful, and detestable people, murderers, sexual sinners, drug users (pharmakeia), idolaters, and all liars will find themselves in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death. Revelation 21:8

Outside are dogs, drug users (pharmakeia), sexual sinners, murderers, idolaters, and all who lie in what they say and what they do. Revelation 22:15

As above, in some instances, pharmakeia may also be translated as witchcraft or sorcery, depending on the usage and the translators involved.

Many years ago, when reading the verses containing pharmakeia, I only thought of the drug abuse of the day, such as abusing heroin and its derivatives. Now with the current COVID-19 vaccination horror show in prominent display, and the prospect of Big Pharma pushing mRNA into ever more medical products and recipients, pharmakeia takes on an expanded meaning that could very well play a large role in these latter days.

Fortunately, regardless of the specific events involved, we know exactly how this story will end . . .

. . . which is why we must all

For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be . . . the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven . . . and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His chosen ones from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.