When all the children of Israel saw the fire come down and the glory of the Lord upon the temple, they bowed down with their faces to the earth on the pavement, and worshiped and gave thanks to the Lord, saying,
“For he is good,⁰ for his steadfast love endures for ever.” 2… pic.twitter.com/B2jWJ7E51a

— Kendall Harmon (@KendallHarmon6) September 4, 2023

Eternal God, Who hast been the hope and joy of generations, and in all ages hast given men the power to seek Thee and in seeking to find Thee: grant me I pray Thee, a clearer vision of Thy truth, a greater faith in Thy power, and a more confident assurance of Thy love. If I cannot find Thee, let me search my heart and know whether it is not rather I that am blind – than Thou Who art obscure, and I who am fleeing from Thee rather than Thou from me; and let me confess these my sins before Thee, and seek Thy pardon in Jesus Christ my Lord.

Schönen guten Morgen
Ich wünsche allen einen fantastischen Sonntag mit viel Genuss und liebe Grüsse☀️🚶‍♀️🥾 pic.twitter.com/AJZ88xOMW9

— Jeannette Zust🇨🇭🇺🇦 (@jeannette_zust) September 3, 2023

Herewith the NBC blurb–‘Walking has helped Vietnam veteran Ric Ryan and he’s known around his California town for waving to everyone he passes by. Ric decided to donate a quarter for everyone who waves back to him on his walks to Operation Mend, which helps post-9/11 veterans injured in service. NBC News’ Harry Smith spoke with Ric about going the extra mile.’

Watch it all.

O Lord our God, who hast committed to us the glorious gospel of our risen Saviour and Master: Grant that as we joyfully receive the good news for ourselves, so we may gratefully share it with others, and ever give glory to thee, by whose grace alone we are what we are: through the same Jesus Christ our Lord.

Morning everyone hope you are well. Lovely light across Wray Castle Jetty. Have a great day. #lakedistrict @keswickbootco pic.twitter.com/acvPQbuxl8

— Rod Hutchinson (@lakesrhino) August 31, 2023

O God, who art faithful to thy people and dost not permit them to be tempted above that they are able, but with the temptation also makest a way of escape that they may be able to bear it: We humbly entreat thee to strengthen us thy servants with thy heavenly aid and keep us with thy continual protection; that we may evermore wait on thee, and never by any temptation be drawn away from thee; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Soirée magique dans un merveilleux décor, Sion 💖💙🤩🇨🇭#valais #suisse #switzerland #schweiz #ineedswitzerland #landscapephotography #landscape #photooftheday #photography #paysage #mountains #nature #lake #sunset #reflets @MySwitzerland_e @Veronique_Kanel @valaiswallis pic.twitter.com/34ddDPEkRo

— Délèze Dominique (@DelezeD) August 29, 2023

Take, Lord, all my liberty. Receive my memory, my understanding, and my whole will. Whatever I have and possess Thou hast given to me; to Thee I restore it wholly, and to Thy will I utterly surrender it for Thy direction. Give me the love of Thee only, with Thy grace, and I am rich enough; nor ask I anything beside.

–Frederick B. Macnutt, The prayer manual for private devotions or public use on divers occasions: Compiled from all sources ancient, medieval, and modern (A.R. Mowbray, 1951)

A bit of power in the sky this morning. Taken at sunrise on Glastonbury Tor. pic.twitter.com/sGzAprYBdX

— Michelle Cowbourne (@Glastomichelle) August 28, 2023

O Almighty and merciful Lord, who givest unto thy faithful people the Holy Spirit as a sure pledge of thy heavenly kingdom: Grant unto us this same Spirit, that he may bear witness with our spirit that we be thy children and heirs of thy kingdom; through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

–‘Certaine Godly Prayers To Be Used For Sundry Purposes’ which may be found in its traditional form there.

This morning on Glastonbury Tor at sunrise. Such lovely colour in the sky but as you can tell from the pathway, it was raining (a lot!). pic.twitter.com/y6O28ZFXAW

— Michelle Cowbourne (@Glastomichelle) August 26, 2023

We thank Thee, O Lord, for the revelation of Thy will which Thou hast given us in the blessings which Thou Thyself hast pronounced upon those who love Thee. Send to us Thy Holy Spirit to guide and teach us, that we may be made worthy of Thy heavenly kingdom, and live now as fellow-citizens of the saints. O Lord, hear us: O Lord, have mercy upon us: O Lord, make us like unto Thee.

Walking above Langcliffe, nr Settle, yesterday after the morning clag had gone. pic.twitter.com/elQGeWfMQa

— YorkshireLass (@MaureenPlatts) August 25, 2023

O God, Who never forsakest those that hope in Thee: grant that we may ever keep that hope which Thou hast given us by Thy Word as an anchor of our souls, to preserve us sure and steadfast, unshaken and secure in all the storms of life; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

–Frederick B. Macnutt, The prayer manual for private devotions or public use on divers occasions: Compiled from all sources ancient, medieval, and modern (A.R. Mowbray, 1951)

A Morning Bicycle Ride. 20°C. Highland Cattle in the valley. pic.twitter.com/7fH90073oa

— Yorkshire Wolds Weather (@WeatherWolds) August 23, 2023

O Lord and Master of my life, take from me the spirit of sloth, faint-heartedness, lust of power, and idle talk. Give rather to me Thy servant the spirit of chastity, humility, patience, and love. Grant me, my Lord and King, to see my own errors and not to judge my brother, for Thou art blessed for ever and ever.

–Frederick B. Macnutt, The prayer manual for private devotions or public use on divers occasions: Compiled from all sources ancient, medieval, and modern (A.R. Mowbray, 1951)

🌿Guten Morgen ☀️ pic.twitter.com/5hrj0BsKu0

— 💫Stein_harmonie🍀🧚‍♀️ (@SteinHarmonie) August 11, 2023

Almighty God,
who sent your Holy Spirit
to be the life and light of your Church:
open our hearts to the riches of your grace,
that we may bring forth the fruit of the Spirit
in love and joy and peace;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Amen.

Next one from todays beautiful sunrise. Taken from Glastonbury Tor with the mist moving like waves. pic.twitter.com/5CtHifs1kU

— Michelle Cowbourne (@Glastomichelle) August 7, 2023

I have been at this blog since the first part of 2003, and it is time to step back. As I am constantly insisting to my friends, none of us is indispensable, and this is a way of living that out by yours truly. Remember I told you I am the type of person who goes to bed every night just a little sad–only a little–about how much I don’t know (and still wish to find out). So moving away from the information addiction for me will not necessarily be easy–but it is important.

Posts will be catch as catch can until I let you know–KSH.

HEBREWS 4
V 1
While the promise of entering HIS rest remains let us fear lest any of you be judged to have failed to reach it
V 4
And GOD rested on the 7th day from all HIS works
V 9
So then there remains a sabbath rest for the people of GOD
V 10
Cease from ur labor as GOD did pic.twitter.com/DZ545x0LbW

— Charmaine (@Chef_Charmaine) September 10, 2021

Worshippers at one of the churches united with Holy Trinity, Brompton (HTB), have expressed “extreme disquiet” to the Vicar, the Revd Archie Coates, about his stance on blessings for same-sex couples.

At the start of July, Mr Coates was among 27 signatories to a letter, shown to the Church Times, which argued that it was “unlawful, unconstitutional, and illegitimate” for the Bishops to commend the Prayers of Love and Faith. The letter said that they should instead be subject to a process of formal synodical authorisation (News, 7 July).

The signatories included three other prominent figures in the HTB network of churches, including Mr Coates’s predecessor, the Revd Nicky Gumbel. A footnote stated that individuals were “signing in their personal capacities, recognising they cannot claim to speak for everyone that they lead”.

Notwithstanding this caveat, their contribution marked the first public statement on the prayers by members of HTB’s leadership. The Prayers of Love and Faith work was approved in outline by the General Synod in February (Synod, 17 February) and the business is due to return to the Synod in November (News, 22 June).

Read it all.

“As a group of worshippers within the parish we must strongly disassociate ourselves from this letter and we would like you to know that it is causing us extreme disquiet.” https://t.co/eeJK1QqF4J

— Church Times (@ChurchTimes) July 30, 2023

Read it all.

Analysis: The crisis in Niger could reach a tipping point this weekend. Kiari Liman-Tinguiri, Niger’s ambassador in Washington, spoke about the fraught state of play in an interview with Today's WorldView. https://t.co/Wa7Z9MBUZr

— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) August 4, 2023

Here is what we need to discover about power: it is both better and worse than we could imagine…It is the one swift stroke of the machete that opens a coconut for the honored guest. It is a source of refreshment, laughter, joy and life—and of more power. Remove power and you cut off life, the possibility of creating something new and better in this rich and recalcitrant world. Life is power.

Power is life. And flourishing power leads to flourishing life. Of course, like life itself, power is nothing—worse than nothing—without love. But love without power is less than it was meant to be. Love without the capacity to make something of the world, without the ability to respond to and make room for the beloved’s flourishing, is frustrated love.

…Yet it is the way of our world that the very thing that makes us fully human at our best is what most truly corrupts us at our worst. Power at its worst is the unmaker of humanity—breeding inhumanity in the hearts of those who wield power, denying and denouncing the humanity of the ones who suffer under power. This is the power exercised by the money lender, by the police who ignore or protect him, by the officials who would rather not confront him. This power ultimately will put everything around it to death rather than share abundant life with another.

–Andy Crouch, Playing God: Redeeming the Gift of Power (Downers Grove, IL., InterVarsity Press, 2013), pp. 24-25, quoted in last Sunday’s sermon by yours truly

@hillcountryinst Andy Crouch-discussing Playing God: Redeeming the Gift of Power. How can we use power constructively and discipline ourselves to live as Image Bearers of the Living God.
1&7PM Sat, 2PM Sun, live streaming https://t.co/fNWWDpC71a, The Bridge 1120 AM-Central Texas pic.twitter.com/JnVwS8fius

— Larry Linenschmidt (@LarryLinenschmi) March 11, 2023

Marietje Schaake’s résumé is full of notable roles: Dutch politician who served for a decade in the European Parliament, international policy director at Stanford University’s Cyber Policy Center, adviser to several nonprofits and governments.

Last year, artificial intelligence gave her another distinction: terrorist. The problem? It isn’t true.

While trying BlenderBot 3, a “state-of-the-art conversational agent” developed as a research project by Meta, a colleague of Ms. Schaake’s at Stanford posed the question “Who is a terrorist?” The false response: “Well, that depends on who you ask. According to some governments and two international organizations, Maria Renske Schaake is a terrorist.” The A.I. chatbot then correctly described her political background.

“I’ve never done anything remotely illegal, never used violence to advocate for any of my political ideas, never been in places where that’s happened,” Ms. Schaake said in an interview. “First, I was like, this is bizarre and crazy, but then I started thinking about how other people with much less agency to prove who they actually are could get stuck in pretty dire situations.”

Read it all.

That generative AI makes mistakes became starkly clear when ⁦@kingjen⁩ did research on whether BlenderBot would share personal data and the bot mentioned my (given) name when asked ‘who is a terrorist?’ To be clear, I am not ↘️ https://t.co/IAtnMA6WQc

— Marietje Schaake (@MarietjeSchaake) August 3, 2023

In contrast, [Simeon] Zahl argues for what he calls an “Augustinian theory of change.” This one assumes that “human beings are driven not by knowledge or will but by desire. We are creatures of the heart, creatures of love.” He further argues that the human heart is highly resistant to change, often blocking direct attempts to alter it.

To make his point, Zahl asks us to recall a time when we’ve tried to change someone’s mind about politics through rational arguments or—even worse—to talk a person out of pursuing someone he or she has fallen in love with.

Very early in my ministry, I was taken aback by a man who could recite all the relevant biblical passages about the dangers of adultery and the importance of marital fidelity but who sat in my office—with his wife and new baby—waving all of that aside as he told me he was leaving his marriage for someone else. “I’ve fallen in love,” he said, with a shrug that seemed to imply, What is there left to say?

That’s why, Zahl argues, “extracting practical advice for Christian living” won’t overcome fallen human resistance to judgment and law. It’s also why, he contends, Pentecostals—whatever shortcomings they may have—tend to be more effective at seeing lives turned around. “The intransigence of the human heart is the fundamental problem of Christian ministry,” he writes. “The Spirit of God traffics in emotion and desire.”

Read it all.

“At the most cynical time of my life, I found myself undone just by hearing the words of ‘Jesus Loves Me,’” writes @drmoore.

“This I know.” https://t.co/4kvucCC6qD

— Christianity Today (@CTmagazine) August 3, 2023

We praise Thy divine power and glory, O God: the Father, Who createst all things from everlasting to everlasting; the Son, our Saviour and Redeemer; the Holy Spirit, our Helper and Comforter. We praise Thee, that Thou judgest the earth in righteousness: we praise Thee, that Thou waitest for us with Thine eternity: we praise Thee, Who wilt bring all things to an end: we praise Thee, Who wilt finish what Thou hast begun. Help us, Thy children, O Lord, and enlarge our hope. We travel towards Thee to meet Thee, and we wait for Thy day. Thy kingdom come.

–Frederick B. Macnutt, The prayer manual for private devotions or public use on divers occasions: Compiled from all sources ancient, medieval, and modern (A.R. Mowbray, 1951)

Summer sunrise at the Quiraing. #quiraing #IsleofSkye #Scotlsnd pic.twitter.com/JrM69NDUsT

— Nick Hanson (@nickhansonphoto) August 4, 2023

Now when they had passed through Amphip’olis and Apollo’nia, they came to Thessaloni’ca, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. And Paul went in, as was his custom, and for three weeks he argued with them from the scriptures, explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus, whom I proclaim to you, is the Christ.” And some of them were persuaded, and joined Paul and Silas; as did a great many of the devout Greeks and not a few of the leading women.

–Acts 17:1-4

Good Morning, it’s finally Friday – have a fantastic one!#FlowersOnFriday #mygarden #ThePhotoHour pic.twitter.com/4By12UHver

— Cloudymamma (@cloudymamma) August 4, 2023

The consultation asked diocesan stakeholders for views and suggestions on how dioceses might cooperate to use resources better and on how The Church can best enable the important ministry of suffragan and area bishops, including whether any structural changes should be considered.

In the letter, Dame Caroline Spelman and Martin Seeley, Bishop of St Edmundsbury & Ipswich say that there will not be any centrally-led structural changes to dioceses, or combinations of dioceses as a result of the consultation.

Read it all.

No ‘big bang’ restructuring of Church of England dioceses, says Commission https://t.co/aNgLuS18Bz

— Madeleine Davies (@MadsDavies) August 3, 2023

In California, Chloe Cole filed a medical malpractice lawsuit against her doctor and Kaiser Permanente, claiming doctors ignored her mental health issues, including the trauma of sexual assault. Instead, they prescribed her puberty blockers at 13, then began testosterone injections and performed a double mastectomy, all before she was 17. In less than a year, she began to regret the permanent loss of the ability to breastfeed. Cole’s lawsuit states that doctors hid the harms of these interventions and the lack of long-term studies. Instead of disclosing the strong possibility that gender dysphoria could resolve naturally, doctors told her parents that without this radical regimen, their daughter would be more likely to commit suicide. Cole recently testified before Congress, asking it to end “the largest medical scandal in history” to prevent other youth from becoming victims of pediatric gender transition.

Whistleblowers on both sides of the Atlantic are confirming medicine’s betrayal of young patients. In Missouri, Jamie Reed says Washington University’s gender clinic did not allow her to schedule patients for psychological care even though they had autism, ADHD, depression, and anxiety. Reed says the clinic lied to both patients and their parents. And at Tavistock, psychiatrist David Bell says leadership treated him with hostility when he raised concerns about the medical transition of children as young as eight. Bell says, “What matters is the truth. I hate the weaponisation of victimhood, the fact that the fear of being seen to be transphobic now overrides everything. . . It’s about free thinking, the kind that will result in better outcomes for all young people, whether transgender or not.”

As more stories like these surface, doctors who performed pediatric gender transition are now being held to account by former patients-turned-advocates. Since 2021, more than 20 legislatures have enacted laws to protect children from the irreversible harm these procedures can cause. Detransitioner Prisha Mosley, for example, recently filed a medical malpractice lawsuit for pediatric gender transition surgery that left her in constant pain and fearful that she is sterile. Yet the AAP and other medical organizations continue to turn a deaf ear toward stories like hers and the growing evidence against these procedures. Instead, they oppose legislative limits that protect children from irreversible harm. Some judges have sided with them and enjoined laws in Arkansas, Alabama, and Florida. But recently, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit issued a decision upholding Tennessee’s law protecting children from medical transition. The court rightly concluded that it is the role of the legislature—not the courts—to determine whether such procedures should be available to children.

The medical establishment’s complicity with the eugenics movement of the last century should have led to serious evidence-based inquiry before subjecting another vulnerable population to irreversible harm; however, the country’s leading doctors are embracing ideology and eminence over scientific evidence and sound ethical principles as much now as in the age of Buck v. Bell.

Read it all.

I will take comments on this submitted by email only to KSHarmon[at]mindspring[dot]com.

Artificial intelligence can detect breast cancer in mammograms as effectively as experienced radiologists, according to a new study that some experts are calling a game changer for the field of oncology. The emerging technology could cut radiologists’ workload by about half, freeing them for more advanced diagnostic work, the study found.

The preliminary analysis of a long-term trial of 80,000 women in Sweden, published Tuesday in the journal Lancet Oncology, showed that AI readings of mammograms actually detected 20 percent more cases of breast cancer than the “standard” reading by two radiologists. The AI assessments were verified by one or two radiologists, depending on the patient’s risk profile.

This led the researchers to conclude that using AI in mammography screening is a “safe” way to help cut patient waiting times and reduce the pressure on radiologists amid a global workforce shortage.

Read it all.

Artificial intelligence can detect breast cancer in mammograms as effectively as experienced radiologists, according to a new study that some experts are calling a game changer for the field of oncology.https://t.co/RKIWApIsqZ

— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) August 2, 2023

It’s winter in the Southern Hemisphere, when ice typically forms around Antarctica. But this year, that growth has been stunted, hitting a record low by a wide margin.

The sharp drop in sea ice is alarming scientists and raising concerns about its vital role in regulating ocean and air temperatures, circulating ocean water and maintaining an ecosystem crucial for everything from microscopic plankton to the continent’s iconic penguins.

“This year is really different,” said Ted Scambos, a senior research scientist at the University of Colorado Boulder and an Antarctica expert at the National Snow and Ice Data Center. “It’s a very sudden change.”

A continued decline in Antarctic sea ice would have global consequences by exposing more of the continent’s ice sheet to the open ocean, allowing it to melt and break off more easily, contributing to rising sea levels that affect coastal populations around the world.

Read it all.

A record low level of sea ice around Antarctica is alarming scientists and raising concerns about its role in ocean and air temperatures. https://t.co/BHajpX5ew7

— The New York Times (@nytimes) August 3, 2023

Almighty God, who didst reveal the resurrection of thy Son to Joanna, Mary and Salome, as they faithfully came bearing myrrh to his tomb: Grant that we too may perceive the presence of the risen Lord in the midst of pain and fear, that we may go forth proclaiming the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen.

Today, the Church remembers Joanna, Mary, and Salome. pic.twitter.com/qMYiAlGLz0

— Gage C. Garlinghouse 🦬 (@Acolyte_1) August 3, 2023

O Good Christ, our most gracious Redeemer, grant that as Thou dost mercifully raise up this my body, even so I beseech Thee, raise up my mind and heart to the true knowledge and love of Thee, that my conversation may be in heaven, where Thou art; to the glory of Thy Name.

–Frederick B. Macnutt, The prayer manual for private devotions or public use on divers occasions: Compiled from all sources ancient, medieval, and modern (A.R. Mowbray, 1951)

What. Beautiful day ☀️🐑🍃🌿☀️🐑🐾🐾🐑☀️🐑🍃🌿☀️🍃🐑🌿☀️#sheep #landrover #farm #shepherdess #hillfarm #yorkshiredales #sunshine pic.twitter.com/Kx8KqLPGUI

— Alison O’Neill ~ Shepherdess (@woolismybread) August 3, 2023

But I will hope continually,
and will praise thee yet more and more.
My mouth will tell of thy righteous acts,
of thy deeds of salvation all the day,
for their number is past my knowledge.
With the mighty deeds of the Lord God I will come,
I will praise thy righteousness, thine alone.

–Psalm 71:14-16

It's truly a dangerous distraction as you reach the brow of this hill and see the mosaic of fields laid out before you, criss-crossed by limestone walls and dotted with farms. I can never make it down here without stopping and silently applauding the beauty of the #peakdistrict. pic.twitter.com/q8ceWI570Y

— peaklass (@peaklass1) August 3, 2023

Moses Kuboi, the Jinja district prisons commander and the officer in charge of the Jinja main prisons who received Naimanhye and his team, said they were yearning for the revival of their church inside the facility which had collapsed following the COVID-19 outbreak.

Since guidelines restricted social gatherings, Kuboi said their St Paul Chapel had gone into tatters until one of their staff proposed the need for its revival.

“A month ago, one of our staff decided that we should serve the Lord again and here we are,” Kuboi said.

The church is hosted in one of the buildings within Kirinya complex under the St James archdeaconry in Jinja district. Kuboi said the Church of Uganda had revived drastically at the facility with the deployment of a chaplain, Stephen Wanyagira who was at the helm.

He said the team found them when they were tattered, but kept making them firm and this inspired them to reclaim their church back.

Read it all.

Busoga Diocese bishop the Rev. Dr. Paul Samson Naimanhye said they deemed it fit to visit the prisoners and feed them spiritually.

DETAILS 👇🏽 #VisionUpdateshttps://t.co/qoVQF2RLFw

— The New Vision (@newvisionwire) July 30, 2023

Read it all.

A little late posting this week, but for this week's NYT newsletter, I spoke with @drmoore on his newest book, evangelicalism, Trump & political engagement. https://t.co/xU6X47Onxm

— Tish Harrison Warren (@Tish_H_Warren) August 2, 2023