Someone I came across on FB. His goal is to find as much market as possible in what he does. So he finds as many Christians (or basically just anyone) to friend on FB. Friends of friends, etc. Building his market.
When he friended me, I thought it was odd, since I don't know him and our mutual friends are not quite familiar to me as well.
But then he started to post his own thoughts from the Bible. Very creative. But essentially, stealing ideas from reformed circle to build his own, without quite giving credit where it's due.
I find errors and critiques them in his posts. He unfriended me calling it "ungrateful". I thought he was just being too proud at first. But after reading the posts I pasted below, it is obvious, he's no other than those prosperity preachers who are very good at stealing materials and very creative to twist these ideas to their own. And their interest is not a Christian fellowship, but to find market for $$$. Mr. Arnold's donation page is rather obvious.
Here's a couple of his posts:
Joshua Arnold
I can’t count how many Christians fall into sin and sit and wallow in it miserably, and end up sinfully discouraging themselves in their walk, simply because they limit the grace of God.
They entangle their souls by limiting the love and grace of God. It is as though they refuse to believe that God is as forgiving as He says He is. They act as though God reluctantly forgives people with an unwilling willingness, as if He loses glory by forgiving people.
Do you know how many Christians, especially in the Reformed camp, make so little of the love and forgiveness of God? They eagerly make much of His sovereignty and wisdom and wrath, but then shortchange Him on His forgiveness and love. They are so afraid to be like the prosperity preachers that speak so much of the love of God without mentioning the wrath of God and His demanding of repentance, that they end up forsaking even entertaining and enjoying His love at all.
They rather sit and whine and focus on all their failings instead of the victory and love of the Lord Jesus Christ. They don’t understand that they steal glory from God when they do this. All true Christian’s hate sin, but wallowing in filth is what a pig does. We are not swine. We are the Lord vessels of mercy.
When a child of His sins, He is not looking on them with disgust, He is looking on them with great, great pity, like the way a loving mother pities her lame or blind child. And when you return to Him, He is not seeking to shame you. He is like the prodigal Son’s dad who ran out, gave the best robe, and prepared an excellent feast. He is like a shepherd who pulls his strayed sheep out of a hole, and puts it on his neck with a huge smile on his face.
He is not like men who are reluctant to forgive and have a difficult time loving those who did them wrong. His thoughts are infinitely above and more glorious than our thoughts. He has made so many promises to encourage us to come to Him even after the most disgusting and longest backsliding. He has even made it a command in order to prove that He takes great pleasure in forgiving.
If we have sinned, we can hate it all we want, and we should, but we should hate it as we are walking to the God we love. If you want to show how much you hate sin, turn from it and love God. He has promised to forgive and cleanse you in His time. Turn to Him right now, and if you fall again, nothing has changed, He still remembers that you are dust. His love for you has not changed.
Joshua Arnold
The first time I was ever arrested, I was 16, and it was because my friends and I went into Walmart, and stole some things. I was actually the only person that didn’t steal anything, but I knew what was going on.
Two years later, at 18 years old, I was arrested on a felony assault charge. It was an automatic felony charge, because the person I hit suffered a broken bone, and apparently when a bone is broken, it is an automatic felony. It was dropped to attempted assault, because I had several witnesses that saw the other person assault me first. Plus I only hit the person one time, and so it wasn’t seen as a malicious act from me.
Somewhere between 2006-2007, at 18 or 19 years old, I made the closest thing to a suicide attempt I could by intentionally taking too much liquid Xanax. I was rushed to the hospital in an ambulance. All of it was more of a cry for help. I was so depressed over a relationship, and I wanted to feel like people cared about me. I began taking steroids a little before this, and so I’m sure the massive change in hormones screwed with my mental health, too. I’ve suffered from depression on and off ever since I was this age.
As for the steroids: Whatever I’ve done in life, I’ve always sought to do it to the maximum. It’s always been my personality, and it was no different with steroids. I ended up finding some contacts in other countries to ship steroids to me. I understood that I could just sell them and pay for my own supply, and so I did.
After a couple of years of establishing a reputation on underground websites, I had finally found a contact in another country for the actual raw materials to make steroids myself. And so I did. At 20 years old, I had learned to make steroids and I became one of the biggest sellers in the country.
I did this for a couple of years, and at 22 years old I was arrested, and caught with $225,000 worth of steroids. Here is the link to prove it 👉🏼https://poststar.com/…/article_6b67da4c-5984-11e0-bebe-001c…
I was asked to go undercover with the DEA, and panicking in the moment, I agreed. I couldn’t bring myself to do it, though. I ended up telling my friends what I was doing, and someone ended up telling on me. Apparently someone I had spoken to was also working with the DEA. Go figure.
And so they went ahead and pressed charges. Several months later I was convicted of attempted possession of a controlled substance, and was started my 6 month sentence in jail.
At the time, I was a drug addict. I took whatever pill didn’t make me feel normal, and as often as I could. And trust me, I could afford a lot of drugs. I was taking over 300mg of OxyContin each day at one point in my addiction. That would kill someone who had never taken OxyContin before. In fact, half of that could kill someone who never had any before .
And so I went into jail, and sobered up for the time. I ended up getting out, and it wasn’t weeks later when I was abusing adderall. I was very foolish.
Jail didn’t really do anything for me. I was just afraid to do the same stuff again.
In 2012, at 24 years old, I had a really strange experience that convinced me there was such thing as God. Of course I had always known, but I suppressed it. I was basically a professing atheist before that.
I didn’t have saving faith in Christ, but the strange experience I had had to do with the Bible (the book, not the doctrines of it), and so I carried it around like it was some protection relic for a couple months probably.
At this time, I was abusing adderall, and staying up for over 48 or a little under straight sometimes, and only sleeping a couple hours in between. I became very delusional at the time. I actually held the Bible in my hand, and went into a family member’s room, put my hand on their head while they were sleeping as though I were about to pray, and before I could start, they woke up, and I told them that I was John the Baptist. The adderall had messed with my mind, and I was experiencing psychosis.
I ended up quitting not too long after that, and vowed to stay sober from everything.
I was sober for a couple of months, and one night I decided to go out and have a few beers. In the middle of drinking my third beer, I told the friend I was with that I’m done with it and I’m never doing again. I threw the beer in the trash, and went home. It was around then that I started praying for sobriety.
I haven’t taken a drink, steroid, or narcotic since then, nor have I smoked any weed. I was told I should pray in the name of Jesus Christ, and so I did.
I didn’t have saving faith, though. I denied His deity. I didn’t really know anything about the Christian Faith. It wasn’t too long until I started getting into New Age doctrines. I was obsessed with it, and would constantly talk about it to everyone. I ended up becoming a bit popular among the New Age crowd.
This went on from late 2012 until 2015.
In 2015, at 27 years old, the Lord called me out of the world, and gave me the gift of saving faith.
He has been so gracious to me, and put a zeal in my heart for Him. It was because of posts on social media that I came to the Lord. Faithful Christians sharing Jesus Christ on social media sowed a seed, and today He is my entire life. My life is Christ, and I can think of nothing greater. I can think of no higher honor.
I remember the first time I asked for the Lord to have His will done in my life no matter what happened to me, and I was so scared! I was nervous praying that. There were many things I didn’t want to lose. I was a song writer. So many carnal songs. I had over 80 songs written, and I thought I was going to make music and tour the world.
The Lord did answer that prayer. He was so gracious to hear me. I remember the day I threw away every song in the trash. These were songs that, to this day, I believe would have been huge hits. The Lord had given me Himself and I counted it greater, praise the Lord.
Now days I can’t imagine praying for anything, but for His will to be done. How foolish I think my old self was to be so nervous and fearful to ask that. Had I known of the incredible joy and satisfaction I would have in Christ alone, I would have never trembled at that prayer. I thank the Lord, I am what I am because of His grace!
I’m so thankful for everyone who is faithful to share Jesus Christ and His works on social media. Your labor isn’t in vain. Those apologetics posts and videos aren’t in vain. You don’t know who the Lord is causing to watch them, and you don’t know the great godly men that will come from that seed in 10 years from now. We think of our posts as routine and common, but people are truly being impacted.
Conclusion:
Once in a while, in my prayer, I think back, the souls in Christ that I've come across.
Joshua Arnold is one such person. He's gained popularity on Facebook because he's been busy looking up friends of friends in the Christian community and friending them. He's gone on talk show, witnessing his conversion from addiction to and selling drugs.
I think what he does is certainly unique and I do think some of his posts were insightful. It is also evident that he reads a lot, though he isn't really open about it especially when he wants to make all his posts seem original.
The only problem is that he doesn't like to be taught by strangers or people he barely knew. He wants to teach, he wants to be the one to edify, not be edified by these. He would secretly get his edification from reformed books, and listening to famous preachers. This is the risky part.
But over all, it's not something new. It's the kind of sin we can all relate.
Here's one of my favorite postings that I am pasting here as a record, it's about Arminians, between myself and Eric:
Eric Daniel Lopez
Atonement is available to all is it not?
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Tim Roof
But only the elect will respond to the gospel offer and see it through to the end.
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Eric Daniel Lopez
That's my understanding
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Tim Roof
Yes, the parable of the sower in Matthew 13 helps us to understand this better.
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Eric Daniel Lopez
I believe the parable of the sower also can refer to times in the life of one believer
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Tim Roof
Eric D Lopez How so?
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Eric Daniel Lopez
Tim Roof no one is producing a crop from the Word when they first hear... not yet
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Eric Daniel Lopez
The soil of the heart may be heard... untilled
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Eric Daniel Lopez
Cares of this life....
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Eric Daniel Lopez
When one is not a doer of the word they can easily fall into one of the other 3 categories
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Tim Roof
I don't think so, though. You'll notice that only the good soil produces fruit. These are the elect--not because they are good soil inherently within themselves. There's nothing in the parable to suggest that the good soil at some point becomes the dir… See More
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Tim Roof
And the results of where the gospel lands is, regarding the elect and the non-elect, "predictable," though not necessarily predictable by us. When we get to heaven we may find many missing that we had assumed were gospel warriors; "assumed" being the k… See More
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Eric Daniel Lopez
I disagree.... even crop fields go through seasons where nothing is planted.... but I do not believe that's how it is with a believer..
I believe it is a progression... least it has been for me
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Graeme Fallows
The parable of the sower is about salvation not a believers life.....
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Eric Daniel Lopez
The final condition of the word producing a crop 30, 60 and 100 fold does not indicate it is merely about salvation but about bearing fruit as well
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Graeme Fallows
The crop happens for all those who are saved.... The parable...all parables... Are about salvation...
It's not a picture of different stages in a believers life as that's not what Jesus taught it to be.
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Eric Daniel Lopez
Ok so according to what you're saying what are the 30 60 and 100 fold crop them
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Tim Roof
Eric D Lopez That means that every believer is given gifts and tasks that they are to accomplish and that each one will produce fruit from those works varying in quality and quantity. We are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works that w… See More
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Eric Daniel Lopez
Ok and I agree with that statement. So I pose another question to you. Do they elect produce a harvest every time they hear the word?
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Graham Heezy
That's an unbiblical fallacy. The atonement isn't something that is available. It is something that took place. At a point in in redemptive history. And it had its particular purpose and only those chosen from the foundation of the world are the target of the atonement.
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Tim Roof
Eric D Lopez The elect will bear fruit unto a harvest at the end of the age. Some will sow, others may gather, and some will both sow and gather. But those who belong to Christ won't know until heaven all that their works have accomplished. I led a Bib… See More
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Eric Daniel Lopez
I see.... so according to what you are saying the elect bear a harvest which is only fully known at the end of the age.... however.... in the life of the elect can there not be stages? Before the word takes root and bears fruit?
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Eric Daniel Lopez
As far as the atonement, from God's perspective, He knows the elect and therefore prepared the atonement for them... But that does not mean He made the choice for the unsaved. Nor does it mean that His intention was not to save them.
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Tim Roof
Eric D Lopez If they are not elect, His intention was NOT to save them. When I say the harvest is not fully known, I mean to US, not to God. There would be "stages," as you say, but only the stages that the good soil seeds go through have any positive eternal meaning.
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Eric Daniel Lopez
That brings me back to the parable of the sower. If one of the elect look through the parable they can see the stages they have been through. I believe that when we put ourselves in God's place and begin to speak about His intentions, we do so in a lim… See More
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Timothy Law
Limited atonement basically means not everyone is saved. It's unbiblical to think otherwise.
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Tim Roof
Eric D Lopez But all DON'T come to repentance, so we're stuck with a god whose will is thwarted by sinful man. No elect person went through a "stage" where he was choked off from the gospel like the rocky soil. The soils indicate the kind of person tha… See More
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Eric Daniel Lopez
I don't see Jesus saying that when he explains the parables though.... he merely says "the person who" and then describes the condition of the person. At 18 I received the word with joy but bore no fruit for many years.
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Eric Daniel Lopez
If God wanted automatons He would have created us without free will... some choose to repent and some do not.... do you believe that God does not love those who do not repent?
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continues...
Eric Daniel Lopez
Timothy Law I know that not everyone is saved. However, what we are talking about here is the REASON why everyone is not saved. Do you believe God created anyone to suffer?
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Timothy Law
Eric D Lopez not if you obey God
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Tim Roof
The fact that we are all ruined by sin from conception means that God deliberately creates us in a state of misery. Think about it.
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Timothy Law
Eric D Lopez why not everyone - no reason is given for it in the Bible, other than it's God's sovereignty.
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Tim Roof
Our wills are not free because of sin, Eric. We have to be freed by Christ in His time by His methods. We do not have the ability or desire to ask Christ for salvation until He makes us willing to believe.
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Eric Daniel Lopez
Timothy Law there is nowhere in the Bible that states that it is God's will that not everyone should be saved. And yes we are born into a world corrupt with sin and misery but that was not God's original intent
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Eric Daniel Lopez
Obeying God.... is that not a choice?
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Timothy Law
Eric D Lopez of course it is a choice, but Adam screwed it up
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Timothy Law
Eric D Lopez there are many places, for example, when Jesus said, I do not pray for "them", they are not saved, by God's will. Many are called but few are chosen, etc.
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Eric Daniel Lopez
Yes but are you not reading into the text by saying that these are people that God did not want to save?
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Eric Daniel Lopez
Yes Adam screwed it up.... so essentially one man's will and Satan's deception, according to your logic, thwarted God's sovereign will
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Timothy Law
Eric D Lopez that's what Jesus said man, I don't know how else to read it.
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Tim Roof
No. The fall of man was God's will.
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Timothy Law
Eric D Lopez God's will cannot be thwarted, so you need to fix the conclusion
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Eric Daniel Lopez
So Timothy Law He was praying for the elect and also that He would not lose one who the Father gave Him
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Eric Daniel Lopez
How could the fall of man be God's will?
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Tim Roof
Everything that happens is God's will. If it isn't, then there is some other equal force in competition with the God who created this universe and runs it. Everything holds together by His word and will. No electron goes astray without His decree. Sata… See More
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Eric Daniel Lopez
Lucifer was created and according to Scripture "iniquity was found in him". If man's fall was God's will then why was commanded to NOT eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil? Was God's command not His will for Adam?
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Graham Heezy
Eric D Lopez Election is not an abstract knowledge of events. Its not something that God simply knows/knew, its something that he did. It is the active decision making of God in fulfilling his purpose. Read John 5-6
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Eric Daniel Lopez
We are co-laborers with Christ..... why then are the many called?
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Tim Roof
If by co-laborers with Christ, which is scriptural phraseology, you mean that we cooperate with Christ to secure our salvation, that is not what the Bible teaches.
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Eric Daniel Lopez
No I don't mean that.... but I reference it to signify a concept by which we have a part to play in kingdom dynamics
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Eric Daniel Lopez
But why does God call the many?
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Timothy Law
You mean if few are chosen, why call many?
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Tim Roof
He calls whom He will for His purposes. But the truth is, on those who have been willing to believe will respond in a manner consistent with that call.
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Eric Daniel Lopez
Why call the many if He is deciding that only the few are elect? It seems that the response is then a choice
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Timothy Law
Elect means elect, unconditional election, not based on any part of you, not your choice, not your wits, let that sink in first. Many are called, warns you that there are those that look like they are elected.
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Tim Roof
Another possible reason is that those who are not saved won't be able to complain that they weren't ever called, but I'm speculating.
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Eric Daniel Lopez
So why would God call anyone He did not want to save.... does not seem to keep in line with the character of God... not buying the warning idea
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Timothy Law
Warning is for your benefit, not God's.
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Tim Roof
Many are called but few are chosen. The chosen are the elect.
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Timothy Law
Eric D Lopez why? Because he is a gracious God.
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Eric Daniel Lopez
But it is God that is doing the calling.... God does nothing in vain
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Timothy Law
Eric D Lopez his grace is not vain
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Timothy Law
Eric D Lopez when God elects not, one does not go from neutral to cursed. For all already deserved to be doomed. So it is not possible to turn the slightest drop of God's grace and glory into shame.
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Eric Daniel Lopez
Timothy Law I understand your point. I guess what I am saying is why did Jesus say "many are called but few are chosen" if God did not desire for the called to respond and be the chosen
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Timothy Law
Eric D Lopez In the end of days, those who are not elect will credit God's election and grace upon them to the rightful Owner and find their own perdition justified. One might even say that they would praise: "At least God respected my free will enough to NOT elect me."
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Tim Roof
All those who hear the gospel are called to respond. Only the elect will respond, however.
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Tim Roof
I agree, though, better to have not heard the gospel at all than to have heard it and rejected it and Him explicitly. To whom much is given, much will be required.
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Eric Daniel Lopez
In your opinion, what does it mean for us to love those who are not elect
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Timothy Law
Eric D Lopez who are not elect?
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Eric Daniel Lopez
I don't know can you separate the wheat from the tares?
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Timothy Law
Eric D Lopez then love them all
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Eric Daniel Lopez
Timothy Law agreed.... then why focus so much on predestination and election?
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Timothy Law
Eric D Lopez very important on grace. Sola gratia. Build good relationship with God. Praising God in true humility. Etc.
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Eric Daniel Lopez
Timothy Law understood
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Timothy Law
Eric D Lopez God be praised.
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Eric Daniel Lopez
Timothy Law Always and forever He is worthy!
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