The Tragedy of “Almost”

“For the king knows of these things, to whom also I speak freely. For I am persuaded that none of these things is hidden from him, for this has not been done in a corner. King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe.” Agrippa said to Paul, “With a little persuasion are you trying to make me a Christian?” Paul said, “I pray to God, that whether with little or with much, not only you, but also all that hear me today, might become such as I am, except for these bonds.” The king rose up with the governor, and Bernice, and those who sat with them.” (Acts‬ ‭26:26-30‬ ‭WEB‬‬)

The passage above records a very tragic moment. King Agrippa was on the verge of believing in Jesus as Lord, but he hardened his heart and stood up, rejecting the free gift of eternal life.

His actions are essentially saying this, “Stop it. I don’t want to hear anymore. I refuse to accept Jesus Christ as Lord.”

Other translations render Agrippa’s words like this:

“Then Agrippa said to Paul, “In a short time [and with so little effort] you [almost] persuade me to become a Christian.”” (Acts‬ ‭26:28‬ ‭AMP‬‬)

The word “almost” is the great tragedy.

It is like coming so close to the finish line in a race but fainting and being disqualified when you are just a hair’s breadth away.

Hell contains many souls who are “almosts”.

“I should have responded when that preacher asked for us to place our faith in Jesus. Why did I harden my heart? I almost got saved, but now it is too late...”

“Therefore, even as the Holy Spirit says, “Today if you will hear his voice, don’t harden your hearts, as in the rebellion, like as in the day of the trial in the wilderness, where your fathers tested me by proving me, and saw my deeds for forty years. Therefore I was displeased with that generation, and said, ‘They always err in their heart, but they didn’t know my ways;’ as I swore in my wrath, ‘They will not enter into my rest.’”” (Hebrews‬ ‭3:7-11‬ ‭WEB‬‬)

It is possible to know with the mind that Jesus is the Son of God and everything that He claims to be, and yet not be saved.

A person has to believe and confess Him as Lord. If you just believe that He is the Son of God but don’t receive Him as Lord, you are not saved.

Even the demons believe that God is real, but they don’t submit to Him as Lord.

The Holy Spirit convicts the hearts of unbelievers about their sinfulness and woos them to receive Jesus Christ as Lord. But they can choose to reject it. Every individual must choose to accept or reject the gift of eternal life.

Yet, it is God’s will for all to hear the Gospel and to be saved. No matter how dark someone’s past is, he can freely receive forgiveness of sins when he places his faith in Jesus as Lord!

If you are already a born-again believer, through faith in Jesus, you have entered God’s rest—the rest of your conscience and also rest from works-based justification.

You are a saint who is already sanctified, justified, saved, holy, righteous, pure, and blameless. The next time you read these words in the Bible, don’t feel condemned or shrink away. These words describe who you already are in Christ.

“Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.” (Colossians‬ ‭2:8-10‬ ‭NKJV‬‬)

Dear brethren, you are not an “almost”. You are complete in Christ.

Let someone know the Gospel so that they are not almost, but fully saved through faith in Jesus Christ!

If you are blessed by the daily teachings/devotionals I share freely on this page, you can become a patron on Patreon if you want to receive an additional daily Bible Study teaching, as well as all my eBooks! Your patronage supports this ministry and enables us to “reach more and teach more” in the body of Christ: http://Patreon.com/miltongohblog

It could improve warehouse workers' conditions after it takes effect on January 1st.

0916紐約時報

*【“秘密致電北京”事件後，拜登對米利將軍表示信任】
在新書披露美軍最高將領馬克·米利曾因擔心川普對中國開戰而兩次秘密致電中國軍方後，其辦公室表示，米利並沒有繞開他的文職領導人，電話都是在國防部等部門的協調溝通下進行的。儘管一些共和黨人表達了對該事件的憤怒，但拜登總統表示，他“對米利將軍充滿信心”。白宮新聞秘書說，拜登“完全信任他的領導力、他的愛國精神以及他對憲法的忠誠”。
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/15/us/politics/milley-biden-china.html

*【研究增加了異議，美國的加強劑政策也在不斷變化】
白宮已被迫推遲Moderna疫苗的接種者提供第三針需求，目前只針對接受輝瑞-BioNTech 疫苗的人接種第三針。本周的一系列的爭論，說明了科學家之間，對於是否需要注射加強劑，以及如果需要，為誰需要意見分歧。《新英格蘭醫學雜誌》上的一項研究似乎支持了白宮及其高級健康顧問的觀點，指出在以色列接受第三次輝瑞疫苗注射的人，比接受兩次注射的人，患嚴重冠病的可能性要小得多。美國食F. D.A公佈的一份審查報告，研究了關於第三劑輝瑞（Pfizer）疫苗的更廣泛證據，並提出了警告。但《剌胳針》上，F. D.A兩位頂級疫苗科學家等撰寫的一篇文章認為，沒有可信的證據表明，疫苗對抗的效力，隨著時間而大幅下降。
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/15/us/politics/booster-shots-fda.html

*【Covid-19實時更新】
#聯邦監管機構發布了對輝瑞增效注射應用的首次分析。監管機構寫道：現有數據應該支持加強劑量的有效性，特別是針對當前流行的變體。
#以色列的研究人員周三報告稱，第三劑輝瑞-BioNTech 冠狀病毒疫苗可以預防 60 歲以上成年人的感染和嚴重疾病至少 12 天，從而引發關於加強劑量的激烈辯論。這項發表在《新英格蘭醫學雜誌》上的研究是關於健康成年人是否需要加強劑量，以及是否應該像拜登政府計劃那樣，給予加強劑量的衝突中的最新一波。幾位獨立科學家表示，迄今為止的累積數據表明，只有老年人需要第三針，甚至可能不需要。
#衛生官員正在調查本月早些時候，在紐約市蘭德爾斯島舉行的電子音樂節，可能造成至少16例感染確診，並敦促參加該活動的每個人都接受檢測。
#教宗敦促每個人都接種 Covid 疫苗。
#洛杉磯縣將要求在飲酒場所提供疫苗接種證明。
#經過數月的拖延，聯邦緊急事務管理局已同意向紐約市公立醫院系統補償近 10 億美元，用於在紐約市 2020 年第一波嚴重疫情期間治療患者的費用。
#對衛生工作者的冠狀病毒疫苗接種授權於週三在法國生效，政府官員表示，一些人仍在反對這項義務。
#世衛組織表示，北美洲和中美洲正在推動半球冠狀病毒的激增。
#拜登與高管會面以推動疫苗授權。
#美國強制要求新移民接種冠狀病毒疫苗。從10月1日開始，美國新移民必須全面接種 Covid-19 疫苗。
#歐盟週三宣布成立一個新的生物醫學機構，旨在更好地應對未來的流行病，因為它試圖避免重蹈其早期應對冠狀病毒的覆轍。
https://www.nytimes.com/live/2021/09/15/world/covid-delta-variant-vaccine

*【美英將助澳洲部署核動力潛艇，以抗衡中國】
該計畫可能會使澳洲在北京現在申明主權的南海地區進行例行巡邏，並最遠到達臺灣北部，以挑戰中國在該地區的領土主張。這對澳洲來說是重要一步，該國一直以來對直接回擊中國的核心利益猶豫不決，但已越來越感受到中國的威脅。此外，美澳雙方均表示，澳洲已承諾不會用核武器武裝潛艇。
https://www.nytimes.com/video/us/politics/100000007976250/biden-national-security-uk-australia-china.html

*【反抗團體找說客尋求國際支持對抗阿富汗塔利班】
抵抗塔利班統治的領袖Ahmad Massoud雇傭了一名說客在美國尋求軍事和財政支持。Ahmad Massoud是尋求將塔利班趕下臺最著名的對抗團體之一，他與Robert Stryk簽署了合約。Robert Stryk在川普政府期間承擔了許多智庫、遊說集團和倡導團體的遊說工作。這份合同於週三晚上提交給司法部，並表示這項工作將是無償的。與此同時，阿富汗的一系列選民正在尋求幫助，爭取華盛頓和國際社會承認。
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/15/us/politics/afghanistan-taliban.html

*【納瓦尼盟友在俄羅斯境外開展競選活動】
這位俄羅斯反對派領袖的五名盟友，試圖在俄羅斯境外的非公開地點策劃一場選舉動盪，將數十名克里姆林宮的反對人士送進議會，以此削弱普丁所在的執政黨統一俄羅斯黨。由於席位按政黨名單分配，統一俄羅斯黨幾乎肯定會在週五至周日舉行的議會選舉贏下多數席位，但一位納瓦爾的盟友稱，即使選出少數反對派立法者，也會 “在系統中產生動盪”。
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/15/world/europe/navalny-smart-voting-russia-election.html

*【朝鮮發射兩枚彈道導彈，朝韓軍備競賽升級】
週三，朝鮮在其東海岸發射了兩枚彈道導彈，這是該國六個月來首次彈道導彈試驗，違反了聯合國安理會的多項決議。數小時後，韓國宣佈測試了該國第一枚潛艇發射的彈道導彈，成為了世界上第七個使用潛射彈道導彈的國家。局勢引發了對地區穩定的擔憂，日本首相菅義偉稱朝鮮發射導彈“令人憤怒”，是對和平的威脅。
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/15/world/asia/north-korea-ballistic-missiles.html

*【加州州長罷免投票沒過，紐森被留任】
共和黨領導的加州州長罷免選舉揭曉結果，民主黨人紐森將繼續擔任他的職務。這次投票再次展現了自由派選民在加州擁有的勢力，十多年來，沒有共和黨人擔任過州級職位。此次罷免投票被認為是美國2022年中期選舉的風向標，其結果讓全國民主黨人鬆了一口氣。
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/14/us/newsom-governor-california-recall.html

*【“全球首個全平民太空飛船”發射升空】
Space X旗下的Inspiration4太空飛船於美東時間晚上8點成功發射，將開始為期三天的軌道飛行。四名從未去過太空的業餘宇航員來自各行各業，其中38歲的億萬富翁以撒曼是這次太空之旅的贊助人和構思人。
https://www.nytimes.com/live/2021/09/15/science/spacex-launch-inspiration4

*【觀點：一場從一開始就充斥著腐敗的反恐戰爭】
時報社論編委會成員Farah Stockman寫道，阿富汗戰爭本應是一場“正義戰爭”，但美國的過度支出和缺乏監督助長了腐敗。金錢推動了戰爭的旋轉門，也滋養了我們本應打擊的敵人。
https://cn.nytimes.com/opinion/20210915/afghanistan-war-economy/

本月初，一項新法律在美國德州生效，禁止懷孕六週後進行人工流產，成為先進國家中最嚴格的墮胎法之一。反觀世界第二大羅馬天主教國，墨西哥最高法院週二裁定，懲罰墮胎違憲，成為墨西哥女性健康與人權倡導者的重大勝利。

講義
👉 本集限定公開下載 PDF：https://bit.ly/3Acfk2E
👉 嘖嘖訂閱版本：https://bit.ly/ssyingwen_notes

🍼 網站 (相關文章 / 影片)：https://ssyingwen.com/ssep52
🖼️ IG 單字卡: https://bit.ly/ssyingwenIG

———

本集 timestamps
0:00 Intro
1:37 第一遍英文朗讀
4:00 新聞 & 相關單字解說
18:22 額外單字片語
24:34 第二遍英文朗讀

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臉書社團 (朗讀文字)：https://www.facebook.com/groups/ssyingwen/posts/301461465073433/

朗讀內容參考了
VOA: https://www.voanews.com/americas/mexicos-top-court-decriminalizes-abortion-watershed-moment
NPR 1: https://www.npr.org/2021/09/07/1034925270/mexico-abortion-decriminalized-supreme-court
NPR 2: https://www.npr.org/2021/09/01/1033202132/texas-abortion-ban-what-happens-next
The Dallas Morning News: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/world/2021/09/07/mexico-lifts-abortion-ban-even-as-texas-embraces-it/
The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/sep/09/biden-administration-sue-texas-abortion-law

———

本集提到的單字片語：
Texas 德州
SB 8 (Senate Bill 8) 德州參議院第八議案
Abortion(s) 人工流產、墮胎
Near-total abortion ban 幾乎完全的墮胎禁令
Rape 強姦
Incest 亂倫
Pro-choice 捍衛選擇權
Pro-life 捍衛生命權
Forced pregnancy 強迫懷孕
Democrats 民主黨
Republicans 共和黨
Heartbeat 心跳
Fetal heartbeat 胎兒的心跳
Scientists 科學家們
Embryo 胚胎
Ultrasound 超音波
Fetus 胎兒
Border 邊境
Mexico 墨西哥
Brazil  巴西
Roman Catholic Church 羅馬天主教會
Supreme court 最高法院
Unanimously一致通過的
Decriminalizes 除罪化
Legalize 合法化
Latin America 拉丁美洲
Conservative 保守
Illegal 違法的
Argentina 阿根廷
Irony / ironic / ironically
Sarcasm / sarcastic
Coahuila 墨西哥北部與德州鄰近的州
Mexico City 墨西哥城
Trimester 三個月
Restrictive 嚴格限制的
Insidious 陰險的
Draconian 苛刻的
Cruel 殘忍的
Abortion rights 墮胎權
Roe v. Wade 羅訴韋德案
Landmark decision / judgement
Viability 胎兒在母體外有生存能力
Governor 州長
Attorney general 司法部長
Abortion providers  提供墮胎的醫療機構
Sue 起訴、吿
Whistleblower 吹哨者
Mum 沈默
Clearly 明顯的
Unconstitutional 違反憲法
Kamala Harris 賀錦麗
Not negotiable 不容商量的
Jen Psaki 白宮發言人
Unequivocal 毫不含糊的、非常明確的
Irrational 不理智的
Super Typhoon Chanthu 強颱璨樹
Philippines 菲律賓
Hurricane Ida 颶風艾達


♥️ 喜歡時事英文 podcast 嗎？♥️
你可以支持我繼續錄製 podcast 👉 https://bit.ly/zeczec_ssyingwen

————


#podcast #墮胎權 #女權 #學英文 #英文筆記 #英文學習 #英文 #每日英文 #托福 #雅思 #雅思英語 #雅思托福 #多益 #多益單字 #播客 #國際新聞 #英文新聞 #英文聽力 #taiwanpodcast

【6/28 11am 更新】死亡人數正式來到了 9 人...
週四凌晨，美國 Florida 邁阿密郊區一棟 40 年住宅大樓突然部份坍塌，這面海的 12 層大樓其中 55 戶在十幾秒內夷為平地。三天搜救努力後，已確定 5 人喪命，但還有超過 150 人仍然下落不明。

🔓 全文朗讀錄音檔案在這 👉 https://bit.ly/zzep31full

0:00 Intro
0:18 第一遍英文朗讀 (慢)
3:46 新聞單字片語解說
23:00 第二遍英文朗讀 (快)

❤️ 給我繼續為你們製作內容的能力 👉 https://bit.ly/zeczec_ssyingwen 

———

📝 單字筆記：https://ssyingwen.com/ssep31/#notes
🖼️ 單字卡在 IG: https://bit.ly/ssyingwenIG
💬 我有建議：http://bit.ly/sssurveyform
📪 ssyingwen@gmail.com

———

朗讀內容來自The Guardian
👉 Podcast 裡選讀片段文字在: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ssyingwen/posts/253548686531378/
👉 The Guardian 完整文章連結在：https://amp.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/jun/26/condo-collapse-surfside-search

本集介紹的單字片語有：
Champlain Towers South 坍塌的大樓名稱
相關地方專有名詞有：Surfside、Miami-Dade、Miami 邁阿密、Florida 佛州
Collapse 坍塌
Interactive 互動式
Missing  遺失
Unaccounted for  沒有人知道人在哪裡
Remains 遺骸
Survivors 倖存者
Death toll 死亡人數
DNA samples 樣本
Paraguay 巴拉圭
major structural damage 重大結構損壞
Governor 州長
architect 建築師
Condominium (condo) 和 apartment 的差別
Close to tears (片語) 快哭了
Fight back tears (片語）強忍眼淚

————


#podcast #邁阿密大樓倒塌 #佛州大樓倒塌 #學英文 #英文筆記 #英文學習 #英文 #每日英文 #托福 #雅思 #雅思英語 #雅思托福 #多益 #多益單字 #播客 #英文單字卡 #片語 #動詞 #國際新聞 #英文新聞 #英文聽力 #邁阿密倒塌 #邁阿密樓塌 #佛州大樓 #佛州公寓倒塌

#BorisFoong #RamseyWestwood #StellarRadio

Brought to you by Boris Foong & Ramsey Westwood.

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TRACKLIST :
00:00:00 Stellar Radio Intro
00:02:22 Full Effect - Maxim Lany feat. Penny F. [Armada Electronic Elements]
00:03:53 Illusion - Shapov & Nerak [Armind]

LOOKING BACK:
00:08:27 All We Need - ALPHA 9 [Armind]

00:10:45 Rapture - Kryder x Natalie Shay [Black Hole Recordings]
00:14:18 Anytime - 2sher, Paul Ercossa, Sunflare [Phatclub]
00:17:04 Technology - Kato [Kato Music]
00:19:24 Jonson's Play - Armin van Buuren & Sander van Doorn [A State Of Trance]
00:24:06 King's Tech..! - Ahmed Helmy [Suanda Music]
00:27:06 Tokio Lights - KeyWork [Azima Records]
00:31:18 Andromeda (Denis Sender Remix) - NyTiGen & Trance Reserve [Neostatics Sounds]

SOUND OF TOMORROW:
00:34:00 Vision - Key Lean & Sean Ryan [Find Your Harmony]

00:37:54 All I Need - Milad E, Andy Kumanov [Interplay Records]
00:42:07 Exploration of Self - Eximinds [AVA Recordings]
00:45:03 Reality (Concrete Panther Remix) - Vertruda [Addictive Sounds]
00:47:31 Fallen Angel - 2sher & ion.B [Phatbull]

CLASSIC PICK:
00:51:24 Somewhere (Clear Blue) (Perry O'neil Remix) - Markus Schulz Pres. Elevation [Armada Electronic Elements]

00:54:50 Apocalypto - Eldream & Mark Wild [Suanda Base]
00:58:35 Hear Them Echo - Voolgarizm, J-Stranger feat. Caitlin Potter [Reaching Altitude]
00:59:51 Memoirs - Orjan Nilsen pres. DJ Governor [A State Of Trance]
01:03:23 Forever - Hypersia & Matt Hiller [Full On 140 Records]
01:05:51 Contagious - ReOrder & Jordan Tobias feat. Clara Yates [A State Of Trance]
01:07:05 Burning Souls - Double Motion & Ruslan Asсhaulov [Trancemission]
01:09:51 Virus - Fading Light [Electro Beat Records (Promind)]
01:12:58 Mysterious Feeling - Adam Taylor [Suanda True]
01:16:24 Karma - Lies & Sinwaulam [CDR]
01:18:56 No Other Alternative - MaRLo [Central Station Records]
01:21:40 Bangkit - Sinwaulam [CDR]
01:25:00 Leonie (Alan Morris Remix) – DJ T.H. [AVA White]
01:29:02 Stellar Radio Outro