Valletta said:

Voters Give Democrats In Congress A Record Low Job Approval But Still Might Vote For Them In 2026, Quinnipiac University National Poll Finds; Majority Think Trump's Use Of Presidential Power Goes Too Far | Quinnipiac University Poll

"A family squabble spills over into the holidays. Democratic voters want their party to hold the reins of the House but are not the least bit happy about what they are doing at the moment," said Quinnipiac University Polling Analyst Tim Malloy.

poll.qu.edu

Interesting poll, Trump too is widely disapproved of.

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Democrats to their leaders: "Do something!"

I think this has been pointed out before. A lot of the angst towards Democratic leaders is their declarations of "well, we just sent Trump a strongly worded letter" while Trump trashes democracy. Recall the town halls were they were getting torched by their supporters.

camille70 said:

Trump rebrands Congressionally-approved troop housing subsidy as ‘warrior dividend’ bonus

More than $2.9 billion in reconciliation funds was allocated to beef up troop housing allowances. Now it’s being used for $1,776 checks.

www.defenseone.com

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Is Kristi Noem staying in military housing? Is that a perk for her or does she reimburse?

Perk, she gets free housing.

rjs330 said:

Absolutely and THAT is my point exactly. It may surprise you to know that I support welfare from the state. I absolutely believe there are those we as a society should help on humanitarian grounds.

I agree. And everything Christ commanded concerning helping others is also intended for individuals rather than prescribing governmental policy. If we are going to say scripture should prescribe governmental policy then all of scripture should guide it and not just the ones we personally approve of.


Sure, but the argument against abortion can be made without an appeal only to scripture. It is no more incorrect to use scripture to oppose abortion than it is to support certain immigration and welfare policies.

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just to clarify I understand your position, you don't think the government should ban abortion, gay marriage, or transgender surgery—even though these are considered sins in the Bible—because you believe the government should not get involve in religious commandments and sin which are directed to individual believer?

A2SG said:

If you assume Trump can't get a fair trial in New York, maybe he should have committed fraud in a more friendly jurisdiction.

-- A2SG, poor planning I guess.....

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No matter how much you want to believe it. No matter how many times you say it, President Trump did not committ fraud. Only liberals believe that he did.

jas3 said:

I've seen an Orthodox Advent wreath for sale with six candles, but I don't actually know of anyone who uses one. I've only heard one person even mention their existence. Out of curiosity, does anyone here have one or know of anyone who does?

I'm aware that the Advent wreath is traditionally a Protestant thing, just wanted to see if it had any notable presence in Orthodoxy.

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I've never heard of them. I don't even remember them growing up in the Anglican Church.

The plain Latin cross is primarily a "simplified" crucifix. Christianity has a long history of different cruciform symbols with various degrees of meaning.

One could see the use of a plain Latin cross as a vacant cross--the Son of God taken down from the cross, laid in the tomb, and having risen from the dead. And that is a beautiful symbol. I love that symbolism.

The crucifix specifically calls our mind to Christ's passion and death, His work of atonement. Which is why it often features prominently in Lutheran contexts as Lutherans see ourselves as "Cross people". Luther once said in his 28 Theses of the Heidelberg Disputations that a true theologian does not understand God in His invisible qualities of glory, power, and wisdom; but in His visible revelation: In the Incarnate Jesus Christ who suffered and died for us. To know God in God's suffering on the cross is the mark of a true theologian: I.e. God is not defined chiefly in abstract concepts, but rather is defined by Himself in His Word Incarnate, in the Incarnate Person of Jesus Christ our Lord.

In the East a more common symbol is the Christus Rex:



The Risen, Glorified Christ superimposed on the cross showing His victory over death and the grave. Christ is King, the King who rose and has conquered sin, death, hell, and the devil and is ascended and seated at the right hand of the Father. The Crucified-Risen King who lives forever.

All of these are beautiful symbols of Christian faith. Though I do admit that the traditional western crucifix is often what resonates most deeply with me--as I am drawn visually into meditation and contemplation over the Savior's loving Self-offering of Himself for me, a wretch and sinner. That I do not know God in power or wisdom, in sagacious philosophy and human reason, but rather I know God in Christ Crucified. He died for me, an ugly unlovely sinner, deserving of death and hell.

1 Corinthians 1:18-31 - 2:1-5

camille70 said:

Different funding source.

Trump rebrands Congressionally-approved troop housing subsidy as ‘warrior dividend’ bonus

More than $2.9 billion in reconciliation funds was allocated to beef up troop housing allowances. Now it’s being used for $1,776 checks.

www.defenseone.com

This tweet and the comments said its a shell game.

https://x.com/RonFilipkowski/status/2001669635028955480?s=20

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Got it. Thanks.

Even if these documents were given in discovery, doesn't mean they would be made public, would it? I can see Donald dropping the case before he would ever allow that. Good move.

Always in His Presence said:

The White House argued that Gentile's trial was an example of "weaponization of justice" by the previous administration. They claimed that GPB Capital had disclosed to investors the potential use of their capital for distributions, countering the prosecution's assertion that it was a Ponzi scheme.​

​

There is that....​

​

Then there is this:

Trump frees former GPB Capital CEO after Biden admin's Ponzi scheme sentence​

"At trial, the government was unable to tie any supposedly fraudulent representations to Mr. Gentile," said the White House official, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to not being authorized to speak on the topic.​

​

"Mr. Gentile also raised serious concerns that the government had elicited false testimony and failed to correct such testimony."​

Then there is this from Newsweek

The New York Times, which first reported on the commutation, said it was not clear if Gentile had connections to Trump or his supporters.


Bottom Line: Trump does know of David Gentile—he commuted his sentence—but there’s no verified evidence of a personal or business relationship beyond that act of clemency.

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????
Anonymous white house officials are not the entity that decides evidentiary guilt of crimes.
Obviously the court and the jury were convinced he was guilty.
If he thought he was wrongly found guilty, which happened a month ago, then that is what the appellate process is for.

Turkey on the brink of humiliation: As part of his 20-point peace plan, the Turkish president wants to send troops into Gaza, which does not bode well for the Jewish state. If he does not invade, he could be out of the game.

Have you heard the latest news? Turkish special forces are ready for ‘immediate deployment in Gaza.’ Of course, according to their dictator, everyone everywhere must immediately take note of this important announcement and express their unconditional support.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has recently become increasingly impatient with the apparent lack of response to his important announcements regarding the Gaza Strip. Does anyone even know that such a thing as a Turkish special forces unit exists?

It seems as if he is on the verge of an increasingly embarrassing geopolitical situation. He is concerned about impending humiliation, rightly so, and about appearing irrelevant to his Arab neighbours, as Israel has effectively excluded him from participating in the International Stabilisation Force (ISF) as defined in Phase II of US President Donald Trump's 20-point plan for the Gaza Strip.

BBAS 64 said:

Good day,

Good day, Dave

I have been doing a considerable amount of work with CHS as of late.

I really have no issue with the quote your have provided it it's context, always best to look at the work that helps understand the question.

In his sermon - The Spurgeon Library | Faith and Regeneration

He is very clear on the Matter- "We must now pass on to show that WHEREVER IT EXISTS IT IS THE PROOF OF REGENERATION. There never was a grain of such faith as this in the world, except in a regenerate soul, and there never will be while the world standeth. It is so according to the text, and if we had no other testimony this one passage would be quite enough to prove it. "Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God." "Ah!" I hear thee say, poor soul, "the new birth is a great mystery; I do not understand it; I am afraid I am not a partaker in it." You are born again if you believe that Jesus is the Christ, if you are relying upon a crucified Saviour you are assuredly begotten again unto a lively hope."

The believer sees in the faith, which is simple as the movements of the needle, an indication that God is operating on the human mind, and the spiritual man discerns that there is an inner secret intimated thereby, which the carnal eye cannot decipher. To believe in Jesus is a better indicator of regeneration than anything else, and in no case did it ever mislead. Faith in the living God and his Son Jesus Christ is always the result of the new birth, and can never exist except in the regenerate. Whoever has faith is a saved man.

Faith is always the result of the new birth (regeneration) not the cause.... Faith can never exist in the unregenerate.

https://www.biblebb.com/files/bunyan/lastsermon.htm

Bunyan notes "Men that believe in Jesus Christ to the effectual receiving of Jesus Christ, they are born to it. He does not say they shall be born to it, but they are born to it; born of God, unto God, and the things of God, before they receive God to eternal salvation. "Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." Now unless he be born of God, he cannot see it. Suppose the kingdom of God be what it will, he cannot see it before he be begotten of God; suppose it be the Gospel, he cannot see it before he be brought into a state of regeneration; believing is the consequence of the new birth, "not of blood, nor of the will of man, but of God."

John Gill - Of Regeneration | Monergism



Regeneration is signified by "Christ being formed in the heart", #Ga 4:19 his image is stamped in regeneration; not the image of the first Adam, but of the second Adam; for the new man is after the image of him who has anew created it, which is the image of Christ; to be conformed to which God's elect are predestinated, and which takes place in regeneration, #Ro 8:29 Col 3:10. The graces of Christ, as faith, and hope, and love, are wrought in the hearts of regenerate persons, and soon appear there; yea, Christ himself lives in them; "Not I", says the apostle, "but Christ lives in me"; he dwells by faith there; Christ, and the believer, mutually dwell in each other.



In Him

Bill

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Hey Bill

It's been busy, sorry for the delay.

Bill, I believe that you're reading more into what Spurgeon is said than what he is meant. I could be wrong, but I don't think that he meant that the way that you're taking it. One reason is the quote that I provided. That would be a direct contradiction. Though, people do change their minds. We all have our learning curves on record stored on the internet for all to see with some of the same discrepancies. But consider that the verse he's quoting is also misunderstood and taken way beyond the text by many, even still today. I think it's safe to say that Spurgeon meant what he said, he just didn't mean it in the way that you're taking it. I'll explain....

1 John 5:1 Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him.

This passage is often quoted as proof that one must be born again to believe. I think that mistranslation was pointed out very eloquently by Dr. Sam Storms. I believe that he is one of the consensus who believes that the new birth precedes faith. I thank him for his honesty.


Dr. Storms wrote:

"John says in 5:1 that whoever is presently believing in Christ has in the past been born or begotten of God. I.e., a present action of believing is evidence of a past experience of begetting. Is John then saying that new birth or regeneration always precedes and causes saving faith in Christ? Although I believe regeneration (new birth) does precede and cause faith, I do not believe that is John’s point here.

When one examines these texts where the terminology of regeneration is used, one finds that John is concerned with describing the consequences or fruit of the new birth:

Question: “How may I know that regeneration has occurred? How may I know if someone has been born again?”

Answer: “That person will not practice sin (3:9; 5:18). That person will practice righteousness (2:29). That person will love the brethren (4:7). That person will believe in Christ (5:1). And that person will overcome the world (5:4).”

John’s point is simply that these activities are the evidence of the new birth and hence of salvation. Their absence is the evidence that regeneration has not taken place. He makes this point, not because he wants to demonstrate the cause/effect relationship between regeneration and faith, but because he wants to provide the church with tests by which to discern between true and spurious “believers.”" – Dr. Sam Storms
-------------

The same John in his Gospels wrote this as the purpose of his Gospel. John 20:31 (so they may believe)

"but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name."

And later, John wrote this as the purpose of his Epistle, 1 John 5:13 ( to believers, so that they may know they are saved)

" These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God."

This verse, 1 John 5:1, if we do not go beyond the text, is really not in conflict with those who believe that being born again is the result of faith. It IS going beyond the text to use it as a proof text to, as Dr. Sam Storms wrote, "demonstrate the cause/effect relationship between regeneration and faith"

It's really simple. If you believe, you have been born again. Why? Because the initial result of believing is to be born again. If you are presently believing then you have previously been born again when that faith started.

The quote above by DR. Sam Storms was taken from this link


I think Spurgeon is saying the same thing. He's just confirming faith as an evidence of an existing regeneration and not trying to prove a cause/effect relationship.

1 John 5:1, John 1:12-13, and John 3:3, none of these actually say what is claimed by todays reformed believers. Yet they build a complete theology based on their definition of mainly these three verses and redefine the Bible with it. These are assumptions, built on assumptions. And when you look to find the foundation of what all these assumptions are built on, there is only more assumptions. Added to that, there is a complete disregard for the nature of the relationship between man and the Holy Spirit from the OT, to the NT. The promises made. The transition at the birth of the Church when these promises began to be realized. These are all ignored.

God is responsible for our changed heart, the moment our life begins in Him. I think that Scripture is clear that the life in question begins when we receive the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. That's a problem if the indwelling of the Holy Spirit is received as a result of faith (Galatians 3:2-3). So what motivates that faith? Is it the flesh? Is it God, by other means? To solve that problem, there are those who have the Holy Spirit entering a believer before faith, thus making that life begin before faith. It's an easy fix, but that idea is nowhere found in Scripture and is in fact hostel to Scripture. This is what Spurgeon was criticizing in the quote that I supplied earlier.

Also, the passage that you quoted Romans 8:29, I started a thread on that. In short, it's speaking of OT true believers, the sheep, given to the Son by the Father, Whom He shall not lose one of them, already declared righteous, these were already known by the Father and predestined to be conformed to Christlikeness (NT faith). If you're interested, here's a link.


Dave

Romans 5:1 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

joymercy said:

As a missionary in ongoing training and outreach, I can assure you that what occurred would not in any way correspond with being a real, actual missionary in practice.

We Listen first and then befriend, because shaming someone publicly like this is NOT love and hurts people instead, more likely driving them away.

Giving a blessing would plant seeds!

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Exactly its not typical behavior to embarrass somebody who is just there to support his wife who just lost her father. During a funeral when everyone was grieving no doubt and not just one but twice he said it! And why only single out the Jewish man? Why not say "let's pray for all of the lost in church today so that they can be with the decreased in glory." Why single out the ONLY Jewish man in the whole service? I mean there was a Buddhist there, there were atheists, there were people of other religious views Why not pray for them too?

He had to of known about them my wife said because her mom told him about them on top of Asa (my brother in law thats jewish). So why did he only single handedly attack Asa? Its just prejudiced bias right there!

BCP1928 said:

And there, GB, is the answer. If Trump's Christian supporters think it "hurt the libs" then they will be down with it, even if it's childish.

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I don’t really care if they’re Christian or not. This is just shameful behavior for anyone to be excusing or looking the other way from. Like how does it even “hurt the libs” for the president they voted for to continuously be an absolute turd of a human being? It’s so strange to me, but they seem happy with this arrangement.

I just keep on thinking that candle needs to go jump into the sea.

rjs330 said:

This makes no sense whatsoever.

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If you read the anthology(s) that make up Bible(s) without strong consideration of time, as in the paradigm in which it was written; context in which they were written; one will never understand those works. I furthermore will give you two words that also need to considered since these devices were common in that time. The first is Pseudepigrapha where it was routine for writers to write under the name of someone else. The Bible(s) are wrought with that. The others is Syncretism, which also the Bible(s) are full of no different than cultures still do today.

rjs330 said:

And if a community as a whole decides

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That is not what happened in Llano County. A group of residents wanted certain books removed. And another group of residents wanted them to stay. The community as a whole was not of one opinion on this.

BCP1928 said:

Ah, yes--the innate superiority of Western Christian Culture. You expect Somalis to "assimilate" to that nonsense? You can't even get all of your native born fellow citizens to buy it.

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No I expect Somalis to assimilate to Western Culture. Never said anything about Western Christian culture. In fact I brought up Denmark and specifically mentioned the fact that is not a Western Christian culture country. Yet you decided to make a false claim about what I posted. You do that a LOT. I really wish you would stop. Its disingenuous at best and dishonest at worst.

Kathleen30 said:

Thats right Prodromos. Geocentrism was the prevalent view of the Orthodox Church along the Protestant and Catholic Church there was certainly nothing else that looked like a prevailing view until the 16 century that even looked like a competitor until the Heliocentric model began . And you did mention the Orthodox Church did you not in your post 48. before unleashing your brutal remarks in saying I was Full of it. Maybe you should read more carefully before shooting your mouth off with such brutal comments more so when they turn out not to be true.

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And still, I never claimed that the Orthodox Church NEVER embraced Ptolemy's system, which is what you falsely claimed I said. Perhaps you should read more carefully before shooting your mouth off. I had pointed out that in Greece, Aristarchus of Samos had already shown evidence of the earth orbiting the sun before the 2nd Century BC, so whereas geocentrism was the only view in many other countries it was not so in Greece, nor was it dogmatically declared to be so in the Eastern Churches, unlike Rome.

eleos1954 said:

Several passages show that Jesus believed that man was created at the beginning of creation

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Genesis 1 makes it very clear what was there at the beginning, and man was not.

eleos1954 said:

The Bible teaches that there was no animal or human death before the Fall of Adam and Eve.

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But you can't find a verse that says so? Why not? God tells Adam that he will die the day he eats from the tree. Adam eats from the tree, but lives on physically for many years after. If God is truthful, then it was not a physical death He was speaking of.

eleos1954 said:

So the geological record of rock layers and fossils could not have been millions of years before the Fall.

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Here, you're assuming what you proposed to prove.

eleos1954 said:

The genealogies of Genesis 5 and 11 give us the years from Adam to Abraham, who virtually all scholars agree lived about 2000 BC.

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There are two, contradictory genealogies for Jesus in scripture. So we know they can't be literal genealogies.

eleos1954 said:

However, as a concession, she required one sealed copy to be deposited with the federal court in the Eastern District of Virginia (where any renewed Comey case would proceed), allowing potential future access only via a new, valid warrant.

Hard to say how this plays out.

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Looks like the judge derailed Trump's weaponization of the Justice Department, while making sure that the information was still available if they could present a legal basis for having it. I doubt if even the corrupt SCOTUS we have would invent such a basis.

Hawkins said:

It's more or less like how Jesus asked those Jews without sins to stone the prostitute. You need someone just to enforce justice. We are righteous simply because of our Faith, not how just we are.

Moreover, in a sinners' world, "society" more or less belongs to Caesar (Caesar is doing a semi-job of "social justice");

Romans 13:3-4
For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended. For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer.

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Socai justice sets down a platform of principles by which to know and be opposed to social evils, aimed even at Caesar if necessary when when he's wrong. Some leaders of countries actually condone evils that should be condemned. So do we draw back in fear of being judged as judgmental, or do we oppose and perhaps become actively involved in some manner in actively opposing human trafficking, the exploitation of labor, genocide, etc?

Well, it isn't working. That's why Trump is looking for an excuse to get rid of all Somali immigrants as a way of getting rid of Omar.

Valletta said:

House passes Republican health care bill that does not include extension of Obamacare subsidies

The bill, dubbed the Lower Health Care Premiums for All Americans Act, was passed in a 216-211 vote, with just Kentucky GOP Rep. Thomas Massie voting with Democrats against the legislation.

justthenews.com

Finally a bill that will actually cut costs for patients instead of making insurance companies wealthier.

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It will have to pass the senate ... I'm not confident it will

JohnB445 said:

If in the future, we have the technology to colonize other planets. Do you think this would be possible? Or if God would want that?

Only very recently in human history have we been able to land on the moon and set foot on it, then send a robot to mars. Whats next?
We have been confined to Earth for most of human history, God gave the gift to mankind to be intelligent enough to travel outside the planet, is there anything in the Bible or that we know about God that says we can't live on other planets?

And we need to ask ourselves, why would we want to colonize mars?

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God owns all of creation and can and is fully capable of doing what He wants.

Elon is unsure about how we came about ... regardless whether colonization of Mars comes to fruition or not ... in the process there will likely be things that are developed that will likewise benefit mankind on earth in the process of the pursuit.

Personally I think the Lord will return before that happens .... but who knows?

The Bible doesn't confirm or deny life on other planets; it emphasizes God's power, humanity's uniqueness (made in His image), and Earth's special role in His plan,

A Christian widow and certain family members in Laos are facing expulsion from their village in northern Laos for their faith. Chan, 63, first welcomed the message of the gospel in February 2025, hoping to be healed from liver cancer. She and the four children and two grandchildren who live with her came to faith in Christ on the same day. Physical healing has not come, yet they love the Lord and have continued to grow stronger in their faith, attending worship services every week and listening to Christian radio programs. Read More.

• Dec. 18, 2025 | Turkey​

  Iranian Christian Family Fears Arrest, Deportation​

  [8] prayers in [1] nation have been posted for Christian family.
  
  The Turkish government has made it increasingly difficult for Iranian Christian refugees to remain in the country. Iranians do not need a visa to visit Turkiye, so some Iranian converts to Christianity fled there in recent years seeking refuge. One Iranian Christian family currently living in Turkiye faces the constant threat of being deported back to Iran. In 2017, the couple was arrested in Iran along with their entire house church before fleeing the country. If they were sent back to Iran, they would almost certainly be apprehended upon arrival and their children taken to be raised by strangers. Read More.

• Dec. 18, 2025 | Pakistan​

  Pastor Gunned Down, Killed​

  [9] prayers in [1] nation have been posted for Pastor's family.
  
  On Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, Pastor Malik Salamat was taking his teenage daughter to school in Gujranwala when assailants gunned him down in front of his home. Immediately rushed to a hospital, he did not survive. Pastor Salamat had previously been attacked for his ministry work in another city and had moved to Gujranwala with his family, hoping to find a safer location. Read More.