Let's see who believes what with this poll.

I used to enjoy life until recently. Now I live in constant fear, stress, anxiety, and depression. I pray to God to take it away and to restore my ability to enjoy life.
My parents and a lot of other loved ones have died, things in my life keep going wrong, and I feel obligated by God to give up a lot of things I enjoy doing.
I'm tired of it all. Now I keep hoping I'll die and go to Heaven soon even though I'm 39 years old.
I know suicide isn't the way to go. I'm afraid of what God might do to me if I did that, and there are friends and relatives who would be devastated.
My cat is my only reason to live. She's 17 and has special medical needs. I'm afraid that if I precede her in death, she might not get the care she needs. I just hope my time comes very soon after hers.
I accept Christ as my lord and savior, and hope I'm on the book of life.

I am both new to CF and quite old, as I was once a member back when there were fancy avatars and such. This is a new account obviously, because my old brain can't remember my old login creds.
I am hoping to find some local-ish people who think like me, or want to become friends. I don't have many, since post-divorce making friends is difficult. My disabilities don't help in that regard much either.
I look forward to learning new things, forming more conclusive opinions, and maybe even changing some minds on a few topics closest to my heart and personal experiences, and maybe, just maybe, finding a few people that want to help create my minds idea of the perfect non-profit.

The hefty losses were the result of a boycott that lasted over two weeks — triggered by Target’s release of “PRIDE” in May — an LGBTQ-friendly line that includes clothing for children and “tuck-friendly” women’s swimwear with “extra crotch coverage.”

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Despite the losses, Target will still be celebrating Pride Month in 2024, Cornell said, noting that future collections will focus on being “celebratory and joyous, with wide-ranging relevance.”

Hello! I have a question about purchasing luxury items.

Is it sinful if a Christian who is well off, who tithes/helps many Christian organizations monthly, and is mortgage free to purchase luxury items?

Please, answer this as biblically as possible!

Thank you!

I created the poll, so that we can see who believes what.

I'm specifically thinking about Youtube, but feel free to post any others from other platforms!

I'm not talking about Christian youtube videos where they talk about the Lord or the bible really, just good Christian people making various videos. As a biker myself, one great example would be "Bikes and Beards". While his content is about motorcycles 99% of the time, he'll also throw in some witnessing typically through "Wisdom of the day" a bible verse which I greatly appreciate. His content is also quite interesting if you're into motorcycles or anything with an engine.

Bikes and Beards

I just thought this would be a great thread to share Christians out there providing entertainment that we can support. So feel free to share yours!

Most of the coal on earth was created during a single short period of geological history 300 million years ago.

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“As this indictment shows, looking the other way when violence occurs is not an option in Georgia,” said Carr. “If you come to our state and shoot a police officer, throw Molotov cocktails at law enforcement, set fire to police vehicles, damage construction equipment, vandalize private homes and businesses, and terrorize their occupants, you can and will be held accountable.”
There are thousands around the country who committed violent acts and need to be held accountable. This is a start.

I believe in a kind of God but also believe that the Bible could include exaggeration....
e.g.
About King Solomon:
1 Kings 11:3

He had seven hundred wives of royal birth and three hundred concubines, and his wives led him astray.

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I mean I don't understand how there could be that many women of "royal birth".

1 Kings 3:4 - I think this could be historical:

The king went to Gibeon to offer sacrifices, for that was the most important high place, and Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar.

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But not sure about this: (144,000 sacrifices)
1 Kings 8:63 / 2 Chronicles 7:5

Solomon offered a sacrifice of fellowship offerings to the Lord: twenty-two thousand cattle and a hundred and twenty thousand sheep and goats. So the king and all the Israelites dedicated the temple of the Lord.

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I think the following could be historical but the number is interesting:
1 Kings 10:14 / 2 Chronicles 9:13

The weight of the gold that Solomon received yearly was 666 talents, (20 tons)

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Since there is debate over who the little horn person is in Daniel 8, I am making this poll in order to know who believes what....

Also if you vote, and want others to know how you voted, I will keep this list up to date... just make a post of your vote selection.

vote selection position - AEr4:

vote selection positon - Future Antichrist person:
Douggg

Does anyone have a third option?

The Second Death: Annihilationism or Eternal Torture?

The Lake of Fire is the Second Death, what does that mean?

Lee Marvin in the movie on the movies channel. I usually don't like war movies but this looks pretty good. Mostly funny so far. I don't think it's been on to long

“We are in the middle of a humanitarian crisis involving asylum seekers, a crisis that will cost our city $12 billion over three fiscal years,” Adams said. “While our compassion is limitless, our resources are not.”
The New York City mayor has received $1.5 billion in aid. After receiving the funds, Adams still predicted the sudden increase in population would "destroy New York City."
Just imagine how bad it has been for border towns. New York City has a small percentage of the illegals, they are a sanctuary city, and they squawk and squawk. Our country is going to suffer for a long time even if Joe gets the boot.

He says if Trump loses in 2024 it will be the last election decided by ballots instead of bullets.

Threatening revolution if Trump doesn't get his way is not a very persuasive platform.

I guess we'll just have to declare martial law, activate the National Guard, arrest all domestic terrorists, and take back our country for good.

So I'm new to this writing a book "business" but I do believe I have a finished product. I guess I'm curious on what steps I should take, can take, to get this book printed. Not that I'm expecting it to be a best seller, but it would be cool to have a book of my own authorship on my book shelf and maybe one or two more to pass out to friends and family.

I'm very wary of online bits, but if you folks here make a common recommendation, I will trust the community. Thank you!

Biden approval rating drops to 39 percent: survey​

Why do ancient churches have an altar as the centre of their worship, at the front of the building, in the middle of the front, on an elevated platform as the most prominent feature in the sanctuary of the church? Well, it could be because of things like this, written by the earliest churches members who had church buildings.

And modern scholars know that the first Christians, the new testament, and the old testament all unite in speaking of the remembrance/memorial as a sacrifice.
And the scriptures themselves have much to say about the altar to which we come as Christians,
Saint Chrysostom preached of the sacrifice on the alter in his sermons.

Nike store in Portland shuts doors as crime and safety concerns tear through city​

Have I read that correctly?

And did I actually hear that governor state that the constitution and her oath 'are not absolute'?

Is this a nightmare or a joke? Will be interesting to see how this all plays out and think lots of prayer needed.

Republicans are trying to find a new term for ‘pro-life’ to stave off more electoral losses

WASHINGTON — Republican strategists are exploring a shift away from “pro-life” messaging on abortion after consistent Election Day losses for the GOP when reproductive rights were on the ballot. At a closed-door meeting of Senate Republicans this week, the head of a super PAC closely aligned with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., presented poll results that suggested voters are reacting differently to commonly used terms like “pro-life” and “pro-choice” in the wake of last year’s Supreme Court decision that overturned Roe v. Wade, said several senators who were in the room.

“What intrigued me the most about the results was that ‘pro-choice’ and ‘pro-life’ means something different now, that people see being pro-life as being against all abortions ... at all levels,” Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., said in an interview Thursday.

A national strategist who worked on Senate races last year said: “The issue of abortion was problematic for Republicans last cycle, so it’s no surprise [the Senate Leadership Fund] is polling public perception of the issue. It’s the smart thing to do.”

Christina Reynolds, a spokesperson for Emily’s List, an organization that promotes female candidates who support abortion rights, said Republicans’ shift in messaging is “underestimating” voters’ understanding of the issue, adding that “wrapping it up nicely” would not change voters’ minds about abortion. “I think their messaging was not the problem. Their position is the problem, and they’re going to be stuck with those positions,” Reynolds said. “At the end of the day, voters are clear in poll after poll and in election results after election results that they believe that people should have the right to make their own health care decisions, that they support abortion rights, that they supported Roe v. Wade.”

Mark 14:3-9 ESV


What makes sense to some people doesn’t make sense to other people. But God didn’t make us all the same. But what might look foolish to some people may not be foolish to God. But the Bible will always be our measurement for what God accepts and for what he rejects. But look at some of the things that God had his prophets of old do, some of which were symbolic, and some of which were prophecies acted out rather than spoken with lips.

The point of what I just stated is this. We shouldn’t put God or other humans in religious boxes that we have, perhaps, made for ourselves, or that our parents or our religious institutions have made for us to follow. For not all of them are of God. Yes, we must absolutely stay within the moral boundaries that our Lord laid down for us in the Scriptures for us all to adhere to, but we are not all going to worship our Lord in all the same ways.

But, there again, we must remain within the biblical boundaries that our Lord spelled out for us in the Scriptures, so there is never freedom to do what is sinful. But also the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and SELF-CONTROL. So if you are doing something “in the Spirit” over which you have no control, then, according to the Scriptures, that is not of God.

And “peace” is peace with God, not compromise with what is against God. And “kindness” is showing others grace, but this should never engage placating sin nor lying to people to make them feel good about themselves. And “love” is not romantic attraction nor what is feelings oriented, but it is preferring what God prefers, which is what is holy, righteous, honest, trustworthy, morally pure, and faithful. And it is doing what he prefers.

So, please don’t judge other Christians on the basis of your own religious practices or culture or traditions if they are of man and not of God. And please don’t make judgments about other people by comparing them to yourselves, for God did not make us all the same. God uniquely designed us all, and he uniquely gifted us all, and he uses those who are his followers in many different ways to reach many different people.

So, here we have this story of a woman who did something unusual, perhaps, in giving honor to Jesus Christ, and in worship of the Lord. And in our culture today we might consider that an odd thing to do. But God doesn’t look at things in all the same ways as we humans do. And if you are a woman, in particular, and if God calls you to do something that is not the cultural norm, but which is biblical, you may have men scolding you, too.

And, how I absolutely love Jesus’ response to the men who were scolding this woman for her worship of our Lord. He said, “Leave her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a beautiful thing for me.” Amen! And he said, “And truly, I say to you, wherever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her.” Glory to God! What a beautiful story of the woman’s love for Jesus and his love for her!

Now, I identify with this woman. Why? Because my Lord called me nineteen years ago to write out what he was teaching me through his word each day and to post these writings on the internet, so that is what I have been doing ever since then. I share my personal devotions with the world. I just post them on the internet and I trust that the Lord will take them where he wants them to go. But for some people, that is not normal. It is odd to them.

Why is it odd to them? Because it doesn’t fit in their religious boxes. It doesn’t fit with their cultural norms. And so I don’t have many supporters or encouragers, not even from the family of God. Is it because I am doing something sinful? No! It just isn’t what they are used to. BUT.. if I was an official worker (missionary) within a particular church denomination, then I would be accepted as “of God” regardless if I was actually “of God” or not.

And I am not looking for applause here. I am just sharing an example of how we can get in our minds that things have to look a certain way or go a certain way to be religiously acceptable. And what we may be accepting as “acceptable” expressions of worship of God may have nothing to do with honest and pure worship of God, while we might be rejecting true expressions of pure worship of God because they don’t fit in our boxes.

So, again, we should not judge other people by our own selves or by our own standards or by our cultural norms or by our human traditions or by our religious upbringing or by institutional religion’s standards. God did not make us all the same. He uniquely designed each one of us for his purposes and for his glory, so we are not to be “cookie-cutter Christians.” “Different” is not necessarily bad, and “same” is not necessarily good. In fact, we are all to be different, holy unto God, used by God for his purposes and for his glory.

My Sheep

An Original Work / June 24, 2012
Based off John 10:1-18 NIV

My sheep hear me. They know me.
They listen to my voice and obey.
I call them and lead them.
They know my voice, so they follow me.
They will never follow strangers.
They will run away from them.
The voice of a stranger they know not;
They do not follow him.

So, I tell you the truth that
I am the gate, so you enter in.
Whoever does enter
Will find forgiveness and will be saved.
Nonetheless whoever enters
Not by the gate; other way,
He is the thief and a robber.
Listen not, the sheep to him.

Oh, I am the Good Shepherd,
Who laid his own life down for the sheep.
I know them. They know me.
They will live with me eternally.
The thief only comes to steal and
Kill and to destroy the church.
I have come to give you life that
You may have it to the full…

They know my voice, so they follow me.

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What I didn't expect is how many people in the video linked below didn't know how old the earth is. And how far off they were. And I'm wondering how wide spread that lack of knowledge about the earth's age is. I don't know if that picture is due to creative editing or actual lack of knowledge.

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