"When upwards of 50 public libraries told Kirk Cameron they were “not interested” in hosting him to read his wholesome new children’s book to kids, the actor-turned-children’s author didn’t take no for an answer."

In the New Testament we read of love feasts, but that all that meant and means is the mass is something I am skeptical about. I am sure the mass is not a love feast, nor really any feast.

Down through the years, Holy Spirit manifestations have made a difference in many people. But are not recorded, the saying of the revivalists are redacted. There are gaps, and they usually remain unexplained. In which people are full of joy or can't speak... I'd say the love feasts involved people quaking as they received love. And that this happens again in revival meetings.

the PAOG, Salvation Army and CCR began with Holy Spirit manifestations and that is more of a love feast.

Psalms 34:1-3 ESV


At all times. In the good times and in the bad times, I must bless the Lord. For he is God. And he is the one who made me. And he is the one who gave me salvation from my sin and the hope of heaven when I die. And he is worthy of my praise because he is holy and righteous and good, and in him dwells no evil at all. I must praise him and thank him for all that he is and for all that he has done to save his people from their sins.

And this praise that must be continually on my lips is not to be lip service only. We can praise the Lord with our lips but our hearts can be far from him, for words are just words unless they are backed up with action and heart change and walks of obedience to him, and submission to him as Lord. But yes, we need to be verbalizing our praise to him, but the praise is only genuine when our lifestyles follow suit.

So, if we are to truly magnify the Lord and to exalt his name, this will be evident by how we live. Are we still living to please the flesh? Or are our hearts truly dedicated to following the Lord in obedience to his commands? Are we walking in his ways and in his truth, or are we still doing our own thing? So many people have this idea of worship of God as just singing songs of praise and worship. But true worship of God is giving our lives to him as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to him (Romans 12:1-2).

Psalms 34:4-5 ESV


As followers of Jesus Christ we are not to be fearful people. Now this is not to say that we will never feel fear. We may feel fear in our emotions sometimes, but we are not to give in to those feelings. We are not to yield to letting fear overtake us. For when we respond in fear to our circumstances, and not in faith, it shows we are lacking in faith and that we are not trusting the Lord entirely with our life’s circumstances.

So, when we come up against situations in our lives that may put fear within us, in our emotions, we need to pray for deliverance, and then we need to reject those feelings of fear and trust the Lord. And we can feel the fear but go against it, too. And sometimes it is that act of faith in stepping out in faith and in obedience to the Lord despite the feelings of fear that alleviates the fear. I have seen the Lord do this in my own life where I went against the feeling and then the feeling of fear disappeared.

I was brought up by a very abusive father when I was growing up as a child, so I had a lot of fear instilled inside me. I know I prayed and prayed over his treatment of me and I sought the Lord for comfort and help to make it through each day. But living with a man who was like a time bomb and you never knew when that bomb was going to explode was a fearful situation. And I ended up with much fear I didn’t even know I had. And then one day the Lord did deliver me and my face was absolutely now radiant.

Psalms 34:6-7 ESV


We all have troubles. And the Lord doesn’t always deliver us out of our physical troubles. For he said if we follow him with our lives that we will be hated and persecuted as he was. And he said we would have trials and tribulations which come to test our faith. But the Lord will deliver us through our troubles. He will give us the strength we need to endure, and he will carry us through, and he will give us wisdom and discernment in making wise choices. So he saves us from the troubles destroying our lives.

But sometimes he physically rescues us from our troubles, too, but sometimes that might be after he has let us suffer for a while, because he is working his purposes in our lives through our suffering. But the main thing here is that the Lord saves us from our troubles having devastating impacts on our lives in the negative to where we end up caving to the troubles and yielding to them rather than trusting the Lord through them. But he can only save us so much as we are willing to be saved.

Now the Lord takes care of his own. He will provide for us who walk in the fear of the Lord, who honor God with our lives and who take him and his word seriously. Those who fear the Lord are those who honor him as Lord, who walk in his ways and in his truth, and whose lives are dedicated to following the Lord in obedience and ceasing with sin. He will carry us through every trial and every difficult circumstance so that our circumstances do not get the best of us, but so that we are able to rise above our circumstances to keep following the Lord in obedience.

[Matt 5:10-16; Matt 10:16-25; Matt 24:9-14; Matt 28:18-20; Lu 6:22-23; Lu 21:12-19; John 15:1-21; Jn 16:33; Acts 1:8; Acts 14:22; Acts 26:18; Rom 5:3-5; Rom 12:1-8; 1 Co 12:1-31; 2 Co 1:3-11; Eph 4:1-16; Eph 5:17-27; Phil 3:7-11; Col 3:16; 1 Thess 3:1-5; Jas 1:2-4; Heb 3:13; Heb 12:3-12; 1 Pet 1:6-7; 1 Pet 2:9; 1 Pet 4:12-17]

Eternal Father, Strong to Save

William Whiting

Eternal Father, strong to save,
Whose arm does bind the restless wave,
Who bids the mighty ocean deep
Its own appointed limits keep;
O hear us when we cry to Thee
For those in peril on the sea.

O Savior, whose almighty word
The winds and waves submissive heard,
Who walked upon the foaming deep,
And calm amid the rage did sleep;
O hear us when we cry to Thee
For those in peril on the sea.

O Holy Spirit, who did brood
Upon the waters dark and rude,
And bid their angry tumult cease,
And give for wild confusion peace;
O hear us when we cry to Thee
For those in peril on the sea.

O Trinity of love and pow'r,
Your children shield in danger's hour;
From rock and tempest, fire, and foe,
Protect them where-so-e'er they go;
Thus, evermore shall rise to Thee
Glad hymns of praise from land and sea.

Login to view embedded media Caution: This link may contain ads

This video reminds me of the outrage after Jan 6 and the national guard was called in to protect our capitol, where they were eventually made to sleep in a parking garage sometime later in February. Meantime, Biden had reversed Trump stay in Mexico policies and under the cover of night was not just bussing in illegals around the country, but also flying them in, and paying for their lodging sometimes at expensive hotels all on the public's dime. We seem driven to spend a lot of money on bringing in new homeless people, when we already got plenty of our own domestic ones.


Login to view embedded media

Came back from Japan from a vacation. Great place, great people and great weather. Thing about Japan is every prefecture has its own distinct look, feel and atmosphere. What I was not quite ready for was finding a somewhat stereotypical Texas eatery in the heart of Tokoname. Single story rectangle building with an outstretched porch and a white pickup on the side. Cacti inside with wooden stools and chairs.

If it was opened I would have went in to sample but alas it is not to be. Just want to share it here for fun.

But kinda give me a sense of nostalgia, back when I was a kid watching 70s & 80s American movies. A place where truckers and bikers stopped for a bite. And usually proceeded with a fight started by the protagonist trying to escape from someone. To be honest I have never been to modern Texas. Is there any eatery like this still existing in Texas? Any Texans?

Login to view embedded media
We can’t see magnetic fields in space directly; instead, their presence is established via the polarization of light. The team were able to infer these fields by using the movements of stars provided by the Gaia observatory and the location of galactic dust revealed by the Planck Space Telescope.

I am single with virtually no friends.

How can I live a life of prayer so I do not feel so lonely?

Hello. I am curious about something. Who is Lady Wisdom, and who is my Brother Knowledge? Are they entities or spirits? God designed them just for us, right?

I want/desire to get to know Lady Wisdom and Brother knowledge. Lady Wisdom is my close friend, and Brother Knowledge my companion. I know these things, but I don't really know who/what they are.

Here is my reference verse :

Proverbs 2:9-15-9-15 The Message (MSG)​

So now you can pick out what’s true and fair, find all the good trails! Lady Wisdom will be your close friend, and Brother Knowledge your pleasant companion. Good Sense will scout ahead for danger, Insight will keep an eye out for you. They’ll keep you from making wrong turns, or following the bad directions Of those who are lost themselves and can’t tell a trail from a tumbleweed, These losers who make a game of evil and throw parties to celebrate perversity, Traveling paths that go nowhere, wandering in a maze of detours and dead ends.

Thoughts?

From a biological/scientific perspective, why do humans die?

the last time i went to a church was to receive blessing, they made out a show yelling and praying crying for my convertion to christianism, i am Christian since my birthday

on the other church i went was for a disease i have i wanted to be heal, among 6 men begun to pray against a demon out of me and the demon never existed

so church is not a good place for me, i have no patience for these kinds of sins

Hi, I wasn't really sure where to post this but just needing some advice on my living situation. So I moved into an apartment that was above a dance studio without knowing it.... The building is shared with several businesses and it didn't jump out to me that one was a dance studio...

I am slowly losing my mind. Our windows are super thin but it's also coming up from the floor since the dance studio is right below us.

They dance M-F from 4 to 9:30pm and some hours on Saturday and Sunday. It's not horribly loud but it's very annoying. Just imagine having to listen to the worst (usually pop) music for that many hours a day. You can't wear ear plugs in your own home that long. Sometimes, I want to just lay in bed to start unwinding for the night around 8:30 or 9, but the music is so loud, it's horrible. I just want peace and quiet.

I've tried calling the dance studio 3 times asking to turn the music down, but I can't really tell if they have or not. I left a voicemail with my landlord the other day about it... She hasn't replied yet but I'm hoping she calls back soon.

I was thinking of emailing my town's zoning people. I just don't know what to do. It's driving me crazy. I am hoping to move out, but we can't seem to afford much else in our area as the other apartments are in sketchy places or more luxury apartments than we can afford. Until our lease is up, though, I am literally going insane. I get so angry every night... I can't relax... It is physically and mentally draining.

Have you guys ever heard of a dance studio being put in an apartment building? I just don't know who thought that was a good idea.

Anyway, any advice on how to deal with this in a Christian manner?

Thanks.

Revelation 12:9 "So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to earth and his angels were cast out with him."

Luke 12:32 "Fear not, little flock, for it is the Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom

Matt 7:13-14 "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it."

If Satan has deceived the whole world and Christ's flock is a little flock and there are few who go in by the narrow gate, have you ever wondered, if you could be deceived? Have you ever wondered if you really are following the truth or if you could be "of your father the devil" as many people like to accuse each other of?

If you have, what approaches have you taken to undeceive yourself, so to speak. What made you think or wonder if you were deceived in the first place?

God seems to prefer masculine pronouns...
+ But what about angels...
Should they all be considered male? Or should gender not be applied to them?
+ Does gender have s spiritual significance?

A GOP postmortem: What went so wrong in Pennsylvania?

PHILADELPHIA — The Pennsylvania GOP is trying to figure out what went so horribly wrong in 2022.

After the party’s disastrous midterm races, Republicans in the critical battleground state are conducting a postmortem, holding focus groups throughout the state and interviewing thousands of voters about everything from abortion to former President Donald Trump in hopes of getting to the bottom of their losses. As a sign of the seriousness of the effort, the state party has enlisted Public Opinion Strategies, a D.C. area-based firm, to conduct the review of the 2022 election.

Republicans also said their analysis isn’t shying away from examining how the end of Roe v. Wade affected the election. Gov.-elect Josh Shapiro, a Democrat, made a central part of his campaign his Republican opponent Doug Mastriano’s support of an abortion ban with no exceptions for rape, incest or the life of the mother. In exit polls, a plurality of voters in Pennsylvania ranked abortion as their top issue. “Clearly that issue played more of a role than most political pundits, particularly Republicans — no, let’s just rephrase that, Republican pundits — gave it weight,” said Meuser. The question, he added, is, “What’s the way you can say it without being offensive? … To me, there’s definitely a reasonable way of maintaining my pro-life position without being offensive to others.”

Other initiatives that Pennsylvania Republicans are embarking on in the wake of the 2022 midterms include establishing a vote-by-mail strategy.
After last year’s races, many Republicans in the state and nation came to the determination that their recent war against mail voting cost them. The state GOP is launching a mail-in ballot task force to look at the problem. “Most folks now on the Republican side recognize that if one party is voting for 50 days and the other party is voting for 13 hours, the party voting for 50 days is going to have a higher turnout,” said Andy Reilly, a Republican National Committee member in Pennsylvania who has also been tapped to sit on the task force. “We have to embrace it and convince the Republican voters that there’s integrity with the mail-in voting process, i.e. that their vote will count.”

Much more at the link.

@spicoli I haven't checked in on Timothy Gordon on YouTube for awhile but just got the itch to catch up with him and his presence has basically been scrubbed from YouTube? Do you know anything about this? What happened? Is he anywhere else other than Spotify?

Ke Huy Quan was a face known to millions across the globe after starring in two huge movies as a child actor in the 1980s... before slipping from the limelight.

The Vietnamese-American actor played the James Bond-loving tech geek 'Data' in the 1985 blockbuster The Goonies, alongside co-stars Sean Astin, Josh Brolin and Corey Feldman.

But his star was already on the rise after playing Indiana Jones' sidekick Short Round in the Steven Spielberg classic the Temple of Doom in 1984.

The 51-year-old, who starred in only six movies after the Goonies, has just picked up a Golden Globe for his supporting role in the absurdist multi-verse movie Everything Everywhere All At once.

So where have the stars of The Goonies squad ended up today?

Continued below.

Since the baby's only 12 days old and she's still sorta recovering from both a c-section and having an ovary removed is she relieved of her Sunday obligation? I knew she was last week but this week I thought she might try to go, I would just go earlier and then I could stay home with the baby and she could go but she declined and said she wasn't feeling well and she would just stream it at home.

I don't want to push her but I also don't want to give her so much leniency that she commits a sin by missing Mass when she shouldn't.

Have you met any Catholics that pray in tongues? I knew a former postulant from a woman's monastery that claimed she was given gifts from the Holy Spirit and could speak in tongues.

What is the Church's position on this?

Most services I have attended in my local evangelical churches follow a pattern of joyous welcome, uplifting hymns, passionate prayers and then at the end a long sermon which casts down spirits and makes us leave certainly feeling we are failures or worse, that we are in danger of losing our salvation. Maybe we like it this way. But is this scriptural?
When was the last time we heard something of the wonder of the salvation Jesus wrought for us? Or rather, is it about how ungrateful we are for being given just a (slim) chance of avoiding perdition?
A favourite couple of passages at my last evangelical church were about the unprepared bridesmaids with no oil and Jesus' harsh words to the miracle-workers that "He never knew" them?
But surely this is the wrong way round. Our pursuit of sanctification and service and making Jesus Lord should be inspired by Jesus saying that we are now his brothers and we love Him and therefore should follow his commands. We are led not driven.
After all, it was for the sake of the glory prepared for Him that Jesus endured the cross.

Part II of this article is here

Question: Why does Daniel Chapter 7 speak as though the latter days of the fourth kingdom is the latter-day kingdom that will be destroyed by Christ before the kingdom is handed over to the saints of the Most High?

This post shows why.

Firstly, notice that there are two separate times in the book of Daniel that the word "abomination" is associated with the temple of God, and there is a major difference between the two:

(i) Abominations were committed (Daniel 9:26-27) that the text tells us were going to end with the destruction of the city (Jerusalem) and the sanctuary (the temple).

(ii) The abomination of desolation (singular) set up by Antiochus IV, "Epiphanes" (meaning "God manifest", the epithet Antiochus IV attached to his name) did not result in the destruction of the temple: After he was ousted by the Maccabees, the temple was cleansed, and reconsecrated to God.

The history of Antiochus IV is well documented: Who he was, the way he came to power, which nations he fought wars with, his oppression of the Jews and the way he banned their religious worship, the way he gave himself the epithet to his name of "God manifest" ("Epiphanes"), and placed an idol - a statue of Zeus, "the king of the gods", in the sanctuary of God's temple in Jerusalem, etc.

Although it challenges the eschatology of many Christians determined to assign all biblical prophecy to the "still to be fulfilled" category, the parallels of the history of Antiochus IV with the text in Daniel Chapters 7, 8, 11 & 12 are far too remarkable to be simply brushed aside with the label "coincidence".

In fact, as will be seen in this article, there is a very good reason why Daniel closes Chapter 7 with the statement,

"But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his rulership, to cut off and to destroy until the end.
And the kingdom and rulership, and the greatness of the kingdom under all the heavens, shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom. And all kingdoms shall serve and obey Him." (Daniel 7:26-27).

The beasts/kingdoms of Daniel

(I) Lion: Nebuchadnezzar's Babyloniian kingdom.
(II) Bear: Persian kingdom.
(III) Leopard: Greek kingdom

The leopard kingdom divided into four parts after the death of Alexander the Great.

Out of one of these four rose one Antiochus IV, "Epiphanes".

There was an apostasy from the true faith on the part of many Jews during Antiochus IV's reign.

The wording of 2 Thessalonians 2:1-4 (see below) immediately brings to mind two historical characters:

1. Judas Iscariot ("the son of perdition").
2. Antiochus IV, "Epiphanes".

The Type: Antiochus IV, "Epiphanes": Daniel 11
36 And the king shall do according to his will. And he shall exalt and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvelous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper until the fury is fulfilled. For that which is decreed shall be done.
37 He will not regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god. For he shall magnify himself above all.

The anti-type: The man of sin: 2 Thessalonians 2
3 Let not anyone deceive you by any means. For that Day shall not come unless there first comes a falling away, and the man of sin shall be revealed, the son of perdition,
4 who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God, or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, setting himself forth, that he is God.

The way 2 Thessalonians 2:1-4 is written takes our minds back to both Judas Iscariot * and to Antiochus IV, "Epiphanes" (Daniel's 4th beast).

The way Daniel's fourth king of the fourth kingdom ("beast") finds his end in both Daniel Chapter 7 and Daniel Chapter 12, takes our minds forward to the latter days kingdom and the return of Christ.

* The only two persons called "the son of perdition" in the New Testament are Judas Iscariot and the man of sin of 2 Thessalonians 2:1-4.

So 2 Thessalonians 2:1-4 is pointing us to both Antiochus IV and Judas Iscariot as the types (forerunners) of the man of sin. (Obviously there are other types or forerunners also: Nebuchadnezzar, Nero in the 1st century, etc - but 2 Thessalonians 2:4 points towards only these two persons).

Daniel 7, 8, 11 & 12 do not speak of the destruction of the temple or the city, but merely of the defilement of the temple by sacrifices to idols and an idol placed in the sanctuary in the latter days of the Seleucid Hellenistic kingdom of Antiochus IV.


Many Christians misapply Daniel's fourth beast in Daniel Chapter 7 to the Roman Empire, because:

(a) The first three kingdoms represented by an image seen in a prophetic dream by Babylon's king Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel Chapter 2) correspond with at least the first three kingdoms of Daniel's vision; and

(b) Nebuchadnezzar's image seems to move from the Greek Empire (belly and thighs of bronze) to the Roman Empire (legs of iron), and then onto the final Empire of the Revelation.

However, Nebuchadnezzar's prophetic image has 5 parts/kingdoms, whereas Daniel Chapter 7 speaks only of four kingdoms ("beasts"), and the history of Antiochus IV, and the fourth kingdom, despite the denials of many Christians, matches incredibly well.

Also, three kings were indeed uprooted in order for Antiochus IV to rise to power, and this again correlates with history, but there is no mention of three of the ten kings of the Revelation being uprooted, nor of any toes in Nebuchadnezzar's image being removed.

Daniel 8:11; Daniel 11:31 and Daniel 12:11 are referring to the abomination of desolation that was set up in the holy place by Antiochus IV; but Daniel Chapter 12 is also the first part of the prophecy which is complemented by Jesus in Revelation 10:

Daniel 12:7
And I heard the man clothed in linen, who was on the waters of the river, when he held up his right and his left hand to Heaven, and swore by Him who lives forever
that it shall be for a time, times, and a half. And when they have made an end of scattering the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished.

Revelation 10:5-7
And the angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the earth lifted his hand to the heaven, and swore by Him who lives forever and ever, who created the heaven and the things in it, and the earth and the things in it, and the sea and the things in it,
that there should no longer be time. But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he will begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as He has declared to His servants the prophets.

In Daniel Chapter 12, the final 3.5 years is mentioned. In Revelation Chapter 10 the final 3.5 years has now passed, and the 7th trumpet is about to sound. (Compare the whole of Daniel Chapter 12 with Revelation 10:1-7).

Antiochus IV reigned during the latter days of the Seleucid Hellenistic kingdom.

Notice that Revelation 13:2 is telling us about a coming kingdom ("beast") whose power (or perhaps character) will be a combination of the first three kingdoms mentioned in Daniel Chapter 7 (lion, bear, leopard).

It is prophesied of the "beast" of the Revelation that he will "open his mouth in blasphemy toward God, to blaspheme His name and His tabernacle, and those dwelling in Heaven. And it was given to it to war with the saints and to overcome them." (Revelation 13:6-7).

This is exactly what Antiochus IV also did in his day in the latter days of Seleucid Hellenistic kingdom; and so his kingdom (kingdom IV-A of Daniel's Chapter 7's four beasts) is the type (forerunner) of both:

(A) The kingdom ("beast") written about in the Revelation (IV-B); and
(B) The man of sin of 2 Thessalonians Chapter 2.

Speaking as though the kingdom of Antiochus IV is the latter-day kingdom that will be destroyed by Christ before the kingdom is handed over to the saints of the Most High, Daniel thus combines both the kingdom of Antiochus IV and the above (final) kingdom into one prophecy in both Daniel Chapter 7 and Daniel Chapter 12 - showing that the former king/kingdom (IV-A) is the type (forerunner) of the latter (IV-B).

So we have Daniel's fourth beast, Antiochus IV, projecting forward in time to the final kingdom, and vice-versa:

* The way 2 Thessalonians 2:1-4 is written takes our minds back to both Judas Iscariot ("the son of perdition") and to Antiochus IV, "Epiphanes" (Daniel's 4th beast).
* The way Daniel's fourth beast finds his end in both Daniel Chapter 7 and Daniel Chapter 12, takes our minds forward to the return of Christ.

Notice that this identifies the man of sin of 2 Thessalonians Chapter 2 with the beast of Revelation 13:1-10, and suggests that the miracles and lying wonders mentioned as accompanying the coming of the man of sin in 2 Thessalonians Chapter 2 are not performed by the man of sin himself, but by the false prophet (the "beast from the earth") in Revelation Chapter 13, and that the man of sin is the same as the beast of Revelation 13:1-10.

The inspiration of God in the wording of 2 Thessalonians 2:1-4 and Daniel chapters 7 & 12's fourth king/kingdom ("beast") is clear, and is amazing.

It's also important to bear this in mind:

(i) Abominations were committed (Daniel 9:26-27) that the text tells us were going to end with the destruction of the city (Jerusalem) and the sanctuary (the temple).

(ii) The abomination of desolation (singular) set up by Antiochus IV, "Epiphanes" Daniel 8:11; Daniel 11:31 and Daniel 12:11) did not result in the destruction of the temple: After he was ousted by the Maccabees, the temple was cleansed, and reconsecrated to God.

So the above passages are not all talking about the same abominations; and Daniel's fourth beast is not talking about the Roman Empire just because the fourth part of the image in Nebuchadnezzar's dream (the legs of iron in Daniel Chapter 2) seems to be speaking about the Roman Empire.

Daniel's fourth beast and its latter days is telling of the latter days of both the Seleucid Hellenistic kingdom of Antiochus IV, "Epiphanes", as well as the latter days kingdom of the beast, and the return of Christ in judgment.

Part II of this article is here

There was a time when I was rather troubled by Christians I met online that weren't attending a church.
I had been raised in the church, and had attended most of my life. Except for a few years when I was a young adult.

So, why a Christian wouldn't attend church was a mystery to me.
Weren't we admonished to not NEGLECT the assembling of ourselves together as SOME were in the HABIT of doing?

I remember one cold Sunday morning when my car wouldn't start. I actually borrowed a car to get to my family to church.
To me, a Christian without a church was like a fish without a lake.

So, I encouraged my online friends to find a church. I think it would have been easier to get them to a dentist after years of neglect.
In pressing them on the issue I learned a few things. They had reasons. Not necessarily GOOD reasons, but reasons.

Some had suffered abuse, which is a good reason to leave, I guess. I had suffered abuse as well, but I stayed. How come?
Anyway, with the help of God and some Christian support, I have remained at church.

I no longer judge those who don't attend. As I discovered, they have their reasons. And I have my reasons to stay.
The worship, preaching, fellowship, and ministry opportunities are good for me. I attend with my wife who also grew up in the church.

So, why haven't you left the church? Or, why have you stayed?

Those who don't attend are invited weigh in as well. Why have you left, or never joined, the church?
I think there are tons of reasons NOT to attend. So, I won't try to talk you into it. Unless you want me too.

If you don't attend, what do you do about; worship, preaching, fellowship, and ministry opportunities?

Growing up in Adventism here in NSW I've noticed a tendency to demonise Constantine and use him as some kind of line to say in effect "this side of the line Christianity" "this side of the line paganism". I'm not sure if this is related to the fact that he changed the Sabbath day or what, but there seems to be absolutely no nuance or leeway given to the absolute magnitude of what occurred during his early life and reign, nor the complexity of the issues surrounding them. Nor even the fact that to the persecuted Church seeing an entire empire begin to convert, the shutting down and superseding of pagan temples and the compensation/restoration of properties, funds & etc to those who lost it in the persecutions must have seemed like nothing other than a miracle. Also given that the creeds unite our de-centralised Protestant denominations we would be in debt to the tradition of Ecumenical Councils.

I'm just curious, have you guys noticed the same where you live?

The Churches in my area you click on their website they have the “repent of your sins” to be saved lie, have backloaded works salvation into the gospel meaning they are not saved, or they are non KJV only, dispensationalist, or some other damnable heresy, not to mention the female preachers, contemporary music instead of psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. It is always something that makes these churches false. They might be KJV only, claim soul winning, but then they will turn out to be dispensationalist, Schofield reference bible heretics. or turn around and say that you actually have to have the works to be saved.

The fact is that salvation is a free gift by grace through faith and these people who want to complicate the gospel and add their filthy rag works or commandments of men, church tradition, or other damnable heresies to it, they are going to split hell wide open.

Reformed/Protestant: “Saved by faith alone, but true faith is never alone” “if you’re truly saved you will have the works” “We are not saved by works, but works are the evidence of salvation” "saved by faith, but if you don't have the works you are not saved"

What a load of nonsense! Romans 4:5 says But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.

The Works Salvationists will be told to depart Matthew 7:21-23

Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

The Will of the Father is to believe on the Son (John 6:40) and we see that Jesus says “I never knew you” to the works salvationists. Not “I used to know you but you lost your salvation” No, they never had salvation because they never believed the gospel of grace through faith alone. and they are workers of iniquity because there are none good no not one, there is not a righteous man upon earth. that doeth good and sinneth not. the unsaved think they are righteous, sinless, but in reality they are only deceiving themselves. (1 John 1:8)

The works salvationist is not saved, and calls God a liar 1 John 5:10-11 He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.

11 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.

there those who think they are justified by their works will be judged and condemned by their works on the last day. John 12:48 “He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.”

The only way we are justified, righteous before God is by our faith in Jesus Christ. Salvation is a free gift (Romans 5:15) Works justify us in the eyes of man, but are filthy rags before God. Romans 4:2 For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God.

Isaiah 64:6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

Romans 3 & 4 alone disproves this backloaded works salvation double-talk

Protestant/Catholic, it’s two sides of the same coin. Protestants teach works salvation they are just dishonest about it, they deceptively backload the works into salvation which in turns damns the soul to hell.

References:

Acts 16:30-31 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: “Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Romans 11:6 And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then it is no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.

John 3:15-16 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

John 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

John 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

John 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

Luke 8:50 But when Jesus heard it, he answered him, saying, Fear not: believe only, and she shall be made whole.

John 11:25-26 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?

Romans 1:17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

Galatians 3:6 Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.

Galatians 3:7 Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.

Galatians 3:26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

Galatians 5:5 For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.

2 Corinthians 1:24 Not for that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy: for by faith ye stand.

Acts 10:43 To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.

Acts 15:11 But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.

Ephesians 1:13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,”

Ephesians 1:14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

Philippians 3:9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

Colossians 2:12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.

1 Thessalonians 4:14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

2 Thessalonians 1:10 When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.

1 Timothy 1:16 Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.

2 Timothy 3:15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

Mark 5:46 As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe.

Romans 4:24 But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead;

Acts 2:21 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

1 John 1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

John 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

John 2:23 Now when he was in Jerusalem at the passover, in the feast day, many believed in his name, when they saw the miracles which he did.

2 Corinthians 5:7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight

Romans 5:20 Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:

The entire Gospel of John is (the only book written to tell us how to have eternal life John 20:31 “But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.”) Never uses the word repent one time. If we have to repent of our sins to be saved then John really blew it, and the Gospel of John can’t get anybody saved.

PRAYER FOCUS..PLEASE PRAY FERVENTLY.. TO REACH CHINA.. YOU HAVE TO MAKE AN IMPACT ON THE HAN CHINESE

HAN CHINESE MANDARIN

Han Chinese, Mandarin in China

HAN CHINESE WU

Han Chinese, Wu in China