• Starting today August 7th, 2024, in order to post in the Married Couples, Courting Couples, or Singles forums, you will not be allowed to post if you have your Marital status designated as private. Announcements will be made in the respective forums as well but please note that if yours is currently listed as Private, you will need to submit a ticket in the Support Area to have yours changed.

  • CF has always been a site that welcomes people from different backgrounds and beliefs to participate in discussion and even debate. That is the nature of its ministry. In view of recent events emotions are running very high. We need to remind people of some basic principles in debating on this site. We need to be civil when we express differences in opinion. No personal attacks. Avoid you, your statements. Don't characterize an entire political party with comparisons to Fascism or Communism or other extreme movements that committed atrocities. CF is not the place for broad brush or blanket statements about groups and political parties. Put the broad brushes and blankets away when you come to CF, better yet, put them in the incinerator. Debate had no place for them. We need to remember that people that commit acts of violence represent themselves or a small extreme faction.
  • We hope the site problems here are now solved, however, if you still have any issues, please start a ticket in Contact Us

XIAN PRAYER

This Week's Prayer Guide

October 6 - This week, we pray for Christians in Xi’an as they seek to love their city well. Pray for the churches in Xi’an to be a “city on a hill,” salt and light to their communities around them.
October 7 - A pastor in Xi’an says, “I feel Xi'an has a rich history and culture, which it often prides itself on. While this is a strength, it also presents some weaknesses. People here tend to be relatively conservative in many aspects. For example, in my experience, if you encourage people to speak freely and share their thoughts, they may not be very proactive. This conservative nature is part of the city's character. Compared to southern China or other cities, the style here is a bit more reserved.” Pray for the gospel to break through this reserved nature and allow for churches in Xi’an to build deep relationships with their neighbors.
October 8 - A sister in Xi’an notes, “I've noticed a significant influx of people relocating to Xi'an, leaving their previous homes. In our church, most members are from other provinces, coming to Xi'an for work, or for educational reasons, seeking homeschooling communities for their children. Some have relocated for work-related reasons.” Pray for the church to grow as a result of this influx of people, that more people coming to Xi’an may encounter Christ.
October 9 - A sister in Xi’an says, “Job opportunities are scarce. One sister has been searching for work for three or four months, constantly interviewing, but the companies here are far from ideal. In Beijing, weekends off are the norm, but here, it's often just one day off, or even working on Sundays. The work pressure is immense.” Pray for believers who are dealing with this work pressure, or who are unemployed.
October 10 - A believer in Xi’an says, “The poor economic reality impacts our church ministry. Many members have to balance work and service, participating in worship and ministry activities while holding down jobs. This limits our capacity in some areas. But thank God, everyone remains joyful.” Pray for God’s joy to permeate the lives of Xi’an Christians, even in hardship, and for the economic situation to improve.
October 11 - A sister in Xi’an makes note, “I led our church's women's fellowship this morning, and since these women have children, they generally don't work during the day and have to pick up their kids in the afternoon. The children face immense academic pressure and often do homework late into the night. The parents feel helpless about the secular ideologies being instilled in their children through the education system and wish they could provide an alternative. However, some have unbelieving husbands, and even those with believing husbands often lack the faith to pursue homeschooling.” Pray for these sisters to have wisdom as they raise their children, to be examples of Christ to them and to model a hope, love, and faith that is different from the world.
October 12 - A pastor in a town outside Xi’an says, “In recent years, we've shifted our focus away from rural ministry. A year and a half ago, many people migrated to the cities, making rural ministry difficult with only a few scattered individuals left. So, for the past two years, we've concentrated our efforts on surrounding towns, communities, and urban areas. This transition from rural to urban ministry presents challenges, as the newcomers need time to adapt.” Pray for the challenges presented by this shift in ministry, that this church may build a good, Christ-centered community as they transition to urban ministry.
  • Prayers
Reactions: Pop D.

Georgia’s abortion ban struck down again; abortions can now be performed up to 22 weeks

Is this why EVERYBODY wanted abortion handed back to the states?
I was hoping our nation would do the right thing, but unfortunately, that really isn't realistic, sadly.

I'm only stating that as a VERY moderate conservative who is 100% pro-life.

Not my monkey, not my circus.

I have nothing else to add.
Upvote 0

Africa’s bishops will discuss a draft document on the Church’s pastoral response to polygamy.

Is this mostly a tribal thing or is it also common among Christians?

I remember hearing about this years ago and recalling a number of African priests are de-facto married, even though are monasteries that are large in number.
Upvote 0

Wherever we spend the majority of our focus and energy on is what we worship. A challenge...

"For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren." (Romans 8:29)

This shows me where God's focus and energy are. So, if our prayers are elsewhere . . .

"Therefore I exhort first of all that prayers, supplications, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth." (1 Timothy 2:1-4)

So, this is where God wants our attention > "first of all". This is possible with God in us having us pray the way He means this.
  • Like
Reactions: Joseph G
Upvote 0

Fellowship Not to bite and Devour others

NOT TO BITE OTHERS AND DEVOUR
•Not to be destructive and harm others
•It can come back on you

Having Faith Scriptures
‭1 Thessalonians‬ ‭1:3‬ ‭KJV‬
remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;

‭Galatians‬ ‭5:6‬ ‭KJV‬
For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.

Ways you can have faith in Jesus Christ
Scriptures

‭Galatians‬ ‭5:13‭-‬15‬ ‭KJV‬
13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. 14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 15 But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.

‭Psalm‬ ‭25:8‬ ‭KJV‬
Good and upright is the LORD: Therefore will he teach sinners in the way.

I have used my faith in serving others in the love of God not biting and devouring people.

As fraud scandals erupt in Minnesota on Gov. Tim Walz’s watch, accountability is in short supply

I’m glad that we can agree that [state and federal] governmental oversight has caught people who’ve been alleged to have committed fraud.
Usually it is the lavish spending that gets them caught. In this case money was given to people that did not have a long track record. The Democrats in Minnesota throw around a lot of taxpayer money.
  • Informative
Reactions: Hazelelponi
Upvote 0

Day 6, Proverbs Chapter 6


At the end there, it says a troublemaker in the family. Interesting!
Upvote 0

Curzon's note and the question of apostolic succession in the church

My understanding of the events leading up to Apostolicae Curae is that the Pope was minded to recognise Anglican orders, but the English bishops point blank refused (for reasons one can understand). So the Pope and his advisers had to concoct a reason for rejecting recognition, and came up with the notion of “defect of intent” on the grounds that the Anglican wording of the ordinal had changed for a period in the 16th century.
In my opinion saying that the Pope was minded to recognise Anglican orders but the English bishops point blank refused shades the fact that the English bishops wanted the recognition and had struggled for it. Another point is that the English bishops could refuse an offer if they had received one, but they hadn't, the Pope's bulla was not an offer.

Well, one might see a kind of offer in par. 39: We wish to direct our exhortation and our desires in a special way to those who are ministers of religion in their respective communities... Let them be the first in joyfully submitting to the divine call and obey it, and furnish a glorious example to others. ... their Mother, the Church, will welcome them... led back to her bosom. And We, ourselves, in every lawful way, shall continue to promote their reconciliation with the Church...

But it's more a surrender offer than an offer of recognition.
Upvote 0

Filter

Forum statistics

Threads
5,880,572
Messages
65,449,172
Members
276,533
Latest member
Dying_Daily