Leaderboard

Today, Sunday, October 26, I went to church. I was visiting a relative whom I invited to attend church with me on Saturday. He agreed and it was probably about the 2nd time he had gone to a SDA Church, on Sabbath, in the past 10 - 15 years. As I expected him to do, he then invited me to attend the church he attends, today, on Sunday. It was an independent church which started some 20 + years ago with 5 people. Today it has 7 scheduled services on the weekend. On a typical weekend from 10,000 to 15,000 people attend its services. It has a staff of some 200 + people and in the current fiscal year has received some $4,280,000 in offerings to their General Fund. They have also receive a large amount in other offerings. NOTE: I have edited the above statement about offerings in an effort to be more accurate due to the fact that a figure of more than $14,000,000 includes more than this fiscal year as I now understand it. GM 11/02/2014 The music was non-traditional, but every song testified to the saving power of Christ. The sermon was the 2nd in a 10 week series on the book of James. Every point was focused on a Biblical revelation of Christ. At the end of the sermon a Call to commitment and action was made to the congregation. One central theme was that committed Christians are involved and put their faith into action. It was a blessing in many ways.

I think some here have missed your point. I did not understand you to be saying that all you need is sincerity. But rather that the problem is the suspicion of the other side as not having proper Chrisitan motives, for example hat the other side is not sincere in their POV. And I also read your comment to say that you are not questioning the motives, or sincerity, of anyone and by doing so one can reasonable conclude that there is room for differences of interpretation and on this because the evidence does not support a firm conclusion one way or the other. That really was the outcome of the TOSC. No consensus could be reached. No clearly prevailing right or wrong conclusion could be reached that could be agreed upon by all. The objective at this point is how do we move forward. The growing sense is that we must respect these differences as valid and allowable. That this is not something that should divide us. Just as the NT church recognized that they could all move forward together in unity, allowing a divergence of practice between the Jewish and Gentile believers on a number of key points, most significantly the Jewish practice of circumcision. It was well founded and established by Jewish history, culture and Scripture, but not essential for the faith and should not be imposed on the Gentiles.

Excellent posts here. Yes those Bibles are very useful. A thing to remember is that Mrs. White did not consider herself a commentator on the Bible. When ever asked questions about exegesis and Biblical interpretation, she would refuse saying that her writings are not to answer those questions. That it was our job to study into these. While I like having Mrs. White's quotes handy, I fear that there are many who want to use her writings for what she tells us not to use them for.

That is problematic. I enjoy my KJV study Bible with EGW comments, and the Blanco (Clear Word) paraphrase. But when I learn something new, Dr Blanco's wording does not always agree with what I find in the Bible and Spirit of Prophecy. That is not to say or imply anything against Jack Blanco or his paraphrase that he translated from the original languages. He is a fine Christian man and his work is outstanding. But like so many of us some of our comments are tainted by our experiences.

There is definitely a truth and definitely a right side. However the unassuming nature of God does not force us to the correct side. It is by discussion, disagreement leading us to deeper Bible Study that will lead to conclusions so that we are blessed in that flesh and blood does not tell us but the Holy Spirit. The problem here is that one group tends to have a picture that they are defending the Bible and the other side is just trying to be liberals and explain the "Proof" texts as "cultural biased" and thus not to be followed. What they fail to recognize is that both groups are trying to be fair to the Bible. This is different than being "Sincere." The not willing to accept this keeps the two sides from really listening to each other, from blinding themselves to Biblical arguments for the other view and from examining their view in light of this other information.

Pastor Finley is quite a guy, a Christians Christian. The problem I see in this WO issue, is each side seems to think the other side is not sincere. For me I see all the Pastors, evangelists, Ministers, etc., are all sincere, there is no right or wrong in this issue.

Australia has it share of Liberal Churches, I have attended some of these from time to time and its not for me. My chief complaint is that I cant see what the actual point of attending meetings there is? - There is never any challenge to change your life or to turn away from sin, and often the theology is present that Christianity is not exclusively the only way to God and that there are various roads to God for various different groups of people and that all religions get you there in the end. If that is the case, why would you not simply stay at home and take the way of watching the football broadcast on your couch each weekend, what difference would it make? The other three observations is the sheer boredom that I feel driven to whilst the services are in progress, I feel like its an atmosphere of political correctness backed up with music from two centuries ago and often the sermon is based around the ministers interpretation of left wing politics. I once attended Easter Sunday Services at a Liberal Methodist church and the sermon was simply that "a man had two clay pots, one was cracked, he filled the pots with water to water his plants but each time the pot reached the plants it had run dry. One time the pot was able to speak and said to the owner that it felt useless and the owner turned the pot to see the pathway full of watered flowers all along the way where it had leaked water". - Still I guess they made their point as several years later I still recall the sermon! https://www.facebook.com/AskDrBrown/photos/a.190367064322237.55437.109430102415934/1017574054934863/?type=1&theater

hugelkultur raised garden beds in a nutshell: grow a typical garden without irrigation or fertilization has been demonstrated to work in deserts as well as backyards use up rotting wood, twigs, branches and even whole trees that would otherwise go to the dump or be burned it is pretty much nothing more than buried wood can be flush with the ground, although raised garden beds are typically better can start small, and be added to later can always be small - although bigger is better You can save the world from global warming by doing carbon sequestration in your own back yard! perfect for places that have had trees blown over by storms can help end world hunger give a gift to your future self http://www.richsoil.com/hugelkultur/

Or this is a sign,,, etc etc Thanks Kevin...

I didn't vote either since none of the choices reflected my reasons. Really it is more complex than a single choice could provide.

And things like "character defect" and "hardened heart," even misunderstanding, is not out of reach for God to fix.We should not be ashamed that we find ourselves in such a state. Worse is the Rev.3 Laodicean attitude that sees nothing wrong with itself.

We all have numerous defects and according to the Biblical characterization of God, He is able and willing to deal with all of them if we ask. So, why doesn't that always actually happen? Why, when it doesn't, should you construct some rationalization to blame yourself? Why assume that God is trying to work on our lives at all, when by all appearances He doesn't seem to be interested?

Oops, forgot to mention above that people did not start to call Mrs. White an "Inspired Commentary" until Elder Wilcox coined the term in the1920s in the mess of the after-event of the horrid 1923 General Conference. Mrs. White kept fighting thoughts of using her writings that way.

Why? Because they are not informed of the facts. Luther made a lot of statements that would sour milk.

Nice! For those building them, LynnDel, the worst wood for a hugel in terms of breaking down, is the best for these compost bins. Funny how things work out. LOL

Where I live .... I am stuck with conservative churches . They can be the death to one's soul. I am not sure it is worth attending. Today .... I left in the middle of Sabbath School and waited in the car for the wife. I was up to here with having my soul tormented.

The reason the Dems are against the photo I.D. is that they are the ones benefitting from the non living vote and etc. So of course you're a racist if you think people should have to show a photo I.D.

Hi, Richard! Nice to see you today!

That is why we have resurrection day in mn instead of election day.But it really doesn't matter whether it is democrat or republican. Those that take the right to vote seriously will obtain photo ID.There is a lot of help available to make it easier for those that claim they can't. It isn't even necessary to go to the polling place to vote .Mail it in. If they can obtain welfare,medical care SS and medicare they can certainly do this.If not stay home,your vote is not needed

This is my all-time favorite compost bin, used over the last 14 years. It is easy to build, easy to fill, easy to plant in, if that's my choice; easy to empty or turn the compost, if that's my choice. It consists of five 3-foot-square frames that lock into each other as you stack them. I've had six of them, built four myself. I didn't bother adding any kind of wood sealant after the first two. I'm looking forward to building some more soon. http://www.sunset.com/garden/backyard-projects/build-perfect-compost-bin

Yes we need voter I.D. because, almost 100% of the dead people that vote are democrats! We want some of those dead votes too, or make it stop with the I.D.

Alberta city comes together to clean up vandalized mosque A mosque in Cold Lake, Alberta, shown in this handout image, was being cleaned up after a brick was thrown through its windows and a "go home" message was painted on the wall. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Val Young COLD LAKE, Alta. – People in a small northeastern Alberta city came together Friday to help clean up a mosque that had its windows broken and “Go home” painted across the front wall. Mahmoud Elkadri, a mosque board member, said he noticed the vandalism when he went to open the doors for prayers early Friday morning. He said his family has lived in Cold Lake since 1996 and has always felt welcome. “You see a message ‘Go home’ — I just want to let everybody know, this is our home,” Elkadri said. “My kids saw it and they started crying and I said: ‘Why are you crying?’ They said: ‘We were born here and raised here and this is our home.”‘ Cold Lake is home to a large military base where six Canadian CF-18 fighter jets departed Tuesday to join the international mission combating Islamic extremists in Iraq. By Friday afternoon residents of the city, population 14,000, had posted colourful signs on the front of the mosque saying “You are Home!” and “We stand united as Canadians.” Then people started showing up with ladders and buckets to clean the paint off. Others called the local rock radio station to express their disgust with the graffiti on air. A mosque in Cold Lake, Alberta, shown in this handout image, was being cleaned up after a brick was thrown through its windows and a “go home” message was painted on the wall. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Val Young “Cold Lake showed its true stripes today,” a proud mayor Craig Copeland told The Canadian Press Friday afternoon. “Cold Lakers came out and supported the Muslim community and by 3:30 in the afternoon the windows were replaced and the graffiti was gone. This is what makes Cold Lake a great place to live.” Elkadri believes the vandals could be from outside the community and doesn’t think the act is connected to any anti-Muslim sentiment following attacks on soldiers in Ottawa and Quebec. “I am very sure whoever did this could be just a drunk, random person at night time or it could be … someone not from Cold Lake,” he said. “We are very well acquainted in the community of Cold Lake.” Elkadri said the mosque has been open for four years at its current location and has been targeted before, but it was part of vandalism done to several businesses in the area. RCMP Sgt. Josee Valiquette said police are not investigating the case as a hate crime at this point. “We go where the facts take us. It’s vandalism at this point,” she said. “It could be anybody for a motive or no motive at all.” Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney tweeted: “As Multiculturalism Minister, I condemn the hateful vandalism â†* Cold Lake Mosque. Thanks to local residents for their heart-warming response. Tim Cook

By the title, my first thought was that this was about foot fungus!

This was Jack Blanco's project and was not intended to be viewed as a study Bible at all. This assignment would be a good one for anyone- he just stated in his own words his thoughts as he read through. It is NOT a translation at all.

That statement was never intended to be a Creed. Some members and denominational leader are leading toward making it a Creed.

My point was that SOME (not all) of the texts used against homosexuality are not properly used.

I have considered the possibility and the message of the seven churches would apply both to specific church eras and also to the church as a cross-section. I believe the message to each church represents the mean for that church period. In other words, there are churches of all types throughout history and so the message is applicable to all periods of time. But I believe the main message for each church speaks to the dominant characteristic of that church regarding truth for that specific time. The seven seals are clearly a revelation of the church through time until the coming of Christ and the establishment of the throne on earth. Also, the sealing of Revelation seven began in 1844 and will continue until the time of tribulation. The seven trumpets and the seven plagues are events leading up to and during the time of tribulation as indicated by the fifth trumpet which keeps the sealed ones from the scourges of the fifth trumpet. The seven trumpets are the spiritual components that change with the withdrawal of the Holy Spirit from those who have made the final rejection of Christ and the freeing of Satan to take control of those who are no longer under the protection of the Holy Spirit. The plagues relate to the secular world and the elements which bring about the battle of Armegeddon and the final establishment of the throne on earth. Thus I see both the trumpets and the plagues as yet future with initiating elements which are necessary and lead up to the tribulation found in trumpet 5 and Christ's coming in 6 and the sixth plague which straddles both the pre-millenial and post-millenial world, and the seventh trumpet, seal, and plague all looking forward to the move of the throne of heaven to the earth.

the Remnant Study Bible is the one that has the EGW commentary included... but it's not published by SDA's..

The seals are opened after the death of Christ. We understand this since it is the lamb which had been slain, the lion of the tribe of Judah, who took up the scroll and opened it. This should also suggest that the seals were opened upon the ascension of Christ to heaven, thus indicating that subsequent history was locked until the work of salvation was completed on Calvary. Had Christ failed at Calvary, the history of the earth would have ended there. Satan would have won. But, because Christ was the victor, history could now roll forward. The seven seals represent the seven remaining eras of Church history until the establishment of the throne upon the earth. Beginning at the death of Christ and ending with the silence in heaven when the throne is moved. Horses are representative of war, and Christ is declared the Lord of hosts in the old testament. Christ is commander of both the heavenly and the earthly hosts. Both Daniel (Daniel 8) and Revelation (Revelation 12) speak of the little horn and the dragon dragging down the stars and the hosts of heaven to the earth and trampling upon them shortly after the coming of Rome upon the eras of prophecy. We can suggest that the horses represent the hosts of God going forth in order to conquer the earth. The white horse represents the victorious host which christianized the known world in a very short time. This was followed by a host, represented by a red horse, which went forward and overcame under the persecutions of the Roman world. This was followed by a black horse representing a time when the word of God, represented by the components of bread which were expensive, was kept from the masses, but the Holy Spirit, represented by the wine and oil, were freely available. And finally the pale horse represents a church which no longer brings life, rather, it brings death. The fifth seal presents a period of time when the hosts must suffer persecution. Thus, the persecuted hosts are still with us today. This persecution lasts until the openinng of the sixth seal which is the coming of Christ. And the seventh seal represents the era when the throne of God is moved from heaven to the earth where it will be established forever. These seals also parallel the seven churches of Revelation 1 - 3. But they do not necessiarly represent the same periods in church history. For instance the last three churches fall in the period of the fifth seal of persecution. And the first four fall in the period of the four horses of war. Thus, the first seal and church would represent roughly the time from the death of Christ to the fall of Jerusalem in 70 AD. The second seal and the second church would fill the period from 70 AD to 313 AD when the church grew under the persecution of Rome. The third seal and church was the time of transition from a persecuted church to a church where scripture was replaced by tradition approximately from 313 to about the time of pope Leo in the early 500's. The fourth seal and fourth church would be from the time of Leo to the time of Wycliffe in about 1330. The fifth seal would be from the time of Wycliffe to the coming of Christ, whereas, the fifth church would be from Wycliffe to about 1834 and the coming of Miller and adventism, which occurred across the whole world. The sixth church was from about 1834 to 1844 which was a time when love between brothers in the host of God was returned across the entire globe. The seventh church is from 1844 to the time of Christ's return. The seventh seal represents the period from the second coming of Christ to the establishment of the throne of God upon the earth. The idea of the seals falling during the time of tribulation is discarded because the tribulation is prior to the second coming of Christ, and the whole church and host of God in the earth must pass through the final phases of the fifth seal. The seals represent the hosts of God upon the earth, whereas the churches represent the purity of the believers in regard to God's truth and the consequences of that purity or lack thereof. One speaks to activity of the hosts, and the other speaks to its adherence to the truth as it is found through Christ.

It was a historic Annual Council of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. The Fundamental Beliefs were reviewed for the first time since they were put together in 1980. That alone would have made the Council historic. But the review was completely overshadowed by the issue of ordination, and how the church should relate to women in […] The post Reflections on Annual Council: Fundamental Beliefs 1 and 2 appeared first on Jon Paulien's Blog. View the full article