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Now, that's a very interesting coincidence. Reformer Ulrich Zwingli, at the main church in Zürich, had been preaching for a long time the strict orientation to Jesus Christ and the Bible and not to ecclesiastical regulations. No human authority has the right to make religious rules to the free Christian. Luther visited Zwingli in Zürich, Switzerland. Though the reformation doctrines had changed most of Luther's thinking there remained still some rather catholic teaching in him. He still adhered to communion bread and wine being literally transformed into the body and blood of Christ. For Zwingli, the Lord's Supper is a pure act of sign and remembrance. Ulrich Zwingli died in 1531.

Time Line of the Protestant Reformation From Wycliffe to the Second Coming Adventist Review Oct.4th,2017 (Shawn Brace is a pastor in the Northern New England Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, headquartered in the state of Maine. He authored this timeline) 1382 John Wycliffe, known as the “Morning Star” of the English Reformation, oversees the translation of the Bible into the language of the people. A group of Bibles, known as “Wycliffe’s Bible,” are translated into Middle English, setting the stage for the Protestant Reformation. 1415 Priest and philosopher Jan Hus, heavily influenced by John Wycliffe, is burned at the stake in modern-day Czech Republic for attacking the teachings and practices of the Roman Catholic Church. 1517 German theologian and priest Martin Luther posts a list of disputations, now known as the 95 theses, on the door of All Saints’ Church in Wittenberg, Germany, criticizing the practice of indulgences in the Roman Catholic Church. It effectively starts the Protestant Reformation throughout Europe, emphasizing salvation by grace alone and a return to the Bible as the sole source of authority. 1521 Luther is called before the Diet of Worms to recant his views about salvation by grace alone. He refuses to move from his positions, declaring, “Unless I am convinced by the testimony of the Scriptures or by clear reason, I am bound by the scriptures I have quoted. . . . I cannot and will not recant anything, since it is neither safe nor right to go against conscience.” As a result, he is declared a heretic. 1526 English scholar William Tyndale produces the first English New Testament taken from the Greek language. A decade later he is condemned as a heretic and burned at the stake. 1553 Over the span of five years, beginning in 1553, Queen Mary I of England, known as “Bloody Mary,” goes on a campaign to rid England of Protestants, executing nearly 250 heretics, including Nicholas Ridley and Hugh Latimer together. Latimer famously says at their execution, “Play the man, Master Ridley; we shall this day light such a candle, by God’s grace, in England, as I trust shall never be put out.” 1620 Fleeing persecution in Europe, the Pilgrims emigrate to the New World, setting up a colony in present-day Massachusetts. 1635 Roger Williams is banished from Massachusetts for promoting full religious liberty. He flees to present-day Providence and founds Rhode Island, becoming the first territory to guarantee complete separation of church and state. 1738 Englishman John Wesley, while attending a meeting in Aldersgate, hears Martin Luther’s Preface to the Epistle to Romans read and converts to Christ, feeling his heart “strangely warmed.” With his brother and hymn writer, Charles, he launches the Methodist movement, leading to great revival across England and America. 1816 New York farmer William Miller converts from deism to Christ, entering upon a deep personal study of the Bible, anchored in the Reformation principles of the primacy of the Bible, and that the Bible explains itself. He eventually concludes that Christ’s second coming is imminent and proclaims the message in the northeastern United States. 1844 The “Millerites” experience great disappointment when Christ doesn't return on October 22, after concluding He would do so based on a reading of Daniel 8:14. A few despondent believers come to realize that Christ started His work of the investigative judgment on the date instead. 1845 Beginning in 1845, a group of “Adventists” that formed out of the Millerite movement, in continued commitment to faith in the Bible’s unparalleled authority, begin studying the question of the seventh-day Sabbath, ultimately concluding that it is still an institution for Christians to keep and enjoy. 1863 The Seventh-day Adventist Church is officially organized in Michigan as a means of spreading “present truth” to “every nation, tribe, tongue, and people” (Rev. 14:6, NKJV)* around the world. The principles of the Reformation, including the five “sola”s and other insights and changes in belief, were adopted to restore what was understood as new covenant revelations. They were all grounded in a deep experience of the sufficiency of God and the need to rely completely on Him. The core tenets of post-Reformation Christian beliefs were based on the following: 1 Sola scriptura (Scripture alone as the foundation for faith and practice, not Scripture along with tradition). The “Scripture principle” is the conviction that the Bible is the only absolute source of authority and that all believers are equal before it. It is Protestantism’s central, unifying idea.2 2 Sola gratia (by grace alone, not grace along with merits when it comes to salvation). The principle of “grace alone” highlights the depth of God’s love manifested in unmerited favor toward those He created in His image. Those who receive God’s grace are called to be gracious people. 3 Sola fide (by faith alone, not faith with works to earn salvation). The nature of justification was at the root of the Reformation. The righteousness of Christ is the ground of our hope. As Ellen White put it: “Our only ground of hope is in the righteousness of Christ imputed to us, and in that [righteousness] wrought by His Spirit working in and through us.”3 4 Solus Christus (Christ alone, the only mediator between God and humanity). This principle presupposes that only God can lead us to God. Only God can forgive offenses to God. Only God can save and offer eternal life. The whole purpose of the Christian life is to become a Christ-centered life. 5 Soli Deo gloria (to God be all the glory; only God is worthy of worship). Instead of seeking popularity, prestige, or power, pastors and other leaders are called to validate their ministry by embracing the humility of Christ, who, even though He was the only one worthy of glory, did not seek His own glory. Equality. This principle is based on the fact that God makes no difference among God’s children. He does not practice favouritism among His redeemed. His love extends to all. This principle also invalidates putting church leaders on a pedestal above church members. Leaders are no more sacred to God than His other children. The principle of human rights recognized by the international community in declarations and treaties is grounded on the premise of equality. This equality is beautifully captured in the words of the apostle Paul: “So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourself with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Gal. 3:26-28). (Ganoune Diop, Ph.D., is director of the Public Affairs and Religious Liberty Department at the General Conference and secretary general of the International Religious Liberty Association.)

following this logic, God established Obama as president as a leader for our times, he was president for a reason, for two terms, no less.

Thank you AKA! Of course more could be added. One mistake is while Hus served in the area that is now Czech Republic, he was actually burned at the stake in Constance Germany, only a short walk from the Swiss border. The church was there meeting trying to decide about the 3 popes, what to do about Wycliffe 's ideas etc. An interesting point about the Constance church where Hus was condemned, about 95 years later a young priest was ordained there. His name was Ulrich Zwingli.

Absolutely not!!!!!!!!!! I have never called anyone in all my life a racist!!!!!!!!!! And never will!!!!! Oh and never would I imply that!! I also know quite a few people that have told me right out, that they would never vote for an African American!! And also the KKK and all the other supremist groups came out of there semi-retirement when Obama got elect, tell me that his election didn't start the great divide????? And when Trump started his campaign, tell me he didn't pickup on that????? Yes I agree that God definitely allowed Trump to win, but just because he allows someone to win or become the top dog, doesn't mean its for the better???

I think Jerald Whitehouse is spot on. The article reminds me of something I posted on my Facebook page about 10 days ago...

i love this quote from the article, "I will only wear my pain so that others know they aren’t alone, that there are people who’ve gone through the same, and that there is always someone to reach out to."

The 95 Theses – a modern translation Citation: C N Trueman "The 95 Theses – A Modern Translation" historylearningsite.co.uk. The History Learning Site, 17 Mar 2015. 20 Oct 2016. 1. When Jesus said “repent” he meant that believers should live a whole life repenting 2. Only God can give salvation – not a priest. 3. Inwards penitence must be accompanied with a suitable change in lifestyle. 4. Sin will always remain until we enter Heaven. 5. The pope must act according to canon law. 6. Only God can forgive -the pope can only reassure people that God will do this. 7. A sinner must be humbled in front of his priest before God can forgive him. 8. Canon law applies only to the living not to the dead. 9. However, the Holy Spirit will make exceptions to this when required to do so. 10. The priest must not threaten those dying with the penalty of purgatory. 11. The church through church penalties is producing a ‘human crop of weeds’. 12. In days gone by, church penalties were imposed before release from guilt to show true repentance. 13. When you die all your debts to the church are wiped out and those debts are free from being judged. 14. When someone is dying they might have bad/incorrect thoughts against the church and they will be scared. This fear is enough penalty. 15. This fear is so bad that it is enough to cleanse the soul. 16. Purgatory = Hell. Heaven = Assurance. 17. Souls in Purgatory need to find love – the more love the less their sin. 18. A sinful soul does not have to be always sinful. It can be cleansed. 19. There is no proof that a person is free from sin. 20. Even the pope – who can offer forgiveness – cannot totally forgive sins held within. 21. An indulgence will not save a man. 22. A dead soul cannot be saved by an indulgence. 23. Only a very few sinners can be pardoned. These people would have to be perfect. 24. Therefore most people are being deceived by indulgences. 25. The pope’s power over Purgatory is the same as a priest’s. 26. When the pope intervenes to save an individual, he does so by the will of God. 27. It is nonsense to teach that a dead soul in Purgatory can be saved by money. 28. Money causes greed – only God can save souls. 29. Do we know if the souls in Purgatory want to be saved ? 30. No-one is sure of the reality of his own penitence – no-one can be sure of receiving complete forgiveness. 31. A man who truly buys an indulgence (ie believes it is to be what it is) is as rare as someone who truly repents all sin ie very rare. 32. People who believe that indulgences will let them live in salvation will always be damned – along with those who teach it. 33. Do not believe those who say that a papal indulgence is a wonderful gift which allows salvation. 34. Indulgences only offer Man something which has been agreed to by Man. 35. We should not teach that those who aim to buy salvation do not need to be contrite. 36. A man can be free of sin if he sincerely repents – an indulgence is not needed. 37. Any Christian – dead or alive – can gain the benefit and love of Christ without an indulgence. 38. Do not despise the pope’s forgiveness but his forgiveness is not the most important. 39. The most educated theologians cannot preach about indulgences and real repentance at the same time. 40. A true repenter will be sorry for his sins and happily pay for them. Indulgences trivialise this issue. 41. If a pardon is given it should be given cautiously in case people think it’s more important than doing good works. 42. Christians should be taught that the buying of indulgences does not compare with being forgiven by Christ. 43. A Christian who gives to the poor or lends to those in need is doing better in God’s eyes than one who buys ‘forgiveness’. 44. This is because of loving others, love grows and you become a better person. A person buying an indulgence does not become a better person. 45. A person who passes by a beggar but buys an indulgence will gain the anger and disappointment of God. 46. A Christian should buy what is necessary for life not waste money on an indulgence. 47. Christians should be taught that they do not need an indulgence. 48. The pope should have more desire for devout prayer than for ready money. 49. Christians should be taught not to rely on an indulgence. They should never lose their fear of God through them. 50. If a pope knew how much people were being charged for an indulgence – he would prefer to demolish St. Peter’s. 51. The pope should give his own money to replace that which is taken from pardoners. 52. It is vain to rely on an indulgence to forgive your sins. 53. Those who forbid the word of God to be preached and who preach pardons as a norm are enemies of both the pope and Christ. 54. It is blasphemy that the word of God is preached less than that of indulgences. 55. The pope should enforce that the gospel – a very great matter – must be celebrated more than indulgences. 56. The treasure of the church is not sufficiently known about among the followers of Christ. 57. The treasure of the Church are temporal (of this life). 58. Relics are not the relics of Christ, although they may seem to be. They are, in fact, evil in concept. 59. St. Laurence misinterpreted this as the poor gave money to the church for relics and forgiveness. 60. Salvation can be sought for through the church as it has been granted this by Christ. 61. It is clear that the power of the church is adequate, by itself, for the forgiveness of sins. 62. The main treasure of the church should be the Gospels and the grace of God. 63. Indulgences make the most evil seem unjustly good. 64. Therefore evil seems good without penance or forgiveness. 65. The treasured items in the Gospels are the nets used by the workers. 66. Indulgences are used to net an income for the wealthy. 67. It is wrong that merchants praise indulgences. 68. They are the furthest from the grace of God and the piety and love of the cross. 69. Bishops are duty bound to sell indulgences and support them as part of their job. 70. But bishops are under a much greater obligation to prevent men preaching their own dreams. 71. People who deny the pardons of the Apostles will be cursed. 72. Blessed are they who think about being forgiven. 73. The pope is angered at those who claim that pardons are meaningless. 74. He will be even more angry with those who use indulgences to criticise holy love. 75. It is wrong to think that papal pardons have the power to absolve all sin. 76. You should feel guilt after being pardoned. A papal pardon cannot remove guilt. 77. Not even St. Peter could remove guilt. 78. Even so, St. Peter and the pope possess great gifts of grace. 79. It is blasphemy to say that the insignia of the cross is of equal value with the cross of Christ. 80. Bishops who authorise such preaching will have to answer for it. 81. Pardoners make the intelligent appear disrespectful because of the pope’s position. 82. Why doesn’t the pope clean feet for holy love not for money ? 83. Indulgences bought for the dead should be re-paid by the pope. 84. Evil men must not buy their salvation when a poor man, who is a friend of God, cannot. 85. Why are indulgences still bought from the church ? 86. The pope should re-build St. Peter’s with his own money. 87. Why does the pope forgive those who serve against him ? 88. What good would be done to the church if the pope was to forgive hundreds of people each day ? 89. Why are indulgences only issued when the pope sees fit to issue them ? 90. To suppress the above is to expose the church for what it is and to make true Christians unhappy. 91. If the pope had worked as he should (and by example) all the problems stated above would not have existed. 92. All those who say there is no problem must go. Problems must be tackled. 93. Those in the church who claim there is no problem must go. 94. Christians must follow Christ at all cost. 95. Let Christians experience problems if they must – and overcome them – rather than live a false life based on present Catholic teaching.

Obama ought to know about dividing our country at every opportunity. He was great at it.

There is a tire and auto repair service here in Palestine. The owner - Joe, I've known for years. We speak briefly when I take my car in. A guy from his place came out two weeks ago to repair our tractor tire. Joe always has a Bible open on the desk at his business. We will speak briefly about the LORD. Joe is studying for a master's in Biblical studies at a college about half hour from Palestine. Anyway, on Tuesday last week, as I was heading out the driveway, the warning light came on for tire pressure. It stayed on all the way to town. So - I pulled into Bratz Tire for them to check it. Joe as alone in the front, and while his guy checked my tire Joe and I talked. Wow!! He was asking questions and I was answering, and the words were just pouring out and I was remembering all the right verses. (When that happens, I know it is HIM - not me.) By the time my tire was done, Joe was saying that he would have to do some serious studying and praying about what I had told him. So there are opportunities for witness - even in very small towns. I think an angel let the air out of my tire. lol

The only thing that made him seem like he was dividing the country was the fact that he was an African American and those that didn't want an AA to be POTUS started making an uproar!!! And every time he tried getting involved they made a big uproar!!