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the evidence i see of faith is a kind heart, that does what God tells them to. you don't have to be religious... God speaks to people everywhere, and some hear and obey and some do not.

Stan is saying something in a more eloquent way that I have said many times here. People join the church and develop a relationship with the church/denomination instead of a relationship with Jesus. They experience the rules and regulations of the church instead of an intimate relationship with Jesus. When they become disillusioned and leave the denomination, they equate it with "leaving God". The enemy capitalizes on this; and discourages them from continuing to seek Christ. Faith tends to grow stronger - independent of the church - when we truly experience Christ. There are people of all Christian denominations who have had an encounter with the God of Heaven. The general result is that the become "sold-out, born-again" believers who fearlessly proclaim their faith (although the passion might be temporary). This phenomenon is not limited to Christians. I recently read an article from an Adventist missionary in the Middle East that 70 - 85% of Muslims who become Christians do so after a direct encounter with Jesus - through a miraculous healing, a deliverance from demonic harassment, or a dream or vision. My faith has been strengthened through experiences I interpret as encounters with the supernatural.

There is much talk about people coming into a Church and leaving same. The real trouble is they come to learn faith, we try to teach them religion instead. I believe too many religionist lack faith in their experience. Thoughts?

It is the law: In the State of Sao Paulo, in the country of Brazil, October 22, a day well known in Adventist history, is now to be celebrated by its citizens as Adventist Day: https://spectrummagazine.org/article/2017/11/07/brazilian-state-sao-paulo-declares-october-22-“adventist-day”

God speaks to us in many ways, through nature, through providence, through the witness of the Character of God through the actions of others, and through the inspiration of the spirit speaking in the word of God. "Faith Comes by hearing... and hearing comes by the word of God." God is the source of faith, humanity is the source of unbelief. i wonder if every Christian doesn't go through the process, of sorting out what is their faith and what is the source of their faith, and is their faith in God, or in man. I believe we tend to over idealize church, and the institutions of the church, schools, hospitals, and various churches, or prominent church families. It can be so deeply disappointing to find we cannot place our faith on our own best efforts, or in our most wonderful institutions. But this disappointment must come if our faith is not riveted in Christ. unfortunately, supernatural experiences can leave our faith in humanity. the flow of money can be deceptive. we can be so rapt by material blessings we fail to maintain that God is the source of our strength, and hope. emotions can override our will to serve God, and we can inadvertently end up yielding to the will of flesh over the will of God. there is a roaring lion going about seeking whom he may devour. only Christ can interrupt this enemy.

Galatians 3:16-17 Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring; it does not say, "And to offsprings," as of many; but it says, "And to your offspring," that is, to one person, who is Christ. My point is this: the law, which came four hundred thirty years later, does not annul a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to nullify the promise. (NRS) This verse seems to say that Mount Sinai came 430 years from the day the promise was made to Abraham. But that cannot be. Exodus 12:41 And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years-- on that very same day-- it came to pass that all the armies of the LORD went out from the land of Egypt. (NKJ) It looks like the Children of Israel left Egypt on the anniversary of the day that Jacob entered Egypt with all his family. I had been taught that it was the anniversary of the day the promise was made to Abraham. Hmmmm. I'm learning myself here. Wonder where my teachers got the idea that it was also the anniversary of the Covenant of promise to Abraham. Need more research. Maybe the 430 years was from the day the Covenant of promise was "ratified by God" . And God "ratified" His promise with a sign - that of saving Jacob and family in Egypt, through Joseph. Reminds me that God made a promise to Adam/Eve that He would crush Satan's head. He ratified that Covenant (4000 years later) by the death and resurrection of Christ -- this "sign" so that human beings could know that the promise WILL be completely fulfilled.

Well, for once I agree with many of the comments to this article on the Spectrum site. Not a book I would be interested in reading. I pretty much do not read, watch, or listen to anything that comes from 3ABN. There are plenty of other good books to read with authors more trustworthy to listen to.