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General Discusssion (Religion)

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  • Catholic Caucus: Daily Mass Readings, 05-17-17

    05/19/2017 8:20:04 PM PDT · by Salvation · 31 replies
    USCCB.org/RNAB ^ | 05-17-17 | Revised New American Bible
    May 17, 2017 Wednesday of the Fifth Week of Easter Reading 1 Acts 15:1-6Some who had come down from Judea were instructing the brothers,"Unless you are circumcised according to the Mosaic practice,you cannot be saved."Because there arose no little dissension and debateby Paul and Barnabas with them,it was decided that Paul, Barnabas, and some of the othersshould go up to Jerusalem to the Apostles and presbytersabout this question. They were sent on their journey by the Church,and passed through Phoenicia and Samariatelling of the conversion of the Gentiles,and brought great joy to all the brethren.When they arrived in Jerusalem,they were...
  • Blind Side(King James Bible Discussion)

    05/19/2017 2:42:47 PM PDT · by WhatNot · 1 replies
    Welcome! To The King James Bible Discussion Thread We don't change God's word, His word changes us. This country is in BIG trouble!
  • The number of atheists in America could be 10 TIMES more than previous estimates: Shocking study...

    05/19/2017 9:23:25 AM PDT · by Morgana · 26 replies
    Daily Mail UK ^ | May 19, 2017 | Daily mail reporter
    FULL TITLE: The number of atheists in America could be 10 TIMES more than previous estimates: Shocking study shows a decline in people who believe in God The number of atheists in this country could be as much as 10 times more than previous estimates, according a study published earlier this year. The percentage of atheists in the US varies depending on who - and how - you ask. According to a Gallup poll in 2016, only one in 10 Americans answered 'no' to the question: 'Do you believe in God?' Even fewer actively identify as atheist, with numbers clocking...
  • Tabernacling with God (Protestant/evangelical Caucus and Devotional)

    05/15/2017 6:26:29 AM PDT · by Gamecock · 2 replies
    It was the exodus of the Old Testament that earned the ancient Israelites the description of “pilgrims and sojourners.” They were a semi-nomadic people who lived the life of what Harvey Cox once likened to a floating craps game. They moved from place to place. Even their church was a tent that had to be pitched and taken down repeatedly as they followed the lead of God in the wilderness. This image figures prominently in the New Testament portrayal of the Incarnation. In John’s Gospel, it is written that the Logos, the divine Word, was “with God” and “was God”...
  • Catholic Caucus: Daily Mass Readings, 05-16-17

    05/14/2017 8:38:51 PM PDT · by Salvation · 33 replies
    USCCB.org/RNAB ^ | 05-16-17 | Revised New American Bible
    May 16, 2017 Tuesday of Fifth Week of Easter Reading 1 Acts 14:19-28In those days, some Jews from Antioch and Iconiumarrived and won over the crowds. They stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city,supposing that he was dead.But when the disciples gathered around him,he got up and entered the city. On the following day he left with Barnabas for Derbe. After they had proclaimed the good news to that cityand made a considerable number of disciples,they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch.They strengthened the spirits of the disciplesand exhorted them to persevere in the...
  • Catholic Caucus: Daily Mass Readings, 05-15-17, OM, St. Isidore (Farmer)

    05/14/2017 7:44:28 PM PDT · by Salvation · 24 replies
    USCCB.org/RNAB ^ | 05-15-17 | Revised New American Bible
    May 15, 2017 Monday of the Fifth Week of Easter Reading 1 Acts 14:5-18There was an attempt in Iconiumby both the Gentiles and the Jews,together with their leaders,to attack and stone Paul and Barnabas.They realized it,and fled to the Lycaonian cities of Lystra and Derbeand to the surrounding countryside,where they continued to proclaim the Good News. At Lystra there was a crippled man, lame from birth,who had never walked. He listened to Paul speaking, who looked intently at him,saw that he had the faith to be healed,and called out in a loud voice, "Stand up straight on your feet."He...
  • Tempering Zeal with Sensitivity (James, Son of Zebedee)

    05/14/2017 4:17:48 PM PDT · by metmom · 2 replies
    Grace to You.org ^ | 1993 | John MacArthur, Grace Community Church
    The twelve apostles included "James the son of Zebedee" (Matt. 10:2). Zeal without sensitivity can destroy your life and ministry. There's the story of a Norwegian pastor whose motto was "All or nothing!" His life and preaching were stern, strong, powerful, uncompromising, and utterly insensitive. Reportedly the people in his church didn't care much for him because he didn't care much for them. In his zeal and ambition to advance the kingdom and uphold God's standard, he neglected everything else—including his own family. One day his little daughter became so ill the doctor warned him that if he didn't move...
  • Being Prepared for the Worst of Trials

    05/14/2017 4:17:35 PM PDT · by metmom · 2 replies
    Grace to You.org ^ | 1997 | John MacArthur, Grace Community Church
    “‘And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and burst against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded upon the rock’” (Matthew 7:25). Faithfulness in discipleship will mean we are prepared for the worst possible adversity and trial. People are often unprepared for life’s unexpected upheavals. This was vividly illustrated by the once-in-500-year floods that struck the Northern Plains of the United States in the spring of 1997. One community on the Red River in North Dakota was especially devastated by the surprising events. After working diligently for days to...
  • Mother’s Day Blessings to Childless Women

    05/14/2017 7:30:45 AM PDT · by CHRISTIAN DIARIST · 10 replies
    The Christian Diarist ^ | May 14, 2017 | JP
    Mother’s Day is a joyous observance for most of the 85 percent of women who have borne a child by age 40. But not so much for women who have neither procreated nor adopted, who find Mother’s Day a painful reminder of their childlessness. Perhaps they squandered years on a relationship that resulted in neither marriage nor children. Perhaps they were so career-driven they had no room in their lives for a husband and offspring. Or perhaps they wed and tried to have children, but their wombs were barren. For women of faith despairing on this Mother’s Day that they...
  • Catholic Caucus: Daily Mass Readings, 05-14-17, Fifth Sunday of Easter

    05/13/2017 9:59:44 PM PDT · by Salvation · 49 replies
    USCCB.org/RNAB ^ | 05-14-17 | Revised New American Bible
    May 14, 2017 Fifth Sunday of Easter Reading 1 Acts 6:1-7As the number of disciples continued to grow,the Hellenists complained against the Hebrewsbecause their widowswere being neglected in the daily distribution.So the Twelve called together the community of the disciples and said,"It is not right for us to neglect the word of God to serve at table.Brothers, select from among you seven reputable men,filled with the Spirit and wisdom,whom we shall appoint to this task,whereas we shall devote ourselves to prayerand to the ministry of the word."The proposal was acceptable to the whole community,so they chose Stephen, a man...
  • The Man Who Was Beheaded the Day He Became a Christian

    05/13/2017 8:56:58 PM PDT · by boycott · 9 replies
    stream.org ^ | May 12, 2017 | Dr. Michael Brown
    Most of us know the story of the 21 Coptic Christians from Egypt who held fast to their faith and were beheaded by ISIS in February, 2015. But did you know that only 20 of them were actually Copts from Egypt? Did you know that one of the martyrs was from Chad, and he had not been a Christian prior to the day of his beheading? This story was previously reported. But I had not heard it before this week, when I attended the World Summit in Defense of Persecuted Christians hosted by the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. A Coptic...
  • Every Good Church Is Messy

    05/13/2017 1:21:59 PM PDT · by metmom · 81 replies
    desiringGod ^ | May 13, 2017 | Keith Welton
    I have been in the church for over twenty years now. I’ll never forget my first experience in a real Bible-believing, Spirit-filled, grace-singing church. I was surprised people enjoyed being there, floored that they knew the words to the songs, and freaked out that they talked about their faith when they weren’t at church. I saw spouses doting over each other, kids being respectful, and college students staying sober. It had a tremendous effect on me — I was sold on the church. Twenty years later, I have felt the pains of being in church. I have felt the pain...
  • Being Zealous for the Lord (James, Son of Zebedee)

    05/13/2017 1:15:02 PM PDT · by metmom · 6 replies
    Grace to You.org ^ | 1993 | John MacArthur, Grace Community Church
    The twelve apostles included "James the son of Zebedee" (Matt. 10:2). God can use overzealous and ambitious people for His glory. Like Peter and Andrew, James and John were fishermen. One day as Jesus walked the shores of the Sea of Galilee, He saw them in a boat with their father Zebedee and some hired servants. When Jesus called them to follow Him, they immediately left the boat and went with Him (Mark 1:19- 20). James and John were zealous and ambitious men—so much so that Jesus nicknamed them "Boanerges," which means, "Sons of Thunder" (Mark 3:17). At times their...
  • Fearless Preparation for Trials

    05/13/2017 1:14:31 PM PDT · by metmom · 2 replies
    Grace to You.org ^ | 1997 | John MacArthur, Grace Community Church
    “God has not given us a spirit of timidity [fear], but of power and love and discipline” (2 Timothy 1:7). The true follower of Christ has no reason to fear potential sufferings and trials. Concerning frustration and fear at the 1992 Winter Olympics, speed skater Dan Jansen said, “What happened was I skated a race that I can only describe as tentative. I looked good. I didn’t slip. Yet something kept me from going flat out.” The favored Jansen, haunted by well-publicized failures to win medals in 1988 or 1992, finally overcame his fear and triumphed in 1994 in the...
  • Catholic Caucus: Daily Mass Readings, 05-13-17, OM, Our Lady of Fatima

    05/12/2017 7:23:39 PM PDT · by Salvation · 38 replies
    USCCB.org/RNAB ^ | 05-13-17 | Revised New American Bible
    May 13, 2017 Saturday of the Fourth Week of Easter Reading 1 Acts 13:44-52On the following sabbathalmost the whole citygathered to hear the word of the Lord. When the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousyand with violent abuse contradicted what Paul said. Both Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and said,"It was necessary that the word of God be spoken to you first,but since you reject itand condemn yourselves as unworthy of eternal life,we now turn to the Gentiles. For so the Lord has commanded us,I have made you a light to the Gentiles,that you may...
  • Gift Of Partaking. (King James Bible Discussion)

    05/12/2017 4:07:53 PM PDT · by WhatNot · 19 replies
    > Welcome! To The King James Bible Discussion Thread Where Children Are Raised With The Rule Of Law Its Value And Merit And If That Doesn't Work There's Always The Belt.
  • Embracing Our Mission (Protestant/Evangelical Caucus & Devotional))

    05/12/2017 7:08:55 AM PDT · by Gamecock · 1 replies
    A church that cares not for truth is a community that rejects its very mission. The person who says, “I’m not interested in doctrine or theology,” is not “of the truth.” He or she has missed the voice of Jesus. For the church to be the church, she must bow before her King and embrace the mission He has given to her. Yes, we desire a cultural reformation and a restoration of public morality. But that is secondary to and dependent on our mission to bear witness to the truth. Doctrine is important because its central concern is for an...
  • Playing Second Fiddle (Andrew)

    05/12/2017 4:04:34 AM PDT · by metmom · 5 replies
    Grace to You.org ^ | 1993 | John MacArthur, Grace Community Church
    The twelve apostles included "Andrew" (Matt. 10:2). Andrew is a picture of all believers who humbly minister behind the scenes. It's been said that no one likes playing second fiddle, but that wasn't Andrew's perspective at all. Growing up in the shadow of an aggressive, outspoken brother like Peter would be a challenge for anyone. Even in the biblical record Andrew is known as "Simon Peter's brother" (e.g., John 1:40). Yet when Andrew met Jesus, his first response was to tell Peter, knowing full well that once Peter became a disciple he probably would run the group. But Andrew was...
  • Trials' Lessons: No Partiality

    05/12/2017 4:04:03 AM PDT · by metmom · 2 replies
    Grace to You.org ^ | 1997 | John MacArthur, Grace Community Church
    “But let the brother of humble circumstances glory in his high position; and let the rich man glory in his humiliation, because like flowering grass he will pass away” (James 1:9-10). God does not exempt any believer, rich or poor, from trials and suffering. There is a basic principle of life that we all know to be true—namely, that trials and sufferings do not exclude privileged people. This is a humbling truth that we don’t always like to acknowledge, yet it operates before us regularly in such things as natural disasters. No one can deny that large-scale floods, hurricanes, or...
  • Catholic Caucus: Daily Mass Readings, 05-12-17, OM, Sts. Nereus and Achilleus, Martyrs

    05/11/2017 8:52:27 PM PDT · by Salvation · 33 replies
    USCCB.org/RNAB ^ | 05-12-17 | Revised New American Bible
    May 12, 2017 Friday of the Fourth Week of Easter Reading 1 Acts 13:26-33When Paul came to Antioch in Pisidia, he said in the synagogue:"My brothers, children of the family of Abraham,and those others among you who are God-fearing,to us this word of salvation has been sent. The inhabitants of Jerusalem and their leaders failed to recognize him,and by condemning him they fulfilled the oracles of the prophetsthat are read sabbath after sabbath. For even though they found no grounds for a death sentence,they asked Pilate to have him put to death,and when they had accomplished all that was...