shodan

https://textsincontext.wordpress.com/2017/12/13/advent-followers-christmas-bible-share/

We often MISS a Key Point in the Story of the Shepherds. They were faithful witnesses who shared what they had heard with all around them. Do we? https://textsincontext.wordpress.com/2012/12/20/luke-2-the-shepherds-faithfulness/

We hear it Every year as the Grinch comes out from his world where 'it is never Christmas and always winter" Key facts: --We don't know date of Christ's birth. --establishing a day was based on religious reasons. --Christ's birth was celebrated in Dec. BEFORE the pagan festival of the sun which was instituted in 274. https://www.touchstonemag.com/archives/article.php?id=16-10-012-v

Most American Christians have a hard time grasping "heart" in Scripture. https://textsincontext.wordpress.com/2012/06/21/the-great-commandment-heart-and-mind/

Yes, "Woe to them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!" Isaiah 5 But while we decry this, may we be clear about Jesus call to us: 'You are the light of the world....the salt of the earth." Jesus warned us that if salt loses its savor, it will be cast into the streets and trampled underfoot. Are we Christians being judged today for not being salt in our society? There is too much confusion among us that has prepared the way for good to be called evil. Much of what has happened that goes directly against clear commands of God has been done in the name of "love" and most Christians do not care enough to study and show themselves approved workmen so that they can help others see through the confusion. ** Link removed""

Two one liners: From Faith-Driven Consumer,“The portrayal of God as a willful, angry and petulant child in EXODUS will be a deal breaker for most people of faith around the world,” And from Religious News Service, Jonathan Merritt: "...but they’ll go see the film anyway. Religious people are as enamored by celebrity culture as any other group, and the big-name cast will draw many." If gambling were not a sin, where would you place your bets? Another review at CT: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/exodus.gods.and.kings.review.biblically.irreverent.but.powerful.cinema/43927.htm

Advent is a Season of Light in the Darkness. Do you want to be a faithful witness in these days? Get this man's book (linked above) or another like it and start a Bible study in your church or home. Invite your neighbors. Be salt in this world.

From the article linked above: "In the future, Cochran will be prohibited from distributing the book on city property; he will also be required to undergo sensitivity training. "At least one local LGBT group has asked for Cochran’s permanent removal from the force." "Cochran first served as Atlanta’s fire chief in 2008. The next year, President Obama appointed him as the U.S. fire administrator for the United States Fire Administration. He returned to Atlanta, and his old job as the fire chief, in 2010." Better article Here: https://www.redstate.com/2014/11/25/atlantas-fire-chief-suspended-for-publicly-professing-christian-beliefs/ Yes, I don't notice any real reviews on amazon. I ordered the book and will review it. All the one-star comments are actually hate mongering and personal attacks. Hope Christians will give him some aid. If you click on a review, it gives you an option to report it as "inappropriate" and if enough people do that they will delete such a post. It asks for a reason and I put 'NOT a review but a personal attack.' ...."hate mongering" ...etc. http://tinyurl.com/mdvcl5u

Kelvin Cochran published a Bible study book on Christian ethics and dared to call sodomy a sin. And now the hate crowd is trying to dis his book with one star reviews on amazon: http://tinyurl.com/mdvcl5u

Records show that we are in a lull regarding natural disasters here.

Many Americans on this American holy day will have no clue about the origins of Thanksgiving Day. Read the early Thanksgiving Day proclamations: http://textsincontext.wordpress.com/2013/11/24/thanksgiving-a-christian-holiday-squelched-in-the-u-s-a/

Thoughts on Romans 5 http://textsincontext.wordpress.com/2014/04/17/good-friday-dying-for-the-ungodly/

Certain Scripture texts have become fodder for men's imaginations, generating huge book profits for authors and publishers. But few Christians care to study God's word in context when entertainment and sensationalism is their desire. Here is 1 Thess. and the 'rapture' in context: http://textsincontext.wordpress.com/2013/05/11/second-coming-rapture-vs-scripture-christian/

Often confused is the "what this verse means to me" issue. http://textsincontext.wordpress.com/2012/05/17/of-ponds-and-pitfalls/

Calvin on Genesis 1: “He who would learn astronomy…let him go elsewhere….” ”Moses wrote in a popular style things which without instruction, all ordinary persons, endued with common sense, are able to understand; but astronomers investigate with great labor whatever the sagacity of the human mind can comprehend. Nevertheless, this study is not to be reprobated, nor this science to be condemned, because some frantic persons are wont boldly to reject whatever is unknown to them. For astronomy is not only pleasant, but also very useful to be known: it cannot be denied that this art unfolds the admirable wisdom of God.”

Augustine on Genesis 1: Now, it is a disgraceful and dangerous thing for an infidel to hear a Christian, presumably giving the meaning of Holy Scripture, talking nonsense on these topics; and we should take all means to prevent such an embarrassing situation, in which people show up vast ignorance in a Christian and laugh it to scorn. The shame is not so much that an ignorant individual is derided, but that people outside the household of faith think our sacred writers held such opinions, and, to the great loss of those for whose salvation we toil, the writers of our Scripture are criticized and rejected as unlearned men. If they find a Christian mistaken in a field which they themselves know well and hear him maintaining his foolish opinions about our books, how are they going to believe those books in matters concerning the resurrection of the dead, the hope of eternal life, and the kingdom of heaven, when they think their pages are full of falsehoods on facts which they themselves have learned from experience and the light of reason? http://noanswersingenesis.org.au/saintaugustine.htm

That one has me rolling on the floor! Replicate the Big Bang???!!!! This is what is called creatio ex nihilo And God did observe it. http://textsincontext.wordpress.com/2012/05/03/creation-young-earth-ham-nye-genesis-one/

Many Christians make it see that way. Heroes of the faith have had to contend against such notions through the centuries. John Calvin: . “Some unskilful persons, from not attending to this, boldly discard the whole law of Moses, and do away with both its Tables, imagining it unchristian to adhere to a doctrine which contains the ministration of death. Far from our thoughts be this profane notion.” John Wesley: “In the highest rank of the enemies of the gospel of Christ, are they who openly and explicitly ‘judge the law’ itself, and ‘speak evil of the law;’ who teach men to break (to dissolve, to loose, to untie the obligation of) not one only, whether of the least or of the greatest, but all the commandments at a stroke. . . . The most surprising of all the circumstances that attend this strong delusion, is that they who are given up to it, really believe that they honor Christ by overthrowing His law, and that they are magnifying His office while they are destroying His doctrine! Yea, they honor Him just as Judas did when he said, ‘Hail, Master, and kissed Him.’ And He may as justly say to every one of them, ‘Betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss? It is no other than betraying Him with a kiss, to talk of His blood, and take away His crown; to set light by any part of His law, under pretense of advancing His gospel. Nor indeed can anyone escape this charge, who preaches faith in any such a manner as either directly or indirectly tends to set aside any branch of obedience: who preaches Christ so as to disannul, or weaken in any wise, the least of the commandments of God.” Martin Luther: “Nowadays there is a novel idea afoot! According to the promoters of this idea, the Law (that is, the 10 Commandments) should be completely removed from the Church. This is nothing else but deplorable and irreverent. “The entire Bible teaches that it is the Law which must initiate repentance…..Sin and death are not exposed by a Word of grace and comfort, but only by the Law.” “Exhort your household to learn them word for word, that they should obey God…For if you teach and urge your families things will go forward.” http://textsincontext.wordpress.com/2012/09/06/teaching-children-the-ten-commandments/

Hard to have a meaningful discussion when you throw so many different occasions together. On warfare [and other things, too] Christians are quick to cite some 'proof text' without any regard for context. Take for example "two swords" http://textsincontext.wordpress.com/2012/06/17/two-swords-enough/ Or Romans "13" http://textsincontext.wordpress.com/2012/05/31/romans-13-in-context-sword-pacifism/

" http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/...A321Y320140403 Brendan Eich is an American computer programmer and creator of the JavaScript scripting language" He helped found Mozilla and was just newly appointed as CEO. He gave a thousand dollars in 2008 to Prop 8 in California. That is what the fuss is about. Those who speak up are the salt and light of their culture. Want our society to change for the better? Then Christians need to speak up daily. We need no Rip Van Winkles.

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2014/march-web-only/world-vision-why-hiring-gay-christians-same-sex-marriage.html From Christianity Today: World Vision's American branch will no longer require its more than 1,100 employees to restrict their sexual activity to marriage between one man and one woman. Abstinence outside of marriage remains a rule. But a policy change announced Monday [March 24] will now permit gay Christians in legal same-sex marriages to be employed at one of America's largest Christian charities.

On Monday, Mat Staver, founder and chairman of Liberty Counsel, appeared before a juvenile court to defend the family of Justina Pelletier against abuse by the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families (DCF). 15-year-old ice-skating competitor was taken from her parents by DCF, held for over a year, and is now confined to a wheelchair because of maltreatment for a metabolic disorder--simply because her family questioned a diagnosis. cont. http://www.charismanews.com/us/42907-teen-ends-up-in-wheelchair-after-government-snatches-her-from-family Glenn Beck: Help Family of 15-Year-Old at the Center of Boston Children’s Controversy Before She ‘Wastes Away and Dies’ - See more at: http://www.christianlifenews.com/health/42657-glenn-beck-help-family-of-15-year-old-at-the-center-of-boston-children-s-controversy-before-she-wastes-away-and-dies#sthash.e0MHjjbM.dpuf

Monks in Kiev intervene, praying and singing with photos http://lightfordarktimes.wordpress.com/

Though he had one sentence that was a bit crude, it simply reflected his heart felt beliefs. Our society is in this situation today because Christians have been cowards about speaking the truth in love. Very little salt left to preserve this country.

Love this quote from Calvin: "...astronomers investigate with great labor whatever the sagacity of the human mind can comprehend. Nevertheless, this study is not to be reprobated, nor this science to be condemned, because some frantic persons are wont boldly to reject whatever is unknown to them. For astronomy is not only pleasant, but also very useful to be known: it cannot be denied that this art unfolds the admirable wisdom of God.”