JP1

I'm glad that it isn't just me! I have a few more years until I retire, but I am always dreaming about past jobs. Jobs that I haven't worked at in years. And it is always something going wrong. Oddly enough, I never dream about my current job!

I stopped frequenting Christian Forums many years ago because of adiaphora (thanks for putting a name to it). It seemed like saying "have a nice day" turned into a huge debate. I'm slowly starting to dip my toes back in the water. In all fairness, Worthy was one of the few not typically like that.

Most definitely yes!

May you have a blessed 2017!

Yes - sometimes we have to stop talking in order to hear Him talking! "Be still, and know that I am God!" Psalm 46:10

I did read the article. I thought it was interesting. I did also assume this had something to do with Christmas, based on the title. *shrugs*

Well said, MorningGlory. It seems there are always people wanting to throw a wet blanket over our joy, and we can't let that happen.

You didn't answer any of my questions, and instead went on a rant about how the WORLD views Christmas, which I acknowledged - and completely ignored my point about how Christians . . . oh, never mind. God bless you.

I don't believe that anyone in here is suggesting that we only talk about the Gospel of Christ once a year. Also, just because THE WORLD has commercialized Christmas and done their best to make it a secular holiday does not mean that we as Christians have to as well. We are not of the world, and for me and my wife, Christmas to us is about the birth of the living savior. And what do you mean by "the same old story of baby Jesus"? I don't even have a comment for that. On Easter do you talk about "that same old resurrection story"? It's bad enough that we have to deal with the secular world minimizing Christmas, but now we have to hear it from other Christians as well. I understand the frustration over the commercialization of it - completely understand - but we as Christians don't have to be a part of that.

You should have watched A Charlie Brown Christmas . . .

Awesomeness! My wife and I also got married in 1981, when we were 19 years old. A very good year for getting married!

I really do appreciate all of the hard work that the admins put in - I've done it before myself and I know it is a lot of work - but I sure hope that I can get used to this.

What difference does it make if the OP is still around or not? Someone is here reading it, aren't they? Maybe I won't have seen the original post made 3 years ago, but someone comes along and responds to it today and now I am blessed by it. I just don't see the big deal.

The focus, I believe, is inappropriate given that there doesn't seem to be first a focus first on how believing men treat women. Men don't indulge in such exposure because women don't respond to it in the same sort of way that men respond to scantily clad women. Were believing men doing what they were supposed to, simply by treating women in the ways outlined in scripture in the OP, this issue would diminish. Why can't it be both? We should be teaching our young men how to treat women in a biblical manner as the daughters of God that they are, and our young women should be taught to dress and behave in a biblical manner as the daughters of God that they are. This teaching should begin in the home, by the parents, and re-enforced in the church. If you have Godly parents who teach their children these principles (and live them themselves) then the girls won't grow up to idolize the Hollywood starlets and how they dress, and the young men will know how to treat women. We shouldn't be focused just on the males, or just on the females, but both.

Thanks for the input here (@Seabrook - I love your list. Thank you!). It sounds like I am not the only one in this boat. I will definitely keep praying over this and see where God leads me.

My wife and I need to find a new church. Anyone have advice how you have done this (without getting into advising me on any particular denomination - just in general)? My choices are somewhat limited - I live in a fairly rural area and I don't want to drive too far to go to church. There really isn't much in the way of non-denominationals around me. My wife tried the one that is closest to us and they were a bit of a hippie church (no malice intended toward hippies). You know, wearing shorts and flip flops, sitting cross-legged in the aisle during the service, etc. The other one by us puts on more of a rock concert than a church service (I'm not against contemporary services, this one just happens to be focusing on drawing in the young, and it really is hard rock). Just not our style as a middle aged couple. That leaves the denominations. There are several denominations that I will not attend, because they have embraced a sinful lifestyle, and even ordain those living in sin now (i.e. homosexuality). We really enjoyed attending the Salvation Army church services on Sunday, but we don't live anywhere near one anymore. We really do want to go to church though, preferably a vibrant, healthy one, that preaches the word of God. What's a person to do? What have others done? Do you just pick a different church every week for 4 or 5 weeks and "shop" several different churches to see if one clicks with you? Our neighbors don't attend church, and I can't ask relatives about their churches, because they all live too far away to go to their church. As I read what I am typing, I realize it sounds like I am making excuses, but I really don't want to attend a church 30 miles away, nor one that embraces sin as mentioned above. Oh, and by the way, yes, I have prayed about this, and will continue doing so.

That is interesting. I'm surprised they were willing to give up the licensing fees.

Do you believe that marriage is a covenant with God? Do you think that a priest/pastor/minister who believes that marriage is a covenant between one man and one woman with God should be forced to perform other types of marriages?

The state of Michigan is reviewing legislation that would take marriage away from the government, and - with the exception of the issuance of the marriage license itself - putting it completely in the hands of the church. "This week, state Rep. Todd Courser, R-Lapeer, introduced three House bills that would end government involvement in performing weddings and require that all marriage certificates be signed by a religious leader. These bills take our public officials on all levels out of the equation..." - http://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/politics/michigan/2015/06/19/gay-marriage-legislation-religion-michian/29018125/ I was wondering what others thought of this in general - taking marriage out of the government and putting it into the church? To me, this seems like a good idea, since marriage is a covenant between two people and God.

Now that is interesting! Not sure I would want a view of that in my back yard, but I like that it won't kill the birds.

"One professor at Purdue University estimates that China could become the largest Christian nation in the world by 2030." Wow, I had not heard that. Interesting!

"For many Americans, every day is a day of prayer." My thoughts exactly!

I would agree with the others. The dress code doesn't bother me; but rather, what are they teaching them?

Nice!