Back from gone #3 Giving worries to God and believing in His promises

Exploiting tensions over immigration and home-grown jihadis

A great wooden horse (the horse being the emblem of Troy), hiding an elite force inside, and fooling the Trojans into wheeling the horse into the city as a trophy, today repeated for Europe, which that mighty man wrought and endured in the carven horse, wherein all the chiefs of the Islamic State are sitting, bearing to the Europeans death and fate! – At the Istanbul Archaeological Museum in Istanbul, Turkey

The massive influx of people fleeing the wars in their countries is frightening lots of Europeans and Americans. The refugees come by thousands and for many this could be as a Horse of Troy, bringing in also dangerous Muslim extremists.

Throughout Europe we see lots of anti-refugee activities and people trying to bring fear over others about a possible Islamisation of Europe. Others also consider this a time to save Europe from Jewish domination. Apparently Jack Sen wants to merge a host of tiny groups under his leadership and call it the ‘Jack Sen Five.’ Those who seemed to have been gone now seem to come back, like the former leader of the English Defence League, Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, often known by the pseudonym Tommy Robinson, who will make his political comeback next month by fronting the relaunch of the UK arm of Pegida, the German anti-Islam organisation whose provocative rhetoric has prompted attacks on refugees. Rallies by the Pegida movement demanding a tightening of German immigration policies in Germany and Belgium could attract many people. When we look at and hear these protesters their slogans we can hear similar reactions as Germany heard in the 1930s. This time all over Europe we start finding people of all ages marching against a multicultural society. In France the anti-immigrant party, the National Front, after the November attacks, got yesterday at the regional elections again a gain of lots of votes, giving it now a fixture of the political landscape.

The “Alternative für Deutschland” (AfD) founded only a few months before the 2013 Bundestag election, managed to grow very rapidly and can be considered to be the most successful new party since 1953. but the one who wanted to be sole party leader,was ousted in favour of Frauke Petry, until then Bernd Lucke his co-leader and head of the Saxonian state party. Once received a place in the European parliament only two of the seven MPs elected in May 2014 remained loyal to the party. Christian fundamentalism and the interests of the formerly landed aristocracy (von Storch) and UKIP-style euroscepticism (Pretzell) could find their place in the party, but State level leaders such as Höcke (Thuringia), Poggenburg (Saxony-Anhalt), and, more recently, Gauland (Brandenburg) have re-discovered the rhetoric of the 19th century Völkische Bewegung that pre-dated the Nazis, and are building bridges to Germany’s New Right “think-tanks” as well as to Pegida and other anti-refugee and islamophobic groups. {Kai Arzheimer, Professor of Political Science at the University of Mainz and Visiting Fellow, Department of Government, University of Essex in Kai Arzheimer- Germany’s new AfD party: state of play}

The Jews from their site are fearing that the Muslims may become a potential hazard because intolerance is an integral part of their culture (according to them and many others).

The report, by the anti-racist group Hope Not Hate, chronicles 920 anti-Muslim organisations and key Islamophobes in 22 countries, noting that such groups are becoming increasingly well-resourced, particularly in the US, where eight foundations have donated more than £38m since the 9/11 attacks. In those groups we may also find people who call themselves Christian, but clearly show a lot of hate to people of an other skin colour and of an other faith than their own.

Hope Not Hate’s chief executive, Nick Lowles, warned that in Europe the hatred of Muslims

“was moving from the margins to the political mainstream”

while in the UK violence and prejudice against Muslims was likely to increase as far-right groups exploit tensions over immigration and homegrown jihadism. {Anti-Muslim prejudice ‘is moving to the mainstream’}

After the financial crisis we seen the last decade the ideas of the 1930s are flourishing again.

In the few weeks after the November 13 attacks in Paris Islamophobic attacks in London had more than tripled. In Germany and Sweden several cowardly attacks brought fire at night to state buildings which had to house the refugees.

Fundamental  Muslims and fundamental Christians

The fundamental Christians have found a counter -pole in the fundamental Muslims. The last ones do give those European conservative  and some evangelical Christians reason to make a counter movement and have them bring fear over others. They try to get others to believe that all those refugees are a danger for our religious freedom and that they will bring an end to our ‘Christian nation‘. Funny you may call it that those sympathisers with Pegida shouting out and celebrating its hatred towards refugees, Muslims, journalists, and everyone who doesn’t fit in their narrow minded world are wanting to do the same thing like the Islamic State members want to do in their region, but this time for a so called Christendom or Christian State.

Only looking at the UK we can find that Yaxley-Lennon can get more more than 109,000 followers on Twitter. He is lauded as an inspirational figure by both the militant and political wings of the counter-jihad movement. Other UK-based groups include Liberty GB, an anti-immigration political party, whose chairman is Paul Weston, the former Ukip parliamentary candidate. He is named as a regular contributor to the Gates of Vienna blog, where he writes about impending civil war against Muslims and “white genocide” in Britain. That the Gates of Vienna website inspired Norwegian mass murderer Anders Breivik and as such it is deeply troubling that they are continually available to inspire others.

Wilders delivering a speech in 2010

The Dutch politician and leader of the Party for Freedom (Partij voor de Vrijheid – PVV), Geert Wilders, raised a Roman Catholic, but left the church at his coming of age, but feels our nations are in danger of an “Islamisation” which has to be stopped soon before we shall be trampled by people who shall dominate us and shall not give us any freedom to run around like we want. For him the Quran is such a dangerous poisonous book as Mein Kampf .

Tolerance becoming a less popular act

Europe which would call herself democratic has opened and closed certain doors to bring a sort of selective politics whereby certain parties are silenced and where certain groups tried to silence others. The so called open mindedness spoken off in the 1950s seems to be far gone and the idea of a Europe for all sorts of people living in freedom with each other has come more and more under pressure. We also can see that the social media are more and more used to shun others and to be a means of putting pressure  onto others.

Many who call themselves Christian forget that the person they call the founder of Christendom or Christianity was a man of peace and tolerance. That master teacher, rabbi Jeshua, today better known as Jesus Christ, had a loving spirit not excluding others because they were not like minded or because they did not want to believe the same things he did.

That master teacher who did not want to do his own will, but managed to do the will of his heavenly Father, the Only One True God, told others about his loving Father and how that Holy Spirit wants us to come together as children of God, respecting all creatures (man, animals and plants). Today in Christendom we see again the discord between different Christian groups and a growing intolerance against other thinking denominations and in particular non-trinitarian denominations, like we could see in the 1930–1940s when several of our brothers and sisters were put in camps and killed by the German Nazis.

Putting worries aside

Lots of people are also afraid many mosques shall come to be build in their region; – Ortaköy Mosque, along the Bosphorus, in Istanbul, Turkey. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Whilst globally, anti-Muslim sentiment is growing in the wake of the attacks in Paris and concerns over the continuing refugee crisis, we should be careful not to be taken by such fear bringing people. Wrongly at least half of those surveyed in Italy and Greece by a Pew Research Center thinktank study in 2014 of seven European Union countries had a negative opinion of Muslims living in their country, with the most favourable rating of 72% in France. But a YouGov poll in the spring of this year, after the Charlie Hebdo shootings in Paris, showed 40% of French people held negative views of Muslims, the same level as in the UK.

In case those people would have a strong faith they should not be afraid that such strong faith would be erased by the fewer minority adepts of the Quran. Those who belong to the Christian faith should when they are real disciples of Jesus Christ  continue in the way of life Jesus presented to them.  That is a life where the person has an open attitude to all others and with a willingness to help everybody.

When giving a hand to those entering Europe and showing your willingness to help them it would be strange if they would act against you. concerning loosing the faith we are warned:

“Let him that thinks he is standing beware that he does not fall.” (1 Corinthians 10:12)

First of all when a believer in God trust Him instead of following those men who are trying to mislead many and to use them for their own rapport making them more powerful, the faithful to God shall receive enough knowledge from the Word of God to guide them through the difficulties and to this period of time.

Safeguarding the heart

As believers in God and following His sent one, Jeshua, the Messiah we are counseled:

“More than all else that is to be guarded, safeguard your heart, for out of it are the sources of life.” (Proverbs 4:23)

Jesus showed that it is from the heart that wicked reasoning, adultery, murder, and so forth, emanate. These things would lead to death.

18 However, whatever comes out of the mouth comes from the heart, and those things defile a man.+ 19 For example, out of the heart come wicked reasonings,+ murders, adulteries, sexual immorality,* thefts, false testimonies, blasphemies. 20 These are the things that defile a man; but to take a meal with unwashed* hands does not defile a man.” (Matthew 15:18, 19, 20)

We should always check what people say and see if they live according to what they are preaching are telling the world. Guarding against such heart reasonings by supplying the heart with life-giving spiritual nourishment, the truth from the pure Fountain of life, will keep the heart from going wrong and taking the person out of the way of life.

6 For setting the mind on the flesh means death,+ but setting the mind on the spirit means life and peace;+ 7 because setting the mind on the flesh means enmity with God,+ for it is not in subjection to the law of God, nor, in fact, can it be. 8 So those who are in harmony with the flesh cannot please God. (Romans 8:6-8)

When hearing all those protesters and the ones opposing to those with an other faith, we should take care of our imperfect mind and heart which can be like a watch that is going either too fast or too slow or having a pendulum going from one site to the other. Being guided by it could bring us serious trouble. We need to calibrate our mind and heart by God’s reliable standards.

 8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts,+ And your ways are not my ways,” declares Jehovah. 9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So my ways are higher than your ways And my thoughts than your thoughts.+ (Isaiah 55:8, 9)

when we trust God we can give Him are worries and ask Him to share His thought with us. This He did already for many ages. In the Bible we can find lots of His thoughts to guide us through life. those given words we should trust.

The phrase “In God We Trust” has long appeared on U.S. paper currency and coins. In 1956, the U.S. Congress passed a law declaring that expression the national motto of the United States. Ironically, many people — not just in that land but throughout the world — put greater trust in money and material wealth than they do in God. — (Luke 12:16-21.) we also can see that when they fear they could loose some money or that they have to share with others, they will come in disagreement and would like to exclude the others, like now the refugees.

When we really bear God in our heart and allow Him to guide us we should not worry so much. though it is one thing to claim that we trust in God, it is quite another to show it by our actions. As true Christians, we must do more than simply say that we trust in Jehovah. Just as “faith without works is dead,” so too any claim that we trust in God is meaningless unless we back it up by our actions.

26 Indeed, just as the body without spirit* is dead,+ so also faith without works is dead.+ (James 2:26)

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Preceding articles:

Back from gone #1 Aim of ungodly people

Back from gone #2 Aim of godly people

To be continued: Back from gone #4 Your inner feelings and actions

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Additional reading

1. Paris attacks darkening the world
2. Economic crisis danger for the rise of political extremism
3. Impact of the crisis on civil society organisations in the EU – Risks and opportunities
4. Walking alone?
5. A small trouble is like a pebble
6. Try driving forward instead of backwards
7. God Feeds The Birds
8. Rejoicing in the day
9. Some one or something to fear #1 Many sorts of fear
10. Some one or something to fear #3 Cases, folks and outing
11. Why is it that Christians don’t understand Muslims and Muslims do not understand Christians?
12. Patriarch Abraham, Muslims, Christians and the son of God
13. Jehovah steep rock and fortress, source of insight
14. Give your worries to God
15. Look for today
16. Joy: Foundation for a Positive Life
17. Home-stayers and their to do list

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Further literature

1. How the Migrant Crisis is Tearing Europe Apart
2. The new German “Wutbürger” – A short history of PEGIDA
3. Pegida – The German Taliban
4. Pegida holds first anti-immigration rally after Paris attack
5. Happening: Anti-Migrant Demonstranten in Dresden Carry Russische Flaggen
6. November 9th – PEGIDA Munich blocked from racist march on historically charged date
7. Neo-Nazis No-Show Their Annual March in Dresden. Is Pegida to Blame?
8. 
9. Pegida Munich – photographer handcuffed
10. Pegida Can Be Tamed
11. Diverse, Tolerant, Open – We Don’t Want Pegida
12. You Don’t Belong Here, Pegida Told
13. Pegida Marches through Stormy Munich as Citizens Block Road
14. Kai Arzheimer- Germany’s new AfD party: state of play
15. What to say?
16. #HenrietteReker – Something is rotting in Germany (and we are not talking about Volkswagen)
17. PIGIDA
18. Meanwhile Back In The Czech Republic
19. Tommy Robinson has a Right to Speak
20. @FellowLiberals: Are We Lying To Ourselves About How “Tolerant” We Are?
21. God, Help Me Not to Hate Those Who Hate
22. Promoting tolerance and respect through music
23. We’re all still friends in Sarajevo
24. Restoring Radical Empathy
25. Pakistanization of India?
26. India blames industrialised nations for deadly floods
27. The intolerance debate
28. Why Don’t Moderate Muslims Denounce Terrorism?
29. Map of the day II: Googling up racism
30. Our Cowardly Presidents #1: On Campus
31. The full response (or “Pseudo-Secularlism” versus “Hindutva” Agenda)
32. A House Divided: How Hatred Aimed At Any Group, Is an Assault On Us All
33. Jamal Bryant’s Hypocrisy and Intolerance
34. Not Easily Offended
35. How Dare He Feel Insecure?
36. Extremism
37. Auf der Flucht
38. Und Pegida sagt den Tischspruch.
39. Neue 10 Positionen der PEGIDA
40. Woher kommen die sogenannten “Flüchtlinge”?
41. Das Spiel mit der Angst
42. Ambassador Opher Aviran
43. Die Kraft ist in euch selbst
44. Wat is de toegevoegde waarde van Pegida?
45. Druk van tegenprotest houdt ruimte voor Pegida klein
46. Praktische informatie Stop Pegida in Rotterdam
47. Hatet viser sitt ansikt

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Related articles

• Who Will Resist The Islamic Invasion Of Europe?
• Europe ‘must close its doors or risk far-right backlash’
• Labour’s new leader, the press and a pig
• Anne Marie Waters: the State of Free Speech in Europe 2015
• Some Eastern European countries are welcoming refugees. Some aren’t. Here’s why.
• Europe warned of rising threat of right-wing extremism
• Timmermans fears right-wing extremism alongside refugee crisis

Back from gone #2 Aim of godly people

Overcoming feelings of anxiety

Knowing that we have a heavenly Father who loves and cares for us is a vital step in overcoming feelings of anxiety. True, it may take time to build this trust, but many have found that doing so really helps.

“When Jehovah became my Father, I finally had someone to whom I could express my inner feelings,”

says Caroline.

“This brought me so much relief!”

“Jehovah is the one who helped me to feel secure when I was left all alone without my parents,”

recalls Rachel.

“I could talk to him and ask him to help me with my problems. And he did help me.”

Those who are taken by fear by what is going on in this world should listen to Jesus. Jesus urged us to get to know his Father,

“the only true God.” (John 17:3)

“He is not far off from each one of us,”

the apostle Paul assures us. (Acts 17:27)

“Draw close to God, and he will draw close to you,”

wrote James. (James 4:8.)

Not too much giving attention to differences and worrying about the future

Jesus warned his followers to stop being anxious about their lives. (Matthew 6:25.) And wanted them to go out into the world without hesitation to proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom of God. The disciples of Christ did not have to keep moaning about the bad situation there was under the Romans. They also did not have to go on about those who did not want to believe in God or preferred to believe other things than they. But they had to show others what was written in the Word of God.

Many hoped that rabbi Jeshua was the promised Messiah who was going to liberate them from the Roman oppression. Some even thought this would have to be done by fighting. To their surprise this Jew taught them about peace and about not taking up the weapons against those who were against them.

Jesus asked them also not to worry so much about their future on this earth. Though it can be called normal and proper to be concerned about our material needs and the welfare of our loved ones. (Philippians 2:20) But when Jesus said,

“never be anxious,”

he was advising his followers to avoid undue worry — an excessive fear of tomorrow that can take the joy out of living today.(Matthew 6:31, 34.) Jesus also gave a compelling reason for avoiding undue anxiety: It is pointless.

“Who of you by being anxious can add one cubit to his life span?”

asked Jesus. (Matthew 6:27) Focusing on our worries will not extend our life by even a fraction of a second, let alone improve it. Besides, things often do not turn out as we feared. One scholar put it this way:

“Worry about the future is wasted effort, and the future of reality is seldom as bad as the future of our fears.”

Avoiding anxiety

Jesus gave several life lessons in his parables. We should listen to them and take into account about what they are. They talk about a hidden future, which is not of this system of times. In this present times we shall come to see signs, which should warn us about a much more important future coming than the future that keeps people busy.

When we have to live in this world we should always remember who made all things around us and should trust in that Divine Maker God. We can not escape living in this world but that does not mean we do have to be off this world. We should recognise that it is the God of gods Who provides food for birds and clothes flowers with beauty and that it is Him Who also will provide the necessities of life for humans who make His worship a priority in their life. (Matthew 6:25, 26, 28-30)

Today lots of people are anxious about the amount of refugees coming into their country. Lots of Christians but also non-believers are afraid those refugees will bring an Islamisation into Europe or our Western nations. But why are they so afraid? In case enough people would really believe in the One True God, they should not have to worry. The opposite, in case they have such a strong feeling about their true religion and about their true God they should trust in that God Who will make them strong enough to use them for the calling of the others. In case the Christians would really follow the teachings of Christ then they would believe in the Only One True God, the God of Abraham, Who is Allah and the same God of Jews and Muslims. When they would follow the teachings of Christ Jesus, as real Christians should do, they would be preachers of the Word of God, bringing the Gospel all over the world. Then they could call those refugees why Jesus is so important in our lives and why we should get to know him more and better. Because Jesus is the Way. Jesus is the Way to God and the Way to life.

Jehovah God is the living God, the Fountain of life, Who has no beginning or end of existence (Jer 10:10; Da 6:20, 26; Joh 6:57; 2Co 3:3; 6:16; 1Th 1:9; 1Ti 1:17; Ps 36:9; Jer 17:13) who has sent His son to the world to show God’s creatures the Way to life. The apostle John quotes Jesus as saying:

“For God loved the world so much that he gave his only-begotten Son, in order that everyone exercising faith in him might not be destroyed but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)

Those who believe in God and His sent one should not be full of fear for people coming to their nations or having Muslims teaching their faith.  They should know that God has given His promises to Abraham, David, Jesus and Jesus his followers that

“the creation itself also will be set free from enslavement to corruption and have the glorious freedom of the children of God.” (Romans 8:14-23)

The prophetic vision of Revelation 21:1-4 points to the time of “a new heaven” and “a new earth” and gives the promise that then

“death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore.”

Since this promise is given, not to spirit creatures, but specifically to “mankind,” it gives assurance that a new earthly society of humankind living under the “new heaven” will experience restoration of mind and body to fullness of health and everlasting life as earthly “children of God.”

Therefore we do have something positive to look for. But as long as we live in this system of things, we do have to take one day at a time.

“Never be anxious about the next day,”

said Jesus,

“for the next day will have its own anxieties.”

Would you not agree that

“each day has enough of its own troubles”? (Matthew 6:34.)

By heeding Jesus’ wise advice, we can spare ourselves physical harm. More than that, we will find an inner calm—what the Bible calls “the peace of God.” (Philippians 4:6, 7.)

Way of life

Many have become afraid that Muslims would take away their life chances. But man should not fear other men, but fear God and remember what God’s Words tells us.

Jehovah, the Fountain of life, has revealed the way of life through his Word of truth. The Lord Jesus Christ

“shed light upon life and incorruption through the good news.” (2 Timothy 1:10)

He told his disciples:

“It is the spirit that is life-giving; the flesh is of no use at all. The sayings that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.”

A little later Jesus asked his apostles whether they were going to leave him, as others had. Peter replied:

“Lord, whom shall we go away to? You have sayings of everlasting life.” (John 6:63, 66-68)

The apostle John called Jesus “the word of life,” and said:

“By means of him was life.” (1 John 1:1, 2; John 1:4.)

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Preceding: Back from gone #1 Aim of ungodly people

Continues with: Back from gone #3 Giving worries to God and believing in His promises

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Additional reading

1. Fear knocked at the door
2. Securing risks
3. Dealing with worries in our lives
4. Bad things no punishment from God
5. Some one or something to fear #1 Many sorts of fear
6. Some one or something to fear #3 Cases, folks and outing
7. When discouraged facing opposition
8. In Defense of the truth
9. Why is it that Christians don’t understand Muslims and Muslims do not understand Christians?
10. Patriarch Abraham, Muslims, Christians and the son of God
11. The truth is very plain to see and God can be clearly seen
12. Creator and Blogger God 9 A Blog of a Book 3 Blog about Prophecy
13. A concrete picture of what is to come in the future
14. Aligned
15. A small trouble is like a pebble
16. Fearing the right person
17. Time for global change
18. Come ye yourselves apart … and rest awhile (Mark 6:31)
19. You God hold the future
20. Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God
21. Jesus begotten Son of God #7 A matter of the Future
22. Faith, hope and love abide
23. Bible a guide – Bijbel als gids
24. The Bible is a today book
25. Coming to the end of the year
26. Finish each day and be done with it
27. Look for today
28. Rejoicing in the day
29. God Feeds The Birds
30. Give your worries to God
31. Happy is the person who knows what to remember of the past
32. A Living Faith #5 Perseverance
33. So it will be on the day when …
34. Miracles of revelation and of providence 1 Golden Thread and Revelation
35. End Times
36. Man’s plans prevailed by God’s purpose

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Further reading

1. The “Mass Shootings Map” Propaganda Should Convince You to Carry At All Times
2. San Bernardino latest in series of U.S. mass shootings since 2012
3. Tragedy, politicians and the media
4. Turkey pokes the Russian Bear The grand coalition against ISIS is growing to include Germany along with France, while Turkey pokes the Russian Bear
5. Could God Be Against Us?
6. Thoughts about saints and suffering in the Last Days (Letter to Lighthouse Trails)
7. 7.5 magnitude earthquake strikes remote region of Peruvian jungle
8. Cooking Was Not Fun Because It Was Survival | Ileana Johnson – Freedom Outpost
9. It’s too late now
10. Gasping For Air
11. Anxiety and Drafts
12. Anxiety Looms Above The Mind Making A Fuss Out Of Nothing, by Drem (blog post)
13. When You Feel Like Giving Up
14. Exit Strategy End Times: ” Awake to the twilight of God’s seeking.”
15. Holy Hell…This Sh*& Is Real
16. Gray Areas
17. Mind Full v Mindful: some thoughts on mindfulness
18. Day 115- Could Cognitive Dissonance play a part in my procrastination?
19. What a joy it is
20. Joy in the morning
21. Which spiritual teachings/religions lead to enlightenment or God

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Related articles

• JEHOVAH is the Greatest
• Relationship
• Breakthrough to Peace
• God The Father
• Give it to God!
• Our Need His Help
• Slavery
• Anticipated Arrival

Philippians 4:4–7 – Do Not Be Anxious

Last year the Christadelphians and several Bible Students in Belgium had a lot of worries and tried to get more and better contact with different believers in the Low Countries. They wanted the different communities sharing ideas and working more together.

.

From all up the North (Riga) there was real sabotage which ignited also opposition from the United Kingdom and Australian bases, making the Belgian Christadelphians even more isolated.

We only now came acroos this interesting writing by Phillip J. Long which also looks at the writing of the apostle Paul which we also took as our guide in this difficult time of making church.

Often we as simple humans forget the role of the guiding or directing hand of the Most High in His time period. We so often want to hurry up things, not taking into account that it is perhaps not according to God His Plan or time scheme.

Often we worry too much about worldly matters, getting enough people at the meeting, being able to pay the bills, getting the publications ready in time, etc. instead of letting it come like it comes…

The difficulties we encounter today or nothing compared to the difficulties of the first followers of Christ. In our civilised industrialist democratic countries we are not imprisoned for our beliefs and do not have to worry to be executed for our faith, yet we are so often afraid about what others might think and how others react. We should learn more from the examples of the apostles, like Paul who rejoiced in his circumstances, modelling the kind of attitude not only he desires from the congregation, but which Christ would like to see as the ignition key for a trusting Christian congregation.

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You may read also:

1. A rebellious movement founded on a fake?
2. Are you religious, spiritual, or do you belong to a religion, having a faith or interfaith
3. Inculturation today calling for a different attitude
4. Problems attracting and maintaining worshippers
5. Others that hinder the message
6. Vision blurred by cumulative burden of divisions
7. Church has to grow through witness, not by proselytism
8. Let us not forget it was God who chose us
9. Faith because of the questions
10. Fear of failure, and fear of the unknown
11. Disciple of Christ counting lives and friends dear to them
12. Aim High: Examples of Godly Characters to follow
13. Follower of Jesus part of a cult or a Christian
14. Being Christian, following Jesus Christ
15. Parts of the body of Christ
16. What part of the Body am I?
17. The Church, Body of Christ and remnant Israel synonymous
18. Being Missional
19. Flowing out from a genuine spiritual “heart”
20. Our openness to being approachable
21. Words in the world
22. Looking from different perspectives
23. Belonging to or being judged by
24. Jerusalem and a son’s kingdom
25. Anti-church movements and Humanism
26. Quibbling siblings united or allied children of an organisation or a church
27. No reconciliation possible between CBM and Duncan Heaster from Carelinks
28. Delay in publications because attack from outside
29. A man from the North wanting to have control in Belgium
30. Our openness to being approachable
31. Let us not fret or worry about next season
32. Fearing the right person
33. God’s Time is Best
34. Together tasting a great promise
35. Change of name
36. New Name a fact
37. To whom do we want to be enslaved
38. Are you being swept along by the world
39. Encouraging one another
40. A participation in the body of Christ
41. Disciple of Christ counting lives and friends dear…
42. Priority to form a loving brotherhood
43. Not words of any organisation should bind you, but…
44. Gods hope and our hope
45. Fixing our attention

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Related articles

• Moving Through Time: Timeline of Religion (pcr.wpengine.com)
  Since the beginning of time, mankind has formed beliefs of the unexplainable and unknowable. Over thousands of years, these beliefs became traditional, customary, and institutionalized within regional societies. People continue to express an interest in spiritual matters from all corners around the world. Everybody has pondered the meaning of life, what happens after we die, what existed before us, and whether any other life exists in the universe. Mankind may never know concrete answers regarding the spiritual. In fact, humans may destroy the planet before we can discover the remaining life in unexplored regions. Nevertheless, we continue to seek spiritual enlightenment and a connection with our Creator.
• Without the Spirit one is not lead and guided into all truth (reformedontheweb.wordpress.com)
  Since the imagination of man, like all the other faculties of his moral being, is permeated and vitiated by sin, the ideas it suggests, even when pondering the Divine oracles, are prone to be mistaken and corrupt. It is part of our sinful infirmity that we are unable of ourselves to interpret God’s Word aright; but it is part of the gracious office of the Holy Spirit to guide believers into the truth, thereby enabling them to apprehend the Scriptures. This is a distinct and special operation of the Spirit on the minds of God’s people, whereby He communicates spiritual wisdom and light unto them, and which is necessary unto their discerning aright the mind of God in His Word, and also their laying hold of the heavenly things found therein.
• About us / Over ons/Belgian Church (muchadoaboutbiblicaltruths.wordpress.com)
  In the first century church, the ecclesia took place in people’s homes. It talks about the apostles and disciples going from house to house teaching and preaching the gospel of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
• Not bounded by labels but liberated in Christ (christadelphians.wordpress.com)
  As followers of Christ we should have taken on new clothes and though we may have the same old physical brain, we should have been transformed in a new being. Every day again we should be working on our new construction and should we learn to think an entirely new way.
• 5 Reasons to Join a Small Group – An Introduction (mycrosspointechurch.wordpress.com)
  In a matter of weeks, God had brought exponential growth the church.  What so astounding is that, even with that many people, there were no needs among the people (which was the reality by the end of Acts 2).

  How was it that the church met those needs?  How was it that there was such a unity in their midst.  The answer is tucked away for us, I believe, at the end of Acts 5.  Acts 5:42 reads, “And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching that the Christ is Jesus.”

• Prayer for the Whole Church and Those in Authority (prayerfromtheheart.net)
  Give grace, O heavenly Father, to all ministers and all your humble servants, that they may all, by their lives and doctrine set forth Your true and lively Word, and rightly and duly administer Your holy Sacraments.
• VATICAN – Pope: Conform to Christ and not this world, and follow His path (asianews.it)
  At the Sunday Angelus Pope Francis warns against becoming “worldly” and “tasteless salt”. “Watered down Christians” are like watered down wine, “you do not know whether it is wine or water”. Read the Gospel every day. Gospel, Eucharist, prayer help us to safeguard the newness of Jesus.
• When The Sin Of Contention Comes (Bible tools commentary by John W. Ritenbaugh) (prophecynewsandviews.wordpress.com)
  A quarrel that could be easily settled if both parties were humble continues indefinitely when parties are arrogant. Why? Because pride plows the way for contempt for the others opinion. Pride inflames passion and wounds feelings. Because of competitiveness, also an aspect of pride, a person feels he has to fight back. And so the argument goes back and forth.
• Let us not fret or worry about next season (belgianbiblestudents.wordpress.com)
  Last season we like the Belgian Christadelphians perhaps had set our hopes to much on human beings, hoping they would not be as partial to prohibit brothers and sisters in Christ to join hands and have meetings together.

  In the midst of our many activities our minds should have been on the eternal and the magical ways of the universe, trusting God He would be the One Who brings the Chosen ones unto Him.

Reading Acts

While the following commands from Paul seem unrelated to the theme of unity, Frank Thielman argues they ought to be read in the context of persecution (Philippians, NIVAC, 217-9). While this is not an Empire-wide systematic persecution of believers, we have already seen several times in the letter than the church at Philippi was a small community of believers who are in many ways “different” from the Roman culture around them. The existence of a group of people who “have the mind of Christ” is enough to be suspicious, and suspicion easily gives way to gossip, wild accusations and pressure to conform. This sort of social pressure can be difficult to accept and a source of great fear for the church. Paul’s series of short exhortations in these verses are therefore designed to give comfort and encouragement to endure.

First, Paul encourages the church to set aside worry…

View original post 667 more words

Let us not fret or worry about next season

Map of Belgium showing the provinces (black lines) and regions (colours). Yellow = Flanders Dutch speaking, Red = Wallonia French speaking, Blue = German-speaking part, Orange = Brussels Capital Region (37 languages). (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Last season we like the Belgian Christadelphians perhaps had set our hopes to much on human beings, hoping they would not be as partial to prohibit brothers and sisters in Christ to join hands and have meetings together.

In the midst of our many activities our minds should have been on the eternal and the magical ways of the universe, trusting God He would be the One Who brings the Chosen ones unto Him. Perhaps we thought of hastening. We thought maybe the business to accelerate by trying to bring the different Christadelphian groups together and by showing our openness to all those who believe in the Only One God.

Marcus Ampe and his ecclesia could not convince Carelinks to share the love of Christ. Also other Christadelphian groups did not want to unite with the man from the North or with Australian Bible Students. We too are somewhat left in the cold, not seeing an opportunity to have many brethren and sisters meeting each other and finding more places in Belgium to Break Bread together.

We stay convinced that we should not show partiality and try to get the impartiality of God in our midst as well. If we take time for books of a spiritual nature, deep conversation, singing songs together, sharing helpful exhortations, watching uplifting movies, our meditations will be much more effective. Our subconscious will also act on what it has been programmed by all day.

We often hear :

Focus on miracles and beauty you get miracles and beautiful situations. Focus on problems and competition and you get more problems, competition and worries.

We, for sure, want to concentrate on the positive, and want to forget soon what happened this year in the Belgian community.

When we heard of the trials of Mr. Ampe we where afraid it could turn wrong. Our fear turned grounded. Certain people are too stubborn and on their own and to much looking for personal gain, so that they would not be ready for such unselfish openness Mr. Ampe presented to them and the different groups.

There’s nothing to be ashamed of when it comes to fail trying to do good or to fear. Fear can be part of a survival instinct, and the Scriptures tell us that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Still, there is a fear that can overwhelm us at times. There’s a fear that can rob us of faith and trust. Faith and fear are opposites in some Biblical texts. We should not let the fear of being alone or being a small group take us. We are not with many, but this should not frighten us. In the present world it shall become even worse for God fearing people. They will find themselves even more isolated from the rest of the world. Because the world is not interested in God and does not like so much people who love God. We just have to accept that and have to live with it.

Panic can take over when we have our eyes on the worldly things. We had our hopes on a growing community. We did have our hopes on the possibility to offer people living in Oostende, Brugge, Gent and Antwerp to find more people willing to join them. It would have been lovely if we could have send the Bible Students living around the Belgian coast to a Carelinks meeting or to have other brothers and sisters in Christ finding each other so that they could make arrangements to meet each other in their own region.

The apostle Paul knew very well what it meant to be in isolation. He also got to see how important it was not to focus too much on the human beings, but to remember that the peace of God can guard our hearts and minds (Philippians 4:7) whilst we put all our hope to the Most High.

We like Paul wanted all the household churches and all the Christians to be harmonious so that they could stand firm against the opposition as one body. We can listen to him who said:

“4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:4-7 NIV)

Though it did not work out, we should not be sad. Though we still are with few (less than before) , we should be glad in the Lord at all times. We shall not get us depressed and shall show to others that we keep our doors opened to all who want to join us. Like the Belgian Christadelphian ecclesia shall keep her doors open and all the time showed their gentle behaviour, we too shall show our friendliness and love to others, working with them and not against them who show their love for the Only One True God. We do want to be clear to all men, we shall not give in to the doctrines of people and keep to the Word of God, having Christ Jesus as our cornerstone and not one specific human organisation.

We are convinced that Jehovah God is near and that we should not be afraid to stand in the cold, left behind. to our brothers and sisters we also would say:

Have no cares; but in everything with prayer and praise put your requests before God.

We shall keep asking to God that He will guide us and will provide us with the right people to make us grow as a good Christian Community, according to His wishes. We are convinced that in our hopes we shall not have to be saddened but can trust on the peace of God, which is deeper than all knowledge, which will keep our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

For next season we do ask our members not to fret or worry.

Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns.

The coming season we shall continue to show people how human beings made up a church which sought to further define what is meant by the foundational creedal statements she has, at various important moments in history, drawn up creeds, confessions, and catechisms, but how throughout the times several people seriously took the Word of God as the Book of books to follow. We shall continue to give preference to God’s Word as our guide instead of adhering human groups and specific personalities.

When Jesus said

 “You are the light of the world,”

he meant that you and I are to let our lights shine for Jesus.  In the original Greek, Jesus uses the plural meaning

“you all together are the world’s light.”

(We don’t see this in English because we make no distinction between plural and singular.)  Jesus meant Christians corporately are the light, not any one individual. How could any single light brighten this dark world?

As such we still shall try to unit as much people as possible and to show them who Jesus was and is, what role he plays in our sanctification and our possibility to find a better life.

We shall continue to show people that it is not just by faith we shall be saved.
We shall hope we can bring many more to the faith in Christ Jesus. But we shall also show them we do need to live according to that faith we choose. We shall also show them that we need to help each other to reach the goal, so that we when we come in front of the returned Jesus shall be found worthy to enter the Kingdom of God. We shall show the people that  Jesus will judge everyone according to what they have done. (Romans 2:5-6; Matthew 5:22; 7;2;25: 31-45; Revelation 20: 12.13).

Keeping that in mind we shall continuously try to bring more people together under the name of Christ, following his example, doing good, seeking after the glory honor and immortality God offers.

Those who  wanted to live for themselves, have power for them selves, we shall try to bring to a better attitude, showing that we all need together to work for the same good cause, giving ourselves in the Hands of God, obeying the truth and giving full ear to Jehovah God and not preferring human organisations above God His Wishes.

Prayer has comforted us in sorrow and we did find hope in the willingness of the few to continue preaching and going forward trying to unite people in the love of Christ.

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Preceding articles:

An academic year ending, again a new year standing ready for us

Our openness to being approachable

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Read also:

1. God is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him
2. Hope does not disappoint us
3. Focus on outward appearances
4. Walking alone?
5. God doesn’t call the qualified
6. Christadelphian people
7. Not many coming out with their community name
8. Certain people trying to stem freedom of speech
9. Censorship possible by a person and his organisation
10. Attackers silenced freedom of speech
11. A man from the North wanting to have control in Belgium
12. Iranian refugees in Belgium baptised by Carelinks
13. Antwerp Ecclesia
14. Delay in publications because attack from outside
15. Members of the ecclesia uniting and seeking God’s help in tribulation
16. No reconciliation possible between CBM and Duncan Heaster from Carelinks
17. Priority to form a loving brotherhood
18. Cleanliness and worrying or not about purity
19. Prayer, important aspect in our life
20. People who know how to pray to move God to take hold of our affairs in a mighty way
21. Give your worries to God
22. Prayer has comforted us in sorrow
23. Work with joy and pray with love

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Related articles

• Soul-searching questions, by Charles Box (fellowshiproom.org)
  Paul exhorted the Philippian Christians to diligence and seriousness in the Christian life. His teachings to these brethren provide us with some soul searching question.
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  We are required to work out our own salvation. We cannot be saved on the goodness of our parents or the faithfulness others. Salvation is a personal matter and each person must obey God himself.Our obedience begins with our belief in Christ as our Savior, repen­tance of our sinful ways and baptism for the forgiveness of our sins. Our obedience continues as we live according to His word as revealed to us in the New Testament.
• Philippians 2 (King James Version.) The Bible in government. (moralupbringing.com)
  If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, 2 Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be like minded , having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind . 3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. 4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. 5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus
• Fan or Follower? | Part 2 (comeawake.org)
  Don’t be too quick to choose one over the other. Don’t make the mistake of answering this question like all the other questions you’ve been asked by preachers, Sunday School teachers, and Small Group leaders. This isn’t a knowledge-based question. It’s a heart-based question. It’s a conviction-based question. It’s a commitment-based question.
• Find the good, hold fast to it, and be not moved. (madisonamydunne.wordpress.com)
  This week a lot of us had emergency changes because a lot of new missionaries came to our mission from other missions in Peru
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  We must read the Bible, realize that He formed it built upon prophets, apostles, and that His church has the authority of God.
• Faith Is Based On Knowledge By Andrew Wommack (zillasnetworks.wordpress.com)
  all things that pertain unto life and godliness are given unto us through the knowledge of God.
  Certainly, faith must be one of those things because without faith it is impossible to please God (Heb. 11:6). So faith must come through the knowledge of God.
• Needs (johnjohnsonsgranddaughter.wordpress.com)
  There are 21 verses from the bible on Needs
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  The only thing that I truly need, everyday, more than food and water, is Christ.  But you knew that, right?
• Book of Philippians (brakeman1.com)
  The Greek word for brothers and sisters (adelphoi) refers here to believers, both men and women, as part of God’s family; also in verse 14; and in 3:1, 13, 17; 4:1, 8, 21.
• earth moving principles (mobilisedbygod.wordpress.com)
  It is amazing that many of our opportunities to serve others comes through praying for those opportunities. Nehemiah understood the power of prayer, and so he prayed as soon as he received news of Jerusalem’s continued desolation.
• ‘Not Just a Blonde’: Worrying Steals… (cultureofawareness.com)
  Worrying doesn’t take away tomorrow’s troubles, it steals today’s peace! Worrying is just not a helpful thing to do! Worry keeps us stuck in our fears. It forces us to focus on the negative possibilities and blinds us.
• Fear: The Absence of Peace (inspirationalchristiansfortoday.com)
  When fear is present, peace is absent. Fear robs our peace of mind, weakens our resolve, disturbs our rest, and even causes us to question the presence of God. Fear is an emotion that will hinder our walks with Christ unless we learn to face it and overcome it with the grace of God.

Life is too precious

In 1999 Marcus Ampe got his second near death experience and was literally paralysed for 6 months. After ten years revalidation he started feeling again as ‘the old Marcus’ and started kicking again.

He never could resist to have some comments on our society in his artistic works. His ballet on the First Chechen War with Russia and the inhuman conditions in  Chechnya, making a lot of commotion. As choreographer and dance teacher he was never afraid to say what was on his lips. As Christian preacher he wanted to follow the task Jesus had ordered to his disciples, spreading the Good News. But such Good Tidings and warnings about how to make something of our life were not exactly welcome, so he had to endure many difficulties, also at his work. Not afraid so much of people, but more fearing God, he always continued to spread the message of peace and human respect.

Having had 2 nearly death experiences in his life, he knows what it is to be alife, and would like to get people to understand the importance of having the opportunity to be alive and kicking well.

According to him prediction is not easy, but in case we would know the past much better we could have an idea where the world is heading to in the the future. As teacher of the history of ballet, he always wanted his pupils to compare the past with the contemporary time and to have an open mind about evolutions in the world of art but also in the world of politics, because there shall always a connection between them.

To predict the future one needs to know all of the past and the now. But he is aware that knowledge will always be partial, and therefore (according to him)  predictions will never be reliable except when they do come from people send by God, namely the prophets speaking in the name of God. But we should always be careful not to fall in the hands of false teachers and false prophets.

“To make something of our life we should have an open mind.” he says. “We should be aware of what happens in the world but also of which position we would like to take in that world. Often we do think we can not change anything, but that is not believing in the possibility of the complementary rules that all small bits can make one bigger unit, and can make a difference.”

For Mr. Ampe it is clear that we do have to take our responsibility. He does not agree as so many other Christian preachers preach that we as Christians should stay politically neutral and should stay away from any discourse. ‘Though making up a mind and taking stance does not mean we do have to go into a political party, that is something totally different.” According to him we should give to the system what the system demands (giving Caesar what the emperor asks said Jesus). “Having a democratic system people are or should be given the right or/and duty to vote. In Belgium it is compulsory to vote, so we should bring out our voice and vote for those who come closest to our opinion, our Judeo-Christian values, even when we do have to chose the best one from the bad ones.”

“We only live once. It is all in the Now, that we do have to make it. We can not take anything into our death. All will end up in the grave or in the incinerator.” The Christadelphians do believe that there is no spirit that leaves the body to go to a heaven, a hell or a purgatory. “Once death it is finished. With death we have paid for our sins.” Which should be a warning “We do have to make it here on earth. In case you postpone everything until a later date, it can well be the date you wanted to do it shall never come into your life. There is no time like the present.”

For some years Marcus Ampe said that we had to be careful not to listen too much to all those doom-preachers and lots of American mega church preachers who may count a lot of followers and really succeed to fill their enormous meeting-rooms. But they could well be the falls teachers Jesus warned us for.  Several evangelicals try to frighten people for the end of the world, which is near. Mr. Ampe agrees that we clearly can see signs that the End-times are near, if they did not start yet. “But before we shall hear the final whistle we shall have to face a third world war. People shall not be able to leave over the Plan of God and Armageddon. Though they should be aware that it is know that they can prepare themselves and that they should be trying to get as many people ready.”

On several occasions he told people not so much to fear the end of the world, because it will come when it is destined to come. “At the moment we do see that somehow some people started to become afraid of what is going on in the world. Some even prepare themselves by doing exercises to survive, building stock, building bunkers, you can’t image how crazy it can be.” Instead of wasting no time worrying about what can not be changed or avoided we should be conscious of what we do can change and on what we can work to have a better world to live in. “We do not have to work to have a better heaven. Those who will be judged to enter the Kingdom of God, shall be judged for what they have done in their lifetime on earth, and not on what they had planned to do.”

“When we get too involved with the fear of the end of our lives and the world, we forget to enjoy the time we have been blessed with.” Out of experience he is assured that we got the chance to live on this earth and should be thankful to the Creator for being allowed to be here on this earth.  “So many people never see the blessings they receive every day of the Most High. Often they do not think about God, but as soon as something goes wrong they accuse Him of letting something go wrong and wonder ‘Why?’.”

“Instead of blaming God, people should think more about what went wrong in the world and what really caused it. There  are so many things we do have in our own hands. Even elements of nature. Instead of taking care of avoiding pollution and respecting the environment, we continue our selfish  behaviour, destroying gods Creation, of which He asked men to take care of” (Editorial note: At the beginning of humankind in the Garden of Eden.)

“We should be pleased that we can live and thank God for our blessings as well. Fear for what is around us and for what might come in the future distracts us from our relationship with God. We should work much more at making that relation as best as we can, while most people are putting most efforts in trying to be accounted for the world, having a place high on the ladder in the community. Their position in the world is much more important for them, and as such they walk away from faith in the Only One God.”

For him it is clear that we can fix the problems of the world ourselves, but to do so we shall need to be humble enough to recognise what we are doing wrong and what others can do better. According to him we also can not expect everybody to believe in the same values or things like we do. In case people want to believe in other gods than our God, we should allow them. Also those who do not want to believe in any God, we should give them a proper place in the world, because God allows all of them to be here. “We should respect Gods choice. It is He who allows plants, animals, human beings, governments to be on this earth. In the Garden of Eden man disputed Gods right to govern, so He has given men the right to look for solutions and systems to govern the world himself. In case we can not come up to the challenge we do not have to accuse God of being unrighteous.”

Living creatures given unto us for joy

Life is to precious to have let it be wasted. So we should take care that those in charge shall also be respectful to everything God has given to humankind for its best. “All the living creatures including ourselves should be our main focus.”

“Having local and provincial elections we should be conscious that it is this year not about electing those in charge of the whole country, but for those who are going to direct the guidelines for the future of the village, city and for those in charge of the province. But we should also follow what is happening in the world and get others to know our idea about governing a small unit, a city, a country but also a state. We should be aware of the consequences when people are going to vote for a president, and what implication this could have not only on their community but also on other people everywhere in the world. All the small countries are just a ping-pong ball in the global game. The world has become so complex that we cannot avoid any interaction between all the states. What happens in the United States of America, for example, shall have a major influence on what is going to happen in Europe.”

“We also see that many conservative Christians are willing to turn back the clock for many centuries. They do think it are only the Judeo-Christian values which can bring prosperity. I also do believe we would be able to live in a better world if more people would keep to those Judeo-Christian values. But Paling enthusiasts seem to have a total different idea of liberty than the Founding Fathers of the United states of America had. They seem to prefer getting a system where their values and ideas shall have to be the rule for everybody in the community. But they do not question which denominational rules shall take over the power, and will result in that what the Pilgrim Fathers tried to escape in the 18th and 19th century.”

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You can find more ideas from Marcus Ampe on his website: Marcus’s Space

Additional reading:

1. Christian values and voting not just a game
2. Which back voters in the US wants to see
3. The trigger of Aurora shooting
4. Built on or Belonging to Jewish tradition #1 Christian Reform
5. Built on or Belonging to Jewish tradition #2 Roots of Jewishness
6. Built on or Belonging to Jewish tradition #3 Of the earth or of God
7. Built on or Belonging to Jewish tradition #4 Mozaic and Noachide laws
8. Judeo-Christian values and liberty
9. Faith related boycotts
10. Right to be in the surroundings
11. Bumpy road to success
12. Religious Practices around the world
13. Obama campaign expands faith effort
14. People of Faith for Obama video

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Also of interest:

God gave us a wonderful home and we should cherish it
With the Mayan Calendar countdown to zero pending in our minds and all the shows pushing doom and gloom there is a lot of people living in fear of the end.

Was the Apostle Paul the Original Preacher of Toxic Christianity?
The prominent religion in America is Evangelical Christianity. Belief in an inerrant, inspired Bible that is meant to be read literally is common in most every American denomination. I agree wholeheartedly with Rand that the Apostle Paul, based on his writings, would be a member on an Evangelical church.

True Christianity is a Relationship not A Religion
Any serious observer of Christianity can see that most Christians live lives opposite of what the Bible teaches.
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According to the Catholics there is One God, One Jesus, One Church, One Bible. As much as Protestants might like to say otherwise, the Catholics have the upper hand on this issue. The Protestants are the new-comers, the new kids on the block, kids who showed up 1500 years after Jesus and the first pope Peter got the whole shebang rolling.

The bottom line is this…….Christianity has ALWAYS been a religion. Christianity started as a subset of the Jewish religion, morphed into the Catholic religion, and splintered into the Protestant religion. Those trying to make a personal relationship with Jesus what REAL Christianity is have history, the Bible, and God himself against them.

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• gospel of jesus christ (meanlittleboy2.wordpress.com)
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  The solution is found in an historical person: Jesus the Chosen One (the Christ) from Nazareth. The good news is that this special person, God’s own Son, has conquered death. We read in the New Testament that he was put to death on a cross by an antagonistic world, but that God counted this tragic event as a perfect sacrifice offered to Him (Isa. 53). Those who identify themselves with this sacrificed Jesus now have hope: The hope of life.
• “Is There A Wrong Way To Be Right?” (carrythecross156.wordpress.com)
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  +
  Even if I have the right doctrine, if my motives and my attitude are wrong, I will not win my brother, which is the ultimate goal!
  +
  If our sincere desire is to win our brother, and promote unity within the brotherhood, strengthening one another on our way to heaven, I would recommend just a few practical things for you and I to implement in our own lives.
• ‘Unworthy slaves’: Listen to Jesus and do what he says (markkelly.wordpress.com)
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• A different perspective on Christianity (amustardseedsurlaroute.wordpress.com)
  

  “In Christianity neither morality nor religion come into contact with reality at any point” Friedrich Nietzsche

  The quote is from Nietzsche, but it could have come from anyone. This steadfast idea that we, Christians, life in our own world, close-minded and blind for what happens in society.

• What Tone Is Appropriate in Christian Discussion? (christcenteredteaching.wordpress.com)
  Christians today need to find their voices!Our insight as to when to speak up and which tone to use may make the difference as to whether we speak up at all.Unlike the message we are all getting from our Post-modern world today, God never meant us to keep silent, He said ,”Go and Preach the Gospel.”