Jerry

Worth reading on this subject.
https://www.wayoflife.org/database/king_james_only.html

Those that are truly saved in this dispensation have already made their choice between the devil and the Lord. The seven years is for God to finish His plans with the nation of Israel (see Daniel 9:24-27), and to try (ie. test/prove) the rest of the world to see which they will choose: the antichrist and his one-world system or the Lord Jesus Christ.
Revelation 3:10
Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.

The Lord impressed this calling upon my heart. It is a certainty, not a feeling - and it was a calling I submitted wholeheartedly to (ie. not just a maybe I’m called and maybe it might happen someday). There is a restlessness and at times an emptiness when I am not preaching or pursuing the call to preach, and there is a joy and a peace of mind when I am actively pursuing this calling - whether preaching, preparing the messages to preach, praying about the message, the people who will be listening, and other aspects of it.
There is a certainty there, not just an impression. It is also a holy calling (this is impressed upon my heart and mind) - I can’t sincerely pursue this calling and be carnal or worldly. To be adequately prepared and filled with God’s Spirit, to get the most out of the Bible and the spiritual resources I have, I need to be submitted to the Lord to the best of my ability. Then the message comes together, I have boldness and peace, yea and even excitement as I prepare for it.
Others may have different thoughts or a different mindset about this, but this is what comes to mind when I think about the Lord and how He called me to preach, how I know it, how it affects me. It’s not just an activity I can do, it’s an inner compulsion that I want to do out of obedience to my Lord and out of love for His people (and even for the lost).

Maybe smarter in tech usage. A lot of modern technology dumbs people down. Less reading, more entertainment. Less hard working study, and more quick clicking for the answer (and I find that causes many to not value the information when it comes to Bible study). Though there are thankfully some that do appreciate God's Word that much more because now they have an ability to study it more easily that they did not before. (I know you were not necessarily referring to studying the Bible through technology, but that is something that has been on my mind and in my personal conversations with friends recently.)

Repentance is Biblical and essential to being saved, as many passages state. It is not either/or. There is no salvation apart from repentance. The Bible teaches BOTH repentance and faith. The issue is when we define repentance in an unbiblical way.
Repentance is not the outward turning from sin that comes as we walk with the Lord - it is the inward changing of mind towards sin and the Saviour* (otherwise, why look to the Saviour if you are not sorry or convicted of your sins and believe you need the Saviour to wash them away?) that will result in the outward change - but repentance is not that outward change. If it was, that would be works.
Look up the different forms of the word “repentance” (ie. repent, repented, repentance, repents), and see how it is used in the Bible. Every time it always results in a changed life - if it is true repentance. The only exception is Judas, who it says “repented himself” - it was not repentance towards God (as he did not get saved), but was regret for the consequences of his actions.
*Another Biblical term we find in regards to turning to the Lord and having our sins forgiven is “confess(ion)”, as mentioned in 1 John 1:9; Romans 10:8-9, and Proverbs 28:13 (though a different underlying word is used here). It means “to agree with, be of one mind with.” In these contexts, it is referring to being of one mind with the Lord, agreeing with Him and His Word about what He says regarding my lack of righteousness, my sinfulness and my need for the Saviour. That is both what the OT Law did (showed us our sinfulness and need of the Saviour, by showing us that we broke God’s Law and we needed someone to pay sin’s price), and the ministry of the Holy Spirit as stated in John 16:7-11, to convict of sin, righteousness, and judgement.
The Bible teaches there will be good fruit in a true believer’s life - though it does not say how much, what kind, or how soon they bear fruit. If they never bear good fruit somewhere along the way, then they were never saved, according to multiple passages.

I agree totally with Happy Christian. Sins that are an abomination are ones that God is more against (and I think judges more swiftly and greater judgement for), AND all the sins that the OT taught were abominations are still such in God's sight. Some of those sins are all types of sexual sins (other than adultery and fornication - they are not called abomination as sodomy, bestiality, prostitution, offering profane/unholy sacrifices to God, any kind of involvement in the occult (see Deuteronomy 18:9-12), wearing clothes pertaining to the opposite gender, etc.; though the Bible is very clear against spiritual adultery), idolatry, kidnapping.
One clarification I will make though is: eating unclean food is referred to as an abomination - but not to God. (It is part of the ceremonial law that would be done away in Christ.) It was abominable to the Israelites. (Look up all the times the word "abomination" is used and see the difference, including in the chapters dealing with clean and unclean foods.)
The Bible teaches that cities (and I would say, individuals) which rejected the Lord Jesus Christ would bear greater judgement (Matthew 11:20-24). Those who sin against more light will have greater punishment. Those who were preeminent in the betrayal and trial of Christ, like Judas (Matthew 26:24) and Pilate, will have greater punishment. Those who lead children astray (Matthew 18:6; Mark 9:42) - especially believing children will have greater judgement. In Revelation 18:4, this judgement is also pronounced on the endtimes religious system.

It's not an issue of forgive and forget. If it was a manner of "the Lord taking over the situation" when you pray, then the NT wouldn't have instructions on how to deal with problem pastors or members.
What is the church leadership doing (in this case)? Do they contradict the Bible in their doctrine and in their practices (for lack of a better word)? If a pastor has abused his authority or treated members in a wrong/sinful manner, has he made it right or is this an ongoing issue? If ongoing, then a person needs to take one or more witnesses to speak with the pastor. If the pastor repents, then unless the issue keeps coming up again, then it should be fine to put it behind you. If the pastor continually abuses his authority, then perhaps it is time to find another church. A spiritually-abusive pastor can do a lot of damage over time.
This may answer some questions: https://www.wayoflife.org/free_ebooks/pastors_deacons_members.php

Just to clarify: Mary is not the mother of God. She is the mother of Jesus, of His human nature.
I have heard various messages through the years about Mary's faith, about how the Lord used Mary, her as an example to us, her words "whatsoever He saith to you, do it"). She was only a virgin until after the birth of Jesus. She had at least 6 other children (four sons, and at least two daughters, because the passages say "sisters").
She certainly was a godly woman, a woman of faith. Of course, we should teach about her as much as any other Bible character - but not exalt her or focus on her more exclusively than anyone else (not saying you are trying to do that - just want to clarify, as I came from a nominal Catholic background).

Just to clarify: Mary is not the mother of God. She is the mother of Jesus, of His human nature.
I have heard various messages through the years about Mary's faith, about how the Lord used Mary, her as an example to us, her words "whatsoever He saith to you, do it"). She was only a virgin until after the birth of Jesus. She had at least 6 other children (four sons, and at least two daughters, because the passages say "sisters").
She certainly was a godly woman, a woman of faith. Of course, we should teach about her as much as any other Bible character - but not exalt her or focus on her more exclusively than anyone else (not saying you are trying to do that - just want to clarify, as I came from a nominal Catholic background).

I didn't say anyone shouldn't reach out to sinners or be cloistered off from them. I gave my opinion of how I thought I and other preachers could use Facebook safely. You can reach out to the lost without linking to their profiles and associations. Years ago, when everyone was focussed on websites (more than social media), to link to another site meant you endorsed them, put your stamp of approval on them. To me the same principle applies here - especially if you are trying to reach the lost for the Lord - having them follow links from your profile to other ones that teach falsehood, teach another gospel, or present religious information that would lead them astray would be counterproductive to what you say you are doing. And this is criminal and unjustifiable when it is actually within your ability to control. You can't control who links to you - a sound ministry - but you can control who you link to. If they follow an immoral or lost person's profile to get to you - great! But if they are already visiting your ministry profile, they don't need to be led astray from that.
Personally, I find it very morally damaging and offensive, for example, to click on someone's profile, wondering how they were connected to you or someone you knew, and then be flooded with profile pics of their women "friends" that basically have their breasts hanging out of their shirts or showing more skin than any true believer should ever be showing in public, or you are flooded with pics and posts that are full of swearing and sexual suggestiveness, or even all types of idolatry.
And for the record, I am not telling anyone to do or not do anything here, Tony, like you seemed to state above. I am giving my opinion on how I believe someone can have and maintain a ministry safely on Facebook.

We have a service every sunday. We don't have one where we specifically observe Palm Sunday (and not sure why someone would feel the need to observe that random day in the life of Christ...), but we have preached on the events of Christ's life many times, including Him coming to Jerusalem in the final week (and the events of that week) before going to the cross.

Right now, any saved Jew is part of the church of Christ - and will be in the rapture with any saved Gentile. After the rapture, the Lord will again turn directly towards the nation of Israel and fulfilling the OT prophecies regarding them.

Yes, in Revelation, but it does not specifically say it was God's voice.

In my church, the regular members and visitors still bring their Bibles. We do have some Bibles by the pews (with the hymnals) so that if anyone forgets theirs, there is still one available to use. Most members and visitors don't use their cell phone apps during the service as it is a bit of a distraction. I occasionally use my phone to look up a definition or a parallel passage that comes to mind while listening to the preaching, but I use it discreetly and do not do my main Bible reading from it in church, so as not to be a distraction or potential disturbance to others.

Jesus CAN do a miracle anytime He wants - however, the miracles associated with the signs and wonders movement are false, and there are no miracle workers today, as those were the signs of an apostle, to give authority to the New Testament books that they were writing.
I know of some miracles today - like my sister's cancer vanishing completely inbetween one check up and the next. The doctors basically said there was nothing else they could do, as the treatments were not working. but the cancer scare got her attention and caused her to seek the Lord and be ready to receive the Gospel shortly thereafter.
Maybe some would call escaping a deadly accident a miracle - or the exact opposite situation: All being destroyed in the crash except the mother's BIble, or in another case after the van burnt up in a fireball, a Ron Hamilton cd with the song Rejoice in the Lord (he makes no mistakes) was found. That find had a tremendous impact on the highway workers that were cleaning up the road afterwards.

Well, Rich, enjoy your very brief time here. With that haughty spirit, you will not fit in very well. It is obvious you are not here to fellowship with us but to show the world how you are right and everyone else is wrong.
1 Corinthians 8:1 Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth.
Proverbs 16:18 Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.
As far as only part of the tribulation being a time of God's wrath, you are dead wrong. God says all of it is.
There is more to this passage, but this is the part that is applicable. Compare this with Luke 21 - it is speaking of the same time period, yet over and over Isaiah says it is the day of the Lord and the time of God's wrath - all seven years:
Isaiah 13:6-13 Howl ye; for the day of the LORD is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty. Therefore shall all hands be faint, and every man's heart shall melt: And they shall be afraid: pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them; they shall be in pain as a woman that travaileth: they shall be amazed one at another; their faces shall be as flames. Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it. For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine. And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible. I will make a man more precious than fine gold; even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir. Therefore I will shake the heavens, and the earth shall remove out of her place, in the wrath of the LORD of hosts, and in the day of his fierce anger.