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weary warrior

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Posts posted by weary warrior

  1. Back when I used Paypal for personal use for a short time, they charged me an unacceptable percentage to handle the money. What money I got, I got in a timely manner. I just didn't get it all. It may be different with a "non-profit". Ill have to check.

    I am going to talk to the bank about direct deposit.

    I just remembered that I have a sister that builds websites. I wonder if there is an answer somewhere in there too.

     

  2. We are now running an average of about 15 people in services. Of that number,  7 of them get either disability, social security or a pay check direct deposited into their bank account. Which means they have to make a trip to town and an atm (or bank) to draw out their offering in cash, or write a check. We have to drive about 90 miles round trip to make a deposit. But no one hardly buys checks anymore. Before I got here, they (the six members that were still here) solved the dilemma by splitting up the church bills among them selves, taking them home and paying them online out of their personal checking accounts. Nothing was hardly ever collected here at the church, deposited and then paid out. 

    I need to change all of that. I don't know how. I fear that I'm more 1920 than 2020.

    I think maybe I can put some sort of button on the church Facebook page where they can click it and give an offering like that? We do get cash and checks here at the church building during services now, but it's a tiny percentage of what actually comes in. And were not having services for a while either, because of the virus. The old hands are still just paying the bills direct from home out of their tithe still in their personal checking accounts, because they can do it through technology. 

    I don't need moralizing on the inappropriateness of the situation. I'm already aware of that. I need technical assistance on how to fix it. We live in a time of livestreaming services because of human frailties, I reckon this just might fall into that category.

  3. 3 hours ago, HappyChristian said:

    So we have our stay-at-home as ww stated above. I do find it interesting that churches are shuttered and yet pot shops and liquor stores are deemed essential. It was explained to me that it's because hospitals can't deal with addicts going into withdrawal. sigh

    I don't know what we'll be doing tonight, but hubs is thinking of something. It won't be church-wide as we don't have the set up for that (nor do most of our members).

    We wont be doing anything tonight, but I am going to try to record some type of message for Sunday and (hopefully) be able to upload it to youtube and then send the link to everyone. I dont know what else to do.

  4. 36 minutes ago, Pastor Scott Markle said:

    Indeed.

    1.  We have a Biblical record of what Eve said that God said.

    AND

    2.  We have NO Biblical indicator that Eve got it wrong.
    (There is no Biblical rebuke of what Eve said about what God said, and there is no Biblical indication that Eve committed any sin in making the claim that she did.)

    I agree with this assessment 100%. There's no room on either side for dogmatic trouble making. 

  5. I agree with your approach. Below is a copy-and-paste of the posting I just put on our church facebook page.

    "We are continuing to have our regular scheduled services during this trying time, as our numbers are well below the threshold recommended. However, we will be not be meeting after the service for our weekly church-wide Sunday dinner until further notice.

    All of life is a balance. And we get in trouble when we get out of balance in one direction or another. God is not a God of fear, and those who live a life of faith need to fear nothing. We believe that God will lead us through the storms that we must face, and around the storms he does not intend for us.

    However, this does not excuse heedless recklessness. We are commanded all the way back in Exodus, in the 10 commandments, to not tempt God. One of Satan's temptations of Christ in the New Testament was just that, to do something physically foolish and expect the Father to rescue him. Jesus' response was to quote that commandment "Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God".

    So we, as Christians, must follow this path in life. We do not live a life dictated by fear, but nor do continue in arrogant, religious foolishness to stubbornly continue on a path that is unwise, and tempts the Lord our God.

    Be secure, be sane and love God."

  6. 9 hours ago, HappyChristian said:

    Here in WA, the governor dictated that no gatherings larger than 250 were allowed, and schools are closed form now through April 24. Originally colleges were not, but they likely are now. Because tonight he came out and said no gatherings larger than 50, and any of the under 50 gatherings MUST abide by - and announce that they do - the hygiene and social distancing rules. He is also mandating that bars, restaurants, and entertainment venues be closed. And he and his cronies are promising that the financial aspect will be somehow remedied. READ: by the taxpayers.

    I don't need a governor telling me how to be safe. I can figure it out myself - which is why I stayed home while I was sick. And now my mom is sick...she stayed home today. She's a smart cookie, too.

    We only have the two girls coming to Sunday School, but they won't be here for an undetermined amount of time. Their mother is wanting them to be self-quarantined to make sure they don't have the virus at all (I'm thinking the school probably suggested that to parents). Even though the virus is not on the peninsula yet. It may or may not get here. 

    Interestingly, the virus has stopped in China. Folks have gotten well and the temporary hospitals have been closed down. I hope Italy soon follows suit with people getting well. Italy has come out and said that nobody over 80 who has the virus will be treated. Socialized medicine at its "best."

    Vitamin C, folks, among other things. Massive doses of it have helped folks who were very ill with this to get well. As of now, as far as I know, that's not something folks are buying, so it should be on the shelves.

    I too live in WA. My wife has been working part-time in the school as a teacher's aid, and that ends today for a while. There has been no evidence of the panic reported in other areas here in SE Washington, for which I am greatful.

    Our church is growing, but still very small. We had 18 in attendance yesterday. We will not be canceling services at this time, but will fully support and encourage those who are deciding to stay home for a time. We actually had a visitor, an elderly man in a wheelchair. I preached on not letting fear run your life, but balancing that with being wise and not tempting God.

  7. Yeah, I used a 19th century solution to fix that problem when I came on as pastor in December. I removed the church computer from my office, shut down the cluttered, unused church website, and turned the email address over to the church secretary/treasurer to keep up with. We have no wi-fi at the church or my house, beyond the data on my mobile phone. Its certainly not the solution for everyone, but its works for this old cowboy. ?

  8. What I dont understand is the treating of the issue as heresy. Yes, I believe that the post-trib rapture view is incorrect, but does every difference of opinion over doctrine have to be treated as actual heresy? When we do this, it weakens the charge against actual, serious heresy, like denying the divinity of Christ, the resurection or or the second coming. No one is denying anythig, just disagreeing on the timing of it all.

    Is wisdom not, in part, learning to pick our battles?

  9. Had a pretty good service yesterday. Numbers were down a little, only had 13 present. But good freedom to preach.

    One of my regulars is a 70 year old cowboy who was raised a catholic. He's rougher than a cob, but really supports us, listens intently to every sermon and keeps coming back. Every single Sunday.

    We went out to his place to work some horses yesterday afternoon, and he told my son Will to flag a colt in the round pen while he and I went and visited in patio chairs against the barn. It turns out he had more questions that had been bugging him. Questions about the validity of cofessionals, rasaries and praying using written catholic prayers. He's seeing the difference between the simple grace and liberty of the gospel as I preach it, and the bondage he grew up with.

    He not a practicing catholic,  hasnt been anything but a rough ol' sinner for many, many years. But until now, that was all he knew of God.

    Seeds dont spring up and bear fruit overnight. They need to be nutured, watered and waited patiently for until God gives the increase.

  10. 20 minutes ago, Alan said:

    A long time ago I made it a point to to argue with a moderator. In my estimation, you are trying to discredit David Cloud due to his teaching, his correct teaching I may add, on the Second Coming of Christ.

    Weary Warrior,

    You are misjudging me very much. I deleted my post because I deleted what I wanted to say as I did not want to argue with a moderator and because you had to write something, so,  I just said the word, "empty." You are taking my post entirely wrong.

     

    I see what you are saying, and in that case, I am entirely in the wrong. I do apologize completely for my post. I am sorry.

  11. 25 minutes ago, Alan said:

    Empty.

     

    I dont know who David Cloud is. I dont CARE who David Cloud is. But that response is rude, condescending and not worthy of a brother and a man of God. A brother offers an explanation and an apology for any misunderstanding, and this is the most Biblical, mature, gracious response you can muster? 

    Do you not see this?

  12. 3 minutes ago, Ukulelemike said:

    I lean to the post-trib/pre-wrath position, not because of any covenant theology or any such thing, I just find the arguments for pre-trib to be weak. Mind you, I say I LEAN that way, because I don't see, after considerable study, that the Bible clearly shows any of the positions to be proven.

    The various arguments for a pre-trib all include a considerable amount of assumption connected to the passages, and a few are, actually, contextually incorrect. For example, 1Thes 4:

    13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.

    14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

    15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.

    16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

    17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

    18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

    I read time and again, that if we were to go through the tribulation period, how could we be comforted, as it says here we will be? How can we comfort one another, with this hanging over our heads?  Well, if we read this in context, (and sadly, many who use this argument are usually big proponents of the importance of context), we see the timing of the events of the tribulation have nothing to do with it; rather, it is the fact that our loved ones who have died in Christ, we will see again, that they will come back with Christ and receive their glorified, resurrected bodies, and we will join them AND Jesus forever. THAT is our great comfort, not missing the tribulation, which is never mentioned here. 

    There there is the assumption that, since the tribulation period is called the time of Jacob's trouble, and that Israel is in primary view here, that means we will be removed from earth first. Except there's no precedent for that idea-Noah is pointed to, but he and his family weren't spared the flood, rather, they were lifted above and rode out the flood-yet they still were there, protected, but watched as their friends, neighbors and loved ones died, heard their cries for help outside the ark. Then they had to ride it out for a year and a month in the ark, and were let out to survey the mess it left, and scrape together a new life from the ruins. So it is possible we will be here to witness the mess, kept safe by the mark of the Holy Ghost from many of the troubles the Lord sends upon the wicked. 

    My point being, there is nothing in scripture that says we will escape the triblulation, just the wrath at the end. As for Jesus' imminent return, well, in 1Thes 5 we read:

    "But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober."

    We see that the reference to the thief in the night it to the lost, but WE, His people, are NOT in darkness that is should overtake us as a thief. WE will not know the day, but we will be aware of the times and seasons. We will know it is nigh when it is nigh. 

     

     

     

    Your reasoning and interpretation of scripture is logical and well thought out. It is a reasonable way to approach it.

    For me, honestly, if it were imperative that we were crystal clear on this subject, Christ would have made it more clear. But there remains a certain amount of shrouding and mystery over the details and timing of things at the end, and that is deliberate. So placement of the rapture is one doctrine that I do not fuss about, or contend with others over. Its going to happen in the Father's own good timing, and nothing we believe or do here now regarding that mystery will make any differance in anything.

    I think its going to take place in  particular order that makes some sense to me, but I could be wrong. The comfort is that if my understanding is wrong, there is no problem. Im still to live every day like the Lord is returning for me today. If I do that, it will all take care of itself.

  13. While I myself am firmly pre-trib, I know personally some IFB preachers who have recently moved to the post-trib side. It's odd, because I also know that these fellows are in agreement with me on the difference between the church and Israel, and they do not hold the reformed theology of the church taking Israel's covenant. As has been correctly pointed out on here, bad covenant theology is often the culprit. But not with these guys.

    Honestly? I think for some it partly stems from guilt and grief over the carnality of the church today, and a belief that for us to get caught out early is to get off easy. I can see where they're coming from, but I cant hold the doctrine in light of everything in scripture.

  14. I appreciate all of the sugestions. I am still leading the singing, as there is no one else. We're still singing sans music in whatever key I can handle, but its doing better. Our numbers are increasing, which helps. But more importantly, singing without a piano to cover up the vocals has actualy helped, as I keep encouraging them to sing stronger and livelier. They can hear the weaknesses, and are working to improve it themselves. I am pretty pleased with how things are progressing.

  15. 5 hours ago, brosmith said:

    It has been several years since I last posted or commented on these discussion boards. I find it necessary to comment on this discussion because I am troubled by the lack of warning about those who promote false doctrine. The OP (Totoosart) ask about a Bible study course from "Tomorrow's World" and (as far as I can tell) no one warned this person that "Tomorrow's World" is the outreach "ministry" of a cult that used to be called the Worldwide Church of God (Herbert W Armstrong) and is now known as the Living Church of God. It only took me a few moments to discover the truth about "Tomorrow's World." What is your excuse for not exposing error and false doctrine?

    https://www.tomorrowsworld.org/connect/about

    https://www.lcg.org/about-us

    https://www.lcg.org/official-statement-fundamental-beliefs

    wow

    Just....wow

  16. 1 hour ago, Pastorj said:

    Are you open to a woman leading the congregational singing. We were in a similar church and the pastors wife led music until someone could be trained 

    I'm not sure how comfortable I would be with that, although I would not confront someone else over it. I'm sure it's just a culture thing. ?

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