Alan

Brethren, In my travels on our furlough I have had a pastor friend express a desire for me to continue this study on the prophesies of the Old Testament, concerning the literal 1,000 year Kingdom on the earth, as written in Revelation 20:4-6. Before I begin a new lesson, are there any specific questions on previous lessons, or passages someone would like to study, that need to be addressed? I would like to bring out one thought in my talk with my pastor friend that I will address in any future lessons. Throughout this series of lessons I primarily quoted from false teachers, the cults, and others who spiritualize the prophecies in the Old Testament, in an effort to show how these false teachers are incorrect. I will probably, in an effort to show that independent, fundamental, Baptist, brethren have traditionally taught that Revelation 20:4-6 is a literal 1,000 years, and that the prophecies relating to Revelation 20:4-6 are to be fulfilled literally, quote from those IFB brethren, and other fine men, who taught a literal reign of Christ on the earth. May God bless all of you. Alan

In his conservative choices of Judicial appointees, and confirmed by the United States Senate, President Trump is reversing the judicial trend of "legislating the liberal agenda from the bench," and bringing back judges in our Judicial system that will adhere to the United States Constitution in making their judicial decisions. The New American website has been keeping close track of the judicial appointees of President Trump since his inauguration, they state, "Since his inauguration, the president has nominated 230 people to the federal bench and expects that more than 180 of them will have been confirmed by the end of the year. Erielle Davidson of The Federalist Society, which has provided vetting for Trump’s appointments, is delighted: “Almost 30 percent of all circuit judges in the United States are now Trump appointees [with] nearly one in five … district court judges … Trump appointees.” Their average age, according to Davidson, is 49, which translates to 30 years or more of “originalist” interpretation of the Constitution in cases brought to their consideration. The White House calls this “a historic transformation of the judiciary,” noting that many of Trump’s appointments “have already tipped the balance of numerous Federal courts to a Republican-appointed majority.” Taken altogether, those judges “are expected to give the nation more than 2,600 years of combined judicial service.” In a meeting with Republican senators last month, the president said, “We should have, within the next short period of time – like two months – we should have about 182 federal judges.… They will uphold our Constitution as written.” https://www.thenewamerican.com/usnews/constitution/item/34248-senate-confirms-another-originalist-trump-appointee-to-the-federal-bench The selections of President Trump for judicial vacancies have been wise, prudent and have proven to be beneficial to all citizens of the United States as intended by our forefathers when they framed the Constitution. Quite frankly, President Trump is keeping America great by appointing judges who will adhere to the law of the land: the Constitution.

May God bless all of my friends on Online Baptist this Christmas season.

Weary Warrior Dr. Ruckman had a firm belief in the AV being the preserved word of God: Robycop does not. Dave, I really wanted not to comment in this thread for my own reasons. But, yes, the other 'bloke' really contradicted himself. In fact, it was a big contradiction

I will be praying for you in my quiet time this morning. May God give you guidance, confidence, and peace in your heart.

On the Linux Questions home web page there is a link called, "contact us." When you click on the "Contact Us" it opens up a page that you can fill in and ask for your previous information. I have never used the form so I do not know what will happen. I think if your tell them your name, and e-mail address, and it is still in their files, than they will probably just send you your old username. Here is a screen shot of the Linux Questions home web page.

Here is the link to the the linuxquestions.org forum: https://www.linuxquestions.org/ My name of the Linux Questions forum is: greencedar

Some of the creative ways of spelling Micro$oft are not repeatable in a Christian forum. NN was being creative, polite and considerate of his audience. Thanks NN! Well, some good news: (1) I was able to roll back the Windows 10 1909 version back to my previous Windows 10 1803 version. Here is the link to the steps that I used to roll back to version 1803: https://howtofixwindows.com/rollback-windows-10-update/ Please take note. In order to roll back to a previous Windows 10 version you must do it within 10 days of the update. (2) I should be able to block future updates. But, Micro$oft will not service the OS as before. (3) I was able to re-install, through a previous activation, or product, number, Micro$oft Word. So, I can create documents in Word; but not Office. (4) I back-up all my documents on an external hard drive, or on CD's or DVDs, so I did not loose all the work previously done. And, some bad news. (1) Even though I was able to re-install my Corel Video program (which was one of the reasons I kept a separate computer for Windows 10), all of the videos were deleted by Micro$oft and were not returned after the roll back to the 1803 version. Fortunately, I have back-up copies of my videos and will use those as needed. (2) Micro$oft did not roll back my Office Home & Student 2016 software. So, I will not use that program as I want to keep all my documents, and photos, on my computer and not on One Drive / Cloud. A few thoughts. (1) For those who use One Drive, or, the Cloud, to store your computer work, you better back-up all you work on your own external hard drive or CD's / DVDs. (2) I know Linux is hard to learn at first as there is a difference in operating Micro$oft and Linux, and, depending on what you do on a computer, Linux has some limitations, I would suggest you consider making the change to Linux. So, I will continue to use my Linux OS for all my work and only use Micro$oft for a few things. Once I can do all of my work on Linux I am going to delete the Windows OS and upload Linux on the Micro$oft tower and kiss Micro$oft a permanent good-bye.

I do use two OS's on my computers. 1. Linux 19.1 2. Windows 10. Version 1803. Due to automatic windows updates, Windows took away my version 1803 and installed the new November 2019 update, Windows 10 version 1909. Among other problems, the following was terrible. 1. The update took away my Mozilla Thunderbird e-mail system. I had to re-install it. 2. The update took away my Corel Video Ultimate 2018 video creator. I had to re-install it. 3. Worst of all, it replaced my Windows Office Home & Student 2016 and replaced it with the a version that will only allow me to even look at my documents using One Drive. Now, I cannot use my Office without being on the internet and all my files, pictures, etc... on the Microsoft"Cloud.' 4. Basically, my computer, and all of my documents, etc.. are now controlled by Microsoft. Hopefully tonight I will, maybe, revert my OS back to windows 10 Version 1803. And, thank the Lord, Microsoft cannot touch my Linux OS.

Amen and amen. I agree wholeheartedly.

Jim, In our age, a 'personal relationship' with the Lord Jesus, apart from salvation, can mean a lot of different things to different people; especially with the Charismatics. That may be the reason why it is a difficult subject to discuss in an open forum. Attached is a devotion that I wrote dealing a little bit with King David and his 'personal relationship' with God. Hope it is a blessing to you and to all. God bless! Alan

Brethren, I am somewhat distressed that in our age it is becoming somewhat popular not to study some of the godly, and knowledgeable, men who wrote about the cardinal doctrines of the faith. Also, it has become evident to me that some new IFB brethren are denouncing godly men, such as John R. Rice, and others, who earnestly contended for the faith in the liberalism in their age, in order to promote their own brand of teaching. So, every once in awhile, I will quote from such men that were used of the Lord. Concerning that in "The Day of the Lord," that God will dissolve all of the known universe and create a new heaven and a new earth, Dr. John R. Rice, in his comments on Revelation 22:1, and 2 Peter 3:7, 12-13, in his book, “Behold He Cometh! A Verse-by-Verse Commentary on the Book of Revelation.” page 310, states, “What an amazing thing that a fire will cause even the planets and the heavens to “be dissolved” when “the elements shall melt with fervent heat!”

We visited Tabernacle Baptist Church, Pastor Don Ball, in Lebanon, Missouri last Tuesday evening for a special Thanksgiving service. One of the songs sung that evening was a new song sung by the congregation called, "So Much to Thank Him For." We never heard it before so I found the following YouTube video, "Rabon Creek," that sang the song. Hope you like it.

Sounds like your going by faith. May God bless your efforts.

Great! Always enjoy hearing the songs of Zion in Chinese. Thanks Rebecca!

John, Thank you for uploading your testimony on how your sending church sent you to start Edgecliff Baptist Church and give us a living example of New Testament church planting. I appreciate your soul-winning efforts, tract ministry, using new technology (YouTube videos of your services), and dedication. Also, even though, due to health reasons, you had to go back to your sending church you merged your congregation with the other IFB church in the area to provide your members with a good church to join. Your testimony on starting a new church was a blessing to my heart and I am sure to other folks also. Looking forward to other testimonies, pictures, or videos concerning a how a new church was started and eventually was self-sustaining and in a more permanent location. Alan

Keep us posted.

Jim, Thank you for the testimony of the the building of the church in Alaska. Your testimony is a living example of the early church and how they may have first started in homes, grew in size and faith, and were able to hold services in their own building. So, your testimony is an welcome addition to this study on the local church and encouragement to all of us. Is it possible that you have some photos of the different add-on's of the church that you would like to show us? Or, maybe a before and after picture of the church? Brethren, Does anybody have a similar testimony of how a church was started at a home? or a rented office front?any pictures? I am sure that your testimony would also be a welcome addition to this study and an encouragement to all of us. Alan

Amen and amen.

James 2:1-4, “Respect of Persons in the Local Assembly” Writing to the saints in a local assembly, the Apostle James said, “My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons. For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment; And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool: Are ye not them partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?” James 2:1-4 Introduction By way of context, the Apostle James is exhorting those brethren in the church not to respect other people that come to church by their outward appearance, position in the community, wealth, poverty, or other judgmental attitudes. The story of the rich man and Lazarus in Luke 16:19-31 was told, among other reasons, not to judge by the outward appearance and whether or not a person was wealthy or not. The Lord Jesus said, “Judge not, that ye be not judged.” Matthew 7:1 The Lord Jesus condemned those who sought the prominent positions in the synagogues. “And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues.” Matthew 23:6 The Lord Jesus is condemning the respect of persons, partiality, a judgmental attitude towards the poor and a submissive attitude towards the rich in the synagogues in His era. The Apostle James is trying to get rid of these same attitudes in the local assembly. According to the Apostle James, respecting people of wealth, position in life, the outward appearance, and partiality in a local assembly, are among the same faults that were in the Jewish synagogues, and are evil thoughts. I would like to note that the situation that was in the synagogues in the time of Christ is strikingly similar to the assembly that the apostle James writes too. The Assembly was Not called a House Church “For if there come unto your assembly ...” In all of the references to an assembly of believers in a house in the Epistles, the Apostle writing the epistle carefully mentions the owner of the house and the passage clearly indicates that the brethren are meeting in a house. In this passage of scripture, James 2:1-4, no mention of any believer is mentioned nor is it mentioned that the saints were meeting in a house. Assemblies that were House Churches 1. In Romans 16:3-5 Paul the Apostle was very careful to mention that Priscilla and Aquila had church services in their home. Romans 16:3-5, “Greet Priscilla and Aquila my helpers in Christ Jesus: Who have for my life laid down their own necks: unto whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles. Likewise greet the church that is in their house. Salute my well-beloved Epænetus, who is the firstfruits of Achaia unto Christ.” See also 1 Corinthians 16:19 2. In the book of Philemon, Philemon was a personal friend, and a helper in the ministry, to Paul the Apostle. In a honour to the spiritual maturity, character, and devotion to Paul the apostle, Philemon is one of the finest examples of the act of grace towards an offender of the Lord Jesus. Philemon 1-2 states, “Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ, and Timothy our brother, unto Philemon our dearly beloved, and fellow-labourer, and to our beloved Apphia, and Archippus our fellow-soldier, and to the church in thy house.” The assembly of saints that assembled at the house of Philemon was a house church. The apostle Paul is very careful to give honor those individuals who have willingly offered their house as a church building. 3. The apostle Paul mentions Nymphas and the church tin his house, “Salute the brethren which are in Laodicea, and Nymphas, and the church which is in his house.” Colossians 4:15 A Building for the Assembly of the Saints In this passage, James 2:1-4, and by way of context, the entire book of James, the apostle James does not mention it was a house church nor an individual in which the house was assembled in. Therefore, it is highly probable that the assembly of saints were in a building that was either rented, or bought. In the gospels it is plainly evident that the Synagogues were separate buildings that the faithful Jews met in in order to worship God. The Lord Jesus, and later the apostles, and the early church, met in the synagogues initially. In fact, in Luke 7:1-10, the Lord Jesus commended the faith of the Roman Centurion highly for his donation of enough funds to build a synagogue. “And when they came to Jesus, they besought him instantly, saying, That he was worthy for whom he should do this: For he loveth our nation, and he hath built us a synagogue…. When Jesus heard these things, he marvelled at him, and turned him about, and said unto the people that followed him, I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no not in Israel.” Luke 7:4-5 & 9 In the Old Testament economy, those who loved the Lord, and had faith, willingly donated funds, like the Centurion, in order to build a building in order to worship the Lord God. After the Jews in the synagogues rejected the message of salvation, it would be natural for the early Christian saints to follow the practice of the Jews in the Old Testament economy and desire a building as a practical method to meet in instead of a house. As with the saints in the Old Testament economy, those saints who love the Lord, and have faith, like the Centurion, will willingly, and lovingly, give of their funds to build a building for the worship of the Lord Jesus and the proclamation of the Gospel.

Reincarnation is originally from the Hindus in India. On Taiwan, most of the Buddhist religious sects, and the Taoist sects, have some sort of reincarnation tenets. All of the various sects that believe in reincarnation differ in several respects. All of the various religious sects offer different aspects of reincarnation, when it occurs, how it occurs, why it occurs, and how the cycle of reincarnation ends. The study of reincarnation, and the symbols, and the ceremonies, and the type of reincarnation, is a very involved study. Here is a Wikipedia article that gives you some basic beliefs of reincarnation. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reincarnation A true believer in reincarnation, and not like most causal believers here in America, usually have various religious ceremonies, pictures in there homes of various Buddhist or Hindu symbols and religious observances that they would normally do. If your friend does not claim a Buddhist or Hindu belief system, and if your friend does not have Eastern symbols or pictures on the walls of her house, than, quite frankly, she has just a passing, or an insincere, or a notion, that she believes in reincarnation. Like Dave said, she is just giving an excuse or she just kinda thinks it may happen. If your friend continues to claim she is a true believer in reincarnation, I would suggest reading to her Luke 16:19-31 and let her know plainly that after death the soul either is in hell or in heaven. I do have a tract, in Chinese, that I use for Buddhists and it gives the story in enough detail so that a true believer in reincarnation knows that the belief is false. I do not specifically mention reincarnation due to space limitations in a tract, but the story speaks for itself. Here is a link to the English pdf copy of that tract. http://taiwanvbc.com/john3.16&1corinthians15.1-6englishtheloveofgod.pdf If your friend is a devout believer in reincarnation, and she gives you any Buddhist, or Hindu, material, let me know and I can help further in some of the terminology that they use. May the Lord bless your efforts in reaching your friend for Christ.

"By humility and the fear of the LORD are riches, and honour, and life." Proverbs 22:4

Brethren, The Lord Jesus clearly stated that there is only one sin that is unpardonable, "Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit shall not be forgiven unto men. And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come." Matthew 12:31-32 "All manner" includes Sodomy, idolatry, a reprobate mind, lying, stealing, blasphemy, adultery, fornication, and of the the other sins listed in Romans 1:18-32. The teaching of John R. Rice, and, "The Unpardonable sin," as written in the July 2, 1948 issue of, "The Sword of the Lord," is also found in the "A Verse-by-Verse Commentary on Matthew," by John R. Rice on pages 181-183. Pastor Joe Major is distorting the very words of John R. Rice to try and prove that Rice taught, "The Reprobate Doctrine." Please take notice that pastor Joe Major will not quote John R. Rice, in either the July 2, 1948 issue nor his Matthew Commentary. Not one time in either article does John R. Rice mention the following words or characteristics: (1) the word reprobate is not even mentioned. (2) Homosexuals, or any derivative of the word, is not mentioned. (3) The sin of homosexuality is not even hinted at. Among his fine exposition of Matthew 12:22-32, concerning 31-32, John R. Rice states, "The unpardonable sin is a complete and final rejection of Christ so definite and blasphemous that it insults and drives away the Holy Spirit forever. Then He no longer moves the heart, brings conviction or arouses desire for salvation." John R. Rice is very clear and Pastor Joe Major, and the other NewIFB brethren who use Pastor Major's video, is purposely deceiving all those folks who watch the video. Paul Christian, pastor Joe Major, and the other NewIFB followers, are trying to tie John R. Rice into their heretical teaching and are trying to slander and distort men of God who are passed away and cannot speak for themselves. Shame unto them.

That John R. Rice, and other fine IFB men of God, taught that a person could commit unpardonable sins is correct. But, Paul Christian, and pastor Joe Major, twist John R. Rice's words, and teachings, to fit Pastor Anderson's "Reprobate Doctrine." John R. Rice's "unpardonable sin" teaching, Hebrew 6:4-6, and other passages listed in the John R. Rice issue of "The Sword of Lord," on July 2, 1948, is not, nor was never, the "Reprobate Doctrine" that is taught by Steven Anderson and his followers. I am not surprised at all of this deceit by Paul Christian and Joe Major. The John R. Video was produced by Pastor Joe Major, Faith Baptist Church; Baton Rouge, LA, and he is an Andersonite, the NewIFB, to the core. https://www.thenewifb.com/church-directory https://faithbaptistchalmette.com/ Paul Christian, can you answer the following questions? 1. Are you pastor Joe Major? 2. If not, what church do you attend? 3. Are you in the ministry? As I said before, Paul Christian is twisting the teaching of John R. Rice. Paul Christian, as with Steven Anderson and his followers, are false teachers, full of hate, and will twist the fine teaching of old-time IFB men of God anyway that that fits their twisted beliefs on Romans chapter one and other passages of scripture.

I did not call John R. Rice a reprobate and you know it. You are the one who is crossing the line with your false interpretation of Romans chapter one and the other associated passages of scripture.