Alan

Just a little taste of the beauty of rural Missouri. The tree in the background is a, "Flowering Cleveland Pear Tree." The pond is just one of the many thousands that dot the landscape of Missouri.

Brethren, In mainland, or Communist, China, the communist government is using the Conoravirus situation to further crackdown on churches. If you read the article carefully you will notice that after the churches started to broadcast their services via the internet the crackdown intensified. Also, you may want to notice that the videos, and the recorded messages, werre used against the speakers and even the members of the congregations. Quote, "Religious freedom watchdogs say the Chinese Communist Party is using the coronavirus outbreak as cover for further persecuting religion, tearing down some churches and using cameras to carefully monitor others. The Voice of Martyrs (VOM), a non-profit group that helps persecuted Christians throughout the world, reported that Chinese officials have been trampling religious worship during the COVID-19 lockdown. “China is now holding itself up as a model for fighting the coronavirus,” VOM spokesman Tom Nettleton told Fox News. “But fighting the pandemic hasn’t stopped communist officials from persecuting Christians.” End of quote. Here is the link to the article. https://www.thenewamerican.com/world-news/asia/item/35258-china-uses-coronavirus-panic-as-excuse-to-crack-down-on-churches One of the results of the current conoravirus situation is that national and local government, in the U.S. and the nations of the world, is now in the position to curtail church services, force, bully, or intimidate church services on the internet, and quite possibly, in the future, control the messages of the church and then to prosecute those messages deemed inappropriate to the government.

Brethren, I will be adding the following quote by Dr. Henry Morris in my PDF of this study. If there are any discussions with the quote by Dr. Morris please bring out your thoughts. Alan The renowned scientist Dr. Henry Morris correctly observed, “Whenever a biblical passage deals either with a broad scientific principle or with some particular item of scientific data, it will inevitably be found on careful study to be fully accurate in its scientific insights. Often it will be found even to have anticipated scientific discoveries. The Bible is indeed a book of science, as well as a book of history, literature, psychology, economics, law, education, and every other field. It does not use the technical jargon of particular disciplines, of course, but speaks in the universal language of human experience. As the Word of God, it is altogether “profitable … that the man of God may be perfect.” (2 Tim.3:16-17).”1 1Morris, Henry, Dr. The Biblical Basis for Modern Science: The Revised and Updated Classic (Green forest, AR:New Leaf Publishing Company, 2014), 12.

"Not forsaking the assembling of yourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching." Hebrews 10:25 Yes, 360Watt is correct. Some churches are sitting farther apart in the sanctuary, some are assembling outside on chairs, some churches are meeting in drive-in theatres, some have loudspeakers on the outside of the church, some are creative in other areas, some have put up a tent; but all are assembling. Have you noticed that all of the news media are focusing on only Christian churches in the religious realm. Not one word, at least on the main media, or on the front page, is focused on what the Muslims, or Buddhist temples, are told to do. Only the churches, so it seems, is forced into an internet setting. the politicians, as a whole, will not mention putting any restrictions on the Muslims nor the Buddhist Temples. It almost seems like the politicians are forcing churches, or bullying, or intimidating, churches to go on a online setting. Do you know that a lot of small churches cannot afford an church web site? do you know how much money a website costs to start? to maintain? Or, they are fearful of Facebook? I do not care for Facebook nor neither do a lot of other saints care for Facebook. I am not against Facebook, nor any other technological setting, but folks are using the internet to forsake the assembling together and the politicians are using the virus situation to force, or bully, or intimidate, churches from assembling. I did create a YouTube Channel, and a website for our church in Taiwan, and am now in the process of creating another website for my books, So, I am not against these technological advances for the ministry; but, I do not want that to replace the saints "gathering together."

My wife and I, driving down the road the other day, observing the speed limit, albeit sitting close together (we are still in love ), when I was stopped by the local Mayor (in these trying times the local officials, governors, etc... make the rules), and he gave me a ticket, and a scolding, for not enough distance between my wife and I!

I was watching the news the other day on my computer and the they were explaining that we need to keep a safe distance, six feet, from other people (... six feet ...) . So, I moved my computer screen six feet away from me.

Thanks for the study on Luke 10:42 These new versions are confusion from the spirit of the devil working in the hearts of men. "For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints." 1 Corinthians 14:33

"It's Under the Blood." Great song, great singing, great testimony! Thanks for sharing.

I do keep abreast of the news in China (Communist), Taiwan (Free China), and Hong Kong. President Trump, many times, in order to assure the world that the United States is a free Republic (Democratic), has stood up to the communist leaders. President Trumps actions, not just words, is good for America and our ideals that our Founding Fathers set forth in the Constitution. https://www.thenewamerican.com/print-magazine/item/34946-hong-kongers-heroic-fight In the article is the following quote, "President Donald Trump is the first occupant of the White House since the communists came to power in China in 1949 to reverse the suicidal policies of the United States vis-à-vis China. Having already hit the Beijing regime with tariffs and put them on notice that the United States would not continue ignoring their closed markets, huge subsidies to Chinese corporate “champions,” and violations of intellectual property rights, President Trump also signaled that he wouldn’t follow the Bush example of looking the other way if China chose to send the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) into the streets of Hong Kong as it did at Tiananmen 30 years ago." In my understanding, President Trump, and his stand against the communists, is good for America and the freedom that we enjoy.

Amen and amen.

James, Romans chapter 5 is a great chapter on how we are justified by faith, how God commended His love towards us through the Lord Jesus, how, due to our sins, we were enemies of God and our offence was (and is), so great we deserve to spend eternity in hell. But, as the offence was great; so was His grace. So, where the offence, our sin, abounded, the grace of God much more abounded. Here is a link to a good sermon on the grace of God by Jim Alaska. I would recommend you reading it and to pray that God would give you more understanding of the grace of God through His Son the Lord Jesus. After you understand more of His grace, and how thankful we should be, and how, though our gratefulness, and a changed life, we should pray. And, to learn how to pray more effective. May the Lord bless you. Alan

Don't get discouraged. Keep on looking. Put on a smiling face, and do the best job that you can do in looking for a place of employment, and after you get a job be the best employee that your boss has. "Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men." Proverbs 22:29 I will pray that the Lord gives you a job. God bless you my friend,

I never said, nor do I believe, that the Holy Spirit, does not work, nor does not seal, the believers during the Tribulation Period, nor that the Holy Spirit does not work in the Tribulation Period. Again, due to twisting what I say, and what others say, this is why I do not want to discuss this issue with you, or with anyone who believes in the post-tribulation rapture view. Also, according to Revelation 7:2, an angel seals the 144,000 Jewish evangelists. Also, as with the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit will come on the prophets as in the Old Testament and God will deal with world as He dealt with them as under the Jewish economy; not the church economy. The assumptions, and the conjectures, of the post-tribulation teachers are the ones who are causing the mass confusion, and twisting of the scriptures, in the churches: not the pre-tribulationists.

Brethren, In my current project to put his study in PDF form, and since the the time I made this lesson, I read the book, "The Twilight of Evolution," by Dr. Henry Morris. I am going to add this quote, found on page 71, concerning the water, or hydrologic, cycle of the earth, by Dr. Morris to this lesson, " Waters are evaporated from the oceans (Psalm 33:7), carried inland by the winds (Ecclesiastes 1:6) caused to encounter particles of dust and sea salt to serve as nuclei of condensation (Proverbs 8:26), condense into liquid water droplets in the form of clouds, (Job 26:8), which in turn under the proper conditions coalesce and fall as rain (Job 36:27-28), providing water for maintenance of life on the earth (Isaiah 55:10), and finally return by the rivers to the oceans from which they come (Ecclesiastes 1:7)." The scientific accuracy of the scriptures is amazing! God Bless! Alan

Since this virus started we have been in the Midwest. I sense a concern but not a panic.

Yep! 21st century problems.

Ukulelmemike, In other threads the issue has been brought forth and discussed. The above reference is one of them. The problem lies in just referring to 2 Thessalonians 2:1-4 and neglecting, or twisting the clear meaning in 2 Thessalonians 2:6-8. The apostle Paul clearly shows, in 2:6-8, that once the Holy Spirit, that resides in the church age saints, and hinders, or 'letteth,' is taken out of the way, the antichrist is revealed. The revealing of the son of perdition, the antichrist, is revealed in Revelation 6:1. Then, in Revelation 6-19 we have the rest of the events, or signs, or prophecies, take place. I do not intend to rehash the events of Revelation 6-19 in this thread nor discuss the events of 2 Thessalonians 2:1-4 anymore in this thread as I am sure I know exactly where you are heading for. It is my personal belief that this thread, as with the previous thread concerning brother Cloud, is intended to malign, and cause doubt on the pre-tribulation coming of Christ and not a sincere attempt to know the truth. Alan

As I subscribe to David Cloud's newsletter I had previously read the above mentioned article on Another Church Enters the Post-Tribulational Wilderness.” As far as the information concerning the "Post-Tribulation" view is concerning, brother David is correct and he, brother Cloud, is being attacked by the brethren by slander, maligning, and false information. And, that the doctrine of the post-tribulation coming of Christ is heretical. Also, I especially like, and agree with, the title of brother Clouds article"... the Post-Tribulational Wilderness." The more that I study the teachings of the post-tribulation rapture the more it is obvious it is a false teaching and a endless "wilderness." The Lord Jesus can come today with no signs that need to be fulfilled: especially, the events of the appearing of the anti-Christ and the events of Revelation chapter 6-19.

Thank you for informing us of the passing of Ronda. Her life, testimony, writings, both in public and in private, were a personal blessing, and an encouragement, to my wife and I and I am sure to many folks not only on Online Baptist but in other places as well. "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." Philippians 1:21 As we speak, Ronda is in heaven, in the presence of the Lord Jesus, and is rejoicing as one day all of us will be.

Dr. Phil Stringer's books can be found at: http://www.theoldpathspublications.com/Pages/BookStore.htm#Authors

According to a reliable source: the whale died of indigestion. The SPCA arrested Jonah and was fined for cruelty to an animal.

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.

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I also find the above reasoning concerning brother David Cloud a misrepresentation and disturbing. It seems to me that it was said in order to discredit David Cloud's teaching that the coming of the Lord Jesus for the church is pre-tribulational. Also, I find the same arguments listed above in the previous posts against the pre-tribulation view of the Second Coming of Christ faulty reasoning. Furthermore, I can find the same faulty reasoning in the writings of Philip Mauro, Dr. Roland Rasmussen, and Pastor Steven Anderson.