Napsterdad

HEY! I'm an old sailor! What do you have against old sailors? I'm thankful your fever broke. My left lung is the weak point too. Alot of crackling going on right now, but at least the cough is quasi-productive (for now). Sounds like bananas just got added to the shopping list ?

Thanks for the suggestions. Air Power sounds interesting. I'll likely get some for now and future illnesses. The banana recipe just sounds delicious; whether it works or not. One thing I use that seems to bring temporary relief is Breathe Easy Tea (from Traditional Medicinals) with a good dose of honey in the cup. Still coughing up a lung this AM. Thank the Lord for livestream so I can still take in the church services. Have a blessed Sunday!

I have had bronchitis now too for 10 days. Not letting up. My left lung is pretty bad. They put me on an antibiotic to fight off any chance of getting pneumonia. This stuff doesn't seem to be going away. My wife and daughter have been coughing since just after school started in August. Students are now getting strep and stomach viruses. I don't ever recall a year like this.

Welcome, Matthew, and good feedback. Still the points brought out by Rebecca and Tony are quite relevant. Prior to firing off a denigrating article about a situation evidently only analyzed at the surface level seems to serve no other purpose than to stoke the authors self-righteousness. I have not been able to access this article from the link Pastor Matt posted above. Seems they have removed it. If true, that speaks volumes. While I am KJVO I must also agree with Tony on the other versions. My wife likes to use the analogy: If you were stranded on a desert island and all you had was an NIV and Lays potato chips would you abstain from both because the one is not KJV and the other is not healthy food? I know a lot of godly, saved, Christians who use other versions of the Bible. We were once in an IFB KJVO church where my oldest daughter was not accepted in the prevalent cliques of teenage girls. She was hurt, with few friends in that church. We sent her to "In The Gap" ministries where she served with other teens of various denominations, standards, and definitely not KJVO. They accepted her for who she was, loved on her and she developed a lot of solid godly friendships there that exist to this day (over ten years later). That experience strengthened a dying faith, and my daughter is now rock solid, and still KJVO. We have to remember that when we were first saved we didn't all instantaneously get transformed into perfect Christians; and none of us are to this day. We are all at different points in our walk and no two walks are the same. I was saved and baptized while using a NASB Bible. Does that make me less of a Christian than someone who was saved while using a KJV? Because of that though it was difficult for me to change to a KJVO position. Would that not be the same for those who were saved using a NIV? ESV? Some other? I would have to think that for most, that Bible with which they were saved is a hard Bible to shelve. Appearances and Bibles don't make a Christian, God does; and He is doing His perfect work in each and every one of us in the way He deems best. He has the long-suffering, mercy and grace to overlook our shortcomings, should we not try to emulate that with others?

I'm with you sister. My wife started working at our church's Christian Academy as the Pre-4K teacher in August and my youngest daughter started 7th grade there (We homeschooled prior to this). Almost immediately the sickness started for both of them and has not ever really gone away. Because of my respiratory issues I am diligent with the D3 and Vitamin C so I was able stay surprisingly well until last Thursday. Been coughing up a lung since. It's not just us either and it's across all age groups. I don't know that I recall a year where there was so much sickness for so long.

No conflict implied.

I'm willing to cede the point, but the temple was (or was supposed to be) run by God's rules and you have to admit...: 1 Kings 8:10-11 And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the LORD, 11 So that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of the LORD. ...when God took occupancy, the appearance is that it is God's and God's alone. Verses 10 & 11 even refer to it as "the house of the LORD".

No. I've answered your question - you answer mine.

No. Do I have to be to receive an honest answer to issues you bring to the table? By your lack of response to my logical questions I have to assume you do nothing but post your perceived issues here and then do nothing to resolve any of these issues. In other words, you are more a part of the problem, than part of a solution. You merely sit in front of your computer and foment strife.

So, in other words, you're not going to answer my questions.

Well, you certainly aren't quiet on this forum anyway. Is OnlineBaptist the only place where you have hung your shingle? What are you doing to help these people that are looking for the truth. Are you proactively helping them find it in some way? How about those that aren't looking but still need the truth. Are you not being quiet with them? Your ministry is useless if it is confined to OnlineBaptist. I ask because you seem to always come up with these questions and problems on this forum, but I can't recall the time where you offered up a solution or a method you have actually been using to overcome these issues. I'll be your neighbor Tony.

We’re in Athens. Maybe we can meet up some time.

Not just biscuits, but biscuits and gravy. ? I'm a transplant but have loved Biscuits and Gravy for decades. They're hard to find up north.

Collegedale? You were right around the corner from my oldest son in Ooltewah and just down the road from me (43 miles) up I-75. How come you didn't fly into Chattanooga. They have a pretty good airport too. Not too big. Easy to navigate. Absolutely let us know when you come back down.

I am going through a study of 1 Kings and just recently finished the building of Solomon's Temple. Odd name that; Solomon's Temple. Should it not be God's? I think the name speaks volumes in itself. 1 Kings 6:11-14 And the word of the LORD came to Solomon, saying, 12 Concerning this house which thou art in building, if thou wilt walk in my statutes, and execute my judgments, and keep all my commandments to walk in them; then will I perform my word with thee, which I spake unto David thy father: 13 And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will not forsake my people Israel. 14 So Solomon built the house, and finished it. We are not told how Solomon received this word from the LORD, whether by prophet or dream or otherwise, but I find the message compelling. God starts out with “concerning the house which thou art building, but then does not say another word about the building itself. Instead the message focuses on the man. If thou [,Solomon,] wilt walk in my statutes, and execute my judgments, and keep all my commandments to walk in them; then will I perform my word with thee. God is far more concerned about the house Solomon is building within himself than any physical structure on the earth. Perhaps part of what God spoke to Solomon is what Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 3:16-20 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? 17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. 18 Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness. 20 And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain. And perhaps this last verse we just read is the final realization Solomon came to when he penned Ecclesiastes 2:11 Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun. At the end of the day the physical temple (or church) being built is nothing more than stone, timber and some precious metals and rocks. Just pretty works, nothing more. However, if we let the works we are doing, regardless how good or pretty they may be, get in the way of the work God is trying to do in us, then we have missed the mark and it is all in vain. So in answer to your question "What is a modern Baptist Church building supposed to look like?" My answer is 'I don't care. What's going on inside?"

Because the service is over

AMEN brother. What a blessing it is to watch one of your own children accept God's call and step out in service to Him. I watch mine and have to step back and shake my head saying: 'How did this come from me?' Let us have the final prayer card when complete. I, for one, would like to add it to my stack.

So everyone should whisper? Like at a funeral service? I think that would not be appealing to first time visitors. I believe most like to be welcomed with open arms, not treated as though they need to walk on egg shells. I don't believe this would be welcomed by most Christians either. Assembling with other Christians should be a time of rejuvenation and fellowship. During the Sunday School, Service, and times set aside for prayer there is silence and reverence. Prior to and after there is fellowship, Christian comradery and joy. I believe that is a welcoming environment for both members and newcomers alike. People smiling, enjoying each others company, being in God's house. Paul said we are to pray without ceasing. Based on your view perhaps we should always hold our conversation to a whisper, whether in church or out. 'There might be someone praying'.

So you don't like the sound of Christian fellowship upon entering a church before the actual service starts? That's sad. I was raised Catholic. Seems to me that entering a Catholic Church always feels more like a funeral than a worship service. I enjoy the fellowship that goes on prior to the service. I doubt I would stay long in a church where everyone maintained silence.

Now I feel geriatric! At 62 even Tony won’t accept me. ?

My daughter and her husband (who live in Centralia) do the same thing each anniversary. They like to hike, so typically pick areas that are full of those types of activities. One year they went to Pike's Peak. They are also Bibliophiles, so their last anniversary was spent in/near Vancouver, WA on the Columbia River. Portland, OR has one of their favorite bookstores.

That's awesome. I recognized some for our NY church there. We went to the New Manna Youth Rally back in April. Pastor Shirley puts on a great rally if ever you can make it. We are going to try and make both New Manna and Summit next year. Thanks for sharing!

I believe TGL is actually a closet JW. It would explain much of his questionable content. ?

I did not know Jim too well and don't know if he had ever served in the military. If so, a commonly forgotten vet benefit is burial costs. Contact the Veteran's Administration if Jim served. While not knowing Jim well, I did enjoy his fellowship here. He will be missed. I have been and will continue to pray for Jim and his family.

Perhaps He is delaying his coming so that more souls can get saved. Souls like my oldest son, or Invicta's granddaughter, or TGLs adopted children. While this world is certainly not my home, I'd hate to see things "wrapped up" before all my loved ones are saved.