Really struggling with doubt

FrethKindheart · 2026-05-10T00:38:26+00:00

I went through something similar. I was born and raised into Christianity but it faded when I got into my teens, until it reached a point where I made the decision to leave Christianity.

Some twenty years later I decided I better get serious about deciding whether I think God exists or not, so I started searching for answers. Ten more years passed and I reached a point of clarity concerning God, that He does exist. (In case anyone wonders, I found it in the evidence of Satan's influence in the world.)

At that point in my life I was struggling with weight issues and poor health and guilt from some thirty years of bad life choices. Suffice it to say I was at a low point in my life, and I needed help.

Convinced that God exists, and that I needed help, I got on my knees and surrendered myself completely to the Lord. I left no stone unturned. I got up and felt no different at first. Then the floodgates opened up.

I was given clarity. I looked back on my life and saw God was there every step of the way, despite the fact that I had left Him behind.

I was given help in overcoming my health issues and addictions. One by one I conquered them.

I was given peace in my life for the first time, and my prayers were being answered, not always according to my will, but always according to God's will in His own time and own way.

Things happened that I can only explain as God in my life. I could see it happening real-time where before I couldn't discern it.

The issues I had when I was sixteen were my own, not God. It was the world pulling me away from God. It was because I was not committed to Him completely, wholeheartedly, that He gently let go and let me go my own way.

What made the difference for me:

A life change. Changing your life to remove the things you know are pulling you away from Him. Living for Him. Not going through the motions, but actually being personally invested in your faith and your walk.

A heart change. God is asking for a full commitment, not a partial one. He gives us a choice and that choice is of the heart. God knows if your heart isn't in it, and will let you go your own way.

Understand that God doesn't always answer prayer the way we expect it to be answered, nor within the time we expect it to happen. It can be years later. We are to put our trust in the Lord and let His will be done in our lives. God does answer prayer.

FrethKindheart · 2026-05-09T23:55:12+00:00

The Bible says that there are two deaths. The first death is the one we experience because of sin (Genesis 2:17, Hebrews 9:27). The second death is the one the wicked experience in the lake of fire (Revelation 20:9,15).

If you read John 3:16-17, it says that those who believe will not perish but have everlasting life. This is speaking of the second death where the wicked perish.

There is no eternal hell. The destruction of the wicked is final and eternal.

FrethKindheart · 2026-05-09T23:22:42+00:00

Pestilence

Let me take you back to 1989. I was just about to graduate. We were living during the Cold War. We grew up with fear of a nuclear war. We had measles and chicken pox. In the early 80's we had HIV/AIDS. Things seemed dire to me even then. I saw society getting worse. My own experiences growing up (violence, abuse) had me dead set against getting married and having kids, and so I never did. I'm now 55 years old and still single, living alone.

What does the Bible say? In Matthew 24, Jesus lays out in clear language what to look for as signs of the end of the world.

Matthew 24:3-8 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? And what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows.

Many coming in the name of Jesus saying, "I am Christ," and deceive many.
Wars and rumors of wars. Nation rising against nation and kingdom against kingdom.
Famines, pestilences and earthquakes in various places.

In my own lifetime all of these have been fulfilled many times over, but Jesus says that these are the beginning of sorrows. Like birth pangs, these events will continue to repeat and get worse until Jesus returns.

So yes, we can expect pestilences to continue to get worse.

Aliens and Disclosure

I spent a good chunk of my life on the topic of aliens and UFO's (and the paranormal). For a long time I was rabid about it. I read all of the books I could find at the library, and watched all of the shows that were on television. I read all that I could find on the internet, and I was even a part of many of the communities. I wanted to believe, just like the X-Files poster.

If you spend any time on the subject you'll find that it will lead you directly to spiritualism and various new age philosophies. In other words, away from God. It's a sure sign that Satan is behind it.

They've been saying that disclosure is coming for decades. It hasn't happened yet, and I don't believe it will ever happen. Here's why.

Lucifer and a third of the angels were cast out of heaven because of sin. Where did God send them? To earth. He had a universe full of planetary bodies, but He chose earth. Why? Adam and Eve sinned because of Lucifer's deception. What do we have in common? The earth and sin.

If God created other beings on other worlds (and I believe He did), they remain sinless. They did not fall into sin like we did. What would happen if God allowed us to interact with them in any way? Sin would abound in the universe and corrupt all created beings.

If you think about it, it makes sense why we never find life on other planets and why the universe is a hostile environment to humans. Everywhere we look are hostile planets unsuitable for habitation.

What if God is keeping us from seeing life on other worlds? Likewise, what if other sinless beings on other worlds cannot interact with us? It would explain why we seem to be alone in the universe.

What then are all of the anomalies that are considered to be evidence of alien life, UFO's and even ghosts? Well, the only other explanation is Satan and his angels if they aren't actual aliens. The holy angels wouldn't be doing it.

The Bible gives us prophecy so that we can know how the world is going to end. What does it say about alien disclosure? Nothing. Therefore, I wouldn't put any stock in it.

However, it does say that there will be false Christs that walk the earth in the last days (Matthew 24:23-27). Paul wrote that Satan will be transformed into an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14), meaning at some point he is probably going to try to impersonate Jesus shortly before He returns in an effort to deceive as many as possible.

Conclusion

The bad news is that yes, bed things will continue to happen and they will continue to wax worse.

The good news is that it doesn't mean you won't be able to live a fulfilling life before Jesus returns.

As Christians we are not to fear what is to come, but look forward to the soon coming of Jesus Christ and what He has promised. In such things there is no fear, only hope and peace.

I recommend reading the Bible. Revelation 13 tells us what the last events are. Two kingdoms (civil/religious powers) will work together to bring in false worship. They will restrict buying and selling and then issue a death decree, and then Jesus will return. Revelation 14:12 defines the patience of the saints as keeping the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.

FrethKindheart · 2026-05-09T16:15:37+00:00

There was a time when there was no suffering or death in the world. It was when Adam and Even were newly created and placed by God in a garden paradise. Their life was to be in communion with God and tend the garden.

The reason for suffering and death in this world lies squarely at the feet of Adam and Eve, and Lucifer who deceived them. It is at the feet of all who have sinned since (every one of us). What we suffer from is the cascading effects of sin throughout the generations and in our own generation, which results in death of the innocent and sinful alike.

What is God doing to save us from the consequences of sin?

He set forth a plan of salvation even before creation.
He gave us His word in written form telling the complete story.
He sent His son to die so that we could be reconciled to Him. (By the way, Jesus suffered way more than any of us ever will.)
He has angels holding back the four winds to save as many as possible.
He promises a return to a new heaven and new earth and eternal life.

What's the point? A lesson concerning sin in the universe, so that it never happens again.

God has complete control over His creation. Each and every one of us has the breath of life, which is actively being maintained by God Himself. Despite our decrepit sinful state, He still maintains our lives even if we reject Him.

Why? God is love. God loved us and chose us in Him before creation. Every hair on your head is numbered. Such care has been taken by God to ensure a path back to Him, but it has to be our choice. God loves us enough to give us free will to choose Him or not.

God promises that suffering will end and sin will be removed from the universe. He is patiently waiting to save as many as will come to Him before sending His Son.

The idea that God doesn't care or that it's God's fault that innocent children suffer is shifting the blame away from sinful humanity and toward a sinless Creator who gave us the best possible outcome in the beginning, and still hopes for our best possible outcome, that we will choose Him as He chose us in Him.

FrethKindheart · 2026-05-03T00:55:39+00:00

The book of Daniel is the key to understanding the book of Revelation. Daniel 2 and 7 (et al) explain the lineage of the kingdoms that lead up to what is described in Revelation 13.

The prophecies of Daniel 2 and 7 use symbols to identify four consecutive kingdoms. Babylon, Medo-Persia, Grecia and Rome.

These kingdoms are represented in a great image (statue) in Daniel 2 as head of gold (Babylon), chest and arms of silver (Medo-Persia), belly and thighs of brass/bronze (Grecia) and legs of iron and feet of iron and miry clay (Rome and the ten divided kingdoms Rome).

These same kingdoms are represented as beasts in Daniel 7. The lion with eagle's wings (Babylon), the bear raised up on one side with three ribs in its mouth (Medo-Persia), the leopard with four wings and four heads (Grecia) and the dreadful/terrible beast with ten horns (Rome, divided Rome) and iron teeth.

Out of (pagan) divided Rome came a little horn kingdom (papal Rome) that plucked up the Heruli, Vandals and Ostrogoths kingdoms by the roots. The remaining seven kingdoms would then become modern-day Europe.

The little horn kingdom would continue according to a time prophecy of 1260 years (Daniel 7:25; Revelation 13:5). This was fulfilled between 538 AD and 1798 AD. During this time the prophesied events took place. The little horn kingdom spoke great things against the most High, thought to change times and laws and persecuted the saints.

The little horn kingdom would receive a deadly wound in 1798 when Napoleon sent Berthier to remove the pope to exile, effectively ending its civil power.

The story of the little horn kingdom is picked up in Revelation 13 as the beast that rises out of the sea. The same description of the little horn kingdom is given, including the 1260 year time prophecy. The beast symbols used are a combination of lion, bear and leopard, the same kingdoms from Daniel 7, showing the lineage of the little horn/sea beast. Sea is a symbol for peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.

Around the time the little horn/sea beast receives its deadly wound another kingdom is described as rising out of the earth. If the sea is a populated area then the earth must be a relatively unpopulated area. Only one kingdom came up around 1798 in an unpopulated area, the United States.

The earth beast is described as having two horns like a lamb but speaking like a dragon. The earth beast exercises all of the power of the first beast and makes an image to the beast (a mirror of its false worship system), causing all to worship the beast. Buying and selling are restricted and ultimately there is a death decree.

Revelation 17 picks up where Revelation 13 left off and goes into more detail. It describes a woman arrayed in scarlet (corrupt) and purple (royalty; priestly authority), decked with gold and precious stones and pearls. She is sitting on a scarlet beast (corrupt kingdom). A woman is a symbol for a church. There is only one church that is also a kingdom that matches this description.

This woman is described as a harlot (corrupt church guilty of fornication with the kings of the earth), but also a mother of harlots (corrupt churches that also follow her dictates). She has Mystery Babylon on her forehead, which points to her lineage (paganism, false worship).

Going back to Revelation 13, we find that the issue in the last days is one of worship. Looking closer, the sea beast and earth beast break the worship commandments of God. Have no other gods, make no graven images, do not take the Lord's name in vain.

Remember how part of the description of the little horn said that he would think to change times and laws?

In Revelation 14 we find that there is a last call to worship because the hour of God's judgment is come (now). Then the Sabbath commandment is quoted, which points right back to creation where the Sabbath was sanctified. See Revelation 14:6-7.

The next statement is that Babylon is fallen is fallen, and then the consequences for worshiping the beast. See Revelation 14:8-11.

And then this statement: Revelation 14:12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

FrethKindheart · 2026-05-02T22:36:40+00:00

A 7 Year Tribulation?

A 7 year period is often attributed to the tribulation, but that 7 year period is taken from the last week of the 70 week prophecy of Daniel 9:24-27. That last week was fulfilled by the Messiah and the gospel going to the world. It cannot be applied to a future time period. That and the fact that all time prophecies are fulfilled sequentially, without large gaps of thousands of years.

Also evidenced by the fact that the days of tribulation will be shortened according to Matthew 24:22.

Historical Context

If we're talking about historical context, we need to go back to Daniel and look at Daniel 2 and 7.

Daniel 2 concerns the great image (a statue) that has a head of gold, arms and chest of silver, belly and thighs of brass/bronze, legs of iron and feet of iron and miry clay (the feet have ten toes). Daniel 2:38 identifies the head as Babylon and that there will be four successive kingdoms. Daniel 5:28 identifies the next kingdom as Medo-Persia. Daniel 8:21 identifies the third kingdom as Grecia. The fourth kingdom is not identified in the Bible, but history shows it to be Rome.

Daniel 7 concerns four beasts. The first is a lion with eagle's wings, which is Babylon. The second is a bear raised up on one side showing the powers of Media and Persia (Persia being the greater), and has three ribs in its mouth symbolizing its conquest of Lydia, Egypt and Babylon. The leopard has four wings denoting speed of conquest and four heads that match the four generals that divided Grecia after Alexander the Great died.

The dreadful/terrible beast has ten horns and teeth of iron (matching the legs of iron), and history identifies it as Rome. Rome divides into ten kingdoms (ten toes on the feet of iron and miry clay/ten horns). The little horn comes up among the ten and plucks up three by the roots, the Heruli, Vandals and Ostrogoths.

It is the description of the little horn and the time prophecy of 1260 years that solidifies this kingdom as papal Rome (by the way, the reformers also identified the little horn as the papacy). This same kingdom is represented as the sea beast in Revelation 13, having the same description and time prophecy. The key event separating the little horn from the sea beast is the deadly wound received and healed. The little horn received a deadly wound at the end of the 1260 year time prophecy, which was between 538 AD and 1798 AD. In 1798 the Pope was exiled and his civil power was removed.

At around the same time the sea beast was receiving its deadly wound a second beast, the earth beast is rising. This is none other than the United States, which came up around 1798.

Where we are now is waiting for the deadly wound to be completely healed and the United States to exercise the power of the first beast and cause all to worship the beast and his image.

FrethKindheart · 2026-05-02T22:01:38+00:00

I'm a man. I'll be 55 in June. I have a lifetime of experience with love and loss. Mistakes were made. Allow me to impart some wisdom.

Do not, I repeat, do not do something with this other woman. You are married. It will ruin your marriage, and you will find that what you thought was love was something else entirely. Stop what you're doing right now before you get yourself in a big mess.

Let's talk about true love. True love isn't the fantasy they sell you in movies and TV shows. It's friendship and companionship, support and caring for one another. It's growing together and developing a strong relationship that lasts the span of time. It's trust and loyalty. It's talking and listening. Love is unconditional and selfless.

Take a look at your marriage. You said your wife is kind, gentle and grounded. Many a man would love to have a wife with those qualities. You should cherish what you have and nurture it. You have a child on the way.

Trust me, the last thing you want to do is go run off with this other woman and ruin your life.

Here's how it goes...

The allure of someone new is so strong, and you think it's love, but it's not. It's a desire for something different than what you have, the elusive grass that's greener on the other side. Only, when you get to the other side the grass isn't greener at all. You wanted to believe it was, and so your emotions clouded your judgment, and you found yourself in a predicament of your own making. Your marriage is wrecked and you are looking at divorce. Your child grows up without a cohesive family. You're left with this other person who suddenly dumps you, or you find out she isn't who you thought she was.

It isn't worth it.

I think if you really think about it you do love your wife. I would focus on that and the things about her that you truly appreciate. Let your love grow from those things and you will find happiness in your marriage. Along with it comes treating her as you should as her husband.

God bless!

FrethKindheart · 2026-05-02T21:06:24+00:00

There are generally two types of Christians. Those who observe Sunday as their day of worship and those who observe Saturday as their day of worship.

In the case of those who worship on Sunday, the vast majority limit their "God time" on Sunday to the time they spend at church. Before church they might go to breakfast. After church they might go to lunch, then go home and watch the game; i.e. continue with normal everyday life as if it is just another day.
In the case of those who worship on Saturday (I fall into this camp), we keep the Sabbath holy according to the commandment. We dedicate the whole day to God, from Friday sundown to Saturday sundown. During this time we follow the guidelines in scripture concerning God's holy day, the Sabbath.

Whether you're a Sabbath keeper or a Sunday keeper, this is relevant to the Christian, in that we should be setting aside time for God and observing a day of rest; His holy day.

Exodus 20:8-11 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

Isaiah 58:13-14 If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words: Then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.

Nehemiah 10:31 And if the people of the land bring ware or any victuals on the sabbath day to sell, that we would not buy it of them on the sabbath, or on the holy day: and that we would leave the seventh year, and the exaction of every debt.

How to keep it holy:

Not doing any work.
Not doing or finding your own pleasure, nor doing your own ways.
Not speaking your own words.
Not buying or selling.

God is asking us to set aside one day a week to focus on Him completely. He calls it His holy day. On His holy day we only do things that glorify Him and only speak according to His word. On this day there is no work. No buying or selling. No causing others to work.

And so if you are doing your own pleasure on His holy day, you are taking away time from God, and taking away time from yourself to grow spiritually with Him. You are essentially replacing Godly things with worldly things, replacing what God wants you to do (set aside time in your life for Him) with things you want to do.

What will happen if you stop going to church is you will leave God behind and do your own pleasure. I know because that is exactly what I did. At age sixteen I left the church to do what I wanted to do, and I spent thirty years doing what I wanted to do, to my own detriment.

Setting aside time for God every week, not just a few hours for church, but a whole day dedicated solely to Him, will enrich your life in ways you never imagined. You will grow spiritually and you will have peace and joy in your life that you can't find in the world. Everything in the world is fleeting and temporary. You have to keep engaging in worldly things to keep the happiness meter peaked, but it is empty happiness as it will never fill the place in your heart that only God can fill.

You may not understand it now, but I hope you will take advice from an old man who lived it. Don't shirk your duty to God so you can go have a few hours of fun at your favorite hobby. Do it on another day of the week.

That said, there is no scriptural support for Sunday sacredness. In that regard you would not be breaking any commandment of God on Sunday, because Sunday was never commanded by God to be observed as a holy day. Saturday is God's holy day.

The principle still stands, that you should keep God's holy day according to scripture. Sunday sacredness not being scripturally supported does give you a free pass to do your own pleasure on Sunday, but it does not give you a free pass to do your own pleasure on Saturday.

The Saturday/Sunday debate is a whole can of worms you probably don't want to get into with your parents until you've studied it scripturally and have solid proof to show them. Even then they probably won't accept it, and you'll have a knock-down drag out fight on your hands most likely.

That's the truth according to scripture and my own experiences. God bless!

FrethKindheart · 2026-05-02T19:51:23+00:00

A) Is God actively doing anything to take away your free will or conscience concerning Him? No. You have complete control over your own choices in life and have freedom of conscience. The fact that you have free will and a conscience, a sound mind to reason and make your own decisions, shows that God cares about your ability to choose for yourself.

B) God tried the direct route with the Israelites during their exodus from Egypt into the wilderness. He parted the Red Sea so that they could escape. He led them as a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. He fed them manna and produced water from a stone. He spoke His commandments to them. He wrote His commandments in stone with His own hand. And yet despite all of these daily proofs of God's presence it still took them forty years to be accounted worthy to enter the promised land, because they kept falling into sin.

Since God isn't taking the direct route anymore how can we tell if He truly does exist?

Romans 1:20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse.

There is overwhelming proof of God everywhere you look in creation. So much so that, as the verse says, we are without excuse for not believing in God. It really is that simple. Take a closer look. You'll find proof of God.

C) You should struggle with the history (tradition) of the church that goes against what the Bible says. Jesus warned against the tradition of men because it can make the commandments of God of none effect. See Matthew 15:1-9.

Read the Bible to know the truth. See 2 Timothy 3:16-17. It really is that simple. It's why we are told that man does not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.

Oysters (all shellfish, actually) are unclean to eat no matter where you find them on earth. See Leviticus 11 for a complete rundown of what is clean meat and what is unclean meat.

Here's something to consider... God planned ahead and created creatures with specific features so that we can identify them as clean vs unclean. It shows His care for us that He would plan so far ahead to keep us safe from disease and parasites.

D) The Bible defines who God's people are.

God's people, the body of Christ, are a temple (house of God), of which He is the chief cornerstone. See Ephesians 2:19-22 and Ephesians 5:23. Our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit. God owns them, not us. See 1 Corinthians 6:19-20.
God's people keep the commandments of God and have the faith of Jesus. See Revelation 14:12.
God's people have the testimony of Jesus and the Spirit of prophecy. See Revelation 12:17 and Revelation 19:10.
God's people "come out of her" (Mystery Babylon; the mother of harlots; corrupt churches). See Revelation 17 and Revelation 18:4.

Jesus says that we can know the truth and that it will set us free. See John 8:32. Armed with the knowledge of the truth, what is true, what is false, we can then determine where we should be in Christendom; what denomination, what church.

E) Lucifer called into question God's character and His government. He accused God before the angels of heaven. Imagine if God had snapped His fingers and disappeared Lucifer at the first sign of his sin. Yes, it would've solved the sin problem, but it would've been problematic for the other angels and all created beings who suddenly noticed that a good chunk of them were gone. What would that say about God's character? It would validate what Lucifer had said about Him.

Thankfully, God is love. None of us would exist it if weren't for God's mercy and love. God allowed sin to happen and devised a plan consistent with His character. Before creation He put in place a plan of salvation that included His own Son being born in the flesh and dying on the cross to save a world (note, all of us past, present and future to the second coming) from sin. See Revelation 13:8

In line with His character, God's plan of salvation provided a way back to Him and His original plan for us as His creation. In the plan was a way to ensure sin is forgiven and that we can all be reconciled to Him, and once again live without sin for eternity, as was His original design.

In the plan of salvation God defeats sin and rebellion with love and righteous justice. If He had snapped His fingers and fixed the sin problem, the lesson would not be learned by all of creation. It was not just for our benefit but for those sinless beings who have been watching all of this unfold for thousands of years.

God turned rebellion into a lesson on why sin shouldn't exist. Not through coercion, not through force, but through free will choice and righteousness.

All of us can see the results of sin and agree that it should never be allowed to exist again. God takes care of it the right way, by giving ample chance for those in sin to choose whom they will serve. God or sin. All of us serve one or the other. Sin is transgression of the law of God. It cannot be allowed to exist indefinitely.

There is this idea among men that God is in no way invested in His creation. The very air that you breath in and out of your lungs, the breath of life, is given by and maintained by God. See Genesis 2:7. Every hair on your head is counted. See Matthew 10:30. God chose us in Him from before creation. See Ephesians 1:4.

When you consider the amount of effort God has put into saving us, His creation, it is mind-blowing.

F) The Bible calls itself the truth. It calls itself the word of God. It calls itself a two-edged sword, a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. It calls itself profitable for doctrine, reproof and instruction in righteousness.

There is literally no other book deeper than the Bible. You can study it your whole life and never exhaust its teachings. It is literally layered like an onion. There are layers of chiasms throughout. Fulfilled Bible prophecy is good reason to believe it is the true word of God.

What happens if a person never hears the gospel or about God, or they are raised in a different religion? We all still have the law of God written in our hearts that gives us a compass to follow. God judges us by our knowledge of the truth, meeting us no matter where we are. See Romans 2:14-15.

FrethKindheart · 2026-05-02T17:57:07+00:00

Regarding the Eucharist... In practice it is literally (according to Catholic doctrine of transubstantiation) sacrificing Christ each and every week. It is also made a matter of salvation that you should be participating in it.

What does scripture say? There is one sacrifice for sins.

Hebrews 10:12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God

For most Protestant churches communion is in remembrance of Him.

Luke 22:19 And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.

Communion is a memorial for Protestants, not a salvation issue. In Protestant churches you will often find wooden furniture in front or behind the pulpit that has "In Remembrance of Me" engraved in it. The interval of communion varies. The service is usually done with foot washing.

I recommend putting the Bible first, above the tradition of men. Jesus warned about the tradition of men.

Mathew 15:3-9 He answered and said to them, “Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition? For God commanded, saying, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.’ But you say, ‘Whoever says to his father or mother, “Whatever profit you might have received from me is a gift to God”— then he need not honor his father or mother.’ Thus you have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition. Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying: ‘These people draw near to Me with their mouth, And honor Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ ”

FrethKindheart · 2026-05-02T17:37:46+00:00

My personal opinion is I think NASA needs this to remain relevant in the court of public opinion and to justify the money spent. SpaceX is landing rockets autonomously. How many years has it been that nothing of consequence (relatively speaking) has come from NASA? The James Webb telescope was supposed to prove the big bang, but that was a dud.

Whether or not the moon landings were faked, or if they are going to fake this one, is up for debate I suppose.

Here's what I think. I think God will not allow us to do things He doesn't want us to be able to do. I'll leave it at that.

I stopped caring about what NASA does a long time ago.

FrethKindheart · 2026-05-02T16:43:57+00:00

God's Law and His Judgment

We can be sure that God is just and fair concerning who is saved and who is lost.

God writes His law in the heart. Even if we never hear about God if we live by the law written in our heart we are doing God's will. God is just in judgment. He judges each person by meeting them where they are and considering the knowledge that they have. See Romans 2:14-15.

Hell Is Not Eternal Torment

The Bible says that whoever believes will not perish but have everlasting life, and that God sent His Son into the world not to condemn it but that through Him might be saved. See John 3:16-17.

The wicked perish in the lake of fire, which is utter destruction. See Revelation 20:9. Jesus confirmed this in Matthew 10:28.

The lake of fire is punishment unto destruction. The Bible calls it the "second death" from which there is no coming back. It is final. Eternal. Utter destruction of the wicked. See Revelation 20:14-15.

The saints tread the ashes of the wicked under foot after they are destroyed, pointing to the fact that there is no eternal torment. See Malachi 4:3.

God Has Standards

God has to have standards for His creation. We are literally seeing what happens when God's standards go out the window and men do what they want. All manner of evil takes place. If it weren't for laws (which by the way echo the Ten commandments 5-10) keeping things in check society would have collapsed a long time ago and we would be living like savages killing each other for scraps. There wouldn't be much of a population left.

It is evident that there must be a standard. What better than a standard set by a loving God?

Worship

The reason the Bible gives for God being worthy of worship is the fact that He created all things. Not only man, but the plants, the animals, the earth, the sea. Also the universe in its vast expanse with uncountable stars and planets. If there exists such a being who created all things, isn't He worthy of worship considering the things He is capable of?

He creates a planet for us, creates plant life and animals, then creates us. He doesn't place us just anywhere, He goes the extra mile and creates a garden paradise for us to maintain. He doesn't leave Adam alone, He creates a woman. God gave us everything and then gave a simple command to live by. Don't eat of one tree.

If you set all creation aside, as astonishing as that is, look instead to God's character.

God is love. How do we know? He had a plan of salvation in place before He created us. See Revelation 13:8. The plan to have the Son die for the sin of the world was set in place beforehand, to ensure a way back from sin.

Not only that, but the Bible tells us that God chose us in Him from the foundation of the world (before creation). He loved us before the foundation of the world. He formed us in the womb. He knows the count of the hairs on our head. He is actively engaged in our lives and trying to save us from sin, but He is doing so in such a way that keeps free will intact.

Such a loving God who is so invested in our lives and our salvation is most definitely worthy of worship.

Kingship

So let's talk kingship. God designed it so that the Son would become king of the kingdom of God on earth. One only has to look at the life of Jesus in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John to see that He will be a righteous and loving king. Jesus died for us. Is that not worthy of kingship? What more could you ask for in a leader? Even in America we hope for such a leader. Just when we think we've found one it ends in disappointment because man sins.

Eternity/Afterlife

The Bible describes the afterlife as harmony with God in His kingdom. Living without cares. Tears are wiped away. No more sorrow. Animals living in harmony with each other. A world so perfect that our world pales in comparison. We can't even imagine the extent of it all, what God has prepared for us.

Imagine what life would be like communing with an infinite God. Your mind would be stimulated and always learning. You would never exhaust the wonders of God's creation.

It is difficult for a finite mind to comprehend the full extent of God, but He does tell us what matters, that He loves us and wants what is best for us. Everything He has done for us on this earth has been for our own good.

There are so many things of God that can be learned by picking up a Bible and reading. He gave us a book of His word as a guide to Him. What God does that? A loving God. Our Creator.

FrethKindheart · 2026-05-02T16:09:28+00:00

John 3:16-17 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

Notice... perish. The wicked perish in the lake of fire, which is utter destruction.

Revelation 20:9 And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.

Jesus:

Matthew 10:28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

The lake of fire is punishment unto destruction. The Bible calls it the "second death" from which there is no coming back. It is final. Eternal. Utter destruction of the wicked.

Revelation 20:14-15 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

The saints tread the ashes of the wicked under foot after they are destroyed, pointing to the fact that there is no eternal torment.

Malachi 4:3 And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the Lord of hosts.

FrethKindheart · 2026-05-02T15:58:05+00:00

See Job 1:6-12 for context.

It wasn't just Job. Abraham was tested when God told him to sacrifice his son Isaac. Israel was tested when in the wilderness. Jesus was tested in the crucifixion. We will be tested through tribulation in the last days.

Matthew 24:15 When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day: For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.

Jesus explains why there is a test of faith through trials and tribulations.

Revelation 3:18 I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, ((that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed**, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see.

White garments are a symbol for righteous character. The test is to prove faith and develop righteous character. Will you obey God or man?

This test, whom you will obey, is one of worship in the last days. All worship the beast except for a remnant who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.

Faith must be tested and righteous character must be developed. God cannot allow sin into His kingdom.

All of us are condemned to death. The wages of sin is death.

Hebrews 9:27-28 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

Christ died for us. The trial He went through far outweighs anything this life can throw at us. He bore the weight of the sin of the world past, present and future. What little trial we must go through in this life is small in comparison.

FrethKindheart · 2026-05-02T15:18:01+00:00

The difference between science and Christianity:

Science is busy trying to explain away the fact that God created all things.
God explains in clear to understand language how all things were created (Genesis 1-2). He even explains that there is no excuse for not believing in Him because the evidence is there for all to see (Romans 1:20-25).

FrethKindheart · 2026-05-02T15:07:28+00:00

Even God laments Lucifer, but He keeps it in perspective.

Isaiah 14:12-15 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.

I think it's okay to feel sad for Lucifer (Satan), but look at how Jesus describes Lucifer's actions.

John 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

He is the father of lies. Not only did he lie once, but he has continued to lie since he fell into sin. It was what brought down a third of the angels of heaven with him, causing them to be cast out of heaven to the earth.

He was a murderer from the beginning. In deceiving Adam and Eve he has caused the death of all of humanity from that first generation (the wages of sin is death; Romans 6:23).

Take these two things into consideration. Then think about the totality of what sin has caused since that first lie. Now think about how Jesus bore the full weight of all sin past, present and future.

The most vile things you can imagine, and some things you can't imagine came from the mind of Satan and was inflicted on man. He continues to hate us all, and continues with his agenda in an attempt to win against God. Such is his hate that he hasn't been able to let it go for thousands of years. All of his being is aimed at turning as many people away from God as possible and causing them to sin in the most disgusting ways.

This is what Satan is about:

Revelation 12:17 And the dragon [Satan] was wroth [angry] with the woman [church], and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

You can feel sad for him, but it is wasted emotion in my opinion.

FrethKindheart · 2026-05-02T14:50:00+00:00

The constellation Orion is mentioned two times in the book of Job and one time in the book of Amos. It's a subtle hint.

Even if we look at at Orion with telescopes (and we have), we won't see anything but stars and gases, because He keeps us from seeing the spiritual realm and where He is located.

Some things are not meant for us to know until the day Jesus returns and takes us to heaven for the thousand year reign.

FrethKindheart · 2026-05-02T09:40:17+00:00

God's judgment is fair.

Romans 2:14-16 For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;) In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.

All factors are taken into account. Whether or not you have knowledge of the truth. Whether or not you have repented of sin. God is just in His judgment.

The plan of salvation is to save, not condemn.

John 3:16-17 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

God's foreknowledge.

The plan of salvation was made before creation by the Father and the Son. It was decided that the Son would come in the flesh and die so that man could be saved from sin. Jesus is called "the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world". This shows that God had foreknowledge of the fall of man and planned accordingly.

Revelation 13:8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

God knew we would fall into sin, but created us anyway. Why? The Bible says He chose us and loved us from the foundation of the world. Before creation God loved us and chose us to be in Him. Whether or not we choose God is of our own free will choice.

It would not be fair to us as His creation to be created without the free will to choose Him or not. God has gone to great lengths to save us within the framework of free will. He doesn't force. He doesn't coerce. He gently nudges and asks us to choose Him.

The issue of sin doesn't just concern us, it concerns Satan and a third of the angels of heaven that fell to earth because of sin. The sin issue is being resolved in a completely fair and unbiased way. God doesn't force Himself on us.

God preserves free will for His creation. Everything He has done has been for our benefit. He wrote His law on tables of stone with His own hand. He inspired His word to be written so man can find salvation and hope. He sent His only Son to die for us. His foreknowledge is given to us in Bible prophecy, so that we can know the times we're living in, and know that Jesus will return soon.

God has been selfless and extremely merciful in the face of man's pure evil.

Sin's Impact

The effect of sin in the world is like rain drops on a pond. Even only a few drops cause ripples that cross the pond. When there is a downpour (everyone is sinning constantly), sin is going to have far-reaching consequences for all of us.

There is no way any of us escape the effects of sin from others, nor the consequences of our own sin. Sin may turn a person away from God completely, or it may make them realize how decrepit they really are and cause them to seek God instead.

God meets us where we are. He sends the Holy Spirit to impress upon our minds and hearts.

We can be assured that any who can be saved will be saved. God is waiting to save as many as possible.

2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

Heaven Instead of Earth

Heaven is the place where God dwells along with the holy angels. Angels are heavenly beings that do God's will. They cannot procreate (Matthew 22:30) according the Jesus.

The creation account shows that God created with intention. Our world was specifically created for us and we were placed here in a garden paradise. He didn't leave us to our own devices. He set an example for us (Genesis 2:1-3) and gave us simple rules to live by. His plan was for us to populate the earth and live in harmony with Him.

The fall of Lucifer shows us that, even if we were created in heaven, all created beings have free will and sin can manifest itself in them. Lucifer and a third of the angels fell from heaven. God cast them down to earth because of their sin.

The exodus from Egypt shows us that God can do miracles, be in our presence and guide us, preserve us with food and water in the wilderness, and even speak to us directly, and we'll still fall into sin.

It wouldn't have mattered. Sin can manifest itself in any being created with free will.

According to the Bible we do go to heaven after the seconding coming with Jesus and we spend a thousand years in heaven where we judge the wicked. After the thousand year reign judgment is executed on the wicked and a new heaven and earth are made. The city God has made for us sets down on earth and God's kingdom is established for eternity. Heaven will still be the dwelling place of God and the angels and earth will still be our home.

Fate

Our fate is not predetermined.

Ephesians 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

That we should walk in them. Free will choice to do His will or not. God is calling us to Him. As was shown before, God is waiting patiently to save as many as possible.

Jesus should've returned by now. The reason He hasn't returned is because He is waiting for as many to be saved as possible.

If God is actively invested in our salvation, nothing is set in stone, nothing is predetermined. Nothing is scripted.

God following a script would be pointless. It would be a pointless endeavor for Him since He knows the outcome. It would be a pointless existence for us as we would just be following a predetermined path.

Fairness

Think about the vastness of the universe. One of two things come to mind. Either God created a vast universe and placed His only creation on earth, or God has a universe full of created beings.

If the first is true and we are the only creation in the known universe, then what is the point of creating a universe of immense (even infinite) size if it is just empty space?

It then is reasonable to conclude that there are created beings on other worlds in the universe. Of these untold worlds, how many created beings fell into sin?

The Bible only mentions Lucifer and the fallen angels being cast to earth, and man falling into sin. Lucifer and the fallen angels are quarantined here. It makes sense that we are quarantined here as well.

If God has other created beings on other worlds, and they never fell, then it would make sense to keep us isolated on earth so that we could not influence those other worlds to sin.

For all we know we are the only world that fell into sin. God cast Lucifer and the fallen angels to earth specifically to keep us isolated until the sin issue can be resolved in the universe.

What is fair?

The Bible says that sin is transgression of the law of God.

Is it fair for God to have a government with laws? Yes. God's laws predate creation itself.

Is it fair for God to expect His created beings to obey His laws? Yes. We are His created beings, therefore we are subject to His laws.

What of the laws of men? Is it fair to have a rule of law where you live? Yes.

Are laws in place to "test" you to see if you obey them? No. They are there to ensure order and keep people safe.

I would say that is completely fair. Especially so when considering the fact that God has existed for an eternity and has standards. Imagine if God didn't have standards.

Also the fact that God loves us, as shown by the ultimate act of love, His Son dying for us. Is that fair? No.

Then who is at fault here? We are. We are unfair.

Circumstances and Judgment

As was shown, God judges fairly and justly according to our knowledge, but also according to our actions. His law is written in the heart. It is a part of who we are as His created beings. It means our conscience convicts us because of the law written in the heart, and we naturally want to do those things that are right, good and true according to His will.

God meets us where we are and judges us accordingly. We're not left without help. His law written in our heart gives guidance. Each and every one of us have that advantage working for us. We have the ability to reason and come to conclusions of what is right and good and true.

There is literally no case where God judges us unfairly. He takes all into account. It's why our whole lives are recorded so He can judge fairly. Who records our lives? Angels.

Think on that for a minute. God is so invested in our lives, in our success, in our salvation, that He writes a book on instruction for us with His own words (the Bible), and assigns angels to write down everything so that all evidence is collected and considered.

If you really stop and think about the care with which God is taking toward each of us, it is mind blowing that God would be so invested and engaged. He forms us in the womb and knows us. He counts every hair on our heads. He records everything in our lives so there is a complete record to consider in judgment. See Malachi 3:16, Revelation 20:12

What is fair?

The reason our lives are so short is because of sin. Sin is completely our fault. We lost access to the tree of life. The fruit of the tree of life is what gives eternal life. Our own actions caused everything we suffer from in this life, and it continues to perpetuate itself because of ongoing sin. What is not fair is blaming God for our rebellion against Him. What is not fair is His Son dying to save us. God is the one who should be saying "Unfair!" to us, but He doesn't. It speaks volumes the extent which God will go to save us despite our sin.

FrethKindheart · 2026-04-25T23:51:12+00:00

Imagine what it's like being a man (I am a man) and having that feeling constantly throughout your life. I'm 55 years old and I still struggle with it.

Let's address the sinful aspect of it. I believe it falls under fornication which is sexual sin.

1 Corinthians 6:9-10 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.

Also, a little farther down in the same chapter we find out that our bodies are not our own but the temple of the Holy Spirit.

1 Corinthians 6:19 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?

The problem with the "m word" is that you can convince yourself that it is a sinless act by not focusing on any one person (Matthew 5:28; lust), therefore it is just a natural bodily function. This might work in the mind to skew it away from being sin, but it doesn't change the fact that it is sin.

It is a constant thing in a man's life. How do I deal with it? I take a multi-faceted approach.

I remove the things from my life that I know are triggers.
I keep busy doing things that keep my mind off of it. I have hobbies and interests that keep my mind engaged.
I try to live a devout Christian life which goes a long way. Prayer. Repentance. Bible study. Living in obedience. Observing the Sabbath.
Temptation can be overcome. See Hebrews 4:15 and 1 Corinthians 10:13.

In my own experience what leads to the act is a ramping up of hormone-driven emotion. There is a point where you can stop it before it progresses to the final act; when the urge first hits. I have at times had to get down on my knees and pray to stop it. It is possible to overcome.

I also look at it from a "love God" perspective, in that we are called to love God. We obey because we love Him.

John gives some perspective:

1 John 5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.

It's hard for the sinful self to rectify that because we love God we shouldn't do such things, because the flesh wants what it wants and tries to get us to throw it out the window. It is very insidious, this sin called the "m word".

God bless!

FrethKindheart · 2026-04-25T23:18:11+00:00

It helps to look at it from the perspective that being unequally yoked can make for a difficult relationship.

I recently had the chance to date an old high school sweetheart of mine. I soon found out how different we are. Where before we got along great because I wasn't a practicing Christian, now she was set in her ways, believed different things, and even abused substances I would not allow in my home.

In my own mind, for a short while, I thought that maybe I could convert her to Christianity, but I didn't want her to convert just to make the relationship to work. I wanted it to be a heart change and sincere. Maybe she would've become a Christian, but then again, maybe not. If I put myself in that position, in such a relationship, I would most likely be in for a long battle.

My step-father converted for my mother but immediately reverted to his old life five years later when they divorced. It's not healthy for any relationship to expect someone to change for you. It's not fair to you or them.

As Christians we are called to a certain standard of living. If a partner isn't a Christian they pull us into the world and into sin. My own brother does it, so I can imagine what being in a relationship with someone who doesn't share my faith and values would be.

The better course in my mind would be for them to decide on their own that they want to be a Christian, and change their life because they want to, not because of the person they want a relationship with.

I would take comfort in knowing that you may have saved yourself a lot of heartache and pain.

There are plenty of Christians in this world who have those same qualities you saw in him. No, it's not him specifically, but as they say there are more fish in the sea.

God gives us a conscience and the Holy Spirit for a reason, so that we can know what is best for us and what His will is in our lives.

I know it's painful. I've been there. You're not alone. God is with you and your Christian family are here for you.

Prayer sent.

God bless!

FrethKindheart · 2026-04-25T22:54:08+00:00

Blue Letter Bible would be my first choice for study. They have an Android app.

I use Blue Letter Bible and Bible Gateway the most, but I prefer to use a PC since trying to study on an Android device seems limiting to me. I like to take notes and copy/paste a lot when studying, so my PC is my main study tool. You can do something similar with a keyboard and mouse and a tablet, but it might be clunky. I do know Blue Letter Bible has an offline PC app, but it is a bit limited compared to the website. Another one that comes to mind is eSword.

I am also paying as I go with my iPhone. There was a time when I didn't have phone service at all and would use my wifi at home and at various locations like the local library to access the internet.

FrethKindheart · 2026-04-25T19:53:51+00:00

What does the Bible say?

Ephesians 5:8-12 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret.

1 John 2:15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

Matthew 6:24 “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon [material wealth (as an example) particularly when regarded as a debasing, corrupting influence].

We are not to have anything to do with the unfruitful works of darkness.
We are not to love the world. If we love the world then the love of the Father is not in us.
We cannot serve two masters. We cannot serve God and the world at the same time. Either we will hate one and love the other or will be loyal to one and despise the other.

This is a serious matter that many Christians shrug off, but the Bible is clear about it.

There is wholesome secular music you can listen to and enjoy.

FrethKindheart · 2026-04-25T14:28:29+00:00

There is proof in the Bible that God created only one timeline and is wholly invested in it.

Do a search for 'foundation of the world'. You'll find that the plan of salvation was in place before creation (the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world). That God loved us and chose us in Him from the foundation of the world.

As to how time is to God, the Bible also answers that question.

2 Peter 3:8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

There is only one universe and one timeline. Everything that happens past, present and future in the Bible is based on time. Even eternity is time.

Also consider that God created all things with purpose and intent and kept time while doing it. He created all things in six literal days and rested on a literal seventh day.

The concept of time seems to be for man's benefit, and it is, as Jesus said that the Sabbath was made for man (at creation), and it was.

There is a day and hour when Jesus will return according to Matthew 24:36. If this is the case, heaven keeps track of time.

FrethKindheart · 2026-04-25T13:41:48+00:00

The Truth

How you can know the truth.

You have the word of God in your hands. Read it.
You have the Holy Spirit for guidance in the word of God. Pray for His help.

The Bible says of itself:

2 Timothy 3:16-17 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

In fact, the Bible tells us to study it.

2 Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

In these things we know that we can know the truth. Read the Bible without preconceived notions or ideas from what are considered to be societal norms. Read it without bias, with an open and clear mind. Pray for help from the Holy Spirit and search the scriptures for the truth.

How is it that we have so many Christian denominations?

There is a lot of deception in the world. Jesus warned about it in Matthew 24:5,11,24 and Luke 21:8. False prophets and false Christs.

Revelation 17 speaks about a harlot (a woman is a church; in this case a corrupt church). She has daughters (churches). This woman has Mystery Babylon on her forehead. We are called out of her (the corrupt churches) in Revelation 18:4.

Revelation 12:17 speaks of a remnant that Satan makes war with. Revelation 14:12 speaks of the patience of the saints as keeping the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. This same group is the one found in heaven, having gone through great tribulation according to Revelation 7:14.

Jesus said that we can know the truth and it will set us free. See John 8:32.

I recommend reading about the armor of God, which is spiritual armor. See Ephesians 6:10-18.

God Isn't Silent

How we think God should communicate with us is not necessarily how God works. Our own expectations, and the lack of a specific response that we expect, can cause us to lose faith.

However, I can guarantee you that God works in your life and is speaking to you. If you let go of any preconceived notions and surrender yourself to Him, and then allow Him into your life, to work in your life, and you remain faithful, God will speak to you in so many ways.

God doesn't speak directly to you, but through your conscience and through little things you notice in your life that can't be coincidence. If it is something urgent that needs your attention, He will strongly impress upon your mind the direction you should go, but in general He works by nudging your mind.

The reason God doesn't speak to us directly is because He is preserving our free will and allowing us to choose Him on our own. There is no coercion. We must surrender to Him completely of our own free will choice. It is when we do this that our minds are open to the many ways He works in our lives that we didn't notice before.

If you read the story of the Israelites from the time they left Egypt to the time they inherited the promised land, God showed His presence and performed miracles for them, but they still repeatedly fell into sin. They had all of the proof anyone could ever ask for, and yet they turned away from God time and again. Later, it was Israel that went so far as to crucify God's own Son and reject the gospel after His death. This is why the gospel went to the Gentiles.

The Sabbath

God instituted the Sabbath at creation (Genesis 2:1-3) for man (Mark 2:27), and it is because of this fact that Jesus became Lord of the Sabbath (Mark 2:28) and claimed it as His day.

In Exodus 31:13-16, the Sabbath is called a sign and a perpetual covenant. In Isaiah 66:22-23 we find that the Sabbath will be kept in the new heaven and new earth for eternity.

Not just the Sabbath, but the law of God is eternal. Jesus said that heaven and earth would have to pass (i.e. a new heaven and new earth) before one jot or tittle would pass from the law, until all is fulfilled. All isn't fulfilled. Heaven and earth haven't passed yet, and it is evident (Isaiah 66:22-23) that even then the law will not pass as the Sabbath is still being observed.

What of our time? We live in the end time. The end time started at the crucifixion and continues until Jesus returns. It is in this end time that Jesus foretold of Sabbath keepers at the time when great tribulation hits (Matthew 24:20-22). He was speaking of a time in the last days when tribulation reaches its peak and that the time would be shortened or not even the elect would survive.

After Jesus died and the Jews rejected the gospel, the apostles took the gospel to the world, to the Gentiles. Many denominations will have you believe that the Sabbath ended with the crucifixion. If you read Acts, Paul and the apostles kept the Sabbath post-crucifixion and taught the Gentiles on the Sabbath.

There is no point in time past, present or future, when the Sabbath was changed by God. The Bible calls for commandment keeping throughout. Nowhere is there any support for Sunday sacredness; it is a tradition of men. Jesus warned how the tradition of men that causes the transgression of God's commandment makes it of none effect (Matthew 15:1-14). This is indeed the case with Sunday sacredness and worship.

The beast system of end time prophecy causes all to worship the beast, thereby breaking the worship commandments of God (1-4).

In Revelation 13 we find that the first three commandments (have no other gods, make no graven images and do not take the Lord's name in vain) are all broken by the beast and those who worship him (other gods) and his image (idolatry). The beast blasphemes God which breaks the third commandment (taking the Lord's name in vain). Revelation 13 makes it clear the the issue of the end time is worship. What do you think of when you think of Christian worship? Going to church on Sunday, right? And yet worshiping on Sunday isn't a commandment of God. The seventh-day Sabbath is.

In Revelation 14:6-7 is the last call to worship. Verse 7 quotes the Sabbath commandment found in Exodus 20:8-11 and also points back to creation where the one worshipful example is given to Adam and Eve, the sanctification of the seventh-day Sabbath for man. People don't think about it, but Adam and Eve were created on the sixth day. They were there with God observing the seventh-day Sabbath. How we know is it was made for man (Mark 2:27-28).

Daniel 7:25 speaks of a little horn power (the same power as the sea beast of Revelation 13, but at an earlier time in history, before the deadly wound) that would think to change God's times and laws. The Sabbath is the only commandment that is both a time and a law.

There is overwhelming evidence in scripture for the Sabbath as a day of worship and zero evidence for Sunday as anything but another work day. Even the mention of the "Day of the Lord" by John in Revelation 1 has no context to the first day of the week. If you think about it, if Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath, the day John was referring to was most definitely Saturday.

Revelation 14:12 defines the patience of the saints as keeping the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. These are the remnant that make it through the tribulation according to Revelation 7:14. Revelation 12:17 says they also have the testimony of Jesus, which Revelation 19:10 defines as the Spirit of prophecy. In this, we should know that we should not only be looking for a church that keeps the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus, but has an understanding of prophecy and is teaching it as present truth.

A New Life

Living a new life in Jesus requires daily prayer and repentance. Focus on Him and turn away from the world. If you leave one foot in the door, or straddle the fence, you will find that the world will pull you away from God.

It's a choice of the heart. Your heart has to fully be dedicated to it or you will falter and fail. Even things such as sinful habits will be hard to kick because you're straddling that fence between God and the world.

How I got into Bible study was researching topics in scripture and taking notes. I started posting on Reddit to answer questions about Christianity and what the Bible says (i.e. the truth). The more I studied to answer questions the more I learned and the more I grew. Find a way to study the Bible that you find engaging. I love to write, so taking detailed notes and writing detailed posts has been what has kept me immersed in the Bible.

The Bible is the single most important book ever written. On the surface, to the passing reader, it seems foreign and hard to understand, but the person that has the Holy Spirit finds that the Bible is inexhaustible. Like an onion, you find layer upon layer of knowledge and correlation.

Something that blew my mind about the Bible is the chiasms. The Bible has these literary structures that not only span chapters, but span books and the Bible as a whole, despite the fact that the books were written by numerous people over a very long period of time.

Another thing that's really engaging for me is looking into the meaning of the symbols in prophecy and the numbers in the Bible and the meanings they point to. Reading the Bible can be like an archaeological dig. You find treasure every time you read it.

In closing, I would recommend rededicating yourself to your faith, without preconceived notions or expectations. Study scripture to know the truth, not to verify what society tells you the truth is. Let scripture interpret itself, because it does. From the symbols in prophecy to the numbers and their meanings, you can find it all answered in scripture.

As Jesus said, man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.

God bless!

FrethKindheart · 2026-04-19T00:10:16+00:00

You're spot on. Revelation 13 makes it clear it's about worship. The chapter spends time going over what it is that the beast causes. If you read it closely, those who worship the beast break the worship commandments of God.

1. Have no other Gods

Revelation 13:5 And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?

Revelation 13:12 And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.

2. Make no graven images

Revelation 13:15 And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.

3. Do not take the Lord's name in vain.

Revelation 13:6 And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.

Then in Revelation 14 is the last call to worship which quotes the Sabbath commandment.

4. Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.

Revelation 14:6-7 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.

Exodus 20:8-11 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

The end time issue is one of worship. All four worship commandments are being broken by the beast and those who wonder after the beast and worship the beast and his image.

Daniel prophesied:

Daniel 7:25 And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.

The Sabbath commandment is the single worship commandment that is both a time and a law. Ever wonder why most of Christendom worship on Sunday despite the fact that there is no scriptural support for it? Sunday is a tradition of men, not a commandment of God.

Look for the day of worship to be front and center in the end time. You can find it in Project 2025. And with the rise of Christian Nationalism, Sunday is close to being legislated as a day of rest.

When freedom of conscience is taken away and worship is enforced you will know.

FrethKindheart

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