Announcements for April 25, 2019

PCD Quarterly Report

January-March 2019

From Cecil Maranville: We handled 704 messages this quarter compared with 753 for the first quarter of 2018 (down 7 percent). Below is a sample of the questions we responded to this quarter, as well as some notes of thanks.

• Subject: Passover. Question: Hi, I currently reside in Massachusetts and have a couple of questions. I currently belong to a church that claims that [the] second coming [of] Christ has already come and the sign by which we can see that Christ has come already is through the Passover. Meaning nobody was keeping the Passover (it was abolished through the council of Nicea in A.D. 325) until He … came and established it again. My questions are the following: When did your church start keeping the Passover? Who founded your church?
• Subject: Sabbath. Question: Hi. I have been taking work off and respecting the Sabbath as best to my knowledge. The church I attend does not teach it and says we follow all commandments but the Sabbath, and I can’t understand that. I believe we shouldn’t work because I’ve had bad days on Saturdays and didn’t make money in the past and didn’t get enough rest. Now I feel whole and normal when I take the day off and speak to others about Jesus and have time with Jesus. I go to Church of Christ. Why do they not teach that, and why are we at church on Sunday instead of Saturday? To me, it’s like Sunday sun god or Sabbath Saturday. The words even go together. Please help me to understand better.
• Subject: Music. Question: I would like to ask about music. Yes, music, since we have a lot of musicians worldwide singing different kinds of music. … As Christians, what kind of music [should] we … listen to, jazz, afropop, reggae, gospel—you name it? Is it a sin to listen to music that is not gospel related? And one other thing, as a Christian, is it permissible to sing any other music beside the gospel related music?
• Subject: Scripture. Question: In Daniel 8:25 who is the Prince of princes?
• Subject: Jesus. Question: Is Jesus God or man or Son of God or Son of Man?
• Subject: Holy Communion. Question: Any tips on addressing Holy Communion to 5th graders?
• Subject: Fear of the Lord. Question: I’m teaching a group of young ladies age 15+ on the topic of fearing the Lord. Do you recommend anything for further research? Our theme is “the woman who fears the Lord shall be praised.” 
• Subject: Sabbath. Question: What day is the true Sabbath?
• Subject: Scripture. Question: When and why was Exodus 18:31 removed?
• Subject: Prayers. Question: When a person continues to pray daily for their family and then are taken home to live with the Lord, do those prayers sow a seed and continue to bless the family? Can you give me a chapter and verse please? Thank you.
• Subject: Lord’s feast days. Question: All the Lord’s feast days reveal the redemptive work of Christ; do you celebrate them?
• Subject: Birthdays pagan celebration? Question: I’m thankful to your ministry for helping us to understand and observe the feasts noted in the Bible and continuing the practice of the early church. I’m giving up most holidays and trying to observe the feasts. I’ve read your material and agree, but I don’t see anything listed about birthdays. I hear it has pagan roots, and if so, what’s the difference from trying to “Christianize” this like we try to do other pagan rooted holidays? After all the Bible says “the day you die is better than the day you were born.” Ecclesiastes 7:1. 
• Subject: Sabbath. Question: Do I sin if am not keeping the Sabbath?
• Subject: Am I wrong? Question: I have a statue of Jesus. Is it wrong to have this statue because no one really knows what Jesus looked like when He was on this earth!
• Subject: Saints. Question: I sincerely praise Father God Almighty for the Word of Truth in scripture that you all share for the saints of God to be called out of the darkness and into the marvelous light. Who are those saints according to the scriptures? 
• Subject: Overcome anger. Question: My life is good. I have basically everything I’ve ever wanted. But I’m plagued with anger and I don’t know why. I’m aware that I act irrationally. I see it and sometimes I can make myself stop. But the rage inside me is so deep. It comes over me out of nowhere. I hate it. I don’t want to be this way, and I definitely don’t want my husband and daughter to be around it. I pray for help with my anger. I pray and pray about it. It’s not something that I can just make go away. I need God to heal me. But he doesn’t. It doesn’t make sense to me. It doesn’t make sense that I’m praying for better godly character and He is like nope! Which then makes me doubt. I have never doubted God’s ability; I’ve always doubted His willingness. But I feel like something like anger I would be helped with. But instead more and more things are being thrown on me to make me more stressed which makes me angrier. I don’t want to be this way. And it’s very exhausting.
• Subject: How to pray. Question: Do you have to kneel down when you pray? I sometimes pray while lying in bed. Is that ok?
• Subject: Self-murder. Question: I know or at least feel that it’s not a favorable thing to do. Even the Bible says thou shall [not] kill. Surely there must be some way to wave or deter a man’s mind when he has come to the point of taking his own life. My question is, where in the Bible it says it is an unforgivable sin that one’s soul would be lost forever [because of] the act of self murder. Please I need book chapter and verse as soon as possible.
• Subject: COGWA. Question: Hi, Your articles are super-duper. I would like to know if your soteriology is Calvinism or not. Hope you are Calvinists.
• Subject: Symbols. Question: If the Star of David is considered pagan, why would the Israelis have it on their flag?
• Subject: Unleavened bread. Question: The Jews say you can’t own wheat during [the] feast, but what does the Bible say? Can I use flour to make unleavened bread during the feast?
• Subject: Sabbath as a sign. Question: Is it proper to accept the observance of Sabbath as a sign between God and non-Israelites?
• Subject: Giving possessions to the needy. Question: I have many possessions I don’t need. Instead of selling them I would love to give them away. [I’m] struggling to tithe right now. Is this a good start?
• Subject: COGWA. Question: How does Church of God differ from Baptist? 
• Subject: Adam’s wife. Question: Did Adam [have] a first wife named Lilith?
• Subject: Annual camp meetings [Feast of Tabernacles]. Question: [Where is] the verse that specifically instructs Christians to remember/observe the meeting of the tents every year after harvest?
• Subject: Toxic friendships. Question: I have heard differing opinions about whether, as a Christian, it is right to end such a friendship. I have been told, for instance, that you should leave the other person a way of contacting you. After all, Christ never shuts us off from His mercy. The problem is that I know my friend is still in a desperate situation (and yes, she is a believing Christian) with no one else to turn to, but really do not want to once again give more time, energy and money—she earlier took over my life—but I still feel guilty, although my help was not actually getting her any further forward.
• Subject: Thank you for reply about military service. Comment: I will follow the links provided for more information as I study your training programs. Incidentally, I have never seen a program from the Church of England or the American Anglican Churches that is so well crafted and polished. The writing I’ve enjoyed here rivals what one would find in the best researched and edited books from a premier publisher. You and your staff and/or contributors are to be commended for jobs well done! My father once told my four brothers and me: “If you will always work for your boss like you are working for the Lord, you will never be fired for cause!” It appears that all of you were told much the same thing.
• Subject: Thank you for reply about Jesus and politics. Question: At last, a biblical perspective for Christians concerning politics based on Jesus’ own actions and priority while on earth. Jesus predicted that lawlessness will increase. Voting and putting our trust in mere man will not stem it. Christians are commissioned to go out and preach the good news of Christ and His coming Kingdom that will replace all kingdoms. Thank you for your contribution on this topic. I’m encouraged that there are some who see God’s truth and have the eloquence to express it.