Parts of Speaking Publishing

 Sorry for that title. Of the seven "cities" we visited that are mentioned in Revelation 2 and 3, I think Laodicea impressed me the most. One because you can see the cold water (Colosse) and hot water (Hierapolis), which explains the "vomit you from my mouth."  Hot and cold does not mean "hot for the Lord" or "cold to the Spirit;" it meant "good for nothing." From Got Question.org:  " In their relationship to God, the Laodiceans were neither cold nor hot, just lukewarm. Hot water can cleanse and purify; cold water can refresh and enliven. But tepid water carries no corresponding value. The Laodiceans readily understood the Lord’s analogy because their drinking water came over an aqueduct from a spring six miles to the south; when it arrived at their city, the water was disgustingly lukewarm. Laodicean water was not hot like the nearby hot springs that people bathed in, nor was it refreshingly cold for drinking. It was lukewarm, goo...

Sometimes I post links because they are interesting to me and I believe they might be of value to others. This one is not in my tradition but discusses a very important figure in Christian history.   https://rlo.acton.org/archives/127457-st-john-henry-newman-doctor-of-conscience.html  

 https://thedispatch.com/article/literacy-southern-surge-knowledge/

 I am pro-Israel. The hostages coming home to their families is one of the most important historical events of my life. Gal Gadot gave a great statement about Israel's right to exist and antisemitism, and we know not to mess with Wonder Woman.  These are families reuniting after believing 1. the family member was dead and/or 2. they would never see them again. And it has been two years of their lives stolen, and actually more--the trauma to mind and soul were incalculable. They weren't just in prison, but tortured and starved.  It is beyond me how anyone can be pro-Hamas. I am more than annoyed with Christians who have fallen for the Gaza genocide claim, for which there is no basis.

 This is not about Thanksgiving dinner (and I can't abide dark meet of that fowl).  It's about my recent trip and concerns for this new country I was allowed to visit.  https://www.foxnews.com/world/turkey-deports-peaceful-christians-under-guise-national-security-claims-watchdog At least they are deported, not jailed or executed. But as a member of NATO, a place where there are American bases, and a (supposed) ally of the U.S., I think we can do better. It seems this is mostly about non-Turkish citizens, so it is worse for the citizens. They have to have their religion on an identity card, and it is assumed the religion of the parents (almost always Muslim) is the religion of the child. Changing that is a huge red flag (bad pun, considering the bright red flag of Turkey that reminds one of a communist flag). I am getting into hot water here.  I have been informed that Turkey is moving in a more radical Muslim direction. My experience there said that the overlay is Mu...

Ephesus is the first church in Revelation 2; it was the third we visited. It was an all day visit, followed by a drive to Denizli for the day at Laodicea and Hierapolis.  Ephesus is well excavated at this point, although more is going on. The stadium/amphitheater where the riot took place in Acts 19 over the loss of business to the silver trade is being reconstructed, hence the cranes in the photos.  To know one is standing where Paul, Timothy, John, and perhaps Mary walked is pretty heady. Ephesus was originally on a coast but is now 5 kilometers inland, give or take, which led to its downfall over the centuries.   I call Ephesus the mother church because none of the other churches in Revealation 2 and 3 are mentioned as being started by Paul, but Paul was in Ephesus at least two years. The others were likely started as mission churches, along with Colosse, which is very near Laodicea.  I do not hold to the "churches represent eras of the church over the last t...