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TWO LOADS OF ROCKS

 

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(Click the photos to watch the two videos!) In the two weeks since our last newsletter, Vision Complex's ARC (Agape Restoration Community) project in Tanzania has bought 16 hens and 4 roosters, so they'll not only have more eggs to sell, but also more chicks. They've already sold enough eggs to buy two loads of rocks for the foundation. Now they need $200 to feed the workers to carry the rocks and gravel to the trenches they've dug for the foundation, and mix and pour the cement... all by hand. And of course, the chickens need to be fed as well! We need your help! Can you donate for some people-food and chickenfeed? Please go to https://Agape-Restoration-Society.org/Vision-Complex and do what you can!

Sub-Saharan Africa is the only part of the world with sufficient human population to rely on manual labor. Why? It may be precisely because it is the "non-industrialized world." Did you notice the phrase "all by hand"? Think of all the back-breaking work involved: manually digging trenches for the foundation, carrying gravel and huge rocks by hand, mixing cement by hand, and making bricks by stomping in mud and putting it into forms: these people also grow their own food – they are in touch with nature, the real world. This all requires human strength and hard effort, whereas in the "industrialized world" of North America, Europe, and Asia we rely on machines and technology to do the hard physical labor so we can enjoy a "modern life" of ease and comfort. But this has led population decline by worshipping the things and careers that industrialization has produced and requires, rather than caring for people, especially for one's own family and neighbors.

As you will read in our newsletter articles below, the result of chasing after things instead of caring for people, namely raising our own families in the right way, is leading us to a demographic implosion: not enough babies are being born, so that within 20 years if not sooner, there won't be enough workers to support the ever-expanding proportion of elderly people. Thus, abortion and childlessness will inevitably lead to an unspoken policy of euthanasia of the elderly.

We have swallowed the line of (pseudo-)science and technology – "knowledge so-called" as in the KJV. We've bitten the bait, believed a false report, gone along with the crowd, and now we're hooked on a life of ease and comfort... and extinction:

1 "You shall not spread a false report. Do not join your hand with the wicked to be a malicious witness.
2 You shall not follow a crowd to do evil; neither shall you testify in court to side with a multitude to pervert justice;
3 neither shall you favor a poor man in his cause.
4 If you meet your enemy's ox or his donkey going astray, you shall surely bring it back to him again.
5 If you see the donkey of him who hates you fallen down under his burden, do not leave him, you shall surely help him with it.
6 You shall not deny justice to your poor people in their lawsuits.
7 Keep far from a false charge, and do not kill the innocent and righteous: for I will not justify the wicked.
8 You shall take no bribe, for a bribe blinds those who have sight and perverts the words of the righteous.
9 You shall not oppress an alien, for you know the heart of an alien, seeing you were aliens in the land of Egypt.
10 For six years you shall sow your land, and shall gather in its increase,
11 but the seventh year you shall let it rest and lie fallow, that the poor of your people may eat; and what they leave the animal of the field shall eat. In like manner you shall deal with your vineyard and with your olive grove.
12 Six days you shall do your work, and on the seventh day you shall rest, that your ox and your donkey may have rest, and the son of your handmaid, and the alien may be refreshed.
13 Be careful to do all things that I have said to you; and do not invoke the name of other gods, neither let them be heard out of your mouth." (Exodus 23:1-13)

You can read the rest in our newsletter at https://agape-restoration-society.org/ARC-News/a-n_2024-11-16.htm, and share it!

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BUILDING BIGGER BARNS

 

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When a man came to Jesus complaining that his brother wasn't giving him the correct share of their inheritance, the Lord told this parable – "The ground of a certain rich man brought forth abundantly...." Go ahead and click on the barn to read the rest of it! The point isn't that we should not have any "barns" – savings for the future – but that it must not be the focus of our lives. Look at verse 21 – "So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God." We should be laying up our riches in heaven, not just on the earth. The second greatest commandment – "Love your neighbor as yourself" assumes that we love and take care of ourselves, but too often we focus exclusively on ourselves and forget our neighbor, ignoring the whole world of hurt all around us!

Imagine that you woke up one morning and learned you had just won the Megabucks lottery: you have $200,000,000 in your account. What would you do with it? In Ecclesiastes 5:10-11, King Solomon wrote – "He who loves silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he who loves abundance, with increase: this also is vanity. When goods increase, those who eat them are increased; and what advantage is there to its owner, except to feast on them with his eyes?" To sum it up:
    1. Those who love money will never have enough.
    2. How meaningless to think that wealth brings true happiness!
    3. The more you have, the more people come to help you spend it.
    4. So what good is wealth – except to see it slip through your fingers!

So now that you've done it all and had it all... what's next? "As he came forth naked from his mother's womb, he shall go again as he came, and shall take nothing for his labor, which he may carry away in his hand" (verse 15). I've never seen a U-Haul being buried along with a coffin at the cemetery! So...

"Whoever wants to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it; and whoever will lose his life for My sake and the gospel's will save it. For what does it profit a man, to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul? For what will a man give in exchange for his soul?" (Mark 8:34-37).

The Apostles and leaders of the Early Church laid heavy emphasis on not striving after riches. St. James, step-brother of the Lord, wrote in his Epistle (ch. 2:1-20 and ch. 5:1-5) decrying those who profess Christ but live in luxury while neglecting the poor, as St. Clement (2nd cent.) echos this in his essay "Who is the Rich Man That Shall Be Saved?" (See www.Agape-Biblia.org/literatura/#rich-man-saved). The title of Clement's essay refers to the incident in Matthew 19:16-22 where a certain rich man came to Jesus asking "What must I do to be saved?" He was a religious Jew who kept all ten commandments, but not the second greatest one – "Love your neighbor as yourself" So Jesus told him – "Go and sell what you have, and give to the poor, and come follow Me!" This story is so important that it's repeated in Mark and Luke as well.

St. Basil the Great (4th cent.) composed his famous sermon "To the Rich" on this same scripture from Matthew, quoting the passage in full in the start of his sermon (See www.Agape-Biblia.org/literatura/#to-the-rich). St. Gregory the Theologian (4th cent.), considered by the Early Church as the greatest theologian since the Apostle John, wrote his essay "Love of Poverty" (See www.Agape-Biblia.org/literatura/#love-of-poverty). And St. John Chrysostom (4th cent.), called "The Golden Tongue" because of his many eloquent and compelling sermons, penned his "Sermon on Almsgiving" on this same subject (See www.Agape-Biblia.org/literatura/#almsgiving). These are considered to be the Three Greatest Church Fathers, whose writings are some of the most powerful expository sermons on the Scriptures.

In more recent times, the eminent theologian Protopresbyter Georges Florovsky, a Russian emigre' who fled to Paris after the 1917 Bolshevik revolution, wrote "St. John Chrysostom: the Prophet of Charity" (See www.Agape-Biblia.org/literatura/#chrysostom-charity). Chrysostom wrote often about freedom: man is created in God's image with a free will to choose and rationality to choose freely what is best, not merely to satisfy one's own desires. To conclude:

"To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: 'The Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Head of God's creation, says these things: "I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were cold or hot. So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will vomit you out of my mouth. Because you say, 'I am rich, and have gotten riches, and have need of nothing,' and don't know that you are the wretched one, miserable, poor, blind, and naked.

I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, that you may become rich; and white garments, that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes, that you may see. As many as I love, I reprove and chasten. Be zealous therefore, and repent.

Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, then I will come in to him, and will dine with him, and he with me. He who overcomes, I will give to him to sit down with me on my throne, as I also overcame, and sat down with my Father on his throne.' He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches" (Revelation 2:14-22).

"You can do something. You can't do everything, but that's not an excuse to do nothing!" So far, people have given almost nothing for Vision Complex's ARC (Agape Restoration Community) project in Tanzania. Our small non-profit has given over $10,000 to start laying the foundation for the ARC. So we sent another $250 for 16 chickens, 2 roosters, and a chicken coop to raise and sell chickens and eggs (watch the video!), but now we're almost broke. We need your help! Can you donate some chicken feed? Please go to https://Agape-Restoration-Society.org/Vision-Complex and do what you can!

 

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DON'T THROW OUT THE BABY WITH THE BATHWATER!

 

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"You can do something. You can't do everything, but that's not an excuse to do nothing!" We see so many pleas in the media to support this or that cause and often our eyes glaze over, or we receive so many pieces of junk mail asking for donations, etc., that often we just throw them in the wastebasket... especially during election season: it's too much for us to handle! But here's a really worthy cause that deserves your full attention and response:

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The volunteers at Vision Complex Orphanage and School in Tanzania have made this huge pile of bricks to build the ARC. They have plenty of good clay soil to mix with water, place in forms, and bake them into bricks.

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Here's some of the cement, reinforcing rods, and boards we've provided to use for the foundation. They will need more, but these are a start so you can see that they're pushing ahead with this project.

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After starting to clear the land for the foundation, they realized that this pile of huge rocks was too big to break up by hand, so they moved the staked-out ground and cleared some more land.

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(video:) Here they are, after clearing more land and marking where the foundation will be laid.

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(video:) The volunteers are working for free: after all, it's the children of this town, Bunda, who are going to school and being cared for at Vision Complex. But digging, carrying rocks, gravel, sand, cement, and water is hard work, so the men have to be fed!

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(video:) It's painful for me to imagine carrying such huge rocks, because I injured my back 46 years ago doing the same thing while building a retaining wall for our garden. So pray for the safety of these volunteers!

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(video:) They're filling in the forms with cement to hold the rocks, gravel, and sand together. They have enough of these materials to build a part of the foundation to show you that this is the real deal, not a just pipe dream or a scam.

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The 23rd chapter of Jeremiah is full of warnings to and judgement of false shepherds and false prophets. Frequently I come across such self-appointed "prophets" - people on the Internet who "command and declare" this or that as the word of the Lord. Here's what the real Prophet Jeremiah wrote about this:

"I haven't sent these prophets, yet they ran: I didn't speak to them, yet they prophesied. But if they had stood in my council, then they would have caused my people to hear my words, and would have turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their doings. Am I a God at hand, says the Lord, and not a God afar off? Can any hide himself in secret places so that I shall not see him? says the Lord. Don't I fill heaven and earth? says the Lord. I have heard what the prophets have said, who prophesy lies in my name, saying, 'I have dreamed, I have dreamed.' How long shall this be in the heart of the prophets who prophesy lies, even the prophets of the deceit of their own heart" (Jer. 23:22-26).

The problem today, however, is there are so many of these false pastors and false bishops that we tend to generalize that they're all rotten apples, and thus discredit the good and genuine bishops, priests, pastors, and helpers. I have examined closely and tested Simon John's work at Vision Complex: as you see here, he's the real deal!

Simon and his volunteer workers have been working hard during the last few weeks, but now they're out of rocks... and funds. They have the cement, sand, gravel, and reinforcing rods, but need more rocks, and 20-liter and 80-liter water containers to carry water from the 1,000-liter tanks that we already provided to the construction site. Right now they need $5,000 to finish the foundation. Then they can use the bricks to start building the walls. Our small non-profit organization has provided much more than that, but now we don't have even that much in our account. So...

"You can do something. You can't do everything, but that's not an excuse to do nothing!" Now is the time to DO SOMETHING! Go to our →Vision Complex← page and donate what you can: whether it's $5 or $50 or $500: every buck and brick help Build the ARC!

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LIVING FAITH THAT WORKS

 

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Go to www.agape-biblia.org/Living-faith-that-works.htm – "Faith without works is dead." ... and click on each one of the cross-references after verse 27... then apply those verses to what you read next:

WATCH THE VIDEOS!! We're starting to "Build the ARC"! Vision Complex in Tanzania, an orphanage and school for HIV/AIDS orphans and other young kids, owns the land and has the building permit. Now they need an extra $5,000+ to start digging and laying the foundation, feed the volunteer laborers, etc. CAN YOU HELP? Here's the link: www.agape-restoration-society.org/Vision-Complex/ – share it!

 

(video:) Vision Complex Orphanage and School in Tanzania provides for 50 orphans whose parents died from HIV/AIDS and kids with Sickle Cell Anemia (a genetic disorder that's most prevalent in East Africa) whose parents have died or can't afford to pay for medical care. Simon John, the director, met us in our online "Morning Prayers" a few years ago. See the photos below of the kids who need a sponsor.   Also, write to Simon about visiting Vision Complex in Tanzania.   Now, see the latest news:

 

BUILD THE FOUNDATION: Here's the (video:) land for the ARC in Tanzania! Agape Restoration Society (ARS) has started the project at Vision Complex to "Build the ARC" – an Agape Restoration Community, a wheelchair-accessible building for disabled kids and elderly people that includes a large community room/chapel, several apartments and classrooms.

ARS has provided funds for (3 videos:) sand, gravel, and large stones to start the foundation. Local officials have issued a building permit, but Simon needs about $5,000 for the remaining materials to start building the foundation plus a fence and solar lights over the site (this is the first of many lights). Local volunteers are leveling the site and will dig the foundation... but they need to be fed – that's another $200/week for 3 weeks. So please designate "Vision Complex – build the foundation."

 

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STRANGERS AND PILGRIMS

 

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The Apostle Peter, in his first letter, wrote to the Jewish believers in Yeshua as their Messiah who were scattered abroad in "the Dispersion" – in foreign lands –

"Beloved, I beg you as strangers and pilgrims, to abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul. having good behavior among the nations, so in that which they speak against you as evil-doers, they may by your good works, which they see, glorify God in the day of visitation. Therefore subject yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether to the king, as supreme; or to governors, as sent by him for vengeance on evil-doers and for praise to those who do well. For this is the will of God, that by well-doing you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish men: as free, and not using your freedom for a cloak of wickedness, but as bondservants of God. Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king. Servants, be in subjection to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the wicked. For it is commendable if someone endures pain, suffering unjustly, because of conscience toward God. For what glory is it if, when you sin, you patiently endure beating? But if, when you do well, you patiently endure suffering, this is commendable with God. (1 Peter 2:11-20)

As "resident aliens" we must obey the laws of our host country. We have dual loyalties, to the Kingdom of Heaven and to the earthly rulers. Some Christians take the verse "we ought to obey God rather than men" (Acts 5:29) to mean they are free to disregard civil authorities whenever they feel like it. But that's not what St. Peter meant, as we see here in his first letter. We are foreigners and strangers on this earth (but some of us are stranger than others!), our highest loyalty is in Heaven.

Think of how the Virgin Mary was maligned and whispered about when she became pregnant outside of marriage: even Joseph, her fiance, wanted to send her away somewhere to have the baby, but then the Angel told him to take her as his betrothed. And when the baby Jesus became a grown man, the "respectable people" maligned Him as being an illegitimate child, also impugning Mary: the Pharisees said to Him "We were not born of sexual immorality. We have one Father, God" (John 8:41). Are we willing to suffer reproach for His sake?

In 1 Peter 3 :13-16 we read – "Now who is he who will harm you, if you become imitators of that which is good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you are blessed. 'Don't fear what they fear, neither be troubled.' But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts; and always be ready to give an answer to everyone who asks you a reason concerning the hope that is in you, with gentleness and respect: having a good conscience; that, while you are spoken against as evildoers, they may be disappointed who revile your good manner of life in the Messiah."

There will always be people who ridicule or accuse us falsely as Christians. How are we to reply? We should respond, not react. To respond is to take a deep breath and calm ourselves, but to react is to act on our first impulse emotionally, to return insult for insult. St. Peter teaches us to respond "with gentleness and respect" – calmly and respecting the other person as a real human being who has emotions that may be under stress or pain. Keep your words soft and sweet: you may have to eat them!

We should rejoice when we are being maligned and slandered for our Lord's sake: "Beloved, don't be astonished at the fiery trial which has come upon you, to test you, as though a strange thing happened to you. But because you are partakers of the Messiah's sufferings, rejoice; that at the revelation of his glory also you may rejoice with exceeding joy. If you are insulted for the name of the Messiah, blessed are you; because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. On their part he is blasphemed, but on your part he is glorified. For let none of you suffer as a murderer, or a thief, or an evil doer, or as a meddler in other men's matters. But if one of you suffers for being a Christian [a follower of the Messiah – the Khristos, the Anointed One], let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God in this matter" (1 Pet. 4:12-16).

 

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UKRAINE AND RUSSIA ON THE BRINK OF TOTAL WAR

 

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Total war is the deliberate attempt to kill and destroy everyone and everything, not only military targets. The article UN official highlights growing toll of Ukraine war, rising threat of 'nuclear incident' paints a dismal picture of the war in Ukraine. Russia has begun using its "Kinzhal" (Dagger) hypersonic missiles that are nearly impossible to intercept. Ukraine has crossed the Russian border into the Kursk region, where a Russian nuclear power plant is at risk. Here is a synopsis of the article:

Thirty months into Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, human suffering continues to escalate, with frequent attacks on civilians and infrastructure, including nuclear facilities. Miroslav Jenca, Assistant Secretary-General at the UN Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, reported to the Security Council that the previous month was particularly deadly, with at least 219 Ukrainian civilians killed and over 1,000 injured. Since the invasion began on February 24, 2022, the UN has documented 11,662 civilian deaths and 24,207 injuries, though the actual numbers may be higher.

Jenca expressed concern over the spread of fighting to Russian regions such as Kursk, Belgorod, and Bryansk, where recent incursions have resulted in civilian casualties and mass evacuations. He condemned attacks on civilians and infrastructure, emphasizing their prohibition under international humanitarian law.

Additionally, Jenca highlighted the deteriorating nuclear safety situation, particularly at Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant and Russia’s Kursk Nuclear Power Plant, urging maximum restraint to prevent a catastrophic incident.

The humanitarian crisis remains severe, especially for women, who make up 56% of the 15 million people in need of assistance. Despite efforts to provide lifesaving aid, funding shortfalls hinder the response, with only 41% of the required $3.1 billion received so far.

Men born in Ukraine, even if they are now US citizens, are being dragged away and forced into the army! See https://www.firstpost.com/explainers/how-ukraine-conscription-squads-are-forcing-men-to-fight-in-the-war-russia-zelenskyy-putin-13783619.html

Viktor, a young Ukrainian who attended our church in Madison, WI, came to the US in 1998, became a US citizen, and went back to Ukraine so his wife could have their baby in Ukraine. On Aug. 31 he sent me this:

Today, there was an attack on me, a US citizen and US veteran. A police car with 3 men in it stopped and started to talk about something in Ukrainian. I said: "Speak English" and said I am a US citizen. One of them got out of the car and was very agressive. He tried to take away my mole pouch with my passport and a wallet. I showed him my passport in my hands, but he did not back away.

I extended my hand to keep him away from my face and walked back from their car. At that moment there were women passing by and the men drove into women with their car. Women started to yell and hit the car with their hands. It was an opportunity for me to walk away and prevent my kidnapping by those organized criminal gangs of police and TCC (military recruiting officers).

Need to say that the real Ukrainian military tries to distance themselves from those tcc criminals. It is now an international incident and an armed asault of criminals on a foreign citizen and civilian. Usually, they commit several criminal acts when they kidnap civilians in Ukraine: kidnapping, torture, sometimes they kill people at the tcc centers, forgery of signatures of the people they kidnap on the streets.

They also break the constitution of their own land by preventing people from driving and walking freely. They have created a big concentration camp out of Ukraine and do not let men leave the country. According to the media, there are over 8,000 cases in the EU court for human rights abuses, and those criminals sent a request to the EU on Apr. 4 to withdraw from the statute for human rights abuses.

Some sites that verify the above practices:
www.wired.com/story/satellites-show-the-alarming-extent-of-russian-detention-camps/
www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-64637928

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WOLVES IN SHEEP'S CLOTHING

 

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This photo is the Cathedral For Russia's Armed Forces... Merging Militarism With Faith. We read in John 10:10 – "The thief [Satan] does not come except to steal, to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life and that they may have it more abundantly." And in Matthew 7:15 – "Beware of false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves." Again, in Matthew 10:16 – "I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents, and harmless as doves."

This is when false pastors, priests, and leading religious figures dress in fine robes, but are actually wolves in sheep's clothing. The Apostle Paul forewarned us to beware of "vicious wolves [who] will enter in among you, not sparing the flock, men [who] will arise from among your own selves, speaking perverted things" (Acts 20:29-30). The word "perverted" here can refer to both moral and doctrinal perversion. And The militarization of religion is when false religion becomes merely an ideological tool to brainwash people into believing that stealing other nation's land, killing their people, and destroying their homes, farms, and businesses is God's will.

How did this come about? Jesus said – "Those who take up the sword will die by the sword" (Matthew 26:52). The Apostle Paul wrote – "As much as it lies with you, live in peace with all men" (Romans 12:18) which some people have use to justify "wars of self-defense." In the early Church, most Christians were pacifists, but when Christianity was legalized and many of the people adopted this new state religion, this rule was limited to only priests because the state needed soldiers to fight its wars. This led to some who claimed to be Christians becoming priests and monks in order to avoid military service – "wolves in sheep's clothing." In more recent centuries, many church leaders have used this verse as a justification for defending one's own family and country. Many nations today call their armed forces the "Department of Defense" but in actuality in is the "Department of War."

So by now we have false shepherds, wolves in sheep's clothing, whose god is their belly – their addictions to food, immoral sex, lust for power, and money-money-money who are pastors, priests, and heads of church associations who are blessing nuclear missiles and their nations' military and political machines. They will eventually perish from this earth and forever burn in hell, but not until they have stolen from, killed, and destroyed millions of people – including multitudes of genuine believers who have become disillusioned and have turned away from active involvement with the Church. I don't mean to say that all pastors, priests, etc. are evil – we have known many very godly ones. But there are sinful people (including me) in every Christian confession. What are we to do when the situation seems hopeless? We must simply keep the faith, endure to the end to be saved, and hold on tight to the Lord and together with like-minded faithful Christians.