He that withholdeth corn, the people shall curse him:
Proverbs 11:29-31–AKJV
But blessing shall be upon the head of him that selleth it.
He that diligently seeketh good procureth favor:
But he that seeketh mischief, it shall come unto him.
He that trusteth in his riches shall fall:
But the righteous shall flourish as a branch.
He that troubleth his own house shall inherit the wind:
And the fool shall be a servant to the wise of heart.
The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life;
and he that winneth souls is wise.
Behold, the righteous shall be recompensed on the earth:
Much more the wicked and the sinner.
Religion
Why are American Churches closing their doors?
According to an article in the Guardian, American Churches are closing their doors at a rapid pace. Experts believe the rate may have been accelerated since COVID-19.
Churches are closing at rapid numbers in the US, researchers say, as congregations dwindle across the country and a younger generation of Americans abandon Christianity altogether – even as faith continues to dominate American politics.
The Guardian
As the US adjusts to an increasingly non-religious population, thousands of churches are closing each year – a figure that experts believe may have accelerated since the Covid-19 pandemic.
About 4,500 Protestant churches closed in 2019,
“In the last three years, all signs are pointing to a continued pace of closures probably similar to 2019 or possibly higher, as there’s been a rapid rise in American individuals who say they’re not religious.”
Protestant pastors reported that typical church attendance is only 85% of pre-pandemic levels, McConnell said. At the same time, research by the Survey Center on American Life and the University of Chicago found that in spring 2022, 67% of Americans reported attending church at least once a year, compared with 75% before the pandemic.
And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock, I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”
Matthew 16:18-19–NKJV
Mercy said no–CeCe Winans.
Goodness of God–Worship song
“Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
Matthew 6:1-4
You are perfectly loved.
God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world but to save the world through him. Therefore, whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.
John 3:16-18–NIV
Let's Talk Gospel 