Your ok, with smoke machines, crazy strobe lights and less then desirable music?? (And much more). I understand trying to reach the youth. But we do not need the tactics of rock concerts in our sanctuary (house of prayer). As Sister Alvear said... time will tell. I'm just afraid to many people have already been desensitized. I am content to follow the leadership God has placed in my life. You probably know who my Pastor is.. and you know he is not a contentious man. Anyways... here I go again. I don't want to stir up a hornets nest. Long live Elder Haney!! Have you heard the song he wrote.. I'm a Pentecostal?
Respectfully, this is how you consider the UPCI churches going backward?!
Bro. Tim, smoke machines and the rest were discussed on another thread I think (I didn't even open it), but IMO as long as it is not overdone, as in outlandish (and I don't know what I mean by that, other than we can go overboard in any area), and it IS a youth rally or camp meeting, no I don't have a problem with it.
Trust me, I am NOT desensitized, but I must remember that this is not 1965, just as my dad had to remember back then that it wasn't 1946 and expecting life to be like it was when he first got saved.
Some in our district have a problem with the lights and casual dress for rallies and camp...it's silly...
There are good, saved and sanctified young people in this state who worship God and love doing so.
Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in, CC1...*sigh*
Bro. TOP, while I respect your convictions, I deplore your tactics.
When you say that those who would watch television have departed from the faith, will not endure sound doctrine, have not taken up their cross and followed Christ, AND are satisfying the lusts of the flesh, I take GREAT offense to that.
Respectfully, who are YOU?! Do you have a heaven or hell to put anyone in?! Do you live in my home and know what I watch and don't watch?! Do you know me at all?!
Truth is, no you don't!!
The thing is this...it comes down to trust. Y'all trust people's Holy Ghost in EVERY area EXCEPT where it comes to television.
And for Bro. Narrow is the Way, you want Scripture?! I'm not liberal, but here is a Word for you...
Phil 2:12-13
...work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
KJV
There is much on television that I would agree is not worth watching or should be watched...just as there are many places on the internet that is not worth our time and should not be viewed by anyone, especially Saints of the Most High.
But as we trust people to make right internet decisions, let us trust them to make right TV decisions.
Let me tell, verses 12-13 from above say it all...I must work out my OWN salvation and it is God who works in me...it's not about me.
Regardless of the sacrifices made and the individual level of consecration, it would never be about me and how great I am...it's all about Him!!
And as hell is a real place, and I certainly don't intend to go there, I am doing everything I can to keep ME from it.
Maybe we should all do that instead of the constant pointing of finger in judgment...
I heard a preacher once say that when you throw a boot into a crowd, the one who pipes up is usually the one that got hit.
The early Catholics departed from the faith and AFTER THEIR OWN LUSTS got their own teachers who would tell them what they wanted to hear. Why does one WANT/DESIRE to watch tv? Is it not to fulfill the lust of their flesh and/or the lust of their eye? Mankind survived thousands of years without tv somehow. Whatever need one thinks that TV fulfills, did people have that same need 100 years ago? How did they fulfill that need without TV?
I wonder if working out your own salvation means that one should got on a ministers case anytime they step on anyone's toes?
Nathan confronted David and said, thou art the man. Should a man of God never get in anyone's one face and confront them, or should they just let everyone work out their own salvation?
One of the reasons why it was so important to Jesus and to Paul for the ministry to feed his flock was so that when anyone else came around teaching something different, they would recognize it. Also one of the reasons why the ministry has a responsibility to reprove, rebuke, and exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine was so that everyone would know what was expected of them so that if they got off track, it would not be tolerated or just let to happen.
Great peace have they that love thy law and nothing shall offend them. If you are blameless, then you have nothing to worry and get excited about.
When someone rebels against God given authority and against ordinances made in agreement by leaders in the church and confirmed by the Holy Ghost with tongues & interpretation, is it God working in them?
Was God working in the man about whom was written 1 Cor 5? Or what about Alexander and Hymanaeus?
Its amazing how people justify TV with the internet even though some can use the internet and not use TV at all - I wonder why that is?
How bad was TV when the UPC made the decision? Has TV gotten better or worse since then? Much worse.
I wonder if God is pleased with us staring at people of the opposite sex for long periods of time and observing people that do not live according to his holy word.
God's people are to cast down wicked imaginations, bringing every thought into captivity unto the obedience of Christ. The root word of imaginations is image. I wonder if God ever wrote to his people Israel in the OT about the images of the heathen? There are some good things in the pile of trash on TV, but then there are commercials advertising things that apostolics do not need to look at. If it doesn't affect you now, did it ever before in the past? And if so, how come no longer? If it doesn't affect you, do you still think God is pleased with you looking at things in commercials that go against his word? Just because you may see the same things out on the streets, does that make it right? You may not be able to control what you see on the street, but you can control what you see in your own home.
God bless.
__________________
Jer 6:16 Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls...
I'm not sure what channels you all are watching because the types of channels I watch do not have the endless parade of lingerie, beer, and bikini ads I keep hearing about. One day when I am tremendously bored I may chronicle all the commercials that come on A&E, the History Channel, Discovery, National Geographic, CNN, Fox News, and some other such channels and see how they compare to the stuff on youtube and other internet sites.
__________________
There are no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, Chuck Norris lives in Houston.
Either the United States will destroy ignorance, or ignorance will destroy the United States. – W.E.B. DuBois
I'm not sure what channels you all are watching because the types of channels I watch do not have the endless parade of lingerie, beer, and bikini ads I keep hearing about. One day when I am tremendously bored I may chronicle all the commercials that come on A&E, the History Channel, Discovery, National Geographic, CNN, Fox News, and some other such channels and see how they compare to the stuff on youtube and other internet sites.
Making my list, checking it twice
Gonna find out who's naughty or nice
Making my list, checking it twice
Gonna find out who's naughty or nice
I just keep reading about these commercials that will make you backslide and I just don't see them on the channels I watch. Granted, I see many commercials that will make you crave for sinful food...
__________________
There are no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, Chuck Norris lives in Houston.
Either the United States will destroy ignorance, or ignorance will destroy the United States. – W.E.B. DuBois
I just keep reading about these commercials that will make you backslide and I just don't see them on the channels I watch. Granted, I see many commercials that will make you crave for sinful food...
I saw pretty suggestive stuff when we had Satellite. Most of them were on HGTV and since I could become a real cat if my husband looked, well......
The Dr. Pepper commercials are some I'm thinking of which would also be on Fox News.
I heard a preacher once say that when you throw a boot into a crowd, the one who pipes up is usually the one that got hit.
The early Catholics departed from the faith and AFTER THEIR OWN LUSTS got their own teachers who would tell them what they wanted to hear. Why does one WANT/DESIRE to watch tv? Is it not to fulfill the lust of their flesh and/or the lust of their eye? Mankind survived thousands of years without tv somehow. Whatever need one thinks that TV fulfills, did people have that same need 100 years ago? How did they fulfill that need without TV?
I wonder if working out your own salvation means that one should got on a ministers case anytime they step on anyone's toes?
Nathan confronted David and said, thou art the man. Should a man of God never get in anyone's one face and confront them, or should they just let everyone work out their own salvation?
One of the reasons why it was so important to Jesus and to Paul for the ministry to feed his flock was so that when anyone else came around teaching something different, they would recognize it. Also one of the reasons why the ministry has a responsibility to reprove, rebuke, and exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine was so that everyone would know what was expected of them so that if they got off track, it would not be tolerated or just let to happen.
Great peace have they that love thy law and nothing shall offend them. If you are blameless, then you have nothing to worry and get excited about.
When someone rebels against God given authority and against ordinances made in agreement by leaders in the church and confirmed by the Holy Ghost with tongues & interpretation, is it God working in them?
Was God working in the man about whom was written 1 Cor 5? Or what about Alexander and Hymanaeus?
Its amazing how people justify TV with the internet even though some can use the internet and not use TV at all - I wonder why that is?
How bad was TV when the UPC made the decision? Has TV gotten better or worse since then? Much worse.
I wonder if God is pleased with us staring at people of the opposite sex for long periods of time and observing people that do not live according to his holy word.
God's people are to cast down wicked imaginations, bringing every thought into captivity unto the obedience of Christ. The root word of imaginations is image. I wonder if God ever wrote to his people Israel in the OT about the images of the heathen? There are some good things in the pile of trash on TV, but then there are commercials advertising things that apostolics do not need to look at. If it doesn't affect you now, did it ever before in the past? And if so, how come no longer? If it doesn't affect you, do you still think God is pleased with you looking at things in commercials that go against his word? Just because you may see the same things out on the streets, does that make it right? You may not be able to control what you see on the street, but you can control what you see in your own home.
God bless.
So let me see if I have this straight...because I was the one who responded to your post saying that if we watch TV we have departed from the faith and are fulfilling are own lusts, I am guilty of same?!
Typical and without merit here.
I am neither guilty, worried, or excited, but I'll tell you what I am...still offended...not at your convictions, but at your tactics.
So be it...it's like whistling in the graveyard...you aren't listening. You are so quick to judge those who don't think like you...amazing.