Lovers of Pleasures

[stmatthew]

God must want me to get this verse, cause it keeps coming to my mind. I have posted it several times but want to post it again in its own thread for any discussion that it might generate.

Originally Posted by stmatt

2 Tim 3:4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God

If you take note of this text, it does not say they do not love God. It says that their love for pleasure will exceed their love for God.

I believe this is playing out in the USA today. We are a very pleasure seeking bunch. I do not say that all we seek is sinful pleasure, but we do spend much time each day satisfying the desires of the flesh. I would dare to say that the vast majority here spends more time in seeking pleasure that they do in seeking God. I hope I am wrong, but I really doubt it. We live in a generation that does not know what suffering for his namesake means. No one to my knowledge here has made it known that they are suffering for his righteousness sake. None that I know of have been put in jail for being a Christian. No tortures taking place. Lets face it. We are in a land flowing with milk and honey. And the mindset that has infiltrated the church is a mind of ease. We will only go until it begins to get uncomfortable, and there we find our line.

Just some thoughts. Maybe I am just preaching to me.

[Carpenter]

Originally Posted by stmatthew

God must want me to get this verse, cause it keeps coming to my mind. I have posted it several times but want to post it again in its own thread for any discussion that it might generate.

I believe this is playing out in the USA today. We are a very pleasure seeking bunch. I do not say that all we seek is sinful pleasure, but we do spend much time each day satisfying the desires of the flesh. I would dare to say that the vast majority here spends more time in seeking pleasure that they do in seeking God. I hope I am wrong, but I really doubt it. We live in a generation that does not know what suffering for his namesake means. No one to my knowledge here has made it known that they are suffering for his righteousness sake. None that I know of have been put in jail for being a Christian. No tortures taking place. Lets face it. We are in a land flowing with milk and honey. And the mindset that has infiltrated the church is a mind of ease. We will only go until it begins to get uncomfortable, and there we find our line.

Just some thoughts. Maybe I am just preaching to me.

I love Capitalism just as much as the next blue blooded and aware American, but one of the vitrues of capitalism is the promoting of the new and the latest and greatest while at the same time denouncing yesterday's model.

The church is not immune to this concept and unfortunately because we function in the world, we are subjected to the hype.

Not speaking of sinful pleasures of course, but there is always something new that we are looking for to replace the old, the used, and the familiar, and boy does it take a lot of time and money to do so...no wonder our attention is diverted...we gotta have those granite countertops.

[rrford]

Amusement; the pursuit of the population of America. And just what is amusement?

A - Anti;

Muse- Thought;

Ment- The process of.

Amusement is the process of anti-thought. It is finding something to do so that you will not have to think about everything going on in your life.

[RevDWW]

Kinda sounds like what was going on in Noah's day; eating, drinking, marrying, and giving in marriage. So preoccupied with the here and now that the eternal caught them unaware.

[Old Paths]

Titus 3:3-6

3 For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.

4 But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,

5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;
KJV



It's one thing to see the way the World is so caught up in PLEASURES and then to see Apostolic Churches that the main focus is FUN.

Church is not always FUN.

Sometimes it's with an effort to find the mine of the Spirit and to follow through with a move of God.

The reason the before church prayer time is so sparse in many churches is because prayer is not always FUN.

Jesus noted that PLEASURES of this life could choke out the fruitful life.

Luke 8:14

14 And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.
KJV


God gives us JOY (cheerfulness, calm delight, gladness) through the fruit of the Spirit.

The world gives PLEASURE.

Heb 11:25

25 Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;
KJV

[Rhoni]

Originally Posted by rrford

Amusement; the pursuit of the population of America. And just what is amusement?

A - Anti;

Muse- Thought;

Ment- The process of.

Amusement is the process of anti-thought. It is finding something to do so that you will not have to think about everything going on in your life.

You could preach on this awhile and I could counsel on this a while

Blessings, Rhoni

[rrford]

Lest some folks understand, I do not believe it is at all wrong to have fun and not be serious all of the time. Hobbies, recreation, entertainment can all be wholesome and beneficial when practiced in moderation and with a Christian spirit.

[rrford]

Originally Posted by Rhoni

You could preach on this awhile and I could counsel on this a while

Blessings, Rhoni

Indeed. The longer I live the more people I meet who are "anti-thought."

[Jekyll]

Why do you think America is overweight??? Ties in hand in hand

[Sister Alvear]

The world could be evangelized if just the tithes were sent on what is spent on pleasure. I have several families that are just "begging" for tracts, Bibles, clothes...others that are asking for churches to be built in their villages...May God help us all...