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Just my opinionPosted Thursday, January 10, 2008, at 9:37 PM
I have been reading ads for several churches and have noticed a trend , and it bothers me a little bit.
People claim to have todays messages, not tho old boring ones of days gone by. If you truly love the Word of God no message ever gets old or out of date. Casual dress is fine to a certain extent , there has to be a line drawn somewhere. WE play only 21st century not grandma's and grandpa's old hymns. For your information it was those old hymns that got me saved and a whole lot of others to. Some of this new stuff is fine, but don't forget Amazing Grace or How Great Thou Art or the songs about the cross and the blood for that is where salvation is. I think the most disturbing thing is when a church says "come as you are" that is all fine and dandy , but how are you leaving? Church is not a social club or a hang out for people it should be a house of holiness, sanctification and prayer where God is found and grace and salvation. Come as you are is fine , but if there is not a change you might as well stay at home. You go in imperfect , but you get perfected by repentance and the love of Jesus comes inside of you and if you are sincere you can't help but change. There is to many pastors doing what they are not qualified to do a pastors job is to preach the Word of God and not hold it back you don't change a person with condemnation or judgment but with love but sin is sin and it must be preached or people will never change. It goes back to what I call 'cotton candy sermons" it taste good but there is no substance. I guess they want to go where they feel good and can be seen. God's called men and women need to get back to what is on God's agenda not what is on their's. I am praying and believing that I will be ordained soon which makes it legal in man's eyes to bring back what got me saved and on my way to heaven. We are all told to prove ourselves before God not man for God will judge, not man. It is time the HELLFIRE AND BRIMSTONE messages were back in the church for Jesus talked more about hell than heaven. How can you know what we are trying to avoid if we aren't taught about it. Prosperity and love messages are fine but the bible says first to seek his kingdom and all else will follow. Comments Showing most recent comments first [Show in chronological order instead] |
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There are 394...
That i have been able to find... god knows i can't list them all [no pun intended]...
Contradictions, though shouldn't make you NOT believe in the Bible... it should only fuel your curiosity as to the true meaning of certain scriptures and make you want to get your head out of the sand and pretend that somehow, even though we know it isn't possible today, that PEOPLE MADE MISTAKES... any prophet today, or anyone who hears the word of god, is given the ability to interpret it, not always 100% correct.
I am not saying, don't read the Bible, I am just saying be aware that sometimes what you read is not always accurate, or even meant for some religions... The simple fact that there is ONE contradiction, however proves that man is not pefect, and nothing that any spirit tells them write is going to be understood or interpreted accurately. Don't you know there were many rulers [King James being one] who were in complete control, thousands of years ago, who decided to read, and re translate over and over again... with every century words change meaning and those who are in power have different agendas. I think God would rather us actively seek out the truth in the Bible, realize that a huge chunk is MISSING, and that like anything, history included there are distortions that favor certain religions and rulers..
Still noone has named anything in the bible that contradicts itself.The bible is God's word and God is perfect.From the first part of the old testament things have changed because God changed it with the ten comandments.
I'd be less likely to believe in a Bible that was air-brushed perfect and showed no signs of "contradictions" or evolution.
There's an old saying: "Fiction has to make sense. Reality doesn't."
A living,valid chronicle of real ideas and real people isn't going to be as smooth and unblemished as one that was made up to tell certain stories or follow certain agenda.
Epic heroes and villians are going to be larger-than-life,clearly defined and their every word and action will "fit the script."
Genuine people and events are more haphazard and messy.
We are affected by multiple influences and react in ways that don't necessarily co-ordinate with where life is leading everyone else.
Reality has brave youths become poets and leaders but it also has kings become murderers.
Reality has the most noble folks in town act like cowards and drunkards.
If our faith was based on Man's imagination,then it would all conform to our understanding.
There wouldn't be much hypocracy because we'd define right and wrong according to our whims.
A truth that exists outside ourselves dictates that we have egg-laying mammals and black holes that absorb light.
Truth also says that sometimes we don't know everything about how to do right and we seldom act according to what wisdom we have.
God is our Editor.
He removes that which is clumsy and incoherent and matches it up with His outline.
He doesn't prevent us from being ourselves but enables us to be who we are for the first time.
He removes the static that interferes with our lives but He leaves us with the chaos that provides spontaneity,uniqueness and the raw materials for building new worlds.
God gives us "contradictions" so we have a choice of ever growing and changing truths rather than one stagnant reality and a horde of lies.
Man prefers a false world that never deviates from his preferences.
God gives us a life that is limitless and surprising and as unknown and unpredictable as a newborn babe.
A story is fixed in place and its characters and plot don't change once the author is dead but,as long as it is still being written,it can reshape itself as a kaleidoscope takes its broken bits of color to create dozens of designs.
If we assume our Creator lives,how can we assume that our story isn't progressing beyond the chapters we've seen -or that we won't grow in our understanding of what's already there?
All people sin, I sin everyday, by thought, word, or deed. Sometimes people do things that they don't know is a sin.
But everynight before I sleep I ask the Lord to forgive me for my sins, and to give me strength & guidance to do and live in the way that is pleasant in his sight.
And at times if I have done something, or said something I know was wrong, My thoughts go to him repenting that what I just done or said was not right, please forgive me; then I would have to apoligize to whoever I wrong in the proccess.
No one's perfect, we were born in sin, but it's our decission how we want to live, and believe. Only what you do in Christ will Last.
You can't let your past sins, stop you from doing Gods Will, you acknowlege your sins and ask God for forgiveness, and strength to overcome your weaknesses, we all have weaknesses.
And We ALL are still learning what God wants or will have us to do. No one knows everything about the bible in this day and time, we are all still learning; and I believe God speaks differently to people, (Meaning he put things on our hearts pertaining to us, and what he wants ourselves to do.)
People that have lived a sinful life and are making a change to live for God and preach his word, has some experience in telling you what God can do for you if you let him.
They have been down that road that leads to death, and destruction. We can't Judge people about their past, nor present we all fall short ourselves, we all have our weaknesses; Ministers too.
Their is only one JUDGE- God, he knows all our hearts.
Well excuse me for this mistake I made dear Lord. I didn't know you had the right to judge me and every little thing everybody in the world does.I'm sure you've never made a mistake.You sound like the kind of person that finds fault with everyone else because you're not happy with yourself.You sound like you argue with what everyone says.You're in the right and everyone else is wrong.Name one thing in the bible that contradicts itself,or are you just used to other non-believers using that as an excuse?
Btw hppocrite, is spelled hypocrite. Just anoys me how people know so much about the Bible, but can't even get it right.
-- Posted by darrick_04 on Fri, Jan 18, 2008, at 1:17 AM
Btw it was spelled "hippocrite" in what!!!'s post not hppocrite. Just as wrong but just shows what haste in typing or thinking will do.
I have sinned and still do sin but because of the blood of Jesus and my acceptance of his sacrifice my sins are washed away and forgotten.
I turned away and repented my blogs are for the ones who have not accepted Christ as their saviour or those who have backslid into immorality.
But then again if it is ok to be gay or lesbian or a transvestite or transsexual or whatever other sick thing people are doing these days then I guess anything else would be ok wouldn't it
LOL... you people amaze me. If God doesn't change then please explain to me the total contradiction of the New Testament as compared to the Old Testament. There are many examples in the Bible where God changes.
And god says himself that he will cast some sinners into the firey pits of hell. But regardless of all that, Michael still isn't mentioning his own sins as much as he is those of others. I was told the other day, to worry about my own self. Hmm, what!!! Btw hppocrite, is spelled hypocrite. Just anoys me how people know so much about the Bible, but can't even get it right.
Amen michael! God doesn't change,people change.We need to get our act together before the Lord comes.And he is coming soon!
God is the same then now and forever he does not change.
God does not cast you into hell , you choose to go yourself.
Without the acceptance of Jesus Christ and him crucified and resurrected , you make the choice not God.
Hmm, have you read any of his former 50 blogs about sins? That's how he got started... Sins, sins, sins, hell and brimstone. God is going to cast everyone into hell... He doesn't do that anymore, because it is ineffective.
So devan, since I never agree with you, of course you are absolutely wrong. But since that isn't the topic of the blog, I want to agree to disagree...
Darrick, sometimes I agree with you sometimes I don't - OK most of the time I don't. But in this instance you are absolutely wrong in saying this about Michael. He has admitted several times to sins that he may have committed or is subject to committing and admitted to being an "imperfect' human and willing to be judged as such. I think some of the people who post here and are so against judgement of sins may just be people who are afraid to be judged.
For if you read all of Michael's post, you will find that 90% of them deal with what everyone else is doing... while omitting his own sins.
LOL... so in essence there is no point in having a pastor, because they are constantly worried about what everyone else is doing...
I am not worried what the person next to me does, so long as it they aren't killing me in the process, or anyone else. I think the whole point of your post supports what I said.
It sounds like to me darrick you are worried about what everybody else is doing and not what you need to do.The one's you are noticing aren't doing what they need to will be judged by God not you.Preachers are afraid to preach on what people need to hear because some are worried they're going to call him a hippocrite.Maybe the one's saying that needs to check their own heart and quit worrying about the one sitting next to them.What a terrible attitude to have.What if the person next to you says,"He's going to watch me the whole time and judge me" it sounds like your being one because you are sitting on that church pew and judging others.
Thanks...
I so agree with your comment darrick!
How do you avoid crossing the line of condemnation and rejection, when you are calling "sin what it is"... The reason people have stop going to church is because they don't want to be lectured by an imperfect human about what is right and wrong. They don't want to be told that a so-called lifestyle or habit is sinful, when the rest of the congregation including the pastor are full of sins, yet villify those whose sins seem greater...They don't like hypocrites, nor do many people understand why pastor's pick and choose which verses of the bible they want to read from, while totally neglecting the verses which precede or follow the one's they preach on. The answer to why people don't change when they leave church, is because their main witnesses are those so-called worshipers sitting next to them, who only worship god on sunday, or just when it's convenient for them.
I have gone to church essentially every Sunday since I can remember, and the church pews aren't filling up like they used to. I don't know if it's because the messages aren't complient with modern times or people have found that sitting at home and watching a preacer on tv is just as meaningful as packing the pews and not being able to remember a single word the preacher said.
worship is in all differant forms and fashions.
I have been in some of the best services where it is just a couple of folks dancing and worshiping god with a couple of guitars and bongos.
I have also been to the churchs that have everything in it's place and everyone is "just so." and they have totally closed God out and wopuld not know Jesus if he came in the door with a red shirt.
Who cares?
Lets get to the business of loving God, Love our neighbor and show the light of christ,,, even to the one who looks differant.
No wonder they do not want to come to church with this attitude..
remember the OLD songs were hits one day..
Just like the new ones will be hymnal classics too.
its not the song it is the heart.
I think these trends are just more of the world setting up its own system.
If Man says "church" has to be cold and boring,then Heaven help anyone who wants it passionate and spontaneous and joyful.
If Man declares that God's people should come together in a country club,who dares spoil the party with tears of repentance or outrage at the works of the enemy?
It's a miracle when either recognizes the pain of "better" families or reaches out to the needy with charity that isn't boxed up for the holidays.
It's a wonder when either acknowledges that we struggle with powers,principalities and our own fallen selves instead of the Left,the Right or spots on a map.
It matters little whether the focus is on the baptistry or the basketball court,the communion wafer or the coffee cake,if people forget they are there to learn,cleanse and heal their souls and take the love of God out into the world and apply it.
We aren't there to be reviled but revived.
We don't attend to be sanctimonious but to be sanctified.
As teachers put honey on the alphabet that learning might be made sweet,we can reach out to the untrained soul and show them the "cotton candy" aspects of the faith but we have to be ready with the bitter medicines when that's what it takes to keep them alive.
I'm not just wary of the diluted messages some churches might send.
I'm concerned about how they might isolate their people in a bright and cushy bunker.
Our God might be a mighty fortress but we aren't meant to be shut off from the world in a barbed-wire covered Disney World.
Yes,it's good to have the church building used more than a few hours a week.
Yes,it's good if we can hold classes,do child care and have group meetings and games with our congregations.
But,if while we're making God's house into a school or rec center,who's making the Lord feel at home on campus or at the soccer field?
We need to bring the stray sheep in and send shepherds out.
We need to let God work through us in all ways at all times to all people and not just perform according to what's popular or comfortable.
When we were asked to feed the flock,we weren't ordered to war with one another over the percentages of peanut skins,timothy,alfalfa and clover.
We were expected to give the sheep what they needed to grow strong and know that even if it weren't all sweet,a sheep that wasn't starved would be unlikely to swallow something toxic.
Let's offer the sheep a variety so all tastes and needs are met but let's look to the owner of the flock for instructions before acting according to our whims and fads.
After all,who would know better about how much frolicking in green pastures is healthy but a Lamb?
I like this blog. Its kind-of how I feel also. Its gotten to where the preachers have to preach what the people want to hear, not exactly what is right, to keep the people coming back and depositing money in the plate.
Like you call it, the cotton-candy sermons. I really miss the singing of the old hymns with nothing but a piano. I feel that is so much more heart-felt.
Thank You Michael. I have had some of the same thoughts. When did church become about what we want and not about how God wants it?
Maybe it was old-fashioned custom but I was taught that God deserves our best. If the best you have is blue jeans or dirty farming clothes then by all means that is acceptable; but I wonder, do these people dress better to go to work or out on the weekends than they do for church?
I have not heard much of this "new" Christian music so I can't really make a call on that but I love to listen to and sing the beautiful, meaningful OLD songs.