lance.dunlop

James 1:27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

I'm not going to be buying any. Even If I was employed. I stopped buying stuff for hobbies a long time ago. I'd also be foolish buying any since I'm going into the missions field soon. I can't afford to be buying or creating an addictive habit. If my students didn't have friends who played I'd probably have pawned them on someone by now.

Don't be afraid to speak your mind, I did ask for it, and to be something that could be spread to all subjects other than my own situation. Now, I am not saying in any way that I am a person who would be strong enough to wander into a strip club and evangelize. I do trust that God would grant me extra strength in that situation, if for whatever far out there reason there would be for me to ever step in one, in order that I wouldn't sin. But sin later, I can guarantee it. I am not in anyway saying that I am liberal with my faith and what I can handle or subject myself through. I am, as all of us are, in a lifetime's work of sanctification. I do not for a second think anything other than no matter how much more Christ like the Holy Spirit makes me, there will always be something else. I will forget grace for others at one point, at another I will lust, in another point of my life I will struggle in patience, and one more I will fail to forgive. These are but the mere constants of a human of any person, no matter how great or small, no matter how call by God they are in ministry. I do not seek to show myself as anything less. I have cut a lot of things out of my life. I am glad to do so for God showed me these things, and I am happy to rid myself of them. Especially if it's His will. And moreso seeing as despite my young age I am in a place of leadership, which not only brings me into a place of leading youth, but leading and setting an example for many adults in my church. The last thing I ever want to portray to them in my faith is that I have no boundaries, because they are there. Now there are things that I had partook in a year ago that I thought fun, but now looking back at them were follow, and God has so inspired in me a hatred for these things. So is the process of growing. And perhaps the Lord will convict me on this as well, and I believe He has to a point in the sense that I know I should not be doing this for my hobby and pleasure. But in the end, there are things which can be used to do good, especially in the context of Youth ministry, as I would not last very long going into the school and evangelizing. There are students who bear witness to the gospel, and others invite their friends only, but many of these people come seeing they can do things like thus and not be judged. Where the eventual story unfolds that all the other churches they were at, they had judgment, and they did not hear the gospel of Jesus as we preached it. Bear with me if I'm repetitive, it's 4AM here, but my boundaries are more strict than many I know. The situation I laid out about the people who were smoking and drinking, I was invited, and did not know that they would be doing these things. I certainly did not go there with excitement about being around the rank smell of pot, but with a joy that I may talk to friends from high school whom I haven't seen in over 2 years. With the game of cards, it's something I'd want to do in hopes that it would bring kids to us that we couldn't normally reach, especially with the small size of leaders who can invest in the students' lives outside of the church setting. I truly do only want to use these as a means for creating relationships with those who wouldn't normally step foot in a church and be excited to be around those who love them, who instead think that prior to this we would only judge them. My intentions are honest, not pridefully brother, but truly I want to do this for good, not so that my freedom may allow sin so that grace may abound. I know it's hard to place that truth via a keyboard, and I really just wanted to lay out the situation of how this was brought to me, and ask for a general answer for general discussion, and not so much answer any misc statements that come forth. But thank you truly for your concern. I did not mean to misrepresent myself in making anyone think I wanted to jump into sin because of the grace bought for me. I hope this helps, but like I said, this can be quite a debate from time to time. Especially seeing as we, fairly truly are, in the gray area for many areas of our lives with movies, TV, sports, clothing, food, video games etc. There's more I feel like typing, but then I know I will be repetitive. Thanks for the honest response.

One reason why I was asking others if doing these things in ministry is stepping over my line? I myself have cut myself off of these things, and other games because of either content or amount of time I spent in them, as I can usually start to balance them, but eventually have to come to the realization that I have spent my time foolishly not using these things for His glory. I haven't actually played since that, and that was about 2 months ago. I may end up coming this weekend as we have a lockin our church's youth staff is helping with. I'll sit down and play if I'm invited, and use the game as a means to the end of getting to know these kids and bringing them Christ. But I have cut it out completely from my personal life, aside from any ministry opportunities that may present themselves. I'm not saying that it's legalism to in his conscience to question the things that are listed on the cards. His issue was my spiritual health, but on the fact that a false convert (to my knowledge) had fallen away after being overwhelmed with games. He said he didn't want this to happen. The issue was he threw it in my face that drinking is when done properly, but we shouldn't "reach out" by throwing a drinking party at the church, so we shouldn't allow kids to play the game in the church, or partake in it with them. My point was the opportunity to bring others into the group to minister to them with this. That aside, the reason I pointed out football's violence is because there are some people who can be lead astray by the game itself, and there are people who cuss and hit people out of anger and personal enjoyment in the games. I have nothing against it myself, but the "logic" was the exact same as this... If there is any content that is questionable, cut it out. Then it 'can' turn into legalism, although not always. I have heard him speak of the believer's freedom which honestly surprised me, on the subject of alcohol, saying that it won't hurt some of his friends' faiths, but his it would destroy because of his life before Christ. I know he knows of the freedom I enjoy, and I'm trying to bring myself to a point where my freedom is used for good and not an excuse. Which is where I am at on this, to use this as a discipline...partaking of the meat sacrificed to idols, but not worshiping the idols so to speak...for the sake of non-believers are there and I want to be an effective witness by showing love and yet not compromising my faith. This weekend I was invited to play a table top game that I have not played in about 4 years, based upon a fictional future universe called Warhammer 40k. In this there are Psykers, demons, humans, xenos (aliens), sorcerers, and the like. At this they smoked pot, drank, cussed a lot, spoke of sexual things, yet in all of this I was able to talk about God freely and bear witness to God by not partaking in the things they were doing, but showing them love and no judgment. I have been invited to play more, and will be able to further the Gospel to people that only I have an opportunity to do so with. I might even bring my brother Shawn with who is a man who I evangelize with who I know is filled with the Spirit and will not let his faith falter in these settings. Is this wrong even with the content? If I do these things, and partake in the setting, but bear witness am I in the wrong? I will gladly eat of the meat but not worship the demonic religion of men. If my faith is hurting for it my brothers will hold me accountable as I them, and I know that. If these people pressure my faith, they know that I won't give in, or I will leave, and I know they respect that. Was this bad? To dine with tax collectors and sinners? I do believe I have to talk with him further and plead with him that I wish to do this things for good, to keep me lifted up in prayers, and just because I'm not perfect I have a God who's greater than my temptations (1 Corinthians 10:13), and if I do these things filled of the Spirit I know He will overcome obstacles for me. Or do I overstep my boundaries?

This is occasionally a heated subject with much debate behind it. The reason I am asking this is because I busted out my set of Magic the Gathering cards (which haven't been used for about 5 years since I graduated High School) because some of my students and others who I had met who played the game. I had figured, this was an opportunity for ministry, played a couple games with a friend to try and get a deck back together, played some games with students and other said ministry opportunity. A friend/ex-youth leader who is a deacon at my church confronted me and my friend on this, talking about the sorcery and idolatry behind the game. Our points being, they are paper with ink, and we only wanted to do something good with them. I didn't want to start a war so I opted out so we didn't speak evil of each other, but his stance on almost everything is as simple as black and white, but it's hard to feel it lovingly most of the time. That aside, I had been under my Youth Pastor and hung out at his house Saturday's nights so I could go to church and watched him play World of Warcraft, and admirably he didn't let it interfere with his faith. Now biblically, I do not see the problem with doing this or other specific games if I can honestly, and not for excuse, use them to make an opportunity to preach the gospel and create ministry relationships. If these things are on the line, that would put football due to violence and exposure to drunkenness and lust on the line, movies, even new ones like the Avengers because of violence and a false god Thor, and fishing because you could be evangelizing or serving your community instead =D The black and white line in my opinion is well too often used as a sword instead of a shield, but I'm not here for opinions. I want biblical wisdom and truths to expand my understanding, and as well hopefully have a very good God honouring conversation. So here's the question of liberalism and legalism. Is there a gray area? Or is it always black and white? And is there a line and/or gray area that is different for each person due to what they can handle? God bless, and I'm excited for all the responses.

Kate Bush's, Crucixion Poem He is pushed forward from the steps, Glistening eyes glare from around at the dropping figure. Silence ceases and murmurs gather quickly like the grabbing of a hand. Guilty onlookers hide their eyes from the shame that they know and forbid to reveal. Slowly the dimness falls. The man weeps and his forsaken tears fall slipping down the trembling and battered body onto the dust. He collapses down onto the ground. His head bruises past the stones scarring his tear stained face. he staggers to his feet groping towards his fate. Sharply,iron pierces flesh,and the shape is raised on the hill. Stillness overcomes the cheering spectators, And the mocked and pride broken lead turn in outcry. The people form and run down the hill. With a last glance at his betrayers, he dissolves into a limb,dumb body, As the blood red sun sinks into the skull of a dead man.

No matter how much I searched & searched there isn't 1.. the closest thing is verse 26, when God talks bout making us to His "Likeness" Also, did u notice that after God made everything He saw "that it was good", but it never says that after He made man.. It's not immediately after Denise, it's in verse 31. You see right after it says He created man, He then goes on to speak of the authority they have, and after He gives authority, and even more so He blessed them, then He makes the statement of everything being very good. As if...He created everything for us to see His glory, in fellowship with Him? Nothing else in all of creation is made in His likeness. Not even the angels have authority over the children of God, those solely created in the image of His likeness (Hebrews 1:14), but they are here to serve us, in doing so they are also serving the Father. As far as giving a verse in Genesis, I cannot. I can give answers indirectly however. Example, Genesis 6:6-7 "The Lord was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain. So the Lord said, 'I will wipe mankind, whom I have created, from the face of the earth - men and animals, and creatures that move along the ground, and birds of the air - for I am grieved that I have made them.' " He grieved making them, in such a way that indicates that His heart was broken. We see this all over scripture, without even the word Love involved. "The Lord your God is a jealous God", "but your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will call him Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him", "For the sake of ten I will not destroy it". There are places where it directly shows God's love and mercy. The New Testament speaks greater volumes in my opinion, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life" and "For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will - to the praise of hit glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves." So it's not so much that He gave Adam and Eve fellowship with Him in the garden and authority over all creation because He loved man, but rather, that He created man because He loved them before they were ever created, and authority and fellowship was given to those made in His image because He created them out of love.

train tracks...enough said

I generally use ESV myself. I don't have a problem with KJV. The reality of it is though, that regardless of the translation we still need the Holy Spirit to teach us in His ways and guide us in wisdom to read the scriptures. Versions...not perfect. God...is perfect.

My friend, God will take His vengeance. He speaks of it a lot. In fact, as a Christian we are saved from the wrath and vengeance to come. But she is right in saying that we have no right to take vengeance, but only to show love and forgiveness.

I know what you are saying, that being said though we have to remember that trying and earning are different. Ephesians 2:8 "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." Part of the fruit of the Spirit in our lives is an ongoing repentance. A constant proving of our salvation by being sanctified and turning away from our sins. Now we all stumble from time to time. 1 John says that if we say we have no sin we deceive ourselves. But Jesus stated very plainly, that His sheep know his voice, so if we are of him, then we will eventually give in to the call to repentance and submit to walking in the Spirit. I can say from experience as I was someone who was once stumbling around blinded by the world. For almost 2 years I was like this. I was alone in my faith, no one around to keep me accountable, I tried early on, but eventually it became hard and I began to slip into my old life style. But I struggled living like that, in my sins. It hurt me to do those things, even though I had the wool pulled over my eyes. Now this entire time of me being in amongst the filth that this life offers there was still a voice that called out to me. Sometimes audible, sometimes it was merely a speaking to my spirit. But this voice called me to repent, to evangelize, to read my Bible, to fast, to stand up for my faith that I was forgetting. I was fearful to do so however for sake of what others might say. I tried to do all those things many times, but I always gave up. The problem was that I didn't even realize I was in my sins because I was blinded so much. After I moved home, after about 3 months I finally made it back to my home church, where the Holy Spirit was ministering powerfully that day, at least to me. I walked through the front doors and He just hit me. I knew then what my life was like. I stood there exposed and broken, in the sanctuary I cried, I realized I was wronging the Lord. He has taught me so much about holiness and repentance since then, that I had never known. But the biggest thing about that experience was that I was the one who was sinning, not God. I had known the Love of God and walked in my sin, even though I was trying to live holy and right, I was under so much oppression that I would just give in, and allowed myself to believe I was helpless. What we have to remember is that God doesn't tempt us, the enemy tempts us, and we tempt ourselves (James 1), and worse we willingly jump into our sin. This is inevitable. The joy in this however is that we have a high priest who makes intercession for us. Hebrews 10:14 "For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified." Not those who are sanctified, but those who are being sanctified. Needless to say, it will take my entire life to finally get to the point where I am sanctified. I won't be until I am resurrected and free from the flesh. And even that is not my doing. Every act of treason against God's commands in the law were given to Christ on my behalf. So now the Holy Spirit begins His work to form me into the victory of the risen king. Sanctified, a new heart, a life of obedience of the Holy Spirit, glorifying God in all...I will still willingly sin. There will be many times I will have to come to repent for my ways. But I know that I am forgiven, and despite my childish ways at times He will be there to discipline and set me on the right path again whenever I need it. If there's one verse I trust for help when it comes to temptation though, it's 1 Cor 10:13 "No temptation has seized you except that which is common to man. And God is faithful, he will not let you be tempted beyond what you car bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it." So when we are tempted He provides an escape, and when we sin we are in the blood of Jesus. Now whether we sin willingly, incidentally, or habitually, we show our depravity and point to the need of a savior, and show the glory of His mercies and forgiveness. And in our forgiveness which we have already received in Him we can find a place of rest and peace from the trials of the flesh, live by the Spirit, and continue in sanctification without fear of judgment despite knowing that we deserve it, yet have escaped it.

I think the best way to define prophecy is define what a Prophet is in accordance with scripture. Exodus 4:14-17 "Then the anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses and he said, "Is there not Aaron, your brother, the Levite? I know that he can speak well. Behold, he is coming out to meet you, and when hes sees you, he will be glad in his heart. You shall speak to him and put the words in his mouth, and I will be with your mouth and with his and will teach you both what to do. He shall speak for you to the people, and he shall be your mouth, and you shall be as God to him. And take in your hand this staff, with which you shall do signs." Exodus 7:1-2 "And the Lord said to Moses, "See, I have made you like God to Pharaoh, and your brother Aaron shall be your prophet. You shall speak all that I command you, and your brother Aaron shall tell Pharaoh to let the people of Israel go out of his land." Zechariah 1:2-6 "The Lord was very angry with your fathers. Therefore say to them, Thus declares the Lord of hosts: Return to me, says the Lord of hosts, and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts. Do not be like your fathers, to whom the former prophets cried out, 'Thus says the Lord of hosts, Return from your evil ways and from your evil deeds.' But they did not hear or pay attention to me, declares the Lord. Your fathers, where are they? And the prophets, do they live forever? But my words and my statues, which I commanded my servants the prophets, did they not overtake your fathers? So the repented and said, As the Lord of hots purposed to deal with us for our ways and deeds, so has he dealt with us." 1 Corinthians 12:18 "And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers..." 1 Corinthians 14:4; 22 "...but the one who prophesies builds up the church...while prophecy is a sign not for the unbelievers but for believers." I could keep going but these make most of the point. There are plenty of characteristics and functions of a prophet. First off, a prophet speaks the will of God as we've seen. The will of God is usually aimed at drawing near to repentance, which is shown in the verses in Zechariah. Now the NT prophet is different slightly than the OT prophet. In the OT we see that prophets are called sparingly, and speak God's will calling people to repentance, telling of future judgments, Messianic prophecies, telling of unknown things, and are usually martyred and/or hated for their ministry. Today however, the title of prophet is relatively vacant. Which in an of itself is good and bad. With so much corruption in doctrine today, the rank of prophet is slandered by people wanting to make a very substantial quick buck. NT prophets however are smaller in "power" so to speak. I do believe in contemporary prophecy, but I believe it is mostly aimed to repentance. What more do we need of revelation if we have Jesus. Revelations are good, but they usually get shifted to some kind of off scripture cult/false teaching. I've heard of people who have legitimately given prophecies of things to come with accuracy to date, that is well documented to my knowledge, but I also know of those who makes large claims of what is to come, and after it fails to pass when the time comes everybody keeps following them. Even though we are told to test prophecies and disregard the prophet it what they say doesn't come to pass. So prophecy is the will/word/promise of God as spoken through a person. I've experienced this. I know others who have given prophecies as well. However it is not something to boast about. Paul speaks of it being for the church, and that's what it is. The greater the gift the more the responsibility and humility needed. It's hard to stand up in front of your peers and tell them that God is telling them they have fallen into wickedness and they need to repent. That they are idolatrous, and not worshiping God, but themselves. So yes I believe it, but I know it's misused in extreme amounts these days. A quick response, hope it answers some of your questions.

This is one of my favorite subjects. If you haven't already I'd very much suggest that you go ahead and do some research into the letters of the name YHWH. I can guarantee you won't be let down. It's amazing. I have! its utterly fascinating isn't it! I am what most call Messianic/hebrew roots been digging for a long time into the Hebrew just wish I could learn to speak it! We do miss so much in our translations, when we look into the Hebrew we see so much more of Him, Yeshua and His plans. I mean just in the phrase, in the beginning! theres so much to see. shalom, Mizz I know what you mean. I did some just basic research on my own, and just a couple weeks of study into just a few of the letters has greatly improved my knowledge of scriptures. Brings them to life. And brings to light the depth and awe of the language and respect for it being the Holy Scriptures. I'm lucky to have just the small amount of knowledge I possess now. Hopefully I'll find time one day between missions to take a class on it. It fascinates me.

This is one of my favorite subjects. If you haven't already I'd very much suggest that you go ahead and do some research into the letters of the name YHWH. I can guarantee you won't be let down. It's amazing.

I've had some pretty vivid dreams before. Not every vivid dream is prophetic though. Some dreams are just weird. But when you have dreams that you are being attacked by deamons, you are praying to an idol for help, and crossed turn into a bright pure angelic light when you cry out to God? Then there's definitely something to it. Prayer is definitely the key. It could be the dejavu syndrome happening, but it could be God speaking to you, trying to grow you in wisdom, in dependency on Him, or give you people to evangelize to. Which would be equally amazing. The biggest thing is, the ones I had, were really vivid and troubling. I wrote and drew it right away. I had a friend who I felt led to go to that God had given him the interpretation. But I prayed for it, because I certainly didn't have the wisdom to properly discern what was spiritual. But if it's true, God will show you, but you have to seek the answer.

Same here. Often I find myself wanting to tell Him how good He is and how good He has been to me. But I fall short of adjectives. It's times like that you just sit back and marvel how He could shine so much love on you. You who can't even figure out how to say you love Him back properly.

Hope you don't mind...i took that for facebook