F8thNJesus

Okay, so here goes......... I am probably going to get a lot of flack because of this, but we do not have cable, and my husband rely's on me to go to the movie store because I can use Godly discernment when picking out movies for our family (he is not saved). I can generally tell when we shouldn't watch a movie just by watching the movie trailer.On occasion when I have been lazy and told my husband to go to the store, he has picked out a movie I knew by watching the trailer wouldn't be good. I did not want to offend or insult his effort, so I obliged to watch. Some of those movies we could not even go through the first 15 minutes. He even though a heathen lol apologized for getting it.. My husband was amazed when we were at a christian friends house ,and the husband (a christian) was wathching the sci-fi channel, and the movie was drenched in smut, and scantly dressed women, and the man never looked away, or changed the channel. There were children and women in the room and this man of God did not flinch! The Lord just convinced me this vey week, that I had compromised my faith by watching some shows with my husband via internet that did not please the Lord. I thought that because of me being a child of God, and having discernment from right and wrong and that it would be okay to spend time with my husband in that way because that is basically how he spends his time at home. (watching tv). But the Lord showed me how often I would have to shoo the kids away and they didn't have time with anybody because daddy always had the tv on. I have plenty of other things to do rather than fill my head with things that do not exalt the Lord. I have often thought it odd that we as christians rely so heavily on the world to entertain us! If we are to come into the Kingdom as little children, I have often thought that it seems odd that christian adults think that it is okay to watch movies that the world has rated unsuitable for worldly children. I heard once a preacher say that mothers or wives can't effectively pray for their husbands or sons to quit of be freed from pornography if they are watching soap operas, or reading Love/lust novels. Their are some good christian romance, and I have read a few. But I have often found that those novels instigate a jealousy in me that my husband is not romantic or a christian for that matter, so pass them up because of my own personel walk, but I don't think they are wrong for an avid reader. I really do like Francine Rivers. I do not let my kids watch shows which makes a disrespectful, rebellious or rude child a heroe (unless the child goes through repentance or humility of some sort). If witchcraft or majici is exalted in any way, then it is out of the question (which yes nulls a lot of disney) Now if we are at a friends house that does not hold the same beliefs, they know that we are not to impose or judge them for the movies they have. If they ask if the kids can watch a movie, then I just ask that I have access to keep an eye on them and that it be rated G unless I am completely convinced that it would cause a stumbling block for my children then I will politely say that my kids are not allowed. Often my kids will come and tell me of something on it that they did not approve, and the parents act suprised that that was even on the movie. On the way home the conversation often turns into what they saw wrong on the movie, started by them. Now you might say I can't shelter my children forever, but you see I don't. They see the news, and I include them in prayer request for serious things that are going on in our world or family or church. They often will see a character flaw in one of their neighborhood friends of one of our family members, and we will pray for them. they have seen the fruit of their prayers.It is so funny how my husband or a nonbelieving family member will spell words when discussing some sort of reality around my kids, but don't understand why I don't let them watch something very entertaining that exalts worldly beliefs. My children know the seriousness of child molesters, adultrey, homosexuality, and other types of sexual fornication. Along with, the atrocities of murder, genocide, abortion, and hatred (the root of murder). They know the scriptures that back up our beliefs on why these things are wrong and deserving of our prayer. Ever heard of " Anything that is Lovely........." Their ages are 8, 5, 3, and 1. I will not tell my husband what to watch or you for that matter, but I have been convicted by the Lord that generally tv, is not for me.

My pastor makes a joke all the time. "If someone asks you what church you go to, tell them they don't want to come, and that they won't like it. Let the Lord bring people here that he wants here. Don't tell em what the spirit is doing othewise they will mess it up." He says if we were told that Jesus would be at a certain place at a certain time, we wouldn't go and tell everybody, but rather we would want him to ourselves! So to all of those that agree that the service should only be 71 minutes, you can go ahead and mark my church off your list, and remeber this.......... That list might just be protecting the real flock from those of you that think you can put God and His Church in a box full of bullet points. *ever thought of this? "God where would you have me go this morning?" the only reason i committed to continue going to my church now of 5 years, was because my husband said that is where we would go. He wasn't even a believer. Now we had to look for a new church because our old one had broken up. It was my first church since i had become a christian, and I wanted something exactly like it. All of which could pass the above test very well. Now this new church hardly had anyone on stage for the worship service, and they were all old Hymns. I thought boring. I knew the people were christians, but they did not have the zeal of my previous church. I was not moved, and I really didn't get those God is Here feelings. It did feel like a safe place toworship but not something that wooed me. Well I soon discovered a lot of the people that were on the worship team were on a mission trip, and that hymns were not the only thing that was played in worship. And the presence of God in the body of believers there is very powerful. The Lord was teaching me submission , and obediance . I had to resign myself to be content with where my husband wanted to worship, and know no matter what kind of worship format there was, that worship came from the heart of the believer, and no matter what kind of genre, it could be expressed through the true believer.

This is a long shot, and should only be done if the Lord tells you to do so. IF this guy is in construction, and they really have no where else to go, then maybe you could let them stay with you helping out with the bills, and repairing your house so that you could sell it. Have these people really ran into a hard time, or are they just taking advantage of your compassion? You see the kitten you rescued was in a hard time, but someone that gambles and continues doing so but begging someone to pay his bills is not in a hard time.(not saying your tenants are gamblers) God will give you the wisdom to discern their actions. It is necessary for you to seek the Lord in this, and you will know them by their fruits. God is either telling you to be still and bless these people because they are trying, and have made every effort to do things right, or he is telling you to not enable people that are not going to see the blessings God has bestowed on them because of their hardened heart. I would in the least have your tenants get the utilities in their name. or you could have a rental management company take care of it for you. If your old house is cheaper, then maybe someone from the church could make it handicap accessible, and you could sell the other house Either way sister, I am praying for you, and confident God will show you the right path. HE always does.

When I was saved, the Lord convicted me on how to dress. In leu of that, when I was pregnant. (like 8 months) I was in Lowes, and by no means wearing anything revealing. I was on a mission to get to the bathroom. (hey I was 8 months preggo) Being in the south, we often make eye contact with passing people and say hello or at least smile. I did this to the man passing, and when he smiled, a red flag went up. I knew it was more than a freindly gesture. well i was walking quickly and not too bothered. I got to where the bathroom was, and it was ropped off. I had to go across (what seemed like 10 acres of concrete) the entire store to get to the other working bathroom. I had an accident before i was in the stall. I was mortified. I got cleaned up as quicly as possible, and I made a bee-line for my car. Again I see this guy, and avoid eye contact, but he is staring at me, so embarassingly I looked to see if he noticed my pants but he hadn't it was sheer lust. I hurried to my car, and when pulling out I thought he wanted me to roll my window down to talk to him. Early on when I got married, my husband and I went throug problems which have since ceased, but before they did, I was jealous and angry every time I caught my hubby drooling over a barely dressed woman. The Lord showed me that it was not women's sin of (wearing revealing clothing) but rather it was my husband's heart . If a man (or woman) looks at a woman(or man) and lusts after them, it is his sin that will be on him, and God will not excuse it because she invited it! One woman started coming to our church that was previously in the adult dancing industry. Men and thier wives were upset that she dressed in a certain way. But I think the only way you couldn't have noticed she had a great body was to put a burka on her. Some men were saying they were being distracted while worshipping. If you are truly worshipping GOd, then how can one woman distract you unless she is pole dancing on center stage? Lust is a matter of the heart, not the eyes!

Yes Cajun. My husband now says, "I don't hate you, I just hate your ways You always want to do good for somebody, You're always defending somebody that doesn't deserve defending. we can't just go out and have fun anymore. " SO I told him I coudl go find a pole dancer that loved to party, and didn't care what kind of morals his kids had, and she could take my place. Now when he knows of somebody in need, he will tell me to pray. He wants to hate "MY ways" but they are the very thing that kept this family together. I would have voted Lorraina Bobbitt President before I was saved, so to see us still together, is a testimoney of God's HOly Spirit whooing hearts.

Thank-you Mike, and I have reported it, To the HIGEST AUTHORITY> GOD You know what he said? Be still and know that I am GOD. I believe in the bottom of my heart that a deaf, blind, mute man could be in the bondage of sexual fornication. I could put my foot down for no out of town trips, and I could scour his cell phone, and I could get filters , reporters, private eyes, and you know what, it still can't rid my family of the demonic attack of sexual fornication via my husband. My husband has to want Jesus in his life. My words amount to nothing unless they are directed by the Lord. My coutenance representing Jesus can win my husband. I have that promise, and I have seen the fruit of it. You see I have been in this battle the whole of about eight years. And to see where we started, and where we are , is a testimoney of God's mighty work. I would so like to take your advice, and chomp on it, but I have done that so many times, I am sick to think of it. I had to learn I am not the HOly Spirit, and I have to totally surrender to HIS will, and in my weakness, HE is made strong. I like the quote in FresnoJoe's sig line. It says...... I find when I get on my high horse, Jesus leaves out on HIS DONKEY! yes the Lord will direct us in putting in boundaries. And the Lord gave me one. I told my husband If he can't stand up for his marriage , and lets his boss speak to me, then I will have to do it for him, because I will not allow the enemy to attack my faith anymore concerning this sin, that God is healing. HE knows that I will do it as well.

A while back, I had a bout of humbling from the Lord which led to much repentance. i percieved something in a brother at our church, and it bothered me that no one spoke up to him.A friend of mine was uncomfortable around him because of his closeness )singing in her ear, hugging her etc. then when the dude literally sniffed my neck and said nice perfume , I was furious. I spoke to a handful of my frineds about it, and it got back to my pastor. He called me, and confronted me on calling the guy a pervert. I was offended at first, but then my pastor said "if we see a brother in a fault we ought to take to the Lord, and share with the the person in fault what we feel. God doesn't show us someone in sin to condemn them, but to restore them." It was like GOd had put his big ol' thumb on me the little bug Well needless to say I had to call the guy, and told him I had talked about him and called him a pervert. I told him I got offended about him sniffing my neck, and he apologized and told me he forgave me. He hasn't gone to other women anymore, and I realized i went the totally wrong way when I became angry with him. So now when I see something in a brother, I go to the Lord. I pray for them and reach out to them. The Lord will not use us to restore someone, unless we have the father's heart, and that is to restore them, not condemn them.

Damo yeah there will always be tares among the wheat, but it will be the wheat that the Lord comes for. what is the saying? You cut off your nose to spite the face. when I pray for somebody, to recieve Jesus as their savior, I always say "Now you are apart of the biggest family in the world" Now could you imagine the horror of the bride if someone came and said "so and so is a fluzy, and your father in law, well......... your mother in law hates women and will think you are a whore for the rest of your life. I know all the families secrets, and believe me it is not pretty, but come on in anyway!" Yes Jesus even confronted the churches in Revelations. But he always added "But to he who overcomes" We have to overcome the attack of the devil to give up on the church, and we have to be the light to the world. I wasn't a part of my church at the time, but when my pastor first became the Pastor at my church, it was totally white. He could tell that there was deep seeded prejudiced in the congregation, and he started to pray. then the Lord gave him a sermon and a battle plan to defeat it. He met much opposition, and had he left, and gotten mad because many were ugly, and talked about him, the church might still have been prejudiced.Yet we now have a congregation full of mixed peoples. Here recently I was disturbed that the childrens church time starting this month was going to be taken over with the christmas play practice. I prayed, and let it go. Well now I have been asked to teach for the first part of childrens church, and then help with the practice. Had I gotten mad, I would have only showed what a horses hiney I was, and the show would have gone on. LOL Now the children will not be void of biblical learning for three months. Prayer is one of the Most Powerful unused tools today.

thank-you for your responces, and yes the entire situation is covered in prayer. the first time his boss started in, when he called me in redards to the mason thing, when I got off the phone, I decided to write him an e-mail. It was well worded, and to the point, then the Lord told me not to send it. This guy is incourageable. I would have only fed fuel to the fire. Now there is a testimoney to all of this. My husband worked under this guy, 5 years ago, and he hired my husband knowing that my husband quit his last job upon my request because he was buying prescription medicine from his co-worker. My husband said he was clean, and I thought so too. Well the boss gave him a good raise, and a supervisor title. Then the first drug test came up positive for drugs. My husband used the excuse he forgot to tell the drug screener he had taken a legal prescription for his back pain. So they gave him a second chance, then the second test screened against the prescription he was taking and found methamphetamines.After he was suprised tested that second time, he knew he was going to be caught, and he used a petty argument we had as an excuse to not come home that day at work. I had no idea he had been fired. So when my husband didn't come home that night, I called the next morning to his work, and his boss told me he had been fired the previous day. I told him I had no idea and that he hadn't come home. He adviced me to give up on my husband because "no man should do that to a wife pregnant and with one more child" well I told him I had to have faith that GOd would heal mymarriage. He told me "let me know how that works out for you honey, because the looks of it, your husband is addicted to a very bad drug, and is hanging out with a dealer of that drug. He is bad news." He also told me in the unlikely event that my husband got clean, that he could have his job back. that night I prayed and asked the Lord what to do, and he told me that my marriage would be saved, and that one day HE would use the testimoney of my marriage, to win the boss to the Lord.He told me that my husband would work for this guy again. SO when my husband did come home, I pushed him to go back to his boss and prove that he was clean. Well he was proud, and swore that he was framed. we went through months of lack because my husband could not get a job. Then he applied at a convenience store making much less than he ever made, and in prayer the Lord gave me a word for my husband. It was if you work there, there is temptation there that will overtake you if you are not grounded in the Lord, and when that happens your marriage will reap the consequences and it will take a long time of healing. Well he didn't head to that and got caught up in drugs, and had an affair. He got abusive and we were seperated for a long time. When the Lord prompted me to be reconciled with my husband, he quit his job with a guy that was basically paying him in drugs, and proceeded to look for another one. I asked him to look into going back to his job where he had gotten fired.He told me that man was no longer there, and I thought "WoW i really missed the Lord on that one." then the Lord blessed my hubby with a job he had for almost four years. I felt the Lord prompting me to pray for my husband to find another job, but the thing was his proffession allowed him to work for only one company. So shortly after praying, the old boss called my husband and said he was looking for someone in his proffession to work for his company in our area, because the bosses company which was 90 miles away was moving to our city. IN much prayer I knew that it was the Lord telling us that the job was from HIM. So I know that this is a frontal attack from the enemy trying to discourage me. I totally believe that when my husband turns to the Lord, that he will have an integral part in ministering to his boss which will ultimately lead to his salvation. I already found out that this man is married to a spirit filled christian woman, and wants very much to keep us apart. LOL I guess this post was basically me licking my wounds. But even after writing it, i knew that christian men would stand up for their integrity, (kudos to you Kelians being only 16) and I wanted that reingorcement that Yeah I'm right, but the thing is my husband needs Jesus, and seeing where he has come from and where GOd has led us to , all I should have is praises! You see the enemy wants to come in and attack my faith. My husband was unfaithful at one time, but I know (though prayer) that he is faithful now. The Lord has given me that promise, and because I just have the Lord's promise to stand on, the enemy would like to come in and attack it. So just keep me in prayer and i am sorry for my soapbox. No sympathy needed, If God is for me. then who can be against me?

Hate to dissapoint you my friend, but no I don't just play church, and I do walk the streets just as you with my four kids mind you and minister to those that are in the Hiways and Biways. If my husband would allow me (i am pregnant), I would be in the prison ministry our church has, but all I can do is prepare food and minister to the guys at our recovery house. when our church first started the addiction recovery program, we had many people leave. I am thankful for the church I attend, and and everyone is welcome. I am going to take a picture one day of the parking Lot. there are BMW"S, and Pintos side by side. My husband's truck is two toned. LOL . There have been times when I saw problems, and I thought in my flesh "that is just wrong", but the Lord has a way of handling everything given time. It irritates me when people think that the church should be there for them to be ministered to and make them feel entertained and fat and happy. When we are a part of that body, then we need to not "Ask what the body can do for us, but rather what we can do for the Body." Just like the human body, the Body of Christ has many parts, and have a purpose to make it healthier. Our bodies have antibodies when it detects something wrong, or a sickness. when we something wrong in our fellowship, then we need to seek the Heavenly doctor in prayer (or using the word to restore a brother found in sin) that is when our heavenly antibodies are doing their job. I never stated that people aren't led by the Lord to leave, but I did state that many leave because of their flesh, or left before the Lord gave a "GO AHEAD" and thought that they left because of a problem. One poster earlier said that they felt the Lord told them to leave, but they are waiting for the Lord's timing. In that time, they have seen the problem (that caused them to seek the Lord) dissipate. Therfore it seems to me that God used that to prompt them in seeking Him for his will concerning a new level of ministry. Yes you are going to get offended at church, because we are made up of imperfect people. Just like in the world, we have to remember it doesn't revolve around us. [note]that this is a statement about "THE Church" and "The Body" This board is for believers and non-believers alike, and my point is ....... "A house divided shall Not Stand" Are we as christians bearing false witness against our neighbors and letting our light shine when we make blanket statements about "The Church" or "THe body".

I have a question for you men living in victory in Christ (concerning sexual fornication) I am married to a man that has grown leaps and bounds in our marriage, and he has given up a lot of his fleshly desires to make this marriage work. He is not yet a believer, but I believe he is coming around. He doesn't look at porn anymore, and it used to be a big problem.He had an affair 5 years ago, but has been faithful since. He doesn't have a lot of friends, because he is an introvert, and believes people are just gonna stab you in the back anyway so why bother. But it is very hard for him to stand up to guys when he is around them concerning trashy talk. My husband calls me constantly from work, and updates me regularly what he is doing and where he is going voluntarly. He will question me why I haven't called him when I get caught up with the kids etc. But there are times when I have called him, and he has been around his co-workers at lunch or something, and they make comments about "HIS MOTHER" calling. It wouldn't irritate me if he would rebuke them, but he doesn't and then he gets this short snippy attitude, and asks me "What do you want?" When I reply nothing in most cases, he gets off the phone as quickly as possible. Then his boss which is more like a big frat brother to him, will ask to speak with me when I call my husband. THis guy thinks he is the funniest thing in the world. One time he was picking up my husband at 4am for an early job, and I invited him in for coffee. He is jewish, and has a lot of wisdom concerning religion, although he doesn't practice it. He saw all of the Christian things in my home, and started grilling me in a theological debate. He is quite knowledgeable in scripture as well, and he was asking questions, and I felt intimidated. Yet after he left my husband called me and apologized and said he didn't know his boss was going to do that. He said he was impressed on how I answered his questions, and said I was smart. WOW Well then one day my husband came home saying he wanted to be in the Masons, and I asked him not to. I told him we did not need anymore controversy or confusion in our marriage, and I told him my personal beliefs on the Masons. Well I get a call from his boss and he starts in on me that I am a witch hunter, and my husband should be allowed to be a Mason. I did not argue, and tried to make for a graceful exit without blowing up. Then he gets the phone from my husband one day and says my husband was talking about girls to the new guy. My husband quickly got the phone but said nothing to him but "you gonna get me in trouble" with a chuckle. I told him I did not want to talk to the guy anymore because he was trouble and an instigator, and my husband obliged, but then did not follow through the next time his boss asked to talk to me. Then this past week My husband was out of town in myrtle beach. We were on the phone, and I was giving him directions to a place he need to be, and when we hit a point where his directions said take left, and my map said take right, he said he was calling the owner, and would call me back. A few hours later I hadn't recieved a call, so I called him. Well in the background I get "that's your mama", and my husband says he is eating at a cafe, and says he got to the right place and acted as if he had to go immediately, and then asks me if I want to talk to his boss. I said "No". He then says "He wants to talk to you" I said fine. SO then his boss tells me he is currently getting a stack of one dollar bills for my husband so they can go to the Crazy HOrse strip club down the road.Now I hear my husband in the background say with a chuckle "your gonna get me in trouble" and I told him if that were true, he could get a stack of money for my husband to find a new place to live, because I don't accept unfaithfullness like that. He said "you think I am joking but we are going and we are gonna drink gin too." I told him he could hand the phone back to my husband because he was making me angry. He laughed and handed the phone back to my husband . IN the background were men roaring with laughter, and my husband with achuckle got on the phone and said you know that isn't true. I told him that I had no way of knowing and I needed to let him go. He said he would call me back, but it wasn't for a couple of hours. Then he did not bring up the convesation until I told him that his boss was to not talk to me ever again, and I told him that I thought it was distasteful for him not to stop him from saying stuff like that to me. He was angry and acted as if I was wrong for being upset.I told him if he could not stand up to him and tell him he was being disrespectful to our marriage, the next time his boss started in on me I would put him in his place, and embarrass him for not being the man he needed to be. And if he did not apologize, I would call his wife and let her know how trashy he is talking. [note] this man caused another co-worker to have to spend time in a hotel because of his antics acting like a girl when the guys wife called(they were already having trouble). The bosses wife even got into the middle of that one because she was a friend of the mans wife. So to the Christian men....... AM I wrong? How would you handle someone talking like that? Do you feel somewhat pressured to join the crowd when it is just men, or do you stand up for the integrity concerning the marriage bed, and God's commands concerning sexual fornication?

When you are older, and become a christian, you realize, or at least I did, that there were so many life choices that I had been making that were wrong. I could no longer make decisions based on how I felt, but rather on what God's word and spirit said. I mean hey I was raised in the prejudiced south,and I was congratulated when I won a fight in school. Then I had to defend why I didnt slam on breaks because the guy behind me was following to closely, or why I was compleyely comfortable going to an interacial church and I would not condemn my children if they married a black person. The toughest thing was my relationship with my husband. It caused a lot of rifts when I decided that I wanted nothing to do with drugs anymore.My mom would cuss me out when I didn't entertain gossiping conversations anymore. Yeah the enemy tried to come in and say why are you doing this, you might lose your mother, brother, and husband? But thankfully the seed that was sown, was sown in good receptive soil! And I just said Jesus is my husband, satan get behind me in the name of Jesus!

I thought of so many titles that could fit this thread, but I will leave it at that. This Sermon is good and basic in answering questions regarding Demonic attack. Points made are 1. forgiveness 2. Praise 3. Resist the devil 4. Holy Spirit's power to Give strength in resisting the devil. 5. Psalms of Delieverence are given to the believer from the Lord, during a demonic attack. 6. Satan is feirce in trying to attack the church in these end times. Hellish attacks can be the constant voice of satan telling you to sin. Demonic Depression that just won't go away. A marriage is being attacked. Fear. Constant ailments wreaking havoc on a believer etc.... JUst listen and be encouraged to resist the devil.

I think it is sad that many feel completely okay to grumble, complain, and gossipp about the church.Oh and then the very first reaction is, "i need to leave, but not before I complain about it, and get good encouragement from other backbiters agreeing that I am more righteous than any of the people in my church."Have you ever considered praying for your congregation on a daily basis, or praying for one that you see has a fault. I'm not saying God doesn't lead people to leave a congregation, but I do feel that the majority did not get a prompting from the Lord because of a fault they saw in the church,but rather they acted on flesh. How many healthy churches we would have, if we had healthy christians dedicated to standing in the gap for the body of Christ! One that calls themself a christian, and then post something that points out faults (like a man clapping for his pastor rather than a child) for christians and non-christians alike to see, should be ashamed of being a cancer to the body that Christ is coming back for.