Is your church a safe place?

[simpleword]

There is no judgment except that of your own judging it to be judgment,It is not the young girls,it is the parents that should set down the rule and the pastor of the church,should know when and when not to speak of it,if you feel that your daughter is o.k. to go to the church in somewhat of a outside swimming attire,you should examine yourself,and ask yourself what you are thinking,.

one said that it is not the girls or boys fault that others stare,so what you are saying is that you are not guilty of causing the fornicator to fornicate in his mind.

The bible says,1 Peter 4:17,For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?

Both are guilty,the one causing the lust and the one lusting,and the one who knows better receive the harsher punishment,for they know better.

[simpleword]

Hebrews 10:24,And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:

25,Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

26,For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,

[other one]

Well, we could be like Islam and put them all in burka's.

Most of us when we were about 2 years old were completely self centered and demanded everything our way...... no was not a word in our vocabulary. Well by the time most of us were 4 or 5 (if we were lucky) our parents had taught us that was not good for us to be that way.

I think the problem of Lust is much the same way..... our sexual hormones tend to give all humans the problem to one level or another, but as the 2 year old has to develop past that total selfishness, we need to develop a control over our hormones. Many things in life require the human to control his/her physical desires. Personally I have more trouble with food than others.

Lust has many levels also, but I am not really comfortable discussing that in any detail on this type of communication. One never knows who is reading, their ages, problems or desires.

Just like all sins, we all have the tendency to have problems with this..... some can control it, and others can not. Ultimately uncontrolled, these days, it usually leads to Porn addiction and that is about as bad as being hooked on heroine.

[Hunterpoet]

Dress codes for church have been an issue for sometime now.

What bothered me about this post was the qualifications for calling ones self a christian.

True, many behaviors expressed by the bretheren leave much to be desired, but behavior isn't what makes a person a christian.

Undesireable behavior must and should be pointed out, no question there, but I'm guessing there is a better way to do it than to tell another person they can't call themselves a christian.

I once attended a church where the men were expected to wear ties. Well, I don't like wearing ties. One individual inpraticular made me so uncomfortable i stopped attending that church.

I don't know what the answer is, but I doubt telling them they can't call themselves christian is the answer.

[OneLight]

Scantly clothed individuals are not the only ones who show any sign of disrespect. As mentioned, those who adorn themselves in rich apparel cause the poor to feel out of place. Those who feel it is acceptable to wear a t-shirt that advertises the world causes another stumbling block. We all should be modestly dresses, professing godliness. Does this mean they should not attend? No, for the lost adorn themselves in such a manner. If we cause them to not come, how will they hear His words? How is that showing them His love?

Christians should, however, not be as the world.

Romans 12:2

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

While we should show Christ in everything we do, say and act, these words of this song also hold a lot of truth.

Come, Now Is the Time to Worship (I like this version best)

Brian Doerksen

Come, now is the time to worship.

Come, now is the time to give your heart.

Come, just as you are, to worship.

Come, just as you are, before your God.

Come.

One day every tongue will confess You are God.

One day every knee will bow.

Still the greatest treasure remains for those

Who gladly choose you now.

Come, now is the time to worship.

Come, now is the time to give your heart.

Oh, come.Just as you are to worship.

Come just as you are before your God.

Come.

One day every tongue will confess You our God.

One day every knee will bow.

Still the greatest treasure remains for those

who gladly choose you now.

(Repeat)

Come, now is the time to worship.

Come, now is the time to give your heart.

Come, just as you are to worship.

Come, just as you are before your God.

Come.

Oh, come.Oh, come.Oh, come.

Worship the Lord.Oh, come.

Come, come, come...

God Bless,

OneLight

[damo1]

I was a guest guitarist at a church today,men and women were wearing shorts,of course so were the teen girls,and short shorts at that,now God showed me that there were some men there who are having a problem with lust,God tolded me that the men came to the church to get help and to get prayer over their lusting sins,so here they are at church with suppose to be christian families and their daughters with short shorts on.

do not call yourself a christian if you do not warn people of their actions,do not call your self a christian when you are a stumbling block,do not call your sel a christian if you are not living a Christ like life

High

i was going over this post and have been not able to sign into this forum due to work and saving for my wedding

i am doing a course that our church is running called valiant man the very same course i am doing was also run for the women which is called valiant women

i am from Australia so i do not know what your pastors are doing or what they are teaching

valiant man discusses issues such as sexuality and lust and its done very good

its up to the pastor and the leaders and the elders to adress this

if it was me and if i new the pastor i would have suggested he run sevral courses for the guys in his church who are strugling with this

we are in week 5 you are given a modual and its very helpful

the reason i am doing this course threw my church is for my reasons as i want to be able to use what is being dicussed to help men and young boys over come the problems they are strugling with in a safe and loving inviroment were they can talk openly and get prayed over

we have noticed in Australia especialy with the older generation this topic is a hot one and not many pastors want to bring this topic up

it should not be up to the pastors or to the leaders or to the elders or cell group leaders or youth pastors

the responsabilty falls back on the parents but christian parents are to scared to talk openly

jesus is our role model not once did he lust after the women who supported him he is our perfect role model

though i wonder if the disciples strugled with this and this is what we are looking at

our two trainers who are running this course are very understanding the dean of our bible collage picks me up i am helping the new trainer who has opened up his home we split into two groups

you get given a dvd and the speaker who wrote valiant man shares on his personal strugles

as a man i have had to deal with this my self especialy working in the sex industry were their were nude women around me

when i became a chrstian i new i needed to deal with this as i did not want to be lusting after my sisters in the lord

i wanted to see my sisters in the lord the way god sees them

luckly i had good men around men and i thank the men god put around me i can talk to my sisters with out undressing them our lusting over them

men women can sence if you are undressing them or if you are lusting and if this is a problem aproach your pastor and tell him openly

i am about to get dinner out the way and wil come back later on i might even add some things down from the modual to give you a taste at what we are discussing i wil not give you the names of the guys in our group or share what the lord is doing as we agreed not to tel our partners or the people who know us what is being discussed in the course

its very challanging as we look over what happend to king david and are constantly going over the old testament and new testament

the course is set to heal men and set men free

i tend to introduce this to the men in my church in the philippines i told my fiancee who is the head pastor and she is excited

so i am going to be a bussy boy any one can do what i am doing but it has to be done in a safe enviroment were you can talk openly christians today tend to keep what they are dealing with to them selves and i can see why we have what you call gossipers and i have seen the damage this can do to a man who has just given his heart to the lord especialy if he has had a problem with pornagraphy

god can only do this but he wil work threw us if we are willing to alow him to use us as an open vesell then their would not be this problem what women were is no ones concern you are the one who needs to adress this if you have a problem not your sister wearing that short skirt or loose top

if we are to say it should be law what about the non believers ? are you as a guy going to stop your self from walking out the door due to it being a problem were you lust after the women who work in the same office as you do or catch the same bus you catch to work its around us 24 hrs a day guys dont just go saying our sisters in the lord need to dress moderatly al because your eyes wonder when you are in church if your eyes wonder deal with it and repent and ask god to help you over come this

God bless from damo

[simpleword]

The older sisters need to take charge of this issue and teach the younger ones what it means to dress in a modest, womanly manner. As a man, I don't propose to define what that means for all women but I do know that some of the younger women need to "leave a lot more to the imagination" instead of "removing all doubt", if you catch my drift.

Very very good,the sisters indeed should take on the responsibilty,of teaching the younger.brothers should deal with the brothers on brothers issues.

[simpleword]

Yes a pastor,in the spirit of God can teach this over the pulpit,yet it would be out of line if he or she became to discriptive,if they became into much detail,then you would have a confessional booth over the pulpit,

1 Corinthians 14:40,Let all things be done decently and in order.

1 Corinthians 14:33,For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.

[jesussaves]

O.K guys and gals, I have not posted here for a while, but since I am an older woman in the church

I will tell you what I know about this subject. You may not agree with me and some may even want

to debate it but I will not apologize for what I believe is right in the sight of God.

First, let me ask you some questions. What would you wear if He invited you to dinner?

If you were invited to a white tie affair would you not dress properly?

Then why question what one should wear as a Christian?

Should not the Lord get the very best we have!? If we were invited to the white house would we not

want to wear our best? Should seasoned Christians not lead the way in proper dress for the younger

to follow? Would you not put your arms around your child who was wearing shorts so tight that her

cheeks were showing and tell her you love her but that type dress is too"sexy" and not proper

for a girl to wear? Or her skin tight jeans were drawing too much attention to her figure rather that

her the light that leads others out of darkness?

There has been so much debate in the church in these last days over topics such as dress

jewelry, hair, drinking, smoking, dancing...looking at this list one can only conclude the debate

is one of the flesh wanting to rule. So I would first ask, are you sincerely seeking the Lord

and have you asked Him to mold you into His image? Are you sitting at the place in Christ

where you are submitted to the fact that He is the Potter and we are the clay? Do you feel

that holy conviction when you step out of His will or start to do something that is not pleasing

in the sight of God? There was a song years ago that was titled, A Little Bit More Conviction

by a singer called Carman. That is what I believe is the starting place for this subject.

The adjoining place is the Bible. Are you studying to show yourself approved? or do you

read sometimes a few verses but expect the pastors and teachers to do all your research

in the Bible for you? Do you say amen at the teachings in your church because you know

God's word, or because you simply want to agree with what is being taught without

knowing it for yourself? In secular schools we get homework...the same needs to apply

in the church...are you doing your homework?

I have to occassionally turn off every one on Christian t.v and radio. Put down every

book written by Christian authors and pick up my Bible and sit with the Lord allowing Him

to show me what He is saying to me through His word. Sometimes there are so many different

opinions and teaching that it can be mind boggling!! But the Bible itself is of no private

interpretation and the Holy Spirit will reveal to us the understanding of the Bible when we ask

and dig deep into the word. Sometimes it may take hours because the word just keeps

getting better and better as we read, dig and study out those things we are not clear on

or want to know more about, or simply something the Lord has birthed in our spirit to

read as the Father speaks to us through His word for a need etc..

I said all that before I say this. Proper atire for both men and women should both

honor and glorify the Father. If you are dressing to attract the opposite sex

you will probably be dressing too worldly. If you are dressing to please the Lord

your dress will reflect humility, modesty, and not be sexually distracting to members

of the opposite sex.

Do you want to draw attention to yourself, or the Lord. So o.k,

the world may say something to you like, "Man I don't want to be a Christian because

you guys don't allow short shorts.!!" Here is the clicker, do you then decide to wear short

shorts to show them being a Christian is cool? Or do you continue to let your light

shine and let the Lord bring them to the place of holy conviction? If we the body of

Christ keep compromising with the world to reach the world all we are going to have

in church is that social club that the world thinks is a fun place to be, not because of

the wonder of our Great God, but because they don't have to truly submit themselves

to the Potter and allow Him to change their lives inside and out!

The Lord says come just as you are...He doesn't want you to stay that way. He is the Potter

and we are the clay. He makes changes from the inside to the out.

The older women are to teach the younger to be keepers at home, taking care of their husbands

and children...reflecting and directing toward the likeness of the Lord and as the woman in

Proverbs 31 does so clearly.

love not the world..nor the things in the world is written

SO the next time you get dressed to go to the house of the Lord ask yourself if you are giving Him

your best. Next time you get dressed to go outside ask yourself it what you are wearing would

be pleasing to the Lord and reflect Him. What would you wear if He invited you to dinner?

[glorywatch]

Church is not the place for shorts, halter tops or mini skirts. As far as passing judgement on those who do, I make a lousy Holy Spirit....I will leave that one up to God.