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| Well, I mean porn. Lets talk about porn. Why cant we talk about this subject? Especialy in the church. It seems like the only part of this subject that we talk about is sexual immorality and masturbation. That is good. However, to me those are the after effects of what causes a majority of men and women to fall into the afformentioned paths - pornography. Why dont we deal directly with the porn issue and normally dance around it trying to treat the wounds instead of the attacker? Rachel and I are huge fans of a ministry called XXXChurch.com. Its one of the first, if not the first ministry solely dedicated to attacking the problem at its core - porn and its people. They have been reaching out to the directors and actors within the industry for 5 years and have seen some huge landslides of fruit in recent months. I believe 3 or 4 porn stars in the last year have remembered XXXChurch from their booths in the porn shows and have over time searched for God and contacted them to tell them and thank them. Yes, they go to the porn shows. Its a highly controversial issue as alot of Christians believe its innappropiate or unethical to take Jesus to the porn shows. I have heard several arguments trying to prove that Christians shouldnt put themselves in the situations but what the guys at XXXChurch have in their hearts is for real.
Cutting to the skinny - What do you think about Christians taking Jesus to porn shows?
Obviously, me personally, I think its awesome. The testimonies that Ive heard from actual porn stars on their podcast are proof alone that standing outside the shows is not nearly as effective as being inside the shows. I dont think theres a single argument to prove that this issue shouldnt be attacked like its being attacked. There are some extremely broken and trapped individuals in that industry and its about time someone took the initiative and have the hearts and power of God in them to go forth into the darkness.
To reiterate my question - What do you think about Christians taking Jesus to porn shows?
Check out the podcast at www.xxxchurch.com. I think I may expand on this topic some more in my next post. I get pretty fired up listening to the people who bash these guys for taking the gospel into a place most people would not. | | |
| Yup, still alone. Guess the news now is that I will be moving back home at the end of my lease. Ive learned alot and its been a great stint but when it comes down too it, I have too much debt that needs to be released. Ive got a year and 6 months till I am married and I want to enter that without anything over our heads. Its the quickest and easiest way I can see to do that. The real reason I am actually posting in this is a gripe I have with winter. Or rather, what winter brings out in people. Are we today so shallow that we cannot even find beauty or happiness during winter? I know several (couple family members included) who mope around for nearly 6 months of the year. Literally, their every mood is completly dictated by the weather. When its sunny, they are outgoingly happy. When its cloudy or even snowy (!@#?) they are down, bitter and even angry. How have we gotten so shallow? I can understand prolonged days without sunshine (which isnt even good for your body) but do we let outside sources dictate our every mood that easily? Its pathetic! God created us for love. We were made to love Him, love his creations and to love all the time - no matter the circumstances. (Isaiah 43) He even mentions that He will give other men in our place because He loves us so much. Then we repay him by letting the next most beautiful thing next to man, nature, bring us down? Ridiculous! Im so fed up with people who cant see beauty all around them ALL the time. Its everywhere in everything all of the time. If you are one of the people who mopes when its cold. Or is depressed because its snowing - Stop. Its a complete disreguard for Gods creation. Sure you have your favourite times of year and your own personality but if you cant find beauty in nature and love what is out there, I am distressed to think how you will find beauty in fellow mankind or worse yet, even God! Man and God are so much more complex than nature. Next time it snows, try to remember that its all beautiful to God and should be to you too. I hardly believe if Jesus lived in Northern Ohio for a year that He would hardly be depressed at the lack of sunshine we have or the snowfall in the winter. I definatly know He would admire the amazing sense of cleansing and beauty that winter can bring. Nothing God created is with fault. Lifes too short to spend any amount of time battling over trivial thoughts of depression and anger towards the weather and nature itself. Seriously. You might as well get upset that the sky is blue. Or that a single cloud is in the sky, ruining the perfect sky. Pft! Stop wasting parts of your life, energy and relationships on something as miniscule as the temperature outside. Life is too short to be looking for something to be upset about. Itll be over before you can truely learn to love. | | |
| Living on your own. Ive been doing it since last April, so quickly closing in on 1 year. Im not sure how its gone. Recently Ive really gotten into alot of better habits, but the whole living alone thing, Im still unsure. Ive never been one to go out and make friends with everyone I see. Add to that working alot of hours trying to get back to ground zero, I really just dont have much time to devote to having friends over. But my point is the whole living alone thing. Its not any fun. We werent made to live alone. First you need God. Then, you need people. I definatly need people. What I really want, is my girl. Shes a source of inspiration and when shes not around, I spend so much of my time being busy but never being creative. I even find it hard to sit down and think of creative things or even get on a creative track. I always thought I was a loner type...man was I wrong. Back when I huddled up in my room living with my parents I still had my parents and my sister to talk to and engage with. Living on your own theres no one except those people you see at work. I miss their company and I miss my fiances company.
Speaking of my fiance, shes finishing her last quarter at OSU ATI and shes already landed herself her own flower shop! So exciting! I cant wait to see her beam from the work shell get to do. Im sure itll be hard and alot of work but I cant wait to see the payoff from all of that hard work. I cant wait to help her with as much as I can too. Its been a big dream of hers and Im eagerly awaiting my opportunities to help her get there.
So remember to keep her in your prayers. Shes going to have alot on her plate soon. Till next time, adios! | | |
| A question most people ask themselves numerous times throughout their lives. What was I made for?
We are the only creatures that do this though. Of course, our intelligence has everything to do with that but theres an interesting angle to look at this question from.
I heard a line from a song that goes "Look at the way the flowers bloom, they want to show you their beauty, Lord."
Flowers dont bloom for our enjoyment. We are just passer by'ers who get the enjoy their beauty. Their real and only sole purpose in life is to show God their beauty. After all, He created all the flowers that all flowers we have now came from (thanks to hybridization). But what other purpose do they have? They have no brain. They rise and fall with the seasons with one purpose - to bloom.
I first thought, wow - the ultimate worship machine. Think about it. No brain. Nothing to clog your vision, nothing to get in the way of your goal. All you do is worship from the time you sprout till the time you wilt. But is that really the ultimate?
I recanted. I dont think so. We are the ultimate worship machines. We are still flawed, yes - but that aids in the perfectness of our being. There are no greater worship machines than us. The number of ways we can give worship to God are endless. There is no end. We arent one-dimensional, we are multi-faceted. We dont worship the same way every time, we give praise however we can.
Its a beautiful line about the flowers. I already love flowers and I feel its helped me to even more appriciate the beauty they give us - remembering its for God first. But what about us? Our lives should be 24/7 worship - like the flower. Except we arent confined to just one way. Theres unlimited ways to worship. Find one and express it. Even if you dont feel like it. God put you on this earth to worship Him and Him alone. Worship isnt about what God can do for us, its about what we can do for Him.
This all stems from some really deep feelings moving around in me. I dont know yet what from but I know this issue of worship has been extremely convicting and has been a heavy burden on my heart. I also feel its one area that I dont do nearly as much and I feel guilty for that. Not just worship, real worship. The crying, sobbing variety. The kind where God just takes your heart and soul for the time and does as He wishes. The kind where you cant speak or sing. That kind.
As crazy as that sounds, I miss it oh, oh so much. | | |
| proph·e·cy P Pronunciation Key (prf-s)
n. pl. proph·e·cies (-sz)
1.
a. An inspired utterance of a prophet, viewed as a revelation of divine will.
b. A prediction of the future, made under divine inspiration.
c. Such an inspired message or prediction transmitted orally or in writing.
2. The vocation or condition of a prophet.
3. A prediction.
Heres the problem with the above statement. You have to be a PROPHET.
Now, Im not a prophet - I know this. At least right now. But its a thing that God gives you, you dont just ordain yourself a prophet.
What brings this about are the host of so called prophets who think they are figuring out the "End of Ages" or "End Times" as its more commonly known. They use these insanely complex matricies and graphs and spreadsheets to figure out - usually mathematically - all the apocalyptic events and dates of those and the end times.
Why? Im sure they try to act like they mean good but theres a hitch in this sort of prophecy. Mainly because its not prophecy to me. God clearly states that he "come like a thief in the night." as its written in I Thessalonians 5:4-10. So, if God makes it very clear that he will come like a thief in the night with the emphasis on no one knowing, then why would he turn around and give visions to people?
He wouldnt. The object is to not know the end of the age. You are to be prepared everyday. If we could predict it it would defeat the entire purpose of living each day like our last. It would defeat Gods purpose of getting us to love Him daily with the thought that it could be our last and we need to love others and spread His love with no reguards. With an end date in sight, you could screw off till just before the date then realign your life. How loving is that?
Heres the best one Ive seen to date.
http://savelivesinmay.com
Eric Julien states that he (among others) had a vision that in and around (though first stated as May 25th 2006) May 25th a part of a comet would strike the earth causing a 200m wave (600+ft for those who arent metriccally inclined) that will bury the Atlantic coasts.
Right.
Well, May 25th came and gone and he came around late last night to post and update stating that there is a 48 hour "allowance" of sorts for this event to happen. So, after Saturday passes and no comets hit are we going to see a 2 year allowance?
Honestly, get a life. Some of these false prophets and prophecies are just out of hand. Maybe if they spent a tenth of the time they spend in meditation trying to figure out the end time and break some code that doesnt exist they could do more to impact the world than they do with these stupid outlandish prophecies.
Its not a suprise. The Bible predicts these people. But its hilarious!!
Check out some of the crazy things on this site too:
Lots of predictions:
http://www.exodus2006.com/2006.htm
Check out these matricies:
http://www.exodus2006.com/fab/23may.htm
http://www.exodus2006.com/astcodes.htm
If that doesnt crack you up - wow. LOL. The sad part is they spend years of their lives doing this. Wasted. | | |
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