1 John 2:15, 16

[irishman]

"Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world."

How far do we take this verse? If we "love" to hunt or fish,do we love the world?

If we like motorcycles, and spend much time washing and worrying about them, do we love the world too much?

What about hobbies, do we seek the worlds amusements to amuse us? Is that loving the world too much?

Sports?

Is this the thinking of an extremist, or are we to be a bit liberal when applying it to our life?

The Bible does not clarify these things for us, but that is our call. We should consider these things before we indulge in them, and any others too!

Do we need vacations, or are we content with the love of Jesus, and the life He has given us?

What do YOU think?

[John81]

What is our priority? Does hunting or polishing our car dominate our thinking or does the Wod of God?

Do we put fishing or baseball games before church attendance?

Are we more excited about our hobby or our time along with the Lord?

Are we neglecting to give to the Lord through our church so we can put the money back for a vacation?

Anything we put before the Lord, including family (as Jesus said), is sin. Before determining whether some activity such as hunting, taking a vacation, going to a ballgame, engaging in a hobby, is "love of the world", we must determine whether we are placing priority on that activity above our priority to God. If we are, then we are in sin. If God is first in our lives and these other things don't hinder our walk with the Lord, then we are not in sin.

[JerryNumbers]

Marty, That's meddling, most church member never allows the pastor preach to meddle, they've got him muzzled, muzzled like an ox, trained, trained to not touch certain subjects, such as you touched, yes, you touched many forbidden subjects.

Vacations are for church member to vacation from church, preaching services, Bible study, support the missions Jesus gave His churches, form opening their Bible, from praying, from fellow shipping with fellow Christians. A fellow, family, must have this vacation from the things I have spoken of, they're very stressful & the person has to rest up from all of this, in the form of a vacation. And the only way to recover, rest up, is a vacation, unless of course they let Jesus give them rest, but its more fun to take that vacation. Plus, there's a big status in vacationing, especially to certain places, so that you can hang up the Christian coat, & enjoy the world & its offerings.


Mt 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Mt 11:29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

Of course not all Christians do this, yet, way to many of them do.

I think we could quickly find where a persons treasures be, just by looking though their check book. and we might be able to tell where they're storing all of their treasures as well.

Heb 4:13 Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.

Of course, God already knows those things, they can't keep it secret from Him.

Hey Marty, I suppose I did some meddling too.

[Invicta]

Then there is the olympics.

Thouroughly pagan from the start, yet supported and worshipped by many christians.

The flame is started from the sun (sun and fire worship) at Mt Olympus, by priestesses, taken to the acropolis where it lights a fire, then taken to the country hosting the games. This year, it lamded at Lands End, and a few days ago it was at John O'Groats, the length of Britain, in between it has been to Ireland and Wales and has been to the top of Snowden, the highest mountain in Wales. I hope it enjoyed the view. All along it has been worshipped and cheered by hundreds, thousands even, of cheering worshippers. It is referred to as "the sacred flame."

Why do christians support these pagan games?

In this area, there has been uproar, not at the paganity (is that a word?) but about the amount that some local councils are setting aside to cover the cost of hosting the flame, that will be in this area shortly. Faversham is spending more than £10,000 where the flame will spend only 10 minutes passing through. Maidstone, our county town is spending over £36,000 wher the flame will rest overnight.

[John81]

Then there is the olympics.

Thouroughly pagan from the start, yet supported and worshipped by many christians.

The flame is started from the sun (sun and fire worship) at Mt Olympus, by priestesses, taken to the acropolis where it lights a fire, then taken to the country hosting the games. This year, it lamded at Lands End, and a few days ago it was at John O'Groats, the length of Britain, in between it has been to Ireland and Wales and has been to the top of Snowden, the highest mountain in Wales. I hope it enjoyed the view. All along it has been worshipped and cheered by hundreds, thousands even, of cheering worshippers. It is referred to as "the sacred flame."

Why do christians support these pagan games?

In this area, there has been uproar, not at the paganity (is that a word?) but about the amount that some local councils are setting aside to cover the cost of hosting the flame, that will be in this area shortly. Faversham is spending more than £10,000 where the flame will spend only 10 minutes passing through. Maidstone, our county town is spending over £36,000 wher the flame will rest overnight.

These days, the olmypics are all about big money, especially for the host nation.

[Invicta]

These days, the olmypics are all about big money, especially for the host nation.

I believe that London thinks the olympic cost will outweigh the income. The security costs will be excessive.

[frontline_preacher]

Marty, That's meddling.....

Hey Marty, I suppose I did some meddling too.

Prov. 18:1-2 Through desire a man, having separated himself, seeketh and intermeddleth with all wisdom. A fool hath no delight in understanding, but that his heart may discover itself.

A book could be easly writen on this subject, but i believe the above scriptures cover it pretty well...

It is the image, spirit, wisdom and understanding, of the world that we must seperate from, tbat we may run that we may attain....

The differance is in the heart of the indevidual, is he carnally minded or spiritually minded...it is hard to find those that answer the call to be a soilder, and with singleness of heart strive for the objective, (exspeiclely in the laodician church age) most are like the church in wilderness they want to rasenallize things in " thier own under standing" and " compare them selfves among them selves" but every once in a wial you find a joshua or a caleb that have a differant spirit about them...

1 cor 9:24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.
Phi 3:14-15 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. 15Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.

--from my observations if a man has been under sound hard preaching for 3-5 years and has not fallen in love with the objective, he will not "understand" these things and his heart will decieve him into. Leaning on his own understanding... this is be cause he is carnally minded. / not spiritually minded " rom 8"

Phi 3: 16-21Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing. Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample.

-- paul is our exalmple, of how to be a living sacerfice ( be not conformed into the image of this world)

Phi 3: 18-21 (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.) For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.

Concerning the world and love of God... let us concider the next few verse
john 17 :14-21, psalm 22:31, john14:31, 2 cor 6:1
i will. Be preaching on this tomarrow night.. we are to stand aganst the world by the word of G od just like jesus did and paul is our example of how to be a living sacerfice...i som how just can not seea paul at the sports game, or watching a movie with the family, it seems like he was seperated from the world, and some wold call that extreme, but i would like to say

* Why shouldn' t we be a peculiar people, jesus was...


Arise and let us go hense

[singing] the world behind me the cross before me, the world behind me the cross before me, no turning back, no turning back...

Just a few thoughts from a man that chose to be spiritually minded

[John81]

I believe that London thinks the olympic cost will outweigh the income. The security costs will be excessive.

It could end up that way, but that's why cities around the world put so much time and money into wooing the olypics to their city.

If London were still British there wouldn't be such a need for excessive and costly security.

[JerryNumbers]

Yes, but do business, the ones that actually benefit from it, put up the money, or is it the citizens that puts the money up?

In this country its the citizens, its tax money, & its done for the benefit of the business.

Of course in some cases it make some jobs available. But I have never had nothing like that benefit me the least bit.

[Oldtimer]

Yes, but do business, the ones that actually benefit from it, put up the money, or is it the citizens that puts the money up?

In this country its the citizens, its tax money, & its done for the benefit of the business.

Of course in some cases it make some jobs available. But I have never had nothing like that benefit me the least bit.

Ouch, Jerry. You just hit a big sore spot!

Tax dollars being spent to benefit a select few, whether business or individuals. It seems, now-a-days, the spigot is wide open with tax dollars pouring out of every governmental level's coffers. Case in point.

Massive amounts of money are being spent in this region for walking trails connecting greenways. Pedestrian bridges are being built over major highways so a select few can walk or bike along these trails from point A to point B. If memory serves, it was recently announced that a major road will be facing construction headaches and frequent closing for the next 13 months or so to install such a bridge. At the time I heard that, wondered how many millions per hiker/biker are being spent on that bridge.

There's such a bridge over the route we use to visit family in another area. It's rare to see anyone on that bridge. The majority of the time it's empty when we pass underneath. Just as the walking path that partly connects two small towns in our area. That's an abandoned railroad spur that parrallels the highway connecting them. All of the county tax payers paid to pave that narrow ribbon that's almost always empty of foot/bike traffic.

While I'm on the subject, let's not forget traffic sound walls for select neighborhoods, beach erosion repair for businesses who depend on tourist dollars, road construction projects for "entertainment/sports" complexes, a huge outlay for a nature park along side a local river, and tax dollars going to individual business interests for town beautification. (Yes, I'm on a rant this morning!) Why should my tax dollars go to paint and add awnings to Acme Five and Dime? Why should my tax dollars go to tear up the sidewalk and plant a tree in front of Joe's Beerjoint?

Yes, these special interest projects generate jobs. Short term and gone when the project is completed. Plus, the tax dollars invested in these jobs could be spent on others that serve the public interest at large. School cafeteria personnel who will actually cook healthy foods instead of buying heat & eat chicken nuggets (subject of another rant, BTW). Or for badly needed repairs to the county courthouse. Or paving a dirt road that's become a haven for 4-wheelers who keep it unfit for auto travel.

To try to get back on topic, if I can, it drives me nuts, to see my unwilling but mandated dollars go to provide more of the worldly lure of people away from church and the worship of God. Attendance at church last Sunday was down considerably due to the start of the "summer season" around here. With the end of the traditional school year, several families were on "vacation" at the constantly maintained (with tax dollars) beaches along the Outter Banks of NC.

Do we need vacations, or are we content with the love of Jesus, and the life He has given us?

What do YOU think?

A few months ago, Wedesday morning/evening Bible study was cancelled and that time was devoted to preparation for upcoming church event. Choir practice was not cancelled. Heard an active deacon make this comment. "I thought they'd cancel choir practice, too, so I'd get a Wednesday vacation." My reaction to that comment is better left unsaid, especially when I'm in rant mode.

Thanks for listening. Edited June 17, 2012 by Oldtimer

[JerryNumbers]

Special interest, bottom feeders, abounds, every where. There plently of bottom feeders that will tax you to death in order to be able to do their special projects that's so important to them, probably money makers for them.

They decided our old hospital was not good enough, & while most towns our size have shut down their new hospitals, they built a brand new one. Bottom feeders can't get kick backs unless there's building projects, money being spent.

Not long back a company held tow cities hostage, they had an independent plant in both cities. They decided the bet was was to blackmail. So they told these two cities, we are going to shut down one of our plants, the city that will pay us the most money, we will move our operation to the plant in their city enlarging it. Texarkana, AR offered the biggest pile of blackmail money. Of course, all that money came from taxes.

Washington has many bottom feeders.

[irishman]

For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
1 John 2:17

All the world is humanistic, and if we love this world with its humanism, we align ourselves with them, "and the love of God is not in us"

This speaks of an every day commitment--a "full time Christian". Our "affections" will condemn us if we allow it.

If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. Col. 3:1,2

[heartstrings]

Mark 6:30 And the apostles gathered themselves together unto Jesus, and told him all things, both what they had done, and what they had taught.
³¹ And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat. ³² And they departed into a desert place by ship privately.

I don't care one thing about any kind of 'ball' or ball games and rarely ever fish. I guess the only steady 'recreational activity' I have is playing music, and I even get paid for that. But whenever and wherever I play, I'm playing God-honoring music and lyrics. Concerning vacations; we took one a few years back up in the mountains of east Tennessee. I had asked, on an internet forum, about places to pick and sing in the area we would be staying and someone brought up the name "Jimbo Whaley" . I thought little of it, thinking that in an area with many thousands of people, the chances of hooking up with "Jimbo Whaley" were nonexisitent, but we packed all of our instruments anyway. Bluegrassers just have to find somebody to pick with. Well. to make a long story short, I had asked our pastor if he knew of any churches we could attend in that area while on our vacation. He told us one he knew of and so we planned to attend it when Sunday came around. However ,we discovered Saturday that between Sevierville and Gatlinburg there was a HUGE car show going on which had traffic backed up for miles, and would still be going on Sunday. I told my Wife there was no way I was going to get trapped in it again but I had noticed a tiny little Independent Baptist church at the foot of the mountain where we were staying, and I wanted to try it.
So sunday morning we went,and, among other things, were surprised to see that the pastor preached in overalls. We also noticed one or two guys playing guitars so we came back that night and brought our gear too. They invited us to sing a couple of specials and after service, one man invited us to a birthday party they were having the next night. So Monday night we drove across the hills and hollers, found the driveway, crossed a creek, passed a corncrib with coontails hanging all over it and houndogs tied outside. Where the driveway ended, the man's house was perched on the side of a steep hill with cows grazing up the slopes. I knew we were in hillbilly country for sure. As we got into picking with these folks they treated us like family, fed us, and as we were playing and singing hymns and spiritual songs, I felt the sweet spirit of the Lord in that little house just as we had in their church, One quiet man, to my right, could make his banjo talk and the man over to my left, was an exceptional musician who, I discovered later, was quite famous in the area. Every time his little daughter came over to him, he would put his guitar down,pick her up. hug and kiss her and give her his undivided attention. When he left, he gave me one of his band's cd's with some of his original songs on it.....his name was Jimbo Whaley, and the young man who invited us, was his brother, Andrew.

I'll never forget that vacation as long as I live. Priorities is what it's all about and the church is NOT #1 on the priority list. God is. The the Wife is second, children third, family, then church. Part of loving and serving God is how you appreciate your loved ones. All through the year, we have to put up with this cold, unthankful, merciless world and work our hectic, stressful, and sometimes physically dangerous jobs. Stress is actually physically dangerous itself. It's a killer, my friends, and there needs to be time that we can come apart,,,,so that we don't come apart. Your wife should come before your church, and your kids too. They are your #1 ministry. You need to set aside time and place where you can spend quality time with them because those opportunities won't always be there. You can go to church every time the doors are open, and you should, but if you neglect your wife and kids, your churchgoing is all in vain, because all you have is dead religion. If someone faithfully goes to church sunday morning, night and wednesday night all through the year as we do, there is not one thing wrong with coming apart for a week, or two if you can afford it, to enjoy some quality time with the family God has so richly blessed you with. And if you can find a good church to visit while you're there. But Vacationing at a beach, by trhe way, is not conducive to that midset IMO.

[Oldtimer]

Heartstrings, thank you for sharing your vacation story. There's one important point that shines brightly in what you did and just said.

You went on a trip with your family and didn't leave the Lord at home to wait for your return to your usual "routine".

In and of itself there's nothing wrong with taking a break from work, school, and even housekeeping. Providing same doesn't put a person into debt to do so. Going on vacation is just a change in activities for a few days. IMHO, the problem arises when a family packs everything they need for the trip, except the Bible.

While on vacation it's easy to find a prayer closet, if we look for one. If we care to do so, time can be set aside for daily devotions and study of His word. Worship of the Lord isn't confined to the physical structure down the road a piece from our house. People choose to travel with God or leave Him behind along side the Bible left wherever it's kept at home. Sadly many professing Christians choose to do the latter, it seems.

Sadly, too, I'm speaking from experience. Looking back, we used to be avid campers. Gear stayed packed for spur of the moment weekend trips and planned vacation weeks. Today, I have deep regrets about the lost opportunities to serve and worship the Lord. We didn't go to the campground chapels on Sunday morning. Nor visit local churches before making the drive back home. If there's any such thing as an ideal time for devotions, it's while watching sunrise over God's creation. And, pausing to thank Him for the view from a mountain top or watching the sunset over the sea. Lost opportunities.

Today, I'm thankful and blessed that our Lord called us back into His fellowship. So, I also know from experience we can choose to take God with us when we go on vacation or leave Him behind. That's why your story is so special to me. It's rare to hear one, like yours, when so many others tell what they did on "vacation".

Thank you for sharing.

[JerryNumbers]

Feels like a vacation every time I attend church services, Jesus has a great way of lifting the burdens off the shoulder, & it works better than a two week vacation. away from home friends, family, & church. Yet, maybe it does not work so well for others.