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Seth Doty

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  1. Thanks
    Seth Doty got a reaction from HappyChristian in Musical Associations and CCM Adaptation   
    Well some of us will certainly criticize it from time to time anyway. Why? because we feel strongly that it is important and not in Gods will. I grew up in a IFB church that used music a lot like what is used at Lancaster, no doubt many people here would know of the pastor as he has something of a "name". I left that church even though it had it's good points because I had a strong conviction that the church was wrong on two main issues, one being music, and the other being a large number of lies coming from the pulpit disguised as illustrations. I have no intention of being accepting of such things. Now is mild CCM music the single biggest fish in the pond? No. Are there people that love the Lord that take a unwise and unsafe position on music? Yes. Am I going to totally cut such people off? No. Am I going to keep such individuals, churches, and colleges at arms length metaphorically speaking? Yes.
  2. Thanks
    Seth Doty got a reaction from DennisD in Musical Associations and CCM Adaptation   
    Well some of us will certainly criticize it from time to time anyway. Why? because we feel strongly that it is important and not in Gods will. I grew up in a IFB church that used music a lot like what is used at Lancaster, no doubt many people here would know of the pastor as he has something of a "name". I left that church even though it had it's good points because I had a strong conviction that the church was wrong on two main issues, one being music, and the other being a large number of lies coming from the pulpit disguised as illustrations. I have no intention of being accepting of such things. Now is mild CCM music the single biggest fish in the pond? No. Are there people that love the Lord that take a unwise and unsafe position on music? Yes. Am I going to totally cut such people off? No. Am I going to keep such individuals, churches, and colleges at arms length metaphorically speaking? Yes.
  3. Thanks
    Seth Doty got a reaction from Revelation3:20 in Musical Associations and CCM Adaptation   
    Well some of us will certainly criticize it from time to time anyway. Why? because we feel strongly that it is important and not in Gods will. I grew up in a IFB church that used music a lot like what is used at Lancaster, no doubt many people here would know of the pastor as he has something of a "name". I left that church even though it had it's good points because I had a strong conviction that the church was wrong on two main issues, one being music, and the other being a large number of lies coming from the pulpit disguised as illustrations. I have no intention of being accepting of such things. Now is mild CCM music the single biggest fish in the pond? No. Are there people that love the Lord that take a unwise and unsafe position on music? Yes. Am I going to totally cut such people off? No. Am I going to keep such individuals, churches, and colleges at arms length metaphorically speaking? Yes.
  4. Thanks
    Seth Doty got a reaction from Annie in Musical Associations and CCM Adaptation   
    Well some of us will certainly criticize it from time to time anyway. Why? because we feel strongly that it is important and not in Gods will. I grew up in a IFB church that used music a lot like what is used at Lancaster, no doubt many people here would know of the pastor as he has something of a "name". I left that church even though it had it's good points because I had a strong conviction that the church was wrong on two main issues, one being music, and the other being a large number of lies coming from the pulpit disguised as illustrations. I have no intention of being accepting of such things. Now is mild CCM music the single biggest fish in the pond? No. Are there people that love the Lord that take a unwise and unsafe position on music? Yes. Am I going to totally cut such people off? No. Am I going to keep such individuals, churches, and colleges at arms length metaphorically speaking? Yes.
  5. Thanks
    Seth Doty got a reaction from HappyChristian in Marriage Supper of the Lamb   
    I would tend toward both. I am pretty sure there is literal food in heaven. After all what was manna but the bread of heaven? Also what did Christ say at the end of the last supper?

    "Mark 14:25 Verily I say unto you, I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine, until that day that I drink it new in the kingdom of God." That is most likely speaking of the marriage supper of the lamb.
  6. Thanks
    Seth Doty reacted to RSS Robot in Analyzing "Adapted" CCM Songs   
    Because today's article is multimedia, it is not available on the blog but only at the link below. In today’s report we analyze three examples of CCM music adapted by Lancaster Baptist Church and compare it to the original as performed by the original CCM groups. To read the article and see these video clips, click the link below.

    Click this link to be taken directly to the article.

    http://www.wayoflife.org/adaptingCCM/index.html
    Thanks


    View the full article
  7. Thanks
    Seth Doty got a reaction from Revelation3:20 in Recommending West Coast?   
    Proof? I haven't seen anything that would lead me to think that is an accurate portrayal. On top of that concerning this particular issue I haven't seen a single thing where he has said anything like "IFB's should separate from West Coast". All I have seen is that he criticized West Coasts musical direction/musical leadership and said it concerned him as he thought it is and has been heading in the wrong direction. The mere fact that he "had the nerve" to criticize a "good" school about anything got a surprising number of people up in arms. To me such criticism is hardly the end of the world and people can agree with it or ignore it as they choose, it is just out there as a caution and consideration. There is a sentiment held by some that I totally disagree with, it essentially amounts to if you think someone or some group out there is "generally" one of the "good guys" you should never criticize them about anything. That sentiment is contrary to this scripture: "Proverbs 27:6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.". Instead it basically comes from a point of view that says if your truly a friend you never criticize or "wound" at all unless things have gotten so bad you must now become enemies. There is a well established biblical precedent of criticizing and standing against even those who are generally the "good guys" when they sin or show poor judgement.

    Just one quick example of many:

    "2 Chronicles 20:37 Then Eliezer the son of Dodavah of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, Because thou hast joined thyself with Ahaziah, the LORD hath broken thy works. And the ships were broken, that they were not able to go to Tarshish."

    Jehoshaphat was a pretty good king for the most part, and I suppose some IFB's would be upset if this situation occurred today because "everybody" would know that he was a good king with a good heart that the prophet should support instead of criticize. He just had the "minor" problem that he was always forming associations with people and kingdoms he shouldn't have. Take this example, there was nothing wrong with building ships to go to Tarshish, but he had no business forming a partnership with the wicked king Ahaziah. None of these associations seriously hurt Jehoshaphat himself, he just had minor difficulties and punishments like this one come out of it and remained a generally good king till he died. However his son and heir Jehoram grew up around this compromise and took things even further than he did. His son married into the wicked line of Ahab, and murdered all of Jehoshaphat's other sons destroying any potential "good fruit". That was the harvest from the seeds of some of the "minor" compromises Jehoshaphat did. The same thing happens in churches and schools. Questionable things are brought in or done, some call them "minor" things because they don't necessarily destroy everything good right away, but slowly and surely the seeds start coming up and in the passage of time you end up closer and closer to a kingdom of Jehoram and farther and farther from the kingdom of Jehoshaphat you once had.


    It also seems a little ironic that you criticize cloud(which is fine if you disagree) for "separating" over what you consider to be minor issues and then say things like this: "he has become an extremist that I for one will not read, though I probably agree with him far more than I would disagree." In short it seems you yourself are criticizing and "separating" from him because you think he criticizes and "separates" from others over "minor" issues to often. I find that a little bit humorous. :biggrin:
  8. Thanks
    Seth Doty got a reaction from HappyChristian in Will God & the Saints have pleasure from lost souls suffering in the lake of fire forever?   
    It will be recognized as just and right, but your right "pleasure" is the wrong word to use. Sort of like when a murder gets the lethal injection for his murder. Is that exactly a jump for joy time? No, it is the just punishment for the crime, it is what should be done given the situation, but it isn't or shouldn't be "pleasurable" to see the justice administered. It might teach a lesson, but certainly not a pleasant one.
  9. Thanks
    Seth Doty reacted to Pastorj in Gotta love these "Hints" for a pastor   
    Thank him for the book, read it and if you can learn something, apply it. Don't think the worst of people, even if it is probably true.
  10. Thanks
    Seth Doty got a reaction from JerryNumbers in Recommending West Coast?   
    That is the sticking point isn't it. What I may think is "clear" you may not and visa versa. Matter of fact, from years past, I know that is the case between me and you even though there are many areas we do agree. There are also various degrees of separation, for example I know I wouldn't be comfortable being a member at a church where the pastor held positions like some of yours, but online such disagreements are not quite as big a problem because influence and interaction is not as great. I am probably an "extremist" too though since essentially what your labeling "extremism" is standards that you don't personally share. :icon_mrgreen:
  11. Thanks
    Seth Doty reacted to Salyan in Recommending West Coast?   
    I don't think he is an extremist. Sometimes I think he could 'let go' of something sooner too, but I've yet to find something I actually disagree with him in. I suppose, too, that I would probably be guilty of not letting stuff go either if I was on the receiving end of as much flack as he gets for what are wise warnings.

    :hide:
  12. Thanks
    Seth Doty got a reaction from DennisD in Reply to a Pastor About My Warning of Lancaster's Music   
    Christianity always has been "divisive" and there has always been disagreements and problems. Even within the lifetime of the apostles there were many criticizing them. Paul at least didn't have very many people he could trust either near the end of his ministry so no doubt that mistrust was mutual. I don't see the modern times as being more divisive than is normal.



    If you think you have, feel free.



    Unless I am mistaken you have to sign up to get his letters, and in that case I fail to see much difference between that and putting something on his website. I guess I do not see the benefit of "shutting up" for the sake of "getting along" until things get "really bad". I still think the earlier you address a problem the better the chances of fixing it. If you let things slide and let things slide for the sake of peace and unity pretty soon it ends up a mess and you never really get unity anyway. You see the results of letting to many things slide everywhere from churches to baptist internet forums and it almost never works out well. I fail to see what sort of real problem a letter expressing disapproval of their music causes. If you don't consider the type of music they are using to be an issue then you have no problem, you simply ignore it, but if you don't like it then you at least know what they are using. The only possible issues I can see is a college possibly loosing "recruits" that don't care for the music they are using and the potential for a few slightly bruised feelings. After all it isn't exactly as if he called for baptists to sever all ties with them, called them heretics, children of the devil, or what not. It merely seems as if he was expressing his opinion that their music was not as good as it could be and that it was heading in the wrong direction currently.
  13. Thanks
    Seth Doty got a reaction from DennisD in Discussion Topic - Is Dancing Always Wrong?   
    Well, ultimately that is your choice, but whether it has really helped you spiritually or not could be a matter of some dispute. As I recall, and forgive me if my memory is a bit fuzzy, but since you joined the board several years ago I seem to recall you have drifted into some degree of Calvinism, assumed a post-trib view you did not previously hold, as well as having a few other doctrinal shifts here and there that I seem to vaguely recall and felt were for the worse but forget exactly what they were. To me it seems like you have shown a increasing degree of confusion and a tendency to drift in the wrong directions, how much that is related to music I can't say one way or another, but a shift on your part , in my perception for the worse, is something I have noticed over the last several years and it is something I have prayed for you about in the past. You can consider that possibility or ignore it but that has been my perception over time.
  14. Thanks
    Seth Doty got a reaction from rancher824 in Question...what happened to Adam's sin?   
    One point for you to consider is what Christ said to Nicodemus when he was describing the new birth. Christ said this: "Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?". The obvious implication being that as a "master of Israel" he should have already a decent understanding of what Christ was telling him and it was to his shame that he didn't. Another thing to consider was what Samuel said to Saul: "Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams."

    Then there are these passages in paslms, the first is prophetic but it would still be understood in the OT, while the second is not prophetic and reflects Davids understanding of the purpose of sacrifice:

    "Psalm 40:6 Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required."

    "Psalm 51:16 For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering."

    In the OT the sacrifices in the law that were done in faith were accepted by God, breaking certain portions of the law in faith or not offering sacrifices because of an understanding of the meaning of the symbolism was accepted by God, and sacrifices done without faith and merely as ritual were not accepted by God. If you want all of that can be backed up with scriptural examples.
  15. Thanks
    Seth Doty reacted to Invicta in Discernment   
    Yes, and men.

    If not was it wrong for the man I saw in London with pierced ears with cigar stubs for earings and pierced nose with matchsticks?
  16. Thanks
    Seth Doty reacted to Brother Rick in Revelation   
    Israel is not extinct, and God always keeps His promises.

    Brother Nathaniel, please understand that Covenanter is a Preterist. Meaning he believe that there is no such thing as a Great Tribulation as described by Jesus and spoken of in great detail in fifteen chapters of Revelation. He assigns all this to Jerusalem being destroyed in 70 A.D. Though I have no idea what he does when it talks about 1/3 of the Earth's population being killed, 1/3 of life in the sea being killed, and 1/3 of everything green being burnt up. That never happened in 70 A.D.

    There are so many prophesies that haven't been fufilled yet: When was the Gospel preached to all the nations? When was the Mark of the Beast implemented? What about the 200-million-man army? When did 100-pound hailstones fall from the sky? And what date was it when the Euphrates River dried up?

    He doesn't believe in a Millennium either, though I do give him credit for believing in the future New Heavens and New Earth. If one does believe like Ian, at least he does have hope in that. He relegates all the wonderful prophesies of the Millennium to the NH & NE, ignoring the prophesies that are wonderful indeed, but clearly not of the NH & NE, such as people living to very old ages but still dying (no death in NH & NE) and Millennial prophesies of the sea being filled with the knowledge of the Lord (no sea in the NH & NE).

    He would have you to combine the Judgment Seat of Christ (I Cor. 3), the Judgment of the Nations (Matt. 25), and the Great White Throne Judgment altogether in one general judgment. I'm not sure how he handles the Battle of Armageddon and the Battle of Gog and Magog and the thousand years in between. I do know that he thinks the thousand years in Revelation 20 started in 70 A.D., and is still going on. This, of course, would mean that Satan was bound, right now, in the bottomless pit. As in bound during the Dark Ages as well, when Satan ruled the world through the Roman Catholic Church. Maybe he got out for awhile or has a really long chain. In spite of all the war, suffering, and problems since Jesus left this Earth, Covenanter would have you to believe that Jesus is ruling the world right now and that we are in the Millennium. This ignores the fact that Paul calls Satan the god of this world.

    Basically, in the end, Jesus said the events in Revelation were going to happen soon. This is what Covenanter bases everything on to backdate Revelation before 70 A.D. and squeeze all of the catastrophic events in Revelation to 70 A.D. Yes, Jesus said that, but He also said that things that happened in the Great Tribulation were so extreme that we've never seen them before and they'd never happen again. To assign that to Jerusalem getting sacked in 70 A.D. is to ignore Nebuchadnezzar's attack in 606 B.C. and Hitler's holocaust.

    Another favorite attack is bringing up history and, most recently, claiming that Jesuits invented the idea of pre-Millennialism. I have no idea how pre-Millennialism would help the RCC, because the greatest soul winners over the last two hundred years have all been pre-Millennial and much of the time led people out of the Roman Catholic Church. The history argument against pre-Millennialism and Dispensations is an argument that is to try and get you out of your Bible. Historically, many theologians have been dead wrong, so why should we care? I care what the Bible says.

    I have no idea what he thinks about the rapture. Maybe he thinks it happened in 70 A.D. as well, I'd like to know. In the Olivet Prophesy, Jesus talks about how when all these things happen, to look up for your redemption draweth nigh. If the Olivet was limited to only the destruction of Jerusalem, then those looking up saw nothing and were not delivered, and there was no redemption drawing nigh. If you believe Revelation 19 and several Old Testament passages you see Israel being surrounded by her enemies and Jesus Christ returning to Earth bodily and destroying those armies. THAT is redemption drawing nigh.

    I'm not trying to smear Ian, and he's more than welcome to correct me if I've said he believes something here that he doesn't. I say all this because I feel it's only fair for you to know what you're getting into when you listen to him and I'd have no problem with someone exposing what I believe. I like Ian, and I know he loves the Lord and has a heart for helping people and spreading the Gospel, but he’s really off on his end times stuff.
  17. Thanks
    Seth Doty got a reaction from JerryNumbers in Responses to My Warning About West Coast Baptist's Music - Part 3   
    Well I grew up in a church that used a lot of "mild" CCM including that one though the name I knew it by then was "thank you oh my father". The words are certainly fine, and the music of that one wasn't bad either. But, and this is an important but, I would not recommend it due to the other music he produced. From what I know of keith Green I do think he loved the Lord and I fully expect him to be in heaven, however, he came out of the drug, rock and hippie culture and it showed strongly in most of his music. The words are often quite good, but he showed poor discernment in that the music itself and his singing style was straight from the world. In a lot of ways it reminds me of what the Lord would say about certain kings in the OT, he would say that they did right in the sight of the Lord, but then he would promptly add something along the general lines of this: "nevertheless the high places were not taken away and the people still sacrificed and burnt incense to the Lord(or other gods) in the high places." That is how I feel about CCM "artists" that seem to love the Lord and CCM that has good words, bad music, and is sung in a worldly manner. All the good kings of Judah after David unto Hezekiah did not destroy the groves or the high places, spiritual strongholds where sometimes false gods were worshiped or where the true God was worshiped in the wrong way, even though they did love the Lord. When Hezekiah came though he was the first "good" king since David that wholly followed the Lord and the scriptures honor him for it.

    "2 Kings 18:1-6 Now it came to pass in the third year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, that Hezekiah the son of Ahaz king of Judah began to reign. Twenty and five years old was he when he began to reign; and he reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem. His mother's name also was Abi, the daughter of Zachariah. And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that David his father did. He removed the high places, and brake the images, and cut down the groves, and brake in pieces the brazen serpent that Moses had made: for unto those days the children of Israel did burn incense to it: and he called it Nehushtan. He trusted in the LORD God of Israel; so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor any that were before him. For he clave to the LORD, and departed not from following him, but kept his commandments, which the LORD commanded Moses."

    We need to not just "generally" do right and follow the Lord, we also need to destroy the groves and high places, and that includes avoiding songs and songwriters that mix Gods truth with unholy music and worldly methods. If you don't already have spiritual groves and high places in your life don't set any up, and if you do ask the Lord for the courage to cut them down.
  18. Thanks
    Seth Doty reacted to Nathaniel in Discussion Topic - Is Dancing Always Wrong?   
    I wouldn't say dancing is wrong in all situations because;
    Ec 3:1 ¶ To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
    Ecclesiastes 3:4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
    It is hard for me to discern on this matter though. Certainly i would not approve of non-married couples dancing "together" But in the same room modestly; I don't see a problem as long as it isn't worldly and anything that could cause lust.


    In regards to CCM, I would not listen to it today. Though it did help me as i made the transition to conservative music (Which the Lord has helped me to enjoy. I was really picky when it came to music. It had to be almost musically flawless). I wouldn't recommend it though. It would most likely have been better to abstain though I didn't know it at the time. I thought music was music.

    I haven't find specific yes or no to certain instruments but, so i can see CrushMaster's point; but, I believe there are principles which we can apply which would lead us away from CCM.


    Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
    CCM is conformed to this world, "pop" and "contemporary music" (normally main elements in CCM) which as I understand was the spawn of "Rock" (I don't like to bring the term up after i learned what it was named for..) with a deceiving appearance. It also often waters down the truth (if there is any to be found in the lyrics.) It is certainly the Worldly' Music most if not all of the time.


    Ro 14:13 Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother's way.
    Ro 14:14 I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean.
    Ro 14:15 But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died.
    Ro 14:16 Let not then your good be evil spoken of:
    Ro 14:17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.

    Many, I'm sure could not like the type of music. They have knowledge of its counterpart and were heavily in it and perhaps some of the darker side which can accompany it. It could cause lust after old things and cause a stumbling block. Which is another principle against CCM.


    I think we can also use these scriptures for principle.
    De 12:29 When the LORD thy God shall cut off the nations from before thee, whither thou goest to possess them, and thou succeedest them, and dwellest in their land;
    De 12:30 Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following them, after that they be destroyed from before thee; and that thou inquire not after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods? even so will I do likewise.
    De 12:31 Thou shalt not do so unto the LORD thy God: for every abomination to the LORD, which he hateth, have they done unto their gods; for even their sons and their daughters they have burnt in the fire to their gods.
    De 12:32 What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it.

    I think I'll leave this topic for now with these verses. but, even if it is good. Which I can't see at this point.

    Ro 14:16 Let not then your good be evil spoken of:
    1Th 5:22 Abstain from all appearance of evil.


    (another edit: I also noticed most if not all the previous verses can be also applied to dancing; 1Th 5:21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.)
  19. Thanks
    Seth Doty got a reaction from HappyChristian in Discussion Topic - Is Dancing Always Wrong?   
    Well, ultimately that is your choice, but whether it has really helped you spiritually or not could be a matter of some dispute. As I recall, and forgive me if my memory is a bit fuzzy, but since you joined the board several years ago I seem to recall you have drifted into some degree of Calvinism, assumed a post-trib view you did not previously hold, as well as having a few other doctrinal shifts here and there that I seem to vaguely recall and felt were for the worse but forget exactly what they were. To me it seems like you have shown a increasing degree of confusion and a tendency to drift in the wrong directions, how much that is related to music I can't say one way or another, but a shift on your part , in my perception for the worse, is something I have noticed over the last several years and it is something I have prayed for you about in the past. You can consider that possibility or ignore it but that has been my perception over time.
  20. Thanks
    Seth Doty got a reaction from HappyChristian in Great IFB Men   
    True enough, but I would say it is better to err on the side of caution. One thing to consider is that even if someone is doing right, God is using them, and you and others appreciate it it is easy to accidentally give them a swollen head of pride with profuse complements even if that wasn't your intention and they didn't want to go there either. For me personally, I prefer to give and receive complements and encouragements that are are either very mild or very general. Blow by blow examples of how God used what someone else did, wrote, or said in your life are better without specific names attached most of the time unless there is a particularly good reason for doing so. Pastors in particular seem to have problems with this, on the one hand they get nasty letters or criticisms that are depressing, and on the other hand they get gushing letters about how God used them and profuse praise. The natural "defense" mechanism is to try to ignore the criticism and accept the complements which easily leads to a head swollen with pride; sometimes without the person even realizing it. Most people can get hit with pride pretty easily when complemented, but pastors hear things that can push them that way more often than most. Occupational hazard I suppose.
  21. Thanks
    Seth Doty reacted to Guest in Great IFB Men   
    I hear the names of John Rice, Bob Jones, James Crumpton, Lee Roberson, Jack Hyles, et. al. held in great esteem and even near reverence.
    They were all used of God and that is true.

    A recent thread seems to point out something I believe to be another truth. Don't exhalt any created man. The best honor you might give these men,
    if you need to, is to tell how God used them for His glory and not hold up their personal lives. Stop putting IFBers and IFB up on a pedestal...
    we are just men and we fail. If you look into any personal life you will find chinks in the armor.

    Admire the spiritual strengths exhibited in their ministry but, don't admire the man. It's not the man that does anything but rather the Spirit of
    God working through him. Marvel at the wonders of the Spirit working through these men but, not the man. At some point these men surrendered
    to God and God took His humbled spirit for God's glory not the glory of the man.

    So, all of the "oh no I never" "wow I would never have thought" "I can't believe or can hardly believe" stem from misplaced honor resulting in
    disappointment.
  22. Thanks
    Seth Doty got a reaction from Revelation3:20 in Put on the whole armour of God   
    Same way anyone can, by reading it, memorization, hearing it preached, and spending quite a bit of time thinking about it.




    The armour of God is put on by actions for the most part not so much by "meditating" on putting on the armour of God. Further, while every Christian is bound to have a little of the armour of God whether they are fully equipped or not and what sort of quality that equipment is has a lot to do with how much effort was put into it. I dare say every Christian possesses at least a little faith but the shield of some Christians is the metaphoric equivalent to a metal trash can lid that isn't going to stop much of anything while others might have the metaphoric equivalent of a riot shield that can stop bullets. Same applies to every other aspect of the armour of God. Some have kevlar helmets, others might have a bicycle helmet. Some might have top of the line body armour with bullet proof ceramic plate inserts and others might have breastplates about as useful as the little plastic toy breastplates you see little kids playing with sometimes. Some might have a sword that the Spirit can use almost like the legendary excalibur, others might have a sword like a cheap pakistani blade that sticks in the sheath and is made of a poor steel with a poor temper. Not that good spiritual armour isn't available to everyone, but it isn't something you get just by wanting it and without any effort on your part, nor is it something you usually get right away. It isn't so much that most of us don't know how to put on the armour of God, it is more that we sometimes just don't put the maximum effort into getting it until we are already in the middle of a major battle and are realizing we are missing part of the armour of God or wishing that what do have was of better quality. Of course when your actually in the middle of a major battle it is a little hard to upgrade your armour, so if it isn't up to par beforehand you tend to get flattened and the Lord has to pull you up out of the mud and give the devil a few wacks so you don't get killed in your cheapo armour.

    Psalm 37:23-24 The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand.

    Proverbs 24:16 For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.






    I don't know, I have not particularly noticed that occurring.
  23. Thanks
    Seth Doty reacted to Lareliw in Jean skirts   
    I do not think that is necessarily true. We have a large Mennonite and Amish population around where I live, and I have heard many many people say that seeing a woman dressed modestly (such as the cape dresses) is a breath of fresh air to them. They are automatically recognized as Christian and I think they provide a valuable witness even if they say nothing. I am a skirts/dresses only person myself, and I am strongly drawn to the Mennonites and Anabaptists in general for their position on modest attire.


  24. Thanks
    Seth Doty reacted to MatthewDiscipleOfGod in Jean skirts   
    I always appreciate it when the women around me dress modest. It's frustrating when women, especially in a church, are showing to much below the neck, above the knee or have clothes so tight they might well be wearing nothing at all. Having people approach you about dressing modest can be a great way to share the gospel. No one is going to be turned off from the gospel because you wear a dress. There are bigger problems in play instead.
  25. Thanks
    Seth Doty got a reaction from John81 in Pastor Says Demons Inspired My Warnings Against West Coast   
    Can you honestly say you have no sins of any type that you frequently fall into in spite of not really wanting to? It may not be something like smoking, cussing, or drinking but it could easily be something like bitterness, unkindness, pride, gluttony, unthankfulness or any one of a dozens of sins that are quite easy to fall into. I think it is pretty safe to say that pretty much everyone has some sin or sins that they easily lapse into though they are not the same things for everyone and ones that are a particularly bad public testimony may prevent a person from holding a position of leadership in the church. I can't say I see anything wrong with how this situation sounds like it was handled with the information that has been presented. The only way I would see a problem with it is if the woman in question was quite content with the various failings mentioned and didn't really consider them a problem or have any interest in trying to deal with them. If that were the case then should the person express a desire to do something for God 1 Samuel 15:22 would be a good place to start. Otherwise that very verse you quote is a good thing to consider. In a "great house" not everyone is in a place where they are the golden vessel that God can use as a great showpiece of his perfect will. Not everyone is as honorable in Gods sight as Job was who the Lord himself could really brag on and say that he was "perfect, and upright" and that there was "none like him in all the earth". The golden vessel is obviously the best case scenario but the Lords house is indeed a great house and the Lord uses vessels of wood and vessels of clay for many things too though he might not honor them as much as a "gold" or "silver" vessel that better reflect his perfect will.
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