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jeremyhulsey Member

Joined: 2003/4/18 Posts: 777
| Re: | | This topic is reminding me of two differing questions: "How close to the world can I get and still be a Christian?" as opposed to, "How close can I get to Jesus and still be on the Earth?"
Wich group do you fall into?
In Christ, Jeremy Hulsey _________________ Jeremy Hulsey
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2003/9/23 4:01 | Profile |
lwpray Member

Joined: 2003/6/22 Posts: 3318 Sweden
| Re: | | Certainly one of the most pregnant and provoking questions that need to find a strictly personalized answer. This is what maturity, renewal and revival is all about. Lars
_________________ Lars Widerberg
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2003/9/23 4:23 | Profile |
sermonindex Moderator

Joined: 2002/12/11 Posts: 39795 Canada
Online! | Re: | | Quote:
"How close to the world can I get and still be a Christian?" as opposed to, "How close can I get to Jesus and still be on the Earth?"
Amen brother! When we start to get so close to the sweet communion of Jesus Christ all earthly things will grow dim. _________________ SI Moderator - Greg Gordon
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2003/9/24 18:07 | Profile |
aphill777 Member

Joined: 2003/6/11 Posts: 24 Wisconsin
| Re: | | Certainly God included the ability to fantasize into our creation. The problem however is that if you have fantasy without morality, you throw off any restraint that would keep this gift from becoming distorted by sin.
If you look at early Disney movies in the end the evil person always was destroyed. Now the line between the good guy and the bad is blurred and at times we feel compassionate for the evil character. And this without any blemish on our own character.
On the other hand when you look at Tokien's "Lord of the Rings" you see an example of the idea of ultimate evil confronted by that which is good. In the end of course, evil is defeated and that without remedy. Few of a right mind would find any attraction to the evil characters. No one questions Tolkien's Christian background is reflected in his writing.
Finally, if we live our life without the restraints of morality (that is to say right and wrong) where do you ever decide that some things must be taboo. And if never taboo are we not become a world of iniquity. Who could quench such a fire!
Tony Phillips
_________________ Tony Phillips
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2003/10/15 0:28 | Profile |
Chosen7Stone Member

Joined: 2003/7/21 Posts: 268 FL, USA
| Re: | | Very very good point, Tony. Tolkien didn't come to mind at first, but I definitely agree with you. _________________ Mary M.
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2003/10/15 1:26 | Profile |
Philip Member

Joined: 2003/10/23 Posts: 26 Kansas, USA
| Re: | | How does this apply?
Quote:
"He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad." Matthew 12 :30
Leonard Ravenhill said that to be the Bride of Christ we must be divorced from the world. Things have one of two fathers. If God is not the father of the fantasy that we are looking at, then the father must be the devil.
Quote:
"He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap." Ecc 11:4
This text discusses laziness and futility of thought.
Quote:
Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you: they make you vain: they speak a vision of their own heart, [and] not out of the mouth of the LORD. They say still unto them that despise me, The LORD hath said, Ye shall have peace; and they say unto every one that walketh after the imagination of his own heart, No evil shall come upon you. Jer 23:16-17
I would say we need to be very careful with our imaginations. The occultic references in fanatasies such as the Lord of the Rings definitly point out there origins. We also need to ask ourselves why do we want the fantasy over the Word of God? Fantasy appeals to the flesh, not to the spirit. We can have the world as long as we dress it up in Christian clothes. Be cautious and beware that no man decieves you... ponder the scripture from Jeremiah 23. Read the whole chapter.
Seeking truth,
Philip
Mal 3:16 |
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2003/11/6 17:18 | Profile |
todd Member

Joined: 2003/5/12 Posts: 573 California
| Re: | | Quote: "Things have one of two fathers."
Do you think this applies to all things? Who is the "father" of the computer you are using? Who is the father of books? Who is the father of guitars? THe internet?
How about painting?
It is my understanding that these things, like the broad category of fantasy, are morally neutral. Categorically, they don't have God or the devil as thier father. And they are manipulated for both good and evil.
This just made me wonder. Who would you say is the "father" of the cross? How about parables (which was explained as a type of fantasy or use of the imagination earlier)? |
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2003/11/6 19:36 | Profile |
philologos Member

Joined: 2003/7/18 Posts: 6566 Reading, UK
| Re: Follow the Lamb: Horiatius Bonar | | If any would to read more of H Bonar's Follow the Lamb click here. If you would like a pdf version with table of contents drop me an email I will send you one. _________________ Ron Bailey
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2003/11/7 4:50 | Profile |
philologos Member

Joined: 2003/7/18 Posts: 6566 Reading, UK
| Re: Imaginations resting in God | | There is an interesting verse in Isaiah 26, which is much loved by Christians.
Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind (03336) is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. {perfect
: Heb. peace, peace} {mind: or, thought, or, imagination} KJV
This word 'mind' (03336) is usually translated 'imagination' in the KJV. Young's Literal renders it : "An imagination supported Thou fortifiest peacepeace! For in Thee it is confident. Youngs"
If you look up Strongs Word 03336 you will find it used 9 times. There are some powerful Bible statements on this topic e.g.
Genesis 6:5 And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination (03336) of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. continually. This is imagination gone wrong.
1 Chronicles 29:18 O LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, our fathers, keep this for ever in the imagination (03336) of the thoughts of the heart of thy people, and prepare their heart unto thee: This is a prayer for imagination to be kept true.
Isaiah 29:16 Surely your turning of things upside down shall be esteemed as the potters clay: for shall the work say of him that made it, He made me not? or shall the thing framed (03336) say of him that framed it, He had no understanding? This is God's imagination at work.
This last reference says that God 'imagined' us. As part of our 'likeness to God' we have a God-given imagination. In this case the English word can give us some clues; the root of imagination is image. Without God's imagination there would have been no creation; with human imagination there would be no creativity.
As with all the best gifts, imagination can become powerfully corrupted, but the cure for abuse is not non-use but right-use. _________________ Ron Bailey
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2003/11/7 5:14 | Profile |
crsschk Member

Joined: 2003/6/11 Posts: 9192 Santa Clara, CA
| Re: | | Quote:
There is an interesting verse in Isaiah 26, which is much loved by Christians.
It's my background wallpaper!
Thanks for the study as well as the link, great stuff! Also inadvertently you were used of the Lord ([url=https://www.sermonindex.net/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=626&forum=36#3565]Ebenezer[/url]) to cause me to go mining into 1 Samuel, the types and shadows, parallels....!
Much thanks for being amongst us and for all your contributions. Mike _________________ Mike Balog
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2003/11/7 11:32 | Profile |