This message scares me??
 

I heard a message from a UPC church yesterday, that was emphasizing to put Jesus first. I understand that but he seemed like to the state of, instead of watching TV you should be reading your bible. Instead of doin any type of pleaseure, we should put God First. Instead of reading the paper or reading a magazine, you need to be reading the bible or your affections are not right.

I mean where is the line? How much should we be reading and praying 24 hrs a day?. Am I wrong, if so correct me please cause I do want to be right with God and know I have a lot of things to work on. Does anyone know what I am talking about. Has anyone heard of a message like this before? When I heard this message I was very stressed.

If this is true then who is really saved???

Re: This message scares me??
 

A very common message (unfortunately) with lazy logic.

Usually this is employed when they want to rail on something they don't approve, unfortunately, the logic isn't exclusive to just what they don't approve, but all things less important than Jesus. It's a false argument and situation. Jesus comes first, he is our object of worship, no one and nothing else. That doesn't mean we aren't enjoying the life he's given us -- we are cautioned to not make those an end in themselves.

Re: This message scares me??
 

Oh yeah, Im sure he meant you should read and pray 24 hours a day. At some point this anti-UPC stuff just get's silly

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1. I don't think our works save us, but I do think it's important to pray and read the Bible to maintain our relationship with God.

2. IMO, this is an old, manipulative tactic. There's nothing wrong with reading books, looking at magazines, listening to the radio, watching tv, OR for that matter--gardening, mowing the lawn, grocery shopping, going for a walk, checking the mail, golfing, running errands, and working a public job.

I agree--put Jesus first. That doesn't mean that you're not allowed to do anything else besides pray and read the Bible. :rolleyes2

Re: This message scares me??
 

Peter used the same sort of argument when he said not to wear jewelry but to do.....

It doesn't mean never read a newspaper, sheeeesh come on guys. Use your brains

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I thought that he was stating that we could not enjoy life. Example. I bought a corvette. I like cars fast cars. Did I sin for buying it? I dont worship it but know where it came from. What about other who like hunting and fishing etc. You should be reading your bible and goin to church every service or praying instead of doin those things.

Re: This message scares me??
 

I lived that way once and I'm sure it was because I had heard messages like that. I lived that way once and I felt closer to God than I would have thought possible. I lived that way once but will never do so again and will always advise anyone from going down that path.

Re: This message scares me??
 

I doubt the preacher disapproves of people reading the newspaper. It's an old tactic used to try to motivate people to lay aside unnecessary things in exchange for more "important" things, but it doesn't really work.

I don't believe that preachers who say things like this have bad intentions. They're just trying to get people to pray and read their Bibles more. I can understand that. It doesn't work, but I can understand the effort.

Re: This message scares me??
 

Prax, I've heard that a thousand times. He may not mean that, but the logic employed to get people from going to "ball games" implies that. It's silly logic... I'm not sure I read anything in this post that said "UPC." Why so quick?

Re: This message scares me??
 

It's far from silly. It is preached that way. It is also encouraged and never advised against. I lived it Prax.

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That's what I'm screaming! The people saying these nutty things need to use their brains.

You've heard this sermon before:

"Some of these churches want to watch movies and television. My God! Why waste such time when you could be reading the Bible and memorizing the 12 disciples! Who can tell me their names?" It's an illogical method of attacking something they don't like.

If the message is "remember to keep God first," or to encourage people to "redeem their time" then go for it. But the former argument could apply to anything, and seems to suggest memorizing scripture is the goal, when really, keeping Jesus as our center of worship is the goal. I suspect getting the congregation to agree that watching movies/television is the goal when this is often said though.

Re: This message scares me??
 

Who here would count it as a good thing if someone told you they prayed and read the bible nearly 24/7? Make no mistake. Such behavior is encouraged and if you answer yes to my question then you are one of the ones encouraging it.

Re: This message scares me??
 

I just feel controlled by these type of messages and dont feel free to do what I want. Like I am not good enough. It is scary.

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If someone had chosen to devote their life to prayer and the Word, there would be absolutely NOTHING wrong with that, as long as they were single and didn't have familial obligations. It isn't for everybody, and I would consider that to be a special consecration not meant for all Christians.

Re: This message scares me??
 

I can't wait until I can sin with a 68 camaro. I won't worship it, but I sure will enjoy driving it... and working on an engine where I recognize the parts...

Re: This message scares me??
 

I've never heard it with the context of reading newspapers. I've always heard it in the context of listening to "worldy music," watching television, watching sports, etc... usually things the minister disapproves.

Regarding wanting people to read their Bible more... I just shake my head at that. It's a spirituality brownie badge. Show people the real Christ and watch them fall in love. And they just MIGHT increase their Bible reading, but that's not really the point.

BTW, I don't think they have "bad intentions" either. I think they have errored intentions.

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I'll sure enjoy driving my blue mini cooper with cream leather interior and white racing stripes. :D

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Not sure how you could do that and still live out Mt 28:19.

Hard to disciple others when you're shut-in the "temple" with your readings of the Word.

Some may have a special calling to study, but always in balance of how our lives should be lived. We are not called to isolation, We are called to GO.

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I think you are exaggerating or you just didn't understand what the preacher was saying :-)

Re: This message scares me??
 

Yep, it's not for everybody but those that do it are better than the rest.................. SERIOUSLY??

Re: This message scares me??
 

Or... he could be telling the truth, and we could accept the fact that there are some pulpits that say crazy things like this.

Re: This message scares me??
 

Max--did you read the first post? He definitely mentioned the UPC in the first sentence, and he said the preacher mentioned reading the paper. :blink

It's not a spirituality "brownie badge" to read your Bible more and encourage other people to do so. Getting into the Word is one of the BEST things new converts can do, and it's definitely something Christians should do on an ongoing basis. What on earth is wrong with wanting people to read the Bible more? It's helpful to THEM to do so! I understand that motivating them in the way mentioned on this thread won't work, but surely you don't think encouraging people to read the Bible in general is wrong?

Re: This message scares me??
 

Did I say that?

Re: This message scares me??
 

So what does it mean for them to have a "special consencration"?

Re: This message scares me??
 

I've never heard a message that said you can't have any fun whatsoever, no recreation, no newspaper, you have to read your bible 24 hours a day


Sorry but I think this person is exaggerating and you are all taking his word for it. This doesn't merely sound like an anti-TV message as per the original post but a "you can't do anything at all that is fun, you have to read the bible 24 hours a day"...and I think he is exaggerating. The message may have been on that topic, but I think it's being exaggerated to the extreme

Re: This message scares me??
 

Or he could be embellishing or exaggerating the truth for whatever reason. Come on 24 hours a day? You don't think that was a little embellishment or exaggeration? Really?

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ROFL, we were at carmax in Hartford Saturday looking for a car for my wife, and they had one of those Smart Cars. Mt daughter was all over wanting one.. I told her.. convienient. When you kill yourself in it we don't have to buy a coffin, just dig a slighty bigger hole.

Re: This message scares me??
 

No I think this is what he was saying cause me and my wife felt bad, like we are not good enough? I just want to know where is the line Balance. I always keep my mind on him and of course want to draw closer. We should strive to enter in at the strait gate right? My wife took of work today cause she felt bad . We take the bible seriously and always want to please him. But say like Charles Stanley, we feel accepted and loved. So see the diffrence what I am talking about between the two.

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Those apostles! What do they think they are better than everyone else?

Acts 6:4 But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word

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A perfect example is like Charles Stanley vs The message I started to talk about. Charles stanley rebukes, but he is like more tender. Anyone know what I am talking about. I dont feel guilty when I hear him.

Re: This message scares me??
 

It was not an exaggeration. That is the message that is often preached. It's probably even been preached in your church before. Of course no one says pray 24/7. It's much more subtle...

Re: This message scares me??
 

I stand corrected on the UPC call-out (to MB and Prax). Sorry.

And yes, in many fellowships, it IS a spiritual brownie badge. People feel so spiritual about themselves.

As far as "What on earth is wrong with wanting people to read the Bible more?" You are forming a question about something I did not present. No, I encourage Bible reading, but it's encouraged. I think community discussion about the Story (the Bible) is equally helpful. I think many things are helpful. I grew up, in an evironment close to what many on this forum grew up in, where "prayer and Bible reading" were guilt-o-meters. No one was ever praying enough or reading their Bible enough. Those are rosaries. Those are gifts. Some enjoy reading the Bible more than others, I'm okay with that. It's not necessarily a measure of one's spirituality.

And the way I encourage reading the Bible is by making the Bible come alive in teaching. Talking about the Word with excitement, not just "you need to read your Bible" preaching that guilts people into a ritual.

Re: This message scares me??
 

I think it's fine for some people to devote themselves to God above and beyond what is normal for various reasons. That doesn't mean they are "worth more" to God, but it DOES mean they have consecrated their lives above what is normal or expected.

Does acknowledging that fact upset you or something? Do you believe there are people who are more devoted to God than others? Let's not even look at "special consecrations" like I mentioned--just generally speaking.

Does the term "Nazarite vow" mean anything to you? What about in the NT when Paul said that husbands and wives could be "apart" for a certain amount of time for the sake of prayer and fasting? Is that a "special consecration" above and beyond what is the norm? I would consider it to be. I consider long fasts to be special consecrations, and I don't believe anyone is going to hell if they never fast a long fast.

Re: This message scares me??
 

:bliss:bliss:bliss

Re: This message scares me??
 

Do you even have a clue what we are talking about?

Re: This message scares me??
 

Charles Stanley encourages you to read your bible and do the things necessary to be a christian, but says it with love tenderness and compassion, but the message I am refering to in the original post was scary, guilty and felt controlled. I know I need to read more and always draw closer. I guess it was the way it came from the pulpit.

Re: This message scares me??
 

:bliss:bliss:bliss

Re: This message scares me??
 

Perhaps it IS in some fellowships, but not in the context of my posts.

This is what you said, and yes it does sound like you think it's unimportant, or even wrong to encourage it:

My mother received the Holy Ghost at home in her bedroom while reading her Bible and praying.

I agree that how much a person reads the Bible is not necessarily a measure of one's spirituality. I also believe that reading the Bible is beneficial for everyone.

Absolutely. I agree. It's not wrong to encourage people to read the Bible. Guilting them into it isn't the right way to do that, and is usually counterproductive.

Re: This message scares me??
 

I do. I read the opening post and the responses. I thought your comment to Miss B was a little off kilter.

Do you think the apostles had a special consecration? Does that make them better than other children of God who aren't called to that same purpose by God?

Re: This message scares me??
 

[QUOTE=jfrog;951292]I lived that way once and I'm sure it was because I had heard messages like that. I lived that way once and I felt closer to God than I would have thought possible. I lived that way once but will never do so again and will always advise anyone from going down that path.[/QUOTE]

Why! (very serious)