Love Life, Not Stuff!

People are in love with stuff. They love shopping, buying things and collecting things; whether they need them or not. Far too many people have become obsessed with having more, bigger and better things and this obsession with stuff has become unhealthy.

When we have a void in our lives, we buy things. When we are depressed, we buy things. When we have problems, we buy things. When we want to show someone we love them, we buy things. When we want to impress someone, we buy things. And these things are becoming more and more expensive, bigger, shinier and in many cases more wasteful.

Ladies, Stop Being a Stumbling Block!

There are reasons we are to avoid the appearance of evil. It is not only to keep from looking un-Christ like to the world; but ladies it also prevents you from sending bad signals.

This may be a touchy subject for many, but it needs to be addressed. There are way too many women who dress as though they have other men on their mind rather than the things of God, (Matt. 16:23) especially in church. Improper attire may cause certain men to take their eyes off of God and put them on you, and it can possibly cause those who are weak and not able to turn their head to lust, and when those things happen it not only causes men to sin, it makes the woman a stumbling block. You know when you look in the mirror how you look, you know how much skin is showing and how tight your clothing is. What you may not realize is the depth of what you are doing when you dress so provocatively. There is a great difference in dressing to look good and dressing to look attractive. Looking attractive is to dress in such a way as to be a magnet and attract the eyes of others, looking good is when others take the time time to look at you they see a well dressed person. Can you see the difference? One way pulls eyes toward you and the other is after their eyes come in contact with you.

Here is a tip; don’t dress like you want to give it away or sell it if it isn’t free or for sale. Jesus said we will have stumbling blocks placed before us, but woe to him who the stumbling block comes from. (Matt.18:7)

He also said that if a man looks at a woman with lust in his heart, he has already committed adultery. So if you are dressing in a way that is causing men to lust after you; young lady you are a stumbling block and Jesus said “Woe to you.”

You are a stumbling block if your shirt is cut too low revealing too much breast or you don’t wear a bra and your shirt is so thin it is almost see through. You are a stumbling block if your pants look like they are painted on and men can see every crease and fold of your skin. You are a stumbling block if your skirt is so short you have to keep pulling it down and you are a stumbling block if you wear your pants so low that men can see your thong or that tattoo you placed on the small of your back that yells “Look at me” to everyone.

Ladies, I am not trying to be one sided and if seeing young men holding onto their granddads pants to keep them from falling down, and seeing their boxers hanging out “Turns You on”, I will address that in my next letter. I am however tired of men taking all the wrap when the ladies know exactly what they are doing when they dress and act the way they do. You not only cause married men to take their eyes off their wife but you may also be pushing passion buttons in single men causing them to seek a sinful relationship.

Yes the men will pay for their weakness, but don’t you forget girls, the stumbling block will pay as well. I use that famous quote; “Forgive them Father they know not what they do” one time with people before I explain what they do. Ladies, if you just read this article, you now know exactly what you do. Please dress appropriately. For mens sake as well as your own.

If you have self esteem issues and feel that the only way to get someone to pay attention to you is by flaunting your body, please seek council. Talk with your pastor AND his wife or another godly woman.

Matthew 16:23 Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.”

Matthew 18:7 “Woe to the world because of its stumbling blocks! For it is inevitable that stumbling blocks come; but woe to that man through whom the stumbling block comes!

P.S. If you know of any women that need to read this, please pass it on to them.

PPS. Understand that there are men that will lust after women no matter what they wear. If you dress conservatively, their lusting problem lies strictly on their shoulders. Don’t feel you have to go out of the house with your fathers flannel shirt, dirty sweats and no make up to keep men from stumbling. That is their problem not yours.

Is Your Church Growth From Heavens Work or Hells?

“Churches that grow at the expense of another’s loss are prospering from the devil’s work.”

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In one of the towns I was ministering in there was a church that was experiencing explosive growth. In conversation with one of the pastors of this church I told him how much of a blessing it was to see his church growing so rapidly. I then asked him the following question: “Is your growth due to more un-churched people coming into fellowship or is it because there are so many other churches losing people?” His expression changed instantly from gladness to sadness. “Our growth is from other churches’ loss,” he humbly replied.

Churches that grow at the expense of another’s loss are prospering from the devil’s work. Don’t boast over that kind of growth. Open your doors to anyone who needs to be fed but if you really want to be successful in ministry you must teach your church how to evangelize the lost and un-churched. While a church should be a hospital for the sick, we are not called to create “Christian Maintenance Facilities.” We are called to create disciples and to reach the lost.

If your church is not teaching people how to handle the atheist and the agnostic, how to talk to the un-churched, their neighbors and loved ones, and how to lead people to the Lord, then it is not equipping them to accomplish the great commission. You must restructure what you are doing if you want to be in line with God’s word. There is plenty of material out there that will assist you. Why not call a meeting with your Pastor, Director of Education, or Sunday School Administrator and help them come up with a plan to do what Jesus asked you to do? Then you can boast in the Lord all you want

This posting is an excerpt from Bobs Book: “A No Nonsense Approach to a Healthy Church”