Monday, November 9, 2009

why is porn so intriguing

it's been a long time since i have posted but i thought i would start back up.  i don't know, maybe it's more for me than it is for anybody.  i'm sure most of these posts aren't viewed by, what i like to call, people :-).  either way it's something i feel like i need to do for me and want to get consistent again.  

i was moved today after watching a video on shelleylubben.com of porn stars who have died.  it's about a 7 minute video and most of the porn stars died from a suicide overdose, gun shot wound, jumping off a building, or during a scene in one of their movies.  i sat moved by it and felt completely heart broken while watching.  

i started to think to myself why is porn so intriguing ?  why have i struggled with it?  why do most guys, if not all guys, want to watch it so bad (this includes christians, ministers, and regular ol joe?  i have my own perceptions and answers, but it seems more complicated than just saying, "guys are just guys and we like naked woman".   although "guys are just guys and like naked woman" why is porn soooo compelling?  there is obviously a need that is being met in the heart of the viewer that keeps him (or her) coming back.  let's not forget the spiritual side of this issue too.  i am sure that the enemy isn't just sitting by idely concerning porn. clearly "he" is not as statistics show that 50% of ministers are addicted to it.  as many ministries have tried to spring up addressing porn, (freedombeginshere.org, xxxchurch.com, shelleylubben.com, jcgirls.com, hookersforjesus.com) the church still hasn't taken this epidemic head on.  and until it does it will still be the most devastating thing hitting the church other than apathy.    

i know i haven't reached a level of strength that keeps me "holy" all the time, and i know that i am only human.  i know that i am "a guy" and i know that if i don't keep myself accountable to my friends that i can and will fail, and have failed.  

one thing i know for sure is that God loves peoeple, God loves those who are addicted to porn, God loves those who chose to stay where they are at, and God loves the people on the video screen.  and until we let the love of God compel us to reach out to those who are addicted, again the church will have lost an huge spiritual battle.  thank God there are ministries like freedombeginshere.org that hits this issue head on.  it's far to late to not bring this up now.

if anything people are struggling and can't stop.  more importantly those who face addiction do not want to be addicted and, for most, don't know how to be free.  

i will talk through this and see if we, if I, can't uncover the answer to the question, "why is porn so intriguing".  i am no expert on addiction other than being a guy trying to find these answers. one thing is for sure i will do my best to help others fight through this highly hidden issue the only way i know how, with mercy and grace!  thank God for his love and his mercy.  

peace

Friday, January 9, 2009

sex trafficking stats, eye opening to say the least

Sex Trafficking
Standing Against Global Exploitation (SAGE) is a San Francisco based organization that provides information about and resources for victims of trafficking, sexual exploitation and violence, and individuals involved in the sex trade and those thinking of or having left prostitution.

The Protection Project was created by Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) to establish an international framework for the elimination of trafficking in persons, especially women and children. The web site contains information about trafficking throughout the world, featuring country reports with statistics and maps of trafficking routes, as well as profiles of survivors. There is also a referral system that includes listings of trained service providers and resources for helping U.S. victims of trafficking.

The Coalition Against Trafficking in Women is a non-governmental organization that promotes women's human rights. It works internationally to combat sexual exploitation in all its forms. Their website offers research and documentation of international sexual exploitation as well as links to international and national organizations offering support to trafficked women.

Captive Daughters is an organization based in California that is dedicated to brining national and international attention to the wide spread problem of sex trafficking of children.

Polaris Project is a Washington, DC based non-Profit organization that is focused on combating trafficking through local, national and international grassroots efforts.
The U.S. Department of Justice Trafficking Hotline1-888-428-7581Donna Hughes, chair of the women's studies program at the University of Rhode Island,has written a number of papers dealing with issues of trafficking. They are available for download from her website: http://www.uri.edu/artsci/wms/hughes/pubvio.htm

Vital Voices is an international organization dedicated to helping women participate in the process of building democracy and preventing sex trafficking and other human rights violations all over the world.

Articles and Reports
The US Department of State's "Tafficking in Persons Report, June 2005""A New Commodity in Kosovo" - new finding in report by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) reveal sex trafficking in Kosovo."Boys Will Be Boys" - International peaceworkers create demand for prostitution in war torn countries (from the BBC). The International Organization for Migration (IOM) published a report entitled Shattered Dreams: Report on Trafficking in Persons in Azerbaijan (Adobe PDF format).

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

im convicted, guilty as charged...

if i could imagine what God would say to me in the midst of a mistake or a sin i am committing it wouldn't be pleasant, after all He is God, Judger of all, the final word "if you will". after reading scripture you can easily see that God is a Holy God and doesn't tolerate sin, ever! in fact the old testament if full of God judging sin and most of the time it doesn't look to good...take noah for example...to preserve the human race God literally flooded the earth to purge the wrong so that good could continue.... (side note) the earth was warned for over 100 years about the coming flood, so even God in His judgement was giving people a way out ahead of time, an ark...BUT when it comes to my mistakes, i feel sometimes shameful, guilty, even ill at times because of where i've aloud myself to be. and when i look at God's holiness, how in the world will i ever live up to it...i can't! and according to the bible my sin has to be judged, i am convicted of my sin, guilty as charged...i am and never will be worthy to be close to God, after all my sin is always going to prevent me to come...God and sin will never mix and, well, there are no exceptions to this rule...so what do i do, do i just sulk in my self depreciation and worthlessness...sorry to say, sometimes i do, i have to be honest...BUT i am reminded of some truths that Jesus reveals in scripture...of all those things and with all that said there is one remaining factor that stands in the way of my guilt, shame, mistakes, SIN...it is the only thing that protects me from the wrath i deserve from my mistakes. not only does it protect me, it presents me innocent, shows me clean, no sin, perfection...it's the blood of jesus, the sacrifice jesus made at the cross...

revelations 1:5 says 5and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth To Him who loves us and released us from our sins by His blood--
colossians 1:13-1413 For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

i am released from my sin because of jesus...i am not guilty anymore...jesus took my guilt, my sin, my judgement and nailed it to the cross when he died...but he didn't just die, he ROSE again securing my friendship with God, and now God lives in me, so when i sin God sees himself. when God sees me he is reminded of what he did through Jesus...therefore God only sees what he has made me to be, free from sin, free from guilt and shame, and free to be his child!

here is a song that i found yesterday...it's a great song and encouraging...it's by aaron keyes , go to his myspace and listen too "your not guilty anymore" ...great song for prayer and reflection of who we are...listen to God says "you're not guilty anymore"!!!

thx God, you love me so very much and you made a way for me, you are my Father...i love you for what you have done for me...

Monday, January 5, 2009

got an interesting email from worship net

Jeff merry with Worship Net Arizona sends emails out weekly, he sent this one a few weeks again and it was a great reminder of who we are...simple short email with a great devotional in it...here it is with some "wes" injunctions...

with the economy the way it is it's hard not to think of where you are in your finances...have you thought about your credit score lately? and yes i hate that stupid commercial, you know the one "im thinking of a #"...hate it!!! with that said what do you think your credit score is? not your financial one, but your spiritual credit score. if you were to rate yourself regarding your relationship with Jesus today on a scale of 0-850, where would you score? got it? now check this out...

we have received the righteousness (made right) of God through faith
Rom. 3:22we have been raised with Christ and seated in the heavenlies.
Eph. 2:5-7we have received the indwelling presence of God.
1 Cor. 3:17; 6:19we belong to Christ.
Rom. 7:4we are a new creation.
2 Cor. 5:17

today as a believer, your spiritual economy and or credit score is determined by what Jesus did for you and not what you do for Him. so your score is 850!!! today and everyday! the good news is that we no longer need to try to increase our credit score with Jesus, it's already 850. that frees us up to be His ambassadors. his representatives in every relationship, circumstance, and event we face every day. (John 20:21) we have been sent by Jesus just as Jesus was sent by God to help, reach, and be a light to this world...2009 isn't a year to stay where we are...2009 is a year of new perspectives as old as the bible, you've all ready got it, so help people, reach people!!! jesus is the reason for the...EVERTHING :)

quote of the day is:
being a christian isn't thinking less of yourself but thinking of yourself less...moto for 2009? what do you say?

Friday, January 2, 2009

some interesting quotes, check em out



weird music but some great quotes...either way i am, in my heart, getting consumed with reaching people with the love of God...all those that are around us who don't know how amazing God is, those who have never heard...

God you have my heart...

here am i (send me); great song!!!


a foundational scripture i have lived by is found in isaiah 6:8... Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?" And I said, "Here I am. Send Me!" - Isaiah 6:8, this scripture is the bomb diggety scripture of who i am and want to be...with that said, i am always looking for songs that can inspire this concept isaiah was seeing when he said this...songs that provoke a consecration to the will of God concerning reaching people...anyways

here is the song... it's by matt papa "here am i (send me)" ... this song is great!!! check it out

peace

Tuesday, December 30, 2008

If there were only 100 people in the world

If there were only 100 people in the world
Want to understand why world missions are so important?
I’ve found this backgrounder helpful in putting the need
for world evangelism in its proper place:

If the world’s population were reduced to 100 people…
57 would be Asian
21 would be European
8 would be African
2 would be American
30 would be white
50 would be malnourished
80 would live in a below-standard
70 would be unable to read
1 would hold a university degree

(source: “The 10/40 Window”, by Piper Black)

i read this and think to myself
"we have such a great opportunity to help and be the Gospel"...


what is descipleship, exactly?


found this article online researching evangelism, i thought it was interesting.
the basic concept is evangelism and discipleship are hand in hand and you can't have one without the other. all tho i could agree with that statement i am not convinced as i believe that reaching people with the gospel and or bringing people to jesus who are lost has far greater eternal value than discipling someone on how to live as a christian. either way i liked the article and thought it was still very good and needed...here it is;

What is discipleship, exactly? Tuesday, June 10th, 2008
This week we’re thinking once again about discipleship. What is discipleship? The call to discipleship is laid out for Christians in Matthew 28:
Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
That’s a pretty ambitious command—how are we to understand it today? In an overview of discipleship, Richard Krejcir elaborates on the questions raised by this Bible passage:
Is this a command, or a suggestion; does it mean we are just to evangelize and let people find their faith on their own, or does this mean we are to lead others and teach the precepts of the Scriptures and the character of our Lord? Does it require obedience and action on our part, or are we disciples just by being a Christian and being in a church on Sundays?
Read the full article for Krejcir’s answers, and his ideas about what discipleship means for the church. One of his central points is the artificial distinction Christians tend to make between evangelism and discipleship—discipleship, we are inclined to think, is just the training and education of people are already Christians, right? Krejcir argues that evangelism and discipleship are not only closely related, they’re actually just two aspects of the same activity: bringing people closer to Christ. It’s a view echoed in another article, “Why Must Evangelism and Discipleship Go Hand in Hand?” by Jerry Root.
So as we think about discipleship this week, consider that the definition we often use for it might not actually account for everything that we’re called to do as disciples of Jesus Christ. We’ll back back tomorrow with a few more good articles and links about what it means to make disciples in Christ’s name!

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

this is great, if you think God can't use you just remember

my buddy brad recently put a posting up on his blog http://www.reachscottsdale.com that i thought was great...

when you think you can't be used by God because of who you are remember...
Noah was a drunk
Abraham was too old
Isaac was a daydreamer
Jacob was a liar
Leah was ugly
Joseph was abused
Moses had a stuttering problem
Gideon was afraid
Sampson had long hair and was a womanizer
Rahab was a prostitute
Jeremiah and Timothy were too young
David had an affair and was a murderer
Elijah was suicidal
Isaiah preached naked
Jonah ran from God
Naomi was a widow
Job went bankrupt
John the Baptist ate bugs
Peter denied Christ
The Disciples fell asleep while praying
Martha worried about everything
The Samaritan woman was divorced, more than once
Zaccheus was too small
Paul was too religious and killed christians
Timothy had an ulcer…
AND
Lazarus was dead!

What do you have that’s worse than that? So no more excuses!
God can use you to your full potential. Besides you aren’t the message,you are just the messenger.

one of my favorite passages of scripture!!!


“But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:” - Ephesians 2:4-8

if there was 1 scripture that has always reminded me of what i have, who i am, and who i belong to, it would have to be eph 2:4-8...all i can say is God loves people, regardless if they are of another faith, if they have murdered someone, if the are horrible parents, if they are homosexual, if they are preachers who judge, God simply loves us...and i am glad for it. one of the hardest things in the world to do is to love unloving people, good news is it is possible. we are commanded in the Bible to "love thy neighbor as thyself." God never tells us to do something impossible. if God tells us to do something, it is possible to do. God expects us to love others. so on the flip side i can put my faith in what God has given me, His love...it's so easy to love like he loves if we let him love through us...i can actually love people of other faiths, murderers, bad parents, homosexuals, and preachers who judge...i can love people, i do love people because God through me loves people...

just reminding myself of how much he loves me...

peace

Sunday, December 21, 2008

another unknown worship guy...





here is another worship leader i randomly
found on itunes by doing a search for
"here am i send me", after listening i
liked what i heard...he is a completely
unknown however his music gets you...
check him out...

mattpapa.com
http://www.myspace.com/mattpapa

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

my new favorite worship leader


ok, so i am always looking for new worship leaders for new and old songs, and in some chance i might find someone that gets it...a worship leader that has a real passion for ministry and the people he is leading...for the last several months i kept hearing about this guy named jason upton ...not by one person but several people.  i, of course, am so on it all the time.  so i immediately looked him up ummm, well, not really!!!  actually i forgot about him and i was reminded once again of his ministry and worship albums this past weekend while visiting home NC...so, yes i finally took the plunge, made the effort, made the journey up the mountain, i got crazy, i did this amazing thing called a google search for jason upton.  yes i know, intense yet intriguing.  i also did a search for him on youtube and godtube and found some great footage of live events he has done.  after watching several videos i became instantly became a fan, and now have gotten several songs off of itunes.

ok so here's the deal...this guy can get really intense, almost weird at times so be ready for it...BUT, i can't help but be drawn to his REAL passion for leading people into the presence of God, it isn't a show and of course he has a great voice...below are a couple of links to get you started...here you go...
   

peace 
seeya




Wednesday, December 10, 2008

this is long, always enjoy apologetics


this is a pretty long but good read if your into apologetics...i mostly just put this on here because i didn't want to forget the link and or what it was saying...and i wanted to show everyone that christian are superior to all other relgions :) just kidding...well, we are more awesome than all others...i must say!!!!!


got this from http://www.atsmail.org/ a christian tracts company. i talked to a representive there and thought there site was good. below is a very long read but i thought it was good...

Is the Bible a trustworthy, supernatural book? Or is it an antiquated collection of folk tales and superstitions?
Many people reject the Bible, dismissing it as full of errors and therefore unreliable. So they ignore its message and say it has no relevance for them.
Is there any evidence to back up the claims that the Scriptures are true? Suppose you were in a court of law where the Bible was on trial. Could a defense attorney bring forth any evidence to support the view that the Bible is reliable? Actually, there are a number of pieces of evidence that can be examined. Here are several.

Evidence from Prophecy
No book other than the Bible has ever given precise predictions of future events (prophecies) hundreds of years in advance, predictions that were fulfilled exactly. Far from vague generalities or general guesses like those given by fortunetellers, the prophecies in Scripture contain explicit details which no human could possibly devise on his own. Imagine trying to come up with the name, ancestry, birthplace, and kind of death for a person who would be born in AD 2800. That would be humanly impossible! Only God could make such predictions and see them carried out perfectly. But that is exactly what we have in the Bible. Jesus’ identity, name, birthplace, triumphal entry, betrayal, suffering, death, and burial—all were foretold in the Old Testament seven hundred years before He was born.
If only 48 prophecies about a person were fulfilled, the odds would be 1 in 10157. That’s a one followed by 157 zeros! And Jesus fulfilled more than 300 prophecies!
God’s prophets also predicted the downfall of many nations—Ammon, Edom, Moab, Philistia—and cities such as Babylon and Nineveh.
About 150 years before Cyrus, king of Persia, was born, Isaiah predicted his birth, gave his name, and told that he would release the Jews from captivity (Isaiah 44:28). And Josiah, one of Judah’s kings, was named 300 years before he was born (1 Kings 13:2). Only God could have revealed these facts, a clear indication of the supernatural nature of the Bible.
Prophecy, then, stands up in court as a strong witness that the Bible is true!

Evidence from Archaeology
Critics have questioned many of the Bible’s historical statements. Yet archaeological discoveries in recent decades have turned up evidence that proves them wrong.
For example, the Bible refers to the Hittite people 36 times. Since no record outside the Bible had affirmed their existence, objectors said the Bible couldn’t be trusted. However, excavations in Turkey have now shown that the Hittite Empire was extensive.
The Ebla tablets, discovered in Syria in the 1960s, include the names of Ur, Sodom, and Gomorrah, cities that Bible opponents said did not exist. These tablets also dispel the notion that since writing was not practiced in the 1400s B.C., Moses could not have written the first five books of the Bible. Yet these tablets were written about a thousand years before Moses! The Bible’s references to the many Assyrian kings are accurate. Archaeologists have uncovered Assyrian artifacts that record the names of all these kings. Certain customs recorded in Genesis are also noted in the Nuzi tablets found in present-day Iraq.
So again and again archaeology gives strong court evidence that disproves the claims of the plaintiffs of the Bible.

Evidence from Impact
Read the Muslim Koran, the scriptures of Hinduism, or the writings of Buddhism, and you will find no satisfactory answers to the questions: Where did the universe come from? How did the human race originate? What is wrong with the world? Why is there suffering in the world? What is the answer to people’s sense of guilt? How can people live upright lives? What will happen to the world? Only the Bible answers these questions. Only the Bible gives an answer to people’s grief, loneliness, sadness, bitterness, and hatred. Only the Bible tells what is wrong with the human heart and gives a solution. Unlike any book written by a mere human, the Bible can transform people’s lives, make people good inside, and give them peace, forgive- ness, and purpose.
Countless numbers of people through the centuries have been rescued from despair, despondence, and distress by the message of the Bible. This book has given hope to the spiritually hopeless, life to the spiritually dead, deliverance to the spiritually enslaved. No other book in the world can make such a claim.

Evidence from Science
Does the Bible have scientific errors? Many people think so. But the Bible is accurate when it addresses various aspects of science. Take water, for example. It evaporates from the ocean, collects in clouds, and falls on the earth as rain or snow. This cycle accords with what the Bible says in Job 26:8; 36:27-28; and Ecclesiastes 1:7. But for centuries scientists did not understand this phenomenon.
Up until only a few centuries ago people believed the earth was flat, but several hundred years before Christ Isaiah wrote of the circular shape of the earth (Isaiah 40:22). And centuries before that, Job had said that the earth is suspended on nothing (Job 26:7). In 1628 William Harvey discovered the circulation of blood in the body. Yet long before that, the Bible recorded the fact that the life of living beings is sustained by their blood (Leviticus 17:11).
Here stands yet more evidence for the defense of the Bible.

The Defense Rests Its Case
Prophecy, archaeology, impact, and science—this huge body of evidence gives testimony that the Bible is God’s reliable truth. If the Bible has mistakes in history, science, or geography, we might wonder if it is reliable when it discusses spiritual subjects. But because it is trustworthy in physical matters, it is also dependable in religious issues.
The Bible’s central message focuses on the problem of sin—and God’s answer. Jesus died on the cross to deal with sin. In fact, He carried our sins on the cross so that we may have salvation by trusting in Him as our Savior. Because the Bible is trustworthy, Jesus Christ can be trusted. He said, “I am the way the truth and the life” (John 14:6). That is, He is the way to God, He is trustworthy and true, and He offers us spiritual life. By trusting in Him, you, like millions of others throughout history, can find salvation and peace in Christ.
Here’s how to become a Christian:
1. Acknowledge that you are a sinner who God love dearly and wants a relationship with you!
“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).
2. Believe that Jesus Christ died for your sins and was resurrected.
“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). “Christ died for our sins...he was buried...[and] was raised on the third day” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4).
3. Turn in faith to Jesus Christ by praying a prayer like this:
“Dear Lord Jesus, I know I am sinful and I need your forgiveness. I believe that You died and rose again to pay the penalty for my sin. I now receive You as my Savior. Please forgive me and give me eternal life. Amen.
Written Roy B. Zuck

Monday, December 8, 2008

In Your Face Evangelism, Does it work?


first of all let me say that i am always for getting people saved any way possible and i might even get flamed for saying that but if interested read this link first. it might mean more to you regarding why i am posting. i read today of some big named preachers promoting soul winning camps that show how you can go out and just be in peoples face with the real truth of their situation. i have heard them say that some of their tactics are very upfront and don’t pull many punches. they often claim that they just walk up to people on the street and ask them do you want to go to heaven or hell. they claim that some walk away and some respond. here is my problem with this type of evangelism.
this method is designd for people who are identical with these preachers personalities. it really is a personality driven approach. the reason these guys can stand on a bench in the middle of town square is they were given that type of personality from God. it is a blessing to have, but not everyone has that. the real problem I have is that, they often look at people who don’t do this , like they are spiritually broken. if you don’t get aggressive in your approach than something is wrong with you. if you don’t have 100 bible studies a week your sinning, more on this later...sorry so long for not posting

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

mr. president



pretty good song. i sit a listen sometimes to try and get the bottom line out of a song...i take away from this song a since of care for our leaders in government...why in the world would anybody want to be the president of the united states? especially right now!?! i do feel like there is a mess to clean up in washington and whether obama or mccain is elected i am praying for them and hope the right man gets in...and sorry democrats sometimes the right man is a republican...sorry republicans sometimes its a democrat, either way it's not my job, as a christian, to be angry either way, rather it's my job to pray for my leadership and this song reminds me to do that...anyways i thought this was a pretty good song and wanted to share it...

McBama 08

seeya in a few days