True or False

Our pitfalls can be categories in three areas, money, women and popularity. The first two are more black and white but third seems more complex,.Can we totally estrange ourselves from environmental feedback and solely rest on what God's Word says about us or does the devine expectation allow a degree of the worldly feedback for mental health?
Consider prophets of old being persecuted and yet they stood. The Word even says 'you can expect persecution - die daily - the Word being sweet in the mouth and bitter on the stomach'.
It seems most everything we do we are looking for positive feedback...
Is this a fault?
I don't expect a resolution from this post but it seems a good point to ponder.
God bless
 
Our pitfalls can be categories in three areas, money, women and popularity. The first two are more black and white but third seems more complex,.Can we totally estrange ourselves from environmental feedback and solely rest on what God's Word says about us or does the devine expectation allow a degree of the worldly feedback for mental health? Consider prophets of old being persecuted and yet they stood. The Word even says 'you can expect persecution - die daily - the Word being sweet in the mouth and bitter on the stomach'. It seems most everything we do we are looking for positive feedback... Is this a fault? I don't expect a resolution from this post but it seems a good point to ponder.
God bless

Hello 2404;

The pitfalls in my walk can be the three areas of money, women and popularity and many other pits if I let my guard down.

22 years ago a company hired me with an incredible starting salary, the most money I ever made in my accounting career. The paycheck was great, we met our expenses with ease but our personal spending ways became frivolous, very fast.

When I became full time in the ministry my salary dropped .033% of what I used to make in a full time job. Yet God met all our needs and kept our debt ratio very low. Today we are delighted in serving God first, while we remain content within all our means.


Matthew 6:24, 24 “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.

Women can easily be a snare if I am flippant and shallow in my obedience to God. I combat this by staying far away while remaining very close each day to one woman, my beloved wife of 37 years. Yes, we get on each other's nerves, she's always right (and I'm always wrong lol!) but at the end of the day we go to bed with each other and it feels so right.

Ecclesiastes 7:26, 26 And I find something more bitter than death: the woman whose heart is snares and nets, and whose hands are fetters. He who pleases God escapes her, but the sinner is taken by her.

Popularity in the world and always "being up front" in ministry can be deceiving keeping the people happy with what they're hearing and laughing. Jesus wasn't interested in being popular and though He was, He was more concerned about doing the will of His Father.


Deuteronomy 29:18-19, 18 Beware lest there be among you a man or woman or clan or tribe whose heart is turning away today from the Lord our God to go and serve the gods of those nations. Beware lest there be among you a root bearing poisonous and bitter fruit, 19 one who, when he hears the words of this sworn covenant, blesses himself in his heart, saying, ‘I shall be safe, though I walk in the stubbornness of my heart.’

Walking in obedience to God daily is not a "cakewalk." It's a tough discipline but it gets better in our spiritual growth and maturity in Christ. This is where the positive feedback or optimism comes in. It is already included in our faith.

God bless
you, brother, your whole family, and thank you for sharing True or False.
 
Our pitfalls can be categories in three areas, money, women and popularity. The first two are more black and white but third seems more complex,.Can we totally estrange ourselves from environmental feedback and solely rest on what God's Word says about us or does the devine expectation allow a degree of the worldly feedback for mental health?
Consider prophets of old being persecuted and yet they stood. The Word even says 'you can expect persecution - die daily - the Word being sweet in the mouth and bitter on the stomach'.
It seems most everything we do we are looking for positive feedback...
Is this a fault?
I don't expect a resolution from this post but it seems a good point to ponder.
God bless

Good questions. I can only speak for myself.

1. Money????
If I say that I have more than I need or can spend then most will say that I am bragging so I will say that God has blessed me greatly!

2. Women????
I have been married to same high school sweet heart for 53 years and I KNOW if I ever fooled around she would kill me!!!

3. Popularity.
Honestly.......I do not care even a fly's burp what people say about me!
I was told by the great, late Dr. John Walvoord that .........
"If you are afraid of what men may say ......do not step behind the pulpit. Go and be a plumber!!!!"

David Jeremiah said......
"“The secret of the Christian's passion is simple: Everything we do in life we do it as to the Lord and not to men.”
 
1 The money question is a difficult one. Often many people don’t get that choice to know. More so in third world countries where you simply have to do what you must do in order to survive it be the same for many in western countries to some degree . 1st Timothy 6:10 says ( for the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows ) it been a question that has always troubled me. For we live so much in a money oriented world. And we give up so much of our time in pursuit of that very thing. For some its a 5 day working wk for others it can 6 or 7 days a wk with the hours varying from 30 to 70 hrs. Sometimes one job is not enough for the financial freedom that we all do seek. That is what I find deeply troubling when I search my heart when confronted with 1st Timothy 6:10 do I really trust in God or do I trust more in the financial security and independence that a job brings. Seems in the land of the dollar bill it be money that dictates how we live more and more. Maybe it has always done so, and the reason for it being the root cause of evil simply because it has always been there in all our histories. 2 As to us woman being the 2nd temptation. Well I’m not so sure about that. Men do seem to push the button and seek out very much maybe more than woman. Whether that has to do with their masculinity makeup in their pursuit of our feminine beauty or a better companion. I do not fully know. I am always polite and do say: think upon the remifacations of your touch and of your embrace and what does that your mean for your wife and your family’s future, and how much damage will also be done in ones relationship with the God if you should continue . 3 Popularity . Yes I agree with poster Majors outlook very much. Who really gives a flys burp : ) with what the world thinks. All that really matters in the end is what the God thinks of us. I keep that thought close to my heart.
 
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1 The money question is a difficult one. Often many people don’t get that choice to know. More so in third world countries where you simply have to do what you must do in order to survive it be the same for many in western countries to some degree . 1st Timothy 6:10 says ( for the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows ) it been a question that has always troubled me. For we live so much in a money oriented world. And we give up so much of our time in pursuit of that very thing. For some its a 5 day working wk for others it can 6 or 7 days a wk with the hours varying from 30 to 70 hrs. Sometimes one job is not enough for the financial freedom that we all do seek. That is what I find deeply troubling when I search my heart when confronted with 1st Timothy 6:10 do I really trust in God or do I trust more in the financial security and independence that a job brings. Seems in the land of the dollar bill it be money that dictates how we live more and more. Maybe it has always done so, and the reason for it being the root cause of evil simply because it has always been there in all our histories. 2 As to us woman being the 2nd temptation. Well I’m not so sure about that. Men do seem to push the button and seek out very much maybe more than woman. Whether that has to do with their masculinity makeup in their pursuit of our feminine beauty or a better companion. I do not fully know. I am always polite and do say: think upon the remifacations of your touch and of your embrace and what does that your mean for your wife and your family’s future, and how much damage will also be done in ones relationship with the God if you should continue . 3 Popularity . Yes I agree with poster Majors outlook very much. Who really gives a flys burp : ) with what the world thinks. All that really matters in the end is what the God thinks of us. I keep that thought close to my heart.
Prim90 said............
"I am always polite and do say: think upon the remifacations of your touch and of your embrace and what does that your mean for your wife and your family’s future, and how much damage will also be done in ones relationship with the God if you should continue ".

Amen sister!1!

For 50 years I taught and preached that married men should not go out dancing and swimming with married women. Some did not grasp that and I kept telling them.....If David had not seen Bathsheba naked he would not have killed Uriah.

When men dance and swim with women not their wives they open the door to sin because temptation leads to sin and sin when it is done......ruins the life of all involved.
 
Major I sorry I accidentally sent your post without a reply . And time did expire when I did edit with reply. I shall think more upon what you said later. Prim
 
1 The money question is a difficult one. Often many people don’t get that choice to know. More so in third world countries where you simply have to do what you must do in order to survive it be the same for many in western countries to some degree . 1st Timothy 6:10 says ( for the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows ) it been a question that has always troubled me. For we live so much in a money oriented world. And we give up so much of our time in pursuit of that very thing. For some its a 5 day working wk for others it can 6 or 7 days a wk with the hours varying from 30 to 70 hrs. Sometimes one job is not enough for the financial freedom that we all do seek. That is what I find deeply troubling when I search my heart when confronted with 1st Timothy 6:10 do I really trust in God or do I trust more in the financial security and independence that a job brings. Seems in the land of the dollar bill it be money that dictates how we live more and more. Maybe it has always done so, and the reason for it being the root cause of evil simply because it has always been there in all our histories. 2 As to us woman being the 2nd temptation. Well I’m not so sure about that. Men do seem to push the button and seek out very much maybe more than woman. Whether that has to do with their masculinity makeup in their pursuit of our feminine beauty or a better companion. I do not fully know. I am always polite and do say: think upon the remifacations of your touch and of your embrace and what does that your mean for your wife and your family’s future, and how much damage will also be done in ones relationship with the God if you should continue . 3 Popularity . Yes I agree with poster Majors outlook very much. Who really gives a flys burp : ) with what the world thinks. All that really matters in the end is what the God thinks of us. I keep that thought close to my heart.

Money: Yes when we look at those who have in abundance and then those that are in want our mind sometimes grapples with the justice of it all. But we know that God's favor is not necessarily expressed in material possessions, for surely that will all stay here. The Word says to put Him first and He will supply all our NEEDS. Its alright to have goods as long as they don't have us and I don't expect the Lord requires us to kill ourselves trying to meet our needs.
Do I really trust God?:
A story from the times of bro Branham.
There was an accident in which two young boys were mashed under a car. It was a terrible scene, the boys bodies torn apart laying on the road. Brother Branham was there at that time having some meeting and the scene was exactly that which he had in a vision sometime before. In the vision the one boy was brought back to life, so that is exactly what happened. The mother of the other boy pleaded with brother Branham to see a vision for her boy. Of course we don't create visions and they had to lay the boy to rest. Later after the meetings the mother says to brother Branham 'I guess I just didn't have enough faith' to which brother Branham replied - you have great faith because you are still believing, still here. I think that same principle applies now, we don't throw in the towel when things go contrary.
Women: i didn't mean to say that is the second temptation, all i meant was it is a means that the devil uses (lust) to a great extent in our age.
And yes one has to greatly appreciate Major and his imput. One can clearly see that he has been around the block more than a few times.
God bless.
 
Money: Yes when we look at those who have in abundance and then those that are in want our mind sometimes grapples with the justice of it all. But we know that God's favor is not necessarily expressed in material possessions, for surely that will all stay here. The Word says to put Him first and He will supply all our NEEDS. Its alright to have goods as long as they don't have us and I don't expect the Lord requires us to kill ourselves trying to meet our needs.
Do I really trust God?:
A story from the times of bro Branham.
There was an accident in which two young boys were mashed under a car. It was a terrible scene, the boys bodies torn apart laying on the road. Brother Branham was there at that time having some meeting and the scene was exactly that which he had in a vision sometime before. In the vision the one boy was brought back to life, so that is exactly what happened. The mother of the other boy pleaded with brother Branham to see a vision for her boy. Of course we don't create visions and they had to lay the boy to rest. Later after the meetings the mother says to brother Branham 'I guess I just didn't have enough faith' to which brother Branham replied - you have great faith because you are still believing, still here. I think that same principle applies now, we don't throw in the towel when things go contrary.
Women: i didn't mean to say that is the second temptation, all i meant was it is a means that the devil uses (lust) to a great extent in our age.
And yes one has to greatly appreciate Major and his imput. One can clearly see that he has been around the block more than a few times.
God bless.
2024 I’m not sure who brother Branham be nor of the visions he received. If so a most sad story and a sad vision too. You didn’t mean that woman be the 2nd temptation. Ok. One can only go on you have written . You didn’t mean that. Ok. As to money matters, possessions and the many imbalances and injustices in this world. I guess Gods wisdom is much higher than ours. And we only have to give a account of how we spend and what we do with ours.
 
2024 I’m not sure who brother Branham be nor of the visions he received. If so a most sad story and a sad vision too. You didn’t mean that woman be the 2nd temptation. Ok. One can only go on you have written . You didn’t mean that. Ok. As to money matters, possessions and the many imbalances and injustices in this world. I guess Gods wisdom is much higher than ours. And we only have to give a account of how we spend and what we do with ours.

Hello Prim90;

Please read my post #3. I only posted what I feel the topic was saying to me.

God bless you, and your family.
 
Prim90 said............
"I am always polite and do say: think upon the remifacations of your touch and of your embrace and what does that your mean for your wife and your family’s future, and how much damage will also be done in ones relationship with the God if you should continue ".

Amen sister!1!

For 50 years I taught and preached that married men should not go out dancing and swimming with married women. Some did not grasp that and I kept telling them.....If David had not seen Bathsheba naked he would not have killed Uriah.

When men dance and swim with women not their wives they open the door to sin because temptation leads to sin and sin when it is done......ruins the life of all involved.
Major I understand what you say. As to Dancing and swimming in public with married or non married woman or with anyone for that matter it does walk a fine line between legalism and how much freedom humanity should have. I think upon the complexity of that with family and friends enjoying a picnic and a swim together at the nearest river or local pool when thinking upon that . Though there was a time in Australia where swimming was illegal to do outdoors maybe a law from the 19th century. I’m not sure if it was ever fully implemented or ever obeyed. As to King David a man much beloved of God seems he was quite happy to dance naked in public before the Lord and nothing more became of the matter. Yet we also have King David in his darkest moments namely with Bathsheba as you did mention. Where King David looking down from his palace did one day gaze upon the naked beauty of another mans wife. Seems that he gazed far too long and that the desire did seek out forbidden fruit just as it did with Adam & Eve and so also did beguile King David too.
 
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what..are you deeming half of the human population pitfalls?? um. I don't know if that's meant to be encouraging for us Christian women.😯

Alright lol speaking from the male perspective.
Although we be in this together Christianity is an individual affair and the enemy don't care who you are. I wouldn't know but it seems the greatest tactic against the female gender would be popularity, since our society these days focuses so much on the necessity of outward beauty. I believe the natural always follows the spiritual (since we spiritual being) having said that look at our church expectations - bigger more beautiful is deemed better.
Scripture tells us that God is not a respecter of persons, so it is a quality issue and quality has a way of narrowing the ranks instead of just throwing the doors open.
Anyway - as I see it.
 
Major I understand what you say. As to Dancing and swimming in public with married or non married woman or with anyone for that matter it does walk a fine line between legalism and how much freedom humanity should have. I think upon the complexity of that with family and friends enjoying a picnic and a swim together at the nearest river or local pool when thinking upon that . Though there was a time in Australia where swimming was illegal to do outdoors maybe a law from the 19th century. I’m not sure if it was ever fully implemented or ever obeyed. As to King David a man much beloved of God seems he was quite happy to dance naked in public before the Lord and nothing more became of the matter. Yet we also have King David in his darkest moments namely with Bathsheba as you did mention. Where King David looking down from his palace did one day gaze upon the naked beauty of another mans wife. Seems that he gazed far too long and that the desire did seek out forbidden fruit just as it did with Adam & Eve and so also did beguile King David too.

For me, itis not about legalism but "temptation".

We are tempted at one time or another, however when men and women dance close together or swim together in skimpy suits , it opens the door of human nature. If it is not done then no harm.


Satan knows that a Christian lusting for the opposite sex is sinning against God. The devils agents will do their best to create circumstances that force a Christian to lust. As soon as a Christian opens that door, he will be allowing many thoughts to enter his life. Jesus said about lust in Matthew 5:27-28.........

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery’; 28 but I say to you that everyone who [so much as] looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart” .
 
Money: Yes when we look at those who have in abundance and then those that are in want our mind sometimes grapples with the justice of it all. But we know that God's favor is not necessarily expressed in material possessions, for surely that will all stay here. The Word says to put Him first and He will supply all our NEEDS. Its alright to have goods as long as they don't have us and I don't expect the Lord requires us to kill ourselves trying to meet our needs.
Do I really trust God?:
A story from the times of bro Branham.
There was an accident in which two young boys were mashed under a car. It was a terrible scene, the boys bodies torn apart laying on the road. Brother Branham was there at that time having some meeting and the scene was exactly that which he had in a vision sometime before. In the vision the one boy was brought back to life, so that is exactly what happened. The mother of the other boy pleaded with brother Branham to see a vision for her boy. Of course we don't create visions and they had to lay the boy to rest. Later after the meetings the mother says to brother Branham 'I guess I just didn't have enough faith' to which brother Branham replied - you have great faith because you are still believing, still here. I think that same principle applies now, we don't throw in the towel when things go contrary.
Women: i didn't mean to say that is the second temptation, all i meant was it is a means that the devil uses (lust) to a great extent in our age.
And yes one has to greatly appreciate Major and his imput. One can clearly see that he has been around the block more than a few times.
God bless.

I love you brother and respect you but I would caution you about William Branham.
 
I love you brother and respect you but I would caution you about William Branham.
Thank you Major for your concern. I respect you and trust you'll cut me some slack as well. I hope you can hear me when I say that I"m not green but that God's grace has been upon me. I guess the only thing that can be said that we both agree on is 'time will tell' and if we can leave it at that then let us consider ourselves brothers and carry on.
God bless you my friend.
 
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