Is it really this hard?

[DaishinKan]

Hello everyone.

I occasionally wonder about how far I've come since I started walking seriously with God. So many things changed for the better, and i'm extremely grateful for this.
However, I have a pretty strict pastor, he's my role model, and everything he believes is right and wrong he can always backs it up with the Bible as it should be.

That being said I've reached a point in my life where i gave up so much things of the world, now its down to barely a few and I'm finding it getting harder and harder to give them up.

For example, my pastor would not agree with any kind of hip hop / rap associated Gospel because this genre actually started as its own religion believe it or not. As well as the fact that you cannot make an unclean thing clean, or step in any on else's world of sin to then tell them what they are doing is wrong. Christian artists are heavily involved with the other artists of the world but as the bible would say,we must shun the appearance of sin, stay away from liars etc etc... My favorite artist was Trip lee, but I've stopped listening due to the above reasons.

Another thing is giving up shows that i still revisit. Eg. Dragonball z / s. I get convictions because the name in itself contains ' Dragon ' which is a beast always mentioned negatively in the bible and obviously one born of the devil. As well as the fact that the male characters occasionally wear earrings, lol. I can't even listen to its soundtracks while working out.

I can't go the the movies because they are guaranteed have nothing to do with God, can't play no games for example my all time favorite, the god of war series. It feels like i can barely breathe sometimes without being convicted with good reasoning. Every corner i turn something fun to do is bad because x y and z.

Edit : Youtube and Facebook are the worst because I can't read comments or go through my news feed without seeing some trash that invades my mind and messes up my constant prayer / God conscious mindset.

The only scriptures that I can relate are all that supports being separate from the world and its trends. And : " Be not righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself? " .. which i don't quite understand either.


Any help / opinions are welcomed, thanks.

 

[Southernscotty]

Welcome to CF friend, I am in agreement with your pastor on these as it is spirit vs flesh matters. What glorifies God? Does ethier? that is what we are here for anyway.
Is there any spiritual growth here to be gained from any of it?
I believe you already know your answer but hope that you are wrong. :] Don't worry as it a battle for everyone as the flesh is always seeking what is against the spirit.

 

[συνείδησις]

Paul wrote that to the clean all things are clean. I would recommend that instead of just doing what your pastor says, consider his counsel, but learn to judge for yourself. I would recommend studying the lyrics to those songs apart from the music. Then let the holy spirit witness to you if those lyrics are godly or not. Based on that decide if you still want to listen to it.

 

[vinsight4u]

/nvm

 

[Southernscotty]

There are lots of fun things to do.
study the Bible, church -of course
bowling, frisbee, miniature golf, dinners, picnics, tennis,
basketball and more

Fishing!!! Hunting!!! and dare I say Fishing and Hunting :]

 

[συνείδησις]

I can't go the the movies because they are guaranteed have nothing to do with God, can't play no games for example my all time favorite, the god of war series. It feels like i can barely breathe sometimes without being convicted with good reasoning. Every corner i turn something fun to do is bad because x y and z.

It's all a matter of faith and keeping a clean conscience, my friend. Blindingly following man's arbitrary rules would burn anyone out.

The faith that you have, have with respect to yourself before God. Blessed is the one who does not pass judgment on himself by what he approves. But the one who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not do so from faith, and everything that is not from faith is sin. Romans 14:22-23

I know and am convinced in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean of itself, except to the one who considers something to be unclean; to that person it is unclean. Romans 14:14​

 

[Celticroots]

That church sounds way too legalistic. Not being allowed to listen to a certain type of music because it has the word Dragon in it? Really?

No movies. No games. Satan is not hiding around every tree waiting to get you. This is over kill and psychologically harmful.

You'll drive yourself crazy if you continue like this.

Leaving this church may be the healthiest option.

 

[Gell]

Mark 9:38-41
I guess this also applies to music artists (?)
As long as that helps you with your spiritual growth.
And by mentioning that we shouldn’t forget to practice discernment and ask guidance from the Author of salvation

 

[Strathos]

If you become so afraid of Satan that you're unwilling to do much of anything because he might be involved, then it seems to me that means he already won.

 

[DaishinKan]

That church sounds way too legalistic. Not being allowed to listen to a certain type of music because it has the word Dragon in it? Really?

No movies. No games. Satan is not hiding around every tree waiting to get you. This is over kill and psychologically harmful.

You'll drive yourself crazy if you continue like this.

Leaving this church may be the healthiest option.

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
1 Peter 5:8 KJV
In other words he Is actually around every tree lol

 

[Celticroots]

Mark 9:38-41
I guess this also applies to music artists (?)
As long as that helps you with your spiritual growth.
And by mentioning that we shouldn’t forget to practice discernment and ask guidance from the Author of salvation

Guess one should give up all music then if it doesn't help you with spiritual growth and because it's secular-Classical, Country, Jazz, Celtic, Rock. I sure as heck couldn't do it.

 

[Celticroots]

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
1 Peter 5:8 KJV
In other words he Is actually around every tree lol

There's being discerning. And there's being paranoid. You're the latter. I value my sanity and refuse to live in fear of everything. So, I will read books, listen to music, go to movies, etc. Live.

This is why I avoid religious zealots like the plague.

 

[Celticroots]

If you become so afraid of Satan that you're unwilling to do much of anything because he might be involved, then it seems to me that means he already won.

Exactly.

 

[Dave G.]

Games and music can be especially tricky areas to navigate. Just walking through the gaming department at Walmart to go buy a mini card for my cell phone I can feel the Holy Spirit quivering inside me as if I just drank too much coffee LOL ! I see evil there, seriously. And secular music makes me nervous too.

I don't feel anything evil doing wood turning ( I turn things like ornaments and candle holders as gifts) or building a new fly rod or tying flies to fish with. I meet people fly fishing I can speak the gospel with or just have a good word in season even, and give the glory to God for the opportunity. Every time another tree or a limb comes down in my yard , though it will require work to clean up ( God did say to work lol), it gives me a chance to thank God for the free stock for my wood lathe ! Take the things you enjoy doing and turn it to His glory. My piano music is part of my pastor friends local tv broadcast. Etc. and Amen

 

[DaishinKan]

There's being discerning. And there's being paranoid. You're the latter. I value my sanity and refuse to live in fear of everything.

The church doesn't force anyone but these are the guides we follow, this is how my pastor would think and teach us, he's not a bully. We don't believe in living 50%, or being lukewarm as the bible says, its either you are all in, or all out when it comes to God, against or with, and if you are with, you must obey the word in its entirety and completely separate yourself from everything not of God. No compromising.
I know no one becomes perfect in a day, but you seem like you might be too laid back or unwilling to go deeper than just obeying the 10 commandments. Christians today just go to church, read a chapter a day and see themselves righteous in their own eyes. I know for a fact if Jesus came back today he isn't watching a single modern day movie for you know what reasons
The 1st response pretty much answered my whole post lol. But being 20 years of age and transitioning from secular to spiritual at a fast rate is not easy. That's why i just felt like making a post to let it out and hear opinions. In time i might find the right hobbies to replace the previous ones.

 

[vinsight4u]

/nvm

 

[Celticroots]

I didn't care for the first God's not Dead movie. Didn't want to see the second at all.

 

[Celticroots]

The church doesn't force anyone but these are the guides we follow, this is how my pastor would think and teach us, he's not a bully. We don't believe in living 50%, or being lukewarm as the bible says, its either you are all in, or all out when it comes to God, against or with, and if you are with, you must obey the word in its entirety and completely separate yourself from everything not of God. No compromising.
I know no one becomes perfect in a day, but you seem like you might be too laid back or unwilling to go deeper than just obeying the 10 commandments. Christians today just go to church, read a chapter a day and see themselves righteous in their own eyes. I know for a fact if Jesus came back today he isn't watching a single modern day movie for you know what reasons
The 1st response pretty much answered my whole post lol. But being 20 years of age and transitioning from secular to spiritual at a fast rate is not easy. That's why i just felt like making a post to let it out and hear opinions. In time i might find the right hobbies to replace the previous ones.

That's not a pastor I would want. He's way too extreme. Well I believe you can obey God's word and not see evil in every thing. I am not getting rid of all music and movies or hobbies. I am not a zealot. I've seen how zealotry ruins people, turning them into nervous wrecks and it's not a way I'd ever want to be. And as someone who already suffers from anxiety I am not having anything to do with extremism. And we don't live in a world of extremes. Most things are shades of grey.

I refuse to see every little thing as evil. I like being laid back. It's the best thing for my mental health. Sorry.

My relationship with God is fine and strong as it is.

 

[Celticroots]

Games and music can be especially tricky areas to navigate. Just walking through the gaming department at Walmart to go buy a mini card for my cell phone I can feel the Holy Spirit quivering inside me as if I just drank too much coffee LOL ! I see evil there, seriously. And secular music makes me nervous too.

I don't feel anything evil doing wood turning ( I turn things like ornaments and candle holders as gifts) or building a new fly rod or tying flies to fish with. I meet people fly fishing I can speak the gospel with or just have a good word in season even, and give the glory to God for the opportunity. Every time another tree or a limb comes down in my yard , though it will require work to clean up ( God did say to work lol), it gives me a chance to thank God for the free stock for my wood lathe ! Take the things you enjoy doing and turn it to His glory. My piano music is part of my pastor friends local tv broadcast. Etc. and Amen

I don't see anything wrong with secular music unless it endorses something blatantly disgusting, the band Disturbed comes to mind there. There's lots of great genres. Country, classical, Pop, Rock, Celtic. When I hear a song that speaks to me, or that' has gotten me through a difficult time, I thank God for the artist who wrote the song.

I like Christian music also but couldn't listen to it 24/7.

 

[aiki]

If you remove things from your life for the wrong reason, eventually you will come to resent their removal and you'll begin to compromise on doing so. This often leads to hypocrisy, and legalism, and a generally frustrated and unhappy life as a Christian.

I used to practice a martial art. I taught it, in fact, for nearly thirty years (my body has paid a price for my hard training and I can't do it any more). The training was often painful and exhausting; it cost me a lot of time and money; I had to sacrifice many occasions with friends and family to do it; my social life was very narrow; my body got injured. Why in the world would anyone do this to themselves? My family would often ask me this. The answer: Love. I loved the martial training; I loved the japanese martial art culture; I loved the skills I developed. I can tell you that no other motive would have induced me to suffer, and strain, and work like I did as a martial artist.

So, why am I telling you this? Well, there's a direct parallel, I think, between my motive for doing martial arts and my motive for walking with God. The only thing that will make the sacrifices you must make to walk with God worthwhile is love. It is the only thing powerful enough to move you into the life of self-denial and sacrifice that is the Christian life. And this is why Jesus said,

Matthew 22:37-38
37 ..."'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.'
38 This is the first and great commandment.

Everything you do as a believer is supposed to begin with love. Love for God, radical, whole-hearted love for Him, is the ground out of which all the rest of the Christian life is supposed to be lived. When it isn't, being a Christian quickly becomes a burden rather than a joy, an onerous duty rather than a blessing. Believers who are motivated into walking with God from fear, or obligation, or self-righteousness, or tradition, or any other motive that isn't love, begin to see God, not as a loving, gentle, patient Heavenly Father but as a wrathful, bossy, and dangerous Warden of the prison of Christian living. And just like prisoners who try to get away with as much as they can when the Warden's back is turned, Christians who aren't loving God with all of their being begin to compromise and secretly indulge in things they know they shouldn't. They become guilty, resentful and hypocritical and, because living like this sucks, in time they drift entirely out of fellowship with God.

Begin with learning to love God deeply and the rest of the Christian life falls into place.