http://westsidechristianfellowship.org Glorifying Christ, Multiplying Disciples Sat, 19 May 2012 23:15:31 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 Westside Christian Fellowship Westside Christian Fellowship Sermons from Westside Christian Fellowship and Pastor Shane Idleman. Pastor Shane emphasizes the Bible as the ultimate source of truth and authority. We affirm the truth of the Bible as the inspired, inerrant Word of God. We believe that Jesus Christ is God. Because of our sin - for all have sinned sin - we are in need of a savior, so Christ came as the sacrifice to pay the price to redeem us. He was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, performed miracles, died for our sins, and rose again on the third day to make a way for us to join him in heaven for eternity. We believe in a literal heaven and hell, and believe that the only way to heaven is through Christ. Fore more information, or to read our full statement of faith, please visit westsidechristianfellowship.org. Glorifying Christ, Multiplying Disciples Westside,Christian,Fellowship,Pastor,Shane,Idleman,Lancaster,California,Glorifying,Christ,Multiplying,Disciples,God,Christian,Truth,Love,Power,Holy,Spirit,Prayer,Christ,Church,Sermon,Discipleship,Video,Bible,Message,Genesis,Creation,Relative,Morality no Westside Christian FellowshipWestside,Christian,Fellowship,Pastor,Shane,Idleman,Lancaster,California,Glorifying,Christ,Multiplying,Disciples,God,Christian,Truth,Love,Power,Holy,Spirit,Prayer,Christ,Church,Sermon,Discipleship,Video,Bible,Message,Genesis,Creation,Relative,MoralityReligion & Spirituality/Christianityadmin@wcfav.orgWestside Christian Fellowshiphttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/WestsideChristianFellowshiphttp://feedburner.google.com http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WestsideChristianFellowship/~3/o5hrq8V4Cm8/ http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/articles/5192012-holiness-come-out-from-among-them-pastor-shane-idleman/#comments Thu, 17 May 2012 04:24:44 +0000 admin@wcfav.org (Westside Christian Fellowship) http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/?p=1979 Part three in a series on holiness by Shane Idleman A famous poem reads, “All the water in the world no matter how hard it tries, can never sink a ship unless it gets inside. All the evil influence of the world no matter how hard it tries, can never sink a Christian's soul unless it gets inside.”... <a href="http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/articles/5192012-holiness-come-out-from-among-them-pastor-shane-idleman/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=o5hrq8V4Cm8:_0OIfnrWJOY:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=o5hrq8V4Cm8:_0OIfnrWJOY:F7zBnMyn0Lo"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=o5hrq8V4Cm8:_0OIfnrWJOY:F7zBnMyn0Lo" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=o5hrq8V4Cm8:_0OIfnrWJOY:7Q72WNTAKBA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=7Q72WNTAKBA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=o5hrq8V4Cm8:_0OIfnrWJOY:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=o5hrq8V4Cm8:_0OIfnrWJOY:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=o5hrq8V4Cm8:_0OIfnrWJOY:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=o5hrq8V4Cm8:_0OIfnrWJOY:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=o5hrq8V4Cm8:_0OIfnrWJOY:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/WestsideChristianFellowship/~4/o5hrq8V4Cm8" height="1" width="1"/> http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/articles/5192012-holiness-come-out-from-among-them-pastor-shane-idleman/feed/ 0 Part three in a series on holiness by Shane Idleman A famous poem reads, “All the water in the world no matter how hard it tries, can never sink a ship unless it gets inside. All the evil influence of the world no matter how hard it tries, can never sink a Christian&#039;s soul unless it gets inside.”... Continue reading &rarr;Part three in a series on holiness by Shane Idleman A famous poem reads, “All the water in the world no matter how hard it tries, can never sink a ship unless it gets inside. All the evil influence of the world no matter how hard it tries, can never sink a Christian&#039;s soul unless it gets inside.” The greatest battle we will ever fight is within. Our mind is where the battle is either won or lost: “As a man thinks in his heart so is he” (Proverbs 3:27). Galatians 5:17 says that the Spirit gives us desires that are opposite from what our sinful nature desires, and that these two forces are constantly fighting against each other. As a result, our choices are rarely free from this conflict. Don’t be alarmed. The fact that there is a fight confirms the value of our commitment to Christ and His standard of holiness. For example, our sinful nature says, “Party—eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow we die,” but Jesus said, &quot;Take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day [His return] come on you unexpectedly&quot; (Luke 21:34). Sin says, “Feed me more of the world.” But God says, “Come out from among them and be separate.” R.A. Torrey (1856-1928) noted, &quot;The gratification of the flesh and the fullness of the Spirit do not go hand in hand.&quot; Most walk away from Christ not because He fails them, or because the Word of God proves to be untrue, but because of the love of this world (gratifying the flesh). We cannot overlook the seriousness of this issue. Jesus said that the worries and desires of this world, along with the deceitfulness of wealth, come in and choke the Word of God, making it unfruitful (Mark 4:19). We are soldiers and the battleground is the world. Those who do not stand guard will soon see their soul drift toward Sodom and away from the Spirit; toward goods rather than godliness; toward wealth rather than wisdom. The passion we once had for the purity of God’s Word can easily be exchanged for the pollutants of the world. For this reason, I often write about making wise entertainment choices. What we put into our mind affects our relationship with God at a very deep level. 1 John 2:15-17 says, “Love not the world (the worlds mindset), neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.” Saints of the past would often say, “Others may, you cannot.” They realized that in pursuing holiness, God sets the standard, not man. I’m not suggesting that we sell everything and live on the outskirts of the desert, but that we remain “unspotted” from the the world’s corruption (cf. James 1:27). We cannot live like the world in regard to moral and spiritual issues. We should continually ask, “Are we ‘affecting’ the world, or is the world ‘infecting’ us?” There should be a distinction and a difference in the lifestyle of Christians. This is a by-product of true Christianity. Not surprisingly, the enemy often destroys the best with the good. We can get so caught up in sports, entertainment, activities, and, even ministry, that we have little time and energy left for God. We want to enjoy the worlds passing pleasures and her alluring enticements. But at what cost? Granted, we should be thankful for simple, God-given pleasures and use them to bring balance and rest to busy lives, but they should not constantly consume our time, energy, and passions. In deep sadness, the apostle Paul wrote that “many live as enemies of the cross of Christ.Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things” (Philippians 3:18-19). Sadly, many are so busy seeking the things of this world that they don’t truly seek God. They may go to church and may even read their bible, but the cares of this life take center-stage. Their lifestyle simply reflects the true condition of their heart. Today’s society rates success by busy-ness. “Successful people are busy people,” so they say. But God’s word says the opposite: If we’re too busy to cultivate a deep prayer life and a lifestyle that places God first—we are too busy. We should never allow our relationship with Him to suffer because we’re too busy. Again, “All the water in the world no matter how hard it tries, can never sink a ship unless it gets inside. All the evil influence of the world no matter how hard it tries, can never sink a Christian&#039;s soul unless it gets inside.” Holiness is the key to truly understanding God: “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled” (Matthew 5:6). TO VIEW THE VIDEO SERMON ON HOLINESS, CLICK https://vimeo.com/41772594 http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/articles/5192012-holiness-come-out-from-among-them-pastor-shane-idleman/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WestsideChristianFellowship/~3/eJJ7IOi_hIA/ http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/videos/5122012-understanding-god-is-love-pastor-shane-idleman/#comments Sat, 12 May 2012 19:00:31 +0000 admin@wcfav.org (Westside Christian Fellowship) http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/?p=1981 <iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/42176282?byline=0&#38;portrait=0&#38;color=000000" frameborder="0" width="600" height="338"></iframe> 5/12/2012 Understanding "God Is Love" — Pastor Shane Idleman <a href="http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/videos/5122012-understanding-god-is-love-pastor-shane-idleman/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=eJJ7IOi_hIA:sMlj59j7oTg:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=eJJ7IOi_hIA:sMlj59j7oTg:F7zBnMyn0Lo"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=eJJ7IOi_hIA:sMlj59j7oTg:F7zBnMyn0Lo" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=eJJ7IOi_hIA:sMlj59j7oTg:7Q72WNTAKBA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=7Q72WNTAKBA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=eJJ7IOi_hIA:sMlj59j7oTg:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=eJJ7IOi_hIA:sMlj59j7oTg:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=eJJ7IOi_hIA:sMlj59j7oTg:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=eJJ7IOi_hIA:sMlj59j7oTg:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=eJJ7IOi_hIA:sMlj59j7oTg:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/WestsideChristianFellowship/~4/eJJ7IOi_hIA" height="1" width="1"/> http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/videos/5122012-understanding-god-is-love-pastor-shane-idleman/feed/ 0 5/12/2012 Understanding &quot;God Is Love&quot; — Pastor Shane Idleman Continue reading &rarr; 5/12/2012 Understanding &quot;God Is Love&quot; — Pastor Shane Idleman http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/videos/5122012-understanding-god-is-love-pastor-shane-idleman/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WestsideChristianFellowship/~3/ipGpJ69m4fg/ http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/articles/592012-holiness-are-you-willing-to-do-what-it-takes-shane-idleman/#comments Thu, 10 May 2012 04:48:54 +0000 admin@wcfav.org (Westside Christian Fellowship) http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/?p=1969 Part two in a series on holiness by Shane Idleman As stated last week, of all the attributes of God described in the Bible, holiness is seen most often. Men fell down in the holy presence of God. Leaders, priests, and kings all trembled at the sheer magnitude of His holiness. The angels cry, “Holy, Holy, Holy is our God.”... <a href="http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/articles/592012-holiness-are-you-willing-to-do-what-it-takes-shane-idleman/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=ipGpJ69m4fg:r0Dsd1o4-JA:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=ipGpJ69m4fg:r0Dsd1o4-JA:F7zBnMyn0Lo"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=ipGpJ69m4fg:r0Dsd1o4-JA:F7zBnMyn0Lo" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=ipGpJ69m4fg:r0Dsd1o4-JA:7Q72WNTAKBA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=7Q72WNTAKBA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=ipGpJ69m4fg:r0Dsd1o4-JA:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=ipGpJ69m4fg:r0Dsd1o4-JA:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=ipGpJ69m4fg:r0Dsd1o4-JA:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=ipGpJ69m4fg:r0Dsd1o4-JA:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=ipGpJ69m4fg:r0Dsd1o4-JA:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/WestsideChristianFellowship/~4/ipGpJ69m4fg" height="1" width="1"/> http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/articles/592012-holiness-are-you-willing-to-do-what-it-takes-shane-idleman/feed/ 0 Part two in a series on holiness by Shane Idleman As stated last week, of all the attributes of God described in the Bible, holiness is seen most often. Men fell down in the holy presence of God. Leaders, priests, and kings all trembled at the sheer magnitude of His holiness. The angels cry, “Holy, Holy, Holy is our God.”... Continue reading &rarr;Part two in a series on holiness by Shane Idleman As stated last week, of all the attributes of God described in the Bible, holiness is seen most often. Men fell down in the holy presence of God. Leaders, priests, and kings all trembled at the sheer magnitude of His holiness. The angels cry, “Holy, Holy, Holy is our God.” Holiness is the key to truly understanding God. This is why sin is serious. It separates us from God; it stands in direct opposition to Him. It corrupts our character and our testimony; it prevents holiness and quenches and grieves the Spirit within. J.C. Ryle (1816-1900) in his book on holiness said that we must stand guard as a soldier on enemy ground. The problem is that many love the world and have a hard time separating. They believe in heaven but they don’t truly long for it. They “say” that they fear God but they don’t live like it. They indulge temptation rather than fight it. They enjoy sin rather than confront it. And they compromise rather than conquer. The lukewarm church disdains the heat of conviction. Holiness, to them, is outdated, old-fashioned (too conservative). Are you willing to do what it takes to truly know God? Seeking to identify the middle ground between our responsibility (obedience) and God’s role in sanctification (holiness) can be challenging, but it doesn’t need to be. The Bible is filled with passages about obedience that leads to holiness. For example, 1 Peter 1:14 says, “As obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance.” 1 John 3:3 adds that “all who have this hope in Him purify themselves, just as He is pure.” And Romans 6:19 tells us to present our “bodies as slaves to righteousness.” Peter asks, “What sort of people ought you to be in holiness and godliness?” (2 Peter 3:11). It’s clear from Scripture that obedience produces sanctification (holiness). Holiness is a by-product of our submission to the work of the Spirit. Sadly, many don’t seek the surrendered life. They want the narrow road to be broad and the cross to be light. But holiness has a cost. J.C. Ryle noted that “holiness will cost a man his sins. He must be willing to give up every habit and practice which is wrong in God’s sight...There must be no separate truce with any special sin which he loves.” Ryle continues, “Our sins are often as dear to us as our children: we love them, hug them, cleave to them, and delight in them. To part with them is as hard as cutting off a right hand, or plucking out a right eye. But it must be done. The parting must come.” Holiness comes with a price...there is a cost—death to self and crucifixion to the world. To be filled mightily with the Spirit, we must first be emptied of self. Pride and arrogance hinder holiness. We are to overcome sin, not surrender to it. Holiness challenges lukewarm living. A vast majority of Christian are turning a deaf ear to the call to holiness. Conviction is replaced with complacency. Their thought is, “I’m just not convicted about that like you are.” Often, the reason is because they are not truly seeking God...they are set more toward Sodom than on following Him unconditionally. Lukewarm living disdains the heat of conviction. It “loves the world” more than the things of God. A call to holiness challenges our lifestyle (mine included); it forces us to confront idols and remove destructive habits. Holiness will cost the opinions of men. Be clear on this issue: We will be ridiculed, mocked, slandered, persecuted, and even hated when we take a stand for holiness. Nevertheless, we desperately need holiness. We must turn to God’s truth and away from the broad road that leads to destruction. We must repent, ask for forgiveness, and seek restoration. We should not apologize for following God’s Word. We are in the midst of a spiritual battle. We will be criticized for following Christ, mocked for believing in truth, and challenged for promoting holiness. We are called to deny ourselves, pick up our cross, and follow Him. The day of the passive, lukewarm church must come to an end if we truly desire for families to be restored and for lives to be rebuilt. We must lovingly preach holiness in our pulpits again: “Without holiness no one will see the Lord” (Hebrews 12:14). The prophets of old bear this out as well. These men were sent by God to call the people back to Him...back to holiness: “And the Lord God of their fathers sent warnings to them by His messengers [to convict them], rising up early and sending them, because He had compassion on His people and on His dwelling place. But they mocked the messengers of God, despised His words, and scoffed at His prophets, until the wrath of the Lord arose against His people, till there was no remedy.” Little has changed: We still mock difficult messages from the pulpit and the pen, we despise the heat of conviction, and we scoff at those who seek God unconditionally. I ask again, “Are you willing to do what it takes to truly know God?” To View the video sermon on holiness, Click Here. http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/articles/592012-holiness-are-you-willing-to-do-what-it-takes-shane-idleman/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WestsideChristianFellowship/~3/6sMzHgZZ73w/ http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/videos/552012-hindrances-to-holiness-pastor-shane-idleman/#comments Sun, 06 May 2012 02:00:39 +0000 admin@wcfav.org (Westside Christian Fellowship) http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/?p=1974 <iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/41772594?byline=0&#38;portrait=0&#38;color=000000" frameborder="0" width="600" height="338"></iframe> 5/5/2012 "Hindrances To Holiness" — Pastor Shane Idleman <a href="http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/videos/552012-hindrances-to-holiness-pastor-shane-idleman/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=6sMzHgZZ73w:-uOS_0EHVeI:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=6sMzHgZZ73w:-uOS_0EHVeI:F7zBnMyn0Lo"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=6sMzHgZZ73w:-uOS_0EHVeI:F7zBnMyn0Lo" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=6sMzHgZZ73w:-uOS_0EHVeI:7Q72WNTAKBA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=7Q72WNTAKBA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=6sMzHgZZ73w:-uOS_0EHVeI:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=6sMzHgZZ73w:-uOS_0EHVeI:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=6sMzHgZZ73w:-uOS_0EHVeI:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=6sMzHgZZ73w:-uOS_0EHVeI:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=6sMzHgZZ73w:-uOS_0EHVeI:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/WestsideChristianFellowship/~4/6sMzHgZZ73w" height="1" width="1"/> http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/videos/552012-hindrances-to-holiness-pastor-shane-idleman/feed/ 0 5/5/2012 &quot;Hindrances To Holiness&quot; — Pastor Shane Idleman Continue reading &rarr; 5/5/2012 &quot;Hindrances To Holiness&quot; — Pastor Shane Idleman http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/videos/552012-hindrances-to-holiness-pastor-shane-idleman/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WestsideChristianFellowship/~3/xiFrFUHTvHg/ http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/audio/hindrances-to-holiness-pastor-shane-idleman-552012/#comments Sun, 06 May 2012 02:00:27 +0000 admin@wcfav.org (Westside Christian Fellowship) http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/?p=1976 <a href="http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/WP/wp-content/uploads/Audio/5-5-2012_hinderances_to_prayer.mp3" "Hindrances To Holiness" — Pastor Shane Idleman - 5/5/2012 Download MP3 <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/westside-christian-fellowship/id386117063">If you want to always have the latest audio messages from Westside Christian Fellowship, don't forget to <strong>subscribe to this podcast on iTunes.</strong></a> <a class="twitter-share-button" href="http://twitter.com/share">Tweet</a><script src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" type="text/javascript"></script> <a href="http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/audio/hindrances-to-holiness-pastor-shane-idleman-552012/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=xiFrFUHTvHg:Y2pvjzM-WD0:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=xiFrFUHTvHg:Y2pvjzM-WD0:F7zBnMyn0Lo"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=xiFrFUHTvHg:Y2pvjzM-WD0:F7zBnMyn0Lo" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=xiFrFUHTvHg:Y2pvjzM-WD0:7Q72WNTAKBA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=7Q72WNTAKBA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=xiFrFUHTvHg:Y2pvjzM-WD0:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=xiFrFUHTvHg:Y2pvjzM-WD0:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=xiFrFUHTvHg:Y2pvjzM-WD0:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=xiFrFUHTvHg:Y2pvjzM-WD0:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=xiFrFUHTvHg:Y2pvjzM-WD0:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/WestsideChristianFellowship/~4/xiFrFUHTvHg" height="1" width="1"/> http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/audio/hindrances-to-holiness-pastor-shane-idleman-552012/feed/ 0 noWestside,Christian,Fellowship,Pastor,Shane,Idleman,Lancaster,California,Glorifying,Christ,Multiplying,Disciples,God,Christian,Truth,Love,Power,Holy,Spirit,Prayer,Christ,Church,Sermon,Discipleship,Video,Bible,Message,Genesis,Creation,Relative,Moralityhttp://westsidechristianfellowship.org/audio/hindrances-to-holiness-pastor-shane-idleman-552012/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WestsideChristianFellowship/~3/tRpenTSzHsk/ http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/articles/552012-understanding-god-through-holiness-pastor-shane-idleman/#comments Wed, 02 May 2012 17:40:32 +0000 admin@wcfav.org (Westside Christian Fellowship) http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/?p=1961 Part one in a series on holiness In the words of the famous hymn writer Isaac Watts, “True Christianity, where it reigns in the heart, will make itself appear in the purity of life.” Of all the attributes of God described in the Bible, holiness is seen most often. Men fell down in the holy presence of God. Leaders, priests, and kings all trembled at the sheer magnitude of His holiness. The angels cry, “Holy, Holy, Holy is our God.”... <a href="http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/articles/552012-understanding-god-through-holiness-pastor-shane-idleman/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=tRpenTSzHsk:tx_HVVDX65E:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=tRpenTSzHsk:tx_HVVDX65E:F7zBnMyn0Lo"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=tRpenTSzHsk:tx_HVVDX65E:F7zBnMyn0Lo" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=tRpenTSzHsk:tx_HVVDX65E:7Q72WNTAKBA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=7Q72WNTAKBA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=tRpenTSzHsk:tx_HVVDX65E:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=tRpenTSzHsk:tx_HVVDX65E:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=tRpenTSzHsk:tx_HVVDX65E:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=tRpenTSzHsk:tx_HVVDX65E:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=tRpenTSzHsk:tx_HVVDX65E:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/WestsideChristianFellowship/~4/tRpenTSzHsk" height="1" width="1"/> http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/articles/552012-understanding-god-through-holiness-pastor-shane-idleman/feed/ 0 Part one in a series on holiness In the words of the famous hymn writer Isaac Watts, “True Christianity, where it reigns in the heart, will make itself appear in the purity of life.” Of all the attributes of God described in the Bible, holiness is seen most often. Men fell down in the holy presence of God. Leaders, priests, and kings all trembled at the sheer magnitude of His holiness. The angels cry, “Holy, Holy, Holy is our God.”... Continue reading &rarr;Part one in a series on holiness In the words of the famous hymn writer Isaac Watts, “True Christianity, where it reigns in the heart, will make itself appear in the purity of life.” Of all the attributes of God described in the Bible, holiness is seen most often. Men fell down in the holy presence of God. Leaders, priests, and kings all trembled at the sheer magnitude of His holiness. The angels cry, “Holy, Holy, Holy is our God.” Holiness is the key to truly understanding God. Sadly, many have intellectual knowledge of God but few have heart knowledge: “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled” (Matthew 5:6). There must be a hunger and a thirst for holiness. A quick mental run through of our media choices, checkbooks, and calendars reveal if we are truly seeking hard after God. James 1:27 says that we are to remain “unspotted” from the world—to be free from the world’s corruption. We should continually ask, “Are we ‘affecting’ the world, or is the world ‘infecting’ us?” The Eerdman’s Dictionary of the Bible defines holiness: “The root idea of holiness is that of ‘separation’ or ‘withdrawal’. It is a divine quality, part of the intrinsic nature of God, but absent from a fallen world. The basic theological problem is that this holy God desires to have fellowship with sinful humans living in a fallen world. Since God cannot become less holy in order to fellowship with humans, they must become more holy (sanctified); once gained, holiness may be lessened or contaminated by…feeling, thinking, or acting in ways that God has forbidden (sinfulness).” Holiness is not simply knowing about God—knowledge and holiness do not necessarily go hand-in-hand. One can have knowledge of sin but not be repentant. Second, holiness does not mean that we never sin. Those who seek holiness realize just how sinful they actually are. The closer we draw to God the clearer the picture of sin becomes. Third, holiness does not lead to the forgiveness of sin. God declares the believer righteous (holy) because of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. Christ plus something equals salvation is not biblical. We are declared right before God when we put our trust in Christ, not in our &quot;good&quot; works. In passages where Jesus referred to helping those in need, following Him unconditionally, and dying to self, He was not saying that we are saved because we do these things, but rather, we do these things because we are saved. Finally, holiness is not as much about “what” I don’t do as it is about “why” I don’t do something. It’s safe to assume that those who live strictly by rules rather than a true relationship with Christ are not holy...they are religious. They may avoid people, places, and things but still be critical, judgmental, jealous, arrogant, and angry—“having a form of godliness.” Holiness involves truly seeking God verses “playing church.” Now with that said, holiness may appear as if one is following rules: avoiding people, places, and things that hinder growth, but this avoidance is fueled a relationship with God rather than rules. This is why sin is serious: it separates us from God; it stands in direct opposition to Him. It corrupts our character and our testimony; it prevents holiness and quenches and grieves the Spirit within. J.C. Ryle in his book on holiness said that we must stand guard as a soldier on enemy ground. The problem is that many love the world and have a hard time separating. They believe in heaven, but they don’t truly long for it. They “say” that they fear God but they don’t live like it. They indulge temptation rather than fight it. They enjoy sin rather than confront it. And they compromise rather than conquer. The lukewarm church disdains the heat of conviction. Holiness, to them, is outdated...old-fashioned. Make no mistake, holiness will cost something. Ryle continues with these words about making holiness a priority, “He must count it no strange thing to be mocked, ridiculed, slandered, persecuted, and even hated. He must not be surprised to find his opinions and practices in religion despised and held up to scorn. He must submit to be thought by many a fool, an enthusiast, and a fanatic...to have his words perverted and his actions misrepresented.” In short, we are to do what is right, not what is popular...pleasing God rather than man. Let me leave you with this thought: Are you willing to do what it takes to protect your relationship with the Lord? Drawing a line can be out of step with the mainstream, but, like Joshua, we too must say: Choose this day whom you will serve, as for me and my house we will serve the Lord (Joshua 24:15). http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/articles/552012-understanding-god-through-holiness-pastor-shane-idleman/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WestsideChristianFellowship/~3/rgNPemWnBQw/ http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/audio/understanding-god-thru-holiness-part-1-pastor-shane-idleman-4282012/#comments Sun, 29 Apr 2012 02:00:48 +0000 admin@wcfav.org (Westside Christian Fellowship) http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/?p=1966 <a href="http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/WP/wp-content/uploads/Audio/4-28-2012_understand_god_thru_holiness.mp3" "Understanding God Thru Holiness [part 1]" — Pastor Shane Idleman - 4/28/2012 Download MP3 <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/westside-christian-fellowship/id386117063">If you want to always have the latest audio messages from Westside Christian Fellowship, don't forget to <strong>subscribe to this podcast on iTunes.</strong></a> <a class="twitter-share-button" href="http://twitter.com/share">Tweet</a><script src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" type="text/javascript"></script> <a href="http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/audio/understanding-god-thru-holiness-part-1-pastor-shane-idleman-4282012/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=rgNPemWnBQw:lUHJZuH5Luc:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=rgNPemWnBQw:lUHJZuH5Luc:F7zBnMyn0Lo"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=rgNPemWnBQw:lUHJZuH5Luc:F7zBnMyn0Lo" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=rgNPemWnBQw:lUHJZuH5Luc:7Q72WNTAKBA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=7Q72WNTAKBA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=rgNPemWnBQw:lUHJZuH5Luc:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=rgNPemWnBQw:lUHJZuH5Luc:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=rgNPemWnBQw:lUHJZuH5Luc:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=rgNPemWnBQw:lUHJZuH5Luc:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=rgNPemWnBQw:lUHJZuH5Luc:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/WestsideChristianFellowship/~4/rgNPemWnBQw" height="1" width="1"/> http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/audio/understanding-god-thru-holiness-part-1-pastor-shane-idleman-4282012/feed/ 0 noWestside,Christian,Fellowship,Pastor,Shane,Idleman,Lancaster,California,Glorifying,Christ,Multiplying,Disciples,God,Christian,Truth,Love,Power,Holy,Spirit,Prayer,Christ,Church,Sermon,Discipleship,Video,Bible,Message,Genesis,Creation,Relative,Moralityhttp://westsidechristianfellowship.org/audio/understanding-god-thru-holiness-part-1-pastor-shane-idleman-4282012/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WestsideChristianFellowship/~3/qU6jWxOWqSY/ http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/videos/4282012-understanding-god-thru-holiness-part-1-pastor-shane-idleman/#comments Sun, 29 Apr 2012 02:00:30 +0000 admin@wcfav.org (Westside Christian Fellowship) http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/?p=1963 <iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/41316767?byline=0&#38;portrait=0&#38;color=000000" frameborder="0" width="600" height="338"></iframe> 4/28/2012 "Understanding God Thru Holiness [part 1]" — Pastor Shane Idleman <a href="http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/videos/4282012-understanding-god-thru-holiness-part-1-pastor-shane-idleman/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=qU6jWxOWqSY:y1wX0dkPedQ:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=qU6jWxOWqSY:y1wX0dkPedQ:F7zBnMyn0Lo"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=qU6jWxOWqSY:y1wX0dkPedQ:F7zBnMyn0Lo" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=qU6jWxOWqSY:y1wX0dkPedQ:7Q72WNTAKBA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=7Q72WNTAKBA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=qU6jWxOWqSY:y1wX0dkPedQ:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=qU6jWxOWqSY:y1wX0dkPedQ:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=qU6jWxOWqSY:y1wX0dkPedQ:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=qU6jWxOWqSY:y1wX0dkPedQ:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=qU6jWxOWqSY:y1wX0dkPedQ:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/WestsideChristianFellowship/~4/qU6jWxOWqSY" height="1" width="1"/> http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/videos/4282012-understanding-god-thru-holiness-part-1-pastor-shane-idleman/feed/ 0 4/28/2012 &quot;Understanding God Thru Holiness [part 1]&quot; — Pastor Shane Idleman Continue reading &rarr; 4/28/2012 &quot;Understanding God Thru Holiness [part 1]&quot; — Pastor Shane Idleman http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/videos/4282012-understanding-god-thru-holiness-part-1-pastor-shane-idleman/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WestsideChristianFellowship/~3/BMJm_2DztM0/ http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/articles/4282012-money-is-it-servant-or-master-pastor-shane-idleman/#comments Sat, 28 Apr 2012 13:30:56 +0000 admin@wcfav.org (Westside Christian Fellowship) http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/?p=1958 “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:21 Throughout the centuries, the church has watched as the pendulum swung between two thoughts: vows of poverty and the “prosperity gospel.” In times past, Christians equated oaths of poverty with deep spiritual maturity; whereas the "prosperity gospel" echoes the opposite...wealth is a sign of God’s favor. Both extremes offer a false sense of spirituality. Poverty does not necessarily enhance spirituality, and the “prosperity gospel” is not the real gospel. God may prosper us but that is secondary—a relationship with Christ is primary.... <a href="http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/articles/4282012-money-is-it-servant-or-master-pastor-shane-idleman/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=BMJm_2DztM0:NRHX_AQfVKw:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=BMJm_2DztM0:NRHX_AQfVKw:F7zBnMyn0Lo"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=BMJm_2DztM0:NRHX_AQfVKw:F7zBnMyn0Lo" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=BMJm_2DztM0:NRHX_AQfVKw:7Q72WNTAKBA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=7Q72WNTAKBA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=BMJm_2DztM0:NRHX_AQfVKw:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=BMJm_2DztM0:NRHX_AQfVKw:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=BMJm_2DztM0:NRHX_AQfVKw:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=BMJm_2DztM0:NRHX_AQfVKw:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=BMJm_2DztM0:NRHX_AQfVKw:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/WestsideChristianFellowship/~4/BMJm_2DztM0" height="1" width="1"/> http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/articles/4282012-money-is-it-servant-or-master-pastor-shane-idleman/feed/ 0 “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:21 Throughout the centuries, the church has watched as the pendulum swung between two thoughts: vows of poverty and the “prosperity gospel.” In times past, Christians equated oaths of poverty with deep spiritual maturity; whereas the &quot;prosperity gospel&quot; echoes the opposite...wealth is a sign of God’s favor. Both extremes offer a false sense of spirituality. Poverty does not necessarily enhance spirituality, and the “prosperity gospel” is not the real gospel. God may prosper us but that is secondary—a relationship with Christ is primary.... Continue reading &rarr;“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:21 Throughout the centuries, the church has watched as the pendulum swung between two thoughts: vows of poverty and the “prosperity gospel.” In times past, Christians equated oaths of poverty with deep spiritual maturity; whereas the &quot;prosperity gospel&quot; echoes the opposite...wealth is a sign of God’s favor. Both extremes offer a false sense of spirituality. Poverty does not necessarily enhance spirituality, and the “prosperity gospel” is not the real gospel. God may prosper us but that is secondary—a relationship with Christ is primary. America needs a reality check. Thousands of children die quietly in some of the poorest villages on earth every day. Research shows that for the 1.9 billion children in third world countries, almost two in three lack access to clean water; surviving on less than $2 a day. This is extremely disheartening. The average, low income family in America is wealthier than millions across our globe. We often fail to realize just how blessed we are. Rather than using our resources to serve, they have become our master. We fail to recognize God as the true source of blessing and abundance. On March 30, 1863, Abraham Lincoln issued a historic proclamation appointing a National Fast Day. He said, “We have forgotten God, and we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own.” Lincoln recognized that most Americans credit themselves with their success rather than God. We either worship the god of this world, or the true and living God. “No one can serve two masters. 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 both God and Money” (Matthew 6:24). Consider the following: 1. Money is a heart issue. God does not need our money—money can be a gauge that measures spiritual health. This is no doubt why Jesus taught on stewardship more than any other topic, saying, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21). 1 Timothy 6:6-10 says, “Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.” It all starts here—the love of money is a snare that leads us further and further from God. 2. Wisdom in stewardship is foundational. One definition of stewardship notes that people who have yielded control of their finances to Christ habitually honor Him in their financial decisions and steward resources that He has provided. Budgeting resources and controlled spending is wise stewardship. Do you “need” something or do you simply “want” it...this question is at the heart of good stewardship. Budgeting (good stewardship) is the control valve to spending and to money worship. Budgeting allows you to control your desires rather than allowing your desires to control you. 3. Determine how much to give on a regular basis: “Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7). Sadly, many use this scripture to support minimal giving when it actually promotes the opposite. From my perspective, the New Testament believer isn’t “required” to tithe, but they should be a very generous person. Ten percent is a good number...it offers a starting number to budget in. David said, “I will not give the Lord that which costs me nothing” (2 Samuel 24:24). Giving to the Lord must cost something—that is true, sacrificial giving. Routine, collective giving (through the church, for example) is a spiritual principle intended to help one another and further God’s kingdom. It’s a sad reality that the church, in general, does not give as God intended, and has, in fact, given its responsibility to the government. 4. Motive is the key: The Bible refers to a “rich fool” who said, “I shall say to my soul, &#039;My soul, you have many goods laid up for many years, be contented, eat, drink and be merry.’ But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God” (Lk. 12:19-21). Having a savings account wasn’t the issue, his heart was corrupt. He was a selfish, self-centered man. God judged him for it. Had the man said, “God, I have many goods laid up for many years. What would you like me to do with these resources?” he would have been in the center of God’s will. This man’s attitude about his money revealed his heart. In the same way, our attitude reveals the condition of our heart: “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21). Money can be a wonderful servant...but a terrible master! “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” (Mark 8:36). By Shane Idleman; www.WCFAV.org http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/articles/4282012-money-is-it-servant-or-master-pastor-shane-idleman/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WestsideChristianFellowship/~3/PGZxjH_n-3s/ http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/videos/4212012-money-is-money-a-hindrance-to-faith-part-2-pastor-shane-idleman/#comments Sun, 22 Apr 2012 02:00:58 +0000 admin@wcfav.org (Westside Christian Fellowship) http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/?p=1952 <iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/40918320?byline=0&#38;portrait=0&#38;color=000000" frameborder="0" width="600" height="338"></iframe> 4/21/2012 "MONEY: gross, god or good? [part 2]" — Pastor Shane Idleman <a href="http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/videos/4212012-money-is-money-a-hindrance-to-faith-part-2-pastor-shane-idleman/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=PGZxjH_n-3s:MNPc-jKKCvM:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=PGZxjH_n-3s:MNPc-jKKCvM:F7zBnMyn0Lo"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=PGZxjH_n-3s:MNPc-jKKCvM:F7zBnMyn0Lo" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=PGZxjH_n-3s:MNPc-jKKCvM:7Q72WNTAKBA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=7Q72WNTAKBA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=PGZxjH_n-3s:MNPc-jKKCvM:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=PGZxjH_n-3s:MNPc-jKKCvM:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=PGZxjH_n-3s:MNPc-jKKCvM:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=PGZxjH_n-3s:MNPc-jKKCvM:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=PGZxjH_n-3s:MNPc-jKKCvM:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/WestsideChristianFellowship/~4/PGZxjH_n-3s" height="1" width="1"/> http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/videos/4212012-money-is-money-a-hindrance-to-faith-part-2-pastor-shane-idleman/feed/ 0 4/21/2012 &quot;MONEY: gross, god or good? [part 2]&quot; — Pastor Shane Idleman Continue reading &rarr; 4/21/2012 &quot;MONEY: gross, god or good? [part 2]&quot; — Pastor Shane Idleman http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/videos/4212012-money-is-money-a-hindrance-to-faith-part-2-pastor-shane-idleman/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WestsideChristianFellowship/~3/eateXhCPMHw/ http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/audio/money-is-money-a-hindrance-to-faith-part-2-pastor-shane-idleman-4212012/#comments Sun, 22 Apr 2012 02:00:00 +0000 admin@wcfav.org (Westside Christian Fellowship) http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/?p=1955 <a href="http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/WP/wp-content/uploads/Audio/4-21-2012_money_gross_god_good_2.mp3" "MONEY: Is money a hindrance to faith? [part 2]" — Pastor Shane Idleman - 4/21/2012 Download MP3 <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/westside-christian-fellowship/id386117063">If you want to always have the latest audio messages from Westside Christian Fellowship, don't forget to <strong>subscribe to this podcast on iTunes.</strong></a> <a class="twitter-share-button" href="http://twitter.com/share">Tweet</a><script src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" type="text/javascript"></script> <a href="http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/audio/money-is-money-a-hindrance-to-faith-part-2-pastor-shane-idleman-4212012/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=eateXhCPMHw:g58kqbmevxY:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=eateXhCPMHw:g58kqbmevxY:F7zBnMyn0Lo"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=eateXhCPMHw:g58kqbmevxY:F7zBnMyn0Lo" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=eateXhCPMHw:g58kqbmevxY:7Q72WNTAKBA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=7Q72WNTAKBA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=eateXhCPMHw:g58kqbmevxY:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=eateXhCPMHw:g58kqbmevxY:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=eateXhCPMHw:g58kqbmevxY:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=eateXhCPMHw:g58kqbmevxY:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=eateXhCPMHw:g58kqbmevxY:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/WestsideChristianFellowship/~4/eateXhCPMHw" height="1" width="1"/> http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/audio/money-is-money-a-hindrance-to-faith-part-2-pastor-shane-idleman-4212012/feed/ 0 noWestside,Christian,Fellowship,Pastor,Shane,Idleman,Lancaster,California,Glorifying,Christ,Multiplying,Disciples,God,Christian,Truth,Love,Power,Holy,Spirit,Prayer,Christ,Church,Sermon,Discipleship,Video,Bible,Message,Genesis,Creation,Relative,Moralityhttp://westsidechristianfellowship.org/audio/money-is-money-a-hindrance-to-faith-part-2-pastor-shane-idleman-4212012/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WestsideChristianFellowship/~3/OXlToKrjCZc/ http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/articles/4202012-what-goes-in-the-mind-comes-out-in-actions-pastor-shane-idleman/#comments Sat, 21 Apr 2012 13:30:26 +0000 admin@wcfav.org (Westside Christian Fellowship) http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/?p=1949 Part two on entertainment by Shane Idleman; www.WCFAV.org When Matt was very young, his parents introduced him to a family friend. Matt was excited because he had someone to play with; his parents were pleased because he could entertain Matt when they were busy... <a href="http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/articles/4202012-what-goes-in-the-mind-comes-out-in-actions-pastor-shane-idleman/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=OXlToKrjCZc:Rc4PbfmLFZQ:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=OXlToKrjCZc:Rc4PbfmLFZQ:F7zBnMyn0Lo"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=OXlToKrjCZc:Rc4PbfmLFZQ:F7zBnMyn0Lo" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=OXlToKrjCZc:Rc4PbfmLFZQ:7Q72WNTAKBA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=7Q72WNTAKBA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=OXlToKrjCZc:Rc4PbfmLFZQ:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=OXlToKrjCZc:Rc4PbfmLFZQ:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=OXlToKrjCZc:Rc4PbfmLFZQ:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=OXlToKrjCZc:Rc4PbfmLFZQ:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=OXlToKrjCZc:Rc4PbfmLFZQ:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/WestsideChristianFellowship/~4/OXlToKrjCZc" height="1" width="1"/> http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/articles/4202012-what-goes-in-the-mind-comes-out-in-actions-pastor-shane-idleman/feed/ 0 Part two on entertainment by Shane Idleman; www.WCFAV.org When Matt was very young, his parents introduced him to a family friend. Matt was excited because he had someone to play with; his parents were pleased because he could entertain Matt when they were busy... Continue reading &rarr;Part two on entertainment by Shane Idleman; www.WCFAV.org When Matt was very young, his parents introduced him to a family friend. Matt was excited because he had someone to play with; his parents were pleased because he could entertain Matt when they were busy. As the years went by, Matt and his friend spent countless hours together playing video games, watching sports, music videos, and reality shows. In time, things changed—his friend began to use profanity and was disrespectful toward his family. Although his mother and father disapproved, what could they do? His friend was like a family member now. He taught Matt how to dress, how to act, and even how to treat others. Although his parents wouldn’t admit it, he taught them a thing or two as well. Once Matt reached his teen years, his friend’s influence was obvious. Matt spent more time with him than with his family. Matt’s dad and mom were always gone, so his friend taught him about life. He introduced Matt to alcohol, drugs, and pornography. He explained how sex before marriage wasn’t a bad thing; everybody was doing it, even with same-sex partners. Surprisingly, Matt’s parents allowed his friend to continue to live in their home. After all, they enjoyed his company; he was a great entertainer. When Matt grew older, he realized that the friendship should never have continued. He believed that his friend’s influence encouraged his dad’s affair, his mom’s problem with alcohol, and eventually, their divorce; the impact of Matt’s friend on him was just as devastating. Today, with full knowledge of the damage done, Matt still allows his friend to live with him, and, amazingly, he still listens to his advice. Matt’s friend has a name; it’s television. Although fictitious, Matt’s story is more fact than fiction; it’s characteristic of so many homes today—what goes in ultimately comes out. This, no one can deny. Just a few decades ago, most of today’s television programs and movies would have shocked the public. Programs that never would have aired then, receive the highest ratings now. You may say, &quot;Times change.&quot; And you are correct, but God’s standards do not. The sin that once amazed us now amuses us. When sin begins to amuse us, we are dangerously close to the edge: &quot;Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil&quot; (Isaiah 5:20). For those who doubt that there is a significant contrast between God’s Word and what most entertainment and media outlets promote, the following may surprise you: Media: Cheat on your spouse; everyone is doing it. Truth: &quot;Whoever commits adultery…destroys his own soul&quot; (Proverbs 6:32). Media: Have sex before marriage; experiment with same-sex partners. Truth: &quot;Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators (sex outside of marriage) God will judge&quot; (Hebrews 13:4). Media: Abort your mistake; after all, it’s only a fetus, not a baby. Truth: &quot;Before I formed you in the womb I knew you&quot; (Jeremiah 1:5). Psalm 139:13 says, God formed my inward parts; He knit me together in my mother’s womb. Media: Party—eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow we die. Truth: &quot;But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day [Jesus’ return] come on you unexpectedly&quot; (Luke 21:34). Media: Cage fighting and other brutal sports exemplify manhood; follow their example. Truth: Men are to love their wives and raise their children in the fear and admonition of the Lord. (See Ephesians 5:25 and 6:4.) Media: Disrespect your parents and their outdated advice. Truth: &quot;Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord your God has commanded you, that your days may be long&quot; (Deuteronomy 5:16). What most in the media promote and what the truth actually is are hardly compatible. No wonder families are disintegrating; it’s evident to me that we’ve embraced an attitude of compromise in our nation, and, more sadly, in our homes. We, like the mighty Roman Empire that collapsed centuries ago, are crumbling from within. Historian Edward Gibbon recalls the condition of Rome before her fall: 1) The rapid increase in divorce and “the undermining of the dignity and sanctity of the home.” 2) More taxation and the spending of public funds on food and entertainment. 3) “The mad craze for pleasure and sport; sport becoming every year more and more exciting and brutal.” 4) The building up of the military when the real enemy is within—“in the decadence of the people themselves.” 5) “The decay of religious faith; faith fading into mere form...” For anyone to suggest that the media isn’t propelling us in this direction, is either sheer ignorance or denial. Culture is religion externalized. In other words, the culture around us simply reflects who and what we value. How we dress, what we view, who we hang out with, what we listen to, and how we spend our time, all speak volumes as to what we cherish. Are we cherishing the things of God, or the things of the world? Remember, what goes in the mind ultimately comes out in our actions. http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/articles/4202012-what-goes-in-the-mind-comes-out-in-actions-pastor-shane-idleman/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WestsideChristianFellowship/~3/F_1OCE-6vjc/ http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/videos/4142012-money-gross-god-or-good-part-1-pastor-shane-idleman/#comments Sun, 15 Apr 2012 02:00:58 +0000 admin@wcfav.org (Westside Christian Fellowship) http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/?p=1942 <iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/40507553?byline=0&#38;portrait=0&#38;color=000000" frameborder="0" width="600" height="338"></iframe> 4/14/2012 "MONEY: gross, god or good? [part 1]" — Pastor Shane Idleman <a href="http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/videos/4142012-money-gross-god-or-good-part-1-pastor-shane-idleman/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=F_1OCE-6vjc:svCUuzuNxhw:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=F_1OCE-6vjc:svCUuzuNxhw:F7zBnMyn0Lo"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=F_1OCE-6vjc:svCUuzuNxhw:F7zBnMyn0Lo" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=F_1OCE-6vjc:svCUuzuNxhw:7Q72WNTAKBA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=7Q72WNTAKBA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=F_1OCE-6vjc:svCUuzuNxhw:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=F_1OCE-6vjc:svCUuzuNxhw:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=F_1OCE-6vjc:svCUuzuNxhw:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=F_1OCE-6vjc:svCUuzuNxhw:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=F_1OCE-6vjc:svCUuzuNxhw:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/WestsideChristianFellowship/~4/F_1OCE-6vjc" height="1" width="1"/> http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/videos/4142012-money-gross-god-or-good-part-1-pastor-shane-idleman/feed/ 0 4/14/2012 &quot;MONEY: gross, god or good? [part 1]&quot; — Pastor Shane Idleman Continue reading &rarr; 4/14/2012 &quot;MONEY: gross, god or good? [part 1]&quot; — Pastor Shane Idleman http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/videos/4142012-money-gross-god-or-good-part-1-pastor-shane-idleman/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WestsideChristianFellowship/~3/qer9vz9Czr0/ http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/audio/money-gross-god-or-good-part-1-pastor-shane-idleman-4142012/#comments Sun, 15 Apr 2012 02:00:16 +0000 admin@wcfav.org (Westside Christian Fellowship) http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/?p=1947 <a href="http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/WP/wp-content/uploads/Audio/4-14-2012_money_gross_god_good.mp3" "MONEY: gross, god or good? [part 1]" — Pastor Shane Idleman - 4/14/2012 Download MP3 <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/westside-christian-fellowship/id386117063">If you want to always have the latest audio messages from Westside Christian Fellowship, don't forget to <strong>subscribe to this podcast on iTunes.</strong></a> <a class="twitter-share-button" href="http://twitter.com/share">Tweet</a><script src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" type="text/javascript"></script> <a href="http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/audio/money-gross-god-or-good-part-1-pastor-shane-idleman-4142012/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=qer9vz9Czr0:W04CFxgPxkg:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=qer9vz9Czr0:W04CFxgPxkg:F7zBnMyn0Lo"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=qer9vz9Czr0:W04CFxgPxkg:F7zBnMyn0Lo" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=qer9vz9Czr0:W04CFxgPxkg:7Q72WNTAKBA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=7Q72WNTAKBA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=qer9vz9Czr0:W04CFxgPxkg:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=qer9vz9Czr0:W04CFxgPxkg:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=qer9vz9Czr0:W04CFxgPxkg:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=qer9vz9Czr0:W04CFxgPxkg:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=qer9vz9Czr0:W04CFxgPxkg:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/WestsideChristianFellowship/~4/qer9vz9Czr0" height="1" width="1"/> http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/audio/money-gross-god-or-good-part-1-pastor-shane-idleman-4142012/feed/ 0 noWestside,Christian,Fellowship,Pastor,Shane,Idleman,Lancaster,California,Glorifying,Christ,Multiplying,Disciples,God,Christian,Truth,Love,Power,Holy,Spirit,Prayer,Christ,Church,Sermon,Discipleship,Video,Bible,Message,Genesis,Creation,Relative,Moralityhttp://westsidechristianfellowship.org/audio/money-gross-god-or-good-part-1-pastor-shane-idleman-4142012/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WestsideChristianFellowship/~3/iGasCIKFoWc/ http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/articles/4142012-todays-entertainment-is-desensitizing-the-church-pastor-shane-idleman/#comments Thu, 12 Apr 2012 17:45:06 +0000 admin@wcfav.org (Westside Christian Fellowship) http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/?p=1939 By Shane Idleman; www.WCFAV.org Famed radio host, Janet Parshall, recently aired a program about new movie sensations that are depicting ungodly themes, such as the Hunger Games, Twilight, etc. Her guest made the point that the church is losing the power of discernment. I couldn’t agree more... <a href="http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/articles/4142012-todays-entertainment-is-desensitizing-the-church-pastor-shane-idleman/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=iGasCIKFoWc:yVkN7Rn06x0:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=iGasCIKFoWc:yVkN7Rn06x0:F7zBnMyn0Lo"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=iGasCIKFoWc:yVkN7Rn06x0:F7zBnMyn0Lo" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=iGasCIKFoWc:yVkN7Rn06x0:7Q72WNTAKBA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=7Q72WNTAKBA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=iGasCIKFoWc:yVkN7Rn06x0:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=iGasCIKFoWc:yVkN7Rn06x0:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=iGasCIKFoWc:yVkN7Rn06x0:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=iGasCIKFoWc:yVkN7Rn06x0:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=iGasCIKFoWc:yVkN7Rn06x0:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/WestsideChristianFellowship/~4/iGasCIKFoWc" height="1" width="1"/> http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/articles/4142012-todays-entertainment-is-desensitizing-the-church-pastor-shane-idleman/feed/ 0 By Shane Idleman; www.WCFAV.org Famed radio host, Janet Parshall, recently aired a program about new movie sensations that are depicting ungodly themes, such as the Hunger Games, Twilight, etc. Her guest made the point that the church is losing the power of discernment. I couldn’t agree more... Continue reading &rarr;By Shane Idleman; www.WCFAV.org Famed radio host, Janet Parshall, recently aired a program about new movie sensations that are depicting ungodly themes, such as the Hunger Games, Twilight, etc. Her guest made the point that the church is losing the power of discernment. I couldn’t agree more. Before sending this article to print, I asked my mother for feedback and perspective from an earlier generation. She had recently received an email from a friend, though much more liberal in her beliefs, who was concerned about movies such as The Hunger Games...noting that it feels like we’ve returned to the gladiator mentality, and that we are being entertained by a “hunger for blood and spiritual darkness...by throwing our young into the death arena.” My mother continued, “The older generation has seen the slow digression from standards of excellence in movie making to movies that distort and destroy, and are far removed from themes of integrity. Fifty years ago these types of programs were recognized as wrong. Although we might watch them, few, if any, would dare justify them.” The unavoidable truth is that we are becoming desensitized. The Holy Spirit no longer fills our hearts with a passion for purity and holiness. As a result, there is a general lack of conviction. Desensitization can be well illustrated through a story that I heard years ago. Eskimos in the barren North often kill wolves by taking a razor sharp knife and dipping it in blood. They allow the blood to freeze to the blade. Then they bury the handle of the knife in the snow with the blade exposed. As the wolf begins to lick the blade, his tongue becomes numb and desensitized due to the cold. As he continues, his tongue begins to bleed, and he licks even faster—unaware that he is consuming his own blood and slowly killing himself. Within time, the Eskimos return and bring the dead animal home. In the same way, the enemy numbs us through compromise by what we allow into our mind. Within time, we, like the wolves, don’t see that we are dying—dying spiritually. The enemy desensitizes us until we are numb to the things of God...until conviction fades. For example, why do so many enjoy movies and programs that glorify illicit sex, witchcraft, the occult, extreme violence, vampires, and child sacrifice? Incredibly, what God calls an abomination is today’s entertainment. We rationalize watching and listening to questionable material because, in many cases, we have been desensitized. Excuses are often packaged in phrases such as, “I have liberty to watch this”, or, “It’s no big deal...everyone is doing it.” But we must remember that liberty has limits. The key is to ask, “Will it build me up spiritually or pull me down?” To suggest, as some have, that these types of programs are neutral, simply reflects a lack of spiritual discernment. Some animated allegories of good and evil can carry a good message; however, when evil is portrayed as good, we’ve crossed the line: “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil” (Isaiah 5:20). There are gray areas, this I clearly understand, but illicit sex, enchantments, witchcraft, familiar spirits, wizards, extreme violence, and child sacrifice are not gray areas; even if “portrayed” as good. Darkness should not entertain the church—there should be a different influence guiding us. What we watch and listen to affects the heart; it’s impossible to separate the two. This generation, in large number, suffers from hopelessness and depression...suicide is an epidemic among young adults. Surely, one has to wonder if there is a correlation. Do we really think that these types of movies are not going to affect us or our children? Do we really believe that these are simply fun, entertaining shows with no spiritual ramifications? Ephesians 6:12 reminds us that “our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.” For this reason, Psalm 101:3 warns us not to put anything wicked before our eyes, and I Timothy 4:12 exhorts us to be examples of purity and decency. Philippians 4:8 says to fix our thoughts on what is true and honorable and right, and to think about things that are pure and lovely and admirable and worthy of praise. Everyone who names the name of Christ must depart from anything that goes against His standard of holiness if they truly desire discernment. Discernment cannot come from a polluted mind. One year, with summer approaching, I stepped into my in-laws’ pool. My immediate reaction to the piercing cold water was to step out, but to avoid their comments, I continued down the steps. I stopped when the water reached my knees. After a few minutes,I continued to move slowly down, stopping for brief periods until I was fully submerged. Each step was shocking, but gradually, I became comfortable with the cold water—my body accepted what was initially shocking. In the same way, we’ve become comfortable with ungodly entertainment, and what once alarmed us now amuses us. We continue to hear: “Come on in, it’s not that bad, everyone’s doing it!” And we step right in. We have been desensitized one generation at a time, one movie at a time, one compromise at a time and we are now submerged in a spiritually dark cesspool. We must once again seek God’s standards of purity and holiness. “Do not be deceived. God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap” (Galatians 6:7). http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/articles/4142012-todays-entertainment-is-desensitizing-the-church-pastor-shane-idleman/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WestsideChristianFellowship/~3/LtSq34_mk6Q/ http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/videos/472012-the-power-of-the-cross-pastor-shane-idleman/#comments Sun, 08 Apr 2012 02:00:45 +0000 admin@wcfav.org (Westside Christian Fellowship) http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/?p=1933 <iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/40112068?byline=0&#38;portrait=0&#38;color=000000" frameborder="0" width="600" height="338"></iframe> 4/7/2012 "The Power Of The Cross" — Pastor Shane Idleman <a href="http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/videos/472012-the-power-of-the-cross-pastor-shane-idleman/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=LtSq34_mk6Q:8lhDBtAyGoE:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=LtSq34_mk6Q:8lhDBtAyGoE:F7zBnMyn0Lo"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=LtSq34_mk6Q:8lhDBtAyGoE:F7zBnMyn0Lo" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=LtSq34_mk6Q:8lhDBtAyGoE:7Q72WNTAKBA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=7Q72WNTAKBA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=LtSq34_mk6Q:8lhDBtAyGoE:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=LtSq34_mk6Q:8lhDBtAyGoE:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=LtSq34_mk6Q:8lhDBtAyGoE:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=LtSq34_mk6Q:8lhDBtAyGoE:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=LtSq34_mk6Q:8lhDBtAyGoE:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/WestsideChristianFellowship/~4/LtSq34_mk6Q" height="1" width="1"/> http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/videos/472012-the-power-of-the-cross-pastor-shane-idleman/feed/ 0 4/7/2012 &quot;The Power Of The Cross&quot; — Pastor Shane Idleman Continue reading &rarr; 4/7/2012 &quot;The Power Of The Cross&quot; — Pastor Shane Idleman http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/videos/472012-the-power-of-the-cross-pastor-shane-idleman/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WestsideChristianFellowship/~3/lcddH3_O4vE/ http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/audio/the-power-of-the-cross-pastor-shane-idleman-472012/#comments Sun, 08 Apr 2012 02:00:28 +0000 admin@wcfav.org (Westside Christian Fellowship) http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/?p=1935 <a href="http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/WP/wp-content/uploads/Audio/4-7-2012_power_of_the_cross.mp3" "The Power Of The Cross" — Pastor Shane Idleman - 4/7/2012 Download MP3 <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/westside-christian-fellowship/id386117063">If you want to always have the latest audio messages from Westside Christian Fellowship, don't forget to <strong>subscribe to this podcast on iTunes.</strong></a> <a class="twitter-share-button" href="http://twitter.com/share">Tweet</a><script src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" type="text/javascript"></script> <a href="http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/audio/the-power-of-the-cross-pastor-shane-idleman-472012/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=lcddH3_O4vE:6dSCEXmPMXs:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=lcddH3_O4vE:6dSCEXmPMXs:F7zBnMyn0Lo"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=lcddH3_O4vE:6dSCEXmPMXs:F7zBnMyn0Lo" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=lcddH3_O4vE:6dSCEXmPMXs:7Q72WNTAKBA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=7Q72WNTAKBA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=lcddH3_O4vE:6dSCEXmPMXs:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=lcddH3_O4vE:6dSCEXmPMXs:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=lcddH3_O4vE:6dSCEXmPMXs:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=lcddH3_O4vE:6dSCEXmPMXs:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=lcddH3_O4vE:6dSCEXmPMXs:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/WestsideChristianFellowship/~4/lcddH3_O4vE" height="1" width="1"/> http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/audio/the-power-of-the-cross-pastor-shane-idleman-472012/feed/ 0 noWestside,Christian,Fellowship,Pastor,Shane,Idleman,Lancaster,California,Glorifying,Christ,Multiplying,Disciples,God,Christian,Truth,Love,Power,Holy,Spirit,Prayer,Christ,Church,Sermon,Discipleship,Video,Bible,Message,Genesis,Creation,Relative,Moralityhttp://westsidechristianfellowship.org/audio/the-power-of-the-cross-pastor-shane-idleman-472012/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WestsideChristianFellowship/~3/G9IOZMfxvOE/ http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/articles/472012-this-easter-dont-forget-about-the-cross-pastor-shane-idleman/#comments Fri, 06 Apr 2012 21:34:43 +0000 admin@wcfav.org (Westside Christian Fellowship) http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/?p=1927 “May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world” (Galatians 6:14). Why is the world offended by the cross? Why are so many disturbed when the name of Jesus is mentioned? Why is His name, above all others, often taken in vain?... <a href="http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/articles/472012-this-easter-dont-forget-about-the-cross-pastor-shane-idleman/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=G9IOZMfxvOE:c2R8zIXpmSA:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=G9IOZMfxvOE:c2R8zIXpmSA:F7zBnMyn0Lo"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=G9IOZMfxvOE:c2R8zIXpmSA:F7zBnMyn0Lo" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=G9IOZMfxvOE:c2R8zIXpmSA:7Q72WNTAKBA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=7Q72WNTAKBA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=G9IOZMfxvOE:c2R8zIXpmSA:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=G9IOZMfxvOE:c2R8zIXpmSA:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=G9IOZMfxvOE:c2R8zIXpmSA:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=G9IOZMfxvOE:c2R8zIXpmSA:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=G9IOZMfxvOE:c2R8zIXpmSA:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/WestsideChristianFellowship/~4/G9IOZMfxvOE" height="1" width="1"/> http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/articles/472012-this-easter-dont-forget-about-the-cross-pastor-shane-idleman/feed/ 0 “May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world” (Galatians 6:14). Why is the world offended by the cross? Why are so many disturbed when the name of Jesus is mentioned? Why is His name, above all others, often taken in vain?... Continue reading &rarr; “May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world” (Galatians 6:14). Why is the world offended by the cross? Why are so many disturbed when the name of Jesus is mentioned? Why is His name, above all others, often taken in vain? The answer is simple: There is power in His name, and there is power in the cross—power that shakes the spiritual realm. Philippians 2:9-11 says that God has highly exalted Jesus and has given Him a name that is above every other name, that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. No wonder the world hates the cross and the name of Jesus—they convict. The cross, sin, and repentance have never been popular terms even though they are at the heart of the Christian faith. Jesus Himself said that the cross would be offensive. Sadly, many today water down the gospel and avoid talking about the cross. They want the Bible to be more appealing and marketable. But truth is not marketable! We are to guard it, proclaim it, and defend it, but never compromise it. A.W. Tozer addressed this decades ago, “There has come in modern times a new cross into popular evangelical circles. It is like the old cross, but different; the likenesses are superficial, the differences fundamental. The old cross slew men; the new cross entertains them. The old cross condemned; the new cross amuses. The old cross destroyed confidence in the flesh; the new cross encourages it. The old cross brought tears and blood; the new cross brings laughter.” Tozer continues, &quot;Any objection to the carrying on of our present gold-calf [lukewarm] Christianity is met with the triumphant reply, ‘But we are winning them!’ And winning them to what? To true discipleship? To cross-carrying? To self-denial? To separation from the world? To crucifixion of the flesh? To holy living? To nobility of character? To a despising of the world’s treasures? To hard self-discipline? To love for God? To total committal to Christ? Of course the answer to all these questions is...No.&quot; This pleasant, “new cross” view, often leaves people confused and deceived because they believe in a self-promoting, self-seeking Christianity that bears no resemblance to Jesus’ sobering call to full surrender...to dying to self. For this reason, it’s been said that one of the greatest mission fields in the world today is the church, as a whole, in America. In our zeal to lead people to Christ, many paint a false picture of discipleship, or water it down altogether. Jesus didn’t say, &quot;Follow me and you won’t have to change anything&quot;; He said, “Deny yourself, pick up your cross, and follow Me” (Matthew 16:24). Jesus wants us to understand what’s involved when we follow Him—there is a cost. The cross cost Him and it will cost us. If current statistics hold true, many will continue to embrace a glamorized Christianity and be led astray. Life is a battleground not a playground! If you’ve never sincerely repented and trusted in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, there is no better time than now. Many who are trapped in religion go through life lacking passion, direction, and purpose, often living with a sense of remorse and guilt. They wonder, “Have I been good enough?” A relationship with Christ changes that. 2 Corinthians 5:17 states: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” Your past is forgiven, your present secure, and your future certain. The resurrection and the cross set us free from sin and death: “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23). No matter what you’ve done, you have the opportunity to believe in Jesus and be forgiven of sin. Acknowledge that you are a sinner in need of a Savior (Romans 3:23). Acknowledge that Jesus died for your sins (John 3:16). Repent and turn from your sins (Acts 3:19). Live your life for Him (Hebrews 12:1-2). This Easter, although we rejoice in the empty tomb, don’t forget about the power of the cross. The cross cleanses, redeems, releases, crushes, and triumphs. It offers hope and peace to a dying world. “There is no peace until we see the finished work of Jesus Christ—until we can look back and see the cross of Christ between our sins” (D.L. Moody). What does the cross mean to you? You cannot live your life with a question mark here. By Shane Idleman; www.WCFAV.org http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/articles/472012-this-easter-dont-forget-about-the-cross-pastor-shane-idleman/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WestsideChristianFellowship/~3/xArS00rGrsU/ http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/videos/3312012-the-holy-place-take-me-in-pastor-shane-idleman/#comments Sun, 01 Apr 2012 02:00:47 +0000 admin@wcfav.org (Westside Christian Fellowship) http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/?p=1922 <iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/39691876?byline=0&#38;portrait=0&#38;color=000000" frameborder="0" width="600" height="338"></iframe> 3/31/2012 "The Holy Place: Take Me In" — Pastor Shane Idleman <a href="http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/videos/3312012-the-holy-place-take-me-in-pastor-shane-idleman/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=xArS00rGrsU:5P5RVEHX3OM:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=xArS00rGrsU:5P5RVEHX3OM:F7zBnMyn0Lo"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=xArS00rGrsU:5P5RVEHX3OM:F7zBnMyn0Lo" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=xArS00rGrsU:5P5RVEHX3OM:7Q72WNTAKBA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=7Q72WNTAKBA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=xArS00rGrsU:5P5RVEHX3OM:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=xArS00rGrsU:5P5RVEHX3OM:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=xArS00rGrsU:5P5RVEHX3OM:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=xArS00rGrsU:5P5RVEHX3OM:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=xArS00rGrsU:5P5RVEHX3OM:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/WestsideChristianFellowship/~4/xArS00rGrsU" height="1" width="1"/> http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/videos/3312012-the-holy-place-take-me-in-pastor-shane-idleman/feed/ 0 3/31/2012 &quot;The Holy Place: Take Me In&quot; — Pastor Shane Idleman Continue reading &rarr; 3/31/2012 &quot;The Holy Place: Take Me In&quot; — Pastor Shane Idleman http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/videos/3312012-the-holy-place-take-me-in-pastor-shane-idleman/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WestsideChristianFellowship/~3/J3kVUA707fw/ http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/audio/the-holy-place-take-me-in-pastor-shane-idleman-3312012/#comments Sun, 01 Apr 2012 02:00:09 +0000 admin@wcfav.org (Westside Christian Fellowship) http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/?p=1925 <a href="http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/WP/wp-content/uploads/Audio/3-31-2012_the_holy_place.mp3" "The Holy Place: Take Me In" — Pastor Shane Idleman - 3/31/2012 Download MP3 <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/westside-christian-fellowship/id386117063">If you want to always have the latest audio messages from Westside Christian Fellowship, don't forget to <strong>subscribe to this podcast on iTunes.</strong></a> <a class="twitter-share-button" href="http://twitter.com/share">Tweet</a><script src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" type="text/javascript"></script> <a href="http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/audio/the-holy-place-take-me-in-pastor-shane-idleman-3312012/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=J3kVUA707fw:HJmiujc_x3I:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=J3kVUA707fw:HJmiujc_x3I:F7zBnMyn0Lo"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=J3kVUA707fw:HJmiujc_x3I:F7zBnMyn0Lo" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=J3kVUA707fw:HJmiujc_x3I:7Q72WNTAKBA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=7Q72WNTAKBA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=J3kVUA707fw:HJmiujc_x3I:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=J3kVUA707fw:HJmiujc_x3I:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=J3kVUA707fw:HJmiujc_x3I:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=J3kVUA707fw:HJmiujc_x3I:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=J3kVUA707fw:HJmiujc_x3I:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/WestsideChristianFellowship/~4/J3kVUA707fw" height="1" width="1"/> http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/audio/the-holy-place-take-me-in-pastor-shane-idleman-3312012/feed/ 0 noWestside,Christian,Fellowship,Pastor,Shane,Idleman,Lancaster,California,Glorifying,Christ,Multiplying,Disciples,God,Christian,Truth,Love,Power,Holy,Spirit,Prayer,Christ,Church,Sermon,Discipleship,Video,Bible,Message,Genesis,Creation,Relative,Moralityhttp://westsidechristianfellowship.org/audio/the-holy-place-take-me-in-pastor-shane-idleman-3312012/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WestsideChristianFellowship/~3/NGQd8da0oE0/ http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/articles/3312012-unrighteous-anger-explodes-shatters-and-damages-pastor-shane-idleman/#comments Sat, 31 Mar 2012 13:30:08 +0000 admin@wcfav.org (Westside Christian Fellowship) http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/?p=1918 The bible clearly differentiates between righteous and unrighteous anger. Anger can be the correct response or a dangerous emotional reaction. The nature of anger is defined by the motive and the condition of the heart. Anger over issues that anger the Lord such as crime, abortion, pornography, abuse, oppression, and so on, is justifiable and can cause positive action. If anger sparks prayer and a Christ-like stance, it can be productive. Martin Luther said, “When I am angry, I can pray well and preach well.” The focus of this article will be on destructive anger. Prisons are at capacity levels because of anger. Men and women rage at their children because of anger. Families are destroyed because of anger: “Anger worketh not the righteousness of God” (James 1:20). We’ll never walk fully in the will of God when anger controls us... <a href="http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/articles/3312012-unrighteous-anger-explodes-shatters-and-damages-pastor-shane-idleman/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=NGQd8da0oE0:vOl0tqEeRMA:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=NGQd8da0oE0:vOl0tqEeRMA:F7zBnMyn0Lo"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=NGQd8da0oE0:vOl0tqEeRMA:F7zBnMyn0Lo" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=NGQd8da0oE0:vOl0tqEeRMA:7Q72WNTAKBA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=7Q72WNTAKBA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=NGQd8da0oE0:vOl0tqEeRMA:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=NGQd8da0oE0:vOl0tqEeRMA:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=NGQd8da0oE0:vOl0tqEeRMA:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=NGQd8da0oE0:vOl0tqEeRMA:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=NGQd8da0oE0:vOl0tqEeRMA:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/WestsideChristianFellowship/~4/NGQd8da0oE0" height="1" width="1"/> http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/articles/3312012-unrighteous-anger-explodes-shatters-and-damages-pastor-shane-idleman/feed/ 0 The bible clearly differentiates between righteous and unrighteous anger. Anger can be the correct response or a dangerous emotional reaction. The nature of anger is defined by the motive and the condition of the heart. Anger over issues that anger the Lord such as crime, abortion, pornography, abuse, oppression, and so on, is justifiable and can cause positive action. If anger sparks prayer and a Christ-like stance, it can be productive. Martin Luther said, “When I am angry, I can pray well and preach well.” The focus of this article will be on destructive anger. Prisons are at capacity levels because of anger. Men and women rage at their children because of anger. Families are destroyed because of anger: “Anger worketh not the righteousness of God” (James 1:20). We’ll never walk fully in the will of God when anger controls us... Continue reading &rarr;The bible clearly differentiates between righteous and unrighteous anger. Anger can be the correct response or a dangerous emotional reaction. The nature of anger is defined by the motive and the condition of the heart. Anger over issues that anger the Lord such as crime, abortion, pornography, abuse, oppression, and so on, is justifiable and can cause positive action. If anger sparks prayer and a Christ-like stance, it can be productive. Martin Luther said, “When I am angry, I can pray well and preach well.” The focus of this article will be on destructive anger. Prisons are at capacity levels because of anger. Men and women rage at their children because of anger. Families are destroyed because of anger: “Anger worketh not the righteousness of God” (James 1:20). We’ll never walk fully in the will of God when anger controls us. For most, the act of killing an unborn child is unthinkable, yet, the sad reality is that anger is killing our children relationally, emotionally, spiritually, and, in some cases, physically. Josh McDowell once stated that the reason so many young people are losing ground in the area of spiritual truth is because their parents are providing poor examples. He continued, “One of the most common questions I get from young adults is, ‘How could we live for Christ, when we don’t want the Christ that our parents have?’” Anger causes children and spouses to walk on eggshells to avoid triggering a brewing volcano of angry emotions. Children and spouses should feel safe and secure in their own home. God makes no excuses for anger. We are to repent of this deadly sin. Anger can also prevent Christian leadership. Titus and 1 Timothy clearly say that elders, pastors, and leaders must not be angry, short tempered, or hot-headed, but rather, be gentle, kind, and not easily angered. Additionally, although wives cannot qualify a man for pastoral leadership, they can indirectly disqualify him if anger is an issue in her own life. In Genesis 4, God asked Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it.” Anger “waits at the door” ready to lunge and devour. Moses was not able to enter the promised land because of anger. Jacob cursed two of his sons, Simeon and Levi, because they were hot-headed men, “Cursed be their anger, for it is fierce; and their wrath, for it is cruel” (Genesis 49:5-7). Because of David’s anger and adultery, Uriah was killed in battle at David’s request to send him to the front line. Saul became enraged at David’s promotion and sought to kill him. Anger is not a little character flaw, it is the flame that fuels a raging fire that can consume everything, and everyone, in its path. History is filled with angry men and women who derailed their destiny. Do we, then, believe that we are exempt from the consequences of our anger? With that said, let’s briefly examine a few causes of anger: Selfishness can be defined as, “Seeking or concentrating on one&#039;s own advantage, pleasure, or well-being without regard for others.” Selfishness fosters anger in adults the same way it does in children. The resulting effect is angry temper tantrums. They are manageable at 4 years old, sad at 14, and embarrassing at 34. James 3:16 states that where envy and selfish ambition exist, there you will also find disorder and every evil practice...including anger. Jealousy stirs anger. Gossip springs from jealousy. We can offset anger by rejoicing in positions and promotions of others; be glad when the Lord blesses them. James 3:14-15 says that bitter jealousy is not of God, but is earthly, unspiritual, and demonic. Pride is the root cause of anger: “A proud and haughty man, ‘Scoffer’ is his name; He acts with arrogant pride” (Proverbs 21:24). Pride is often a catalysts for criticism, division, and anger. By holding on to anger, we jeopardize our health and the health of our family—spiritually, mentally, emotionally, relationally, and physically. Proverbs 18:21 reminds us, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue.” Ask, “Are my words going to build the other person up or tear them down?&quot; Angry words expressed to others can play an enormous role in shaping or reshaping their lives, especially when it comes to what we say to our spouse and children. Addiction clearly leads to anger; it controls, influences, and provokes. 1 Peter 2:11, “I urge you...to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul.” Addiction can be packed in pills, porn, alcohol, food, and so on. Addiction, to caffeine, for example, is a powerful stimulant that often fuels angry temper tantrums and explosive outbursts. Even the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders lists caffeine-related disorders such as caffeine intoxication, caffeine-induced anxiety disorder, and caffeine-induced sleep disorder. All can lead to angry outbursts and extreme irritability. Don’t rationalize and make excuses for addiction. By excusing actions, we deny responsibility. Take responsibility and make the needed changes. Guilt (not doing what we know is right) causes anger. Proverbs 13:15 says that “the way of the transgressor” is hard, but 1 John 1:9 offers hope: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Acts 3:19 adds, “Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out (so that times of refreshing will come).” Repentance frees us from shame and guilt and keeps anger at bay. Are there any areas in your life (such as anger) that need to be dealt with before emotional and spiritual health can be fully restored? If so, I encourage you to seek forgiveness and repentance today. James 4:6 says that God gives grace to the humble but resists the proud. Its our choice. http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/articles/3312012-unrighteous-anger-explodes-shatters-and-damages-pastor-shane-idleman/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WestsideChristianFellowship/~3/t_Oa7QvIsjE/ http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/audio/real-marriage-8-final-message-hope-for-the-hurting-pastor-shane-idleman-3242012/#comments Sun, 25 Mar 2012 02:00:59 +0000 admin@wcfav.org (Westside Christian Fellowship) http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/?p=1915 <a href="http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/WP/wp-content/uploads/Audio/3-24-2012_real_marriage_8.mp3" "“Real Marriage #8 [Final message]: Hope For The Hurting” — Pastor Shane Idleman - 3/24/2012 Download MP3 <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/westside-christian-fellowship/id386117063">If you want to always have the latest audio messages from Westside Christian Fellowship, don't forget to <strong>subscribe to this podcast on iTunes.</strong></a> <a class="twitter-share-button" href="http://twitter.com/share">Tweet</a><script src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" type="text/javascript"></script> <a href="http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/audio/real-marriage-8-final-message-hope-for-the-hurting-pastor-shane-idleman-3242012/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=t_Oa7QvIsjE:OT_2YolC8NU:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=t_Oa7QvIsjE:OT_2YolC8NU:F7zBnMyn0Lo"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=t_Oa7QvIsjE:OT_2YolC8NU:F7zBnMyn0Lo" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=t_Oa7QvIsjE:OT_2YolC8NU:7Q72WNTAKBA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=7Q72WNTAKBA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=t_Oa7QvIsjE:OT_2YolC8NU:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=t_Oa7QvIsjE:OT_2YolC8NU:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=t_Oa7QvIsjE:OT_2YolC8NU:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=t_Oa7QvIsjE:OT_2YolC8NU:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=t_Oa7QvIsjE:OT_2YolC8NU:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/WestsideChristianFellowship/~4/t_Oa7QvIsjE" height="1" width="1"/> http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/audio/real-marriage-8-final-message-hope-for-the-hurting-pastor-shane-idleman-3242012/feed/ 0 noWestside,Christian,Fellowship,Pastor,Shane,Idleman,Lancaster,California,Glorifying,Christ,Multiplying,Disciples,God,Christian,Truth,Love,Power,Holy,Spirit,Prayer,Christ,Church,Sermon,Discipleship,Video,Bible,Message,Genesis,Creation,Relative,Moralityhttp://westsidechristianfellowship.org/audio/real-marriage-8-final-message-hope-for-the-hurting-pastor-shane-idleman-3242012/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WestsideChristianFellowship/~3/gwwQTz9SWxo/ http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/videos/3242012-real-marriage-8-final-message-hope-for-the-hurting-pastor-shane-idleman/#comments Sun, 25 Mar 2012 02:00:12 +0000 admin@wcfav.org (Westside Christian Fellowship) http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/?p=1912 <iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/39250214?byline=0&#38;portrait=0&#38;color=000000" frameborder="0" width="600" height="338"></iframe> 3/24/2012 "Real Marriage #8 [Final message]: Hope For The Hurting" — Pastor Shane Idleman <a href="http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/videos/3242012-real-marriage-8-final-message-hope-for-the-hurting-pastor-shane-idleman/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=gwwQTz9SWxo:Lh3Dms3tDqE:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=gwwQTz9SWxo:Lh3Dms3tDqE:F7zBnMyn0Lo"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=gwwQTz9SWxo:Lh3Dms3tDqE:F7zBnMyn0Lo" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=gwwQTz9SWxo:Lh3Dms3tDqE:7Q72WNTAKBA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=7Q72WNTAKBA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=gwwQTz9SWxo:Lh3Dms3tDqE:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=gwwQTz9SWxo:Lh3Dms3tDqE:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=gwwQTz9SWxo:Lh3Dms3tDqE:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=gwwQTz9SWxo:Lh3Dms3tDqE:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=gwwQTz9SWxo:Lh3Dms3tDqE:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/WestsideChristianFellowship/~4/gwwQTz9SWxo" height="1" width="1"/> http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/videos/3242012-real-marriage-8-final-message-hope-for-the-hurting-pastor-shane-idleman/feed/ 0 3/24/2012 &quot;Real Marriage #8 [Final message]: Hope For The Hurting&quot; — Pastor Shane Idleman Continue reading &rarr; 3/24/2012 &quot;Real Marriage #8 [Final message]: Hope For The Hurting&quot; — Pastor Shane Idleman http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/videos/3242012-real-marriage-8-final-message-hope-for-the-hurting-pastor-shane-idleman/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WestsideChristianFellowship/~3/TsBxfevpPXQ/ http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/articles/3242012-doesnt-the-bible-say-judge-not-pastor-shane-idleman/#comments Sat, 24 Mar 2012 13:30:59 +0000 admin@wcfav.org (Westside Christian Fellowship) http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/?p=1904 A few years ago, a news report featured a famous athlete who was considering running for political office. As soon as the news correspondent asked about abortion and gay-marriage, the potential candidate became visibly upset. He criticized Christians and ended the interview saying, “Doesn’t the Bible say‘judge not’; who are you to tell people what they can, and cannot do?”... <a href="http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/articles/3242012-doesnt-the-bible-say-judge-not-pastor-shane-idleman/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=TsBxfevpPXQ:4p2yroOtJIA:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=TsBxfevpPXQ:4p2yroOtJIA:F7zBnMyn0Lo"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=TsBxfevpPXQ:4p2yroOtJIA:F7zBnMyn0Lo" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=TsBxfevpPXQ:4p2yroOtJIA:7Q72WNTAKBA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=7Q72WNTAKBA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=TsBxfevpPXQ:4p2yroOtJIA:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=TsBxfevpPXQ:4p2yroOtJIA:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=TsBxfevpPXQ:4p2yroOtJIA:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=TsBxfevpPXQ:4p2yroOtJIA:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=TsBxfevpPXQ:4p2yroOtJIA:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/WestsideChristianFellowship/~4/TsBxfevpPXQ" height="1" width="1"/> http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/articles/3242012-doesnt-the-bible-say-judge-not-pastor-shane-idleman/feed/ 0 A few years ago, a news report featured a famous athlete who was considering running for political office. As soon as the news correspondent asked about abortion and gay-marriage, the potential candidate became visibly upset. He criticized Christians and ended the interview saying, “Doesn’t the Bible say‘judge not’; who are you to tell people what they can, and cannot do?”... Continue reading &rarr;A few years ago, a news report featured a famous athlete who was considering running for political office. As soon as the news correspondent asked about abortion and gay-marriage, the potential candidate became visibly upset. He criticized Christians and ended the interview saying, “Doesn’t the Bible say‘judge not’; who are you to tell people what they can, and cannot do?” Unfortunately, misrepresentation of this Scripture is common among the media and other groups who often misquote Jesus’ words from Matthew 7:1, “Judge not, that you be not judged.” Ironically, few reference another scripture that also deals with judging, John 7:24. Here Jesus encourages His followers to “judge with righteous judgment.” At first, these two scriptures may seem contradictory, but when we look at the context and the true meaning of “judge,” we clearly see that there is no contradiction. This misrepresentation of “judging” is an attempt to conform scripture to support opinions, when, in fact, moral values are designed to conform to scriptural truths. Personal opinions vary—truth does not. We tend to pick and choose certain Scriptures as if they were choices on a menu. But we can’t choose those we like and discard the rest. I liken it to someone skimming through the pages of my first book, What Works When “Diets” Don’t, and reading: “Eat whatever foods you choose.” In it’s entirety, it actually reads, “If you follow these guidelines, stay within these ranges, and avoid these foods, you can eat whatever foods you choose.” Reading and following fragments of information can be misleading. If we apply only what we choose, we can easily miss what we need. Judging within the context of Matthew 7:1 refers to the type of judgment that a judge would render in a court of law, such as in Romans 14:4, “Who are you to judge another’s servant?” A judge hears the evidence and pronounces a judgment. We are in no position to do this—we don’t have all the facts. God tells us to leave justice to Him because He is the judge. In John 7:24, however, Christians are to judge or “call into question”those things that clearly contradict God’s principles. In 1 Corinthians 2:15, the apostle Paul said that those who are spiritual should judge and discern all things. The famous reformer, John Calvin, commenting on this topic, said, “These words of Christ do not contain an absolute prohibition from judging, but are intended to cure a disease—criticism.” Martin Luther King, Jr. said, “The church must be reminded that it is not the master or the servant of the state, but the conscience of the state.” Serving as the conscience of the people has been one of the primary functions of the church since its conception.Scripturally, we are commanded to differentiate between right and wrong, good and bad, truth and error, light and darkness. We are to judge according to the truth, especially pastors. Regarding moral issues that destroy lives and dishonor God, we are to judge (“call into question”) behaviors, choices, and lifestyles that lead people in a dangerous direction, especially if these issues are to become social policy and legally sanctioned. On another note, within the church itself we are to judge, but this is often misunderstood, and we can easily become “wrongfully” judgmental...failure to recognize diverse gifts may explain why. For instance,many Christians have different ministries, but all fall under the umbrella of Christian service. Within each of us, God creates varying desires, talents, and levels of interests. If God has called a man to preach His Word, that will be his passion. If God has called a Christian to pursue politics, that will be his or her passion. God established the concept of government; therefore, He desires godly leaders who govern according to His standards. If God has called a Christian to concentrate primarily on feeding the poor, that will be his or her passion. If God has called a Christian to the mission field in Africa, that will be his or her passion, and so on. Problems arise when we fail to respect different gifts. For example, those who believe that Christians should not mention controversial topics contradict the most basic of principles. From time to time, God clearly calls us to do just that—to confront, rebuke, and challenge. I encourage you to read Jesus’ words to the seven churches in the book of Revelation, to the religious leaders of His day, and to the cities that did not repent. Those who have been called to preach, much like the prophets of old, will confront compromise, condemn social digression, and powerfully denounce sin in the hope of reconciling man to God—they speak the truth in love. However, a spirit of compassion and understanding should move us, not judgmentalism. It’s often not what we say but how we say it that tilts the scale. Admittedly, I’ve failed in this area because I did not exercise grace at opportune times. We should not excuse sin in exchange for tolerance—extending grace does not mean approving of sinful behavior, but it does mean extending compassion. By Shane Idleman; www.WCFAV.org http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/articles/3242012-doesnt-the-bible-say-judge-not-pastor-shane-idleman/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WestsideChristianFellowship/~3/_yYhTxqttss/ http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/audio/3172012-real-marriage-7-sex-is-it-gross-good-or-god-in-your-life-pastor-shane-idleman-2/#comments Sun, 18 Mar 2012 02:00:57 +0000 admin@wcfav.org (Westside Christian Fellowship) http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/?p=1902 <a href="http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/WP/wp-content/uploads/Audio/3-17-2012_real_marriage_7.mp3" "3/17/2012 "Real Marriage #7: SEX: Is It Gross, Good, Or God In Your Life?” Pastor Shane Idleman Download MP3 <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/westside-christian-fellowship/id386117063">If you want to always have the latest audio messages from Westside Christian Fellowship, don't forget to <strong>subscribe to this podcast on iTunes.</strong></a> <a class="twitter-share-button" href="http://twitter.com/share">Tweet</a><script src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" type="text/javascript"></script> <a href="http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/audio/3172012-real-marriage-7-sex-is-it-gross-good-or-god-in-your-life-pastor-shane-idleman-2/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=_yYhTxqttss:tgbmhF9gkUs:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=_yYhTxqttss:tgbmhF9gkUs:F7zBnMyn0Lo"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=_yYhTxqttss:tgbmhF9gkUs:F7zBnMyn0Lo" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=_yYhTxqttss:tgbmhF9gkUs:7Q72WNTAKBA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=7Q72WNTAKBA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=_yYhTxqttss:tgbmhF9gkUs:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=_yYhTxqttss:tgbmhF9gkUs:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=_yYhTxqttss:tgbmhF9gkUs:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=_yYhTxqttss:tgbmhF9gkUs:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=_yYhTxqttss:tgbmhF9gkUs:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/WestsideChristianFellowship/~4/_yYhTxqttss" height="1" width="1"/> http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/audio/3172012-real-marriage-7-sex-is-it-gross-good-or-god-in-your-life-pastor-shane-idleman-2/feed/ 0 noWestside,Christian,Fellowship,Pastor,Shane,Idleman,Lancaster,California,Glorifying,Christ,Multiplying,Disciples,God,Christian,Truth,Love,Power,Holy,Spirit,Prayer,Christ,Church,Sermon,Discipleship,Video,Bible,Message,Genesis,Creation,Relative,Moralityhttp://westsidechristianfellowship.org/audio/3172012-real-marriage-7-sex-is-it-gross-good-or-god-in-your-life-pastor-shane-idleman-2/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WestsideChristianFellowship/~3/E_0KZ7SGNAk/ http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/videos/3172012-real-marriage-7-sex-is-it-gross-good-or-god-in-your-life-pastor-shane-idleman/#comments Sun, 18 Mar 2012 02:00:57 +0000 admin@wcfav.org (Westside Christian Fellowship) http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/?p=1899 <iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/38945947?byline=0&#38;portrait=0&#38;color=000000" frameborder="0" width="600" height="338"></iframe> 3/17/2012 "Real Marriage #7: SEX: Is It Gross, Good, Or God In Your Life?” Pastor Shane Idleman <a href="http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/videos/3172012-real-marriage-7-sex-is-it-gross-good-or-god-in-your-life-pastor-shane-idleman/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=E_0KZ7SGNAk:PpoA4r78uYg:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=E_0KZ7SGNAk:PpoA4r78uYg:F7zBnMyn0Lo"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=E_0KZ7SGNAk:PpoA4r78uYg:F7zBnMyn0Lo" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=E_0KZ7SGNAk:PpoA4r78uYg:7Q72WNTAKBA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=7Q72WNTAKBA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=E_0KZ7SGNAk:PpoA4r78uYg:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=E_0KZ7SGNAk:PpoA4r78uYg:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=E_0KZ7SGNAk:PpoA4r78uYg:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=E_0KZ7SGNAk:PpoA4r78uYg:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=E_0KZ7SGNAk:PpoA4r78uYg:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/WestsideChristianFellowship/~4/E_0KZ7SGNAk" height="1" width="1"/> http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/videos/3172012-real-marriage-7-sex-is-it-gross-good-or-god-in-your-life-pastor-shane-idleman/feed/ 0 3/17/2012 &quot;Real Marriage #7: SEX: Is It Gross, Good, Or God In Your Life?” Pastor Shane Idleman Continue reading &rarr; 3/17/2012 &quot;Real Marriage #7: SEX: Is It Gross, Good, Or God In Your Life?” Pastor Shane Idleman http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/videos/3172012-real-marriage-7-sex-is-it-gross-good-or-god-in-your-life-pastor-shane-idleman/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WestsideChristianFellowship/~3/AN_ynTXG0Ew/ http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/articles/divorce-you-cant-control-choices-others-make/#comments Sat, 17 Mar 2012 13:30:02 +0000 admin@wcfav.org (Westside Christian Fellowship) http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/?p=1886 The final article in a series on Real Marriage—the truth about life together. As stated last week: If God is ministering restoration in your spirit, wait for it; contend for it; pray fervently for it. “He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6)... <a href="http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/articles/divorce-you-cant-control-choices-others-make/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=AN_ynTXG0Ew:TkznOu4VmIQ:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=AN_ynTXG0Ew:TkznOu4VmIQ:F7zBnMyn0Lo"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=AN_ynTXG0Ew:TkznOu4VmIQ:F7zBnMyn0Lo" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=AN_ynTXG0Ew:TkznOu4VmIQ:7Q72WNTAKBA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=7Q72WNTAKBA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=AN_ynTXG0Ew:TkznOu4VmIQ:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=AN_ynTXG0Ew:TkznOu4VmIQ:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=AN_ynTXG0Ew:TkznOu4VmIQ:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=AN_ynTXG0Ew:TkznOu4VmIQ:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=AN_ynTXG0Ew:TkznOu4VmIQ:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/WestsideChristianFellowship/~4/AN_ynTXG0Ew" height="1" width="1"/> http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/articles/divorce-you-cant-control-choices-others-make/feed/ 0 The final article in a series on Real Marriage—the truth about life together. As stated last week: If God is ministering restoration in your spirit, wait for it; contend for it; pray fervently for it. “He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6)... Continue reading &rarr;The final article in a series on Real Marriage—the truth about life together. As stated last week: If God is ministering restoration in your spirit, wait for it; contend for it; pray fervently for it. “He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6). Although many great bible teachers are divided on the issue of divorce and re-marriage, one thing is certain: God will direct those who commit their lives completely to Him...this we know. As we close this series on marriage, lets view a few more significant Scriptures. Matthew 19:9 states that a man who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery—unless his wife has been unfaithful. Again, God reveals his nature concerning commitment to a spouse. Clearly, a spouse who has been unfaithful releases the other and they are no longer bound. It is unfortunate that all divorced individuals are referred to as “divorced”—it would be helpful and less confusing for those whose spouse was unfaithful to be referred to as “released”. However, unfaithfulness does not mean that the marriage cannot be restored if both the husband and wife seek God’s guidance. A personal favorite, 1 Corinthians 7:17 states that we must accept whatever situation the Lord has put us in, and continue on as when God first called us. We are to use every situation for God’s glory. If single, use that opportunity to build and strengthen character, and care for the things of God. If separated, use that time to seek God more fervently and pray for guidance, direction, and restoration. Allow Him to mold and direct you, and rebuild the relationship...if that’s an option. If divorced, use that experience to learn while asking God what good can come from it. Your marriage may be restored or maybe you’ll minister to others who have gone through a divorce. One of God’s wonderful characteristics is that He desires to use our brokenness. In fact, it is in our weakness that His strength is manifested. Be assured that all things work together for good as we commit our lives to Him! On a closing note, understand that you cannot control the choices that others make. You may be able to influence them or encourage them, but ultimately the choice to leave or to stay is up to them. They are responsible for their actions...not you. God has given us the freedom to choose, and in marriage the choices of one will affect the life of the other. If your spouse has left, and you’ve waited and done all that you can do biblically, I believe that God will consider your heart more than your circumstance. As I said before, King David was not able to build the temple because of his past—he was a man of war, but God said, “Whereas it was in your heart to build a temple for My name, you did well in that it was in your heart” (2 Chronicles 6:8); because David’s heart was right, God counted it as righteousness. Although he did not build the temple, God looked upon him as if he did. In the same way, your marriage may not be restored, but as long as your heart is right, God will direct you. He can rebuild your life and open doors you might not have thought possible. Once I committed my life to Christ, it changed dramatically. It went from weekend alcohol consumption and a career that wasn’t God-centered, to a life nearly void of alcohol cravings, a ministry I never dreamed possible, and a godly wife who has been a tremendous blessing. Did I make bad decisions along the way, yes I did, but I was quick to repent and seek God’s help. Had I became angry and unwilling to change, only the Lord knows where I’d be today. The choices we make today will influence the quality of our life tomorrow. Choose wisely today, because again, the consequences of bad choices take us farther than we want to go, keep us longer than we want to stay, and cost us more than we want to pay. Granted, life will seem unclear and confusing at times, but God promises that He will guide you. Don’t let discouragement and failure stand in your way. I could write an entire book on my failures, but instead, I strive to follow the apostle Paul’s advice and I encourage you to do the same: Forget about those things that are behind you. Instead, reach forward to those things that are ahead of you (Philippians 3:13). Forget your past mistakes, but remember the lessons learned because of them. http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/articles/divorce-you-cant-control-choices-others-make/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WestsideChristianFellowship/~3/AGCqsilrHYo/ http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/videos/3102012-real-marriage-6-anger-the-great-destroyer-pastor-shane-idleman/#comments Sun, 11 Mar 2012 02:00:56 +0000 admin@wcfav.org (Westside Christian Fellowship) http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/?p=1882 <iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/38465301?byline=0&#38;portrait=0&#38;color=000000" frameborder="0" width="600" height="338"></iframe> 3/10/2012 "Real Marriage #6: Anger: The Great Destroyer" — Pastor Shane Idleman <a href="http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/videos/3102012-real-marriage-6-anger-the-great-destroyer-pastor-shane-idleman/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=AGCqsilrHYo:1ZMPPgxkDDY:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=AGCqsilrHYo:1ZMPPgxkDDY:F7zBnMyn0Lo"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=AGCqsilrHYo:1ZMPPgxkDDY:F7zBnMyn0Lo" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=AGCqsilrHYo:1ZMPPgxkDDY:7Q72WNTAKBA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=7Q72WNTAKBA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=AGCqsilrHYo:1ZMPPgxkDDY:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=AGCqsilrHYo:1ZMPPgxkDDY:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=AGCqsilrHYo:1ZMPPgxkDDY:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=AGCqsilrHYo:1ZMPPgxkDDY:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=AGCqsilrHYo:1ZMPPgxkDDY:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/WestsideChristianFellowship/~4/AGCqsilrHYo" height="1" width="1"/> http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/videos/3102012-real-marriage-6-anger-the-great-destroyer-pastor-shane-idleman/feed/ 0 3/10/2012 &quot;Real Marriage #6: Anger: The Great Destroyer&quot; — Pastor Shane Idleman Continue reading &rarr; 3/10/2012 &quot;Real Marriage #6: Anger: The Great Destroyer&quot; — Pastor Shane Idleman http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/videos/3102012-real-marriage-6-anger-the-great-destroyer-pastor-shane-idleman/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WestsideChristianFellowship/~3/OfOibsR4Zxo/ http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/audio/real-marriage-6-anger-the-great-destroyer-pastor-shane-idleman-3102012/#comments Sun, 11 Mar 2012 02:00:29 +0000 admin@wcfav.org (Westside Christian Fellowship) http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/?p=1889 <a href="http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/WP/wp-content/uploads/Audio/3-10-2012_real_marriage_6.mp3" "Real Marriage #6: Anger: The Great Destroyer" — Pastor Shane Idleman - 3/10/2012 Download MP3 <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/westside-christian-fellowship/id386117063">If you want to always have the latest audio messages from Westside Christian Fellowship, don't forget to <strong>subscribe to this podcast on iTunes.</strong></a> <a class="twitter-share-button" href="http://twitter.com/share">Tweet</a><script src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" type="text/javascript"></script> <a href="http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/audio/real-marriage-6-anger-the-great-destroyer-pastor-shane-idleman-3102012/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=OfOibsR4Zxo:A4nJM31GuM8:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=OfOibsR4Zxo:A4nJM31GuM8:F7zBnMyn0Lo"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=OfOibsR4Zxo:A4nJM31GuM8:F7zBnMyn0Lo" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=OfOibsR4Zxo:A4nJM31GuM8:7Q72WNTAKBA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=7Q72WNTAKBA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=OfOibsR4Zxo:A4nJM31GuM8:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=OfOibsR4Zxo:A4nJM31GuM8:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=OfOibsR4Zxo:A4nJM31GuM8:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=OfOibsR4Zxo:A4nJM31GuM8:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=OfOibsR4Zxo:A4nJM31GuM8:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/WestsideChristianFellowship/~4/OfOibsR4Zxo" height="1" width="1"/> http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/audio/real-marriage-6-anger-the-great-destroyer-pastor-shane-idleman-3102012/feed/ 0 noWestside,Christian,Fellowship,Pastor,Shane,Idleman,Lancaster,California,Glorifying,Christ,Multiplying,Disciples,God,Christian,Truth,Love,Power,Holy,Spirit,Prayer,Christ,Church,Sermon,Discipleship,Video,Bible,Message,Genesis,Creation,Relative,Moralityhttp://westsidechristianfellowship.org/audio/real-marriage-6-anger-the-great-destroyer-pastor-shane-idleman-3102012/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WestsideChristianFellowship/~3/b9k9YTmcrik/ http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/articles/divorce-when-to-hold-on-and-when-to-move-on/#comments Sat, 10 Mar 2012 13:30:50 +0000 admin@wcfav.org (Westside Christian Fellowship) http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/?p=1875 Part seven from a sermon series on Real Marriage—the truth about life together, by Shane Idleman www.wcfav.org As stated last week, only God can truly answer this question. If God is ministering restoration in your spirit, wait for it; contend for it; pray fervently for it. “He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6).... <a href="http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/articles/divorce-when-to-hold-on-and-when-to-move-on/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=b9k9YTmcrik:bL3fj3jjNZY:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=b9k9YTmcrik:bL3fj3jjNZY:F7zBnMyn0Lo"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=b9k9YTmcrik:bL3fj3jjNZY:F7zBnMyn0Lo" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=b9k9YTmcrik:bL3fj3jjNZY:7Q72WNTAKBA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=7Q72WNTAKBA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=b9k9YTmcrik:bL3fj3jjNZY:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=b9k9YTmcrik:bL3fj3jjNZY:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=b9k9YTmcrik:bL3fj3jjNZY:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=b9k9YTmcrik:bL3fj3jjNZY:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=b9k9YTmcrik:bL3fj3jjNZY:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/WestsideChristianFellowship/~4/b9k9YTmcrik" height="1" width="1"/> http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/articles/divorce-when-to-hold-on-and-when-to-move-on/feed/ 0 Part seven from a sermon series on Real Marriage—the truth about life together, by Shane Idleman www.wcfav.org As stated last week, only God can truly answer this question. If God is ministering restoration in your spirit, wait for it; contend for it; pray fervently for it. “He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6).... Continue reading &rarr;Part seven from a sermon series on Real Marriage—the truth about life together, by Shane Idleman www.wcfav.org As stated last week, only God can truly answer this question. If God is ministering restoration in your spirit, wait for it; contend for it; pray fervently for it. “He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6). Although many great bible teachers are divided on the issue of divorce and re-marriage, one thing is certain: God will direct those who commit their lives completely to Him...this we know. This article is written primarily for those, who by no choice of their own, are separated or divorced, and are uncertain...should they hold on for restoration, or move on. Before making any decision of this magnitude, I offer three directives. 1. First, discontinue any relationship that is not God-centered, or that seems to cloud your judgment. Sadly, countless marriages are never restored simply because of immediate involvements in other relationships. They don’t wait on the Lord. Don’t rush! I cannot stress this enough. 2. Second, pray, seek godly counsel, and allow God’s Word to direct you. Spend extended time in the Word and be obedient to it...pray and fast, and seek godly counsel. All destructive relationships, bad advice, and toxic influences must be severed as you seek direction. The alarming divorce rate leaves one to wonder who’s guiding Christians today—Hollywood or the Holy Spirit? 3. Third, again, don’t be in a hurry: “Those who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength” (Isaiah 40:31). Restoration is a process. Don’t abort the process because you’re in a hurry. Healing and waiting on the Lord require time and patience. If it took years to damage the marriage, it may take time to rebuild...or for emotional wholeness to be restored. One of the most difficult Scriptures dealing with divorce or separation is found in 1 Corinthians 7:10-11, “To the married I give this charge (not I, but the Lord): the wife should not separate from her husband (but if she does, she should remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband), and the husband should not divorce his wife.” This clearly states that those who are divorced and/or separated, unless “scripturally released,” should not remarry. If this Scripture was obeyed, there would be more serious consideration before marriage and a natural deterrent to divorce. There would be fewer divorces without cause and more reconciliations. Lack of regard for this Scripture has taken us to the other extreme—no fault divorce. However, if the one who left is an unbeliever, 1 Corinthians 7:15 offers direction, “But if the unbelieving partner separates, let it be so. In such cases the brother or sister is not enslaved. God has called you to peace.” If this verse applies to your situation, it’s wise to allow a significant amount of time to pass before considering re-marriage. Time reveals if the spouse left only for a season, or has chosen to leave permanently. We should turn to the Scriptures for direction, not look for loopholes. Another translation of this verse says that a Christian is “not under bondage” in such a case. When a spouse leaves and has moved on with no intention of returning, God does not want the other spouse to be bound to the past—He wants us to live in peace. But does this mean that the spouse who remains is now free to remarry? Again, bible teachers are divided on this issue, but, in my opinion, the word “bondage” (douloo) is the key. If an unbelieving spouse leaves and ends the marriage, the other is released and is free to remarry. They are no longer a slave; they are released. As a practical example, many would be single, never to marry again, if they took this verse to mean that they are to never to remarry. They would not have a new loving spouse and wonderful children. This, to me, would be true bondage. But “I say this as a concession, not as a command” (1 Corinthians 7:6). Only God can truly answer this question. But what if the spouse who chose to leave is a believer? An entire book could be written on this, but suffice it to say that serious consideration must be taken here. Is this person genuinely a believer...or just a professor? Genuine faith is reflected in a transformed life, a love for God and His Word, sincere humility, selfless love, and an attitude of repentance? This type of love would not choose to leave unless there is genuine abuse or adultery. When the spouse who chooses to leave does not have these characteristics, it may be safe to assume that they are not truly a believer. But, again, caution is needed here: some spouses leave because the environment is unbearable, not because they are an unbeliever. Let me take this opportunity in closing to speak to the Christian who had no solid scriptural grounds for divorce, yet chose to leave. We would not intentionally walk into the enemy’s camp, yet this is what we do when we walk out from under God’s covering. The choices we make today will influence the quality of our life tomorrow. Sin takes us farther than we want to go, keeps us longer than we want to stay, and costs us more than we want to pay. For some, its not too late. Repent and return...God can restore your life and your marriage. http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/articles/divorce-when-to-hold-on-and-when-to-move-on/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WestsideChristianFellowship/~3/_Tyiso63AMQ/ http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/videos/332012-real-marriage-5-understanding-and-appreciating-roles-part-2-pastor-shane-idleman-2/#comments Sun, 04 Mar 2012 02:00:45 +0000 admin@wcfav.org (Westside Christian Fellowship) http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/?p=1871 <iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/38034291?byline=0&#38;portrait=0&#38;color=000000" frameborder="0" width="600" height="338"></iframe> 3/3/2012 "Real Marriage #5: Understanding and Appreciating Roles [part 2] — Pastor Shane Idleman <a href="http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/videos/332012-real-marriage-5-understanding-and-appreciating-roles-part-2-pastor-shane-idleman-2/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=_Tyiso63AMQ:jHVtbBTlb2A:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=_Tyiso63AMQ:jHVtbBTlb2A:F7zBnMyn0Lo"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=_Tyiso63AMQ:jHVtbBTlb2A:F7zBnMyn0Lo" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=_Tyiso63AMQ:jHVtbBTlb2A:7Q72WNTAKBA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=7Q72WNTAKBA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=_Tyiso63AMQ:jHVtbBTlb2A:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=_Tyiso63AMQ:jHVtbBTlb2A:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=_Tyiso63AMQ:jHVtbBTlb2A:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=_Tyiso63AMQ:jHVtbBTlb2A:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=_Tyiso63AMQ:jHVtbBTlb2A:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/WestsideChristianFellowship/~4/_Tyiso63AMQ" height="1" width="1"/> http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/videos/332012-real-marriage-5-understanding-and-appreciating-roles-part-2-pastor-shane-idleman-2/feed/ 0 3/3/2012 &quot;Real Marriage #5: Understanding and Appreciating Roles [part 2] — Pastor Shane Idleman Continue reading &rarr; 3/3/2012 &quot;Real Marriage #5: Understanding and Appreciating Roles [part 2] — Pastor Shane Idleman http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/videos/332012-real-marriage-5-understanding-and-appreciating-roles-part-2-pastor-shane-idleman-2/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WestsideChristianFellowship/~3/OdqX0YoGLyY/ http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/audio/332012-real-marriage-5-understanding-and-appreciating-roles-part-2-pastor-shane-idleman/#comments Sun, 04 Mar 2012 02:00:36 +0000 admin@wcfav.org (Westside Christian Fellowship) http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/?p=1872 <a href="http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/WP/wp-content/uploads/Audio/3-3-2012_real_marriage_5.mp3" 3/3/2012 "Real Marriage #5: Understanding and Appreciating Roles [part 2] — Pastor Shane Idleman Download MP3 <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/westside-christian-fellowship/id386117063">If you want to always have the latest audio messages from Westside Christian Fellowship, don't forget to <strong>subscribe to this podcast on iTunes.</strong></a> <a class="twitter-share-button" href="http://twitter.com/share">Tweet</a><script src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" type="text/javascript"></script> <a href="http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/audio/332012-real-marriage-5-understanding-and-appreciating-roles-part-2-pastor-shane-idleman/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=OdqX0YoGLyY:SlI5_Sh9q_c:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=OdqX0YoGLyY:SlI5_Sh9q_c:F7zBnMyn0Lo"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=OdqX0YoGLyY:SlI5_Sh9q_c:F7zBnMyn0Lo" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=OdqX0YoGLyY:SlI5_Sh9q_c:7Q72WNTAKBA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=7Q72WNTAKBA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=OdqX0YoGLyY:SlI5_Sh9q_c:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=OdqX0YoGLyY:SlI5_Sh9q_c:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=OdqX0YoGLyY:SlI5_Sh9q_c:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=OdqX0YoGLyY:SlI5_Sh9q_c:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=OdqX0YoGLyY:SlI5_Sh9q_c:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/WestsideChristianFellowship/~4/OdqX0YoGLyY" height="1" width="1"/> http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/audio/332012-real-marriage-5-understanding-and-appreciating-roles-part-2-pastor-shane-idleman/feed/ 0 noWestside,Christian,Fellowship,Pastor,Shane,Idleman,Lancaster,California,Glorifying,Christ,Multiplying,Disciples,God,Christian,Truth,Love,Power,Holy,Spirit,Prayer,Christ,Church,Sermon,Discipleship,Video,Bible,Message,Genesis,Creation,Relative,Moralityhttp://westsidechristianfellowship.org/audio/332012-real-marriage-5-understanding-and-appreciating-roles-part-2-pastor-shane-idleman/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WestsideChristianFellowship/~3/3SagGA_JQhM/ http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/articles/332012-divorce-separation-is-restoration-always-gods-will-pastor-shane-idleman/#comments Sat, 03 Mar 2012 13:30:15 +0000 admin@wcfav.org (Westside Christian Fellowship) http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/?p=1862 Part six from a sermon series at Westside Christian Fellowship on Real Marriage—the truth about life together. In my opinion, only God can truly answer this question. Spouses are encouraged to spend extended time in the Word and obedience to it, as well as extended times of prayer and fasting, and seeking godly counsel. All destructive relationships and toxic counsel must be severed as you seek to answer this question... <a href="http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/articles/332012-divorce-separation-is-restoration-always-gods-will-pastor-shane-idleman/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=3SagGA_JQhM:kEKJ5tee2Nw:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=3SagGA_JQhM:kEKJ5tee2Nw:F7zBnMyn0Lo"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=3SagGA_JQhM:kEKJ5tee2Nw:F7zBnMyn0Lo" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=3SagGA_JQhM:kEKJ5tee2Nw:7Q72WNTAKBA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=7Q72WNTAKBA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=3SagGA_JQhM:kEKJ5tee2Nw:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=3SagGA_JQhM:kEKJ5tee2Nw:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=3SagGA_JQhM:kEKJ5tee2Nw:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=3SagGA_JQhM:kEKJ5tee2Nw:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=3SagGA_JQhM:kEKJ5tee2Nw:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/WestsideChristianFellowship/~4/3SagGA_JQhM" height="1" width="1"/> http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/articles/332012-divorce-separation-is-restoration-always-gods-will-pastor-shane-idleman/feed/ 0 Part six from a sermon series at Westside Christian Fellowship on Real Marriage—the truth about life together. In my opinion, only God can truly answer this question. Spouses are encouraged to spend extended time in the Word and obedience to it, as well as extended times of prayer and fasting, and seeking godly counsel. All destructive relationships and toxic counsel must be severed as you seek to answer this question... Continue reading &rarr;Part six from a sermon series at Westside Christian Fellowship on Real Marriage—the truth about life together. In my opinion, only God can truly answer this question. Spouses are encouraged to spend extended time in the Word and obedience to it, as well as extended times of prayer and fasting, and seeking godly counsel. All destructive relationships and toxic counsel must be severed as you seek to answer this question. Many great bible teachers are divided on this issue. Some believe that re-marriage to another is never allowed unless one of the spouses dies, but others suggest that it is permissible when adultery and abandonment occur. On that note, I highly recommend resources on re-marriage and divorce from contemporary authors and teachers such as John Piper, John MacArthur, Jack Hayford, Mark Driscoll, and Kay Arthur, to name only a few. One thing is certain, if the Scriptures on marriage and divorce were fully taught and acknowledged, it would create more serious consideration before marriage, and would be a great deterrent to divorce. Lack of regard for the Scriptures has taken us to the other extreme—no fault divorce. I believe that God hates divorce; reconciliation is pleasing to Him. There are instances, in my opinion, when one is released through adultery and/or abandonment; however, reconcile should still be sought. First and foremost, God’s will is that we walk in integrity, follow His principles, use wisdom, be patient, and seek Him during the journey. For some, reconciliation may result, for others it may not. When reconciliation does not occur, the enemy often resurrects past failures to hinder peace and joy. For instance, as my wife Morgan and I began our relationship three years after my divorce, I would become excited about our future. But I also became very fearful; I did not want to experience the pain of divorce again. I was like a man who fell off a horse and was scared to ride again, but as we moved forward in the relationship, anxiety and confusion gave way to peace, joy, and fulfillment as we both sought God wholeheartedly. If you are separated, or recently divorced, and are lacking peace and joy, I encourage you to re-think your current situation. Confusion, anxiety, fear, and some forms of depression are sometimes indicators that we are outside of God&#039;s will. (Please note the word &quot;sometimes&quot;.) As a final confirmation, before I committed fully to Morgan, I contacted my ex-wife three years after our divorce to validate my feelings of being released. She confirmed that she was in a long-term relationship (it eventually led to marriage), and she wished me the best. I felt that I had received my last and most solid confirmation. It was now clear that I could no longer allow past brokenness to cause future pain. Although some stated that I should have contended for restoration for the rest of my life, I realized that I could not control the choices that others make. I may be able to influence or encourage them, but ultimately the choice to leave is up to them. My ex-spouse choose to leave and file for divorce. I contended for restoration for three long years after my divorce, but I felt that I was finally released. God has given us the freedom to choose, and, in marriage, the choices of one will affect the life of the other. If your spouse has left, and you’ve waited and have done all that you can do biblically, I believe that God will consider your heart more than your circumstances. King David was not able to build the temple because of his past—he was a man of war, but God said, “Whereas it was in your heart to build a temple for My name, you did well in that it was in your heart” (2 Chronicles 6:8). Contextually, this verse is not dealing with marriage, but the overlapping principle applies: Because David’s heart was right, God continued to direct him. I often thank the Lord for using my divorce to bring me back to Him. I don’t believe that God caused my divorce but He did use it to bring the prodigal son home. My divorce was the result of bad decisions, anger, and misguided focus, primarily on my part. Divorce is not the unpardonable sin; rejecting Christ is. Clearly understand that I’m not advocating divorce, nor am I saying that if you are currently separated that divorce become an option because better opportunities await you. God hates divorce and anyone who has been there knows why. I must reiterate: I believe, first and foremost, in reconciliation and restoration but these are not always options. That’s why a personal relationship with Jesus and obedience to God’s Word is profoundly important. Through that relationship you will be able to make the right decision. It won’t be easy because lives have been damaged, dreams destroyed, and promises broken, but God continually redeems us through His forgiveness as we forgive others. God desires that we know His will and follow His lead, especially during the detours of life. Many divorced Christians carry years of regret into future relationships. If God is doing a new thing, it’s vitally important that past brokenness does not prevent future plans. But if God is ministering restoration in your spirit, wait for it; contend for it; pray fervently for it. I also encourage you to remove everything that may hinder restoration (e.g., wrong relationships, strongholds, addictions, anger, un-forgiveness, bitterness, etc.), and seek Him wholeheartedly and unconditionally. He will direct you...this I know. http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/articles/332012-divorce-separation-is-restoration-always-gods-will-pastor-shane-idleman/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WestsideChristianFellowship/~3/OY6MpAvZ_Y8/ http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/videos/2252012-real-marriage-4-understanding-appreciating-roles-pastor-shane-idleman/#comments Sun, 26 Feb 2012 02:00:54 +0000 admin@wcfav.org (Westside Christian Fellowship) http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/?p=1853 <iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/37573839?byline=0&#38;portrait=0&#38;color=000000" frameborder="0" width="600" height="338"></iframe> 2/25/2012 "Real Marriage #4: Understanding &#038; Appreciating Roles" — Pastor Shane Idleman <a href="http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/videos/2252012-real-marriage-4-understanding-appreciating-roles-pastor-shane-idleman/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=OY6MpAvZ_Y8:Q_xuvsZNzGM:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=OY6MpAvZ_Y8:Q_xuvsZNzGM:F7zBnMyn0Lo"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=OY6MpAvZ_Y8:Q_xuvsZNzGM:F7zBnMyn0Lo" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=OY6MpAvZ_Y8:Q_xuvsZNzGM:7Q72WNTAKBA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=7Q72WNTAKBA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=OY6MpAvZ_Y8:Q_xuvsZNzGM:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=OY6MpAvZ_Y8:Q_xuvsZNzGM:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=OY6MpAvZ_Y8:Q_xuvsZNzGM:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=OY6MpAvZ_Y8:Q_xuvsZNzGM:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=OY6MpAvZ_Y8:Q_xuvsZNzGM:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/WestsideChristianFellowship/~4/OY6MpAvZ_Y8" height="1" width="1"/> http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/videos/2252012-real-marriage-4-understanding-appreciating-roles-pastor-shane-idleman/feed/ 0 2/25/2012 &quot;Real Marriage #4: Understanding &amp; Appreciating Roles&quot; — Pastor Shane Idleman Continue reading &rarr; 2/25/2012 &quot;Real Marriage #4: Understanding &amp; Appreciating Roles&quot; — Pastor Shane Idleman http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/videos/2252012-real-marriage-4-understanding-appreciating-roles-pastor-shane-idleman/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WestsideChristianFellowship/~3/uNxXA_sDowc/ http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/audio/real-marriage-4-understanding-appreciating-roles-pastor-shane-idleman-2252012/#comments Sun, 26 Feb 2012 02:00:16 +0000 admin@wcfav.org (Westside Christian Fellowship) http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/?p=1858 <a href="http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/WP/wp-content/uploads/Audio/2-25-2012_real_marriage_4.mp3" "Real Marriage #4: Understanding &#038; Appreciating Roles" — Pastor Shane Idleman - 2/25/2012 If you want to always have the latest audio messages from Westside Christian Fellowship, don't forget to <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/westside-christian-fellowship/id386117063"><strong>subscribe to this podcast on iTunes.</strong></a> <a class="twitter-share-button" href="http://twitter.com/share">Tweet</a><script src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" type="text/javascript"></script> <a href="http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/audio/real-marriage-4-understanding-appreciating-roles-pastor-shane-idleman-2252012/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=uNxXA_sDowc:3Nua7dY0G1E:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=uNxXA_sDowc:3Nua7dY0G1E:F7zBnMyn0Lo"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=uNxXA_sDowc:3Nua7dY0G1E:F7zBnMyn0Lo" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=uNxXA_sDowc:3Nua7dY0G1E:7Q72WNTAKBA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=7Q72WNTAKBA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=uNxXA_sDowc:3Nua7dY0G1E:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=uNxXA_sDowc:3Nua7dY0G1E:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=uNxXA_sDowc:3Nua7dY0G1E:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=uNxXA_sDowc:3Nua7dY0G1E:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=uNxXA_sDowc:3Nua7dY0G1E:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/WestsideChristianFellowship/~4/uNxXA_sDowc" height="1" width="1"/> http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/audio/real-marriage-4-understanding-appreciating-roles-pastor-shane-idleman-2252012/feed/ 0 noWestside,Christian,Fellowship,Pastor,Shane,Idleman,Lancaster,California,Glorifying,Christ,Multiplying,Disciples,God,Christian,Truth,Love,Power,Holy,Spirit,Prayer,Christ,Church,Sermon,Discipleship,Video,Bible,Message,Genesis,Creation,Relative,Moralityhttp://westsidechristianfellowship.org/audio/real-marriage-4-understanding-appreciating-roles-pastor-shane-idleman-2252012/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WestsideChristianFellowship/~3/mtRoRZG0p9A/ http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/articles/2252012-divorce-dont-allow-past-brokenness-to-cause-future-pain/#comments Sat, 25 Feb 2012 13:30:18 +0000 admin@wcfav.org (Westside Christian Fellowship) http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/?p=1850 Part five from a sermon series on Real Marriage—the truth about life together, by Shane Idleman [WCFAV.org]. Last week, I asked, “How can we undo the emotional pain we experience from failed relationships?” First, we must understand that it’s not an external fight, it’s an internal struggle: “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12). God works within us by transmitting healthy thoughts into godly actions. Our mind is where battles are either won or lost. Those who do not forgive or release bitterness, anger, and hurt, never experience freedom, happiness, or ‘true’ restoration. It all starts here.... <a href="http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/articles/2252012-divorce-dont-allow-past-brokenness-to-cause-future-pain/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=mtRoRZG0p9A:Vx_0R_2xZIE:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=mtRoRZG0p9A:Vx_0R_2xZIE:F7zBnMyn0Lo"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=mtRoRZG0p9A:Vx_0R_2xZIE:F7zBnMyn0Lo" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=mtRoRZG0p9A:Vx_0R_2xZIE:7Q72WNTAKBA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=7Q72WNTAKBA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=mtRoRZG0p9A:Vx_0R_2xZIE:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=mtRoRZG0p9A:Vx_0R_2xZIE:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=mtRoRZG0p9A:Vx_0R_2xZIE:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=mtRoRZG0p9A:Vx_0R_2xZIE:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=mtRoRZG0p9A:Vx_0R_2xZIE:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/WestsideChristianFellowship/~4/mtRoRZG0p9A" height="1" width="1"/> http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/articles/2252012-divorce-dont-allow-past-brokenness-to-cause-future-pain/feed/ 0 Part five from a sermon series on Real Marriage—the truth about life together, by Shane Idleman [WCFAV.org]. Last week, I asked, “How can we undo the emotional pain we experience from failed relationships?” First, we must understand that it’s not an external fight, it’s an internal struggle: “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12). God works within us by transmitting healthy thoughts into godly actions. Our mind is where battles are either won or lost. Those who do not forgive or release bitterness, anger, and hurt, never experience freedom, happiness, or ‘true’ restoration. It all starts here.... Continue reading &rarr;Part five from a sermon series on Real Marriage—the truth about life together, by Shane Idleman [WCFAV.org]. Last week, I asked, “How can we undo the emotional pain we experience from failed relationships?” First, we must understand that it’s not an external fight, it’s an internal struggle: “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12). God works within us by transmitting healthy thoughts into godly actions. Our mind is where battles are either won or lost. Those who do not forgive or release bitterness, anger, and hurt, never experience freedom, happiness, or ‘true’ restoration. It all starts here. Ephesians 4:31-32 says to “let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.” Simply stated, if you fail to forgive others, bitterness and anger, though skillfully masked, will tarnish relationships. Married, divorced, separated, or single, God can turn brokenness into an unbreakable force, but it is imperative that your mind is renewed by applying biblical principles, beginning with forgiveness. Those who have walked in true forgiveness know that God restores. It’s been well stated that life makes us bitter or it makes us better—the choice is ours. Secondly, destructive strongholds, influences, and addictions must be dealt with. God can deliver those broken by a failed marriage, but in order for change to occur on the outside (i.e., remarriage or restoration) it first must occur on the inside. Strongholds include bitterness, pride, lust, selfishness, substance abuse, toxic relationships, anger, and physical abuse, to name a few. These destructive influences hinder the healing and rebuilding process. Healing begins with a commitment to work on those areas known to be detrimental to your spiritual health and the health of the relationship. Our attitude should be one in which we surrender our entire lifestyle to God. I’ve spoken with many who admitted that alcohol or substance abuse ruined their relationship, but instead of surrendering the problem to God and breaking the addiction, they simply found someone else to tolerate their habit. Unfortunately, the problem soon surfaced again. It’s little wonder that many go through life changing partners, careers, or residency searching for someone or something that can never be found apart from the wholeness that a personal relationship with Christ brings. If this is you, I encourage you to stop wandering from relationship to relationship and allow God to rebuild and restore: “Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord” (Acts 3:19). Do you desire peace and joy again? Simply return to God: “You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13). Full surrender provides fertile ground for joy and peace. If you’re like me, you may realize that many years of ‘wandering’ could have been avoided. Many, no doubt, had direction for their marriage, but because of selfishness, disobedience, disregard, or a deaf ear to God’s direction, it ended in divorce…but God can rebuild and redeem your life. Don’t allow past brokenness to cause future pain. Regret and failure will linger as long as we let them. Scripture is very clear: We are to forget those things that are behind us and focus on those things ahead. You can’t change where you’ve been, but you can change where you’re going. I learned that shepherds, from time to time, broke the leg of a lamb that continually wandered from the flock and, thus, the shepherd’s protection. The shepherd would then splint the broken leg and carry the lamb on his shoulders for weeks until the leg healed. As painful as this was for the lamb, it was necessary to protect it from being ravished by wolves or other predators. In time, through the broken and dependant relationship, the lamb learned to walk and to remain in the protective presence of his shepherd. This concept was well stated by David in Psalms 51:8, “That the bones You have broken may rejoice.” And Isaiah reminds us, “All we like sheep have gone astray” (53:6). Ironically, many thank the Lord for using their divorce to bring them back to the Good Shepherd What will it take to bring you back? A deliberate decision to stay close to the Him can avoid unneeded pain and provide safety and protection; it’s the first step in the rebuilding process. http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/articles/2252012-divorce-dont-allow-past-brokenness-to-cause-future-pain/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WestsideChristianFellowship/~3/uAPq2D54opg/ http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/videos/2182012-real-marriage-3-removing-destructive-influences-pastor-shane-idleman/#comments Sun, 19 Feb 2012 02:00:34 +0000 admin@wcfav.org (Westside Christian Fellowship) http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/?p=1843 <iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/37306907?byline=0&#38;portrait=0&#38;color=000000" frameborder="0" width="600" height="338"></iframe> 2/18/2012 "Real Marriage #3: Removing Destructive Influences" — Pastor Shane Idleman <a href="http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/videos/2182012-real-marriage-3-removing-destructive-influences-pastor-shane-idleman/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=uAPq2D54opg:Sk90zDn37OA:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=uAPq2D54opg:Sk90zDn37OA:F7zBnMyn0Lo"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=uAPq2D54opg:Sk90zDn37OA:F7zBnMyn0Lo" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=uAPq2D54opg:Sk90zDn37OA:7Q72WNTAKBA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=7Q72WNTAKBA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=uAPq2D54opg:Sk90zDn37OA:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=uAPq2D54opg:Sk90zDn37OA:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=uAPq2D54opg:Sk90zDn37OA:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=uAPq2D54opg:Sk90zDn37OA:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=uAPq2D54opg:Sk90zDn37OA:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/WestsideChristianFellowship/~4/uAPq2D54opg" height="1" width="1"/> http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/videos/2182012-real-marriage-3-removing-destructive-influences-pastor-shane-idleman/feed/ 0 2/18/2012 &quot;Real Marriage #3: Removing Destructive Influences&quot; — Pastor Shane Idleman Continue reading &rarr; 2/18/2012 &quot;Real Marriage #3: Removing Destructive Influences&quot; — Pastor Shane Idleman http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/videos/2182012-real-marriage-3-removing-destructive-influences-pastor-shane-idleman/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WestsideChristianFellowship/~3/BHbCZg_ZEZw/ http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/audio/real-marriage-3-removing-destructive-influences-pastor-shane-idleman-2182012/#comments Sun, 19 Feb 2012 02:00:25 +0000 admin@wcfav.org (Westside Christian Fellowship) http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/?p=1846 <a href="http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/WP/wp-content/uploads/Audio/2-18-2012_real_marriage_3.mp3" "Real Marriage #3: Removing Destructive Influences" — Pastor Shane Idleman - 2/18/2012 If you want to always have the latest audio messages from Westside Christian Fellowship, don't forget to <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/westside-christian-fellowship/id386117063"><strong>subscribe to this podcast on iTunes.</strong></a> <a class="twitter-share-button" href="http://twitter.com/share">Tweet</a><script src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" type="text/javascript"></script> <a href="http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/audio/real-marriage-3-removing-destructive-influences-pastor-shane-idleman-2182012/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=BHbCZg_ZEZw:qgeitDrRcgo:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=BHbCZg_ZEZw:qgeitDrRcgo:F7zBnMyn0Lo"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=BHbCZg_ZEZw:qgeitDrRcgo:F7zBnMyn0Lo" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=BHbCZg_ZEZw:qgeitDrRcgo:7Q72WNTAKBA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=7Q72WNTAKBA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=BHbCZg_ZEZw:qgeitDrRcgo:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=BHbCZg_ZEZw:qgeitDrRcgo:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=BHbCZg_ZEZw:qgeitDrRcgo:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=BHbCZg_ZEZw:qgeitDrRcgo:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=BHbCZg_ZEZw:qgeitDrRcgo:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/WestsideChristianFellowship/~4/BHbCZg_ZEZw" height="1" width="1"/> http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/audio/real-marriage-3-removing-destructive-influences-pastor-shane-idleman-2182012/feed/ 0 noWestside,Christian,Fellowship,Pastor,Shane,Idleman,Lancaster,California,Glorifying,Christ,Multiplying,Disciples,God,Christian,Truth,Love,Power,Holy,Spirit,Prayer,Christ,Church,Sermon,Discipleship,Video,Bible,Message,Genesis,Creation,Relative,Moralityhttp://westsidechristianfellowship.org/audio/real-marriage-3-removing-destructive-influences-pastor-shane-idleman-2182012/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WestsideChristianFellowship/~3/J_FnuCcjxEc/ http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/articles/2-18-2012-marriage-divorce-the-walls-built-to-protect-may-imprison-pastor-shane-idleman/#comments Sat, 18 Feb 2012 13:30:57 +0000 admin@wcfav.org (Westside Christian Fellowship) http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/?p=1832 Part four from a sermon series on Real Marriage by Shane Idleman—the truth about life together. As stated last week: A Focus on the Family newsletter stated that when a research team studied 5,232 married adults who were interviewed in the late 1980s, they discovered that 645 of them were unhappily married. Five years later, these same adults (some divorced, separated, or still married) were interviewed again. The study revealed that two-thirds of the unhappily married spouses who stayed together were actually happier five years later. The opposite is often true for those divorced. Although those who divorce may temporarily escape the pain, divorce introduces new emotional and relational difficulties... <a href="http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/articles/2-18-2012-marriage-divorce-the-walls-built-to-protect-may-imprison-pastor-shane-idleman/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=J_FnuCcjxEc:3MCy-9BEWyE:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=J_FnuCcjxEc:3MCy-9BEWyE:F7zBnMyn0Lo"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=J_FnuCcjxEc:3MCy-9BEWyE:F7zBnMyn0Lo" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=J_FnuCcjxEc:3MCy-9BEWyE:7Q72WNTAKBA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=7Q72WNTAKBA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=J_FnuCcjxEc:3MCy-9BEWyE:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=J_FnuCcjxEc:3MCy-9BEWyE:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=J_FnuCcjxEc:3MCy-9BEWyE:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=J_FnuCcjxEc:3MCy-9BEWyE:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=J_FnuCcjxEc:3MCy-9BEWyE:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/WestsideChristianFellowship/~4/J_FnuCcjxEc" height="1" width="1"/> http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/articles/2-18-2012-marriage-divorce-the-walls-built-to-protect-may-imprison-pastor-shane-idleman/feed/ 0 Part four from a sermon series on Real Marriage by Shane Idleman—the truth about life together. As stated last week: A Focus on the Family newsletter stated that when a research team studied 5,232 married adults who were interviewed in the late 1980s, they discovered that 645 of them were unhappily married. Five years later, these same adults (some divorced, separated, or still married) were interviewed again. The study revealed that two-thirds of the unhappily married spouses who stayed together were actually happier five years later. The opposite is often true for those divorced. Although those who divorce may temporarily escape the pain, divorce introduces new emotional and relational difficulties... Continue reading &rarr;Part four from a sermon series on Real Marriage by Shane Idleman—the truth about life together. As stated last week: A Focus on the Family newsletter stated that when a research team studied 5,232 married adults who were interviewed in the late 1980s, they discovered that 645 of them were unhappily married. Five years later, these same adults (some divorced, separated, or still married) were interviewed again. The study revealed that two-thirds of the unhappily married spouses who stayed together were actually happier five years later. The opposite is often true for those divorced. Although those who divorce may temporarily escape the pain, divorce introduces new emotional and relational difficulties. In a nutshell, unless it is severe and/or life threatening, weather the storm—it’s worth it. In saying this, I’m not discounting the deep emotional and psychological pain of failed relationships, these pains are real and debilitating...you can’t just “get over it.” But I do want to remind you that God makes provision for all of our needs through a relationship with Him. In the book, Sacred Thirst, the author writes, “The bride and groom are standing in front of everyone, looking better than they are ever going to look again, getting so much attention and affirmation. Everybody even stands when they walk in so it’s easy to think this marriage, at least, is about them. It’s not. Just look at the worn-out parents sitting in the first pew—they understand this. The only reason these parents are still married is because long ago they learned how to handle the hurt they caused each other. They know that the last thing you ever want to do with hurt is to let it define you.” This last statement offers one of the most profound points that I’ve read on brokenness. Those who do not allow hurt to entrap them can turn brokenness into an unbreakable force, but those shackled by past pain are truly imprisoned by it. Married or divorced, the walls we build to protect may eventually imprison. How can we undo the emotional pain that we experience from failed relationships? First, we must understand that it’s not an external fight, it’s an internal struggle: “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12). God works within us by transmitting healthy thoughts into godly actions. Our mind is where battles are either won or lost. Those who do not forgive or release bitterness, anger, and hurt, never experience freedom, happiness, or ‘true’ restoration. It all starts here. Ephesians 4:31-32 says to “let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.” Simply stated, if you fail to forgive, bitterness and anger, though skillfully masked, can and will tarnish relationships. Married, divorced, separated, or single, God can turn brokenness into an unbreakable force, but it is imperative that your mind is renewed by applying biblical principles, beginning with forgiveness. Those who have walked in true forgiveness know that God restores. It’s been well stated that life makes us bitter or it makes us better—the choice is ours. A few years ago, I was listening to a syndicated Christian radio program. A survivor of the holocaust was being interviewed. She described the horrific conditions of the concentration camps and then made a statement I’d never forget. She described the emotional pain and the brokenness she experienced from her divorce as greater than the pain of the concentration camp. Six months later, another guest on the same program, described the pain of losing her husband to cancer. She spoke about how his illness devastated their lives after ten long months of suffering. I was again moved to hear her say that she would have rather lost her husband to death by cancer than divorce. Unbelievable! Two different women who had gone through more pain than many of us will ever know said that divorce is, or would be, more painful than death. My mind searched for understanding…why was divorce more devastating than a concentration camp, or cancer? For several weeks I pondered this question. My answer came: Death is a natural process and God makes provision, but the spiritual union of two people was never designed to be broken aside from death—the spirit is vulnerable in divorce and the pain is lasting. We may try to hide the pain that lingers, but it’s always there waiting for the opportunity to rise again. Unless God rebuilds the foundation, those divorced may find themselves in the same situation with the second, third, or fourth spouse. The good news, however, is that both of the women referenced God’s healing power. Regardless of what they had endured, God delivered them from emotional scares and feelings of abandonment. He can deliver you as well and break the walls that imprison. http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/articles/2-18-2012-marriage-divorce-the-walls-built-to-protect-may-imprison-pastor-shane-idleman/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WestsideChristianFellowship/~3/75Aud3a1lqY/ http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/audio/real-marriage-2-breaking-up-fallow-ground-pastor-shane-idleman-2112012/#comments Sun, 12 Feb 2012 02:00:39 +0000 admin@wcfav.org (Westside Christian Fellowship) http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/?p=1835 <a href="http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/WP/wp-content/uploads/Audio/2-11-2012_real_marriage_2.mp3" "Real Marriage #2: Breaking Up Fallow Ground" — Pastor Shane Idleman - 2/11/2012 If you want to always have the latest audio messages from Westside Christian Fellowship, don't forget to <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/westside-christian-fellowship/id386117063"><strong>subscribe to this podcast on iTunes.</strong></a> <a class="twitter-share-button" href="http://twitter.com/share">Tweet</a><script src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" type="text/javascript"></script> <a href="http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/audio/real-marriage-2-breaking-up-fallow-ground-pastor-shane-idleman-2112012/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=75Aud3a1lqY:w66hsKKfgQU:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=75Aud3a1lqY:w66hsKKfgQU:F7zBnMyn0Lo"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=75Aud3a1lqY:w66hsKKfgQU:F7zBnMyn0Lo" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=75Aud3a1lqY:w66hsKKfgQU:7Q72WNTAKBA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=7Q72WNTAKBA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=75Aud3a1lqY:w66hsKKfgQU:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=75Aud3a1lqY:w66hsKKfgQU:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=75Aud3a1lqY:w66hsKKfgQU:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=75Aud3a1lqY:w66hsKKfgQU:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=75Aud3a1lqY:w66hsKKfgQU:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/WestsideChristianFellowship/~4/75Aud3a1lqY" height="1" width="1"/> http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/audio/real-marriage-2-breaking-up-fallow-ground-pastor-shane-idleman-2112012/feed/ 0 noWestside,Christian,Fellowship,Pastor,Shane,Idleman,Lancaster,California,Glorifying,Christ,Multiplying,Disciples,God,Christian,Truth,Love,Power,Holy,Spirit,Prayer,Christ,Church,Sermon,Discipleship,Video,Bible,Message,Genesis,Creation,Relative,Moralityhttp://westsidechristianfellowship.org/audio/real-marriage-2-breaking-up-fallow-ground-pastor-shane-idleman-2112012/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WestsideChristianFellowship/~3/wnNE0kIhUoY/ http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/videos/2112012-real-marriage-2-breaking-up-fallow-ground-pastor-shane-idleman/#comments Sun, 12 Feb 2012 02:00:38 +0000 admin@wcfav.org (Westside Christian Fellowship) http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/?p=1829 <iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/36792777?byline=0&#38;portrait=0&#38;color=000000" frameborder="0" width="600" height="338"></iframe> 2/11/2012 "Real Marriage #2: Breaking Up Fallow Ground" — Pastor Shane Idleman <a href="http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/videos/2112012-real-marriage-2-breaking-up-fallow-ground-pastor-shane-idleman/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=wnNE0kIhUoY:cI_ERYx688U:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=wnNE0kIhUoY:cI_ERYx688U:F7zBnMyn0Lo"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=wnNE0kIhUoY:cI_ERYx688U:F7zBnMyn0Lo" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=wnNE0kIhUoY:cI_ERYx688U:7Q72WNTAKBA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=7Q72WNTAKBA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=wnNE0kIhUoY:cI_ERYx688U:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=wnNE0kIhUoY:cI_ERYx688U:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=wnNE0kIhUoY:cI_ERYx688U:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=wnNE0kIhUoY:cI_ERYx688U:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=wnNE0kIhUoY:cI_ERYx688U:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/WestsideChristianFellowship/~4/wnNE0kIhUoY" height="1" width="1"/> http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/videos/2112012-real-marriage-2-breaking-up-fallow-ground-pastor-shane-idleman/feed/ 0 2/11/2012 &quot;Real Marriage #2: Breaking Up Fallow Ground&quot; — Pastor Shane Idleman Continue reading &rarr; 2/11/2012 &quot;Real Marriage #2: Breaking Up Fallow Ground&quot; — Pastor Shane Idleman http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/videos/2112012-real-marriage-2-breaking-up-fallow-ground-pastor-shane-idleman/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WestsideChristianFellowship/~3/0QANqHe12Y0/ http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/articles/2112012-marriages-are-failing-because-the-foundation-has-weakened-pastor-shane-idleman/#comments Sat, 11 Feb 2012 13:30:48 +0000 admin@wcfav.org (Westside Christian Fellowship) http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/?p=1820 Part three from a sermon series on Real Marriage—the truth about life together, by Shane Idleman; WCFAV.org. Throughout my teen years, I worked with my father in the under-ground construction business. My dad’s closest friends, builders respected for their work, were very careful in preparing the ground and laying the foundation... <a href="http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/articles/2112012-marriages-are-failing-because-the-foundation-has-weakened-pastor-shane-idleman/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=0QANqHe12Y0:XRamAQQHPZg:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=0QANqHe12Y0:XRamAQQHPZg:F7zBnMyn0Lo"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=0QANqHe12Y0:XRamAQQHPZg:F7zBnMyn0Lo" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=0QANqHe12Y0:XRamAQQHPZg:7Q72WNTAKBA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=7Q72WNTAKBA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=0QANqHe12Y0:XRamAQQHPZg:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=0QANqHe12Y0:XRamAQQHPZg:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=0QANqHe12Y0:XRamAQQHPZg:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=0QANqHe12Y0:XRamAQQHPZg:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=0QANqHe12Y0:XRamAQQHPZg:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/WestsideChristianFellowship/~4/0QANqHe12Y0" height="1" width="1"/> http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/articles/2112012-marriages-are-failing-because-the-foundation-has-weakened-pastor-shane-idleman/feed/ 0 Part three from a sermon series on Real Marriage—the truth about life together, by Shane Idleman; WCFAV.org. Throughout my teen years, I worked with my father in the under-ground construction business. My dad’s closest friends, builders respected for their work, were very careful in preparing the ground and laying the foundation... Continue reading &rarr;        Part three from a sermon series on Real Marriage—the truth about life together, by Shane Idleman; WCFAV.org. Throughout my teen years, I worked with my father in the under-ground construction business. My dad’s closest friends, builders respected for their work, were very careful in preparing the ground and laying the foundation. Granted, the cost to build a strong foundation was expensive, but a weak foundation would cost more. Without proper support, a structure may not be sound and could present future problems. Developers hired architects and engineers; appointed a contractor; paid fees to the county or to the city, as well as to other departments; developed a set of plans, and used heavy equipment to move tons of dirt, all to prepare the foundation. If only we were as careful in preparing for marriage. In the same way, a relationship with Christ provides the foundation for strong marriages. The foundation built today provides the strength to weather the storm tomorrow. In Matthew 7:24-27, Jesus said, “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.” Contextually, this Scripture is dealing with relationship. This Scripture should cause all Christians to search their hearts as to whether they have been truly converted...do you truly know Him? It’s unfortunate that today’s focus is largely on external factors (e.g., looks, money, position, status, etc.). These superficial values have left the church in a moral, as well as a spiritual crisis. We’ve become a society focused on prosperity instead of provision, we value wealth instead of wisdom, and we are drawn to charisma instead of character. It’s little wonder that divorce is at an all time high—our foundation has slowly deteriorated. In the past, a life-long commitment and exclusive intimacy in marriage held the family together. It was in that setting that children learned, love grew, and character developed. Divorce was rarely an option...a spouse was considered an asset rather than a liability. Marriage today is not failing because it’s more difficult than in years past—it’s failing because the foundation has weakened. A “genuine” relationship with Christ is the solid rock upon which marriage must be built. Sadly, most are neglecting this foundational truth. Do you have a genuine relationship with Christ, or are you simply going through the motions? It all begins here. As a child, I was captured by the stories that my grandfather told about life on the farm in Oklahoma in the early 1900s. The images I’ve held are not those of pleasant surroundings and ideal conditions, they’re impressions of twelve-hour days spent working the land, wind storms that could devastate a crop, blistered and sunburned skin, and poverty unlike most Americans know today. Life, in general, was harder then, but, interestingly enough, character seemed much stronger. It was a time when commitment, integrity, and honesty stood in place of contracts, disclosures and bylaws. I’m not suggesting that we return to that time in history but that we revisit and strongly encourage those same principles today. What do you bring into a relationship? How is your relationship with Christ? Many focus on finding the “right” person without first focusing on becoming the right person. Why do so many marriages fail? In many cases, it’s because they have religion and not a true relationship with Jesus. No wonder Jesus said, “These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me” (Matthew 15:8). A.W. Tozer states it best: “Millions of professed believers talk as if [Christ] were real and act as if He were not. And always our actual position is to be discovered by the way we act, not by the way we talk.” Again, it all starts here. It’s no surprise that more than fifty percent of marriages in the United States end in divorce. Love doesn’t leave people—people leave love. True love is not just an ecstatic feeling, it’s a decision that we make to remain faithful to our commitment. Marriage was intended to be a commitment based on love, surrendered to servitude, built on perseverance, and held together with commitment. A Focus on the Family newsletter stated that when a research team studied 5,232 married adults who were interviewed in the late 1980s, they discovered that 645 of them were unhappily married. Five years later, these same adults (some divorced, separated, or still married) were interviewed again. The study revealed that two-thirds of the unhappily married spouses who stayed together were actually happier five years later. The opposite is often true for those divorced. Although those who divorce may temporarily escape the pain, divorce introduces new emotional and relational difficulties. In a nutshell, unless it is severe and/or life threatening, weather the storm—it’s worth it. Though the road ahead may be uncertain at times, the solid foundation beneath will never shift. It’s all about Who you know. http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/articles/2112012-marriages-are-failing-because-the-foundation-has-weakened-pastor-shane-idleman/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WestsideChristianFellowship/~3/DVHgQ1n3QRQ/ http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/audio/wilt-thou-not-revive-us-again-a-must-hear-message/#comments Tue, 07 Feb 2012 02:40:56 +0000 admin@wcfav.org (Westside Christian Fellowship) http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/?p=1780 <a href="http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/WP/wp-content/uploads/Audio/2012-02-05-Will-Thou-Not-Revive-Us-Again.mp3" “Real Marriage #1 Intro: Wilt Thou Not Revive Us Again” — Pastor Shane Idleman - 2/4/2012 If you want to always have the latest audio messages from Westside Christian Fellowship, don't forget to <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/westside-christian-fellowship/id386117063"><strong>subscribe to this podcast on iTunes.</strong></a> <a class="twitter-share-button" href="http://twitter.com/share">Tweet</a><script src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" type="text/javascript"></script> <a href="http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/audio/wilt-thou-not-revive-us-again-a-must-hear-message/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=DVHgQ1n3QRQ:PGIeibo7WRc:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=DVHgQ1n3QRQ:PGIeibo7WRc:F7zBnMyn0Lo"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=DVHgQ1n3QRQ:PGIeibo7WRc:F7zBnMyn0Lo" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=DVHgQ1n3QRQ:PGIeibo7WRc:7Q72WNTAKBA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=7Q72WNTAKBA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=DVHgQ1n3QRQ:PGIeibo7WRc:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=DVHgQ1n3QRQ:PGIeibo7WRc:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=DVHgQ1n3QRQ:PGIeibo7WRc:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=DVHgQ1n3QRQ:PGIeibo7WRc:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=DVHgQ1n3QRQ:PGIeibo7WRc:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/WestsideChristianFellowship/~4/DVHgQ1n3QRQ" height="1" width="1"/> http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/audio/wilt-thou-not-revive-us-again-a-must-hear-message/feed/ 0 noWestside,Christian,Fellowship,Pastor,Shane,Idleman,Lancaster,California,Glorifying,Christ,Multiplying,Disciples,God,Christian,Truth,Love,Power,Holy,Spirit,Prayer,Christ,Church,Sermon,Discipleship,Video,Bible,Message,Genesis,Creation,Relative,Moralityhttp://westsidechristianfellowship.org/audio/wilt-thou-not-revive-us-again-a-must-hear-message/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WestsideChristianFellowship/~3/cZWuwMhKVfQ/ http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/videos/242012-real-marriage-1-intro-wilt-thou-not-revive-us-again-pastor-shane-idleman/#comments Sun, 05 Feb 2012 02:00:31 +0000 admin@wcfav.org (Westside Christian Fellowship) http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/?p=1802 <iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/36362334?byline=0&#38;portrait=0&#38;color=000000" frameborder="0" width="600" height="338"></iframe> 2/4/2012 "Real Marriage #1 Intro: Wilt Thou Not Revive Us Again" — Pastor Shane Idleman <a href="http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/videos/242012-real-marriage-1-intro-wilt-thou-not-revive-us-again-pastor-shane-idleman/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=cZWuwMhKVfQ:GDF9puHib1M:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=cZWuwMhKVfQ:GDF9puHib1M:F7zBnMyn0Lo"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=cZWuwMhKVfQ:GDF9puHib1M:F7zBnMyn0Lo" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=cZWuwMhKVfQ:GDF9puHib1M:7Q72WNTAKBA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=7Q72WNTAKBA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=cZWuwMhKVfQ:GDF9puHib1M:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=cZWuwMhKVfQ:GDF9puHib1M:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=cZWuwMhKVfQ:GDF9puHib1M:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=cZWuwMhKVfQ:GDF9puHib1M:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=cZWuwMhKVfQ:GDF9puHib1M:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/WestsideChristianFellowship/~4/cZWuwMhKVfQ" height="1" width="1"/> http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/videos/242012-real-marriage-1-intro-wilt-thou-not-revive-us-again-pastor-shane-idleman/feed/ 0 2/4/2012 &quot;Real Marriage #1 Intro: Wilt Thou Not Revive Us Again&quot; — Pastor Shane Idleman Continue reading &rarr; 2/4/2012 &quot;Real Marriage #1 Intro: Wilt Thou Not Revive Us Again&quot; — Pastor Shane Idleman http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/videos/242012-real-marriage-1-intro-wilt-thou-not-revive-us-again-pastor-shane-idleman/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WestsideChristianFellowship/~3/satV2ZvN37g/ http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/articles/divorce-are-we-twisting-scripture-to-make-it-fit/#comments Sat, 04 Feb 2012 13:30:34 +0000 admin@wcfav.org (Westside Christian Fellowship) http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/?p=1777 Part two from a sermon series on Real Marriage by pastor Shane Idleman—the truth about life together. Perhaps one of the most difficult Scriptures dealing with divorce or separation is found in 1 Corinthians 7:10-11, “A wife must not leave her husband. But if she does leave him, let her remain single or else go back to him. And the husband must not leave the wife.” This clearly states that those who are divorced and/or separated, unless “scripturally released,” should not remarry, but instead, seek restoration... <a href="http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/articles/divorce-are-we-twisting-scripture-to-make-it-fit/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=satV2ZvN37g:L8Seyu6-FWU:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=satV2ZvN37g:L8Seyu6-FWU:F7zBnMyn0Lo"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=satV2ZvN37g:L8Seyu6-FWU:F7zBnMyn0Lo" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=satV2ZvN37g:L8Seyu6-FWU:7Q72WNTAKBA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=7Q72WNTAKBA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=satV2ZvN37g:L8Seyu6-FWU:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=satV2ZvN37g:L8Seyu6-FWU:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=satV2ZvN37g:L8Seyu6-FWU:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=satV2ZvN37g:L8Seyu6-FWU:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=satV2ZvN37g:L8Seyu6-FWU:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/WestsideChristianFellowship/~4/satV2ZvN37g" height="1" width="1"/> http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/articles/divorce-are-we-twisting-scripture-to-make-it-fit/feed/ 0 Part two from a sermon series on Real Marriage by pastor Shane Idleman—the truth about life together. Perhaps one of the most difficult Scriptures dealing with divorce or separation is found in 1 Corinthians 7:10-11, “A wife must not leave her husband. But if she does leave him, let her remain single or else go back to him. And the husband must not leave the wife.” This clearly states that those who are divorced and/or separated, unless “scripturally released,” should not remarry, but instead, seek restoration... Continue reading &rarr;Part two from a sermon series on Real Marriage by pastor Shane Idleman—the truth about life together. Perhaps one of the most difficult Scriptures dealing with divorce or separation is found in 1 Corinthians 7:10-11, “A wife must not leave her husband. But if she does leave him, let her remain single or else go back to him. And the husband must not leave the wife.” This clearly states that those who are divorced and/or separated, unless “scripturally released,” should not remarry, but instead, seek restoration. I believe that if this Scripture was fully taught and acknowledged, it would create more serious consideration before marriage, and would be a deterrent to divorce...there would be fewer divorces without cause and more reconciliations. Lack of regard for this Scripture has taken us to the other extreme—no fault divorce. 1 Corinthians 7:15 continues, “But if the husband or wife who isn’t a Christian insists on leaving, let them go. In such cases the Christian husband or wife is not required to stay with them, for God wants his children to live in peace.” This Scripture has been repeatedly misused for personal advantage. Even though a spouses actions may resemble that of an unbeliever because they choose to leave, hard questions need to be asked. For example, if extreme anger, verbal or physical abuse, and frantic controlling and manipulating are occurring, a spouse may leave for a season with the goal and hope of restoration. In this case, the spouse leaves because the environment is unbearable, not because they are an unbeliever. The other spouse is not scripturally released in this case. What if a unbelieving spouse walks away for a so called “better life” and has no desire of returning? 1 Corinthians seems to indicate that the other is released. Blatant disrespect, financial irresponsibility, pornography, and so on, can also drive a spouse away. Some never return while others leave for a season. Clearly understand that I’m not advocating separation, divorce, or remaining in an abusive relationship, nor am I saying that if you are currently separated, that divorce become an option because better opportunities await you. God hates divorce and anyone who has been there knows why. This article is not designed to be a one-size-fits-all approach...there are too many variables to address every situation. I believe, first and foremost, in reconciliation and restoration but these are not always options. That’s why a personal relationship with Jesus and obedience to God’s Word is profoundly important. Through that relationship you will be able to make the right decision. It won’t be easy because lives have been damaged, dreams destroyed, and promises broken, but God continually redeems us through His forgiveness. God desires that we know His will and follow His lead in spite of detours. Even when 1 Corinthians 7:15 applies, it’s wise to allow a significant amount of time to pass before moving forward. This may reveal if the person left only for a season, or has chosen to leave permanently. One of the biggest obstacles when considering restoration or seeking direction, is to become involved in another relationship soon after the divorce or separation. This severely hinders any chance of reconciliation, as well as the ability to follow God’s lead. Restoration does not happen quickly…what takes years to destroy may take years to rebuild. Patience is the key—a person truly seeking God’s will, waits not rushes into a new relationship. Sadly, many rush this process, or twist Scriptures to pursue other relationships. Seeking advice or counsel during a separation requires good judgment. It may be tempting to accept the advice of others even though not Scripturally sound. Counseling with those skilled in the Word is invaluable, and desperately needed, but all the counseling in the world will not work if the heart is not right. God heals us primarily with the transforming power of His Word and repentance through a broken heart: “He sent His Word and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions” (Psalm 107:20). One goal of counseling is to take people back to the Word. Spouses must spend extended time in the Word with an open and teachable heart. My intent is not to disregard counseling—I do it daily and seek it often—I also don’t want to disregard the emotional pain of brokenness, I’ve experienced it myself. But I do want to remind you that God restores us primarily through obedience to His Word, along with faith and forgiveness. Obedience is the key: “Be doers of the Word and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves” (James 1:22). We live in deception and futility when we fight against the spiritual principle of obedience. We only delude ourselves when we look for those who tell us what we want to hear, not what we need to hear. God’s Word often does the opposite…it reveals the heart and does not validate sin. The Word does not coddle feelings like some tend to do; it crushes them so that repentance takes place. It also builds and restores. When we justify sinful behavior, genuine repentance has not taken place. We become very good with our words; very good at excusing actions. Blame deflects responsibility—it excuses actions and prevents genuine repentance from taking place. Don’t twist the Scriptures or make excuses. Surrender the entire relationship to God and trust Him to see you through. More next week... http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/articles/divorce-are-we-twisting-scripture-to-make-it-fit/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WestsideChristianFellowship/~3/Am8CBWrMklE/ http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/videos/1282012-truths-from-john-thoughts-on-election-salvation-pastor-shane-idleman/#comments Sun, 29 Jan 2012 02:00:47 +0000 admin@wcfav.org (Westside Christian Fellowship) http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/?p=1764 <iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/35923137?byline=0&#38;portrait=0&#38;color=000000" frameborder="0" width="600" height="338"></iframe> 1/28/2012 "Truths From John–Thoughts on Election &#038; Salvation" — Pastor Shane Idleman <a href="http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/videos/1282012-truths-from-john-thoughts-on-election-salvation-pastor-shane-idleman/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=Am8CBWrMklE:SM2MK9UTyU0:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=Am8CBWrMklE:SM2MK9UTyU0:F7zBnMyn0Lo"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=Am8CBWrMklE:SM2MK9UTyU0:F7zBnMyn0Lo" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=Am8CBWrMklE:SM2MK9UTyU0:7Q72WNTAKBA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=7Q72WNTAKBA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=Am8CBWrMklE:SM2MK9UTyU0:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=Am8CBWrMklE:SM2MK9UTyU0:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=Am8CBWrMklE:SM2MK9UTyU0:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=Am8CBWrMklE:SM2MK9UTyU0:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=Am8CBWrMklE:SM2MK9UTyU0:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/WestsideChristianFellowship/~4/Am8CBWrMklE" height="1" width="1"/> http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/videos/1282012-truths-from-john-thoughts-on-election-salvation-pastor-shane-idleman/feed/ 0 1/28/2012 &quot;Truths From John–Thoughts on Election &amp; Salvation&quot; — Pastor Shane Idleman Continue reading &rarr; 1/28/2012 &quot;Truths From John–Thoughts on Election &amp; Salvation&quot; — Pastor Shane Idleman http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/videos/1282012-truths-from-john-thoughts-on-election-salvation-pastor-shane-idleman/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WestsideChristianFellowship/~3/WegosLu_QLs/ http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/audio/truths-from-john-thoughts-on-election-salvation-pastor-shane-idleman-1282012/#comments Sun, 29 Jan 2012 02:00:26 +0000 admin@wcfav.org (Westside Christian Fellowship) http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/?p=1775 <a href="http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/WP/wp-content/uploads/Audio/1-28-2012_truths_from_john.mp3" "Truths From John–Thoughts on Election &#038; Salvation" — Pastor Shane Idleman - 1/28/2012 If you want to always have the latest audio messages from Westside Christian Fellowship, don't forget to <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/westside-christian-fellowship/id386117063"><strong>subscribe to this podcast on iTunes.</strong></a> <a class="twitter-share-button" href="http://twitter.com/share">Tweet</a><script src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" type="text/javascript"></script> <a href="http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/audio/truths-from-john-thoughts-on-election-salvation-pastor-shane-idleman-1282012/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=WegosLu_QLs:NPL501BXhBQ:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=WegosLu_QLs:NPL501BXhBQ:F7zBnMyn0Lo"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=WegosLu_QLs:NPL501BXhBQ:F7zBnMyn0Lo" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=WegosLu_QLs:NPL501BXhBQ:7Q72WNTAKBA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=7Q72WNTAKBA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=WegosLu_QLs:NPL501BXhBQ:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=WegosLu_QLs:NPL501BXhBQ:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=WegosLu_QLs:NPL501BXhBQ:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=WegosLu_QLs:NPL501BXhBQ:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=WegosLu_QLs:NPL501BXhBQ:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/WestsideChristianFellowship/~4/WegosLu_QLs" height="1" width="1"/> http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/audio/truths-from-john-thoughts-on-election-salvation-pastor-shane-idleman-1282012/feed/ 0 noWestside,Christian,Fellowship,Pastor,Shane,Idleman,Lancaster,California,Glorifying,Christ,Multiplying,Disciples,God,Christian,Truth,Love,Power,Holy,Spirit,Prayer,Christ,Church,Sermon,Discipleship,Video,Bible,Message,Genesis,Creation,Relative,Moralityhttp://westsidechristianfellowship.org/audio/truths-from-john-thoughts-on-election-salvation-pastor-shane-idleman-1282012/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WestsideChristianFellowship/~3/4lAb7VEl-5w/ http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/articles/1282012-adultery-god-can-restore-if-repentance-occurs/#comments Sat, 28 Jan 2012 13:30:15 +0000 admin@wcfav.org (Westside Christian Fellowship) http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/?p=1769 Part one from a sermon series on Real Marriage—the truth about life together. The Bible describes the intoxicating power of passion associated with lust and adultery. Misdirected passion deceives, misleads, and influences...we walk in darkness, stumbling...unable to see what we stumble over. This description well explains why so many caught in sexual sin describe a sense of confusion and a disconnect from God. Adultery moves us from the altar to the courtroom—transforming a couple, once deeply in love, into bitter enemies. Hopes and dreams for the birth of a child, now twisted, become a nightmare for innocent children. Adultery is selfishness at its core... <a href="http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/articles/1282012-adultery-god-can-restore-if-repentance-occurs/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=4lAb7VEl-5w:b2lrROTYgsg:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=4lAb7VEl-5w:b2lrROTYgsg:F7zBnMyn0Lo"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=4lAb7VEl-5w:b2lrROTYgsg:F7zBnMyn0Lo" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=4lAb7VEl-5w:b2lrROTYgsg:7Q72WNTAKBA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=7Q72WNTAKBA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=4lAb7VEl-5w:b2lrROTYgsg:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=4lAb7VEl-5w:b2lrROTYgsg:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=4lAb7VEl-5w:b2lrROTYgsg:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=4lAb7VEl-5w:b2lrROTYgsg:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=4lAb7VEl-5w:b2lrROTYgsg:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/WestsideChristianFellowship/~4/4lAb7VEl-5w" height="1" width="1"/> http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/articles/1282012-adultery-god-can-restore-if-repentance-occurs/feed/ 0 Part one from a sermon series on Real Marriage—the truth about life together. The Bible describes the intoxicating power of passion associated with lust and adultery. Misdirected passion deceives, misleads, and influences...we walk in darkness, stumbling...unable to see what we stumble over. This description well explains why so many caught in sexual sin describe a sense of confusion and a disconnect from God. Adultery moves us from the altar to the courtroom—transforming a couple, once deeply in love, into bitter enemies. Hopes and dreams for the birth of a child, now twisted, become a nightmare for innocent children. Adultery is selfishness at its core... Continue reading &rarr;Part one from a sermon series on Real Marriage—the truth about life together. &nbsp; The Bible describes the intoxicating power of passion associated with lust and adultery. Misdirected passion deceives, misleads, and influences...we walk in darkness, stumbling...unable to see what we stumble over. This  description well explains why so many caught in sexual sin describe a sense of confusion and a disconnect from God. Adultery moves us from the altar to the courtroom—transforming a couple, once deeply in love, into bitter enemies. Hopes and dreams for the birth of a child, now twisted, become a nightmare for innocent children. Adultery is selfishness at its core. &nbsp; How sad that sexual appetites often devour our own children, as well as ourselves. Proverbs 9:17-18 describes adultery, “Stolen water is sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant. But he does not know that the dead are there, that her guests are in the depths of hell.” &nbsp; Adultery hardens the heart toward spouses...those who were once loved and cherished now feel insignificant and discarded. Children often feel to blame for not being good enough...trying hard enough. God help our selfish hearts! It would seem, that for loving parents, the thought of this horror would bring sexual sin to a sobering halt. &nbsp; Sexual sins ultimate goal is to destroy the marriage: “Sin when it is fully grown brings forth death” (James 1:15). John 10:10 adds, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy...” Often, the only way out of adulterous and destructive relationships is to do what is right regardless of feelings. Feelings can be unstable and deceptive, but obedience to scriptural truths can be trusted. &nbsp; The pain of adultery can make us bitter, or it can make us better—ultimately, it’s our choice. God can restores if the person is willing to admit that they are wrong. True repentance is unconditional and takes full responsibility for wrongs done. A truly repent person is desperate to be forgiven...to  focus on what they have done rather than placing blame or responsibility on others. Don&#039;t misunderstand, both spouses have work to do, but this comes later. &nbsp; Two areas often prevent reconciliation: &nbsp; 1.Complete separation never occurs. Reconciliation is nearly impossible if complete separation does not occur between the couple involved in adultery. The spouse often feels that this new person makes them feel loved and appreciated, and that may be true, but so did their spouse when they first met. The type of love that God calls us to have does not leave people—people leave it. Deception lies in the fact that we often do not see the full effect of an affair until sin is fully grown. Unrepentant sin brings death to the restoration process…death to clarity, direction, and peace (cf. James 1:14-15). &nbsp; Sexual sin hardens the heart and closes off forgiveness and brokenness. Again, when we are caught in sin, we are in darkness and we cannot see the things we stumble over. This is deception at its core...we loose the spiritual vision to see truth...believing that God will turn a blind eye, or be unconcerned. Worse yet, some even believe that God directed them to the adulterous relationship. &nbsp; Completely stepping out of the other person’s life to see where God will lead is the only way to clear vision. I often wonder how many marriages are never restored simply because of pride and disobedience. Many “say” that they will stop communicating with the other person, but the truth is that they are afraid to lose the relationship—it’s often a back up plan. The adulterer is often more concerned about the feelings of the other person, rather than the feelings of their spouse and family. &nbsp; 2.Genuine repentance does not occur. Many are sorry about adultery, but being sorry is not enough...only genuine repentance opens the ears of God and restoration. Many are sorry that they got caught; sorry that their reputation and life are ruined, and so on. The difference between sorrow and repentance is vital because the two can be easily confused. It’s not about “being caught”; it’s about “coming clean.” &nbsp; It’s possible to be sorry about the consequences of sin, but not truly repentant. A penitent person turns from their sin. They accept full responsibility for their actions without blame, resentment, or bitterness. When repentance is genuine, reconciling with those injured is a priority. Forgiveness is sought without conditions. We take full, not partial, responsibility for our actions. &nbsp; How can a truly broken and repentant person continue in a relationship that they know is wrong...a relationship that is destroying their family? They can’t. A person who is genuinely repentant will jump at the opportunity to foster restoration. Actions reveal the condition of the heart. Those who are truly repentant often walk away from the affair. (For those interested in learning more about genuine repentance, the message is available on our website and is entitled:Hearing and Doing.) &nbsp; There is hope. Don’t give up; look up. There are consequences for past mistakes, the answers is to live in God’s arms redeemed rather than to live broken outside of His will. Which way will you run? More next week... http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/articles/1282012-adultery-god-can-restore-if-repentance-occurs/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WestsideChristianFellowship/~3/XY47Vv4RSP0/ http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/audio/hearing-and-doing-pastor-shane-idleman-1212012/#comments Sun, 22 Jan 2012 02:00:50 +0000 admin@wcfav.org (Westside Christian Fellowship) http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/?p=1773 <a href="http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/WP/wp-content/uploads/Audio/1-21-2012_hearing_and_doing.mp3" "Hearing and Doing" – Pastor Shane Idleman - 1/21/2012 If you want to always have the latest audio messages from Westside Christian Fellowship, don't forget to <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/westside-christian-fellowship/id386117063"><strong>subscribe to this podcast on iTunes.</strong></a> <a class="twitter-share-button" href="http://twitter.com/share">Tweet</a><script src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" type="text/javascript"></script> <a href="http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/audio/hearing-and-doing-pastor-shane-idleman-1212012/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=XY47Vv4RSP0:XVFlpTagIDI:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=XY47Vv4RSP0:XVFlpTagIDI:F7zBnMyn0Lo"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=XY47Vv4RSP0:XVFlpTagIDI:F7zBnMyn0Lo" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=XY47Vv4RSP0:XVFlpTagIDI:7Q72WNTAKBA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=7Q72WNTAKBA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=XY47Vv4RSP0:XVFlpTagIDI:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=XY47Vv4RSP0:XVFlpTagIDI:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=XY47Vv4RSP0:XVFlpTagIDI:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=XY47Vv4RSP0:XVFlpTagIDI:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=XY47Vv4RSP0:XVFlpTagIDI:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/WestsideChristianFellowship/~4/XY47Vv4RSP0" height="1" width="1"/> http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/audio/hearing-and-doing-pastor-shane-idleman-1212012/feed/ 0 noWestside,Christian,Fellowship,Pastor,Shane,Idleman,Lancaster,California,Glorifying,Christ,Multiplying,Disciples,God,Christian,Truth,Love,Power,Holy,Spirit,Prayer,Christ,Church,Sermon,Discipleship,Video,Bible,Message,Genesis,Creation,Relative,Moralityhttp://westsidechristianfellowship.org/audio/hearing-and-doing-pastor-shane-idleman-1212012/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WestsideChristianFellowship/~3/yPlxzzOja1Y/ http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/videos/1212012-hearing-and-doing-pastor-shane-idleman/#comments Sun, 22 Jan 2012 02:00:21 +0000 admin@wcfav.org (Westside Christian Fellowship) http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/?p=1762 <iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/35637445?byline=0&#38;portrait=0&#38;color=000000" frameborder="0" width="600" height="338"></iframe> 1/21/2012 "Hearing and Doing" – Pastor Shane Idleman <a href="http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/videos/1212012-hearing-and-doing-pastor-shane-idleman/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=yPlxzzOja1Y:0IbQ6nH0ZUI:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=yPlxzzOja1Y:0IbQ6nH0ZUI:F7zBnMyn0Lo"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=yPlxzzOja1Y:0IbQ6nH0ZUI:F7zBnMyn0Lo" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=yPlxzzOja1Y:0IbQ6nH0ZUI:7Q72WNTAKBA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=7Q72WNTAKBA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=yPlxzzOja1Y:0IbQ6nH0ZUI:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=yPlxzzOja1Y:0IbQ6nH0ZUI:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=yPlxzzOja1Y:0IbQ6nH0ZUI:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?a=yPlxzzOja1Y:0IbQ6nH0ZUI:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WestsideChristianFellowship?i=yPlxzzOja1Y:0IbQ6nH0ZUI:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/WestsideChristianFellowship/~4/yPlxzzOja1Y" height="1" width="1"/> http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/videos/1212012-hearing-and-doing-pastor-shane-idleman/feed/ 0 1/21/2012 &quot;Hearing and Doing&quot; – Pastor Shane Idleman Continue reading &rarr; 1/21/2012 &quot;Hearing and Doing&quot; – Pastor Shane Idleman http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/videos/1212012-hearing-and-doing-pastor-shane-idleman/ Westside Christian FellowshipnonadultGlorifying Christ, Multiplying Disciples