Have You Fallen Away?

The glory is departed from Israel. The glory has departed from God's people; the power of God has departed from his Church, the Body of Jesus Christ. The church today is operating in the flesh. Our own wills, our own desires, and ideas. We claim to be seeking the Lords' Will but continue to use the trends and devices of the world to try and win the world over to our side. We are not supposed to be of the world, we are to be the direct opposite!

John 15:19
If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.

John 17:14
I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

1John 2:16
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.

The church today has become a world friendly church. It doesn't want to offend anyone's own personal or spiritual beliefs. The church changes the word of God so that it is politically correct and non-offensive. By doing this they distort the word of God and deceive the people. The church and its leaders ignore the congregation and issues in our local communities and in the world. The church turns a blind eye to the problems within its own body. The church looks for new ideas and gimmicks to bring in the lost and in doing this the infiltration of the enemy has come in like a flood. The churches eyes are dim to the immorality and witchcraft that has invaded its sanctuaries. The church is in rebellion and out of order and in chaos. The church has ignored the warnings. The church has closed its eyes and ears to the Lords instructions. The church is filled with paganism, spiritualism, symbolism and false doctrine.

Where is the concern for the lost? All that is seen in the church today is religion, pride and arrogance!

Are you feeding from the world?

• Are you more worried about which designer clothes to wear than having your mind and heart ready to commune with God?

• Are you more worried about Facebook, Twitter, and other social media than opening up and reading your bible?

• Are you more worried about sitting in front of the TV to watch your favorite show that having a nightly family bible study?

• Do you walk in the church and gossip about the people and events that are in it or do you go straight into prayer for the pastor and his message?

• Would you rather be entertained by radio and be distracted by the things of this world than be concern about the men and women that are lost around you?

• Have you replaced the reading of the word with worship?

• Has the altar become a stage of seduction, self-righteousness, or a dance floor?

• Are you lusting after one another in the pews you are sitting in at church?

• Are you wearing seductive clothing in the House of God? Are you so full of yourself (the lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and the pride of life) that people can't see Christ through you?

• Are you more concerned about what time you are going to get out of church and what you are going to eat? When was the last time you heard a message that convicted you so strongly and left you so shaken that your last thought was on what you were going to eat?

Jeremiah 18:15
Because my people hath forgotten me, they have burned incense to vanity, and they have caused them to stumble in their ways from the ancient paths, to walk in paths, in a way not cast up;

Isaiah 55:8
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.

By Dan Roller

Why the iPod Is A Horrible Idea for Wedding Reception Music

So you are on a tight wedding budget, and wondering where you can cut a few corners. Unfortunately, many couples have been wrongly advised to skimp on the reception entertainment.

In recent years, there have been several articles about how the technology of the day will allow you to "self-serve" your reception music via the iPod, as opposed to hiring a DJ. While the concept is interesting, and is initially attractive from a purely economic standpoint, there are several aspects of doing this that are unrealistic, inconvenient, inefficient, and cost far more than you think. Let's look at the facts of most receptions and see why this idea has no legs.

RECEPTION VENUE HOUSE SOUND

The typical reception venue's house sound system will consist of ceiling mount speakers. While these speakers are adequate for speeches and dinner music, they lack the frequency range, power, and low-end response for a party. Would you dance to an overhead speaker with less frequency response than a good car stereo? To overcome this issue, the option would be to rent a professional sound system at a cost of $400-$500. Keep in mind that this price range typically does not include delivery, set up, break down, or return of the equipment to the rental facility. Of course, you could do all that yourself, or get Uncle John to do it, but isn't this supposed to be a celebration for you and your guests to enjoy?

DJ VERSUS iPod... The rest of the story.

Aside from the sound system, there is dance lighting, emcee duties, planning assistance, music library, and the rarely understood talent of "reading a crowd". None of these things can be provided by an iPod.

Leaving the emcee duties to a family member may sound like a good idea, but do you want Uncle John working at the reception? Your family members and friends are there to celebrate with you. This also applies to the music flow. Will you simply create a playlist and let it go for 4-5 hours? What about timing? Will you spend hours calculating the timing of the music? If not, will Uncle John have double duty? What about requests? Will the iPod look at your dance floor, see that it is empty, and do something to fill it?

Good Disc Jockeys will spend ample time consulting with you on the flow and musical choices for your reception, and use his or her professional experience to properly announce your grand entrance, and the events of your timeline. They will also read your crowd, co-ordinate with the venue staff, photographers, and other vendors to make sure that everyone is in their proper place at the proper time.

Do yourself a favor the next time you read an article that says you should do it yourself... Hire a professional DJ within your budget. Expect to spend at least $700 on a quality wedding DJ service, and avoid DJ brokerage services. Statistics show that nearly 80% of people remember the entertainment more than any other aspect of the reception. Save the iPod for personal use.

By Phil A Tucker