Overboard

[JosephShaydez]

Uhhhhh, I think I went overboard..... Well, I have been getting real, intensly close to God in my prayer time. Well, the more I get close to him, the more I am convicted about having/owning certain things in my house. Certain things, that cost allot of money and some things that where very hard to find. The list of things, I got convicted about and consequently ended up getting rid of... warning, somethings might shock you.

Dragon Ball/Z/GT
Final Fantasy
Matrix 1 through 3
Spawn
Kingdom Hearts for crying out loud!!!
And any anime that has spiritual overtones, and other questionable material..

Some people might think I am off my rocker, but I know this isn't me wanting to do this, if I had a choice, I would keep it all, but I beleive getting rid of it all is for the better, for me. My personal opinion is that God tests us to see if we will be obediant. It's all over the Bible. If I have to do this, to grow stronger in him, then so be it. Now, I want to make it perfectly clear, that the above things I mentioned, I myself wasn't saying they are evil and that everyone should give those things up. I personally was convicted. So once again, let me re-state that, I am not saying any of that is evil. I think the reason I feel so convicted is because for the longest time, I put all of that stuff above God and everyone else, and He wanted me to prove to Him, that He is the only one I will serve. Well, I have no idea why I am sharing this. I guess I just wanted some feedback on your thoughts and to ask you guys a question. Has there ever, been anything in your life, that you personally didn't see anything wrong with, but felt completely convicted about having it, or there was something you knew was wrong, and felt convicted and knew that a sacrifice had to be made? If there is anyone out there like that, and is going through something similiar to what I am going through then please reply back and let me know.

[JosephShaydez]

PS: When I said Matrix 1 through 3, I met I won't watch 3, and that I got rid of the Animatriz, Matrix, and Reloaded

[shooraijin]

> Has there ever, been anything in your life, that you personally didn't see anything wrong with, but felt completely convicted about having it, [...]

I would be cautious about making feelings your only source for a decision, and conviction for many people can be difficult to distinguish from feeling (it certainly can be for me). It has been my experience that if I'm being told something, I'm being told something in multiple ways that all correspond with each other: what I feel inside, what I am told by other Christians, what I find in the Bible. I've always found my feelings unreliable as a sole resource, but they can lend credence to other signals I might be picking up.

That being said, for something like this, if you truly believe it's causing you to stumble, or has that potential, it certainly won't ruin your life to clean out your DVD collection. And in your post you state that you believe you were putting these things above God, and having the self-awareness to make that assessment clearly is really great. I would just be mindful that if all you have is a feeling, perhaps there should be other kinds of justification to influence your decision (which you may well, in this case, actually have as well ).

[Mave]

the more I get close to him, the more I am convicted about having/owning certain things in my house.

I think the reason I feel so convicted is because for the longest time, I put all of that stuff above God and everyone else, and He wanted me to prove to Him, that He is the only one I will serve.

Has there ever, been anything in your life, that you personally didn't see anything wrong with, but felt completely convicted about having it, or there was something you knew was wrong, and felt convicted and knew that a sacrifice had to be made?

Hi there, allow me encourage you.

Three years ago, I was enjoying anime in my anime club as usual and suddenly a thought came to my mind. "I sure can't live without anime/manga!"

"Huh? Wait a minute, did I hear myself right?"

At that moment, the convictions followed.
"What if Jesus came down to earth right now and asked me to follow Him? Would I say, Jesus, can I bring my manga along to heaven?" I also had my attention brought to the story about the young rich man who went away sad coz he couldn't give up all his riches. YIKES!!! Suddenly I'm faced with the choice, pick Jesus or my entertainment. It's simple for some but for me at that moment, it was tough.

I knew God wanted me to learn to depend on Him, not on my entertainment. So that's why I fasted from A&M. VERY DIFFICULT and PAINFUL. That only served to confirm how attached I've gotten to it. Letting go hurts but the reward in heaven is greater than anything in this world! Do let me testify, I'm very very happy and satisfied, now that I'm no longer obsessed about A&M because I learnt to seek my joy from the Lord which gets more amazing each day. A&M no longer controls me. I laugh in victory!

Nevertheless, remember: I fasted. I merely abstain from it and did not throw everything away. My personal conviction wasn't to destroy everything. Ok, certain things were completely rejected (sexually tempting stuff, outrightly anti Christian) but most were still Holy Spirit-approved. You see, God never said it was wrong to enjoy A&M, it's only wrong if we place it above Him and allow it to separate us from Him. We can enjoy A&M but let it be God's way!

I think you're on the right track coz I've been there. Whether you wanna throw the stuff away, it's completely between you and God. All I pray is that you'll obey God in whatever He calls you to do personally. May His Will be done.

Cheers!

[true_noir_chloe]

I am in total agreement with both Michiru and also Shooriajin. When anything comes before God then you have to stop and think over what you're doing. I need to personally spend time with God in prayer and Bible study. I like to have devotions every morning and I think that is a good beginning to curb any destructive idol worship or placing things before God. God at the beginning of your day and God at the end. I sometimes miss my time because of time constraints, but later I will always find time to pray and spend time with him. I realize my witness to family, friends, my children depend on me drawing close to the One I want them to know personally. I want them to fall in love with the lover of my soul as much as I have. That means I need to be the one responsible for growing close to Him. God bless you in your decisions, Joseph.

[Bunny]

Oh my, I've been going through the very same thing Joseph. It seems the closer I draw to God the more it hurts. Recently God started convicting me about my RPG's. In my heart I felt that they weren't bad but God was telling me otherwise. For awhile I pushed that feeling aside but it was always in the back of my mind and everywhere I looked it seemed that God was putting up neon signs trying to tell me to let them go. So one night I was praying about it and I decided that they just had to go. It hurt so bad to throw em out and Satan has tried repeatedly to get me to get wrapped up in one again and it's always so hard to turn him down but I know that if I'm steadfast to what I feel in heart is what God wants, he will reward me. So yeah, it's tough but I know that God is sitting on His throne looking down at you and me and cheering us on and that's quite enough to keep me going.

[Fsiphskilm]

Hey man, don't worry.

[AyanamiRei]

Oh my, I've been going through the very same thing Joseph. It seems the closer I draw to God the more it hurts. Recently God started convicting me about my RPG's. In my heart I felt that they weren't bad but God was telling me otherwise. For awhile I pushed that feeling aside but it was always in the back of my mind and everywhere I looked it seemed that God was putting up neon signs trying to tell me to let them go. So one night I was praying about it and I decided that they just had to go. It hurt so bad to throw em out and Satan has tried repeatedly to get me to get wrapped up in one again and it's always so hard to turn him down but I know that if I'm steadfast to what I feel in heart is what God wants, he will reward me. So yeah, it's tough but I know that God is sitting on His throne looking down at you and me and cheering us on and that's quite enough to keep me going.

I know EXACTLY how you feel my man. I kept on pushing away the warnin signs for Yu-Gi-Oh, and soon after I get out, another friend gets into it, a better game comes out, 2 more different add on series come out, a PC game that gets included in my Shonen Jump, and more!! Or the time I got into a baaaaad Hack an Slash RPG called Diablo an Diablo 2. I ignored the feelings I had becuz it was soooo fun@.@ To this day I'm STILL struggling with tryin to find games similar to that, but that don't have all the evil thrown into them. Not to mention I had at least 300 bucks worth of the stuff with cards and video games for Yu-Gi-Oh that I ended up breaking and lighting on fire. Sides I got into it, mostly just to show my friend up about how much better I could be at it then him. *Sighs* It's not easy to give up things for God, but I know he'll bless me for it. It just becomes really hard sometimes, you know? Not to mention I get slack/attacked for it by one of my "friends". I swear I'll never hear the end of it. Bleh. I just wanna letcha know brother, that you can lean on me for support an stuff if you ever need it.

[Fsiphskilm]

Eww, Diablo,

[JosephShaydez]

Eww, Diablo, Yu-Gu-Oh? What's so bad about...Never mind, I guess it's what bothers the person, like I said God is everywhere, look before you burn something, while i do agree that somethings just bother me, i never buy them in the first place, The only thing i Burned was Resident Evil 2 and that's because my freind made me. I'm going to Re-buy it.

Examples:
Madonna's Frozen song - "You're frozen, when you're hearts not open" and some of her other spiritually fueled songs are a great example.
Resident Evil - basicly the game puts innoscent like characters {like claire, chris, Jill, Rebecca, steve, Leon, are all wonderfull characters with big hearts and fealings for humanity} the game takes them and pits them up against a hellish like evil.
Final Fantasy - just replace Gaia with God, and that makes the movie twice as good.

I don't know, maybe it's just me, but I add God into everything, like I said I can't live without him.

Well to each their own. I won't judge you for what you beleive. It's just to me, the devil likes to mask things up as innocent. It say's "He comes as an angel of light to decieve. However I do see your points in some things. Like for example, the Matrix. It has a lot of Christian references, but what got me with all 3 Matrix's, is the whole saying God's name in vain thing. I whole heartedly beleive that if all of the swearing was taken out, I probably wouldn't feel so bad watching it. I might actually watch the movies again when they are made for television (you know they edit out the cussing) But I beleive in my heart of hearts that it has to go, just because I made that my world. I was obsessed with the Matrix and everything having to do with it, and though it pains me, it has to go, because I feel this is what God wants for me. For me, I don't see the point in trying to find God in the media, when all I got to do is pray, praise him and read his word. That's probably the closest I feel to him, where as I feel more distant from him with other things. I am not saying all entertainment is bad, I am just saying it is bad when you put it first instead of God.

[JosephShaydez]

> Has there ever, been anything in your life, that you personally didn't see anything wrong with, but felt completely convicted about having it, [...]

I would be cautious about making feelings your only source for a decision, and conviction for many people can be difficult to distinguish from feeling (it certainly can be for me). It has been my experience that if I'm being told something, I'm being told something in multiple ways that all correspond with each other: what I feel inside, what I am told by other Christians, what I find in the Bible. I've always found my feelings unreliable as a sole resource, but they can lend credence to other signals I might be picking up.

That being said, for something like this, if you truly believe it's causing you to stumble, or has that potential, it certainly won't ruin your life to clean out your DVD collection. And in your post you state that you believe you were putting these things above God, and having the self-awareness to make that assessment clearly is really great. I would just be mindful that if all you have is a feeling, perhaps there should be other kinds of justification to influence your decision (which you may well, in this case, actually have as well ).

I agree, with you, going off of feelings alone can lead to trouble. But with me, it was more than just a feeling. It was like an knowing. I have always been the type of person, to pray and really meditate in the word of God before I make a decission like this. Thank you for your advice. I appreciate it.

[Bobtheduck]

I agree, with you, going off of feelings alone can lead to trouble. But with me, it was more than just a feeling. It was like an knowing. I have always been the type of person, to pray and really meditate in the word of God before I make a decission like this. Thank you for your advice. I appreciate it.

If God had you get rid of these things, stick with it... He may give it back to you later, he may not, but you should stick with it. Be obedient to what God tells you. However, make sure you realize what God tells you to do isn't necissarily what he's going to tell others (which it seems like you do realize)... God will tell you things like that based on where you're weak, and where he wants to work on you. Other people have different problems and he's going to deal with them in different ways that he wouldn't bother doing with you.

[Azier the Swordsman]

Letting go is hard, and it may take you years before you fully recover, but one day you will wake up, and you'll say, "Hey! I don't need this anymore!" Just stick it out, and if God is telling you to do something, don't let the Devil tempt you in any way. Gambatte!

[nekomi]

Just a quick thought I picked up from my Bible time today, and it seems relevant (Romans 14:3,5):

"Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat, and let not him who does not eat judge him who eats; for God has received him... Let each be fully convinced in his own mind. He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it."

Of course, the context is a little tricky: Paul is talking to the church in Rome regarding those believers who were quarreling over two issues: For the Gentiles, if eating meat sacrificed to idols was permissible; and to the Jews, if believing Jews needed to observe the Sabbath day and other religious festivities.

The point Paul is making here seems to be "to each his own" - on matters which the Bible is not explicitly clear on, each believer is free to follow his or her own convictions. The McArthur Study Bible commentary says this:

"Each Christian must follow the dictates of his own conscience in matters not specifically commanded or prohibited in Scripture. Since conscience is a God-given mechanism to warn, and responds to the highest standard of moral law in the mind (2:14,15), it is not sensible to train yourself to ignore it. Rather, respond to its compunctions, and as you mature [in Christ], by learning more, your mind will not alert it to those things which are not essential."

I've seen the issue of "Should I give this up?" come up over and over again on the forums, and I think anyone who feels called to give something up should follow their convictions. I can't see what ill effects following your conscience might have, unless your conscience is telling you to go against the Word. Of course, flaunting your decision on others is also uncalled for (and Paul mentions this in the passages following the ones I quoted).

I think it's a good decision for you to follow your convictions regardless of how hard it may be. ^_^

[Fsiphskilm]

OHHHHHHH! okay,