“Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.” -Psalm 100
The Lord is oh so good, my friends! I want each and every one of you to dwell in His spirit and seek him as your comfort and rock. To start this post, I just want to share a video of Hillsong United with you. As you listen and even sing along, invite God to come into your heart. Ask that His presence overwhelms you and that your heart will be open to His words.
God is indeed splendorous and magnificent. So often, I feel like we do not recognize that enough. Our Heavenly Father is so awe-inspiring, and it should be recognized among all of his people. Something my pastor has recommended is literally just going through the alphabet and stating qualities about God and who he is.
Our God is the Alpha, he is amazing, he is awesome, he is affirming, he is all I need.
God is beautiful and bountiful. God breaks our bondages.
He is the center of our lives, the Creator of all. He is the ultimate caregiver.
He is the sole deity of my life. He is my deliverer from sin.
He is excellent, extravagant, and ever-present.
God is a burning fire. He is the freedom song.
God is glorious and graceful. He is God.
He is heavenly and hallowed.
God is inspiring. He is the illustrator of love.
He is joyful. God is just.
God is kind. He is kindling the fires of love for our Savior in our hearts.
God is love. God is lovely. He is the Lord. He is the Sacrificial Lamb.
He is marvelous and majestic. God is the master of all.
He is never-ending.
God is omnipotent. He is owner of the world.
He is passionate. God is powerful. He is the Peace that passes all understanding.
He is quick to forgive. He is the quiet still after a storm.
He is Redeemer and is resurrected. God is the restorer of faith.
God is strong. He is sincere. He is the Savior of the world.
God is truth. He is worthy of our thanksgiving.
He is understanding. God is unchanging,
God is vindictive. He is victorious. He is vigilantly watching over us.
He is worthy. God is wise.
God X’s out all of our sins.
He is yearning for a relationship with you. He is Yahweh.
God is zealous for his children. He is the ruler of Zion.
Our God is incredible and is so many things that, really, he is just indescribable. We should run to Him daily because He knows our needs and provides for every single thing. Psalm 46: 1-3 says,
“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.”
We should rely on Him to be our everything.
As you go about your day, ask God to pour His spirit into you. Go out into the world and share who God is for you. Share about what He has done and what He is doing in your life. Surrender yourself to a constant state of commune with God. Stay connected to your source through prayer and devotion. Who is God? Is he really everything? Why should we run to him?
Go out now and share about God. He fits into everyone’s life. He is not just for a select group of people, but rather, he is for all. He is the Light in the darkness for those who are lost. He is hope for all. Praise God for all He has done! He has given us the most precious gift of His son. We must share that great news with all who can hear. As you go, may the love of God cover you. Praise God for His mercies which are new each and every day. Praise God because it is through him that all things are made new. We are new creation in His name. Get excited church! You are a new creation! The old is passed! Praise be to God!
So I’ve been offline for a while, and in light of everything that has been happening in the world, I think it’s best to just share the Gospel and share God’s detailed and arousing love story for you with you. I want this to be a unique presentation of the Gospel, so as you read, prepare your hearts for a time of worship. Set aside a good amount of time to just read and listen and enjoy God. There will be videos posted throughout the blog, and to make this deeper, I ask that you take the time to WATCH the videos as well as listen. I was moved as I began to type and watch and search, and I want God to move just as swiftly and strongly in you as He did in me.
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was God in the Beginning.” -John 1:1
“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” -Genesis 1:1
God was here before the earth even began. With His tremendous voice, He spoke the world into existence. Everything was His from the beginning. Light and dark separated as God said, “Let there be."
After this, God made the earth and the planets and the plants and the sea. He created the earth over the next few days and on the sixth day, He created man.
“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; man and female, he created them.” -Genesis 1:26
He gave man (Adam and Eve) the Garden of Eden. I imagine that it was a blissful paradise. A babbling brook off in the distance, trees lush with leaves and weighed down with fruit. Animals walking peacefully beside one another. Literally, there was no need or want for anything. God had provided for everything. It must have been perfect.
Adam and Eve were made and wandered in the Garden naked. There was no shame. Nothing to hide. There was no sin. Literally, there were no boundaries to leap over. No walls built to hide unwanted information. Everything was out in the open and everything was at peace.
There was a serpent, though, that was in the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. It was in the middle of the Garden and God had commanded man not to eat of it’s fruits. The serpent is believed to have been Satan himself, impersonating the form of the serpent. He convinced Eve to eat of the fruit and the world was changed forever.
In that moment, the fall of all mankind came. Sin entered the world for the first time and now runs rampant through our lives today. We are now falling down in a spiral of despair. Walls, shame, and wrongdoings were created in that split second decision to eat the fruit. Instead of walking and talking with God unashamed and naked, we now hide and cover our eyes because the glory and perfection of our God is just too great.
Over the next hundreds of years, wars were fought, people were murdered, laws were made, and sin continued to grow and spread. The world was becoming more and more corrupt. Suddenly, God was silent, and no comfort, no new Word, no nothing came from heaven. God was silent. He was waiting and preparing to give the world His perfect gift that was His ultimatum of grace.
Imagine being a young teenage girl. Acne has reared it’s ugly head. You feel unsure of yourself as your body starts to change. Your mood swings are wild. Sad one day and happy the next. Loving fish one day and then despising it’s existence the next. Everything is a roller coaster ride. Now think about adding an unexpected pregnancy to that. You are a virgin. You’ve never even considered the act of sex before marriage because your parents would kill you. Also, you have a fiancé. What would he have to say about that? Would they believe you when you said that the Lord filled you with the Spirit and you were carrying the Son of God?
This is Mary. She was a young girl when God gave her the duty and honor of delivering His son into the world.
“…what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus because he will save people from their sins.” -Matthew 1:20-21
There was bravery in her soul and dedication to the Lord in her spirit as she accepted God’s will for her life. On a trip to Bethlehem to honor the census being taken, our Lord, Jesus Christ, was born. He came into the world quietly. Though he was of the utmost royalty, he was born in a cave with animals. It was an ordinary night to most, but those to whom the Lord had revealed were changed. After years and years, God had spoken. He had moved in a mighty way. Not to make a bold entrance, the Savior of our world was born quietly.
Jesus walked on this earth. He came and taught solid truths about himself, about God, and about grace.
“For God did not send His son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” -John 3:17
Jesus could not stay here forever though. God sent Jesus to fulfill the purpose of grace. You see, for so many years, people tried to live according to the standard of the law set forth by God and man, but not a single man could keep all of the laws and commandments.
“Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. Therefore, no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin.” -Romans 3:19-20
The only thing left for us to do as sinners is to recognize our sin and let go. We cannot defeat sin on our own. Instead, we must surrender everything and follow Jesus.
Jesus was crucified. Though he did no wrong, he was considered guilty for all and hanged on a cross like a criminal. It is at the cross that we should leave our sins. While Jesus hung there, he felt the weight of the world on his shoulders. All sin, past, present and future, was weighing on him. Christ died for you. He loves you so much that he died for you. Instead of running away from that love, run towards him. Run to the cross and take your burdens with you. He handled the cross, so by all means, he can handle whatever baggage you have with you. Stand, kneel, lay, sit…whatever you want, but find yourself at the cross. Someone once said that it was YOUR sin that nailed him to the cross. As you find sin in your life, take it to the cross. Lay everything down at the Lord’s feet. He died for you. You cannot defeat sin on your own, but God knows that and gave us Jesus as the gift of grace. Because of the Father’s love, you have been forgiven.
“Above all else, love each other deeply because love covers over a multitude of sins.” -1 Peter 4:8
Jesus showed his love for us by dying for us so that we could experience life with Him. You may say, “Well Jesus died. Isn’t it a little difficult to experience life with a…dead guy?” What is even more beautiful about this story is that, though Jesus died, he didn’t stay dead. Just 3 days after being buried in a guarded tomb, Jesus came back to life. My Lord conquered over DEATH! God raised him from the dead so that our sinful, spiritually dead selves could be made alive in Christ.
Hallelujah for such an incredible display of love!
While we are on the earth, we are here to serve the Lord. We will fail and fall into sin. The point is to keep going. When we recognize that our strength is not our own and that the Lord fights for us, we are stronger than any thing this world can give us!
“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weakness, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” -2 Corinthians 12:9-10
I encourage you to take this message to heart. Cling to the Gospel and don’t let go. Don’t let old sins inhibit you from future glory. God is big enough to handle you. God passionately wants you to be His and His alone. He pursues an intimate and loving relationship with you. I am so tired of people giving the ABC’s to Salvation and expecting everyone to just understand and get it! This relationship is one of the most important things to happen to you, and it isn’t a one-time deal. You must do this relationship every day, just like your relationships with people here on earth. When this relationship is growing and flowing through prayer, reading of Scripture, and faith-based actions, you will notice a difference in your life and in the lives of others around you. There is a hope for us. His name is Jesus. He is a passionate, relentless, beautiful Savior who wants you personally to become part of the church body and become his bride. He loved you enough to die for you. He is aching to pour his love and blessings on you.
It’s time to rise up and share this message. Don’t be afraid to share this with other people. Seek others out and tell them about Jesus. Tell them how your life is different. I encourage you to nurture your relationships with others and mentor people with Godly passion. You have been charged to carry this message out into the world and to make disciples.
“Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of age.” -Matthew 28:19-20
We have no reason to be afraid of the world. As Jesus promised at the end of this Great Commission, he will be with you until the very end of age. He fights for you and before you. March on with Gospel and shine a beacon of light and hope into the darkness of this world. Be Christ to all and extend love, but fight for what is true and right in the eyes of God. Love without judgment. Fight the good fight and stand in the faith. God bless!
Do people trust you? Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines trust as “assured reliance on the character, ability, strength, or truth of someone or something.” Many of us like to believe that people can trust us, but the reality is that many people do not trust others. I believe that part of that mistrust comes from living in a world full of people who constantly abuse, cheat, and cut others down. How sad to see that we have fallen from taking someone’s word to needing various sorts of “proof!” Jesus commanded that our yes be yes and our no be no. (Matthew 5:27). When a word was given, people could trust that.
So again, I ask, do people trust you? Is your word good? A sign of a noble Proverbs 31 woman is trustworthiness. Here is what Proverbs 31:11 says:
“The heart of her husband trusts in her confidently and relies on and believes in her securely, so that he has no lack of [honest] gain or need of [dishonest] spoil.” (AMP)
I used the Amplified version to show the words that go with trust. Confident. Rely. Believe. Secure. Honest. These words just sound solid and safe and trustworthy. I want to go through and just find Scriptural ways in which we can become more trustworthy for others in our lives.
The first thing I want to point out is the complete subject of this sentence “The heart of her husband”. I realize I am typing for a mixed audience, so some of you might be like, “Shoot, woman! I ain’t got time for a husband! I’m in high school so obviously this just doesn’t apply.” Sister, hold your horses because let me tell you…you can always be preparing yourself for that husband. A husband serves as your life companion and is there to spur you towards Christ and becomes one with you. Marriage is a big deal. In order, though, to attract a Godly man, you must first be lost in Christ and be working to prepare yourself for that day. It’s like learning to manage a household. My mother didn’t just teach me how to cook and do laundry and balance a checkbook the week before I started college! Instead, she has been teaching me and preparing me for years. Cooking now comes easily, laundry can be done (even if it’s a despised chore), and raising a child one day will be second nature because my mother (and father for that matter) have prepared me and taught me essential skills so that one day I can live on my own and have my own family. There is still plenty to learn, and there always will be, but it starts early.
Similarly, preparing yourself for marriage starts early. It starts by pursuing purity, imitating Christ, and encouraging the fruits of the Spirit to grow in our lives. Then, when we run into situations, we automatically turn to the Bible and turn to what we have been prepared to do all along. So darling, just because you do not have a husband yet does not mean that you won’t have one later. Prepare yourself by becoming a disciple of Christ and a Proverbs 31 woman.
As Proverbs 31 women, we are to be reliable. Our word needs to be strong and sure. When you tell a girlfriend that you will be at her party, show up. Follow through. When you need to bring something to the church bake sale, follow through. It is worth so much more whenever a friend can count on you through thick and thin rather than to be known as the girl who "you never know what she will do”.
When you become reliable and trustworthy, people will respect you. Your peers will be able to come to you honestly because you are a solid source (but remember, only because you are relying upon THE Solid Source, Jesus Christ) and they will trust in your word that you give. It is so important, especially today, because more and more often, people will lie and manipulate you so that they can gain something in this world.
Stand out from the crowd and be trustworthy. When you are trustworthy and reliable, people will look to you more for advice, which is a great open door for you to open up the Gospel. You will become an even brighter beacon of light wherever you are. You will be preparing your heart for the man God has designed for you. Be the rock in the world that reflects the Rock of our lives.
If you are a female, you know that feeling that you get when you want to be perfect? You have that need to be just right for that guy or to impress that girl so you’ll “get-in” with the popular crew? It happens to all of us at one point. I will admit, there have been several times when I wore a different outfit or acted strange just for attention from someone special. In fact, it can still happen now! As a natural people pleaser, I want to have approval from others. Let me go ahead and just shut down any defense of that though by saying that Jesus is the only one with whom you should be concerned about receiving approval. It truly hurts my heart when I see beautiful girls covered in make-up, acting ridiculous, and running themselves down just to please people! To be a woman of God is of so much more value than make-up, friends, popularity, or even diamonds! I want to be sure that I am being encouraging of you all to build up noble, Christ-like characteristics in your lives because I feel that when a revolution of beauty comes around, it should be a revolution of Godly beauty and I don’t want you to miss out!
Guys…I hate to say it, but I have no idea how the noble characteristics of a Godly woman applies to you except that you should be pursuing these traits in the girl that God has designed you for. So basically, you can sign-off now and just come back later, or you can read and see what Godly women look like so that you know what to look for as you find the One to pursue.
“A wife of noble character, who can find? She is worth far more than rubies.” -Proverbs 31:10
So why even study on how to be a woman? I mean, we all think that we have the whole “woman” thing down. Honestly, though, I think most of us are far from it. It hurts my heart to see girls tearing each other to shreds when we should be building each other up. Guys, let me just say that girls can be extremely catty and vicious with one another. Cat fights are just a polite of saying a quiet war between girls when things get bad. I figured you might as well know the truth so you can beware.
Anyways, going back to this predicament for girls…It’s time to stand up and be the women that we are called to be. It will be hard. Like Proverbs 31:10 says, “who can find?” I think that this implies that a good and noble woman of good character is hard to find, and especially in this culture. With so many opposing views pushed on us as women, it is hard to find a gem in the trash with which the world is filled. That’s why it is so imperative that we step up and become women of character that had value beyond rubies.
Self-worth has always been a struggle for me. I have searched for worth in boys, in things, in intelligence, in music, and finally found the answer in Jesus. When I realized that Jesus was and is my ultimate pursuer, my whole life changed. Now I see so many things, like a beautiful sunset, and I thank God for the beautiful portrait he painted just for me in the sky. Following Jesus means that you will have to define yourself based on his standards, but that means that your worth can easily be found because Jesus has covered you in grace and that makes it all worth the while. Girls, you are worth far more than rubies when you are in Christ. By becoming a women of virtue and of noble character, you are priceless to God.
Girls, become worth seeking. Over the next few weeks, I want to encourage you to read over Proverbs 31:10-30 so that you can build the characteristics of a noble woman. Find your worth in Christ and be thankful and satisfied in His grace. Guys, start to look for a woman who understands this concept. Her life should model Jesus ultimately. If she is still pouring over the latest fads and obsessing over celebrity lifestyles, check out her spiritual fruit and pray before you pursue. Next post will be on Proverbs 31:11! Until then…
Mackenzie
I am so sorry to all of you have been checking the blog for a week now and haven’t found anything new! I took a little break and had family vacation time for my Spring Break 2013. Though I love posting blogs and sharing thoughts and ideas, NOTHING beats family time, and especially in the Conner household!
This year, we went to Fontana Dam, NC. We left on Friday right after I got out of class and arrived to our destination around 7:00 pm. I love the mountains (probably one of my favorite parts of God’s world) and couldn’t wait to see what was to come! We stayed in a little cabin big enough for the five of us (Mama, Daddy, and Little Brothers #1 and #2 ((out of three)), me plus the Family Dog). The cabin was very cozy and everyone loved it immediately.
Here it is (but excuse my dad’s arm!)
Cozy, right?
While we were at Fontana Dam, we hiked and drove around the mountains. My family loves to enjoy nature and enjoy the world God gave us, so this isn’t anything new for us. While hiking, we found some beautiful flowers and just absolutely breathtaking scenery, such as these mountains here:
These flowers there:
And this beautiful lake:
When we went hiking, I fell in love taking close-up pictures of small things. While taking all of these close-ups, I couldn’t help but just think of how the small things are always so significant. When in a relationship, the big things are good, but it’s always the small things that get remembered and that can change and alter the course. The ice-cream is good by itself, but the sprinkles on top make it so much more fun. The small things in our lives end up becoming the big things that matter. That small decision when you were four to accept Jesus was a life-changing decision. And God uses the small things in big ways. I know personally, that God uses my minor disability in ways that I never knew so that people are changed and affected. My small gift of music that He gave to me is the big picture for my time here on earth. The times when I feel the smallest and the most insignificant to others is when God has orchestrated something enormous for me to do for Him. It’s always the small things. Always the small things.
(from top left to bottom right: orange fungus that looks like a brain, purple flower, moss on a rock, fungi ((haha…why did the ladies love the mushroom? Because he was a fun-guy)) on a tree, and the bark of a tree up close and personal)
It was just so extraordinary to be able to relish in the glorious world that God created for me to enjoy! I was taken aback by the love of my God and how hard he must have worked to impress me and pursue me by creating the world. I was just left standing and saying “wow”.
I loved spending time with my family, especially my two younger brothers! Sometimes college really stinks when you can’t see them grow up everyday! We were missing my biggest little brother the whole week. He was in Texas with other family riding horses and hanging out with much-missed cousins!
I had such a relaxing and restorative week, and I am so thankful for that! Tomorrow, though, I’ll be back up and on it with some thoughts on Proverbs 31 for the month! Tooda-loo until tomorrow!
Being in college causes many people to question who they are. College is a big time of change and a time where the rubber meets the road. It will most likely be some of the greatest times of your life, but usually those who tell you that aren’t referring to your freshman year. It can be stressful, confusing, terrifying, liberating, questioning, happy, depressing…the list goes one and on. I still question what I am doing from time to time. I ask myself, “Who am I? What do I stand for? What legacy am I leaving?What am I doing with my life? How do people perceive me?”
Jesus constantly reassures us as his bride in our identity in him and his father. I am reminded daily that I am a child of God, a princess of the risen King, a servant to the Most High, a conqueror in the One who conquered it all. Even though I may question who I am, I instinctively know where I turn when I need help. I cry to God, and He answers me with love and care.
I stand for Christianity. I fail everyday because I am human, and I sin everyday. That’s why Jesus is so wonderful and such an enormous part of my life! He lavishes grace on me, and I can live in His spirit and rejoice that I have been redeemed. It is so hard to live on God’s Word in today’s world, which is why it is so imperative for you to know where you stand. It is a good thing to question your beliefs on life after death, higher powers or deities, and your place in the world. By thinking about these heavy questions, you are allowing yourself to become secure in your own beliefs. At this point in life, knowing that Jesus loves you because the Bible says so or that there is a God because that is how you have been raised is not good enough. Unfortunately, I can almost guarantee that your faith will fail and fall if you keep that mindset. In order to solidify your beliefs, you need to have thought about the hard things so that you are prepared when you fall into a time of question.
I know that there is God because he is working miracles everyday. I see myself, a sinner who shouldn’t have the ability to play the piano or guitar, miraculously forgiven and covered in grace and currently pursuing a career that relies on piano and guitar skills. I see people that should die live because God isn’t finished with them yet. I see God in little things, such as a beautiful sky or a child’s smile. To me, life is a gift in which miracles occur so that I (as forgetful as I am) will remember God’s majesty and pursuit of my soul.
I pray that you will question the big things. It’s a lot to think about, and it may uncover some things in your faith that you don’t want to see. Finding those things, though, will make your faith stronger as you solidify your beliefs and dismiss doubts. Take every chance to discover who you are, what you believe in, and what is important to you.
So if you follow me on Twitter, you have probably seen the tweets about every hour referring to the End It Movement. Basically, this is a movement to end slavery that is STILL occurring today. The facts are hard pills to swallow. For instance,
27 million people are still suffering at the hands of slavery
Slavery is present in 161 countries (including the United States)
The average age of a person trafficked in the United States is 14
80% of human trafficking is the trafficking of females. It’s estimated that 5,000 women and girls are trafficked and raped in Atlanta, GA alone.
In 120 seconds, four children will be sold into slavery.
(all stats were taken from www.enditmovement.com)
Like I said earlier, these are hard statistics to ignore. These people are the same age as our siblings, our children, our friends. My heart pours out for these people. I don’t understand how our world can be so jaded and twisted that we are able to turn our heads away from these atrocious acts. These people are lost and in need of light. The world needs to know what’s going on and people need to hop on this project to end slavery and human trafficking.
In 1863, Abraham Lincoln freed all slaves in America through the Emancipation Proclamation. Unfortunately, slavery and bondage is at an all time high (as in, the people in slavery today outnumber the people in slavery then).
Wow. Just wow.
Similarly, there are so many people in this world bound to slavery that don’t even know. Yes, there are 27 million people on this earth bound to slavery, but this slavery that I’m talking about now…it is more alarming. I’m talking about people who have found themselves bound to sin by living in and for the world. I am from the Bible Belt area in modern day USA and honestly, you assume that your neighbor is a Christian here.
But it’s just a mask.
Only 11% of the world claims to be a Christian and actively follow Christ. 11 percent. As Christians, this number should be staggering and alarming, just as the statistics on human trafficking and slavery. While 27 million people are bound to slavery in the world, there are approximately 66,000 people dying every day that are permanently bound to the slavery of sin. John 8:34 says, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.”
John said EVERYONE there. That includes me. That includes you. We are all bound to sin. It’s a depressing thought. The fact that life has lied to you this whole time. Your freedom that you fight for is only earthly freedom. It’s an illusion because, spiritually, you are bound to sin and you cannot free yourself. There is not one single thing that can free you.
Or is there?
Jesus came to the earth to give us the chance to rid ourselves of these spiritual shackles that we wear. Though we are still tangled in sin, his death on the cross granted us access to the Savior and access to his abundant grace and full life. Because Christ is for you, your chains have been broken. He can tear them away with just his word. There is only one condition. Accept him and serve him.
So many people have a false sense of Christianity. You say a prayer, maybe even walk down the “Romans Road” and live on a spiritual high for a week (if you did really well). What is scary about this version of salvation is that it is so misleading. When the decision to believe in Jesus and commit your life to him is made, it isn’t a one time deal. When you decide to live for Jesus, it’s a daily commitment of losing yourself and finding freedom in his name. Jesus has a perfect way of stating this daily commitment. Luke 9:23 states:
Then he said to them all, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me."
In these verses, Jesus shows his seriousness about the lifestyle he wants us to lead. We are called to take up our crosses DAILY. In a video of a sermon that I watched in youth, this man gave a great example of what taking a cross up daily looked like. He carried a podium around the entire time that he was preaching. He talked about how it was uncomfortable. It was noticeable. When committing to this lifestyle, you will change. At times, it will be uncomfortable. If you are living for God, it will especially be noticeable in the world today.
The reward is eternal life in Christ. It is hard to be a Christian in this world. We will never get it right and we will always sin. Human nature and impulse is bound to sin. But Jesus came so the bondage would be broken and we could enter into a loving relationship with him where we serve him wholeheartedly and DAILY.
Do you want your chains to be broken? I know that my life has been changed by living for Christ. It used to be about knowing about God and being the best at Bible trivia. Now, my relationship is so much more. It has so much more meaning and my heart naturally wants to serve Christ because he died for. Jesus bought me out of my slavery. Jesus paid the full price and more for me. I am worth his own life. I owe everything I am for his praise and his glory because he bought me and rescued me from my sinful self.
If you want to be freed from the bondage of sin, talk to a pastor or Christian friend. Leave a comment. Do anything so that you will be heard because people do want to share about the Lord and His goodness. If you want to join the #enditmovement, visit www.enditmovement.com and explore their website. There are more statistics, ways to be involved, and a donation site if you are able and willing. Remember, no one needs to be a slave. Slavery in the world needs to end and slavery to sin needs to stop too. Spread the word. Join the movement. #enditmovement
Hey y’all! So due to recent events going on in my life, I just wanted to give you all a small (and possibly running) list of things that you should really research and think about when contemplating Christianity.
Biblical Story History: When did it happen? What are the details? How can you prove that the story is true? (Better yet, do this for ALL of Scripture! Find out what makes Scripture true and then preach it!)
God’s Standard for You: Look at what God expects of you as His child. God wants your cooperation on every issue (even the little ones like music).
God’s Standard on Hot Topics: What does the Bible say on gay marriage? What about abortion? Is my role as a women to lead a household or to let the man rule (women’s rights)? Pour over Scripture and pray for wisdom as you approach these topics. Don’t be afraid to question your pastors, leaders, and mentors. They are there for that specific purpose!!!
I tried to make this list as broad as possible because there are so many small nitpick issues that it would be tiring to try and list every single thing that you should study. Pray about what troubles your heart, do not worry and ask for wisdom from God about whatever you wish to know.
It is so extremely important that if you want to have serious conversations about your faith that you know what you’re talking about. As Christians, we should be prepared to explain our faith and beliefs. I do NOT condone beating people over the head. If you pray and move in God’s will for you, He will open doors so wide that it would be idiotic to MISS that opportunity! We aren’t supposed to bash others, start hate groups, and judge people. As someone (and I tried to find the source guys…sorry!) so eloquently put it:
“Don’t judge me because I sin differently than you."
Only God has the right to judge people for their sins (VERSE). People, please stop acting like you are holier-than-thou and love your neighbor. Christians, it is time to come together as a church and act like Jesus. We need to love on people, not bash. If you are led to testify and need to use history and facts to back up your Scripture (and please do note that Scripture is used first. It is the only truth for which you should stand. Everything else is just secondary support), then please use knowledge that you are solid and sure in.
I also don’t want to sound harsh on my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. Please take this as encouragement to grow spiritually. I want to sharpen you and only help draw you closer to the cross. We are not perfect and there will be times, even after studying, that you don’t know the answers. It is totally normal and happens to EVERYONE. Find a group of friends and get together to discuss what’s going on in the world. Talk about where you stand and find ways to challenge each other so that you become better in Christ.
So I have developed a Twitter recently, and honestly, it’s how I get I keep up with what’s going on in the world. I didn’t realize so many news casts tweeted stories! It has been quite eye opening to see how the face of social media is constantly changing.
Anyways…so whether you’re on Twitter or not, I’m sure you’ve seen the marriage equality debate on Facebook and Twitter, Yahoo! and countless other media sources. It is currently one of the trending topics on Twitter and many (perhaps even most) of my friends have changed their profile pictures for a day in support of this movement in the Supreme Court.
Because Twitter is max capacity of 140 characters, I figured blog would be a much better venue to discuss my opinion and belief and stance in the matter.
In case you didn’t read my first post or my “about me”, I will warn you that I am a Christian. Hence, if you feel that you will be offended by this post, stop reading now, or read on and just see what I have to say. This isn’t a post to bash and hate on a people group. However, it is a post to expose truth and stand for my beliefs.
This isn’t a post to bash and hate on a people group.
I believe homosexuality is a sin. The New Testament addresses this sin mainly in three passages: Romans 1:26-27, 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, and 1 Timothy 1:9-10. In all three, men are lying with men and feeling lust toward each other. I believe that this refers to homosexuality. Romans says,
“Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. In the same way, men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves due penalty for their error."
If you do not consider yourself a Christian, then you are not bound by the law of Christ, and this passage will not have any effect on you or your decisions. If that is the case, then I want to give you a different message. One about the Gospel. However, those who profess to live in God’s accordance, yet live a homosexual lifestyle, I want to lovingly show that homosexuality is a sin, but there is forgiveness.
Homosexuality isn’t the only sin out there. People struggle with different things everyday, and usually each person differs in what sin is their hardest battle. Honestly, my hardest battle is fighting lust. The world is filled with misinformation and fairytales that leave major scars in my life of how my relationships should be and what they should focus on. Most people would agree that lust is sinful and must be dealt with. It is a constant, daily struggle to battle and I lose. A lot. But the grace of God is so full and overwhelming that it covers me when I fall to my knees in front of the cross. By His grace, I am able to overcome my sin and live a life following Christ as my lover and passionate pursuer.
In the same way, homosexuality is a sin that is struggled with daily. It is a choice to follow Christ and it’s a hard and sometimes hurtful, the things that you have to give up and turn away from. Lust can be fun to dabble in, but life in Christ is SO much more abundant and fulfilling than any “fun” lust can provide. Sometimes it makes me stand out from my friends. I’ve been ostracized for my beliefs before. Honestly, whoever shuns you is missing out. But, anyways, back to homosexuality, I think that it is a sin that has to dealt with over and over. You can only turn away from it by submitting yourself to the cross. With Christ, you can overcome your sin and live with Him through your days.
I do not believe that the church should bash or condemn those who identify as a lesbian or gay or bisexual or transexual. As a church, we are supposed to be a refuge to the broken, the lost, and the everyday sinner. The church is supposed to be a place where forgiveness is given freely and judgment is not passed. Unfortunately, so many churches shut out those who aren’t church goers and turn away those in need of Christ most. I know that Christ must be ashamed of what his perfect plan has become.
Hence, the church needs a revolution. Instead of spoon feeding the “Christians” of today, let us go out and find the people who need Jesus, who need hope, who need grace. Jesus hung out with some of the worst people of his time. That’s how he ministered. He also always kept his disciples close so that his community was around him constantly so he could rejuvenate. The church should go and seek those who are lost along with refreshing the disciples of God.
"I do not believe that the church should bash or condemn those who identify as a lesbian or gay or bisexual or transexual."
Instead of bashing, I want to offer forgiveness, love and acceptance to the lost person.
I can’t be the first to judge a person on their sin, as the Lord knows, I have enough of my own to handle.
My job is to show Christ’s love to that person and to treat them as any other human being. I do not believe that marriage equality should be granted as I view marriage as a holy covenant between God and the couple (which means I don’t agree with many “straight” couples being married either”). If everything is right in your personal relationship with God, homosexuality may be a struggle for you, but you have given up that burden, that sin, at the foot of the cross. Perhaps God has granted you the gift of singleness if you have no desire to be with any one. If so, please use it and cherish it! There are definitely not enough people who see single-dom as a gift. It’s not that we aren’t equal. I think that those who struggle with fidelity and lust shouldn’t marry until that sin has been dealt with between God and that person because that is sin and isn’t pure and holy.
I pray that God is speaking through me and that these aren’t just my words that I speak out of pride. Again, please feel free to comment. I want to sharpen my friends and I want to be sharpened by others. It’s the best way to build your faith and become even more in love with your Christ and Savior.
College is hard. I’m not going to lie. Yes, the school work is a little more difficult and the teachers are just as hard as the ones in high school, but life… Life is hard. As student heading into her second semester of college, I already know some of the choices I have to make. Which friends to keep and which aren’t sharpening me to be better for His kingdom. Where is that line between safe and too far? What does God want me to do? Maybe those questions were expected, but I also struggle with, “God…what is your standard? Where do my lines, morals, and beliefs need to be?”
I have beautiful and wonderful friends. I cherish the relationships that I make, but recently I have been convicted of what I am surrounding myself with on a daily basis. Proverbs 27:17 says this:
"As iron sharpens iron, so another person sharpens the other.”
When I reflect on who it is that I want to be and what I want my life to reflect, I innately know that Christ is the ultimate picture of beauty that I want to portray. But surrounded by people, who, although may be nice aren’t Christians, how is that reflection made clear?
I have to choose daily who’s team I am on. Youth leaders and motivational speakers make it seem so easy to just choose God when asking that question. At the big youth rally, everyone, almost unanimously shouts, “GOD'S TEAM!” Tell me. Is it God’s team that you’ve chosen when you choose to ignore that shy girl alone at the lunch table? Is it God’s team when you choose to employ a spirit of timidity. I pray that this isn’t the team that I signed up for. I want to bold for my God and I want to sport my team colors proudly every single day so that others know, “Hey, that chick is for Jesus.”
“Hey, that chick is for Jesus.”
If you see me, ask me and challenge me. See if I am showing God’s team colors that day. Hold your friends accountable and make a stand for what you believe in. If you haven’t started seriously thinking about God and why it is exactly that you believe in Him, I strongly encourage you to do so.
If you have no idea who this God is that I’m talking about, and you want to ask any questions, please comment. I can’t guarantee that I will know the answer, but I can promise you that God will help me find someone who can help point us both in the right direction. Nothing is too petty to ask and I beg you to at least find out more.
