12|31|08

The last day of the year.
Its been a little over 4 months since I've written in here and I'm not exactly sure if there's anyone to blame more than myself.

After speaking today at elev8 i feel like I need to get back to reading the word of God and meditating on it- it was so amazing to see souls just crying out for God- an act that the walls of our church seldom see.
This year has been amazing... growing and walking with God on a path with so many new believers and stronger believers.

A year ago i would have been ready to leave our church at this time- i would have felt the need to go on the greener pastures but- after the retreat in January 08- i don't think I'm Going to have to

At least, thats my prayer.

I do think we've grown stagnant and that we think this is some how a limit to how far we can go but- there is truly no limit to God. There is no place high enough for our worship to go and as Christians we have to continue climbing or... forget where we are and slowly end up climbing back down to where we were.

I can tell you guys that my life didn't change on one random day- i didn't become a true follower of God on one fateful night but it was a continuous process- full of blessings and trials, temptations and rewards. I fell- a lot. I rebuked God and turned away from him, fought him and ignored him. Cried out to him and questioned him.
Through it all i have grown in faith, i have grown in understanding, and i have grown in love.

2008 was a year of changes, mistakes, choices, blessings, endings, and new beginnings. It cant stop simply because we're starting a new calendar- 2009 should be 10x the blessing that 2008 was- a continuation of something amazing and new and fulfilling.

Expect blessing- know that he's promised it to us. With that knowledge comes fulfillment.

This is the rest of chapter 2 that i didn't speak about in my message- its so amazing.

Zechariah 2:8-13

8 For this is what the LORD Almighty says: "After he has honored me and has sent me against the nations that have plundered you—for whoever touches you touches the apple of his eye- 9 I will surely raise my hand against them so that their slaves will plunder them. ^[a] Then you will know that the LORD Almighty has sent me.
10 "Shout and be glad, O Daughter of Zion. For I am coming, and I will live among you," declares the LORD. 11 "Many nations will be joined with the LORD in that day and will become my people. I will live among you and you will know that the LORD Almighty has sent me to you. 12 The LORD will inherit Judah as his portion in the holy land and will again choose Jerusalem. 13 Be still before the LORD, all mankind, because he has roused himself from his holy dwelling."

Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ the Messiah is saying that to you. Zechariah was a prophet before Bethlehem happened- before the Census of Caesar Augustus- Christ was there from the beginning of time.

Look at the promise Christ gives us.
I AM COMING. i will live AMONG you. Many nations.
he has ROUSED himself. we are the apple of his eye...

its such a glorious promise. Such an impacting message. A true need for worship. A true need to understand how little time we have here.
This promise is made for God's children- a promise waiting at the end of the narrow path.
We know about this promise & we know about what's coming but- are we telling the one's we love? Are we telling the world?
As Christians we have a conviction- a need to plant seeds and tend gardens- reap the harvest.
Are we doing it?
was 2008 a blessing for God's kingdom? Are there new souls there- written in the book of life- that you helped bring into the light of Christ?

Isaiah 58:1

1 "Shout it aloud, do not hold back.
Raise your voice like a trumpet.

Do not hold back.
Let 2009 be that year- where your voice is a trumpet for the Lord.

8|16|08

Sometimes our mouth can get away with us.
We have issues with talking about people behind their backs, to their faces, or to anyone who might listen. I'm not sure if anyone is ever truly exempt from this- it seems like human nature. It could be because we feel better putting someone else down- making it so that you don't look so bad in comparison, It could be because its just something to laugh about- a good joke at someone else's expense, It could be because of revenge- making a comeback because that person hurt you in the same way, or it could just be because of boredom- choosing to wound someone with your words just because every board game has been played or the electricity has gone out.
I know that many times this sort of thing is never intentional- never meant to hurt feelings and probably just done because its what is considered normal.
Remember though that insulting the creation is insulting the creator. God said that he made man and woman in his own image- when you look in the mirror you don't say that its a reflection of the mirror- but a reflection of you. In the same way- when you make fun of someone you are doing the same to Christ who sacrificed himself on the cross for you.
(Matthew 5:22) -

"But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, 'You good-for-nothing,' shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says, 'You fool,' shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell."

Fool- any sort of insult you say about someone else- can condemn you into hell. If someone throws a bomb into a building- killing 10 people but laughing all the while and enjoying himself- is it not a sin? Has he not just murdered 10 men and wounded so many others?
Just because making fun of others may be enjoyable and even though a joke at someone else's expense may be hilarious- you are still call them a fool- making fun of something that God put so much effort and love into.

I'm guilty of this too- calling people out for no reason or laughing about them with others but after mulling all of this over and seen hearts torn because of it- it really is just one step to something worse than anyone intended. Hail may look like rainfall from one angle but up close it can do a lot of damage.

James 3:10

10Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be.

Another issue with making fun of others is making fun of our elders. In every country but America those elder to you are always revered- always set up on a pedestal- but here we laugh at them behind their backs- repeat their words and phrases while rolling on the floor clutching our stomachs. Respect. Morals. I mean it is funny- but not everything that makes us laugh should always be repeated out loud.
So to wound things up tightly I'll end with words from James that sum up what I've been trying to convey to all of you

James 3: 1- 12

1Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. 2We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check.

3When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. 4Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. 5Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. 6The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.

7All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, 8but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

9With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. 10Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. 11Can both fresh water and salt^[a] water flow from the same spring? 12My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.

God Bless.

7|29|08

Why am I a Christian?

I think that's a question we have to be prepared to answer, not just for ourselves but for anyone curious to our life style. Are you a christian because you believe its your birthright? Are you a christian because its become a routine? Are you a christian because you've been told you were one all your life?

I don't really have a big testimony- yet. There hasn't been one moment in my life that I can hand pick and point to stating that was when my whole life turned around. I accepted Christ into my heart at the age of Four, sitting in the bathroom- where my imaginary friends and I used to meet as well- I don't know whether I gave up on imaginary friends that night or not but its kind of amazing to me that at the age of four- when most people can hardly remember what they day last week, the memory comes so clearly in my mind. From then on I've tried growing from that point but I've hit some pot holes along the way, speed bumps, and mole hills have given me humility and wrong turns have shown me that the harder road makes the destination that much more worthwhile. Now I've lived a blessed life- I have amazing parents, enough resources to keep me happy and healthy, but most of all being born into a christian family.
But why in the world do i believe in Jesus Christ?

One of the very first verses I remember falling in love with was from
John 15:13

13Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.

Friends! You know it amazes me that in all the religions of the world- do any of the divine beings ever try to be anything more than tyrants? It seems they give their followers a set of rules and regulations and leave them to fend for themselves. My God doesn't do that. My God sent his one and only Son- Jesus Christ- to us. He sent him here so we would feel connected to him. Everything we go through, every bead of sweat, every churn of hunger, every joy that has enlightened our lips- Christ felt that. And while other gods and other religions leave their people to fend for themselves- leave their people trembling in terror- my God calls me his friend.

You know, he didn't even stop there- you see, when Christ chose to live here- he also chose to die here. Not just die but to die FOR us. That, as he said, is the greatest love. While we deserve to burn or at least live in anguish for all our horrible ways- and yes, no matter how many wonderful things you do, not matter how many people you help or how many diseases you cure- God is perfect! He is unbelievably perfect and amazing and pure- so look at us. We are like filth compared to him but LOOK he still loves us. He took all that pain.
He took all those burdens.
Every spiteful word we spit out. Every Jealous will that suffocated our minds. Every murderous thought we tried but failed to suppress. He bore it ALL. Although the physical burden was disastrous, think about the spiritual, the mental- everything he took on because we are his friends. Because he loves us.

So that is why I love my Jesus. That is why I chose to live separate from everyone else. I love my Jesus because he loves me. Because he would do ANYTHING to have me by his side. I love him because he is my friend- not because he looks at me as just another soul- but because I am special in his sight. The Bible says that every time a new soul is saved ALL of heaven rejoices- just for that one person. I also believe in Christ because he didn't STAY on that cross. 3 days later- just like he promised- he rose from the dead. See- how much hope he reflects. Even in death he still had the potential of something so much greater.
SO where is my lord? Right now he's sitting on the right hand side of God, he's in my heart where he will forever stay, and his spirit is by my side as I write these words to you.

Its a thing we all have to remind ourselves, why did we chose this lifestyle? Its not an easy road, there aren't riches waiting for us at every corner and there aren't crowds of friends ready to give us a hand- but we chose this because Christ chose to suffer death- even death on a cross- because he loves us.

John 14:1-4

1"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God^[a]; trust also in me. 2In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 4You know the way to the place where I am going."

God Bless.

7|26|08

So i think I'll dedicate this blog post to all the girls out there, mainly because I'm not a boy and I'm not exactly sure what kind of advice to give on this matter but you're welcome to read as always :]
I'm seventeen years old and it seems that even though i try my hardest to put God number one in my life- my mind really is a mind of its own- It's interesting to observe myself, how at one moment I can be praying earnestly to God to really getting encouragement from a verse and suddenly within the blink of an eye my mind shifts to things, not so benefiting.
Of course there is school- homework, tests, grades clawing at us at every which way
But i think that Guys- crushes or infatuation or whatever you might call it, is a topic that is always laying out on the shores of our conscience.
Of course society blames this on hormones or natural progression but while that might be true- what you have to look out for is how much importance you give to this portion of your life.
Proverbs 31:30

30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.

Flirting shamelessly, wearing skimpy clothing, and doing whatever possible to capture the eye's of a man is not the way to gain the right kind of man. Charm and Beauty are just as temporary and insufficient as the breakfast you ate yesterday- but one thing that holds so much more is the faith and love you have for God. While flirting and short skirts might attract a moments happiness- they also attract years of regret. But if you go seeking a relationship- whether its with a man or family or friendship- if you fear the Lord and use him as the foundation, there's no end to the blessings God will pour out on that relationship. Remember that the way you dress or the way you present yourself also reflects your relationship with God, your body is the temple of God- treat it with as much respect as God intended you to.

So 1) Dress to Impress- God. Don't let the world sour the innocence that God intended

Secondly, Don't let your search for a boy friend or your need to be liked by the opposite sex be your cause for life.

Romans 8: 37-39

37No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,^[m] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Love is always conditional with anyone you meet. Another person cannot be there for you 24/7, they cannot read your mind or understand exactly what you're going through or how you're going through it, but there is someone who does- there is someone who knows you better than you know yourself- and his love transcends all things. Before you can love another person- you have to know the love of Christ. By first putting Christ in your life- making him the bridegroom, then only will another relationship be truly worthwhile. Christ should be the number one priority.

3) "Dance with God, and he will let the right man cut in"- Face Book Bumper Sticker :]

It seems that Girls are always trying to write their own love stories- we have all these dreams and "Disney" fantasies- with the knight in shining armor- and we take this long 10 mile list and trudge about the world on a quest to find him. Wrong approach and wrong intentions

Mathew 6:33-34

33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Call on God and he will answer you, first seek him and then he will give you all the desires of your heart. God has already hand picked someone for you to spend the rest of your life with. He has been shaping the both of you, creating both of you in a timely way so that when the time comes for the two of you to meet- it will be perfect. Talk to God first- and he will provide everything in your life. Don't be afraid to ask God about things like these- God is really your best friend, there is nothing he wont listen to, nothing he wont help you out with. Trust in him.

Remember that every choice you make creates your personality and creates your future- be wise in the boys you let enter your life- if God is at the center of your life, everything in your life will gravitate towards him

God bless <3

6|30|08

I was taking a walk today with my parents and I always tend to go much faster than them. I get lost in thought and suddenly before I know it, I'm not only worlds away but blocks away as well. Walking I realized one thing, how amazingly beautiful this world is. Trees that winded in ways that clay could not even be molded into, a fragrance that could never be captured within a bottle, and a sky so vast that the sailing clouds could never even find rest on her coast.

Not only does nature reveal the time and effort he takes in making his creation, like you and I, but it also explains the ways of God just as the Bible does. Take air for example- you cannot see it and most of the time you hardly notice that it surrounds you- but in the thickness of humidity, the weight of it upon your tounge is heavy and thick, its clasps a hold of your skin like a child who has been frightened, and ever so often it relieves you as a gust of wind.

But through the fiercest of winter, the air shows itself, not only can you feel its prickle but when you call on it- it answers you. In the same way when you need God, through your hardest moments, he is there to guide you. But even when you do not see him he is there, the summer air performs a vanishing act- the moisture leaves a residue the moment you expel it, and then a moment later disappears without warning- in the same way- when God seems to be running away from you- he is there by your side- like the gust of wind that is forever pressing upon your shoulder- the same way does Christ watch over you.

This entry was far more poetic then i imagined, and i added no verses. I am thinking of posting poems so here was just a taste of that form of writing in this blog.
God Bless You Guys :]

here is a clip from GodTube that i had wanted to show in church today but could not because we did not get it approved before hand.

The Cistern

Genesis 37: 19-24

19 "Here comes that dreamer!" they said to each other. 20 "Come now, let's kill him and throw him into one of these cisterns and say that a ferocious animal devoured him. Then we'll see what comes of his dreams."

21 When Reuben heard this, he tried to rescue him from their hands. "Let's not take his life," he said. 22 "Don't shed any blood. Throw him into this cistern here in the desert, but don't lay a hand on him." Reuben said this to rescue him from them and take him back to his father.

23 So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe—the richly ornamented robe he was wearing- 24 and they took him and threw him into the cistern. Now the cistern was empty; there was no water in it.

Joseph's life was great and terrible . He was a brat who got everything he wanted- his father educated him and coddled him so he thought he was top notch- pride became his fall. You could say it was his brothers who were too jealous for their own good but then- every emotion strikes because of an outside source. Joseph was on his way to spy on his brothers, to tell Jacob that they were fooling around and not doing their work. So this spoiled kid enters into a world he did not expect to encounter- after being sheltered all his life now he can truly only depend on God and God alone and countless times this faith is tested- but possibly not as bad as sitting in the cistern all alone.
Imagine being alone in a dried well- which was what the cistern was- hearing your own brothers plot your death, sitting in the scorching sun.
Often times we go through moments in our lives where we are sitting in a cistern- sitting in a dried well fearing what lies beyond it. But this well doesn't have to be a place of despair, but a place to grow in strength- without having had those moments of solitary silence or that walk of slavery to Egypt- sitting in jail for decades and refusing potifer's wife would have been unmistakeably hard.
So in moments of despair and grief understand that it is not your lowest point but the foot of a ladder- a place to begin climbing.

God Bless

The Silence of God

As a Christian, the worst moments in life are often when we feel that God is not listening to us, or when we feel that God has abandoned us. We can feel totally elated one day- and the next feel as though a mountain has crashed on top of us. Whats worse though than actually getting run down by these boulders- is to feel as though no one can hear your cries for help.
There are many instances where Christ in the gospels was silent or unattainable for reasons they could not see at the time
The first I'd like to point out is John chapter 11- the death and Resurrection of Lazarus
Its amazing how much of the chapter this story takes- its split into two sections first off the actual death of Lazarus, which we did not see and finally the restoring of his body and his sisters' faith.
John 11:4-6

4When he heard this, Jesus said, "This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God's glory so that God's Son may be glorified through it." 5Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6Yet when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days.

At the time they were grief stricken, unable to understand why someone who was so close to them- someone who was such a good and close friend, could actually turn His back on them. Martha and Mary were not just people in a crowd and Lazarus was not just another man- Jesus had dined with them, he loved them, he was their brother. God is not silent because he does not love you or because he has grown tired of you but because there is a greater reason for it so that "God's Son may be glorified". So although you feel that Christ- who seemed so close to you at one time- has turned his back on you, remember that is not the case but "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness" 2 Corinthians 12:9

The next example is of the Canaanite Woman in Mathew 15:21-28

The Canaanite Woman was crying out to Jesus with all of her energy- she was pushed away by the Disciples- even Jesus seemed to be casting her aside. She cried out to be and "Jesus did not answer a word" yet she persisted. Her cries got so loud and persistant that the disciples began to become annoyed with her. But still Christ tested the strength of her faith and kept his mouth either closed or in complete contempt- or so it would seem. When Christ chooses to keep silent and we feel him cast us away, he is trying to build you up and see how far you will go for him, how deeply you love him, and how consistent you are in faith. The answer is: don't give up.

Lastly, the greatest Evangelist in the history of mankind: the Conversion of Paul- Acts 9

There is only one main thing id like to point out- that before Paul went completely blind- he heard the voice of God, Jesus himself spoke to him. Right away he was made blind for three days. Blindness, ironically is the ultimate silence. "A light from heaven flashed around him"- Paul saw so much glory in a fleeting second, he felt the power of God, was so overwhelmed by it that "he fell to the ground" in fear, in reverence. But suddenly it was all taken away from him. He could not see a light, could not see anything. He could not hear the voice of God- the world was silent. Sometimes the silence of God can be a point where transformation can take place. You may feel that Christ is play games with you, showing you how wonderful his glory can be- and then yanking it from your arms, but remember that Christ would do nothing to harm you- only lift you up.

Silence is not an element to be feared- nor is it an absence. He is always there with you, always watching over you. If he has promised you something- he will fulfill it. Silence does not mean rejection, the longer it takes for a jury to decide if a man is guilty or innocent- the better it is for the prosecuted. Silence only means wait. Wait- take this time to look deep into the heart of Christ- and realize that through the persistence of the Canaanite Woman- God will bless you with life- like he did Lazarus and a mission- like he did Paul.

God Bless You.

4|1|08

We have seen things that the world does not know about. We have felt things no one else has felt. Thirsted for water the world does not drink of and eaten bread seen as moldy to others. We're set a part- we grow in soil when the world grows in sand. But use is it if our roots do not help them carry water? We as Christians have the opportunity to know things- but why keep it under lock and key like a government conspiracy?
Luke 11:33

33"No one lights a lamp and puts it in a place where it will be hidden, or under a bowl. Instead he puts it on its stand, so that those who come in may see the light.

"I'm a little teapot short and stout- here is my handle here is my spout- when i get all steamed up you hear me shout- tip me over and pour me out"-

God has steamed u up, he has shown you the light- now its time to pour out- spread that light. The job as Christians is not only to build up Christians- but to bring more believers into the ministry. It is no wonder that Christianity is slowly declining as the world religion and Islam taking its place- because we as Christians view it as invading people's privacy or offending them-I'm not saying to stand on a street corner shouting Bible Verses (unless the spirit moves you to) or to hold a gun @ a persons head and force them to confess their sins... that might be a little over the top- but has been done sadly. What I AM saying is that God will give us the opportunity to spread that fire we have within us- he will open doors and crack window, push people in and out of ur life like a freight train- its our job to be on the lookout- to show the world how better life is- with Christ at the center of it.
When a tree is on fire- it doesn't stay climbing that one tree- but it spreads <---- -----> it moves beyond its point to engulf everything in its path. Don't hide the light within you- don't trap the fire- bc without oxygen, without being exposed, that fire will die out.

God Bless :]

March 25 2008

Jesus is Your Red Bull- He gives you wings (like eagles :)

Life can be a struggle- each day another hard boulder to drag around- without much relief. We feel pain, fatigue-- mentally, socially, spiritually, in every aspect of our lives. It holds us down without giving any hope- without giving any answer as to why we have to endure so much. But God says- i will be your relief. When you feel weak- i will make you strong. When hope seems filtered out- i will bring an overflow.

Isaiah 28-31

28 Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.

29 He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.

30 Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;

31 but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.

All of our life is empowered by him- without him we are dead. But through him we have life. So doesn't it make sense to know that our lives can be energized by him as well? We can do exceptional things with Christ- we can soar like eagles, we can have a never ending surplus of life. The question is what do we do with that never ending surplus- the more we give to God, the more he will give to you. If you give him everything- he will show you how he IS everything.
You can never Lose with God, only gain and through that- we find so much more.
Its a short and slightly repetitive study of the passage but really just concentrate on the words of Isaiah- these verses are spoken right before the introduction of the Messiah- words full of hope and promise- that, although we feel tired of waiting- the Messiah is COMING- and he will revive us. Its the same for us now, right? We're waiting for the 2nd coming- for the Messiah- but we should not become restless for "those who hope in the Lord, will renew their strength"
God Bless You Guys :)
Amen.

2|28|08

Its not easy growing up as a Christian- putting your faith into someone the world cannot see. For a long time one story in the bible or really- one request in the Bible- has been on my mind. For centuries the Israelites were led by judges such as Deborah and Samuel who governed them by the word of God- there were many judges- much like a theocracy. Everything God centered. But the people saw vast nations around them with a king, and since Samuel's sons were not convicted by God, they wanted a king- one man to rule them all. Humans have a unique sense of perceiving fame and idolization as a focus in their lives. We have celebrities- they wanted a king.
Samuel 8:4-21

4 So all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah. 5 They said to him, "You are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways; now appoint a king to lead ^[a] us, such as all the other nations have."

6 But when they said, "Give us a king to lead us," this displeased Samuel; so he prayed to the LORD. 7 And the LORD told him: "Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king. 8 As they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are doing to you. 9 Now listen to them; but warn them solemnly and let them know what the king who will reign over them will do."

10 Samuel told all the words of the LORD to the people who were asking him for a king. 11 He said, "This is what the king who will reign over you will do: He will take your sons and make them serve with his chariots and horses, and they will run in front of his chariots. 12 Some he will assign to be commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and others to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and still others to make weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. 13 He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. 14 He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his attendants. 15 He will take a tenth of your grain and of your vintage and give it to his officials and attendants. 16 Your menservants and maidservants and the best of your cattle ^[b] and donkeys he will take for his own use. 17 He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves. 18 When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, and the LORD will not answer you in that day."

19 But the people refused to listen to Samuel. "No!" they said. "We want a king over us. 20 Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles."

21 When Samuel heard all that the people said, he repeated it before the LORD. 22 The LORD answered, "Listen to them and give them a king."

The people want a king and although the Lord said- he listed- these are the horrible things you WILL go through- he WILL hurt you- they did not heed God's words. We as sinners are very stubborn and do not understand that when God says something- He's not joking.

Its hard to live as Christians in a world led by kings. But we are led by the KING of kings- the LORD of lords. He is the First, He is the Last, He is Forevermore. We may have many kings in our lives- our laziness, money, men, women, school, work, so many desires that shadow the true light of our lives. God says look- i am ALL you need. i am your EVERYTHING. Man cannot lift you up, they cannot give you the things I give you. Stop resting on their shoulders, stop listening to voices that have never heard MY voice. I am your rock. The Lord says he is your rock.
Psalms 19:14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in thy sight, O Jehovah, my rock, and my redeemer.

The Kings of this world will batter you. They will hold you down when you are meant to stand. But God is not one to leave you- even when the Israelites said- we want a Man to rule over us, to save us, God said OK. He sent them Saul, David, Solomon. All of them at SOME point- great leaders. But how can any of us put all our hopes and desires on flesh alone? So of course they faltered, of course they left them and passed away and created distressing circumstances. Because the Blind cannot lead the Blind. It takes Christ to be our eyes and our ears. So God sent the ultimate King to rule over us, to show that, OK you cannot see me- so you doubt me. You have not seen my tongue so you doubt there is a voice- so I will send you my son. I will send you my Son and you will see me, you will hear me, and you will know that I understand your suffering because I will suffer for you. So when the Israelites wanted a King. He gave one to them. As Jesus Christ.

Jesus Loves You.
:)

Job 1:21 and he said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: Jehovah gave, and Jehovah hath taken away; blessed be the name of Jehovah.

2|24|08

The Holy Trinity.
Its a concept hard to understand and often times makes us squint and wonder what in the world is going on. Trinity- 3 in 1
3 entities in one being.
You see the first instance where we see the name inferred is

Genesis 1:26
Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, ^[b] and over all the creatures that move along the ground.

No, God doesn't have mutlipersonality disorder- its a pretty simple thing to understand- if its explained correctly
Think of Water
there are three stages that water goes through
Solid, Liquid, Gas
Yet it is all the same

An egg is composed of 3 parts
the shell, the white part with a name i don't noe :], yoke
but its all one egg
The same is the Trinity- although they are three different entities- they are all the same and protect us, to shelter us, to love us.

We all know that God is the supreme being of the world- the Creator, the Father of the world
Who is Jesus?
John 1:1-5

1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2He was with God in the beginning.

3Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4In him was life, and that life was the light of men. 5The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood^[a] it.

That is Christ. The word that was spoken to Form out very Bodies was Christ. He lives in us. He died for us. He is our savior, redeemer, and everlasting friend.

Who is the Holy Spirit?
John 14:15-17

15"If you love me, you will obey what I command. 16And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever— 17the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be^[a] in you. 18I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.

So Christ left the Spirit here on earth to be with us and council us, to guide us and to protect us and to live in us. Each part makes the whole and the whole is what lets us abide in this world- is what strengthens us day by day.
When we are weak- they make us strong.
No matter what never get hung up on the technicalities of life- Remember that its good to ask questions and to get answers- but spending your whole life battling where u stand on issues like baptism or communion, the trinity or the body of Christ- its not half as important as finding Christ in you- as understand what it means to have Christ Sacrifice his life for you.
Just understand the importance what you take into importance. Debating wont make anything more understandable- possibly it will confuse you even more
Before you Go to anyone else about your questions
Go to the Father and to his word- you'll find your answer there

Praise God- I love you all :]

2|22|08

Its been longer than I've ever expected myself to go on without posting anything. Thanks to Mr. Mathews' human geo blog I was reminded of the goals and hopes I had with me writing in here every once in a while. This past year- 2008- has been such a blessing in countless ways- so many new beginnings.

It feels almost as though God has started to create me again from scratch.

on January 18-20 my church participated in a huge retreat out in Trinity Pines where the power and love of God was clearly surrounding us daily. I don't know whether it was the isolation, the fellowship, or the words spoken by so many amazing men and women of God- but I thank the Lord every day for giving me the opportunity to go there and to learn so much.

Transformation. That was the theme of the conference- not to be conformed to the world but to be transformed by the renewing of your mind. What a concept! To think that like a crab or a snake we can shed this skin and grow into something so much more suitable for us- the skin that God has set aside for us.

Corinthians 15: 42-50

42So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; 43it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; 44it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.
If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. 45So it is written: "The first man Adam became a living being"^[e]; the last Adam, a life-giving spirit. 46The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual. 47The first man was of the dust of the earth, the second man from heaven. 48As was the earthly man, so are those who are of the earth; and as is the man from heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. 49And just as we have borne the likeness of the earthly man, so shall we^[f] bear the likeness of the man from heaven.

50I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.

Its quite amazing to see that though we are born into this earthly body- into this sinful mind- we are not meant to stay this way. We were not meant to be like the First Adam (of Eden) to have such strife remain clung to our hearts but to be TRANSFORMED- to become imperishable (eternal) because of the Second Adam (Christ) for although we are men of flesh and bone- we have become changed through the Body of Christ- his blood has sewn in us a new life- the only life worthy to enter into the kingdom of heaven.
A child cannot pass the 1st grade if he cannot write his own name, if he does not know basic colors, if he cannot read the Cat in the Hat- we as children of God cannot enter the kingdom of heaven if we do not know his Son. Its simple. Many Christians believe that its not our place to say who will and who will not enter heaven- as though its a taboo topic- the Truth is we were put on this Earth in ORDER to bring others to Christ. Because a man who believes in A god, because a man is good and does things according to worldly law- does not mean he is saved

Luke 13:22-30

22Then Jesus went through the towns and villages, teaching as he made his way to Jerusalem. 23Someone asked him, "Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?"

He said to them, 24"Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. 25Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, 'Sir, open the door for us.'
"But he will answer, 'I don't know you or where you come from.'

26"Then you will say, 'We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.'

27"But he will reply, 'I don't know you or where you come from. Away from me, all you evildoers!'

28"There will be weeping there, and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves thrown out. 29People will come from east and west and north and south, and will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God. 30Indeed there are those who are last who will be first, and first who will be last."

So there you Go. Its simply stated- we are put here- we have been transformed by his grace- so that we may show others this narrow path. When someone is lost by the side of the road- when he is stranded- we do not pass him by- we do not honk and revel in his misfortune- no. We stop, we help, we show the way back to safety. That is our job as Christians in this world. Prayer is wonderful, worship is amazing, studying and growing is praised but how many of us want to Go to heaven and realize that all the people we love aren't going to even make it past those pearly gates?

We have an obligation- let our very lives be a testimony.
God Bless :]