So you might have read my blog that was titled "A HUGE accomplishment", about a boy in my kids church. I also posted that on my "Tumblr" blog. Out of all the blogs I have ever posted, I think that was the one that got the most comments. I am well aware that not everyone believes in speaking in tounges and the gifts of the spirit, but these comments were not just "I don't believe in that" comments-they were harsh comments. One person posted "Isn't indoctrination great?" Another said "let the brainwashing begin." Some one else said "I had a similar expierience, but it ended with a nun yelling that I was going to hell." At first, I was taken back. But this is not the first (and not the last) time I have or will be poked fun at or teased because of my faith. My second reation was to be angry. I went on one of the blogs and started typing in rage. I started to say things like "You have never expierienced this? I feel sorry for you" or "I did not ask or need you opinion on my beliefs-I know what is true" and other things like that. Just as I was about to hit "Post!", God spoke to me. I realized that what I was about to say was not right. Even when the pharisees made fun of Jesus and said he was lying, alot of times, he just took it. when they were crucifying him and mocking him and spitting on his face, he didn't say a word.
Jesus said in Matthew 5:10-12 "Blessed are those who are persecuted, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of things against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great if your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets before you."
If I want to be more Christ-like, I won't get involved in all of that. I won't fight back or get angry, because Jesus says I shouldn't.
So are you wondering what I did in return to all those comments? I posted on one person's blog. The one who said "a nun yelled I was going to hell". I said the following:
"Hey, I just wanted you to know that that was my blog you reblogged, and I have something to say: I'm not angry or mad at the fact that you expressed you opinion. But I hope you know that you're not going to hell if you don't speak in tounges. I don't preach fire and brimstone, just love and truth. It's not your spiritual level that determines your entrance to heaven-just if you strive to be Christ like. It's not you level-it's your heart. God bless! -A christian girl"
:)
Sunday, January 9, 2011
A huge accomplishment... :)
So today, I made a huge accomplishment. One the the best things a person could do, in my opinion. Today, I led four children to the Lord.
I teach kids church at my church, and so we were talking, and when someone mentioned Jesus, on of the boys said "Jesus-who is Jesus?" I said "You don't know the story of Jesus?" He just shook his head. So I began to tell him about Jesus. He had no idea that Jesus was killed and crucified-he didn't even know what crucified means. I explained that Jesus died for our sins, and that if you pray for Him to come into your heart, you will go to heaven. And then I asked him "Have you ever prayed for Jesus to forgive you of your sins and to come into your heart?" He said no. So I said "Do you want to?" He said "Well, I do want to go to heaven." And so then I asked all the kids, "kids, if you didn't wake up tommorow morning, and you died, how many of you know for sure that you would go to heaven?" All the kids just looked at me. I said "None of you?" They all said no. I said "Well, lets all bow our heads and close our eyes. If you want to accept Jesus into your heart, then raise your hand."
I looked up, to see who had raised their hands, and everyone of them had said yes. So I prayed with them all. Then I looked up and said "I'm so proud of you all. Now Jesus and the Holy Spirit lives inside of you. Now you can be babtized in the Holy Spirit." The little boy who asked me who Jesus was said "What is the babtism of the Holy Spirit?" I said "Well, when you accept Jesus into your heart, the Holy Spirit comes to live inside of you, and if you want, he can babtize you in the Holy Spirit. He gives you a special prayer language, and it's called speaking in tounges. When you don't know what to say to God, you can speak in tongues, and you are praying exactly what God wants you to pray." The little boy said "I want that too!" And so I prayed for him to recieve the babtism of the Holy spirit. He didn't get it right then, but I praise God that he prayed for Jesus to come into his life. Thank you Jesus for using me!
I teach kids church at my church, and so we were talking, and when someone mentioned Jesus, on of the boys said "Jesus-who is Jesus?" I said "You don't know the story of Jesus?" He just shook his head. So I began to tell him about Jesus. He had no idea that Jesus was killed and crucified-he didn't even know what crucified means. I explained that Jesus died for our sins, and that if you pray for Him to come into your heart, you will go to heaven. And then I asked him "Have you ever prayed for Jesus to forgive you of your sins and to come into your heart?" He said no. So I said "Do you want to?" He said "Well, I do want to go to heaven." And so then I asked all the kids, "kids, if you didn't wake up tommorow morning, and you died, how many of you know for sure that you would go to heaven?" All the kids just looked at me. I said "None of you?" They all said no. I said "Well, lets all bow our heads and close our eyes. If you want to accept Jesus into your heart, then raise your hand."
I looked up, to see who had raised their hands, and everyone of them had said yes. So I prayed with them all. Then I looked up and said "I'm so proud of you all. Now Jesus and the Holy Spirit lives inside of you. Now you can be babtized in the Holy Spirit." The little boy who asked me who Jesus was said "What is the babtism of the Holy Spirit?" I said "Well, when you accept Jesus into your heart, the Holy Spirit comes to live inside of you, and if you want, he can babtize you in the Holy Spirit. He gives you a special prayer language, and it's called speaking in tounges. When you don't know what to say to God, you can speak in tongues, and you are praying exactly what God wants you to pray." The little boy said "I want that too!" And so I prayed for him to recieve the babtism of the Holy spirit. He didn't get it right then, but I praise God that he prayed for Jesus to come into his life. Thank you Jesus for using me!
The rock or the sand-where does YOUR house stand?
"Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.” -Matthew 7:24-27
The rock or the sand-which one is YOUR house built on? Wisdom or foolishness-where does YOUR life stand?
The rock or the sand-which one is YOUR house built on? Wisdom or foolishness-where does YOUR life stand?
Friday, January 7, 2011
Moving Closer
So I have been fasting.
Some people are not sure what that is, and for those of you who aren’t, it’s okay. Fasting is something that a person does for God. They give up something that means alot to them for a set amount of time, and focus on God more. Some people fast certain foods-like desserts or meat-some fast actual things-like tv or computer. And when they aren’t doing that thing they are fasting, they are praying and worshipping and drawing close to God. Some people feel fasting is something they would like to do, and some feel it’s not for them. If you feel that way, that’s fine-it’s whatever God calls you to do. This is just my opinion and expeirience with it. I actually suggest it for someone who wants to draw near to God. It’s a good thing.
Anyways, so I’ve been fasting. It has drawn me close to God. I haven’t ate in five days, and it amazes me that whenever I feel hungry, I pray, and God fills me up. He doesn’t literally shove food down my throat or make me feel full, but it is like when I pray, my mind goes off the fact that I’m hungry and tired and I begin to think about God and how good he is and amazing and all that.
If you think about it, it is like you are dying to yourself. When you starve yourself, in a way, you are dying. Dying to your flesh-your sin. You know what I mean?
In Romans 6:6-8, Paul said “For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with,that we should no longer be slaves to sin—because anyone who has died has been set free from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.” So if we die to ourselves (not literally die), and don’t live in our sin, we draw nearer to God. That is what happens when you fast, I think. I don't know, but so far, it is working out pretty well for me.
Some people are not sure what that is, and for those of you who aren’t, it’s okay. Fasting is something that a person does for God. They give up something that means alot to them for a set amount of time, and focus on God more. Some people fast certain foods-like desserts or meat-some fast actual things-like tv or computer. And when they aren’t doing that thing they are fasting, they are praying and worshipping and drawing close to God. Some people feel fasting is something they would like to do, and some feel it’s not for them. If you feel that way, that’s fine-it’s whatever God calls you to do. This is just my opinion and expeirience with it. I actually suggest it for someone who wants to draw near to God. It’s a good thing.
Anyways, so I’ve been fasting. It has drawn me close to God. I haven’t ate in five days, and it amazes me that whenever I feel hungry, I pray, and God fills me up. He doesn’t literally shove food down my throat or make me feel full, but it is like when I pray, my mind goes off the fact that I’m hungry and tired and I begin to think about God and how good he is and amazing and all that.
If you think about it, it is like you are dying to yourself. When you starve yourself, in a way, you are dying. Dying to your flesh-your sin. You know what I mean?
In Romans 6:6-8, Paul said “For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with,that we should no longer be slaves to sin—because anyone who has died has been set free from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.” So if we die to ourselves (not literally die), and don’t live in our sin, we draw nearer to God. That is what happens when you fast, I think. I don't know, but so far, it is working out pretty well for me.
Sunday, January 2, 2011
I meant to post this New Year's Day...
So I meant to post this on New Year's Day, but I didn't...ANYways...here it is.
My New Year's Resolutions:
What is my New Year's resolution? What do I want to accomplish?
On New Year's day, I watched the ball drop at midnight, and then went up to my room and just sat in silence. I took out a notebook where I write my prayers and thoughts and different things I do in my quiet time with God. I flipped it to a blank page and began to write down all of the events from 2010 I could remember-all the events that made an impact on me. I wrote down a good 15 or so of them, and then asked myself, "Which of these events were beneficial? Which ones taught you somethings? Which ones would you take back?" I'm sad to say there were alot that were not the best idea, and I wish some of them had never happened. I started to think "Man! 2010 was a terrible year to me!" But looking back, I realized something-I learned something from all of them. Through all the stupid things I had done, all the mistakes, all the good things, all the things done wrong ot me, and everything I couldn't help-each one had taught me something. I began to write what I had learned.
I learned that I want me and my future husband to have a love that is beautiful, praise-worthy, and pure by watching my two friends Vanessa and Edgar prepare for and getting married. When some of my good friends walked out of my life, I learned how easily people enter and exit your life and how to take good things out of those relationships. When I tried to work out a relationship that should have never started, I learned not to idolize any relationship or friendship, because you only end up getting hurt. I learned a bit of the calling God has on my life by travelling to India. I learned alot in 2010.
I also realized that 2010 was a year of "firsts" for me. My first time to fast. My first car. My first international trip. My first kiss. And as I looked back on all of those things, I realized "2010 had it's ups-and-downs, but I learned alot and gained wisdom."
Then I thought about 2011. What do I want to do? What do I want to accomplish? What do I want to change? I want to grow my faith in 2011. I want to have a strong, sturdy trust in God. I want to focus on him and draw near to him more than in the past. I want to burn for Him.
I want to win my friends to God, and witness to them, not with my words, but with my life-using words if nessicary. I don't want to SPEAK about God's presence in my life-I want to LIVE it. Breathe it. Live off of it.
I want to read my Bible in a year. I want to fast as long as I can this year. I want to live 2011 with God.
In mid-2010, I completed a year long commitment I had made to not date. But then I took everything I had learned from that year and forgot it. I don't want to live 2011 like that. I want to have Jesus Christ at the center of all my relationships, friendships, and encouter with people. I want to hav emy life revolve around God. I don't want to have any relationships or friendships I regret in 2011. I want to put God in the front of my life and give him control. I want to live a God-life in 2011.
And THAT is my new Year's resolution.
My New Year's Resolutions:
What is my New Year's resolution? What do I want to accomplish?
On New Year's day, I watched the ball drop at midnight, and then went up to my room and just sat in silence. I took out a notebook where I write my prayers and thoughts and different things I do in my quiet time with God. I flipped it to a blank page and began to write down all of the events from 2010 I could remember-all the events that made an impact on me. I wrote down a good 15 or so of them, and then asked myself, "Which of these events were beneficial? Which ones taught you somethings? Which ones would you take back?" I'm sad to say there were alot that were not the best idea, and I wish some of them had never happened. I started to think "Man! 2010 was a terrible year to me!" But looking back, I realized something-I learned something from all of them. Through all the stupid things I had done, all the mistakes, all the good things, all the things done wrong ot me, and everything I couldn't help-each one had taught me something. I began to write what I had learned.
I learned that I want me and my future husband to have a love that is beautiful, praise-worthy, and pure by watching my two friends Vanessa and Edgar prepare for and getting married. When some of my good friends walked out of my life, I learned how easily people enter and exit your life and how to take good things out of those relationships. When I tried to work out a relationship that should have never started, I learned not to idolize any relationship or friendship, because you only end up getting hurt. I learned a bit of the calling God has on my life by travelling to India. I learned alot in 2010.
I also realized that 2010 was a year of "firsts" for me. My first time to fast. My first car. My first international trip. My first kiss. And as I looked back on all of those things, I realized "2010 had it's ups-and-downs, but I learned alot and gained wisdom."
Then I thought about 2011. What do I want to do? What do I want to accomplish? What do I want to change? I want to grow my faith in 2011. I want to have a strong, sturdy trust in God. I want to focus on him and draw near to him more than in the past. I want to burn for Him.
I want to win my friends to God, and witness to them, not with my words, but with my life-using words if nessicary. I don't want to SPEAK about God's presence in my life-I want to LIVE it. Breathe it. Live off of it.
I want to read my Bible in a year. I want to fast as long as I can this year. I want to live 2011 with God.
In mid-2010, I completed a year long commitment I had made to not date. But then I took everything I had learned from that year and forgot it. I don't want to live 2011 like that. I want to have Jesus Christ at the center of all my relationships, friendships, and encouter with people. I want to hav emy life revolve around God. I don't want to have any relationships or friendships I regret in 2011. I want to put God in the front of my life and give him control. I want to live a God-life in 2011.
And THAT is my new Year's resolution.
Friday, December 3, 2010
My love! Your hair is like a flock of goats!
Have you ever read Song of Solomon? I'm not gonna lie-it's pretty heated. When you read it on the surface, it is about a man and woman in love. It's just a bunch of mushy love...in a bunch of chapters...with a lot of really weird compliments-if you would even call them that. Like once, the man-called the Lover-tells the woman-the Beloved-that her "hair is like a flock of goats". he says "your neck is like the tower of david". Have you ever felt a goat's hair? I have-and if a man told me my hair was like a goat, I would be strongly offended! And if he said you have a neck like a tower...well he might as well say "You have a neck like a giraffe!" It's crazy some of the things the Lover and Beloved say to each other! But back to what I was talking about originally.
If you ever get a chance, read Song of Solomon. It's a beautiful book and story. But when you finish it, think of it this way-God as the Lover, and you as the Beloved....okay-I can tell you are confused...let me explain it better.
In Song of Solomon, the Lover chases after the Beloved. The Lover's love for the Beloved is unconditional. He loves her with all of his heart. He would go to the ends of the earth for her. He would die for her. He would do anything for her. He loves her that much! it's awesome! But at one point, in my opinion, it seems as though the Beloved doubts the Lover's love for her. And yet the Lover is not discouraged. He chases after his love. He wants her, desires her, needs her. He loves her! She doesn't have to DO anything to make him love her more or less. He loves her perfectly.
Isn't that how God loves us? He chases after us. He loves us unconditionally. He died for us. He chases after us, even when we doubt him. We can do nothing that makes him love us less or more. He loves us with perfect love! And when we deny him or mess up, he accepts us back with open arms. Really! He does! Read the story of the prodigal son in Luke 15:11-32. That's how God loves us!
If you've been reading my blog, you probably figured out I really like music. And I like to relate things to music. So I found this song by a band called "Tenth Avenue North". The song is titles "Beloved", and it made me cry once. It's written from God's point of view. It talks about how he always accepts us. in a way, this song is alot like the book of Song of Solomon. you listen to it, and think it's about a man and woman at first. But it has a much deeper meaning. Here are the lyrics:
If you ever get a chance, read Song of Solomon. It's a beautiful book and story. But when you finish it, think of it this way-God as the Lover, and you as the Beloved....okay-I can tell you are confused...let me explain it better.
In Song of Solomon, the Lover chases after the Beloved. The Lover's love for the Beloved is unconditional. He loves her with all of his heart. He would go to the ends of the earth for her. He would die for her. He would do anything for her. He loves her that much! it's awesome! But at one point, in my opinion, it seems as though the Beloved doubts the Lover's love for her. And yet the Lover is not discouraged. He chases after his love. He wants her, desires her, needs her. He loves her! She doesn't have to DO anything to make him love her more or less. He loves her perfectly.
Isn't that how God loves us? He chases after us. He loves us unconditionally. He died for us. He chases after us, even when we doubt him. We can do nothing that makes him love us less or more. He loves us with perfect love! And when we deny him or mess up, he accepts us back with open arms. Really! He does! Read the story of the prodigal son in Luke 15:11-32. That's how God loves us!
If you've been reading my blog, you probably figured out I really like music. And I like to relate things to music. So I found this song by a band called "Tenth Avenue North". The song is titles "Beloved", and it made me cry once. It's written from God's point of view. It talks about how he always accepts us. in a way, this song is alot like the book of Song of Solomon. you listen to it, and think it's about a man and woman at first. But it has a much deeper meaning. Here are the lyrics:
"Love of my life
Look deep in my eyes.
There you will find what you need.
Give me your life-
The lust and the lies,
The past you're afraid I might see.
You've been running away from me!
You're my Beloved!
Lover, I'm yours!
Death shall not part us-
It's you I died for!
For better or worse,
Forever we'll be.
Our love, it unites us,
And it binds you to me.
It's a mystery.
Love of my life!
Look deep in my eyes!
There you will find what you need!
I'm the giver of life!
I'll clothe you in white!
My immaculant bride you will be.
Oh come running home to me!
You're my Beloved!
Lover, I'm yours!
Death shall not part us-
It's you I died for!
For better or worse-
Forever we'll be.
Our love unites us
And it binds you to me.
Oh you've been a mistress, my wife.
You're chasing lovers that won't satisfy!
Won't you let me make you my bride?
You will drink of my lips and taste new life.
You're my beloved
Lover I'm yours.
Death shall not part us!
It's you died for!
For better or worse!
Forever we'll be!
Our love unites us-
And it binds you to me.
It's a mystery."
That is a beautiful song, and i would definatly suggest downloading it or even buying their cd. ANYways...that song can be thought about as love between a man and woman, but think deeper. The Bible calls the church God's bride. We are his bride. He loves us, like the Lover loves his Beloved. He chases after us, and always accepts us back with open arms if we mess up. Well...that's all I really have to say...it's kind of late. :)
-A christian teenage girl
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Redefining Normal
So this weekend, I attended a youth confrence. The theme was "Redefine", and the first service, the pastor walked up to the pulpit, and introduced himself. A thousand teenagers yelled and clapped and hooted for him, and in the midst of it all, he said "Well guys, tonight, I want to speak on hypocracy." Whew. It got quiet in that room. Nobody was hooting or yelling anymore. He had our attention.
He said "Well guys, I'm going to be very blunt. You might not like it, but I love you, and that's why I'm telling you this. It's become the 'norm' in our culture for Christians to live double lives-to have their sunday and wednesday life and their rest of the week life. It has become expected of Christians to lead two lives...and if that is normal, then we HAVE to redefine normal."
I thought about that statement. Redefine normal. It has become normal for Christians to be hypocritical-myself included. It's like everybody does it, and no one really confronts it. I talked about how i felt about it in my blog "Backsliding really hurts your butt". I've slipped and fallen and led the two-face lifestyle. I talked about the charachter "Two-face" in Batman. How his Harvey Dent side didn't want to be hateful and cruel, but the inhuman side of him did. And when that man said that two-faced lives have become normal, i realized it was true. There are so many Christian "Two-faces" around. We all have our own sins and double lives. Church has become a big "masquerade ball"-we come in dressed up and wearing a smiling mask, and nobody knows who's who.
One time when I was a sophmore or freshman, my literature teacher had us read a story called "The Red Mask of Death" by Edgar Allen Poe. In "The Red Mask", a prince named Prospero and a thousand of his friends locked themselves in a castle to try and escape a disease called the red death. The castle looked out on the city, where everyone was dying-but Prospero and his friends were "safe" inside. While in this castle, Prospero holds a masquerade ball. He and his friends indulge themselves and live luxuriously, when something strange happens. A stranger comes is, dressed like a corpse with signs of the red death all over it. Prospero is angered and demands that they kill the insulting stranger. But the stranger never speaks. It just walks by. Prospero chases the stranger down, and when he finally catches it, he falls dead. Prospero's friends are terrified, and approach the stranger. They remove the stranger's mask-to find that he has no face. The stranger is Red Death.
Isn't that alot how we Christian's are today? We try to shelter ourselves, and hide away from sin. We watch others suffer from it, while we are with our own "church group". We let others outside of our castle die in sin, but it's okay-because we're inside, having fun and living our masquerade ball. Masks, dresses-we look nice inside of our castle. But what we don't realize is that sin creeps into our castles when we don't notice. It hangs out at our party. It walks through our castle. And it kills us and our masquerade party. It deadens us inside, till we are numb to everything, and we keep wearing our masks. The mask becomes normal, an everyday part of us.
When are we going to redefine normal?
I ask you-my generation:
When are we going to redefine normal?
If the mask is considered normal, let's be out of place. Why don't we take off our masks and make THAT normal? The masks became normal because everyone did it. Everyone wore a mask, so it didn't seem odd. But what if every one wearing a mask decided to take it off? What if we made that normal? When are we going to redefine normal?
After hearing this preacher ask this question, I decided something.
I will redefine normal.
I will take off my mask.
My question is:
Who will join me?
-A maskless teenage girl
He said "Well guys, I'm going to be very blunt. You might not like it, but I love you, and that's why I'm telling you this. It's become the 'norm' in our culture for Christians to live double lives-to have their sunday and wednesday life and their rest of the week life. It has become expected of Christians to lead two lives...and if that is normal, then we HAVE to redefine normal."
I thought about that statement. Redefine normal. It has become normal for Christians to be hypocritical-myself included. It's like everybody does it, and no one really confronts it. I talked about how i felt about it in my blog "Backsliding really hurts your butt". I've slipped and fallen and led the two-face lifestyle. I talked about the charachter "Two-face" in Batman. How his Harvey Dent side didn't want to be hateful and cruel, but the inhuman side of him did. And when that man said that two-faced lives have become normal, i realized it was true. There are so many Christian "Two-faces" around. We all have our own sins and double lives. Church has become a big "masquerade ball"-we come in dressed up and wearing a smiling mask, and nobody knows who's who.
One time when I was a sophmore or freshman, my literature teacher had us read a story called "The Red Mask of Death" by Edgar Allen Poe. In "The Red Mask", a prince named Prospero and a thousand of his friends locked themselves in a castle to try and escape a disease called the red death. The castle looked out on the city, where everyone was dying-but Prospero and his friends were "safe" inside. While in this castle, Prospero holds a masquerade ball. He and his friends indulge themselves and live luxuriously, when something strange happens. A stranger comes is, dressed like a corpse with signs of the red death all over it. Prospero is angered and demands that they kill the insulting stranger. But the stranger never speaks. It just walks by. Prospero chases the stranger down, and when he finally catches it, he falls dead. Prospero's friends are terrified, and approach the stranger. They remove the stranger's mask-to find that he has no face. The stranger is Red Death.
Isn't that alot how we Christian's are today? We try to shelter ourselves, and hide away from sin. We watch others suffer from it, while we are with our own "church group". We let others outside of our castle die in sin, but it's okay-because we're inside, having fun and living our masquerade ball. Masks, dresses-we look nice inside of our castle. But what we don't realize is that sin creeps into our castles when we don't notice. It hangs out at our party. It walks through our castle. And it kills us and our masquerade party. It deadens us inside, till we are numb to everything, and we keep wearing our masks. The mask becomes normal, an everyday part of us.
When are we going to redefine normal?
I ask you-my generation:
When are we going to redefine normal?
If the mask is considered normal, let's be out of place. Why don't we take off our masks and make THAT normal? The masks became normal because everyone did it. Everyone wore a mask, so it didn't seem odd. But what if every one wearing a mask decided to take it off? What if we made that normal? When are we going to redefine normal?
After hearing this preacher ask this question, I decided something.
I will redefine normal.
I will take off my mask.
My question is:
Who will join me?
-A maskless teenage girl
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