Resting With Purpose

     As the last weeks of summer draw to a close, I was thinking about the last-minute vacations and personal time splurges people would be taking as a "final haul" for summer. I was thinking about how people spend their "down time," "veg-out time," "brain-dead time," and what people do to "relax." The top things I could think of were: watching television, listening to music, and playing video games.

     All of these are things I enjoy, but I was thinking about the quantity people consume them in the name of "down-time." With the last few days of summer quickly moving by, I was wondering how many people would binge play Call of Duty for three days straight or watch all four seasons of the Walking Dead back to back before summer officially ended.

Then the thought floated into my mind:

     How many people would spend three days in prayer for the persecuted Christians in the middle east? How many people would donate $100 not to a shopping spree, but to a Christian organization? How many people would sleep-in until noon, but not spend and extra 15 minutes in their devotions?

     I am guilty of all these charges over the summer as a whole. I have not spent or done as much as I should have for the cause of Christ, but I sure made time to do the things I wanted to do. There is a little hope left, however: summer is not yet over. Better sooner than later, make a change now by analyze how the time is spent.

     Why not relax by reading an extra Bible chapter? Or dedicate 15 minutes to prayer (I like to pray by journaling my words to God.) What's more, I've usually found spending time with the Lord to be more relaxing and rejuvenating than watching a movie. A movie makes my mind race with ideas; prayer clams my mind and prioritizes my thoughts.

     Once again, there is nothing wrong with music or movies -- I couldn't imagine my life without either of them! -- but the question comes with quantity and quality. Is your time with God suffering because of these activities? Or does your interaction with God pale in comparison to your interaction with pastimes?

     Most importantly, if you do see a problem, what are you going to do about it? Recognition of a problem doesn't make a difference if no action is taken. If you need accountability, find someone. If you need to set timers or alarms to limit your play time, do it. There is no excuse for allowing your spiritual life to suffer in the name of "relaxation."

     The beautiful part is God promises blessings to those who seek Him out.

"I love those who love me; And those who diligently seek me will find me" (Proverbs 8:17, NASB).

     Seeking the Lord is the beginning and continuation of a strong relationship with Christ. In Him all things are possible, including relaxation and down-time.

Take Every Thought Captive

     I'm sure you've heard the verse: "we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ" (2 Corinthians 10:5b, NASB), but how exactly do we take every thought captive? And what happens if we don't?

     First one must understand this principle:

Our THOUGHTS trigger our Emotions.
Our EMOTIONS trigger our Desires.
Our DESIRES trigger our ACTIONS.

     Our hearts and minds operate in this order: Thoughts > Emotions > Desires > Actions. By stopping our temptations at the thought no sin occurs (it is not a sin to be tempted), but as soon as we let it stir our emotions we have given-in, we are now guilty.

     Will we be able to do this 100% perfect, all of the time -- of course not! But, as Christians, we are called to a higher standard. In our pursuit of righteousness, we must not be willing to settle for anything less than God's best.

     So, how do we stop our thoughts in their tracks? The answer is surprisingly simple: if an unwanted thought pops into your mind immediately meditate on scripture and the character of God. Simple, but not always easy.

     If a thought flies into your head and emotions are triggered, then what? Once this has happened, sin has occurred (no matter how justified your feelings may be) and must be dealt with in private. When emotions are high this is NOT the time to go to your friends and "blow off" steam. Venting only causes your mind to dwell and re-dwell on your emotions and personal hurt -- increasing the amount of time spent in disobedience to God's command of taking every thought captive.

1) Go someplace quite and lone. This is a time between you and God ONLY. Experience your emotions with God. Tell Him what you're feeling. Put names on your emotions and the situation. Do you feel angry? Tell God, and tell God why you feel angry. Are you lonely? Sad? Frustrated? Experience your emotions -- vent -- with God.

2a) Confess your ownership of the feelings to God. Don't attempt to justify or qualify your emotions. Confess that you are the owner and these are YOUR feelings.

2b) Repent. Since you did not take your thoughts captive, your emotions have been triggered (eventually your desires and actions will follow if you continue down this path). Reveling in your feelings (whether they feel good -- vengeance -- or bad -- depression) is a sin because you are not allowing God's character to flow into your life.

     The whole verse of 2 Corinthians 10:5 states: "We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ" (NLT). Emotions caused by hurt or frustration are actually prideful emotions. We believe we have a right to feel this way; we are justified. But this is not true; recall the sufferings of Jesus Christ. Of all human beings to ever walk the earth, none had greater justification for anger towards another. Christ was perfectly sinless, yet He was cursed, beaten and killed for sins that were not His. Even through all this, His heart was compassionate towards humanity. If Jesus Christ did not justify Himself what right do we have to justify ourselves?

     Understanding this, we must repent -- turn away from our feelings -- and ask forgiveness from God.

2c) Unconditionally forgive whoever caused the hurt and anyone else involved. Christ forgave us; therefore, we must forgive others.

3) Give everything back to God: your emotions, the situation, the people involved -- EVERYTHING. By giving it to God, you're allowing Him to take control and to fill you with His supernatural peace and strength.

4) Replace the Lies with the Truth. Dive into the Bible. Read and meditate on some scriptures pertinent to you. Fill your mind with the mind of Christ. Let the Holy Spirit fill you up and take over your mind and heart.

     Utilizing these principles will enable you operate under the supernatural love of Christ. Jesus has the ability to work through us in ways we cannot imagine! By setting ourselves aside -- our feelings, our desires, our wants -- we make room for Jesus to work amazing things in our lives. Will it always be easy? No. Will it always make sense? No. Will we always want to lay ourselves aside? No. BUT if we choose to act against our natural, sinful selves, Christ is glorified -- and that is the purpose of Christianity.

This was taken from a brilliant study by Nancy Missler called: Be Ye Transformed.

Fight Until You Die

     This was a manifesto/admonition that a very dear friend of mine wrote. He wrote this when God gave him the call to abandon life in the United States and become a missionary to Bangkok for at least three years... His wife had recently born a son and this was the legacy that he wanted to begin for the sake of his family.

Fight Until You Die.

I will fight to die to myself everyday. I will lay myself on the alter of God so that Galatians 2:20 can take root in me. "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." I will die to self and surrender my life to be lived out by Christ. In so doing, I shall be given the ability, grace and courage to finish the race and to fight the good fight. Through Christ, I will fight until I die.

What will I fight for? I will fight for the glory of God among all the nations. I will fight to honor the gospel and the Word of God. I will fight for the bride of Christ to be prepared for her coming groom. I will fight for personal death for the purpose of sanctification. I will fight to be Christ to my wife and to my children. I will fight for those who have no voice. I will fight for those who are unaware that a war is raging and who are dead in their sins. I will fight to the death so that my death will be the sweetest moment of my life. I will fight, and I will fight until I die. 

I am not a missionary to Bangkok. I am not strong or great or mighty.

I am a woman. I am young. I am single.

     Yet, I will fight, for it is not I who fight, but Christ in me. I am a witness to the glory of God every moment I wake up and step out of bed. My smallness offers testimony to the greatness of God because it is obvious that I do not have the strength to do that which I am called to do. I am a woman and must offer encouragement and guidance to the women and men whom I encounter. I am young and must be an example of the righteousness and selflessness of Christ to those both younger and older than I. I am single, but I will fight for my future husband and unborn children -- for their honor, for their future, for their hope in Christ.

And I will fight until I die.

Fireflies

My English Professor asked me to write a story embodying something I learned over the past year. This story represents the lesson I learned -- much to my personal discomfort and frustration ;) But God has a funny way of making hard things into good things and ugly things into beautiful things. This is my story; I hope it encourages you...

  
     There was always peace in the silence. But it was a dark peace – a piece of solitude. They always told me, “It is better to be feared than loved, but if you can be loved – do.” It made sense… in my mind, but my heart was always frustrated – never satisfied. When everything came down, I did not want to be feared at the cost of being loved.
     It was actually because I loved that I wanted to be feared. It was that fierce, oceanic love that the elder have for the protection of the younger. But I am small; I am quiet, but I also am afraid. I can sense things before they happen; I can look into a person’s eyes and know if they are telling the truth… I know the consequences of their actions… and they pain me. Sometimes they pain me because I can feel their hurt – as though it were my own – but this is a small pain. The great pain comes from the horrible, irreversible, irrevocable fact: I can not force anyone to do anything.
     My ferocious love quails at this unstoppable fact. I cannot make the ones I love most DO anything. If they choose to fall, I must allow them to fall. Sometimes this is the best place for them – if an unhappy place. They are in the hands of God – who cares infinitely more and provides infinitely better than anything I could ever hope or dream...
     This is why I sought fear. Perhaps if they “fear” me, they would listen to wisdom, crying in the streets. But I could never bring myself to the hard-nosed, arrogant acts to induce fear – I saw to what this led: a refusal to listen instead of a refusal to act.
     But the pain was too great. This is why I sought solitude; if I could not be feared – if I could not be strong – at least I would never be viewed as weak.
     So into the darkness I walked. Much of the time I enjoyed it. The cool air, the peace, the quiet – no noise, no pain… no people. One can be alone in a crowd. Just never let them in – do not let that ferocious love grow, keep it hidden – protected – safe.
     One day I took a walk in the dark. It was different this time. The emptiness was not my friend. It taunted me and then I realized it was not empty at all – it was filled with every manner of evil: a hoard of snarls and claws seeking to devour my soul.
     Where could I run? The solitude had become my enemy and I had nowhere to go. Like the child I thought I had grown out of returned – I became a little girl, wandering about in the darkness – crying out for help… but no one came and no voice answered. I was rapidly sinking into the inky, stifling blanket – all manner of tortures flashing before my eyes.

Oh God, I know You’re there.

I know You see. I know You promised to never forsake Your daughter. 

But where is the light? Why can I not see? And everything around me is darkness? 

Help me now! Get me out of this wretched horrible place.

     I opened my eyes to see one firefly, blinking alone in the darkness. I swatted it away, “No! I do not want YOUR help.” Yet it returned. I rose and fled from its presence, “No! I cannot accept help – not from ANYONE.” Yet it followed me – no matter how deep into the darkness I fled.
     Soon there were more. The one brought a swarm until there was not more room for darkness. They kept me safe. They made me protected, and they whispered, “All light is God’s light.” No matter how often I tried, they wouldn’t leave me. No matter how weak or strong I was, they comforted me.

Mother told me to allow the Holy Spirit to work THROUGH the hands of men.
I guess Elijah was never alone,
For we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses.
I guess I didn’t need to be strong… or afraid,
Since God's strength is in me, and His protection surrounds me.

Wings of the Dawn

     This is a very special Psalm to me. I remember being five years old and my father singing it to me -- guitar in hand -- and I singing along. Would it not be wonderful to bring back singing -- what I call "real singing" -- with real phrases and words to express our beliefs and devotion to God?

Psalm 139 (NIV)

For the director of music. Of David. A psalm.

¹ You have searched me, Lord,
    and you know me.
² You know when I sit and when I rise;
    you perceive my thoughts from afar.
³ You discern my going out and my lying down;
    you are familiar with all my ways.
⁴ Before a word is on my tongue
    you, Lord, know it completely.
⁵ You hem me in behind and before,
    and you lay your hand upon me.
⁶ Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
    too lofty for me to attain.

⁷ Where can I go from your Spirit?
    Where can I flee from your presence?
⁸ If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
    if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
⁹ If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
    if I settle on the far side of the sea,
¹⁰ even there your hand will guide me,
    your right hand will hold me fast.
¹¹ If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me
    and the light become night around me,”
¹² even the darkness will not be dark to you;
    the night will shine like the day,
    for darkness is as light to you.

¹³ For you created my inmost being;
    you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
¹⁴ I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
    your works are wonderful,
    I know that full well.
¹⁵ My frame was not hidden from you
    when I was made in the secret place,
    when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
¹⁶ Your eyes saw my unformed body;
    all the days ordained for me were written in your book
    before one of them came to be.
¹⁷ How precious to me are your thoughts, God!
    How vast is the sum of them!
¹⁸ Were I to count them,
    they would outnumber the grains of sand—
    when I awake, I am still with you.

¹⁹ If only you, God, would slay the wicked!
    Away from me, you who are bloodthirsty!
²⁰ They speak of you with evil intent;
    your adversaries misuse your name.
²¹ Do I not hate those who hate you, Lord,
    and abhor those who are in rebellion against you?
²² I have nothing but hatred for them;
    I count them my enemies.
²³ Search me, God, and know my heart;
    test me and know my anxious thoughts.
²⁴ See if there is any offensive way in me,
    and lead me in the way everlasting.

A Time of Rest

     Spring Break has been in full swing for about a week now at my school. It's been so strange to go from having class every day and full homework loads in between classes to having nothing -- literally nothing! -- imminently due. Am I still stressed about my upcoming term papers? Yes. But, for the past few days I have had nothing that's "do or die" due.

     Part of my feels like, "YES! Lazy time! I want to sleep in, play games, catch up with friends... in short: have fun because I can." Another part feels like, "What are you doing?!? You should be working, making money, getting ahead on all the school assignments that are still looming over your head." After deliberating for a little while, I figured out that both of these positions are wrong -- Yes, I said both!

     Spring break -- or any free time, for that matter -- must be used wisely. For this time to be used wisely, many things must be taken into account; the results will change each time. For instance, if one has been working extremely long shifts or doing massive amounts of research, a few days of "brain-dead" fun would be a great way to recharge one's batteries. On the other hand, if one has spent the past several weeks up to his eyeballs in social events, a few days of peace and quiet to get some work done would be better. HOWEVER, these aspects are secondary to what the primary focus during any break should be.

     With all of this free time, one must make EXTRA time to spend with God in prayer and devotion. I have actually found it is more difficult to make time for God during break than during the school year. It is almost as though something inside wants to say, "You're taking a break from everything, including God." This is a big fat LIE! Since we have the extra time, we need to use the extra time wisely -- time is a resource just like money, spend it carefully. Take some of this extra time to really dig into God's word and to pray.

     I personally don't care about the "length of time" one spends in devotion, but as a suggestion, however long one normally spends in devotion, double it during break. 10 minutes becomes 20. 30 minutes becomes an hour. Devotional time also doesn't have to be spent in monk-like solitude -- although alone time with God is VERY important too. Some of the best devotional time I've ever had was reading a passage of scripture with my family or friends and discussing it together.

     Since God is to be the most important aspect of our lives, it only makes sense that during time off we spend extra time with Him. I heard someone once describe how we should spend time with God is like how we spend time with a boyfriend/girlfriend.

"Everything calls to mind that special person. We want to share everything with them and the beauty of everything with them. We long to be in their presence just to enjoy being together. All other relationships seem to pale in the light of each other's company. This is what it should be like in our relationship with God. We sacrifice spending time with others or at other events just so we can have a few more minutes with God. We should talk to God about everything and how it makes us think or feel. He is to be our companion through everything."

     May this spring break be a time of spiritual growth and maturation in your faith in Jesus Christ. By spending time to draw close to God, He will draw close to you. He is faithful and will fulfill His promises: those who seek wisdom will find it. Those who desire a stronger relationship with God will find that as well.

Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne. Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. -- Revelation 3:19-22 NIV

"In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit."

     "In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit."

     These are some of the most famous words in literature geek-dom. The opening lines to The Hobbit are well-loved and well-remembered. However, does anyone know how this phrase came into existence? I was talking with my English Professor and he gave me the story:

     Tolkien was a professor at Pembroke College. One afternoon, while he was grading papers, a random line popped into his head, and he scribbled it at the top of one of the papers he was grading: "In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit." Tolkien did not know what a hobbit was. He did not know why the hobbit was living in the ground. He simply thought the line sounded interesting and wrote it down. It was sometime later that Tolkien sat down to create a story around this mysterious creature living in the ground.

     What does this mean? I remember my professor telling me this story, and, as he spoke, I began wondering if I could apply this to my life. Sometimes random stuff floats around and somehow bumps into us. Other times, we find ourselves doing things, and we don't quite know why. Some people have a particular inclination or desire that has been verily born into them, but they don't know for what reason or for what purpose. Once in a while a sudden urge or idea will come upon us, and we will have no idea from whence it came or how we're supposed to react. It can often feel as though life is just a bunch of strange incidents, feelings and oddities -- none of which make sense. Sometimes we feel lost in a great big world of storms and raging winds; not knowing if we are to remain grounded during the storm or if we are to allow ourselves to be taken by the currents. Sometimes we feel like failures doing nothing original, having no ideas of our own, seeming to have no talents or skills to offer the world.

    BUT... the world is much bigger than it at first may seem. This is not something that should strike fear into the heart of any Christian, for, if the world is so large is not our GOD larger still? God is the one who created us. He is the one who knew before the foundations of the earth were laid what your name was going to be. What your favorite color was going to be. What you'd enjoy, hate, love, loathe. He designed you with an intricate purpose. AND since He knew everything you would think and do before you were born, He has decided to use everything you have gone through and everything you think you're unworthy of accomplishing to enhance His glory and His kingdom AND to draw you into a closer relationship with Him.

    That's a pretty big God.

     What makes life difficult is understanding conceptually how big and powerful God is but not TRULY living this belief through every fiber of our being. This was a huge struggle that I had battled for years. What made it impossible for me to truly understand was my belief that I had gone through so much and done so many things that if I couldn't conceive of an alternative, an alternative couldn't exist. This is a plague for many who are intellectually or experiencially gifted. I can look back now and see how silly this belief was: me, a tiny human being, who though that I could understand the depths of God and complain that His actions were either unfair or unreasonable. I fell for the deception: "it cannot get any better than this" -- especially concerning my relationships. Since I could not conceive of any man being as good or better than the guy I was looking at, a better guy could not exist. I had been so many places and seen so many people, I thought I knew best.

     I was wrong.

     But God in His mercy uses everything for His glory if we are willing to obey Him. Some things don't make any sense. Sometimes we feel like shaking our fists at God, wondering why He has decided to put us in these circumstances. BUT God is so much bigger than anything we can imagine! And just because we may not receive full understanding in this life does not mean we will not receive full understanding in the presence of God in heaven.

     I am aware that this doesn't always make us "feel" better in the midst of our hardships and shortcomings. But day by day, minute by minute, moment by moment, this is something we can take comfort in: God is bigger and smarter than us.

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. -- Jeremiah 29:11 NIV

     If this is a struggle for you, the best advice I can give is that this is a moment by moment battle. Any time you feel the weight of hopelessness or uselessness crushing upon you, pray. Carry a pocket Bible with you and read it whenever the wave hits you. Again, this is a moment by moment struggle. At 7:39AM you can be sitting on top of the world, but at 7:41AM you can be so deep in the depths of despair there seems to be no light at all. TAKE COURAGE! No matter what your feelings are, God remains true. Prayers and Scripture readings will help you align yourself with Him, and in the end, isn't that the whole goal?

The Victory of Defeat

     Sounds like a contradiction in terms, yes? No. Let me explain...

     I've bee taking chess lessons from some of my schoolmates. For some inexplicable reason, I've felt the push to learn some new things, and strategy has been at the top of my list for quite some time. One of my friends gave me a bit of advice to help take the sting out of (what felt like) and endless cycle of agonizing losses. He said, "Just accept the fact that you are going to lose for a while. The goal right now is to learn, not to win -- that will come later. Just focus on lasting for as long as you can."

     That may sound fine and dandy, but when you're in the thralls of a game -- bear in mind that I'm extremely high strung during games. I stutter and sweat; my heart races, and my hands shake even long after the game is over -- it is hard to remember that the goal is NOT to win. I can't win a game of chess -- not against the people who are teaching me. Yet, even with that advice it can be very demoralizing to suffer loss after loss with little to no improvement.

     The question that follows would be, "Why continue playing? If it gives you that much stress, why continue putting yourself in that position?" The answer is that if I don't, I KNOW I will never improve -- emotionally or

tactically. By exercising my mind and emotions, I have the hope of growth.

     Don't think that I'm looking at the situation with rose-colored glasses. It sucks -- royally sucks -- to have your tail repeatedly handed to you after a six minute round of chess. But through the effort I put forth and with much help from my patient teachers I will get better. I have yet to win a chess mach, but my first game lasted 6 minutes and 14 seconds; my latest game lasted 15 minutes 57 seconds.

     Our walk in Christianity is just like this. We humans are battling our sin nature with the assistance of the Holy Spirit, but sometimes it feels as though no matter how many times we fight, sin right-hooks us in the jaw. There are times we want to scream, "I give up!" and cave into temptation. But, God is faithful to His children. He provides teachers to help us grow stronger, friends to help us carry the burdens that are too big to be handled alone, and the Holy Spirit to supernaturally help us when there seems to hope at all.

     If ever you're feeling like a spiritual failure, it may be helpful to have a friend point out the ways you have grown over the years. Have you become more patient? More caring of others? Have you learned to lie less -- or better yet, to not lie at all? Have you grown wiser in how you spend your time or money? Each improvement is a victory! The point is not to be perfect, but to always be better. We are no longer doomed to be defeated by sin, but with Jesus Christ we are promised victory!

Who You Are

     My last post began with a very short, rant-like paragraph on how I wasn't going to talk about "true beauty." I felt a little bit bad about that =D ; so, I decided to show two these videos that I think are AMAZING at explain who you are in God's eyes. It's also a really good "pump up" speech if you're having a down day ;)

The first one is for GUYS:

The second one is for GIRLS:

     I was having some trouble getting these to play on my computer; so, if you were also, the titles of these videos are: "Who You Are: A Message To All Guys" and "Who You Are: A Message To All Girls."

Danté -- The Divine Comedy

I was reading Danté's Divine comedy for school, and I noticed something interesting...

What many people today probably don't know, it that most people's idea of hell comes from The Divine Comedy rather than the Bible. Kinda sad since there is so much clear doctinal error in Danté, but people will beleive what is popularly told, not necessarily what is true.

The section (or canto III as it is called in the book) goes over the region in hell where the people who didn't make a descision go. As in they neither chose God's team nor the Devil's team.

"They are mixed with that repulsive chior of angels
     neither faithful nor unfaithful to their God,
     who undecided stood but for themselves.
Heaven, to keep it's beauty cast them out,
     but even Hell itself should not receive them,
     to fear the damned might glory over them." (37-42)

Danté seems to believe that it is possible to be a neutral force in the universe -- neither for God nor against Him. Neither entirely good nor entirely evil. Danté must have either forgotten or simply ignored Matthew 12:30:

"He who is not with Me is against Me; and he who does not gather with Me scatters."

There is no middle ground with God. If one is not fully and wholeheartedly for the cause of Jesus Christ he is automatically set against Him. There is no limbotic, neutral middle ground. Sorry, it just doesn't work that way, as much as we'd like to believe so.


I'm sorry, Danté, but there are somethings that you believe (or at the very least, you wrote about) that don't line up with scripture. Your name is either in the book of life, or it is not. There is no arbitrary list that says, "These people never made up their mind." Not making a decision is a decision in and of itself, a decision of rejection. Rejection of Jesus Christ's provision.

The End

Oh, let's see... where to start. There has been so very much that it becomes difficult to think one can simply pick up where one has left off. Yet it seems less so an impossible task than at first. Everything begins, but I believe that not everything must end.

The adage "all good things must come to an end" does not make sense to my mind. Why must all good things come to an end. There is no such phrase which states that "all bad things must come to an end." Why is this so? These ideas that good must end, yet evil is permitted to continue leave a great void in the hearts of those who know this cannot be true.

Let us look. We know that there are several good things that will never come to an end... Jesus the Christ, God's love for humanity, the certainty we as Christians have that there will be a place for us in Heaven -- a place which also will have no end. As for evil, Satan's dominion over the earth will end, the misery on earth will end, and sin will be taken away from us who love the LORD.

This leads me to believe that the phrase, "all god things must come to an end," must have come from a very sad, lost soul. One who looked at the magnificence of the world -- the sky above and the heart within -- and saw nothing. They felt the hopeless emptiness gnawing away at their soul begging for redemption, but refusing to accept the provision that Christ offered. The fleetingness of everything in the world was seen and felt and the lamentation of, "all good things must come to and end," was the only explanation that could be mustered.

Therefore, through the empty eyes of one lost in the darkness, yes, it seems that anything good upon this earth must indeed come to an end. But, for the kindled heart that has been lit by that everlasting fire that is the Holy Spirit -- take joy! For there are things more marvelous that can ever be imagined that will never... NEVER come to an end.

God vs. Science

This is possibly the best dialogue I've ever heard on this topic! I'm giving this to every college student I know to keep handy if ever a similar situation arises...

"Let me explain the problem science has with religion."

The atheist professor of philosophy pauses before his class and then asks one of his new students to stand.

'You're a Christian, aren't you, son?'

'Yes sir,' the student says.

'So you believe in God?'

'Absolutely '

'Is God good?'

'Sure! God's good.'

'Is God all-powerful? Can God do anything?'

'Yes'

'Are you good or evil?'

'The Bible says I'm evil.'

The professor grins knowingly. 'Aha! The Bible! He considers for a moment. 'Here's one for you.. Let's say there's a sick person over here and you can cure him. You can do it. Would you help him? Would you try?'

'Yes sir, I would.'

'So you're good...!'

'I wouldn't say that.'


'But why not say that? You'd help a sick and maimed person if you could. Most of us would if we could. But God doesn't.'

The student does not answer, so the professor continues. 'He doesn't, does he? My brother was a Christian who died of cancer, even though he prayed to Jesus to heal him. How is this Jesus good? Can you answer that one?'

The student remains silent.. 'No, you can't, can you?' the professor says. He takes a sip of water from a glass on his desk to give the student time to relax. 'Let's start again, young fella. Is God good?'

'Er..yes,' the student says.

'Is Satan good?'

The student doesn't hesitate on this one.. 'No.'

'Then where does Satan come from?'

The student falters. 'From God'

'That's right. God made Satan, didn't he? Tell me, son. Is there evil in this world?'

'Yes, sir.'

'Evil's everywhere, isn't it? And God did make everything, correct?'

'Yes'

'So who created evil?' The professor continued, 'If God created everything, then God created evil, since evil exists, and according to the principle that our works define who we are, then God is evil.'

Again, the student has no answer. 'Is there sickness? Immorality? Hatred? Ugliness? All these terrible things, do they exist in this world?'

The student squirms on his feet. 'Yes..'

'So who created them ?'

The student does not answer again, so the professor repeats his question. 'Who created them?' There is still no answer. Suddenly the lecturer breaks away to pace in front of the classroom. The class is mesmerized. 'Tell me,' he continues onto another student. 'Do you believe in Jesus Christ, son?'

The student's voice betrays him and cracks. 'Yes, professor, I do.'

The old man stops pacing. 'Science says you have five senses you use to identify and observe the world around you. Have you ever seen Jesus?'

'No sir. I've never seen Him.'

'Then tell us if you've ever heard your Jesus?'

'No, sir, I have not.'

'Have you ever felt your Jesus, tasted your Jesus or smelt your Jesus? Have you ever had any sensory perception of Jesus Christ, or God for that matter?'

'No, sir, I'm afraid I haven't.'

'Yet you still believe in him?'

'Yes'

'According to the rules of empirical, testable, demonstrable protocol, science says your God doesn't exist... What do you say to that, son?'

'Nothing,' the student replies... 'I only have my faith.'

'Yes, faith,' the professor repeats. 'And that is the problem science has with God. There is no evidence, only faith.'

The student stands quietly for a moment, before asking a question of His own. 'Professor, is there such thing as heat? '

' Yes.

'And is there such a thing as cold?'

'Yes, son, there's cold too.'

'No sir, there isn't.'

The professor turns to face the student, obviously interested. The room suddenly becomes very quiet. The student begins to explain. 'You can have lots of heat, even more heat, super-heat, mega-heat, unlimited heat, white heat, a little heat or no heat, but we don't have anything called 'cold'. We can hit down to 458 degrees below zero, which is no heat, but we can't go any further after that. There is no such thing as cold; otherwise we would be able to go colder than the lowest -458 degrees. Every body or object is susceptible to study when it has or transmits energy, and heat is what makes a body or matter have or transmit energy.. Absolute zero (-458 F) is the total absence of heat. You see, sir, cold is only a word we use to describe the absence of heat. We cannot measure cold. Heat we can measure in thermal units because heat is energy. Cold is not the opposite of heat, sir, just the absence of it.'

Silence across the room. A pen drops somewhere in the classroom, sounding like a hammer.

'What about darkness, professor. Is there such a thing as darkness?'

'Yes,' the professor replies without hesitation. 'What is night if it isn't darkness?'

'You're wrong again, sir. Darkness is not something; it is the absence of something. You can have low light, normal light, bright light, flashing light, but if you have no light constantly you have nothing and it's called darkness, isn't it? That's the meaning we use to define the word. In reality, darkness isn't. If it were, you would be able to make darkness darker, wouldn't you?'

The professor begins to smile at the student in front of him. This will be a good semester. 'So what point are you making, young man?'

'Yes, professor. My point is, your philosophical premise is flawed to start with, and so your conclusion must also be flawed.'

The professor's face cannot hide his surprise this time. 'Flawed? Can you explain how?'

'You are working on the premise of duality,' the student explains.. 'You argue that there is life and then there's death; a good God and a bad God. You are viewing the concept of God as something finite, something we can measure. Sir, science can't even explain a thought.' 'It uses electricity and magnetism, but has never seen, much less fully understood either one. To view death as the opposite of life is to be ignorant of the fact that death cannot exist as a substantive thing. Death is not the opposite of life, just the absence of it.' 'Now tell me, professor. Do you teach your students that they evolved from a monkey?'

'If you are referring to the natural evolutionary process, young man, yes, of course I do.'

'Have you ever observed evolution with your own eyes, sir?'

The professor begins to shake his head, still smiling, as he realizes where the argument is going. A very good semester, indeed.

'Since no one has ever observed the process of evolution at work and cannot even prove that this process is an on-going endeavor, are you not teaching your opinion, sir? Are you now not a scientist, but a preacher?'

The class is in uproar. The student remains silent until the commotion has subsided. 'To continue the point you were making earlier to the other student, let me give you an example of what I mean.' The student looks around the room. 'Is there anyone in the class who has ever seen the professor's brain?' The class breaks out into laughter. 'Is there anyone here who has ever heard the professor's brain, felt the professor's brain, touched or smelt the professor's brain? No one appears to have done so... So, according to the established rules of empirical, stable, demonstrable protocol, science says that you have no brain, with all due respect, sir.' 'So if science says you

have no brain, how can we trust your lectures, sir?'

Now the room is silent. The professor just stares at the student, his face unreadable. Finally, after what seems an eternity, the old man answers. 'I Guess you'll have to take them on faith.'

'Now, you accept that there is faith, and, in fact, faith exists with life,' the student continues. 'Now, sir, is there such a thing as evil?' Now uncertain, the professor responds, 'Of course, there is. We see it Everyday. It is in the daily example of man's inhumanity to man. It is in The multitude of crime and violence everywhere in the world.. These manifestations are nothing else but evil.'

To this the student replied, 'Evil does not exist sir, or at least it does not exist unto itself. Evil is simply the absence of God.. It is just like darkness and cold, a word that man has created to describe the absence of God. God did not create evil. Evil is the result of what happens when man does not have God's love present in his heart. It's like the cold that comes when there is no heat or the darkness that comes when there is no light.'

The professor sat down.

Music and Lyrics

For those of you that don't know me, I love music. Well, I had an interesting experience today with music and why listening -- I mean REALLY listening -- to lyrics is extremely IMPORTANT!

I really like the band The Script. I think they have a cool sound and the songs I've heard on the radio seem morally neutral. I decided to buy their CD so that I could enjoy them all the time in my car...

I unwrap the disc an slide it into my CD player and begin bouncing to some fun music when *BAM* the lead singer almost yells an atrocious curse word. I was shocked but continued to listen to the music because I really, REALLY liked it. After playing it a couple times, the swear word started getting to me; so, I decided to re-burn the disc without the curse (I have an editing program). Thinking my problem is now solved I keep having fun with the music.

*Today* I was walking with my Dad and started singing one of the songs from the CD. "So if you see Kay, will you tell her that I love her / And if you see Kay, let her know that I want her back". He looks at me funny and asks, "Who are you singing?" I explain to him about the CD I bought and that this was one of my favorite songs.

"Sing that part again," he asked; which I did. "Are you so naive that you don't even hear what you're saying?" he asked. Evidently I was when to my utter amazement and sheer horror, he told me that "if you see Kay" was a not-so-creative way of spelling out "the F-word".

Talk about a rain on my little party of innocence day. I nearly cried when I found out (not to mention being crushed that the band I liked was being deceptive.) Here I am, thinking I'm singing about a girl named "Kay" when I get hit with a bullet the size of a book of lyrics.

Let this be both a lesson and a warning to music lovers. Be careful what you listen to, and if there is even a hint of "inappropriateness" in an artist, there is probably WAY more (in unexpected places to say the least.)

*Sad Face* :(

Crunch Time

Just a random thought today... School is about to start. Work is going (crazy) ;) The times I teach are going well. I have little time -- almost none. But the things I love... I mean really love to do always seem to make it into the schedule. Drawing. Reading. I really should do more of writing for my faithful readers. But I just thought
how interesting it was that the things that I really love make it in -- no matter how BUSY I am. Sometimes I skip a meal. Others, I loose a couple hours of sleep. Once in a while I'll even skip a shower (something I do not recommended!) But I always make time to do what I love.

What if we treated God that way? What would our lives look like then? How concerned would we be about the world, the lost, and God's will for us? What would we give up just to make a little more time for Him?

Thoughts are nothing without deeds. What should we do? Make Jesus Christ someone you LOVE. Not just in word, but in deed. Make Jesus Christ your pastime, your hobby, your joy! Make Jesus Christ something you love.

Here in the Plains of Shinar

Here in the Plains of Shinar, it is anything but plain. In the bountiful rein of Nimrod, the Great, the people have risen up to build a monument to their power. In the heart of the city of Babylon, the greatest ziggurat to ever grace the world is being constructed. I interviewed one of the main wall architects and this is what he had to day about the matter.

"I believe that is will be the full embodiment of how great, we as human beings, have become. We grow crops, build roads -- We are the best, and greatest this world has to offer. It is our hope that this Tower, will prove that we have the power. The stars are the limit!"

A casual glance at this project will show that it is definitely the pinnacle of architecture. Even as it is unfinished, the top of the tower is hidden in the clouds. The outer staircases are wide enough for five to walk abreast and each level is graced with carvings and windows. I tried to get an audience with King Nimrod, but he was unavailable for comments. However, his head priest had this to say.

"We are planning to make this tower the greatest temple to ever stand. It is a temple to us; we have become gods. We survived the Great Flood; it is us who are the true gods of this earth! As proof, we are building this tower temple to the very heart of the heavens. We will be as great as the heavenly stars."

Yesterday was the Grand Opening of the lower floors. The public was be given a tour and sacrifices were made to King Nimrod. As soon as the first of the flames began licking at the carcass, however, pandemonium ensued. I saw people fall off the levels of the tower and plummet to the ground. I saw people screaming at each other, and even more were running about in terror. When I tried to inquire what the chaos was about, I could not understand anyone. Perhaps we are not gods, as everyone has been saying, for our language has changed. I heard at least 20 different styles of speaking, and I know that no one understood a word I was saying.

All construction on the tower had halted. Since no one can understand each other, there is no way that the temple will be completed. Our crowning glory has now become our crowning shame.

Amos Comes To My Church

I had a professor assign me the project of writing what Amos might say if he came to my church. After writing everything out, I thought that it was a message well needed to be heard, even now, 2500 years later.


I was sitting in one of the many chairs at my church’s auditorium getting ready to listen to the Sunday sermon. I could see a small group of elderly ladies and their husbands sitting in the front rows, followed by mothers attempting to control their unruly children. At the very back of the room I could see that the last rows were filled with teenagers ready to bolt out the door just as soon as they called for the dismissal of the youth.

While the band was tuning up before worship, a man climbed on stage. He was dressed very simply, a red t-shirt and thick blue denim jeans. He faced the congregation and began to speak.

“This is what the LORD has told me,” he said. There was a stir in the vast room as he continued, “‘I hate your hypocrisy! You come in your name-brand designer clothes to my house, not to honor me, but to declare your wealth. You hand out money to the beggars on the street corner, and yet do not lift a finger to evangelize them! You preach about purity and chastity, but allow your daughters to be promiscuous -- becoming pregnant before even reaching the age of sixteen. You support orphans, and yet encourage your daughters to get abortions. You say you love Me and my Word, yet you accept the very acts I despise most!’”

The pastor stood up and yelled, “Who are you to say this? Get off the stage!”

The man replied, “I am not a prophet, nor the son of a prophet! I herd sheep and tend my orchards, but God took me and said to prophesy against you!” the man stared at the pastor with a look of distaste and continued.

“‘Your homes are in shambles! You divorce as much as the pagans outside the church. Your children rebel and hate my laws because you have not set an example -- no! -- you are too busy reading the latest magazines or coveting the latest cars. I have given you a home and a life, all of which you have allowed to rot!

“‘I despise your tithes and offerings and your missionary trips! You give for show, and let the widow with three children next door desperately struggle to survive. You travel to make yourselves feel good -- not to share My love. You spit in my face, then act as though I should bless your efforts, you cows!

“‘You can name every sporting team on television, and yet you cannot share the gospel. You watch every movie, and hear every band, yet you cannot find time to reach the lost. Take away the sound of your drums and keyboard! Your choirs and guitars! I will not listen to that noise!

“‘My wrath will come swiftly if you do not change your hearts. You say that calamity will not overtake you, but lo! Everything you love will be laid to waste because of your disobedience. You will have famine and drought without relief, but I am the God of Love and Forgiveness. Change your ways, turn to Me, and follow My commandments. Be bold and true in your love to Me, for I AM the LORD your God.’”

The room had become deathly silent. When the man finished, he jumped off the stage and walked to the back of the room. I grabbed his sleeve right before he left and asked him his name.

“Amos,” was his reply, and I never saw him again.

Think on These Things

I originally wrote this article for my beloved Passion Magazine. If you'd like to read the original click HERE.

So often we do things and don’t even consider the ramifications. We watch movies, read books and we don’t even take a second thought as to what we are doing to ourselves. I wanted to address some very serious side affects that most people don’t know about. Let me start with an excerpt from Leslie Ludy’s book Set-Apart Femininity.

“A close friend of mine was really struggling with spiritual attacks upon her life, waking up with horrible nightmares and battling fearful irrational thoughts on a nearly-constant basis. One afternoon as we met together for prayer, she casually mentioned that she’d just come from a movie. When she told me which one she’d seen, I was taken aback. It was a horror/suspense film and though it was one of the milder ones it still was leaving a gaping breach in her life though which the enemy could gain access. Paul said, ‘Whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy – meditate on these things.’ (Philippians 4:8)”

What we put into our minds either makes us spiritually stronger or spiritually weaker. I’m sure most of you never thought that you could be demonically attacked because of what you watched or read – I sure didn’t!

Please understand that I’m not trying to insight fear or paranoia about what we watch in movies or read in books or listen to in music, but you must know that these things DO affect you.

Not too long ago, whenever I felt lonely or depressed I would listen to music. That music, however, tended to be either very dark or very provocative in it’s lyrics. As time would pass and I continued to fill my head with the sound of this music, I found myself spiraling down into sorrow and (even though I never did it) self-harm. I was poisoning myself with the music I was listening to.


Another example would be of my wonderful mother. When she first got married, she had to move away from her very large family. She was depressed and lonely, and in her efforts to relieve the sadness she would watch afternoon soap operas and reality TV. In a few short weeks, my mother was plagued with nightmares, severe anxiety, paranoia (all of which were demonic attacks). As soon as my father found out, he posed the question to her, “Could it be what you are watching?” That was when it dawned on my mother. All of the un-godly, pagan television she was watching was poisoning her mind and soul – leaving her open to attacks from Satan. As soon as she stopped watching all of her regular programs, the nightmares and stress melted away.

Another thing that can be very damaging is books. The first thing that usually pops into our minds when we think of “books that we probably shouldn’t read” are romance novels, but I want to delve into something much more popular...manga.

Manga and anime are some of the most popular reading materials out there. Both girls and guys go crazy over the latest issue of their favorite comic – never mind that over 90% of them are filled cover to cover with extremely satanic and sexual messages. I don’t mean this to be a rail against manga, there are some very good ones out there, but the majority of the comics are anything but “holy”. Is this really something we should be filling our heads with? Leaving, as Leslie Ludy put it, “a gaping breach” in our lives? Everything affects us. It is, however, up to us what we allow into our lives – be it the Internet, movies or novels.

Our thoughts stir up our emotions. Our emotions stir up our desires. Our desires trigger our actions. The most important battles we fight are those of the mind. That is why Paul is so insistent on “Whatever things are true… meditate on these things.” Whatever time we spend cultivating in our minds will effect our actions. Constant baragement from evil things will cause us to be more and more prey to our sinful actions. But, daily devotion and prayer will strengthen us and draw us closer to the Lord for He has given us the power to, “Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7b)

Battling Temptation

I got this brilliant idea from (you guessed it!) Leslie Ludy (Answering the Guy Questions)!

I tried this out, and it really works!

How often are you faced with the temptation, "Wow. Check him out! I wonder what it would be like to date him..." rapidly it escalates into a dreamworld about this person when you're not even sure if he's a Christan. I get hammered with that one ALL THE TIME! Sometimes I just want to say, "Satan, can't you come up with any new tricks?" I can picture him saying back, "But you fall for this one every time!"

There's the rob. As a girl not only trying to save her physical purity for marriage, I'm also trying to save my emotions and heart for my husband. When traps like this pop up, it's SO SO SOOOOO tempting to sit and dream away when what we're really doing is staining our hearts.

I know the above is a problem with which girls struggle; guys on the other hand, I know struggle with physical fantasies more than the emotional. Wanting to look and lust is an extreme battle (as is girl's emotions.)

But... BUT! There is a remedy! It's brilliant! Absolutely brilliant! Doing this will take effort and concentrations, but the rewards are

#1 A closer relationship with God
#2 Stronger, more PURE purity for your spouse
#3 A beautifully threatening weapon against evil

Ready? (It's so simple, I don't know why I never thought about it before!) When you are faced with a temptation with someone of the opposite gender, PRAY. I know it sounds trivial, but trust me when I say IT WORKS!!! Don't pray for the person causing the temptation (that only causes your thoughts to linger and makes the temptation stronger -- I know this from experience!) but instead INTENSIVELY pray for someone you know is having a tough time.

What do I mean when I say pray insensitively? Pray specifically. If you know a family that is having some financial trouble, don't just pray, "Lord, help them, Amen." Pray like, "Lord, this family is having trouble. Help them to earn more money if they need it. Help them to learn to rely more on You if that is your reason for allowing this to happen to them. Please, make sure they have enough food to go around. Let them be able to pay all their bills," etc. Praying out loud helps too.

If you pray like this every time you are faced with a temptation of the mind, you will find yourself so wrapped up in your prayer that the temptation is no longer a temptation AND to be sure, Satan will not be happy to know that his attempts to make you fall turn you into a prayer warrior for Jesus Christ!

Fruits of the Spirit

Here are some more fruits of the spirit articles that I've written. Some of you may have already read them if you subscribe to Passion Magazine (and shame on you girls if you haven't :D)








Kindness, Goodness and Gentleness

Self-Control

Faithfulness

The Harris Twins

I just got back from a book tour by Alex and Brett Harris (brothers of Joshua Harris, writer of "I Kissed Dating Goodbye") And it was one of the best things I've ever gone to -- I wish CHURCH was this good!!!

The seminar was from 9am to 4pm and did the Holy Spirit move!

Alex and Brett have started a movement called "The Rebelution" a movement targeted at teens. The Rebelution seeks to break the low expectations the world has set before us and change us into the best that God would have us be...

Alex and Brett have written two books thus far, their first being "Do Hard Things." "Do Hard Things" is really the core of the Rebelution. It gives insight and stories to a time before complacency and ways to become people of God driven excellence. This book shows that giving in to "the easy way" and accepting the attributes that the world had ascribed to us (rebellious, lazy, irresponsible, childish) is giving in to low expectations. Low expectations that channel the way our entire lives will move. And how having high expectations for ourselves will grow us and change us into real fighters for Jesus Christ, and true threats to the enemy.

Their second book, "Start Here: Doing Hard Things Right Where You Are." Answers many of the questions a person starting to seek high expectations and do away with the low.

As for the actual seminar, Alex and Brett are amazing speakers; their passion and energy flows into the room -- both entertaining and educating the audience. They share spiritual truths and don't hold back when it comes to saying what we may not want to hear. They led the room in the most beautiful alter-call I have ever heard -- not sugar coating anything for the new-coming believers. Their brother Joel led the band in several worship songs through out the day, and Joshua closed the evening.

I STRONGLY recommend these books to anyone who is sick of
a) sleepy Christians in the world
b) non-Christians in the church
c) both

Check out their website at TheRebelution.Com.

Are you part of the Rebelution?