Is My God In Your Action Flick?!

I am ecstatic about this movie.

“But Elijah, this film is rated R! It contains violence! It even has crude language! =O Why would you condone this?!”

Good point. Allow me to elaborate.

First of all.. the trailer kind of focuses more on the action side of the movie, which I guess is kind of good. But i’ll focus on why in a bit. If you didn’t get it from the trailer, it’s set in a post apocalyptic where nothing is how it used to be. People fight over the simplest things (water, soap, food), things we take for granted. Eli (Denzel Washington) is heading west on a quest to protect a book that he has in his possession. Guess what the book is!? Yeah, I know, the trailer gives it away. It is, in fact, The Bible.

“=O *shock and awe* The Bible in a secular movie?! It must be blasphemy!”

No, no it’s not.

I absolutely loved “The Book of Eli”! It was so inspiring to me! Maybe it won’t be like this for everyone, but it really made me think about things. It really hit hard on the subject of faith and trusting in God (among other things). There are just so many opportunities in the film for Eli to stray from the beaten path, yet he doesn’t. He is tempted by things such as lust and hatred but does not partake. No matter what, the character trusts in God completely and doesn’t give up.

“But.. wait.. It’s rated R!”

Yeah, so was “The Passion Of The Christ.” A simple letter doesn’t make a movie evil. While it’s a great guideline for parents, to me it’s all about your maturity level. If you can take the violence and language and not let it invade you, then by all means, see the movie. If you can’t, then don’t. It’s that simple. But still, it’s definitely not for the children.

“But there’s violence! And what about the language!? Surely no good could come from this!”

Oh, come on! The Bible is filled with stories of horrendous violence and gore! It also contains it’s fair share of cursing! Does that mean the Bible is bad? No, of course not! The thing is, the Bible uses these things in ways that better us. Here, J.D. Walters explains it better than I can.

“Skeptics’ reaction to the Bible very often… resembles very much the reaction Christian ratings groups have to ‘unwholesome’ movies. How can the Bible be the sublime Word of God, they ask, when it has such unwholesome content as adultery, war, torture, cursing and plague?… The Bible features such content because it is God’s message to a fallen world. The only reason it is relevant to so many people is that it rings true to our experience. A G-rated Bible is a Bible that cannot speak to fallen man where he is. No one could take it seriously if it laid out a drama in which nothing bad ever happens to good people, everyone always makes the right choices and God never has to judge those who disobey Him. Like the best movies with explicit content, the Bible tells the truth about the world, but thankfully it also offers hope for a better one even as it takes this one absolutely seriously.”

That was taken from his article “A CleanFlix World?” which I encourage you to check out.

Just as J.D. Walters stated, the violence, sex, and coarse language is in the Bible for a reason:  So we can relate it to the real world.  The truth is, we do live in a fallen world and there is no reason to sugar coat what’s really out there.

“Ok, but how is it good that the trailer focuses so much on the other stuff?”

Good question!  This movie isn’t for Christians, it’s for the nonbelievers!  Let me put it this way, If “The Book Of Eli” were a lovey dovy, in your face, give me a hug, movie with the same concept, it just wouldn’t be seen outside of the Christian community.  That’s what I think is so awesome!  It can appeal to nonbelievers and have such a deep meaning at the same time!

In just over a week the film has grossed $38,437,553.  In a worst case scenario where everyone saw it at a non matinée time at about ten dollars a ticket (slightly above the average), about 3,847,755 people have seen it.  To some it may have just been another action flick.  Those people probably left no different than they came in.  No more evil, no less.  Yet, just think.. If this movie left just one person thinking about God, if it only brought one person to ask that one Christian guy at work, who is always bugging him about his faith, a question that could spark a whole new life, would it not be worth it?  I bet it left MORE than one person wondering what it’s all about.

As far as i’m concerned, “The Book Of Eli” is one of the most productive secular films I’ve ever seen.  There is potential for so much good to come out of this movie during times when films are filled with such horrendous waste.  I encourage you to go see the film.  I challenge you to bring along a friend who may not know Christ.  It may be just “another action flick” to that person, but there’s always that chance that it could spark something that could change his or her life!

Remember, God does move in mysterious ways!

My First Salad

I ate a salad today.

It was my first salad ever.

It was quite delicious.

Man, I hate when this happens. There’s always something like this that I will deny, deny, deny untill for some reason I decide to give in and try.  It seems like the things I oppose the most are the things I end up loving the most.  Today it was a salad (which tasted like a Big Mac! =D). At one point it actually was a Big Mac!  There was the rollercoaster. The diving board and water side also come to mind.  Even a snickers bar.

Things may seem hard, but they turn out easy and enjoyable.  I’ve proven that to myself at least.  Think about some areas in our own lives where we may fall short yet have ultimate potential if we would just try.  The first thing that comes to my mind is outreach.  There are so many opportunities in my life to share love with non believers but more often than not I fail.  I have a feeling that once I break out and really try, I will truly see change and it will make me want to strive harder than ever.

Just as I now yearn for a salad, perhaps I could also yearn more to reach out to people.  But what will it take?

“Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.” (1 Peter 3:9)

How about just showing love to all men?  No matter the reaction, as 1 Peter 3:9 states, repay evil with blessing.  Just be nice, no matter the situation!

See, the one thing I’ve learned is that we can’t just throw scripture at people and tell them they’re wrong.  If we really want to change peoples life, we have to show them that we’re really all about this awesome God of which we speak of.  When we can truly show a non believer our ways, then he will follow.

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)

The Lord tells us that he will give us strength in these matters if we trust in him,  so why don’t we?

We have so much of an opportunity to change the world.  So.. Why don’t we?

You tell me.

(Also, If you have something that you were determined to hate but now love, leave me a comment!  I’d love to hear about it!)

You Are What You Speak

(At some point I will be revisiting this topic seeing as how i’ve changed my views on the subject.  This is not a current reflection of what I believe about the subject)

 

This post has really challenged me.  I went into it looking to prove a point, cursing is bad.  I came out with so much more of an understanding than before.  I am so surprised with what I’ve learned.  I’d love to share with you!

First off, let me just throw this out there.  We as Christ followers are called to live a Christ like life, are we not?  The word tells us to “Be imitators of God” (Ephesians 5:1).  Can you look me in the eyes and tell me that you think Christ would use profain and vulgar speech?  Of course not.  But, it seems to most people that’s just not enough.  I think I’ll go more in depth.

Ephesians 4:29 states “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”  Words are such powerful tools.  Just think, God created this world, this universe, this body with what?  Words.  So, if our words are so powerful, why do we cast them around so carelessly?

Let’s say you are talking to a non believer.  While conversing you let a curse word slip.  Unless you momentarily apologize, the nonbeliever will cast you off as a hypocrite.  It will be extremely hard to convince someone to follow Christ when they think you don’t even believe in what you speak, won’t it?  We are called to live as an example of Christ, to share his love, and to bring others to his love.  Mahatma Ghandi once said, “I like your Christ. I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.”  I think it is time that we start acting like true Christians instead of talking about it!

“With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness.  Out of the same mouth come praise an cursing.  My brothers, this shall not be.  Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring?  My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs?  Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.”  (James 3:9-12)

Get that?  The concept that is.  James compares our mouth to a spring.  He says that both praise and curse comes out of our mouth.  He then asks if fresh and salt water can both flow from a single spring.  Of course they can’t, so why should both praise and curse come fourth from our mouth?

You may argue that cursing is simply the thing people do today.  You may even say that to effectively reach someone you must be able to have them to relate to them.  You would want them to be able to understand you.  I’ve heard this argument before and I can simply disprove it with one verse.  ”Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” (Romans 12:2)  We don’t have to give in to worldly ideas to spread our message.  In fact, I think it only hinders us.

Further into that, Galatians 5:22-23 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.”  Let me see here..  all nine of the fruits of the Spirit are instantly torn down by profaneness.  I find no coincidence in that at all.  In fact, the one that really stands out to me is self-control.  In Matthew 15:11 Jesus tells us that “What goes into a man’s mouth does not make him ‘unclean,’ but what comes out of his mouth, that is what makes him ‘unclean.’ ”  I know we all think of using course words, the thing that separates us, though, is that we have enough self-control to hold them in.

Ok.  So I hope I’ve proved my point.  Now, let’s see if we can really find out what cursing is.

As Timothy S. Morton found in his article “Christian Cussing? Cussing Swearing and Profanity; A Matter of Opinion?” here are a few definitions.

The definitions below are from Websters 1828 dictionary except where noted.

 

First look at “swear, “

 

SWEAR, v.i. pret. swore. [Eng. veer; L. assevero.]

1. To affirm or utter a solemn declaration, with an appeal to God for the truth of what is affirmed.

4. To be profane; to practice profaneness.

 

An “oath” is much the same,

 

OATH, n.

A solemn affirmation or declaration, made with an appeal to God for the truth of what is affirmed. The appeal to God in an oath, implies that the person imprecates his vengeance and renounces his favor if the declaration is false, or if the declaration is a promise, the person invokes the vengeance of God if he should fail to fulfill it. A false oath is called perjury.

 

To be “profane” means,

 

PROFA’NE, a. [L. profanus; pro and fanum, a temple.]

1. Irreverent to any thing sacred; applied to persons. A man is profane when he takes the name of God in vain, or treats sacred things with abuse and irreverence.

2. Irreverent; proceeding from a contempt of sacred things, or implying it; as profane words or language; profane swearing.

 

“Curse” or the modern “cuss” means,

 

CURSE, v.t. pret. and pp. cursed or curst.

1. To utter a wish of evil against one; to imprecate evil upon; to call for mischief or injury to fall upon; to execrate.

CURSE, n.

1. Malediction; the expression of a wish of evil to another.

2. Imprecation of evil.

 

And “vulgar” is defined as,

 

VULGAR , a.

1. Pertaining to the common unlettered people; as vulgar life.

2. Used or practiced by common people; as vulgar sports.

6. Mean; rustic; rude; low; unrefined; as vulgar ninds; vulgar manners.

 

Thus there are different types of “cussing.” One can be profane and take the name of the Lord in vain, he can swear or make a foolish oath in anger or sport, or he can use vulgar and base terms and expressions.

Now, before I move on, I think all Christians can agree in the severity of saying the Lords name in vein.  But I just want to make sure that’s clear.  ”You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.”  (Exodus 20:7)  There it is, one of the Ten Commandments!

 

Alright, now here is some of the information I was very surprised to find.  It turns out that many of the simple phrases that we use in everyday talk come from curses to God.  The origins of some of these phrases just blew me away!  (note that this is also borrowed from the previous article)

• Begorrah = By God
• Bejabbers = By Jesus
• Bleeding heck = Bloody Hell
• Blimey = Blind me
• Blinking heck = Bloody Hell
• Bloody = By Our Lady
• By George = By God
• By golly = By God’s body
• By gosh = By God
• By gum = By God
• By Jove = By God
• Cheese n’ Rice = Jesus Christ
• Chrissakes = For Christ’s sake
• Christmas = Christ
• Cor blimey = God blind me
• Crikey = Christ
• Criminy = Christ
• Cripes = Christ
• Crivvens = Christ defend us
• Dad gum = God d–n
• Dagnammit = Damnation, God d–n it
• Dagnabbit = Damnation, God d–n it
• Dang = Damn
• Dangnabbit = Damnation, God d–n it
• Dangnation = Damnation
• Darn = Damn
• Darnation = Damnation
• Doggone = God d–n or Dog on it
• Drat = God rot it
• Egad = A God
• For crying out loud = For Christ’s sake
• Gadzooks = God’s hooks (referring to the nails in Jesus on the cross)
• Gat Dangit = God d–n it
• G.D. (pronounced “jee dee”) = God d–n
• Gee = Jesus or Jerusalem
• Gee whizz = Jesus
• Gee willikers = Jesus or Jerusalem
• Gorblimey = God blind me
• Good grief = Good God
• Goodness gracious = Good God
• Gosh = God
• Gosh darned = God d–ned
• Heck = Hell
• Jason Crisp = Jesus Christ
• Jebus = Jesus
• Jeepers Creepers = Jesus Christ
• Jeez = Jesus
• Jeezy Creezy = Jesus Christ
• Jehoshaphat = Jesus
• Jesus wept = Jesus Christ
• Jiminy Christmas = Jesus Christ
• Jiminy Cricket = Jesus Christ
• Judas Priest = Jesus Christ
• Jumping Jehoshaphat = Jumping Jesus
• My goodness = My God
• Sacré bleu = “sacred blue” = Sang de Dieu (“God’s blood”)
• Sam Hill = Hell
• Suffering succotash = Suffering Saviour
• Tarnation = Damnation
• Yumping Yiminy = Jumping Jesus
• Zounds or ‘Swounds = God’s wounds

 

Now were you aware of any of that?  I sure wasn’t.  I’ll continue on with this concept with a piece of an article by James L. Melton entitled “Christian Cursing.”

You say, “Well, my word! I wouldn’t take God’s name in vain!” You just did! John 1:1 says that “the Word” was GOD! Satan tricked you, didn’t he? You need to CONFESS to God that you’ve been taking His name in vain, and you need to REPENT of this sin!“Well, my goodness!”, you say. If you are saved then your “goodness” is none other than God Himself (Psalm 144:2). You just took His name in vain again. You have no goodness of your own (Isa. 64:6; Rom. 3:23; Psa. 39:5), so “my goodness” is a reference to God!

“Good grief! I had no idea!” There you go again! Jesus Christ was a man of sorrows and acquainted with GRIEF (Isa. 53:3). His grief was “good” grief because He bore your sins. You should show more reverence and respect for your Saviour and quit throwing God’s word around too loosely.

“For crying out loud! Can’t I say anything?” How about reading your Bible for a change?! Matthew 27:46 says that when your Saviour was suffering on the cross He “cried with a loud voice.” What’s your logic in using such speech? Could it be that Satan is just having a good laugh at your ignorance and disrespect of God’s word?

“Well, geeeeeeee!” Did you say “G”, as in “GOD”? Yes, you certainly did! You’ve also said “Gosh” and “Good Golly”! You’ve also said “Jeepers Creepers” when you really wanted to say “Jesus Christ” (JC!). You’ve also played around with the letters “G” and “D” together. You said “dad gum” and “dog gone” when you really wanted to say “God” and then follow with the word “damn”. Think about it, Christian! Is God pleased with this kind of speech?

I use some of these “Minced Oaths” quite often and never even realized what they mean.  It’s something i’ll have to work on and I’ll encourage you to also.

Still, there are words like shoot, crap, shucks, freakin’, fudge, frick, and so on and so forth.  Surely those words are not bad, right?  Wrong.  The above words I stated, along with many more, are just a convenient disguise to certain four letter words that we all know.  They mean the exact same thing, don’t they?  The truth is that it all lies in where your heart is.  In Luke 6:45 we are told that “The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.”  So we will speak what flows from the heart, don’t let it be evil!

“Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life!” (Proverbs 4:23)

So guard your heart, hold your tongue, and let not evil come from your mouth; for so has God, and it is he and no one else whom our actions shall mimic.

White as Snow

This song really inspires me.  I’d really like to share it with you.  If you’ve never heard it before, it is “White As Snow” by Jon Foreman (the lead singer of Switchfoot).

Powerful, isn’t it?  To think that our God can cleanse our hearts no matter what we’ve done is amazing!  It’s such a beautiful and astonishing concept!  I mean, it doesn’t matter the sins you’ve indulged in.  It doesn’t matter about what you’ve done in the past.  God will wipe your slate clean.  He will make you white as snow!  Clean and fresh to start anew!

“Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” (Isaiah 1:18)

It’s just incredible to me that we have such a wonderful and powerful God who died on the cross to forgive us of our sins!  Surely we are not worthy of such forgiveness.  The truth is, we’re not!  Still, we are surrounded by a God who loves us so much that he has forgiven us!

Here’s a little piece of scripture that I’ve been reading over and over again.

This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.  If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth.  But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowhip with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.  If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.

My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin.  But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense – Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.  He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.

1 John 1:5-2:2

That just blows my mind!  It’s just amazing that we are saved by the grace of God and forgiven of all of our sins!  It just leaves me at a loss of words!

Since I am at a loss, I’ll leave you with someone else’s words.  This is a short illustration by Boyd K. Packer of how God steps in to forgive us.  It goes on to show how we must still fulfill our part of the equation.

But as it always does, the day came, and the contract fell due. The debt had not been fully paid. His creditor appeared and demanded payment in full. Only then did he realize that his creditor not only had the power to repossess all that he owned, but the power to cast him into prison as well.

“I cannot pay you, for I have not the power to do so,” he confessed.

“Then,” said the creditor, “we will exercise the contract, take your possessions and you shall go to prison. You agreed to that. It was your choice. You singed the contract, and now it must be enforced.”

“Can you not extend the time or forgive the debt?” the debtor begged. “Arrange some way for me to keep what I have and not go to prison. Surely you believe in mercy? Will you not show mercy?”

The creditor replied, “Mercy is always one-sided. It would serve only you. If I show mercy to you, it will leave me under paid. Its is justice I demand. Do you believe in Justice?… It is justice that demands that you pay the contract or suffer the penalty,” the creditor replied. “That is the law. You have agreed to it and that is the way it must be. Mercy cannot rob justice.”

There they were: One meeting out justice, the other pleading for mercy. Neither could prevail except at the expense of the other.

“If you do not forgive the debt there will be no mercy,” the debtor pleaded.

“If I do, there will be no justice,” was the reply.

Both laws, it seemed, could not be served.  They are two eternal ideals that appear to contradict one another. Is there any way for justice to be fully served, and mercy also?

There is a way! The law of Justice can be fully satisfied and mercy can be fully extended – but it takes someone else. And so it happened this time.

The debtor had a friend.  He came to help… he wanted to help because he loved him. He stepped between them, faced the creditor, and made this offer.

“I will pay the debt if you will free the debtor from his contract so that he may keep his possessions and not go to prison.”

As the creditor was pondering the offer, the mediator added, “You demanded justice. Though he cannot pay you, I will do so. You will have been justly dealt with and can ask no more. It would not be just.”

And so the creditor agreed.

The mediator turned then to the debtor. “If I pay your debt, will you accept me as the creditor?”

“Oh yes, yes,” cried the debtor. “You saved me from prison and showed mercy to me.”

Then said the benefactor, “You will pay the debt to me and I will set the terms. It will not be easy, but it will be possible. I will provide a way.”

The debtor, in turn, had been extended mercy. Both laws stood fulfilled. Because there was a mediator, justice had claimed its full share, and mercy was satisfied” (Conference Report, Apr. 1977, 79-80; or Gospel Principles, 76-77).

God and Tea

God is a lot like tea.

Well, at least in this situation.

As I took my last sip of tea, I realized one of two things could happen.  Either I could get up, go to the kitchen, and get some more, or I could just wait until someone walked by so I could ask them to go get it for me.  I was thirsty, so I went and got it myself.  I filled my cup and within minutes it was empty again.  Luckily for me, the jug of tea was still sitting right in front of me.  Since I no longer had to actually do anything to get it, I indulged much easier and more often than before.

That was random, right?  Well, no.  It wasn’t.  Still wondering how this relates to God?  Allow me to explain myself.

Think about it this way.  Let’s say God is the tea in this situation.  Sometimes we may seem reluctant to search for God.  Instead of seeking him, we will wait for him to come to us.  ”You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” (Jeremiah 29:13)  When we seek him we can place God right before us just as I did with the tea.  With God before us, we can indulge in his love as our hearts desire, and our hearts sure do desire it.  See, when we place him before us, we are not distracted by everything else.  God is right there and will never leave you.  This is told to us in Deuteronomy (4:31).  ”For the Lord your God is a merciful God; he will not abandon or destroy you or forget the covenant with your forefathers, which he confirmed to them by oath.”

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; Knock and the door will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.” (Matthew 7:7-8)

Do not let your thirst for God run out.  Don’t let your cup run dry; instead, let it overflow with love!  It is said in Deuteronomy (4:29) “But if from there you seek the Lord your God, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul.”  Search for God with everything you have!  All your heart and all your soul!

“Know that when you seek anything of your own, you will never find God, because you do not seek God purely. You are seeking something along with God, and you are acting just as if you were to make a candle out of God in order to look for something with it. Once one finds the things one is looking for, one throws the candle away. This is what you are doing.” -Meister Eckhart

Bona Fide Praise

My God.  You are amazing.

Isn’t it amazing how you can just feel him all around you when you’re screaming your lungs out with a hundred other kids in a tiny room?  Oh, how I love it.

We had Charge United tonight.  Charge is just a time when all of the youth get’s together to worship and learn about God.  Charge United is when all three campus’s of our church get together to worship and learn.  There’s just something about being all closed in with a hundred or so other kids all worshiping our lord and savior together; however, alone at the same time.  Alone in the sense that it’s just a time where we can be one on one with God and just do nothing else but praise him; yet together in the fact that we are all just singing, dancing, doing whatever together and just praising his name.  There’s just something amazing about being a part of that.

The thing I love about worship, though, is that it is so much more than just singing!  It’s about praising God in everything that you do, be it playing the kazoo or break dancing.  Worship is found in anything you do in glorification of God.  There is a great passage in Psalms that helps illustrate it.  ”Praise the Lord.  Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens.  Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness.  Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre, praise him with the tambourine and dancing, praise him with the strings and flute, praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with the resounding cymbals.  Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.  Praise the Lord.” (Psalm 150)  See, there is such a long list of how we can worship, and those are merely a few examples.  We are basically told to praise wherever you are however you can.  I love the beginning and end to that passage.  ”Praise the Lord.”  The repetition emphasizes the fact that God doesn’t care where or how you praise him, just that you praise him.

While physical worship is great, there is also a more deeper spiritual form worship.  ”Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God-this is your spiritual act of worship.” (Romans 12:1)  God loves you and he wants you.  As the passage stated, “give your bodies as living sacrifices.”  My understanding is that if we put all aside and focus only on God, forgetting the sins of the body, and living only for God we will please him.  Our act of worship is just living for him!  How great is that?  A constant worship.  A never ending love for our Lord and savior.  I can’t think of a better way to worship other than just living for God.

In John, Jesus talks of how the Father seeks our true worship by saying “Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth,  for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.” (John 4:23)  We are the true worshipers.  After standing in that crowd of over a hundred kids that I spoke of earlier, I can not say any different.  We are to worship the Father in spirit and in truth, and I know that we did tonight.  Hopefully we wont let it stop as we exit the door.

I pray that we do not let worship die down in our hearts.  It is such a vital part in each and every one of our relationships with God.  I pray that we are also not limited by the traditional forms of worship and that we can worship in every way we can with everything we have.  I pray that we can just be lost in the splendor of our Lord as we worship.  Most of all, as said in Psalms 150, I pray that we simply “Praise the Lord.”

“When I worship, I would rather my heart be without words than my words be without heart.” -Lamar Boschman

The Power of Perception

Today has been kind of rough on me.  I awoke this morning with less than 6 hours of sleep under my eyes.  It just so happened to be the first day back to school.  When I got to school I struggled with something as simple as getting my van’s door shut.  It seems that the freezing cold temperatures like to hold the hinge in my door open when I get out.  After slamming it over and over again, eventually it finally clicked shut.  As I walked into the cafeteria I slightly bumped into a girl on accident.  She seemed to be quite angry about it but i shrugged it off and walked on.  As I got in line for breakfast I realized that I was not only standing in front of, but was also behind some of the most annoying people I knew.  As vulgarities flew from their mouths all I could think of was “why do I have to be right here, right now?” “why can’t I be at home in my warm bed?”

As the day went on, it seemed to get worse.  My lack of sleep had caught up to me and I felt like nothing could make it worse.  A teacher really frustrated me when I was told I turned in the wrong book when in fact the book I turned in had been sitting in my locker the entire year and had never been taken out.  When I was told to find it, I nearly flipped out.  Next, in Youth Leadership class we were told to come up with a solution to our seating problem.  Basically, we had to do it on our own.  With lot’s of arguing and frustration going on between the class, I stepped up to try to get some organization.  Still people just didn’t really give a crap and it really made me angry.

I left school and headed over to House Blend with a good friend.  As he caught up with a friend for a few moments, I really got to thinking about some things.  All sorts of thoughts filled with jealousy, anger, and insignificance flooded my mind.  Finally, I headed home feeling a little more incomplete than I did that morning.

Here I am now, typing away all of my worries, hoping somehow it will change something.  The truth is, my day really wasn’t all that bad.  At least, it wasn’t nearly as bad as I made it seem.  Here, let me try this again.  Only this time, I’ll try it from a different angle.

I woke up this morning and realize how lucky I am to even be alive.  I praised God for all of the blessings he’s bestowed upon me.  I lied in my warm bed and thought of just how lucky I am to even wake up in a home, nonetheless a bed.  It just so happened to be the first day of school.  I was relieved that I have had such a long break to recharge my batteries.  I drove to school just like every other day.  Sure there were a few problems with my van, but they were nothing new and I knew I could overcome them.  I walked into the cafeteria and smelt the oh so interesting smell of school breakfast.  It didn’t bother me too much though.  I was just happy to have something to eat.  I sat down and began talking to my friends and thought of how lucky I am to have them.

After breakfast, I went to homeroom.  In homeroom I encouraged a friend to visit the youth group tomorrow.  I was ecstatic when she was interested in coming.  First period came around and I talked to one of my teachers for a minute or two.  It was encouraging to see her appreciation that I had been there to help with things over the past semester. ( I just happen to be a student aid first period)

As the day progressed, I continued to catch up with my friends whom I had not heard from in over two weeks.  I was glad that we finally caught up.  Choir rolled around and I was encouraged to be a part of such a large group of amazing people.  As I helped file the old Christmas music away, I really felt needed.  The next period we had a sub and really didn’t do very much.  During that time a few of us began talking about church and God.  I was glad to hear a few other people join in with us.  I never expected them to at all.

After seventh period I got to talk to a few friends and a teacher about what had just taken place in the classroom.  It really helped me cool down and get back in a positive state of mind.  Once school was out I headed down to House Blend with one of my best friends and ordered my favorite sandwich, the Grown Up Grilled Cheese!  After we finished up at HB I dropped my friend off.  On the way back we discussed some of the problems that i’d been thinking about lately.  It really helped me out to be able to finally get it all out.  So, here I am at home now.

See, the second version of my day was much better, wasn’t it?  The strange thing about it is that it was much harder to write than the first.  The main thing I changed was my perception of the day I had just been through.  Carlos Castaneda once said, “The trick is in what one emphasizes. We either make ourselves miserable, or we make ourselves strong. The amount of work is the same.”  The point I’m trying to make here is that we all have the power to sway how our day is going.  I’ve realized this on many occasions, yet I still let myself go through days in horrendous moods.

“Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord is the One who goes before you. He will be with you; He will neither fail you nor forsake you.” (Deuteronomy 31:8)

God is with us throughout all situations and he will lead us into the light no matter the situation.  As it is said in Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge him, And he will make your paths straight.”, God will be with us in all walks of life.  Not just the good, but also the bad.  We just need to seek and trust him with everything we have.  As long as we can do that, we will be able to keep a better perspective on the days ahead.

Where’s the Love?

How come we don’t say I love you enough?

‘Til it’s too late, it’s not too late

Those lines are from Kris Allen’s latest song “Live Like We’re Dying.”  They’re so true!  Be honest, how many times have you muttered the words “I Love You” out of your mouth in the past week?! (If you’re married or in a long serious relationship, you don’t count! But I still love you! ;p)  Probably not to many times, if at all.  Sure, a lot of you tell your family that you love them, but that’s about it.  Of course, most people have a close bond with their family and it may seem a little easier.

“I love you” is such a powerful phrase.  It’s just three simple words.  I. Love. You.  Just say it out loud!  It just makes you smile, doesn’t it?  These three words are so vital to us as human beings.  When someone tells me “I love you” I’m just filled with joy and warmth.  When I say I love you I feel so much more connected and in tune with that person and  I know that they know how much I really care.

This short phrase shouldn’t be taken lightly, though!  It is a sign of compassion, care, and love!  In John 13: 34 Jesus says “A new command I give you: Love one another.  As I have loved you, so you must love one another. ”  Seems pretty simple to me.  Love everyone!  I think it’s about time we started showing it!

Kris Allen is right.  We don’t say I love you enough!  In fact, while I was perusing google to figure out what song the line was from, a post from a New York News Blog “The Village Voice” came up.  It was entitled “People Don’t Say I Love You Enough.”  Here’s a little excerpt from the article.

I hear all kinds of trivial utterances all day–”Whatever!”; “Duh”; “Newsflash”–but I never seem to hear those three precious words, “I love you.” Is it that hard to break down one’s walls of cynicism and actually say them to someone? To anyone?

It doesn’t get much more real than that!  Of course, reading on I realized that he was a non-believer and literally used God’s name in vein in the next sentence.  (As side note, i don’t particularly recommend that you visit the site.  I will link it for reference though.) There’s just so much irony in the fact that I, a Christian, am using his post in order to prove my point on a Christian subject.  But that’s beyond the point!  What i’m trying to say here is that it’s a real problem.  People just don’t say “I love you” anymore!

As much of a problem the lack of saying “I love you” is, I think there is an even bigger problem in the lack of meaning we place in it.  Those three words do get thrown around a lot, just not in the right way.  I get so sick of walking down the hallways at school and hearing “I love you” every three steps from some gooshy couple.  That’s a whole separate thing entirely though.  That shallow use of the phrase is not at all what i’m talking about.  I’m talking about real meaning.  We just don’t really show it enough.  This passage hits the nail on the head.  ”Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth” 1 John 3: 18.  So don’t just say it, mean it and show it!

We were all put on this earth to love one another and to love God!  Why don’t we start really showing it?!  I’ll challenge you today to just tell someone you love them!  Go out on a branch and just say it!  If they look confused or ask why you said it, tell them how much you love them as a person, how you are so very glad that they are in your life, and how you just wanted to let them know!

Oh, and I love you! =)

“What most people need to learn in life is how to love people and use things instead of using people and loving things.” -Unknown Author

The “Time” Dilema

Here it is.  The last week of my break is here.  The students of my high school have had an entire two weeks away from our favorite brick building.  What a great breather it has been!  Surely over the course of the past eighteen days I’ve accomplished quite a lot!  Unfortunately, I haven’t.  I’ll admit it! I’ve wasted so much time doing everything but what I’ve needed to do.  I’m still not entirely sure why, either.

Here, let’s see exactly what I meant to accomplish.

• Finish “Do Hard Things” (which is excellent btw.  Check it out)
• Clean my room
• Practice my speed reading class stuff every night
• Learn my FX music
• Learn You Are My Joy for youth band
• Find a job

Now, here’s what I did do during my break.

• Went to the movies.. A lot
• Played video games.. A lot
• Hung out with friends.. A lot
• Messed around on Facebook.. A lot
• Watched TV.. A lot
• Wasted time.. A lot

So basically, I did a lot of nothing.  I’ve had so much opportunity in the past few weeks to accomplish all of those goals and then some; yet, I didn’t.

There are so many distractions in each and every one of our lives.  Even now I keep tabbing over to Facebook to see if I have any new notifications.  Every time my phone goes off I check it and I’m instantly distracted for minutes at a time.  While minutes may not seem very important, just think of what you can accomplish in one minute.  My point is that everywhere we turn, something is distracting us.  We teenagers know that all to well.

Think of what would happen if we eliminated our distractions.  Imagine a world with no Facebook, no twitter, no cellphone, no internet.  (Trust me, it’s hard to think of for me too.)  Granted, yes you could argue that without some of these even less could be accomplished, but I don’t think that’s the case at all.  In fact, I’d argue that more would come out of it rather than less.

I probably spend hours a day on Facebook alone.  I know, I’m addicted! Regardless, we all have a Facebook addiction to some extent.  Don’t try to hide it! Anyway, I can think of a myriad of ways I could spend those hours doing something more productive.  For starters, I could use that time to read my Bible, something I really struggle with.

You see, it’s all about making the time to do what you really need to do. In Ephesians 5:15-16 The Bible states, “Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men, but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil.”   You can’t read that statement and still try to defend the wasting of time.  Heck, I don’t know how it happens, but we all know it does.  The thing is,  right there It states that we should be “making the most of our time.”  It’s not like I just made it up.  It’s straight from The Word Of God!

So, obviously our time is very important.  Still, we treat it as if it’s not.  How many times have you used the phrase, “I just didn’t find time for it”?  I hear it all the time.  I try not to, but I say it from time to time.  The truth is, it’s not that you didn’t find time.  It’s that you didn’t make time.  In fact, you probably didn’t even try to look for time.

If you haven’t read the parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30), I challenge you to.  Basically, it describes three servants who are entrusted with money by their master.  Two invest wisely in them and one hides his and plays it safe.  When the master returns, two of the men have doubled their money and the master rewards them with giving each charge over many things.  When the third man brings his money to his master, his master is disgusted in the servant’s laziness and lack of wisdom.  The point of the parable is that God offers you so many wonderful recourses, time being one of them, and you are expected to use them wisely in fruitful ways.

I know many of you don’t believe in new years resolutions, so let’s call this a life resolution.  Resolve to use your time more wisely.  Resolve to think carefully about how you spend your time.  Resolve to change your everyday pattern of wasting time day in and day out.  But most of all, resolve to use your time for God instead of yourself.

Irrevocable Identity’s meaning. (To me at least)

So, it’s the new year.  Same me, just a few days older.  With the new year comes new things.  You happen to be reading my first “new thing.”  This is my blog.  I have entitled it “Irrevocable Identity,” as you have probably noticed.  You may wonder why, or you may not.  It really doesn’t matter, though; because I intend to tell you.

Now, I’m sure you could look up the definition of these two words on your own and not have a single problem; however, that might take a bit of your time, eh?  Don’t you fret, I’ll just do it for you!

Irrevocable –adjective

not to be revoked or recalled; unable to be repealed or annulled; unalterable Taken from Dictionary.com

So, basically It just means unchangeable, constant, fixed.  Whatever word suits you best.

Identity –noun, plural -ties.

the condition of being oneself or itself, and not another Taken from Dictionary.com

And with Identity, it means just being who you are and no one else.

So if we put these two words together it would add up to mean “unchangeable personality/ character.”  The thing is, there is more to it than that.  My “Irrevocable Identity” is through God.  So, what I’m saying is that my character, my personality, my identity is completely unchangeable when it comes to my worship and my faith in God.

I’m sure many of you have heard this quote, but if you haven’t, then here’s a little food for thought.

I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.

-C.S. Lewis

As C.S. Lewis states, “by it (Christianity) I see everything else.”  God opens my eyes each and every day, and through him I see a whole new horizon.  You see, we as Christians are called to live a Christlike life.  Each and every one of us are.  If God is not a core part of each and every one of our identities, then are we really living a Christlike life?

An identity may be seen as something that sets you apart from the rest.  Maybe it consists of your weird personality, or your quick wit.  Perhaps it consists more of something deeper to you like a caring heart or your vehement will.  Perchance it’s something more physical like your crazy haircut or the clothes you wear.  That’s not how I see it.  To me, identity consists of my relationship to my everlasting God, and it is unchangeable, it is certain, and it is Irrevocable!