Sunday, October 31, 2010
The Best Youth Group Ever!!
Since Christians are opposed to Halloween we had a youth service tonight. The theme was Hallowed Be Thy Name and a lot of the youth and young adults got up to speak. Some of the common trends for the night were facing fears, getting over sin and God giving us the strength and the mindset to go on. It was a really cool service and is getting better and better. Many of the youths are growing in their talents and it is amazing.They are thee best youth group ever!
Thursday, October 28, 2010
The Heart and Mind
I remember reading this book about the natural heart, the spiritual heart and the mind. The heart and mind should always be in accord with each other. This isn't how it always works out but with enough time and patience they will soon get there. It's like a wound. In its time of healing you still have a risk of infection and other complications. So you have to make sure to be extra careful to let it heal properly.
Right now, my mind is on the Lord. But I can feel the divide between natural and spiritual in my heart. In order to have the spiritual heart and keep the spiritual heart and be guided with the spiritual heart I have to keep my mind fixed because the natural heart is weak and I admit I have weakness in my heart. Matthew 15:17-20 talks about the heart. It is a persons being. The heart is how we act toward others. As ironic as it may sound but it is not what you put into your body but more of what comes out. Eating with dirty hands doesn't make you unclean. True,the germs will go in I guess and just come right back out., no harm done. But having sin in your heart does make you unclean and that can never come out unless you pray to God.
There will be times where your heart tells you to do one thing and your mind another. The heart is strong but the mind is stronger because it has no feeling. The mind is pure logic.As I've learned many times before in every aspect of life, emotions are no good. Emotions are blinders because you don't want to see any ugliness in anything that is supposed to be so beautiful. But with your mind focused on Christ all else does not matter. And with the right relationship with Him you'll receive the greatest, most truest emotion ever that can never be mistaken and that is pure divine love.
Right now, my mind is on the Lord. But I can feel the divide between natural and spiritual in my heart. In order to have the spiritual heart and keep the spiritual heart and be guided with the spiritual heart I have to keep my mind fixed because the natural heart is weak and I admit I have weakness in my heart. Matthew 15:17-20 talks about the heart. It is a persons being. The heart is how we act toward others. As ironic as it may sound but it is not what you put into your body but more of what comes out. Eating with dirty hands doesn't make you unclean. True,the germs will go in I guess and just come right back out., no harm done. But having sin in your heart does make you unclean and that can never come out unless you pray to God.
There will be times where your heart tells you to do one thing and your mind another. The heart is strong but the mind is stronger because it has no feeling. The mind is pure logic.As I've learned many times before in every aspect of life, emotions are no good. Emotions are blinders because you don't want to see any ugliness in anything that is supposed to be so beautiful. But with your mind focused on Christ all else does not matter. And with the right relationship with Him you'll receive the greatest, most truest emotion ever that can never be mistaken and that is pure divine love.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Telephone, Tel-Tel-Ah-Phone
I was in the cafeteria with some friends for a quick dinner. One of the girls that was at the table is a freshman and we're still getting to know her. She also is Muslim and so usually at times like these we'd bombard her with questions. My other friend asked her if she had drank, smoked, ate pork etc? She said no to all of them and the other friend said oo that is good. And I don't know how but her religion came into it but we began to make comparisons between Muslims and Christians.
We stated that although both religions have deviants, Christians stick out more. Why is that? As I think more and more about it, most people associate Christianity with sin while they associate Islam with pure loyalty. Is that a good or bad thing? Are we a sinning religion? Although it is a part of our religion and something that we are forever working on, why is it that that is the only part of the message that reaches others?
It is just like that game "telephone." You can say a phrase or sentence and the only thing that will stick and make it around the circle are the negative, silly or not-so-nice thing. We Christians are supposed to carry ALL of the news, good and the bad.Our testimony! We can't leave it up to others to interpret or write it for us.
We stated that although both religions have deviants, Christians stick out more. Why is that? As I think more and more about it, most people associate Christianity with sin while they associate Islam with pure loyalty. Is that a good or bad thing? Are we a sinning religion? Although it is a part of our religion and something that we are forever working on, why is it that that is the only part of the message that reaches others?
It is just like that game "telephone." You can say a phrase or sentence and the only thing that will stick and make it around the circle are the negative, silly or not-so-nice thing. We Christians are supposed to carry ALL of the news, good and the bad.Our testimony! We can't leave it up to others to interpret or write it for us.
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Mohawks and Some More
As I worked homecoming weekend at my school I was able to sit in on different classes. Seeing as I am a tech person, they needed me in the classrooms to make sure that everything worked properly through out the session time. Since our school does not have a football team because of its small size, our homecoming is geared through recruiting potential freshman and raising funds for the school. So they had classes that a most students wouldn't look at, Art History.
In this Art History class the professor was talking about how gruesome the painting looked but by understanding it, it meant the total opposite. It was a 3-tier of Jesus Christ. The first image was Him nailed to the cross with different biblical characters grieving around Him. The second portion was of Him being put into the tombstone by the people who watch Him being nailed to the cross and then finally at the end you seen Him in the sky. But through out each of this pictures she showed us images of Satan. I don't know her religious background but she was explaining from an art historian point-of-view, not a Christian.
The image that sticks with me the most is the Satan in the background with peacock feathers on his head in the shape of a mohawk.I forgot what it was really called but when she broke it down that was what it was. I think it was called a peacock's crown, I don't know, I'll research it later seeing as I am supposed to be writing a six to eight paged paper. But yes, the crazy fad you see a lot of people walking around with, a mohawk. She described that Satan uses the peacock to symbolize immortality and some other stuff.
Do you think if people really knew what a mohawk symbolized they'd still "rock" it? Do entertainers know its meaning and choose to still wear the style?
As she was speaking about this a lot clicked in my mind.Also her seminar will also stick with me too.
In this Art History class the professor was talking about how gruesome the painting looked but by understanding it, it meant the total opposite. It was a 3-tier of Jesus Christ. The first image was Him nailed to the cross with different biblical characters grieving around Him. The second portion was of Him being put into the tombstone by the people who watch Him being nailed to the cross and then finally at the end you seen Him in the sky. But through out each of this pictures she showed us images of Satan. I don't know her religious background but she was explaining from an art historian point-of-view, not a Christian.
The image that sticks with me the most is the Satan in the background with peacock feathers on his head in the shape of a mohawk.I forgot what it was really called but when she broke it down that was what it was. I think it was called a peacock's crown, I don't know, I'll research it later seeing as I am supposed to be writing a six to eight paged paper. But yes, the crazy fad you see a lot of people walking around with, a mohawk. She described that Satan uses the peacock to symbolize immortality and some other stuff.
Do you think if people really knew what a mohawk symbolized they'd still "rock" it? Do entertainers know its meaning and choose to still wear the style?
As she was speaking about this a lot clicked in my mind.Also her seminar will also stick with me too.
Sunday, October 17, 2010
No Need for Words
Fight and Pray for what you want. Sometimes the thought of prayer seems too heavy. Just meditate on God and He will pull the words from you lips. That's just the kind of God that He is. In those pressing moments is when you know that He definitely hasn't given up on you. Those moments give you the strength to make it through another moment. Pretty much like the woman who washed Jesus' feet or the other woman who merely touched the hem of His garment. Sometimes there are no need for words.
Superman Mentality
Today the guest speaker, Ruth Dailey, spoke about being anchored in God. She only got through three anchors but the one that stuck to me most was commonality. She explained that nothing we go through is new. Someone else in close proximity to us is going through the same exact thing but we don't realize it because of the lack of commication that is exercised.
Automatically I thought about my own "commonalities." Who could I talk to? Who do I trust? I couldn't think of a solid person. Although I had a few, they weren't reliable. I've tried a few times to build those type of relationships but they never come out the way I expected and so on. The feeling was not right. It wouldn't be "real talk" but rather regurgitated things that they thought sounded good. I don't need that.
It is always good to take your own advice every once in a while. I told a friend that he shouldn't try to take on the world with a superman mentality because it only makes things worse for him. I feel that superman mentality forming in my mind and honestly I don't think it is a bad thing. I don't want to build a wall to keep people out but I also don't want just anyone close to me.
Automatically I thought about my own "commonalities." Who could I talk to? Who do I trust? I couldn't think of a solid person. Although I had a few, they weren't reliable. I've tried a few times to build those type of relationships but they never come out the way I expected and so on. The feeling was not right. It wouldn't be "real talk" but rather regurgitated things that they thought sounded good. I don't need that.
It is always good to take your own advice every once in a while. I told a friend that he shouldn't try to take on the world with a superman mentality because it only makes things worse for him. I feel that superman mentality forming in my mind and honestly I don't think it is a bad thing. I don't want to build a wall to keep people out but I also don't want just anyone close to me.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Christian Humor
Pastor Haize from Maine came to our church on Sunday and brought a nice word. But what I really liked was his humor! He said,
An older couple were driving down the highway and then a younger couple began to drive along side them. The younger girl was sitting right beside the young man underneath his arm. The older lady noticed and said hunny remember we used to sit like that. The older man looked at her and said i am sitting where I always sat.
He compared this to our everyday lives. God never moves from His spot but we always move over and begin to lose sight. It was very eye opening and funny at the same time.
An older couple were driving down the highway and then a younger couple began to drive along side them. The younger girl was sitting right beside the young man underneath his arm. The older lady noticed and said hunny remember we used to sit like that. The older man looked at her and said i am sitting where I always sat.
He compared this to our everyday lives. God never moves from His spot but we always move over and begin to lose sight. It was very eye opening and funny at the same time.
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Never Had A Friend Like Him
I don't see many things as I did. A lot of things are different and I don't know if it is a good or bad thing. Maybe I am just too blinded by whatever it is that is blocking my view to tell.I don't see people as I once seen them, I don't cherish friendships like I used to. I just don't care. It's just me and my happiness. It's been like this for a while. Selfish much?! I wouldn't call it selfish but maybe it's all the insecurities bottled up inside. Will she do me like she did her? Will she throw me to the side for him? Where do I stand with him? Do they even matter?
When in doubt, turn to Jesus because He's the only friend that doesn't change. You know that you can count on HIm to deliver. No insecurities even run through my mind because I know He is faithful.
When in doubt, turn to Jesus because He's the only friend that doesn't change. You know that you can count on HIm to deliver. No insecurities even run through my mind because I know He is faithful.
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