Age Doesn’t Matter

How many times have you felt like you couldn’t do something God wanted you to do because of your age? Have you ever felt like you were too young? I know I have. Maybe you thought something like, “I can’t do that, Lord. I’m just a kid. I don’t have enough experience.”

Though out the Bible, God used people who’s hearts were turned towards Him; regardless of age.

When Goliath challenged the Israelites and God; the Lord sent a young boy named David to kill the giant. (1 Samuel 17) Why him? Because his heart was turned towards the things of God.

God called a child named Jeremiah to be the mouth (so to speak) of the Lord. (Jeremiah 1:6-8) Why Jeremiah? Because his heart was turned to God.

Mary, the mother of Jesus, was a young girl who God used in a mighty way. When God wanted to send His only begotten Son to the earth; He used Mary. God Almighty used Mary because her heart was turned towards Him. (Luke 1:26-28)

In the Gospel of John, it is recorded that a young boy gave his lunch of five loaves and two fish to Jesus Christ. Jesus took those loaves and fish, and fed 5,000 people with them. Why was the boy used? Because his heart was on God.

Do you see the pattern?

“Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.” -1 Timothy 4:12

God doesn’t care if you’re young. If your heart is on Him (like the young people I mentioned in this post) then He will use you.

Thankfulness

What are you thankful for?
The Bible talks a lot about being thankful. Psalm 100 and Psalm 107 are just two different chapters in the Bible about thankfulness. There are several more.
A lot of times when I ask ‘what are you thankful for?’ I get the standard answer of ‘I don’t know’.
In our culture, we are bombarded by commercials, billboards, movies, etc. telling us that we need more stuff to be happy when in reality, we need the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus is the only one who can fill that void in our hearts. No amount of “stuff” will fill it.
What a radical change there could be if everyone in America would just stop chasing after more stuff, and be thankful for what they have.
The United States of America has truly been blessed by the Lord. We have one thing that virtually no other country has, but greatly desires. That one thing is called Freedom.
Our nation has way more than the average person in most if not all the other countries. Yet we are always looking for more.
Why is that?
The answer is pretty simple really. It’s lack of contentment. Our nation is very ungrateful. Most Americans do not stop and thank God for what He has given them.
I know I haven’t always been thankful, but you know, when we are thankful for what God has given us (whether it be our toothbrush or our car); our whole outlook on life drastically changes. Instead of chasing after more stuff; you find yourself chasing after what really matters, and that’s God Almighty.
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in Heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” –Matthew 6:19-21
Nothing here on earth is going to last. It will all vanish away, but everything that’s laid up in Heaven (the things that have true value) will never vanish away.
God didn’t have to give us anything. He doesn’t owe us one thing. The truth of the matter is that we owe Him everything.
So why did He give us these things?
Because He loves us! It’s written throughout the entire Bible. It started way back in the beginning when God created man and woman in His own image. (Genesis 1:27)
They sinned against God, but because He loved them; He didn’t kill them where they stood. God clothed them and sent them out of the garden. But He was still with them. He watched over them to the day they died.
The greatest show of love was when He sent His only begotten Son to pay the penalty for our sins. (John 3:16-17) Jesus was born of a virgin, lived a perfect life, willing died on the cross for our sins, and rose from the grave three days later defeating sin and death.
I’d say that’s something to be thankful about!
The last point that I want to bring up is that thankfulness (the act of being thankful) is a choice.
You have the God-given ability to choose whether you are going to be thankful for what you have, or ungrateful and wanting what you don’t have.
It’s a choice we all have to make. Being thankful is not a choice we make once then forget about it; it’s one we must make everyday of our lives.
So what do you choose?

Not Ashamed Of The Gospel

“I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes; first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.”-Romans 1:16

I recently read this verse in my quiet time with the Lord, and I had to ask myself, “am I ashamed of the Gospel? Am I willing to get out there and proclaim Jesus among my non Christian friends?” The Holy Spirit within me said “yes”, but my flesh said “no way!”It’s a spiritual battle. As a true follower of Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit within us says, “I can do everything though Him (Christ) who give me strength.” (Philippians 4:13) Yet our flesh tells us, “What if they laugh at you? What if they don’t listen? You can’t go tell them; you’re not smart enough.”The Holy Spirit and our flesh are constantly at war with each other.
Let me ask you a question…
Are you ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ? In other words, are you afraid to go tell you’re friends at school or work about the Lord Jesus Christ?
Let me tell you something…we don’t need to fear when we are on Jesus’ side.
There are Christians all over the world today who die just because they preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. You know, all these people have one thing in common. They feared God more than the feared man. “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.”
-Matthew 10:28 I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Why am I unashamed of the Gospel? Because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes; first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.
I have a Bible study at my church every Wednesday. Well, my leader was sharing with us some things on witnessing. One of the things she said was this, “We don’t need to be afraid when we go out and witness because if it is the Lord’s will that they hear the Gospel, then they will.” *(not exact wording)*
It is only by the power and grace of God that any of us are saved. So with this in mind, we don’t need to ashamed of the Gospel.

Forgive and Move On

Recently a friend of mine walked away from the Lord. This person stopped coming to church, and stopped answering anyone’s emails from church.
A few of my friends and I began to wonder if Anonymous was alright. This happened back in November.
Well, a few days ago I received an email from Anonymous. In that email, Anonymous told me how much they hated me, how I need to leave them alone, and how ugly I was.
I’d be lying if I said that Anonymous’ words didn’t hurt me, but it was the words they didn’t say that hurt more. What I mean by that is that I read the unwritten words between the lines. The words that say, “I’ve walked away from God, I don’t care what He says, and I want to do whatever I feel like doing!”
Well, later on that night I was praying to God and asking Him what I should do concerning Anonymous’ words. These are some verses that came to mind….

“Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. We love because He first loved us. If anyone says, “I love God,” yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. And He has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother.” – 1 John 4:7, 11, 19-21

I need to love Anonymous just as God loves us. I also need to continue to pray for them too.
A few days later, I had another friend say that they would probably beat up Anonymous because of the emails that I received.
I told them if I took to heart every mean and cruel word ever said to me; I’d be a very bitter person.
You see, God wants us to forgive and pray for those who do and say cruel things to us.
Ask yourself, what would Jesus do?
Did Jesus get mad and hit back when the guards slapped and beat Him before He was crucified? No!
Did Jesus hold a grudge against the Pharisees when they spread lies about Him?
No!
What did He do? He forgave and prayed for them.
Now that love!
Jesus never said the Christian walk was going to be easy. In fact, He said that the world would persecute us because they persecuted Him. John 15:20b- “…If they persecute Me, they will persecute you also…”We as true believers in Christ need to forgive and move on when people hurt us and say cruel things to us just like Jesus did.
That’s love.

Walk The Talk

If you’re going to talk the talk; you had better walk the walk.

You all have probably heard this saying (or something along those lines) before. But did you know that a lot of Christians don’t walk what they talk? (Or they just don’t care)
I know I haven’t always done what I talk. In fact, one time I had been talking to a dear friend of mine about the importance of Bible study. About half way through my sentence; I stopped. I realized at that moment that I was being very hypocritical. I was telling this person that it is important to have a daily quiet time with God, and here I was not putting aside time with God on a daily basis.
Later on when I had gone home that night; I prayed to God and asked Him to forgive me. I also asked Him to help me do what was right, starting with having a daily quiet time with the Lord.
That was about 8 months ago. There are days when I don’t start the day off right by not reading my Bible, and I feel absolutely horrible about it. But now it has come to a point that when I realize that I haven’t read my Bible; I stop with whatever I’m doing and read my Bible. I don’t do it because I feel like I have too; I do it because I want too.
We are being very hypocritical if we say one thing, yet do the complete opposite.
I like how Paul puts it in his letter to the Romans. “You, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal? You who say that people should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? You brag about the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law?” Romans 2: 21-23
I don’t know about you, but I find that very convicting!
The Bible is very clear about what God thinks about hypocrisy.
Isaiah 1: 10-15—“Hear the word of the Lord, you rulers of Sodom; listen to the law of our God, you people of Gomorrah! ‘The multitude of your sacrifices- what are they to me?’ says the Lord. ‘I have more than enough of burnt offerings, or rams and the fat of fattened animals; I have no pleasure in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats. When you come to appear before Me, who has asked this of you, this trampling of My courts? Stop bringing meaningless offerings! Your incense is detestable to Me. New Moons, Sabbaths and convocations- I cannot bear your evil assemblies. Your New Moon festivals and your appointed feasts My soul hates. They have become a burden to Me; I am weary of bearing them. When you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide My eyes from you; even if you offer many prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are full of blood;’”Now that’s a sobering thought! The Lord hates it when we act like hypocrites. It tells us so in those verses.
But He offers forgiveness to all those who willingly come to Him and ask.
“Wash and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of My sight! Stop doing wrong, learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow. Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord. Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool. If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best from the land; but if you resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword. From the mouth of the Lord has spoken” –Isaiah 1:16-20
No sin is too hard for God to cleanse. Whether it’s being hypocritical or lying; He can make you as white as snow.
It’s your choice. Serve God or serve yourself…what are you going to do?

Life After Death

Please read the song lyrics and then scroll down to read my post.
“Life After Death” KJ-52 lyrics

I rolled out the bed as the alarm started going off
rubbed my head with my arm it was the crack of dawn
I’m late fo work and I really just hate my job
I kissed my wife good-bye and then I walk across the lawn
got in the car out the driveway and I’m riding on the road by the mall
past the highway that I’m flying on but
it slows to crawl cause some guy was just driving wrong
and I’m getting mad cuz I wonder why it’s going on
get out the way I just scream as I’m driving on
I hate my day and this way that it started off
I change lanes and I thought that I was pulling onto
the main lane but just then I saw this green Honda
it straight came next thing it was the window shattered
felt a great pain my body being bruised and battered
it all changed went black and I knew I had it
I coughed blood breathed my last breath that was it

Chorus

what ya gonna do when there’s no time left?
what ya gonna do when ya take ya last step?
what ya gonna do when ya breathe ya last breath
out ya chest and find out that there’s life after death? (x2)
next thing I know everything just got real quiet
I opened my eyes to my surprise now it’s real silent
I realized I had died now it’s my judgment
I’m standing before the Most High now and all of the sudden
He said to me, “Why should I let you into My heaven?”
I told God, “Well really I’m a good person.”
He showed my life and all the times now that I was sinning
every line to every curse to every bad decision
from every lie to every word there was nothing hidden
He showed how Christ died and with my life and that I’d killed Him
He showed me time after time how I’d reject Him
I never cared about the sacrifice God had given
I never cared about my life or the way I lived it
and now I’ve died and it’s too late to be forgiven
guilty of my crime I’m sentenced to eternal prison
it’s dark, I’m alone, I feel my flesh burning

CHORUS

I rolled out the bed as the alarm started going off
I scratch my head and then I yawned it was the crack of dawn
I’m praying and I’m thanking God that I got my job
I kissed my wife good-bye then I walked across the lawn
got in the car out the driveway and I’m riding on the road by the mall
past the highway that I’m driving on but
it slows to crawl cause some guy was just driving wrong
but I’m not mad I just wonder why it’s going on
I use the time to pray for my family now and for my mom
I’m thanking God for the way my day had started off
I change lanes and I thought that I was pulling onto
the main lane but doesn’t that guy see my green Honda?
it straight came next thing it was the window shattered
felt a great pain my body being bruised and battered
it all changed went black and I knew I had it
I coughed blood breathed my last breath that was it

CHORUS

next thing I know everything just got real quiet
I opened my eyes to my surprise now it’s real silent
I realized I had died now it’s my judgment
I’m standing before the Most High now and all of the sudden
He said to me, “Why should I let you into My heaven?”
I told God, “I never was a good person.”
He showed my life and all the times now that I was sinning
every line to every curse to every bad decision
from every lie to every word there was nothing hidden
He showed how His Son died and with my life and that I’d killed Him
but He showed the time I chose Christ and I didn’t reject Him
He showed the time when I took the love that God had given
He tried to serve thru my life whenever I lived it
and now I’ve died but I thank God that I’m forgiven
He wiped the tears from my eyes as I cried and thanked Him
cuz forever I’m gonna be with Him just in Heaven

CHORUS

This song talks about two different types of people. The first person represents the non-believer. He does what the world does.
The second person is the one who truly follows Jesus. You can see the difference in his life when he doesn’t overreact while driving on the road. Instead of getting angry he just prays.
The person who does not surrender his life to Jesus will be almost exactly like the first person in the song. He or she will one day die and stand before God for their judgment.
What a sad day that will be when those who thought they could get into Heaven by doing good things and being a good person find out that just being a good person doesn’t cut it. Since they didn’t accept Jesus they will be cast into Hell which is the second death. (Revelation 21:8)
On the other hand, the one who truly follows Jesus will one day die and go to Heaven where he or she will worship the Lord forever. The true followers will find out that there’s life after death.
My only question for you is this…

Which of the two types of people are you?

Beyond The Surface

Please read the song lyrics and then scroll down to see my post.
“Beyond The Surface” -Kutless

I’ve been hiding
Hiding for so long
Right behind my digital mask
I’ve been trying to be someone I’m not
All these perfectly fake people
Push us to insane ideals
They’re nothing more than counterfeit images

That push me away
To bleed out the pain
Don’t you dare to make another move

Put the knife away
That’s not what anybody needs
There’s a better way
Than everything now that you see
Stop comparing who you are
To who you want to be
Let’s step out beyond the surface

Don’t give in to everything
The world around tells you to be
Open up your mind release your self
Stop the lying stop comparing who you are to what you see
Never letting fear hold back the change

And push you away
To bleed out the pain
Don’t you dare to make another move

Put the knife away
That’s not what anybody needs
There’s a better way
Than everything now that you see
Stop comparing who you are to who you want to be
And step out beyond the surface

Put the knife away
That’s not what anybody needs
There’s a better way
Than everything now that you see
Stop comparing who you are to who you want to be
And step out beyond the surface

I’m going to be talking about something that at least one percent of the population does.1 It’s called cutting.
Cutting is an addictive, self-inflicted habit that literally thousands of people struggle with every single day of their lives.
Cutting temporarily eases the emotional pain that they are going through. Reverting to cutting yourself can be caused by to much emotional stress. For instance, you never fit in with anyone. They tease and pick on you saying things like, “You’re useless, you can’t do anything right, you’re stupid, and ugly.”(There are several other things that can spur on inflicting wounds on yourself. I’ve just chosen this one as an example.)

Leviticus 19:28- Do not cut you’re bodies for the dead or put tattoo marks on yourself. I am the Lord.”

Right there in that verse it tells us that cutting is wrong. It’s a sin.
Let me explain…anything we do that the Lord doesn’t like is a sin. So with that in mind, if the Lord tells us not to cut your body yet we do it anyway, then we are sinning. But by God’s matchless grace, we can be forgiven if we humbly come before the Lord and ask Him to forgive us. Matthew 7:7-8– Ask and it will be give 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.
It doesn’t just stop there though. You see, after you ask for God’s forgiveness, you have to change. If you ask for forgiveness and then go right back to what you were doing in the first place; then it’s like slapping God in the face and saying “I don’t want what you have to offer me!”Some of you may be thinking right now, “It’s just too hard! How on earth can I do something like this when it seems so impossible?” Well, I have a news flash for you, nothing is impossible with God’s help! Philippians 4:13- “I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.”I’m not saying at all that change will be easy (for change is never easy), but with a little bit of faith, the Lord’s help, and prayer you can be an overcomer.

The Avoided Word

The topic that I’m going to be talking about today is a very touchy one. It’s one that very few people wish to talk about. In fact, not many churches in America are willing to bring up this word for fear that it will drive away too many people.
The word is death.
Most people in the world don’t like death. They don’t want to even think about it. Why?
Because they have no hope. They have absolutely no idea what is going to happen to them when they die. In fact, they are afraid of death.
As a true follower of Jesus, we have no reason to be afraid of death. John 11:25-26a- Jesus said…”I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in Me will never die. Psalm 91:14-16- “Because he loves Me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges My name. He will call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life will I satisfy him and show him My salvation.”Death is only the beginning of eternity.
As a true follower of Jesus Christ we will spend eternity worshipping Jesus in Heaven. For those who haven’t surrendered their lives to Christ, they will spend eternity in Hell separated from God forever.
We as true believers in Christ need to get out there and share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with those around us. “Friends don’t let friends go to Hell.”1
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1. Mardel’s Christian bookstore t-shirt

Looks Can Be Deceiving

What do you think when you see the above picture? Do you think “what a bunch of secular punks!”The above picture is a picture of a Christian band called Stellar Kart. Here’s one of there songs…

A Love Song

You are Lord, Lord of my life
Every day I lift You up high
I praise to you Lord My God and my King
You reign in me for eternity

This is a love song to You
A song of praise to You Lord
I kneel before your glorious throne
To show that I am Yours alone

You are Lord, Lord of my life
Every day I lift You up high
I praise to you Lord My God and my King
You reign in me for eternity

This is a love song to You
A song of praise to You Lord
I kneel before your glorious throne
To show that I am Yours alone
Hallelujah, I love You
Hallelujah, I love You
Hallelujah, I love You
Hallelujah, I love You
This is a love song to You
A song of praise to You Lord
I kneel before Your glorious throne
This is a love song to You
A song of praise to You Lord
I kneel before Your glorious throne
To show that I am Yours alone.

Recently, I’ve been having a Bible study with my family, and we’ve been reading in the book of John. We’re trying to find out the will of God. Well, while reading in John I came across a verse. It says, “Stop judging by mere appearances, and make a right judgment.” –John 7:24

I have to say that this really hit me. “Stop judging by mere appearance… Wow, ok Lord, I see what You are trying to teach me.” We as followers in Christ Jesus need to stop judging others by what they look like. Too many times I come across people who refuse to witness to a certain person because they “look weird.” I’ve done this myself, and I see now that judging others by what they look like is wrong. It is a sin.

I thank God daily for what He’s done for me. If my aunt and uncle hadn’t shared God’s love with me because I looked weird, I wouldn’t be a follower of Jesus Christ. In fact, I probably wouldn’t even be alive. It’s a sobering thought.

“What would Jesus do?” This is an old saying but quite relevant today. Ask yourself, “Did Jesus condemn people because they looked weird?” Matthew 9:13b-…For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. Jesus hung out with the “weird looking” people. He witnessed to them, and shared God’s love with them. We as true followers of Jesus Christ need to do this too. This should be what we are about.

Love Our Enemies

Some of you are probably wondering, “Why on Earth would I want to even consider loving my enemies?” Well, the answer is simple. Because Jesus has commanded us too! That’s right, Jesus, our Lord and Savior has told all of His followers to love our enemies.
In Matthew 5:44 Jesus tells us to love our enemies. “But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you.”Not only does Jesus tell us to love our enemies, He also tells us to do three other things. We’re told to bless those who curse us, do good to those who hate us, and pray for those who use and persecute us.
Now this is something that hits close to home for me. Recently, I’ve been having trouble with one of my friends, in fact she hates me. I’m still not sure what caused her to hate me, and I had been really struggling with this. Then one day as I read this passage in Matthew everything came into focus. Even though *Misty* (not her real name) still hates me I need to do good to her, pray for her, love her, and bless her. It’s hard I’ll admit, but I know that it’s what Jesus would want me to do.
If we as Christians continue to hate our enemies what does that do for our testimony? It harms it more than helping it. People won’t want to listen to what you have to say if you go around hating you enemies because they won’t see any difference in your life compared to the way everyone else lives. We as Christians should be known for our love.