It's Gonna Hurt, But It Should! IT'S A BATTLE!!!

In the cool quiet of the morning, when the birds have just begun calling the sun up from its slumber, the time of day the still, small yet beautiful Voice is heard, where are you? Are you rushing to work, or slumbering on, dreaming of all the delectable goodies life should offer you? Or are you awake yet on your face, seeking yet still, speaking yet listening, fighting yet unarmed?              
”Take ye heed watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is. For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch. Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.”           
Satan has one desire and drive, and that is to keep us from becoming strong, spiritual warriors. He doesn’t want us to fight and to become intimate with Christ because he knows that as soon as we do that he has lost even more ground in this battle between good and evil. He knows that it is almost impossible to get us out of church and cause us to hate the Word of GOD, so he is trying a new tactic. So what he is going to do is keep us from gaining that deep intimate relationship, that constant communion with Christ and gaining that power and faith that comes with that. How is he going to do it? He is going to make us busy. He is going to make it so we need to work more to pay the never ending bills, he is going to make us tired so we can’t wake up for that tryst with the Shepherd. He is going to make our lives so stressful and overload our minds with so much stuff that the only avenue of freedom is through zoning out by watching movies, sitting on facebook, and reading empty novels and magazines.        
He will tell us that facebook, movies, ballgames, amusement parks, and music isn’t bad. He’ll tell us that we need to take care of ourselves so let’s go spend money at the mall. He’ll tell us that to stand out so much in dress is a very disconcerting matter and that we should fit in just a little more so that we don’t look like a bunch of strange frumps. He’ll tell us that time spent on video and computer games aren’t bad either. And he’ll tell us that our authorities DON’T UNDERSATAND, and that we are adults and can make our own decisions now. And you know what? He is mostly right. But what he doesn’t tell you is that those ‘non-evil’ things will rob you of your time so you can’t spend time with your Lover, Redeemer and Friend. And that he will rob you of your money so that you can no longer tithe to help those in need. He won’t tell you that the more movies you watch the more dull and lazy your mind will be, and that the novels and magazines you read will only cause you to become dissatisfied with life. Oh and he won’t tell you that excessive facebook time and texting will generate in you a need and desire for gossip Or that secular music is going to feed your flesh and that the more you try to look like the world the less people will be drawn to Christ in you. He also won’t tell you that your authorities, even when it doesn’t seem like they understand, do. And they have way more wisdom and experience.   
No, he won’t tell you all this, but I know you know it is true. Oh it’s going to hurt. And it’s going to make you look boring and stupid. And you’ll get laughed at and lose friends. But didn’t you say that you were willing to choose GOD all the way without any reserves? Didn’t you say that it’s all for Jesus or nothing at all? Well if you meant it then don’t be afraid. He will be there at the trysting place first thing in the morning. He will give you the strength and empowerment to move onward and forward. He will provide the weapons that you will need to fight with.                                         
You are a warrior. And we are a team.

rIsE uP aNd SeRvE tHe LoRd!

  The last few days I have been thinking, again. And tonight all I've been thinking and feeling has started to come together into one tangled blob of something....something that I don't know if I can express through words but I want to try. I cant promise it will make any sense, but here goes.
    I do a lot of observing, and a lot of listening. And sometimes I get lucky and see or hear something that catches my attention. Well lately I have been seeing and hearing something that has been doing just that, but it has brought a lot of heaviness to my heart, partly because I see it in myself and partly because I have seen where it is going to lead us in 10 years.
    When I look around I see so many of us young people wandering around, lost, not sure where we're going or what we should do. We can't figure out why we cant live victorious or why we don't have the joy of the LORD flowing though us. We feel aimless and lost and we don't know how to fix it. Our Bibles are gathering dust and our knees? Well lets just say kneeling in church on Sundays is a little awkward due to the lack of conditioning on those knee cap muscles.
   We are trying so hard to not become legalistic and to still have a little fun in our lives. We don't want to appear as radicals for fear others would think us strange, or super-spiritual. We don't want to be odd balls because we might get put in the spot light. Oh and those things we love that aren't necessarily bad but they're not necessarily good.....I mean, the Bible doesn't say anything bad about it and I do seriously like it.....Well what if that is all that is keeping us from what we're seeking.
    Oh I believe we're seeking. In fact I know we are. We long for more of Jesus, we long for that sweet relationship, we want communion with Jesus, victory over sin and joy in our hearts, but for some reason we don't get it, and yet we pray and ask GOD to send revival etc, etc.
    Well I think I have the answer. Awhile ago I was reading in Ezekiel and something scary started striking my attention. I realized that he was dealing with idols in Isreael, and that GOD was using Ezekiel to proclaim His punishments on them. And I realized that we as youth [myself so included] have a lot of idols. We have so many things that we love more than GOD. Yes idols are anything that takes away from GOD. Whatever we don't want to willing lay down for the sake of the Cross of Christ is an idol.
    GOD will not chose to continue dwelling in a vessel that keeps crowding him out. He wants hearts that yearn after him and seek him with all their heart, soul and mind. Not someone that loves him on the side. GOD wants our full attention, our complete love, and if he doesn't get it we will pay a price. We can not live with one foot walking on the path of righteousness and the other foot walking on the path of the world. We have to be one or the other. We have to be hot or cold. We CANNOT serve 2 masters. Either we will hate the one or love the other. And if we are lukewarm GOD WILL SPIT US OUT!
   If we continue living our lives the way we have been we are in for a lot of heart ache and sorrow. Sure we need reviving, and revival etc. But more so we need deep relationships with Jesus Christ and that is not going to happen unless we smash down the idols in our lives and turn back to GOD. We must choose, one or the other. You cant walk the middle line.
    I propose an assignment so to speak, for the next 40 days. If we want GOD to really come through we have to come through for him too. And the way to do that is to fast and pray. I am not saying abstain from actual food, but searching your heart for the idols/possible idols you have and fasting from them for 40 days. And instead of reading that book, watching that movie/game, buying that outfit etc.....spend that extra time focused on prayer and studying the Bible. That is the only way these bondages in our lives can be broken. It is the only way for us to gain that relationship with Jesus. It is the only way we can become the person we are meant to be. And I honestly believe GOD will come through for us.
     This 40 day 'fast' will start September 1st and go until Oct. 3.  If you are a young person who is searching but cant find the answers, then please do this with me. Please, let us become all GOD called us to be. Lets be willing to sacrifice our idols for a Holy Jesus that sacrificed his  life, his family and friends and even GOD himself, for us. All for us. Lets rise up and be either IN or OUT. Lets stop trying to take the world with us to heaven because it will only cause us to detour towards hell.

He Is Preparing Something....

The past week of my life has literally been one of the most life changing weeks I have ever encountered. So much so I don't even know how to express or explain it.
About a month ago I felt like I needed to start praying for my church and some weekend meetings that were coming up, and yet when I began to pray about it, it was like GOD told me to pray that He would meet me and fill me with His Spirit. All of the sudden I didn't even see my church as needing revival, I saw that I need the breath of GOD on my own heart and soul, and I realized in a greater way that I am the church (or a part of it), and that GOD has too work in me first. So I began to pray for GOD to fill me and nothing happened. I prayed all day long every day, often times crying as I begged GOD to fill me, yet nothing happened.Instead I became so week I could barely hold on. I was (am) so desperate for Him yet it seemed as though the more I begged Him to fill me the more of a failure I became in my walk with Him. Well the meetings came and guess what they were about? Your right, they were on being filled with the Holy Spirit and what the purpose of the Holy Spirit is. At this time I decided to go to a VBS in Lancaster and I knew that unless GOD filled me I would not be able to make a difference for Him because I would be filled with myself, and NOTHING HAPPENED. So I went empty and weary of begging. I knew that if GOD wanted to use me He would have to use me empty.
Well VBS was amazing, and did I get filled with the Holy Spirit? Well lets just say that my cup is full and I am begging GOD for that well, that stream and that river.
I am sharing all this to say that GOD is working. I see it. He is coming down and meeting us right where we are IN HIS TIME. I believe He did not give me all that I wanted because He sees so many areas in my life that need to be weeded out, and I know He sees areas in my life that will hinder the work of the Holy Spirit. But I know that He is perfecting and preparing me for something much bigger, as He is doing to each one of us. Never get frustrated with GOD because He isn't moving quite fast enough. Instead, open your heart to Him and expose all those ugly areas and allow Him to cleanse you from all the filthiness inside so that He can use you.
Our purpose on this earth is to bring GOD glory. That is what He created us for and yet we can't bring Him the glory He deserves unless we allow Him to purge us. Unless we are willing for Him to send those tough difficult times our way to refine our hearts and desires.
We must get on our knees and stay there, allowing GOD to put our hearts on trial.
If your heart was set before a judge, what would the verdict be?

Why not Love Them?

This evening a very profound thought was put into my head and I have been mulling it over in my head ever sense. I think I will approach the subject from a young persons point of view, and the spring board so to speak, will start with another subject that has been discussed in our Bible Study....the subject of partiality.
This is a very large problem in our churches and I know that it doesn't all start with us young people. So often our parents taught us, but that is not and never should be an excuse. We look at someone and size that person up in two seconds, and decide whether we will like them or not, and more often than not we are wrong, so wrong about that person. We put signs above their heads, announcing to ourselves and others around us that this person is this or he's that, without even giving them a chance to prove to us who they are. Or how about this one....we know them but they make a mistake, or a stupid decision, and what do we do? We tear them apart and hack them to pieces like a butcher does a pig. And what gets me is, even after they repent and attempt to move on we keep doing it. We keep beating away and hacking at them until they are no more then ground up hamburger. I don't understand it. What part of "forgive us our trespasses, AS WE FORGIVE THOSE WHO TRESPASS AGAINST US"...do we not understand? Or this one; “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you." Doesn't that insinuate the fact that if we don't forgive others, GOD wont forgive us? That should scare us my friends. Forgiveness is a very important thing to GOD. I mean think about it, GOD sent Jesus to earth to die for us....your like; 'yeah...I learned that when I was 2'... but how's this; Jesus had a choice. In the garden GOD revealed to him exactly all he was going to suffer and all that that suffering entailed, and he was left with a choice. He didn't have to die for you and for me. He didn't have to go through with it. All that pain, misery and rejection, not to mention his separation from his Father, and then on top of that he got a free train ride to Hell. He had never committed a sin and here he was becoming sin itself and being punished for ALL (not just some) of the sins ever committed and the ones that hadn't/haven't been committed yet. He had a choice. He didn't have to do it, but he did, and he did it for you and me. That is why forgiveness is so important him. He made the ultimate sacrifice so that we could be forgiven. 
You know those people in our churches that we can't get along with, or that are "bad influences" on us?...we're gonna spend all eternity together. It doesn't make a bit of sense to all 'hate' each other now and then talk about how awesome heaven is going to be. Heaven is going to be made up of people, and many of those people are going to be those people we refuse to associate with. The ones we pre-tag, the ones we don't click with, or don't see eye to eye with. The ones who in our eyes don't dress right, talk right, act right or look right. We're gonna spend eternity with them. Why not love them now?

Where is Etiquette?

Sometimes I like to allow my mind to wonder into the past...two hundred years ago when women wore long dresses with annoying hoop skirts and men wore powdered wigs and ruffles at their throats. A time where women knew how to be beautiful ladies and the men were every ounce of a gentlemen. In fact they were trained to be like that. A guy reciting poetry was every bit as manly as a guy roping cattle, and the women? They were about being graceful, dignified, beautiful every bit of a lady as possible. But when I come back to the present day I am appalled at what I see. Guys often don't hold the door for a lady or give her their seat. They don't carry her groceries and treat her as though she were the queen of England. Every where you go the guys are crude and foul. Even in our churches.
I was quite spoiled growing up. I lived a 1/4 mile from some mighty fine gentlemen. Their dad drilled into their heads that they treat a woman with respect at all times, no matter what. And the mother set the example of grace and dignity for her daughters, and for every woman and girl she came in contact with. I still say that I hope someday to have half the grace that she does. Anyhow, when I look around I see ungentlemanly guys and unladylike girls.
What happened to chivalry, dignity, honor, grace, respect etc?
A guy no longer writes the girl he wants to court, he texts her. The girl no longer plays hard to get, she texts the guy incessantly, exposing all that she is before he even has a chance to court her.
Maybe I am old fashioned but I hope that when my turn comes to marry, I marry a gentleman, and I hope that I am a lady inside and out. I hope we send each other long letters via snail mail, and that he courts me until I fall in love with him. I don't want to wake up one morning to a message on my phone saying; "hey I jst want u to know i rly like u n i was wondering if u'd go out w/me." Ahhhhhh......I think that would give me nightmares.
No it is time for us to grab a hold of the beauty of dignity, honor and respect. It is time for us girls to be every bit of ladies we possibly can. This world is made up of woman trying to act like men and men openly disrespecting women.
We are not animals, we are created in the image of GOD, that alone should make us want to be as dignified and respectful as possible.
I am determined to learn what it means to be a lady through and through, I mean my name does mean princess.

TANGIBLE OR ETERNAL?

So I am kinda freaked out about posting this next post. (That sounded brilliant.....) I wrote it the other night and it is so different than anything I've posted before, and I am afraid that I'm going to come across different than who I really am. In fact I'm almost scared to post for fear that people will think me this super big giant of a Christian or something like that, instead of seeing me as just a simple lil redneck (ex-redneck that is) Idaho girl who still has a VERY long way to go. (Yes I like(d) big trucks.) :p Seriously though, just for the record, I blog about things that I am more often than not learning, (if I am learning that is) slowly but surely. I don't have the answers, and I don't necessarily do as I "preach" either. Anyhow, I'm a little nervous about this post because its very um..........close to my heart and yeah, anyhow if all of the sudden it disappears its because I had a heart attack and my heart refused to heal until I deleted it or something like that. JK
P.S. If your a guy and reading this.....please don't pay attention. I'm not writing to you, FYI. Mercy I'm starting to sound paranoid or something. Moving on................................................ 3/27/11

TANGIBLE OR ETERNAL?

3/26/11
 I don't write because I have all the answers or because my life is so out of this world perfect. In fact a lot of times (if not all the time) I write because I've messed up somewhere in my life, made bad decisions, made mistakes....I'm human. And so often I write because I don't want others to make the same mistakes I have. Goodness sakes that sounded like it came from an old  lady. :) Seriously though,  I  don't want anyone to think I am this super amazing Christian who has all the answers. The truth is I almost have zero, nada, answers. In fact the older I get the more I realise just how much I do not know. I talk to my friends about this subject and that subject and then realise I have know idea what the correct course of action is.
One of the last conversations like that was on the subject of.....drum roll....Guy/Girl Relationships...surprise, surprise!! And no I did NOT come up with some perfect 'do's and 'don'ts, but we'll get back to that later.
 My sister told me something she read out of a book just recently that a guy from a survey said he wanted in his future wife. It said something like this; "I want a girl who is so close to Jesus, and has a relationship so deep with Him, that I have to spend all eternity learning about her." (paraphrased by yours truly.) When I heard that I thought "Wow that sounds pretty good." but then I realised there was something wrong. I realised that that statement was actually causing me and possibly my dear sister, to lose focus on one very important "object" Jesus. All of the sudden I felt like I needed to become this supernatural Christian so that someday this supernatural guy will fall in love with me and we'll live happily ever after, instead of  focusing on the fact that Jesus is my supernatural "lover", He is who I need to strive to be holy for. It's not for my future spouse. For all I know, 'he' may not be Gods will for my life. Instead I must focus my very reason of existence on one person and that is Jesus.
That brings me back to the "Guy/Girl Relationship topic.
 I am very nervous, I guess you can say, in playing in this field. I believe this subject is like walking a tight 'rope'  created by hot wires. As long as you don't touch the ground or anything wet you'll live, but once you do you'll get burnt. Burnt to a crisp. 
Well I think that if our focus is to bring glory to Jesus Christ and that is how we live each moment of our lives, in how we make our decisions, how we treat others, it will be much harder to mess up in our relationships, whether it's with friends or family. And trust me I'm not writing this out of accomplishment, I'm writing it out of experience being learned. 
If Jesus is the centre of my life, if He is the reason I act this way or that way, I believe I will be who I need to be and I will stop worrying about how I appear to this person or that person. Girls we need to stop looking at the guys and seeing potential spouses. We need to start looking at Jesus Christ as our eternal partner, friend and lover. It's not a matter of who we'll marry or when we'll marry. It's a matter of, "do I Sarah Jane Foster, qualify for my most important marriage feast? That is what must become the most important thing in my heart, my mind and my soul. 

Love GOD?

"Jesus said to him; "You shall love the LORD your GOD with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind." Matt. 22:27

The last week or so the idea of true Christianity being summed up in one 'rule', of giving your ENTIRE life over to GOD regardless of the cost, has been running through my mind and heart....conviction me and showing me that just because I give GOD some things doesn't mean I live a surrendered life. In fact as of now I'll be the first to say I don't at this point in my journey. And so often I try to complicate 'surrender', and try to make it something I need a masters degree in before I can master it. But yet it is just simple obedience. Loving God will ALL my heart, soul and mind. Not just a little, but ALL. Its such a scary place to be because I there will be many things I'll have to do, and many things I'll have to give up. But how much more did He love me? He was willing to give EVERYTHING for  me. and no, it wasn't just the basics in life he asks from us, it was HIS very Life, and all I had to offer in return is my retched sin. That is what love is about. If HE can love me that much, how much more can I love HIM then I do right now?