Norwegian Youth Camp Deaths

A friend of mine shared this link on Facebook. Obviously, from the title, the article is about a youth camp in Norway that was attacked. Eighty-five people were killed. (Side note: the article also says there was a bombing in Norway's capital that resulted in the death of seven people). The sad thing about it is that the man was dressed as a police officer AND claimed to be a christian. Remember to send a prayer up for the victims and their family and friends, as well as the country in general and even the man being charged of this.

Scores killed in Norway Attacks

10 LIES CHRISTIAN TEENS TELL THEMSELVES ABOUT SEX, DATING,AND HOW FAR IS TOO FAR

i found this on a friends tumblr site...check it out.....

also, i feel like this does not just apply to teens, but people in general who say they are christians, but dont see the wrong in premartial sex

10 LIES CHRISTIAN TEENS TELL THEMSELVES ABOUT SEX, DATING,AND HOW FAR IS TOO FAR

So, how far is too far? Is that a valid question to ask? In a world where sex is seen in every medium and condoms are being handed out in schools, what is a Christian teen to do when confronted with conflicting advice about what constitutes a sexual activity or abstinence? Here are the top 10 lies Christian teens tell themselves when it comes to answering the question, “How far is too far?”

1. EVERYBODY DOES IT

Everybody? No. Not everybody is having sex. While the media and people in school may make it seem like everyone is having sex, there are just as many Christian teens (and non-Christians, too) waiting until marriage. Doing something just because everyone else is doing it is just giving into peer pressure. It takes a stronger person, or a person backed up by the strength of God, to resist temptation. When you stand up to peer pressure you are actually saving yourself from committing sin while being a good Christian witness to other teens around you.

2. IT’S NO BIG DEAL

Sex is a big deal. Ask any Christian teen who struggles with having had sex before. There are a lot of emotions and spiritual struggles that come from having had sex outside of marriage. It is one of the reasons God placed such an emphasis on sex and relationships in the Bible. Sex is a beautiful act that comes out of the marriage covenant, and it means more than just an action.

3. VIRGINITY IS A STATE OF MIND

Some people use the term “technical virgin” when describing their sexual status. Usually this means that the person has not had a sexual act that involved penetration. Virginity is more than that. Virginity is not a state of mind, but it is the conscious choice to not involve oneself in sexual acts until after marriage. Usually this excuse is used if someone wants to justify participating in sexual activity.

4. SEX AND LOVE ARE THE SAME THING

Sex and love are very different, but they are meant to complement one another. If you are in love it does not mean you should have sex. Sex is an act. Love is an emotion. They are very different, and it can be dangerous to mix them up. You should never feel like you have to have sex with someone just because you want to show them you love them. There are plenty of non-sexual ways to show your love to someone.

5. SEX IS A MINOR SIN

Pre-marital sex is sin. Sin is sin. However, it is dangerous to think that sex is a minor or equal sin to all others, because it can put you in a frame of mind to make bad choices. Sexual sin is still a defiance of God, and no sin is acceptable to God. Yes, you can be forgiven, but you will have to live with the sin you have committed, which can be difficult if you are not prepared to deal with sex emotionally.

6. ORAL SEX ISN’T REALLY SEX

Oral sex is a sexual act. Just because Christian teens are not having sex in the textbook fashion, it is still a sexual act that bonds a man and a woman together.

7. THIRD BASE ISN’T A BIG DEAL

Third base, also known as “heavy petting,” is a big deal, because it can lead to other things. Not only is it a form of sexual action, but it can lead to sexual intercourse. It is very easy for Christian teens to get caught up in the moment and forget about any desire to stay abstinent. Sin is very tempting, and it does not always come with warning or stop signs. Going to Third Base can be a danger zone.

8. MY WILL CAN OVERCOME ANY TEMPTATION

God’s will can overcome any temptation. If you feel you have the strength alone to conquer any temptation, you are setting yourself up for trouble. Man is known for falling into sin, especially when there is an overconfidence in the self. Christian teens need to keep their eyes on God, and allow God to help set boundaries so they can resist the temptation. The Bible is full of helpful advice when it comes to coping with temptation, and it can be a useful tool.

9. WATCHING PORN OR MASTURBATING IS LESS OF A SIN THAN HAVING SEX

A lot of people believe that pornography and masturbation are helpful in preventing a person from having sex. However, having sex is not just about the act, but it is about the frame of mind. If you have lust in your heart while you are watching pornographic movies or masturbating, then there is sin there.

10. I’VE ALREADY HAD SEX, SO IT’S TOO LATE FOR ME

It is never too late. While the idea of “born-again virgin” may seem a little like “technical virgin,” it is not the same thing. Many Christian teens that have already had sex choose to act as if they have never had sex and vow to wait until marriage. Having sex is not the end of the world. God is very forgiving, and He smiles at those who return to Him with a desire to do His will. While the temptation for someone who has had sex can be even stronger than the virgin, it can be overcome with God’s help. God is waiting to welcome you with open arms.

{{{written April 28th, 2011}}}

i plug in my headphones and let them drift me away into a beautiful place that i can only imagine for the time being

thoughts of how infinite You are consume my finite body and mind and spirit

the kind of love thats everlasting

the kind of love thats never ending

the kind of love that fills my heart as tears fill my eyes and i begin to cry with a smile on my face

what joy it is to know that i dont have to suffer the way the world designed me to in order to bring You glory

to know that my end does not have to be where i am now

to know that You have plans to prosper me

that You are smiling down on me

that Your light is shining on me

the perfect day for me is full of You

nothing else matters when it comes to loving You

all i want in my life is to please You 

is to know that im doing Your will

is to know that You are proud of me

that You will say "Well done" when i am judged

to see the sun shining is only a glimpse of how bright the Son shines

to see the rain pouring is only a glimpse of how You cry about this sin infested world

the hear the oceans roar and see the eagles soar is just a glimpse of Your beauty

nothing else matters when it comes to You

the only hope i have is in You

the best love i'm ever known died then rose now sits on a thrown

truly Jesus is the way the truth and the life

harden not your heart if He calls you tonight 

or tomorrow or whenever He pulls at your heart

"dwell in the midst of us/ come and dwell in this place/dwell in the midst of us/ come and have Your way/dwell in the midst of us/ wipe all the tears from our faces/ dwell in the midst of us/ You can have Your way" is the song that is stuck in my head

its stuck in my heart

this is my desire 

cuz Lord i give You my heart, i give You my mind, i give You my life. its all i have to give Lord

You are the potter and i am the clay, do what You will with me Lord i am a willing vessel ready to be used and filled

move me out the way as Your words flow through me 

You must INCREASE, i must DECREASE

You must INCREASE, i must DECREASE

You must INCREASE, i must DECREASE

protect our minds from this evil world God, from the hidden messages that seem to sneak up on us

continue to give us a way out of our temptations God

dont let us give in to a reprobate mind!!! 

let us see our sin for what it is and turn because the taste of it makes us sick

give us revival God! true revival that is directed by Your Holy Spirit

lets us worship You in spirit and in truth

let us love on You God

let us get our energy from a simple prayer to You

we so desperately need You in all that we do!!

so as i plug in my headphones and look out the window

see the beautiful skies that You paint different each day

i realize giving up my life to serve the God who created this beautiful world

is worth it

so worth it

BET Awards

Well, as we all know, the BET awards aired live yesterday, June 28th, 2010.. spiritually, it was a hot mess. But the world would have thought it was ok. *sidebar, if the world is sayng that the stuff they would normally like was juss "ok", you know it was terrible...but i digress*

I will not tear anybody down in this blog (or anything i do for that matter) but while watching it, i had the urge to pray. The show was pretty much the epitome of sin. Self glory, Pharises-like behavior/thought patterns, wanting more and more things, jewelry, unlawful sex. It made me feel like there is no hope for the world because it just seems so far gone. I kept feeling like the world is going to Hell in a handbasket. But of course those who are on that road dont feel as though they are doing anything wrong. Its because they reject absolute truth. Many feel as though there couldnt possibly be 1 way to God and that if they do believe in Jesus, thats all they need, not action, not deed, not self-denial, just belief.

A particular artist, well 2 (who shall remain nameless) stuck out to me on that night. One first thank Jesus Christ for being his Lord and Savior, and the other thanked God for giving him all that he has (in a nutshell). They both made me think of that scripture about the person who says Lord,Lord but Jesus will say "i never knew you". Im not saying that they dont know God, but their overall presentation of themselves, their craft, everything that is displayed to the world is the farythest thing from what God wants us to do.

Many people would try to argue that iyts just entertainment and its just for show, but (esp if they say they love Jesus) if they read their Bible, the Word clearly says a double minded man is unstable in all his ways. So either way you look at it, their life (real or "fake", private or public) is not pleasing to God.

**i saw something on Twitter (i am constantly on there) that one of the people i folow retweeted. It basically said none of the illuminati were there. It was sooo funny because all of the people accused of being a part of it werent there : JayZ, Rihanna, Beyonce, Kanye...none of them were there! Makes ya think**

I may add to this, not sure.

More blogs to come! :)

MAKE WAR

Song : Make War by Tedashii feat. Flame

Subject : Sin

Victim/ Suspect : Me

So i once heard on a movie that nothing gets healed bottled up. And its true. How can you expect to be delivered from something if you dont expose it. The Bible even tells us to tell each other about our faults and then pray for each other{James 5:16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.}.

We have all had some type of sin, whether we like to call it sin, life, hobby, addiction, habit, whatever! We all have some type of impureness (or we wouldnt be the sinful man just like Adam) and if we want to get free, we have to talk about it.

Its kinda like a soda can or bottle. If you were like me, i used to shake up pop just to see it explode when i opened it. It exploded because of the pressure that had built up in it. And in many ways, i was like that, an explosion waiting to happen.

Like many others, my problems were lust and feelings of inferiorty, which turned me into a monster, a terrible person that no one wanted around and a person that didnt want anyone around. Its funny, as I'm thinking about this now, my life right before i met Christ and since then is desribed to a T in Flame's song Give Us The Truth Pt 2 (minus the whole leaving tour to go to school thing lol).

I'm not going to go too deep into my problems and issues on here, but they were bad. And for the record, just because i listened to God's voice calling me to follow Him, that doesnt mean im sinless now. On the contrary, there are things in me that i know God doesnt like. Now me being aware of every single one of those things, no i dont know them all. I still get tempted, the devil still tempts me, and uses others to tempt me as well and try to get me off the path in which i have chosen to travel.

I slip. I fall. What am I trying to say? I'm human, but i'm a human who has been shown the light of Jesus, the freedom i have in Him and have had the weapons and armour revealed to me that is necessary to fight off every temptations(Eph 6:13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 6:14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; 6:15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 6:16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 6:17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God). When it comes, you have to recognize it. How do you do that? By reading the Bible. When you read it, you should try to find out who you are in the passage. You may not be in that very situation, but 9 times out of 10, you are the one with a problem, a lifestyle choice, that is causing you sin against a holy God.

So i'm going to say this, because i love every person and i dont want anyone else to go to Hell :

•SEX BEFORE MARRIAGE IS WRONG! And thats any kind of sex : regular, anal, oral, porn(pictorial, book/magazine form, video form), masterbating (yes, its a sin)!

•CHEATING IS WRONG! And that goes from the "little things" like cheating on test (which is lying, saying you know the material when you really dont, to adultery, which is cheating on your spouse)(and sorry, "hubby" and "wifey" without a ring, a pastor, and some witnesses does not count as you having the OK to have sex) (sorry again)

•HAVING ANOTHER GOD IS WRONG! Its the first commandment! Some people dont understand that. Having another god means that when it came to God or something else (family, car, shopping, cell phone, money, job, school, food, or anything you place above Christ) and you pick that other thing over God, that means its your god. Flat out. Now thats not saying if you had to make a decision whether to take your child to the ER because theirdying or something or not take them because its you "bible reading time", that youre wrong. This life, this walk, this God we serve is all about LIFESTYLE! What does your overall lifestyle say? What does it tell people about you? What does it tell God about you? Are you like the Israelites that were only calling on God when they got in trouble so he could rescue them, then after forget all about Him and start " doing you" again? Or do you call on Him, have Him rescue you then analyze why you were even in that prediciment and repent (apologize AND change you ways to line up with God)? *its deep.

•HOMOSEXUALITY, BI-SEXUAL,BI-CURIOUS IS WRONG! Many people want to say its not, but it is. If youre a Christian and you think anything other than man-and-woman is wrong, take it up with God. He said it is, not the world. Genesis says that God made EVE for ADAM, not God made BOB for ADAM, or TYRONE for ADAM, and neither did it say God made KEISHA for EVE or MARILYN for EVE. NO! Eve for Adam, so thats how God wants it. Leviticus speaks on actual homosexuality when it said (Lev 18:22) Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination. The Bible also says (1Cor 6:9-11) Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

•defiling your body (which is God's temple is wrong, drinking to get drunk is wrong, a whole bunch of stuff is wrong. But we dont want to pay attention to it or we are unaware of it. So if you are reading this blog and you found yourself in it, you now know, and now have the responsibility to search these things out yourself (Acts 17:11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.) , read the Bible in the correct context (2 Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.) work out your own salvation (Philippians 2:12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.), and choose who you will serve: God (who is against the world and its thought process) or the world (who is against God and His thought process) (Joshua 24:15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.).

So with all of this being said. We know we sin, we know Christ died for us so we wont have to suffer the punishment of sin (unless we so choose to, by our actions) and he have been given the tools to do so. So in the Words of Tedashii and Flame MAKE WAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!

GRACE AND PEACE. I pray this helps someone :). I know it helped me.

Stop Judging

Ok so i just thought about this. People (in nature) like to overlook their own problems and point out or try to help people with theirs. Lets stop it! Just like in Why Did I Get Married Too, Pat (Janet) looked at everyone elses problems and at the end of the day, she couldnt even deal with her own. She swept them under the rug so well. And look what happened (if you havent seen it, i wont spoil it for you).

People are people. They have to live their lives. Now as Christians, we are suppose to help people see that if they are doing that God doesnt like that they need to repent and change, but dont go turning ur nose up at them. Because your doing something you shouldnt be doing too.

It pushes people away. A great person to minister to (by becoming their freind, being there for them, etc) WASTED because you started THINKING you were better than them.

Lets get it together. God's kingdom is at hand.