Out of the Water: Reflecting on God's Promises

As I rose out of the water this past Sunday at church, a joy had washed over me. Getting baptized was something that had always been on the back of my mind. Finally, after waiting too long, I went up on stage, shared my testimony, and walked down into the water. The anticipation made me nervous, but that nervousness disappeared as I walked onto the platform.

I was happy to share my story, because it reminded me of how far I had come, and what could be an inspiration to others in the audience.

After that event, I began to reflect on what it means to be a saved person, a Christian. Many people get so caught up in various denominations and rituals that they lose sight of the bigger picture. It's sad the key thing gets forgotten: the Good News.

As I opened my Bible this past week I was reminded about some of the glorious promises God has made to his children, born again believers. Jesus states that "this is the will of Him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up on the last day. For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life and raise him up on the last day."

What a wonderful, simple truth which sadly many people just don't understand. Many choose not to believe in the Son, laugh, and walk away. And on other other side, there are those who believe that we somehow have to be good enough for God to accept us; we have to somehow make sure our good outweighs the bad in order for a belief to work.

But what a great thing here Jesus Himself states. We'll never be good enough. He is the only One good enough, and we must simply believe in him. This is such a fundamental truth of Christianity that is skewed around. We don't "get good" enough for Christ to accept us. We strive to become good because His love compels us to change.

I know this firsthand. For a few years I had an ongoing sin problem.  When I came to faith, God planted something in me that has helped me stop and strive to be better going forward.

And this leads me to this point, a verse I had never really thought too much about until reading through it recently. People bring up this concept of cheap grace to receive, but to continue living a sinful lifestyle. This doesn't make sense, because "No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God's seed remains in Him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God."

A born again believer is a new person because they are born of God. And what's utterly fantastic is that He plants a seed, not just any seed but God's seed in that person, and it doesn't fade or go away. That's what separates Christians from the rest of the world. There's a seed inside us that grows as we follow Christ. The verse is not saying we are perfect people. Rather, it says we cannot go on deliberately sinning like we use to, because we have God's seed, His power within us.

That is monumental to really just take a moment and think about.

Finally, a verse that is quickly becoming a favorite and daily motivation is Philippians 1:6, perhaps the most fundamental promise for the Christian. "He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until day of Christ Jesus." What a promise, and let us not forget that "All of Scripture is God-breathed." Here is a promise saying God is going to finish the work He started in us ever since the day we came to faith. What a glorious thing to know that He is the One holding me together.

God is going to finish the work He started in me, and that's a great encouragement to know I'm secure in Him. And since His seed remains in me, I'm bent toward doing the right thing. We still have a responsibility to follow Jesus throughout this life, and we're able to do that because God has given us the power through the Holy Spirit.

These are such great truths to reflect on when worrying about things. God is going to finish the work He started in you when you came to faith. His seed will remain in you, and you are able to say no to sin, when in the past it was all too easy to give in. We look to the Son, and that inspires us to share this truth of salvation to others we run into.

I'll never forget the day I was baptized. I encourage my brothers and sisters in Christ to do it too if they haven't. It's a declaration of faith, and something Jesus commands His followers to do. As you read your testimony, your're reminded of how He rescued you from the bondage of sin and planted a permanent seed. In turn, we inspire others.

God is awesome.

Verse references: John 6:39-40, 1st John 3:9, Philippians 1:6, 2nd Timothy 3:16

On the Supreme Court's Decision to Legalize Gay Marriage

"But at the beginning of creation God 'made them male and female.' For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate." ~Mark 10:6-9

I have always found it interesting how things that were originally meant to be something are now taken to mean something else. The rainbow when it's first mentioned anywhere in history is in the book of Genesis when God makes a covenant with Noah. Thousands of years later people have taken the rainbow and use it for something else.

And that's what's been happening since the beginning of creation. People take parts of the Bible and modify it to fit their purpose. Many just simply discard it altogether. By now all of America is aware of the Supreme Court's decision to legalize gay marriage in all 50 states. For years this has been a battle, and slowly the Biblical viewpoint had been getting pushed away as people who wished to do things their way made their voice loud.

For many this decision was one of celebration. All through my newsfeed I see things such as #lovewins and rainbows. For the Christian the decision should come as no surprise because things are said to get a lot worst for the culture. Eventually people are going to start looking at other things to redefine, because if marriage doesn't have to be absolute in their mind, does anything? Why should something like say adultery be considered wrong? There are many things people will just say, "Eh, I don't agree with the Bible, so I'm going to vote for things that make me personally happy and just seem right to me." Someone whom is an advocate might question the Christian, "So is God really in control?"

The truth of the matter is that God is going to let people do what they want. If many wish to go the other way, He's going to let them. People are either for Christ or not. There's no in-between or neutral ground. Interestingly, many so-called Christians support gay marriage as if it can be adopted into the Bible. By now it's considered completely normal and to think otherwise makes the person seem out of touch and crazy.

For the true Christian, even things like this can be used to strengthen his/her faith. For one thing, now that it's legal all over people are going to expect Christians to either adopt the viewpoint or keep quiet about their beliefs. Many believers will think now they'll have to be quiet about their belief. That's not how it should be. In the world, whether it be at school, college, message boards, or in the work place, we're going to be tested and attacked. Friendships will be lost. But our faith, the most important thing, will be strengthened as we face opposition and stand up for the Truth.

Th next most important thing is to not let ourselves grow bitter. We need to be loving more than ever. If we catch ourselves attacking people with things like "You're a sinner!" (because we all are) they will not be open to hearing about the Gospel. We need to not let ourselves think there's no hope for others. God can work miracles in people. We just need to showcase the love of Christ that is within us. Not everyone will be convicted, but some will, and you have to remember that. We need

The Supreme Court can enact anything it wants. It will never change the foundation God has established. People might think they're in charge, but ultimately no one is. God lets these things happen to show the folly of our thinking. A Christian has two jobs in light of this decision. One is to stand firm and not let his/her belief be shaken when faced with opposition and persecution. The second is to be loving to those around them, showcasing the Gospel of Christ to an ever more fallen world.

"I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes." ~Romans 1:16

On the Concept of Pro-Choice

When it comes to "sensitive topics," many churches in America choose to ignore them. Here we have the subject of abortion, which always ignites some heated discussion. As I talk about this I am aware by even opening up a stance I'm inviting hate comments and even perhaps ruining acquaintanceships. Some might tell me since I'm not a girl I have no say in the matter. Some might say since I'm just some college kid my say has no importance. None of that matters to me, all I care about is delivering a message. Many will stop reading right now, some will read then laugh it off, and then a few will feel a conviction. The latter is whom I'm writing this too.

So, I present a hypothetical story scenario where I run into someone whom is considering having an abortion...

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As I walk through the park on a warm August day I run into someone whom I've talked with many times while doing the register at work. As I approach her at the bench she's on, she smiles, recognizing me. As I sit down I say, "Hey how's it going? Perfect day for the park!"

"Ha, yeah." She replies.

I detect a hint of sadness in her voice, so I decide to pry a bit.

"Everything alright?"

She looks above for a second, then replies,

"Just contemplating."

I could tell despite not diving into the subject that she wanted to talk about it, so I went ahead and asked,

"About what?"

Pausing for a second, she responds...

"As you can tell I'm about five months pregnant, so I've been deciding whether or not to get an abortion. My friends and parents both agree that's it's the right move. Tomorrow I'm scheduled for an appointment, so I'm just here thinking about whether or not to really go through with it."

"Well I think the answer is obvious." I reply.

"How so?" She says, surprised by my quick answer.

"Well for one thing, many don't realize about the emotional trauma that takes place afterward. There's a feeling of emptiness and many later on in life look back and deeply regret that decision. I think in the present we should be eliminating decisions which we might deeply regret later on in life!"

"Hmm. But what if I don't care about a supposed sadness and believe that a person has the right to do it?"

I pause for a second, then look at her and say,

"That's true in some way, you do have a choice to kill him/her. Just as I have a choice whether or not to kill you at this very moment. I of course do not wish to do that. No one should want to kill somebody whom has done them no wrong, right? But let's say by some odd reason I did want to kill you, that I didn't want you in existence, why shouldn't I be able to? I wouldn't and couldn't because I know God is with me. That's from a moral standpoint, what about a reason why someone without faith couldn't, in their mind, kill a person? Because it's against the law. Murder/killing is worth up to many years in prison. But for some reason Congress has made it legal for women to kill individuals. So, when you think about it, Congress has literally established a statement that says it's legal to kill innocents! It's a contradiction. So, if somebody advocates pro-choice, they're literally advocating a contradiction."

"A very interesting conclusion." She says.

I continue, 

"Basically, let's say a criminal appeals to Congress to enact a law where killing someone they don't want in existence is legal. Most people would laugh at this statement, but they fail to realize something like that was approved 42 years ago!"

She responds, 

"I didn't think of it like that. But what is a person supposed to do if she isn't able to care economically for the child, the father has vanished, and has no family to give them to?"

"I think you know the answer to that, but for some reason it doesn't seem that popular. Adoption is a real, successful concept. Many couples are looking to adopt a newborn baby!"

After saying that I pause for a second, then conclude with...

"Many say an embryo/fetus doesn't count as a person. That's a pretty strange statement is it not? A fetus doesn't become a person...it is a person. Imagine if your mother had decided she didn't want you being born. Then, well, you wouldn't be. That would entail a person has the right to kill someone whom is the definition of innocent. Perhaps a would-be mother thinks she's doing the child a favor because the doctor said he/she would live a handicapped life. Should that give her the legal right? Again, the same principles apply. Life is precious, even if the life has disabilities. A person still has feelings, emotions, and a personality, so to deny that because someone thinks it would be best is just simply unethical when you sit down and truly think about it."

She looks down for a few seconds then at me...

"You've given me a lot to think about."

"Great!"

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Life is precious. It needs to be protected. If a person for a second can let go of pride they can see that to advocate pro-choice is to advocate planned murder. Many people have let pride blind them into thinking that they're supporting some empowerment cause and betterment for humanity. On the other side of things, maybe a person has done this at one point and deeply regrets it, wondering if they can be forgiven. My friend, if you have gone to God in Christ, He does not hold that against you.

"You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother's womb." ~Psalm 139:13

The Christian Single

I don't like romance movies. Especially young adult ones.

Why you ask? Most of the time these love stories are very one-dimensional. The greatest reason however are their heavy reliance on a "modern" definition of dating and being in relationship. Most of the time do you ever hear the word "marriage" being broadcast? How about Purity?? Some might call me "old fashioned," but really if you sit back and think for a second, you begin to realize that what I'm talking about leads to far better contentment and joy than what is being preached in most movies today.

Sadly, as jarring it may be to watch, a lot of romance portrayed in media is reminiscent in high schools and colleges today. This is where the Christian single often finds himself/herself stuck. Everything around them says to "test the waters," "it's okay to not be pure if it's safe," and "dating relationships don't have to lead to a long-term thing known as marriage."

Not every Christian wants to be in a relationship of course, such as the apostle Paul in the New Testament whom had the gift of singleness. Unfortunately, not everyone has that gift and they yearn to be united with someone special. A person talking about this to another might receive an answer such as, "You have Jesus, that's all you need." While that's true, it doesn't help at that very moment because somewhere the person still has that empty feeling, that wanting as they see everyone around them, including their Christian friends, getting into relationships.

I don't say these things as some person whom is immune to all this. I get it. In my high school days all I could think about was getting into a relationship. I liked the idea of being with someone, which is the mindset of a lot of high schoolers. It's the wrong mindset let me tell you. If all you think about is a crush for example, it will lead you into a depression. Many fall into the sad mindset of "Why doesn't anyone have feelings for me?" For awhile I was like that, watching people around me get into relationships. Not only my friends, but people whom I knew were the opposite of humble. It can be tough not becoming angry when you see people whom are not compassionate like you get into a relationship. You're left wondering, "Hey I know I'm kind and compassionate and yet he/she is in a relationship?" I used to go around thinking like this until something finally hit me...

One might I was just getting tired of the whole thing and prayed earnestly to God that He would would reveal to me something, and that it was truly my desire to meet the one for me. After that prayer I went on Facebook and the very FIRST thing on my newsfeed was a picture with the words...

"God is writing your love story."

At that moment I felt a conviction I had never felt before. It was then that I realized that no matter how hard I pushed for something, it wasn't going to happen, unless it was God's will. It was then I stopped wondering and started trusting Him. Now I wait patiently as He is writing my story.

My friend, I'm not going to pretend that it's easy. But I believe that if you have made a decision to follow Christ and if it is a desire in your heart to be united with someone, then God is going to make it happen, but when He knows it's the right time for you. Maybe he wants you to concentrate on finishing high school, maybe he wants you to focus on completing your degree, there are many factors. But it will happen. I know it's not easy to resist the culture when it says that it's okay to date with nothing in mind for the future, that's it's okay get involved physically when books, movies, and music says it is. I understand. It is however worth it to keep yourself pure and with a positive mindset for the future.

I'm in college and have never been on a date, so I understand what it's like. It's not easy, but be cheerful anyway. Don't grow jealous of others. Stay connected with church ministry and keep yourself active. If you're in high school, keep your mind focused on getting it done. If you're in college, keep your mind focused on getting your degree done. Everything else will fall into place at the right time. Build your character spiritually. Then when you meet the one whom God has kept, it will be truly special! :)

Our Own Worst Enemy: Overcoming and Avoiding Spiritual Emptiness

Not everyone is going to like you. You could be the nicest, kindest person in class or at work, but there will still be at least one person who won't appreciate you. If you make it apparent for example that you're a Christian some may take offense to that. Some simply take offense at seeing the Cross. Sometimes we can be overwhelmed by opposition when you just want to stand firm and make peace at the same time.

Still, while it can be overwhelming dealing with others, often it's ourselves that prove the most threatening.

Many Christians wonder if they've committed some sin that God will not forgive. Some passages like this one make apparent that there is a sin He won't forgive, "...but anyone who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven." Many after doing something which sounds like that, (cursing God, denying or rejecting Christ/the Holy Spirit, attributing Him to evil) think that they "lost their salvation." And what is a worst feeling than that? In the last month I've been dealing with a lot of bad thoughts regarding my Christian faith. Many occurrences I thought God had given up on me. But, it took some time to realize that can never happen.

You see, the reason why Jesus says a person will not be forgiven is because overtime a person after so violently opposes God's free gift, the Holy Spirit will stop convicting them. It's not because God rejects them, but because they've made it their personal decision to harden their heart, never once receiving Christ. Did you catch that? If you've already accepted the gift, you've "passed from death to life." And Jesus is the one who holds you in His hand. This means that no matter how bad one gets, salvation can't be lost. Think back, almost every believer has a salvation day. (Maybe you grew up in a Christian home but never actually personally gave your life to Christ, then there's a good chance you aren't saved, so say that prayer now!) At that moment in time you were sealed with the Holy Spirit, "a guaranteed inheritance." Nowhere does it say we ourselves can break that seal...and how could we? It's the seal of God. Look at it like this: Jesus died on the cross for everyone. Our condition then is to "Believe on it" and receive the gift. This gift is "irrevocable" for the truly born again.

This is why sermons and Christian friends make it apparent to others to ask Christ to become their savior now, because it can be too late tomorrow.

Alright, so now that we've established that no born again Christian ever has to worry about losing their Savior, we can then look at ways to overcome and avoid spiritual emptiness when it comes, because it comes to everybody. Too often we become our own enemy when neglecting these things.
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   Adequate Sleep, Diet, and Exercise.

These are somethings your nutritionist will tell you, but I don't think many realize how vital these things are spiritually. For  example, I find when I get anything less than 6 hours rest I can't think properly the next day and end up being exhausted by the afternoon. When one can't think properly, they're easily influenced by outside forces. A proper diet is also basically the same thing. If you aren't eating well enough, it can leave you feeling weak and depressed. It's the same withe exercise. If you're like me and on the computer a lot, you need to make sure you're spending at least 15 minutes on the treadmill, riding your bike, or going for a walk.

Trust me, do these things well and you will yourself becoming stronger not only physically, but spiritually as well.

        Church & Bible Study groups!

It's important to obviously attend church services. Lately I've been finding myself not going Sunday mornings due to work and the rest of my family not being able to go. Because of this, a feeling of disconnection has surfaced. So, do your best to attend church consistently, or find an alternative. (For example, because I'm often not able to go on Sundays I can go to a Wednesday service at another church.)

Now, while church service is important, I don't think many would put youth or Bible study groups in the same league, which I think is unfortunate. Listening to the pastor is always fantastic, but there's something far more personal in groups. Friendships are made. The New Testament makes it clear that it's important to have fellowship with brothers & sisters in Christ. If you're a highschooler, get involved in the youth group. If you're a college student or young adult, get involved in the young adult group. Not all churches have groups for everyone, but if yours does, why not get involved?

                  Christian Music

Almost every highschooler to young adult has an iPod or iPhone. Movies and books are major mediums, but in today's day and age I think it's fair to say that music is probably the most popular form of media with the younger crowd. Many spend at least an hour a day listening to their favorite songs. Ask yourself: What am I listening to? Is it wholesome? Would I want the whole family to listen to it while riding in the car?

Awhile back at my youth group the pastor did a series on music and its impact. It was then that I realized many of the songs I was listening to had some not so great lyrics. These type of songs can creep up on us, because we like the beat so much that we don't realize what it's doing internally. Some songs can make us feel unnecessarily depressed, give us bad thoughts, etc.

Fill yourself with Christian music. Now, this doesn't mean every song has to be a traditional worship one. For example, while Casting Crowns is a fantastic band, many young people might find their more traditional type of singing rather "old school." A common misconception is that Christian music is usually emotional in tone or overly preachy. Bands like Kutless and 33 Miles are examples that produces songs teens and college students can readily relate to. RED is another band which sadly many Christians don't know about. Give them a try, I can guarantee you won't be disappointed.

Continually filling yourself with Christian music will help fight off spiritual depression.

          Prayer & Reading the Bible

These two are obvious. Many of us neglect prayer, only doing it when we need something. It's the same with the Bible. It's always there, and we know we should read it, but don't since everything else is apparently more important. I was like this for many years. After becoming saved, I should have been growing spiritually, but I neglected two of the most important things in sanctification. I look back and wish I had done those two things consistently, because I would have been better prepared to deal with spiritual problems in the present. Nonetheless, it's never too late to start. Set aside Bible reading every night and the morning, same with prayer.
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We become a threat to ourselves when we don't seek to grow spiritually. Look at it like this: Once we become saved we're citizens of Heaven. The war is already won. But we can still lose many, many battles here. We can lose joy and a sense of direction when we try to reject the Spirit Who lives within us. If we don't grow spiritually now, we won't be able to handle problems adequately, whether external or internal. Our minds become weak, and I can speak with clarity that it's hard to function with a weak mind.

So, continue to seek God. Remember, no matter what bad thing or thought you had five minutes or two weeks ago, it didn't change your status. Don't let that hinder you. Just because you don't feel like a Christian doesn't mean you're not. We become our own worst enemy by thinking up crazy things in our heads, believing them, and then trying to go forward on our own. Ask God for help, and He will. And then, put everything listed above into practice. For the born again, life never ends. So get back up, and start again today.

A Good Person?

Are you a good person?

It's an interesting question. Almost 99% of the time when one asks another that the answer is "Yes." Most people consider themselves to be good. Many have the thought process of, "I've done many more good things than wrong things" and "Sure I've done some bad things, but I'm not as bad as that guy." Many evaluate "good" with doing things such as obeying the law, donating to charities, holding doors for others, etc. Those are all definitely good things to do.

But does doing them make one a "good person?"

A lot of people would say yes. Allow me to add something to that question: "Does doing those things, any of those things, grant you access to Heaven?" Then it gets a little tricky. Many would still say yes. I've overheard at least one conversation where one said, "I hope I'm going to Heaven." How straining it must be to not have security on where one is going after they die, to think that you have to do many good things to override all the bad things you've done.

Atheists wouldn't bring Heaven into the conversation, because to them it doesn't exist. So they would answer that yes, upholding the law, donating to charities, being nice, and other related things constitutes as being a "good person." The problem is that if you take God out of the equation, does "good" really exist? If so, what's our basis? What's the standard? It's man-made, because absolutes don't exist from a non-believer's perspective. So doing "good things" is almost meaningless from this point of view...because an absolute good doesn't even exist!

Let's say that God exists. What does He say about us in relation to good? In Genesis He called all that He had created "very good," and man was a part of that. That's right, humankind is a very good creation. We are all very good creations. Unfortunately, that goodness was and is tainted by sin, a darkness in everyone's heart. It does not change the fact that we are "very good" creations, but because of that darkness, we are not granted access to Heaven. So, a person can donate to charities, be nice to others around them, and even win the Noble Prize, but do any of these things pardon that darkness and gets one into Heaven? Does God see us as "good people" when we do those sort of things? The answer to both those questions is no because that darkness still exists.

But there is a way. God provided a way into Heaven, and that's through His Son Jesus Christ. No good thing we do is enough to take away all the bad things we've done. There's no "bargaining" with good deeds. Only through Christ can we have access to eternal life. Then all the good things we do will be for His glory. Jesus calls His followers "the light of the world," which is definitely the greatest definition of a good person!

Accepting Christ will put things into perspective; one begins to realize they are part of a bigger plan. Every good deed then has an absolute meaning.

...so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.”Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky ~Philippians 2:15

The Ultimate Friend

There's no such thing as a bad friend.

A friend is someone you can talk to. Above all else, a friend is someone you can trust. You know he or she would never betray or harm you in any way. A friend is someone whom steers you in the right direction, and when seeing you start to fall, be there to comfort you and help you get back on track.

A bad friend is a contradiction. A "friend" cannot be "bad." Because if that person whom you call a friend is bad, then he or she can't be called a friend. A friend is someone whom is always ready to listen to you with a caring heart, and would never try to cheat or take advantage of you in any way.

Even so, the greatest of friends cannot be there 24/7.

The Ultimate Friend a person can have is Jesus Christ. He is always there for you. You can always talk to Him.

Jesus said in John 14:6:

"I am the way and the truth and the life."

Friends are very important to have in life. Like you however, they are still human. Jesus however is infallible, He is without sin and can always be counted on to get through every rough situation.


Is He your friend?

Redemption

It's no surprise by now that we are a fallen people. We've all made mistakes in the past. Most of these we move on easy from. When you were 4 you took a cookie out of the cookie jar when your mom told you not too. You bothered your little sister a little too much. Perhaps you cheated on a test once. Perhaps you lied to you parents about who broke the radio. These are things we generally move on pretty easily from as we get older.

But what about the bigger things?

We all have dark secrets. Things we'd be ashamed to let others know about. As you're reading this, perhaps that something has come to mind. Everyone has sinned, but a lot have that really big one that in their minds is the worst thing they've ever done. Something they wish they could go back in time and erase. But they can't, they just have to live with it.

Or is there something that could be done?

There's a lot of people saying something they did in the past is too horrible to be redeemed. Sure, depending on the scale, one might serve jail time for it. But often that something is more of a personal thing than outward. Many believe they don't deserve God's grace because of that sin. This is true. We don't deserve God's grace.

"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." ~Romans 3:23

But God is a loving God. He sent His Son to die on the Cross, therefore redeeming everything we've done. We can be redeemed if we pledge our life to Christ. No, doing that does not erase what you did. You have to live that with that decision, and sometimes it will come back to haunt you. But with Jesus, you're forgiven. You can live life knowing that you're redeemed. You can be happy, not live in the past.

Everyone has that dark sin from the past. Your parents, your pastor, your best friend, everyone has committed something so big that they wish could be erased. You are not the only one. I too live each day knowing the error of what I did in the past. But when I asked Jesus to come into my life, that sin, and all my others, were washed away. They didn't disappear, but they were forgiven, which is is truly awesome. You too can have your darkest sins redeemed. Ask Christ to come into your life and He will give you

REDEMPTION

Take Up Your Cross

Every day we're called to take up the Cross. Not just when we're feeling happy, not just on Sunday mornings, not just when we feel like it, but every day. It's not often the easiest thing to do, but we are called to do it.

How exactly does one fight the good fight of faith each and every day? How does one be a light in whatever area he/she is placed?

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." ~Philippians 4:13

The Cross has always remained the primary symbol of the Christian faith. Throughout the years it has become more of a symbol for general religion than on Jesus himself. The average person that sees it thinks automatically of 'religion' than the Death and Resurrection. The Christian however every time he/she sees the Cross it's a testament and reminder. It's a symbol of faith. That's why we often wear necklaces and chains of the Cross. I wear one every time I go outside and to work.

Of course, especially if you're going to wear something like the Cross, you have to be prepared to live by it.

Since I'm a cashier, I've seen a lot of people. And a good majority of them do have Cross/necklaces. But sometimes I think quite a few forget that they're showcasing their faith because of the way they act. They don't seem any different than the average person. Wearing a Cross is a broadcast of your faith, and if you're not going to be any different than the average person, you might as well throw it in the trash can.

Because being a Christian means taking up your cross daily.

There's a big mentality (especially among teens and young adults) that faith is something to keep to yourself. There's this 'coexist' nature that runs rampant. "If believing in Jesus works for you, fine. Just keep it to yourself." That's basically what a lot of the thought process is these days. That's not what Jesus would be doing. One shouldn't be afraid to talk about God. You'd be surprised at some of the conversations that can result.

One time I was talking to a girl who was helping me bag while I was working the register. She wasn't a believer, but not quite an atheist either. She said, "It would be ignorant to say there is no God." Everyone has a worldview. While you may not change them, you can plant a seed that God can grow.

Would you be willing to sacrifice anything and everything, whether it be a career or simple attitude adjustment, to take up your cross? Jesus said in Luke 9:23:

“Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me."

Leave a Legacy

If you were to die right now, what would your legacy be?

I don't think there are many people my age with that kind of thought process. Sure, not all of us are going to be presidents or millionaires or owners of a corporation, but that doesn't mean we can't leave a great legacy behind. Of course leaving a legacy shouldn't be your first primary objective. First you want to make sure you know where you're going when your time has passed. Knowing that fact, you can begin to make a difference in the world in whatever career, job, or anywhere in which you are placed. Starting here are the seeds for a legacy.

If I were to meet my demise right now, I would probably be remembered as a "nice guy," "big Godzilla fan" "Ultra nice cashier," "a passionate AWANA leader," and so fourth. Now that I've used myself as an example, I will pose that question to you. See, if you're not doing anything or not striving toward something with a purpose, no legacy will be left. Not only that, but Christians should have a legacy. We are called to do things in this world.

Why don't we look at the Bible for some examples? Jesus Christ has the greatest legacy the world has ever known. But, He was a perfect man. Let us take a look at some others. King David, Solomon, and Saul. Unlike Jesus, these men were not perfect and commited sins. David committed adultery, Solomon turned to idolatry at a later point in his life, and Saul openly persecuted Christians. Despite all of this, these men's legacies prevailed. David is still known as Israel's greatest king, Solomon the wisest king, and Saul later Paul who turned from his life of persecuting and became one of the greatest evangelists the world has seen.

"All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." ~Romans 3:23

We have all sinned in the past and will most likely do so again in the present and future. But, we don't have to let that control our legacy. You can still make a difference despite what you might have done in the past. If Saul, a man who openly persecuted Christians can turn his life into one full of legacy, you can too. Also, having a a great legacy is more important that trying to possess things. As Proverbs 22:1 says,

"A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold."

You can make a difference today, and tomorrow you will leave a

LEGACY

Make a Difference

Often in life one poses the question, "What can I do to make a difference?" It's a very good question, because one of the most important things a Christian can do is try to change the world. Obviously that's a hyperbole statement, but the point remains.

We can't just sit by or act like what is called 'normal' by society.

Last year on January 28th I managed to get a job at the ShopRite near me. Just as with a lot of first time supermarket workers, they put me in grocery (which basically means stocking shelves) until they would figure out where I'll be best suited or most needed. I did that for about a week. It wasn't until the second week where I was put at the front end for training. (Front end is a fancy term for working the register.) Little did I know that is where I would be today.

I became a cashier.

Now I think it's safe to say that over 10% of a person's first job involves working the register, so a lot of people reading this will know what I'm talking about when I say what working as a cashier entails. It's definitely one of the most stressing positions in a supermarket. Why? Well, you have to deal with people and money. Often cashiers are looked down upon and have to deal with a lot of problems.

It's quite easy to be miserable while working the register. I on the other hand make the best of it. Instead of looking at it as a chore, I see it as an opportunity to be a light. Not only does being extremely cheerful make the job less of a hard time, I'm also making a difference.

How does one exactly 'make a difference' while say working the register? As I said before, as a cashier you meet a lot of a different people. I remember one lady being astonished by my nice demeanor. She had said, "Niceness doesn't exist anymore." It's an interesting statement. The phrase "It's a cold world" speaks truer than ever. Another customer before leaving had said, "Thank you for being polite." How sad that politeness is more of a deviance to the norm that it requires a thank you..

People are often shocked when others go the extra mile and actually be cheerful while helping. Perhaps God placed me in this position to show the world that niceness actually still exists. But you my friend don't need to be a cashier to make a difference. Simply by being nice to anyone you come into contact with, that's how you do it. Whether you be in retail, walking into Wal-Mart, or anything, you and anyone can do it. So go out there and

MAKE A DIFFERENCE

Come Alive

Nothing beats the start of a new year. For the first month it's a bit surreal and we're going to keep making the mistake of putting 13 instead of 14 at the end of dates. The question on most people's mind is what will the new year bring? What will change? What will remain? What new laws will come into play or which longtime ones will be pushed away? These are questions almost every person asks between the final weeks of December and January.

What will God in culture be like this time?

About a year ago I discovered the band BarlowGirl. If you don't know, they were a Christian rock band from 2000 to 2012. Their final song was 'Hope Will Lead Us On.' They have plenty of fantastic songs, such as 'Song for the Broken' and 'Sweet Revenge.' My personal favorite however is 'Come Alive.' It's not one of their more popular ones, but I think it's one of the most significant. The final part is where it most speaks to me, it's a notable change in tone from the rest of the song and is pretty powerful.

We are the passion. 

We are the movement.

We are the Fire

'We' refers to Christians. Sometimes it's easy to forget that we are the movement in this world. We are the ones with fire for the Lord Jesus Christ. When one becomes a Christian, their mindset changes. They realize there's a greater purpose which all Christians share. However, as their life goes on it can be easy to forget sometimes. If we go day in and day out without striving to be loving and nice, are we no better than people who don't go the extra mile and help others? Even the smallest of things can make a difference. In today's social media age, simply re-tweeting a Bible verse on Twitter can mean something.

Recently in college I've been studying various traits on life purpose. This week I came across the term 'passion.' These past few years I thought I had a good definition of the word. But after reading and studying, I have a new-found definition. I've always said I had a passion for Godzilla. But passion is something that goes deeper than hobbies. It involves action and suffering. Now that's not to say every career with passion will involve suffering, it's just that it very well could. Passion means that you are willing to die for the cause. Is Godzilla, Marvel Comics, or Super Mario worth dying for? Of course not!

All Christians share a primary passion, and that's to be like Jesus and to share the Good News. That's when things branch out into specifics. One might have a passion working with kids, youth, feeding the hungry, or preaching in front of a large audience. Sharing the passion of Jesus, that's worth dying for. That is what passion is.

In whatever you do this year, it's most glorying to do it with love, as it states in 1 Corinthians 16:14. But most of all, if you haven't already, it's time to

COME ALIVE

A Christmas Post

Ah, Christmas! Never is there a more joyous time. I remember last year just feeling the Christmas atmosphere. The air just felt happy, and it was only complimented by the many wonderful lights. Have you ever been to Manhattan on Christmas Eve? Sure, the traffic is insane, but it's truly awesome. There are so many lights and it just feels like a cheerful time of the year.

I heard something interesting while at work this week.

I'm a cashier at a busy supermarket, so I'm always interacting with people. You have the patient nice people and...well the opposite. Thankfully for the most part I haven't had much of the latter. (Though I could only imagine what working in the city is like...) But anyways, there was a pretty interesting occurrence. 'Merry Christmas' has always been a normal thing to say, yet when I said that to one customer, she said, "Not many people say 'Merry Christmas' anymore." This stood with me, because how can that be?? Has Christmas been sunken into just another holiday part of the 'Happy Holidays' slogan? 

Like Easter, Christmas has been adapted for people that don't wish to celebrate the meaning of why it exists in the first place.

But what is Christmas? Not too long ago I discovered a band called Kutless. If you haven't listened to them yet, check out 'Promise of a Lifetime' and 'Carry Me to the Cross,' But, the song in focus is called 'This is Christmas.' It's a pitch-perfect song explaining Christmas. Take a look at this piece of it...

What is Christmas?

If there never was a Savior wrapped in a manger.

What is Christmas without Christ?

Christmas wouldn't exist without the birth of Jesus. It is an event to be celebrated, but He has been replaced with Santa Claus. The other major Christian event, Easter Sunday, has also been adapted into a secular culture, replacing the Resurrection with a Bunny that gives out eggs. 

Good Friday we remember the Death, Easter Sunday we celebrate the Resurrection, and on Christmas we celebrate the Birth. Do you know why it's tradition to put a star on top of a Christmas Tree? Not because it looks pretty (but it certainly does!) but because it represents the Star of Bethlehem. 

So however you celebrate Christmas, it's important to remember that without the birth of a Savior, December 25th would just be another cold winter day.

Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. ~Luke 2:11

And of course, to anyone who is reading this,

MERRY CHRISTMAS! :) 

Megiddo: The Omega Code 2 Review

The End Times, the book of Revelation, is probably the most popular story Christian movies like to portray. From Left Behind to A Thief in the Night, there are many films portraying the end of the world. One of the most interesting is Megiddo. The story is of course identical to many end time movies, but there are quite a few factors making this one stick out. If the book of Revelation was used to become a summer blockbuster, this would be the closest to that. There are faults, but overall it's a very enjoyable watch from beginning to end.

The Omega Code 2 is directed by Brian Trenchard-Smith, who has directed many low-budget flicks. He's went on board to say he's not a 'Pentecostal Christian.' I find it interesting that they went with a non-Christian director to direct a Christian movie, many things could go wrong. But, I have no fault with the directing, Trenchard-Smith delivers a rather fun take on the story. The plot follows Alexander Stone and his rise to power. He has a vision of a new world order, and he's going to achieve it one way or the other. His brother David realizes his brother is evil, and will eventually have to make a decision concerning coming to faith.

First off, I really like how the story focuses on Alexander's/The Beast's/the Devil's rise to power. Many end time movies follow a main character, or a small group and their journey to faith while The Beast is a background force. The first 20 minutes of the story devotes its time to focusing on Alexander's early days and shows how the Devil used him as a puppet. It's great, Michael York does a phenomenal job portraying Stone. I have to give credit to the writers for some great pieces of dialogue. My personal favorite is when Stone says, "Television, wonderful invention. It does the work for me!" Stone was definitely a highlight, I would give Michael York and Emmy award.

David, Stone's brother, is technically the protagonist. He succeeds the president after Stone murders the latter. I have no problems with Michael Biehn's portrayal, it's pretty solid. I do think he converted to faith a little too fast, there just wasn't enough build-up. The whole scene in the church I felt could have been handled better. God sending a message to him was good, but having the people and priest turn to him and shouting "Save us!" was kinda strange. Another prominent character is Gabriella, Stone's wife. Her conversion was more fluid and felt more real than David's, her death was handled pretty well.

Now, the main thing I like about Megiddo is that Stone/The Beast actually transforms into his Demonic, Satanic true form. In a pretty awesome scene, he becomes the actual monster. I have never seen an End Times movie where it actually has The Devil reveal his true form, so that was exciting to see. The CGI is surprisingly good, it easily puts all SyFy Original movies to shame. (Which is kinda sad since this was made in 2001 while something like Sharknado is out of modern day.) The entire climax is pretty exciting, though the ending is slightly abrupt. It would have been nice to perhaps get a glimpse of the White Horse and Jesus riding on top of it.

Overall, Megiddo is a really fun take on Revelation. It's not very grim and chooses to be more of an enjoyable ride from start to finish. How many movies have you seen where you get to see the actual Devil in his demonic form? It is not the first end times movie I would recommend to someone however, since it lacks the powerful message of Jesus coming back. There are quite a few other films that symbolize that better. But, it's still one of my personal favorites. It shows that there can be a really good Christian action movie.

4/5

On My Mind: A Lack of God in Horror Movies

I love a good horror movie.

Now when I say horror I'm not talking about slasher stories such as Friday the 13th or Texas Chainsaw, I'm not into gory slashers. The horror I'm talking about is combined with science fiction, like Alien or atmospheric supernatural stories. (Usually found footage related things.) Lately I can't say I'm truly into the genre, cause there's nothing really good anymore. But I'm not here to talk about the state of horror films, I'm here to talk about a lack of God in them.

The popular plot devices to use in horror movies are ghosts and demons. Demon possession is a very popular thing, always has been and always will be. Do you know what my problem is? God and angels are virtually never used in these movies. The word 'demon' seems to be overused and not fully understood by the people making these films. A demon is a fallen angel that sided with the Devil. Films like the Paranormal Activities highlight demonic attacks. Despite demons being used continually, you never see these characters seek out a Bible and want to learn how to protect themselves. Instead, the film is content with showing the characters' fear instead of them trying to grasp the situation. You would think being menaced by a demon would inspire them to crack open a Bible.

In all four Paranormal Activity movies, God isn't mentioned once. I find it interesting how the film industry is so eager to accept demons into their stories but won't allow Godly or angelic intervention. I also don't like how virtually all supernatural/demonic-attack movies never have happy endings. Instead of a character prevailing the attack through faith, they usually end up either completely possessed, or killed. Forbid if faith could be used in a positive light. And if there are demons, why can't angels come in? It's like the film industry doesn't want to add anything that represents Godliness and instead wants to focus on the evil. Interestingly, there was one movie three years ago called Legion. Actual angels appeared, but they are portrayed as the bad guys, sadistic, and they themselves were acting all demonic. (Even taunting the main characters.)

Yes, that is supposed to be one of God's angels. Great going Hollywood.

Really though, in today's world none of this comes as a surprise. Hollywood is so eager to use anything that would keep people's interest, but at the same time eliminate anything that is considered Spiritual or 'Biblically correct.' I'm not saying all the movies have to be preaching to the viewer, but it's sad that virtually none of the characters in these flicks knows what a demon truly is, which of course is the writer's fault. The movie House, which is based on the same book by Christian author Frank Peretti, shows us how well a dark and serious horror movie with a Christian touch works.Another example is the movie Priest, which is a dark, but really fun action movie with a Christian touch.

I'm 99% sure nothing will change. We'll keep getting movies with demonic possession without the characters thinking of asking God for help. My respect for Hollywood keeps dwindling.

Book 1: Cain and Abel

You know, a lot of today's movie and story cliches come from the Bible. Case in point with this story. A jealous brother who wants the same fame and fortune as his brother. (Well, not fortune in this case.) This story follows Cain and Abel, the first sons of man. Let's get on with the review.

Cain is the older one, and worked the soil. Abel is the younger one, (obviously) and kept the flocks. So this is what life was like 6,000 years ago, simple. (Not too different than the Pilgrim's way of life.) They both gave their offerings, Cain gave some of the fruits of the soil while Abel gave huge portions of the firstborn of his flock. God looked at Abel with great favor. Of course, this made Cain angry. Can't say I blame him, I would be too. (But I wouldn't have done what he did to his brother. O_O)

I like how God sees this and speaks directly to Cain. (This was back when He spoke directly to people, you don't see that happening much these days.) "If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it." That quote is probably what sums up the whole book for me, probably the most important quote for every day living.

Despite this, Cain got Abel to go into the field and eliminated him. (The first murder act.) It is never said, but I'm going to assume they were in their late teenage years at that point. They probably didn't have the best relationship growing up, I bet Cain secretly had planned that moment for years. Though I wonder what Adam and Eve were doing at that moment. (I wonder if they built some sort of house.) I like this next part. Kind of similar to what happened in the last story.

Instead of bluntly saying what Cain had done, God simply asked "Where is your brother Abel?" (Character right there to anyone who says He is just an overlord who looks down upon us.) Cain wasn't exactly the nicest of guys, and his response was as expected. "I don't know. Am I my brother's keeper?" That's one heck of an answer if you ask me. I like how God kind of exploded on this guy, saying "You will be a restless wanderer on the earth." Of course, Cain pretty much mellows down saying "Whoever finds me will kill me." But check this out. God's response to that was "Not so, if anyone kills Cain, he will suffer vengeance seven times over." Just think about that for a sec, this guy had just committed murder, yet God still cared for the guy, not letting anyone kill him! (He even placed a mark on Cain so no one who found him would kill him.) So Cain left God's presence, got a wife, and had a son named Enoch. (What follows is a very complicated thing of sons after sons after sons.) Later, Eve had another son called Seth, who then had a son named Enosh. (Where do these names come from?!)

In closing, the story of Cain and Abel demonstrates that evil personas in us humans existed way back then with the first murder act, and also demonstrates that God is the merciful God He says He is. Another interesting story.

Next up: Noah and the Flood.

Book 1: Creation/Adam and Eve

"In the beginning, God created the Heavens and the Earth."

That is how everything all began folks. Before that, nothing. Picture that for a second, what is nothing? Before everything was created, was it all black empty space? No, because even that's something. We cannot comprehend what nothing is. With that said, the big guy is beyond the word genius, he made water, land, day, and night. I like the wording "He looked at what he had created and called it good." Simply put, and to the point, it was good.

"Let the land produce living creatures according to their kind: livestock, creatures that move along the ground, and wild animals, each according to its kind."

I've always read these dinosaur books, where it says "60,000 million years ago, so and so roamed the earth." Of course, we know that the earth is 6,000 years old. I'm going to say that at that moment, animals like lions, tigers, and bears were roaming alongside our favorite dinos. (I'll cover how they got extinct in my article on Noah.) Basically, this is when all animals lived in harmony, when no one tried to eat each other. O_O

"And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it He rested from all the work of creating that he had done."

And that is why Sunday is the main day we go to church. I have a feeling you already knew that though, so I won't waste anymore time on that.

Now that that's done, we can get on to what I think to be the most interesting part.

God had planted a garden in Eden and put the man (we'll refer to him as Adam now) there. Seemed like a pretty good garden, you got the great fruits, (and you didn't even have to worry about washing them!) nice scenery, complete with four headwaters. Of course, we all know this garden because of the two infamous trees. We have the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil and the Tree of Life. (Yes, Norse myth stole that name.) "But you must not eat from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, for when you eat of it, you will surely die." Of course, we all know He didn't mean "die" literally in that sense. In a sense, they die inside and lose their "innocence," as we'll see later.

So Adam hung out in the garden, naming the animals around him. (Who knows where he got the name ostridge from.) Of course, it can get pretty lonely being the only kind of your species. God, being the caring God that He is, saw this and decided to make a companion for our Adam. This is when the interesting begins. The big G grabbed one of Adam's ribs and made the woman. Being the intelligent guy that he is, Adam named the woman "Eve." (Actually, he named her that after the Fall, but we'll refer to her as Eve for the rest of this editorial/review.) Now we can get into the most vital part of this story: The Fall.

Thus begins why we're all crazy. The Serpent, (you know, I've actually read that some people think the Serpent was NOT the Devil, but just a crafty snake. Of course, all you have to do is read Revelation 12:9, which clearly states that he was that "ancient serpent") was the one we can all thank for our misery. (Technically anyway.) I will go ahead and say how I think it happened. After the Devil lost the battle in Heaven, he was hurled to earth. Of course, it's tough to say when exactly that happened. If he was hurled to earth, then it must have been soon after Adam was created. Of course, he must have been pretty angry for having lost the battle. We all know he can go into things and control them. Once he realized what wonders God had created, his first mission was to corrupt them. So he entered the snake, or serpent, to tempt good ol' Eve. It was a smart plan. I love the dialogue between the two, the Serpent explaining that the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil will make you be like God, knowing good and evil. (More proof that was the Devil.) Now this was the part where everyone yelled "What the heck are you doing Eve???!!!!!" But Eve is not to blame....okay, she is to blame. But you have to understand something, before she ate from the tree, she didn't know right from wrong. I'm sure God gave her a thinking brain, but it was probably super primitive, simple. Adam and Eve were like newborns, they didn't know right from wrong. So they were easily tempted.....but God was still their father and should have listened. Once Eve ate the fruit, she quickly passed it on to Adam.......who wasn't with her during all that strangely. (If he was, he didn't say anything, so he couldn't have been standing next to her.) When Eve gave it to him, he didn't say anything, he just ate it. No questions, just ate it. Did Eve explain that it was the fruit of the forbidden tree? Nope, and I guess Adam didn't bother asking. So when both ate it, "their eyes were opened." Now they are like us, they know good and evil, no longer "very good," their minds were then corrupted, for they had committed the first sin. The first thing they had realized was that they needed some cloths, for they were ashamed.

I really like the next part, when God himself was heard walking in the "cool of the day." Of course, now that they could comprehend more, Adam and Eve fled from Him among the trees. I love the dialogue here, where God is pretending not to know where they are. (That proves that He has a slight sense of humor.) When God asks the tough question, instead of taking the blame for your wife, Adam points figures at Eve. So Eve then explains that the Serpent "deceived" her. I like this part too, where God commands the Serpent to crawl on his belly. An interesting thing worth mentioning is that when God said for the Serpent to crawl on its belly for the rest of its life, that means that the snakes we know today are different than the ones from old. Serpents back then were  probably much larger, had legs, and walked like a bipedal. Then God commanded that all snakes lose that ability. Fascinating stuff.

Thus begins why we feel pain today. God cursed Eve that giving birth to a child will be painful, while Adam was now forced to work to get food. His years were now limited, and he will turn back to dust. (I'm guessing God's original plan was for Adam and Eve to live in harmony in the garden forever.) Of course, despite all of this, God still cared for them, for he made cloths for them.

"He must not be allowed to to reach out his hand and take also from the Tree of Life and eat, and live forever." So this tree grants everlasting life. That's what all those explorers  searching for everlasting life are looking for. Too bad they'll never find it. God banned the two humans from the garden, and no one ever returned there.

In closing, this story is one of my favorites. It is the beginning of everything, and the Serpent's dialogue with Eve is one of the most interesting scenes in all of the Bible. Of course, you have to wonder why God placed those trees in in the first place. Maybe the garden was meant to be a slice of Heaven? We don't know, for our minds are too inferior to understand.