Intentions

When did we as humans decide that God's creations belonged to us? When did we decide that His creations were owned by us? When did money become the center of everything we do?

Once upon a time, when God created the earth and Adam and Eve and all their furry little companions, we coexisted quite peacefully. Plants became food for animals and animals became food for humans. Somewhere down the line, someone decided it would be a good idea to claim living things for themselves. Someone thought that because they had been living on a certain parcel of land for an extended period of time, that parcel would become their territory. If you want to walk on that area of land, you must first be granted permission by the person who sits on top of it. Then they decided they wanted to give up that land and move to a different land. Well, you can't just freely leave your land for the public, now can you? No, now you must trade with the person who desires your land. Give me a cow and I will give you the exclusive rights that I gave myself to sit on this piece of land. This continued on and on until all pieces of land were "claimed."

Now we don't stop there. Oh no. We move on to other resources. Trees. If you want this tree that rests on my parcel of land, you must give me two rabbits and a sheep. Water. If you want me to not block the river so you can use some of it too, you must hand over your raccoon pelts. Animals. I like that cow over there, and I want it for myself, so I will lead it to my parcel of land and stick my name on it, claiming it as my own. I don't care if the cow resists my leading it, I will force the cow to be mine. Food. I found out that this shrub over here on my piece of land is edible, and if you don't want to starve to death, you must give me one rabbit for one week's supply of shrubbery.

Then comes the money. I melted this piece of metal into a pretty round shape. If you want it, you must give me a piece of cloth. Somehow I found out that everybody loves shiny round pieces of metal, so I am going to set up a system where everybody trades shiny pieces of metal for things they want, such as that piece of land you are sitting on top of.

Call me crazy, but I'm pretty sure God intended for His creations to be used and shared among His entire Kingdom, not just by those people who can get their hands on shiny pieces of metal. It seems absurd that we would strive to obtain small metallic objects, because those somehow raise our value as a person.

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"Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income. This too is meaningless."  --Ecclesiastes 5:10

I've Never Felt His Love Before...

Well, I mean, I knew it was there, but I’ve never felt something so different that I would go “oh, so this is what love feels like!”

After a really horrible morning/afternoon/evening/overall day, I drove home from work around 10pm. Listening to one of my favorite radio stations, “Mighty to Save” came on. I only kept it on because I felt like singing in the car, and I knew all the words to this one.

“Everyone needs compassion, a love that’s never failing, let mercy fall on me”

I needed a love right there. Being the selfish person I sometimes am, I thought to myself how no guy I would ever love in that way would ever love me back. Not even lust. It just hasn’t happened in the 20+ years I’ve been alive. Then I wondered what a love like His was like, to love every one of His children and be merciful towards them. It had to be surreal, right?

“Everyone needs forgiveness, the kindness of a savior, the hope of nations”

I sure needed forgiveness. I had been arguing with my sister and both parents on several occasions earlier that day, so I knew I had sinned multiple times today alone. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if my family just forgave me and meant it? Again, surreal.

“Savior, He can move the mountains. My God is mighty to save, He is mighty to save. Forever, Author of salvation, He rose and conquered the grave, Jesus conquered the grave”

Now how could any ordinary person rise and conquer the grave? I mean, once you’re dead you pretty much stay dead, right? Not this dude.

“So take me as you find me, all my fears and failures, fill my life again. I give my life to follow everything I believe in. Now I surrender”

Surrender, that’s kind of like giving up, right? Maybe that’s what I should do. Not give up, but surrendering myself, my fears, my failures. If He can love me and forgive me, maybe He will accept my surrendering of my fear of my next step in life: choosing another school. Maybe He will accept my failure at being a good daughter, good sister, good student, good role model. Maybe He will accept me as I am, take me as He finds me.

“Savior, He can move the mountains. My God is mighty to save, He is mighty to save. Forever, Author of salvation, He rose and conquered the grave, Jesus conquered the grave”

Author of salvation. Mighty to save. He has all the power in the world and He chooses to use it to save us, the sinners, the murderers, the adulterers, the criminals, the prostitutes, the mothers, the fathers, the children, the neighbors, the brothers, the sisters. He uses His power to save us!

“Shine your light and let the whole world see we’re singing for the glory of the risen King!”

Right before this part, I felt something tingling in my body. The only things I can compare them to are shivers from being cold and happiness. I wasn’t cold, but I had goosebumps and a sudden lifted spirit. I started smiling, then giggling, and finally laughing out loud as I was singing. There was nothing funny to laugh at, no humorous lyrics or sights on my drive, yet I was laughing and smiling and genuinely happy. The only explanation I have is that God’s love filled me up right then and there. Or at least this time I was fully aware of it. He shined His light inside me, I was just trying to let it out in the car.

Euphoria.

“You’re the Savior, You can move the mountains. Lord, You are mighty to save, You are mighty to save. Forever, Author of salvation, You rose and conquered the grave, yes You conquered the grave!”

Never had a love like this.

At Christian Fellowship, we had several people share little bits of information that either God put on their hearts or that their pastors were talking about recently. I wanted to share them with you.

• ESPN = we are granted Eternal life, our Sins are forgiven, we have a Personal relationship with God, and we are Never forgotten. (Dan)
• Put on your armor. For every new level, there is a new devil. We are equipped with the breast plate of righteousness, the helmet of salvation, the shield of truth, and the sword of the Spirit: His word. Be strategic in warfare: we have to decree it, expect it, and believe it. (Songa)
• God doesn't expect you to be perfect. He isn't surprised by your sins. (Allison)
• In Charlotte's Web, Charlotte does all the work for Wilbur, but she doesn't expect any of the attention or rewards. She does it because she cares. We should start doing things for others and not expect a reward, because that takes away the whole purpose of doing things for others. (Amanda)

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There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. -- 1 John 4:18

Movie Miracles

Yesterday, we had a movie showing sponsored by Christian Fellowship at our college. The movie was called “The Board” and was about a man’s conscience, mind, memory, emotions, will, and heart coming together to accept Jesus Christ. It was a really moving film. We had had one other movie showing last semester of “Facing the Giants” about a football team who gives God all the glory of their successes. That movie only attracted a few members in our club and one or two people outside our club, only one who came back for a few meetings. This time, we decided to have pizza with our movie, and once you advertise pizza, people will come from all around to get a slice. Fortunately for us, the majority of those people (about 25 outside the group) chose to stay for the movie out of respect. That surprised me that they wouldn’t just take the pizza and leave like so many others had. Nonetheless, they stayed and watched the movie in its entirety. At the beginning, there were a few skeptical people in the audience wondering why we were showing such a film. But at the plot progressed and especially at the climax, we heard several “Amen’s” coming from their mouths. It’s amazing how pizza can bring people together, even fellow Christians who would otherwise not associate with our club. At the end, we had several people come up to us and ask the times and place of our meetings. Next week, we will find out if any of them follow up on the offer. Also, there was a non-Christian in the room who came up to us after the movie. She told us flat out that she wasn’t a Christian, but she liked to hear from people from other denominations. She was very respectful, and I hope we meet up again in the future.

It’s amazing what God can do. We don’t know how many lives were touched or changed that day, but God will find them and work through them to bring them to the truth.

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"These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world." -- John 16:33

You Are Welcome Here

As you may or may not have known, I went to a Christian convention last Christmas (2009) called Urbana in St Louis, Illinois. While here, the 18000 of us all studied part of the Bible: John chapters 1-4. We didn't skim it or only read what parts we wanted to; we read the entire thing word-for-word. This way, we were able to soak up the entire message conveyed to us. John 4 really stood out to me recently. I wanted to share a bit of what I learned with you today.

Jesus was a Jew, if you recall, and Jews did not get along well with Samaritans. You would never ever see a Jew conversing with a Samaritan. It just didn't happen. Jesus needed to get back to Galilee, and instead of finding an alternate route he walked right on through Samaria. By now it was noontime, the hottest time of day, so nobody would dare go out into the sun. Jesus was there, wanting to drink water from a well, and he met a Samaritan woman who was also there to draw water from the well. Thirsty Jesus asked the woman to get him a drink of water. She was shocked that he was talking to her. First of all, Jesus was breaking down social barriers here, being a Jew and talking to a Samaritan. He wants to show us that he doesn’t care who you are or where you came from, but his love will extend to anyone who is willing to accept it.

Moving on, he asks her for a drink, she wonders why he asked her. He makes a statement we will review later. But now, he tells her to go call her husband, to which she replies “I have no husband.” Jesus confirms this, knowing that she didn’t have a husband, but that in the past she had five husbands, all of whom she divorced, and that now she is living with a man who is not her husband. This is another barrier Jesus broke down. The woman was at the well at noon when nobody else would be out because she was shunned by her community. Everyone else would go in the early morning or late afternoon when it was cooler, but she had to go in the middle of the day. Any person, Jew or Samaritan or otherwise, would frown upon the fact that not only has she had multiple marriages, but she is living with someone who is not her husband! Jesus takes her in anyways, a five-time divorced Samaritan woman. He doesn’t care; he still wants to show her God’s love, kindness, and mercy.

Now the message: Jesus tells the woman that anyone who drinks from his fountain will not thirst ever again, that is, anyone who follows him will be forever satisfied and all their needs taken care of. Jesus also warns her about the future, that soon it will not matter how you worship or when you worship or where you worship or even who you are to worship. It just matters that you worship fully and honestly to the Lord our God.

“It's who you are and the way you live that count before God. Your worship must engage your spirit in the pursuit of truth. That's the kind of people the Father is out looking for: those who are simply and honestly themselves before him in their worship. God is sheer being itself—Spirit. Those who worship him must do it out of their very being, their spirits, their true selves, in adoration.” –John 4:23-24

The Power of Prayer

I know I haven't been very good at keeping up with this blog lately. My life has been hectic academically and emotionally as well as with my family. I went into a short depression, but I am slowly but surely getting out of it.

I wanted to discuss the power of prayer. In BCF, we have been doing an activity at the end of each meeting where you take an index card and write down a prayer request. Each card goes into a pile and you blindly pick one up. That card will have the name and request of someone else, and you are reminded to pray not just once, but all week for that person and their request.
Usually I have been praying for other people, and my requests were for friends or family members. I thought asking someone to pray for me would be considered selfish. However, I really needed some hope at the time of my depression, and so I finally wrote down for three weeks asking the recipiant to please pray for me and my troubles. To be honest, I doubted anything would happen, I thought I needed my own power to turn myself around. Not-so-surprisingly though, God worked in many mysterious ways, and he did in fact answer my prayers.
Starting with last Tuesday (April 27th) I became really positive. I got my paper back and a quiz, both really good grades for a class I wasn't doing well in. God was giving me a day to relax and have fun, and I took full advantage of it. To start it off, I did a walk for civility around campus, and since it was a beautiful day that left me in a good mood. Next I screenprinted my first t-shirt with a nice music quote and got free ice cream later. I had a delicious lunch, went to accounting class, left with a good feeling, and met my friends for dinner. It was a simple day but I loved how I was happy and in a positive mood. The rest of the week, though not as excellent, didn't get my mood down. I went through spring weekend free and happy. Crunch time was this week. I went to ACE for pretty much the first time to get help on my assignments, as suggested by a specialist. Despite my reluctance, I actually think it helped. They told me there was nobody to help me in global anthropology, but they redirected me to a writing specialist, thinking that was the best option. This is where the prayer answer comes out: the writing specialist turned out to be an anthropology major in college, so she knew exactly where I was going with my paper and gave much insight on my topic. I told my mom about this after the appointment and her response: "the power of prayer"

Wow. The Power of Prayer. It's amazing how saying or thinking just a few simple words can result in so much.
The power of prayer.
I was extremely pessemistic, thinking that there was no way I would be able to come back to university in the fall, but now I am optomistic, finishing with a bang.
The power of prayer.

Steven Curtis Chapman knows exactly how this works.


I hear you say your heart is aching
You've got trouble in the making
And you ask if I'll be praying for you please
And in keeping with conviction
I'll say yes with good intentions
To pray later making mention of your needs
But since we have this moment here at heaven's door
We should start knocking now, what are we waiting for?

Let us pray, let us pray, everywhere in every way
Every moment of the day it is the right time
For the Father above, He is listening with love
And He wants to answer us, so let us pray

.....
And just because we say the word "Amen"
It doesn't mean this conversation needs to end


The power of prayer. Yeah. I'm liking it
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"This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us - whatever we ask - we know that we have what we asked of him." -- 1 John 5:14-15

Don't Stop Believin'

Since I have not written an entry in a while, I am combining two entries into one. The first is quite simply my take on a gospel reading I heard in church last week. The second is a short analogy of mine I thought of while praying and not being able to have myself to pray aloud. So without further ado...

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"Now Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wild. For forty wilderness days and nights he was tested by the Devil. He ate nothing during those days, and when the time was up he was hungry.

The Devil, playing on his hunger, gave the first test: "Since you're God's son, command this stone to turn into a loaf of bread."

Jesus answered by quoting Deuteronomy: "It takes more than bread to really live."

For the second test he led him up and spread out all the kingdoms of the earth on display at once. Then the Devil said, "They're yours in all their splendor to serve your pleasure. I'm in charge of them all and can turn them over to whomever I wish. Worship me and they're yours, the whole works."

Jesus refused, again backing his refusal with Deuteronomy: "Worship the Lord your God and only the Lord your God. Serve him with absolute single-heartedness."

For the third test the Devil took him to Jerusalem and put him on top of the Temple. He said, "If you are God's son, jump. It is written, isn't it, that 'he has placed you in the care of angels to protect you; they will catch you; you won't so much as stub your toe on a stone'?"

"Yes," said Jesus, "and it's also written, 'Don't you dare tempt the Lord your God."

That completed the testing. The Devil retreated temporarily, lying in wait for another opportunity." -- Luke 4:1-13

My first reaction: Devil got served!
I read this passage as if the Devil was thinking "two can play that game!" Jesus was quoting Deuteronomy to justify why he did not have to prove himself. The Devil was getting tired of being rejected so he attempted to do just as Jesus did and quote the Bible as well.
Devil: "What NOW, Jesus? What NOW?"
Yet in the end, Jesus wins. He escaped the temptation of the Devil despite the Devil's best efforts. The Devil knew he wasn't winning this battle, so he gave up, hence being "served."

Going back to the meaning of the passage: "Don't you dare tempt the Lord your God."
Some people say they cannot believe in God because they have no proof that he exists. Isn't that what faith is? The definition of faith according to Dictionary.com is "belief that is not based on proof." I guess this could sound like I am going back on my word, but really I am just trying to prove a point. "Seeing is believing" but believing is not necessarily seeing. Don't go around testing God's power and goodness. He is there but he is not going to perform magic tricks for you so you can get your way. Just keep that in mind.

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God, you're like a large e-mail inbox for my prayers. I know you have sent out many responses, but sometimes they get lost in cyberspace. Sometimes I can't download the file, but I know I received it. Help me free up the space, to get rid of the SPAM and junk mail, but keep what matters.

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"It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed." -- Deuteronomy 31:8