Hello everybody!!! Wow. I haven’t written in nearly a year (11 months), but now I’m back. I’ve been reading Forgotten God by Francis Chan for my Bible study, and I must say, it’s been very interesting. It’s all about the the Holy Spirit. I was reading in Acts for insight on the Holy Spirit and I noticed something in Acts 8:9-17. The Samaritans had just accepted Christ, but it says “they had simply been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus” and they didn’t have the Spirit. When Peter and John laid their hands on them and prayed for them, then they received the Spirit. So here’s the question(s): do I have the Spirit? Do you have the Spirit? How can we know? And (surprise!) I DON’T know the answer! What do you think?
Inside the Church October 29, 2009
Today, Wednesday, I walked into the LC, and it seemed like no one was there. I soon realized that this wasn’t the case, when I saw a girl (who will remain nameless) making out with her boyfriend. Quite disgusted, I hurried into the Loft, and started talking to my friend, where I told her about this. She told me that since she goes to school, she sees that sort of thing all the time. I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately, all these people inside the church who aren’t there FOR church. They come because their boyfriend does, or because their parents make them, etc. What is the church? In the Bible, the church is used when speaking of the body of believers. Why are our churches becoming SO NON-BELIEVER friendly? Every event is “Bring your non-christian friends!” Church is not for the unbelieving; it’s for the believers!
While I was on a mission trip, I heard some girls saying that the pastor shouldn’t say that being gay is wrong, because then gay people won’t come to church. What’s next? There’s no such thing as sin? We have to keep saying that sin is wrong; we have to speak the TRUTH. How can the believer get good Christian influence, if the Christians are the minority in the church? People are becoming so numb to sin that they aren’t ashamed to come to church wearing things that are obviously immodest; they aren’t afraid to let someone touch them, at church, in a way that should be reserved for a husband and wife. I think that we need to do something about this, but I’m not sure what. Please give me some feedback.
Accepting a punishment September 16, 2009
So, I’m writing this post because I have experience in this particular area: PUNISHMENT. (I hope that looked scary) Sometimes*, I’ll do something stupid, like doing something my mom just said not to. (Really, Mom, I didn’t hear you!) Anyways, after many threats to call child protective services, I settle into sulky silence, and inwardly vow never to speak to her again. There is the occasional time when I decide that I’m just kidding myself if I say that I’m a Christian, because a true Christian would not be disrespectful to their parents. So I begin to develop a good attitude, and my Mom notices and decides that it’s about time that I was ungrounded. You might be thinking, “Cool! Now I can get away with anything!”**, but purpose really matters. If you’re just trying to get out of your punishment, well, it might work, but it won’t count for anything in the long run. Since God appointed our parents, we’re basically disobeying Him when we disobey them. If we disobey our parents, will we disobey God when we leave the house? So try to extract as much as you can from discipline, and trust me, it won’t be easy at first! Paul even agrees: Hebrews 12:11
No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.
You probably want a harvest of righteousness and peace, but you’ll notice that it says it only comes to those who have been trained by discipline. So allow God to mold you during punishment, even if you’re an adult.
*Please note the emphasis on “Sometimes,”
**Unless you’re a grown-up. 😀
Plain Promise (yet another Amish love story) September 12, 2009
Plain Promise, by Beth Wiseman, is the story of Sadie Fisher, an Amish widow who rents out her guest cottage to visitors and runs a small shop with other Amish women. During the cold winter, millionaire Kade Sanders decides to rent the cottage for three months. Unaware of Amish traditions he often puts Sadie into situations that would be called innappropriate by Sadie’s people.
When Kade’s ex-wife shows up with his autistic son, Tyler, and the news that she’s getting married, Kade is frantic. He doesn’t know how to take care of Tyler. So, of course, Sadie begins to make friendly visits to the cottage to help with Tyler. Sadie is scared by Kade’s behavior towards her, especially when he makes physical advances on her such as a kiss on the cheek. When Sadie asks him to stop, he pretty much says “Why? What’s wrong with it?”
The author comes up with a lot more excuses for them to be alone, such as a snowed in cabin or going to help with Tyler. Although it never goes farther than a hug or a kiss, this is just a regular love story with some things omitted that go “too far” and some God sprinkled in. Kade eventually gives up his job that made him a millionaire and becomes Amish and Sadie moves back from Texas after deciding that the Amish man Milo, who she’s been in a long-distance relationship for over two years, is not right for her. Kade and Sadie get married, but not before your typical “I thought you loved me!” routine comes up, not really a good story to base your life on. Your basic “Christian” love story.
Coming Soon
Thomas Nelson publishers has this cool deal that if you agree to review one of their books, they’ll send it to you for free. So I was like “Free books? Where do I sign?” Now get ready for a bajillion book reviews coming your way. Plain Promise by Beth Wiseman up next.
What happens when your parents ground you from what you feel is a necessity? Apply the Bible to a way you can handle hard punishment to make them livable and maybe even enjoyable with a new post coming up this month.
This product not tested on animals September 7, 2009
“We care: this product not tested on animals.” Ever seen this on a bottle of soap? (Do you read your bottles of soap?) Well, I’m weird, and yes I do read bottles of soap, for some inexplicable reason, but this statement doesn’t really make sense to me. It would seem that you need to test soap so you know it won’t give you a rash or kill you or something, so why not spare me from death by lavender bubble bath, and see if a little bunny rabbit dies from it instead. It sounds cruel, but who should die? A human or a bunny? You have to choose the lesser of two evils. (or we could just go without soap…) Anyways, another negative element of the animal lover movement is the reasoning. “Well, who are we to assume authority over an animal?” Before you agree with that, you have to view the next step. See, if we say that we have no right to kill an animal, or that we shouldn’t eat animals, we have to say that God has no right to assume authority over us. “Who are we to say our lives are worth more than an animal’s life?” My little sister knows a girl who thinks that if you abuse an animal, you should be put in the electric chair. Now, don’t get me wrong, I don’t think we should abuse animals, but the electric chair?!? That’s no longer a question of worth, that’s a statement; animal’s lives are worth more than a person’s. “Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” That’s Luke 12:5-7, we are worth more than many sparrows. But God still knows when a sparrow falls, so we should be kind to animals, in fact, God even told us to take care of His creation; He made us to dominate and rule the earth. Don’t even get me started on vegetarians.
The Must Kiss Myth August 22, 2009
While I was at youth camp this past year, I was talking to these two girls in my room. My friend was also there with me and we were bored. So we were chatting with these girls, who we didn’t really know that well. One of these girls was receiving text messages from some guy who was mad that she was in Florida with her boyfriend. So we started talking about boyfriends. They asked me and my friend if we had ever had a boyfriend to which we both said no. The girls both expressed that they were sorry about this. Personally, I’m not. Then they started talking about first kisses. One of them asked how old we were when we got our first kiss. We both said we had not had a first kiss and, since this was too much, I proceeded to tell them that I was going to save my first kiss for my wedding day. The opposition I got was astounding. “Well you have to kiss them for the rehearsal!” “They won’t marry you if you won’t kiss them before the wedding.” and “How will you know they’re a good kisser?” I told them that no one actually has to kiss during the wedding reheasal, if they refuse to marry me because I won’t kiss them then I won’t marry them, and what are you going to say? “Sorry. I thought you would be a good kisser but you’re not. Let’s get a divorce!” Come on! No one would say that! Later, my dad was relating this story to his group of guys in Sunday school. Reportedly, their statement was “Guys aren’t like that!” Anyways, if they really will not marry you because you won’t kiss them, then they’re marrying you for the wrong reasons. What is the wrong reason? Your body. They’re obviously not marrying you for your personality or beliefs, just for your body. Newsflash! One day girls, you will be a wrinkly old lady, and if your face is the only thing that kept you guys together, well let’s just say maybe you won’t be together forever. And that, my friends, is the Must Kiss Myth.
Movies 2 August 21, 2009
The Bible doesn’t say which movies to watch and which not to, so what is the answer to the movie dilemma? I think there are three options.
- Stop watching movies altogether. There’s something wrong with every one, so don’t watch them.
- Watch any movie. So what if there is sex and violence? It’s just a movie!
- Have a standard. God calls me to guard my heart (Proverbs 4:23
Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.). So watching just any movie won’t do, but I don’t think watching Tommy hit his brother will cause me to sin.
So which is the best choice? I think number three. What should the standard be? Does this cause me to sin? Is that the best choice? What about Phillipians 4:8? “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” Well, these are all real questions of mine that haven’t been answered, so if anyone figures it out, let me know. I’m on facebook, skype and you can leave a comment. I surely would appreciate it!
Movies August 17, 2009
So I’ve been thinking about which movies are ok to watch. Like why is it okay to watch Disney movies with secular messages like “Follow your heart.”, which is against the Bible; Jeremiah 17:9 “The heart is deceitful above all things and without cure. Who can understand it?” So why is it ok to watch those movies and not Harry Potter, which has witchcraft (also against the bible)? Obviously, no movie can match up with our views exactly, but does that mean we can watch any movie we want? I have been trying to sort this out so that I can continue to watch Lord of the Rings (smirk); it has some questionable things like wizards. My argument for the longest time has been that since Tolkien was a Christian the power the good guys use must come from God.
I’ve given thought to individual scenarios and have come to the conclusion that each questionable thing is not enough basis to discard the movies (which I am obsessed with). Until I came to The Return of the King, where they get these ghosts to help them win the battle. They have to do this because the ghosts when they were alive were cursed and now they have to help, something like that. “Whoa!” I think “They call up spirits? That’s witchcraft isn’t it?” But usually I am very discerning and it does not make since that this passed under my radar. Yet, did it? I think maybe this was disturbing to me but it all seems very muddled. So I don’t know what to do.
Tori's Blog: Sorting it Out 