There's a song we used to sing at youth group called "Screen Door". It goes somethin' like, "Faith without works is like a song you can't sing. It's about as useless as a screen door on a submarine."
Well, that's true. A screen door on a submarine doesn't do you any good. Same thing with faith. If you're not doing anything with your faith, it's useless. It's almost like you don't even have it. I've had that song stuck in my head all day.
22.7.08
6.7.08
Here comes trouble!
My church is going through some rough times right now. Some major members, including our pastor, left. We're praying for some new members, but it is totally up to God.
Anyway, our temporary pastor preached a sermon today about trials and how we can overcome them. We all face trials at some point in our lives. He told us that it is impossible to step around them, but how we deal with it is what matters.
Trials are predicted. They'll happen at some point in your life. Everyone faces trials. Some people believe that God shields Christians from trials, but that's not how it works. God gives us all trials to test our faith. There isn't anyone on earth who hasn't faced some hard times.
Trials are custom-made and individual. God may not need to test John in the same way he tests you. God sees which areas you need to grow in.
Trials are invisible. There is no way to see them coming. You can't step around them or over them. You have to go through them. Trials can come unexpectedly, when everything is running smoothly. You can't see them coming, otherwise you would run the other way. There isn't a single day that I wake up and say, "Dear God, please make this day really difficult. Please test me today." I don't think ANYONE has ever prayed that.
Trials are innumerable. After you've passed one trial, another one is flying in your face. You've learned something from the first trial, now it's time to learn something new. Trials are like days: they keep coming and coming until God calls you home.
Anyway, our temporary pastor preached a sermon today about trials and how we can overcome them. We all face trials at some point in our lives. He told us that it is impossible to step around them, but how we deal with it is what matters.
Trials are predicted. They'll happen at some point in your life. Everyone faces trials. Some people believe that God shields Christians from trials, but that's not how it works. God gives us all trials to test our faith. There isn't anyone on earth who hasn't faced some hard times.
Trials are custom-made and individual. God may not need to test John in the same way he tests you. God sees which areas you need to grow in.
Trials are invisible. There is no way to see them coming. You can't step around them or over them. You have to go through them. Trials can come unexpectedly, when everything is running smoothly. You can't see them coming, otherwise you would run the other way. There isn't a single day that I wake up and say, "Dear God, please make this day really difficult. Please test me today." I don't think ANYONE has ever prayed that.
Trials are innumerable. After you've passed one trial, another one is flying in your face. You've learned something from the first trial, now it's time to learn something new. Trials are like days: they keep coming and coming until God calls you home.
19.6.08
Put Your Hand in the Fire
Ask your parents' permission before doing what I say. If they said yes, do it. If they said no, just read.
Go up to a lit candle. Hold your hand to the side, and very quickly brush your hand through the flame (be fast!). You didn't get burned, did you? Now do it over and over, but don't slow down. Look at your hand. It may be a little gray or black. (You can stop now.)
When we're with people who try and tempt us, the first little thing we do might not hurt us, if it's little. But then we do it again. And again. And our hearts start turning gray or black. What we're doing is slowly harming us, and the more we do it, the worse off we are. Or, in the other scenario, you get cocky after the first little thing and move onto bigger things (say, a fireplace) and you get burned, maybe deformed. It burns, it hurts, and there might be permanent damage.
When you stick your hand in the fire, sooner or later, you'll get burned. So why not just stop doing it? Why not just resist? That temptation may give you a thrill for a moment, but the thrill is fleeting and the damage can be permanent. DON'T fall in the trap. Keep away from the fire.
See what I'm talking about? Let's take smoking, for instance. "One little smoke won't hurt you. No one will ever know." Yeah, right. Your parents will find out, and so will your friends. You might have trouble breathing and you, your room, and your belongings will smell like smoke. You'll probably get addicted to smoking and you'll do it more and more. Then, ten years later, the news hits you like a baseball bat. You've got lung cancer. Oh, joy. What now? Don't stick your hand in the fire. It is soooooooooooo not worth it.
Go up to a lit candle. Hold your hand to the side, and very quickly brush your hand through the flame (be fast!). You didn't get burned, did you? Now do it over and over, but don't slow down. Look at your hand. It may be a little gray or black. (You can stop now.)
When we're with people who try and tempt us, the first little thing we do might not hurt us, if it's little. But then we do it again. And again. And our hearts start turning gray or black. What we're doing is slowly harming us, and the more we do it, the worse off we are. Or, in the other scenario, you get cocky after the first little thing and move onto bigger things (say, a fireplace) and you get burned, maybe deformed. It burns, it hurts, and there might be permanent damage.
When you stick your hand in the fire, sooner or later, you'll get burned. So why not just stop doing it? Why not just resist? That temptation may give you a thrill for a moment, but the thrill is fleeting and the damage can be permanent. DON'T fall in the trap. Keep away from the fire.
See what I'm talking about? Let's take smoking, for instance. "One little smoke won't hurt you. No one will ever know." Yeah, right. Your parents will find out, and so will your friends. You might have trouble breathing and you, your room, and your belongings will smell like smoke. You'll probably get addicted to smoking and you'll do it more and more. Then, ten years later, the news hits you like a baseball bat. You've got lung cancer. Oh, joy. What now? Don't stick your hand in the fire. It is soooooooooooo not worth it.
16.6.08
Sorry, guys!
Hey, guys! Yeah, I know, I haven’t been updating this for 2 weeks. Sorry! I was at the beach. This summer is going to be pretty crazy for me, ok? All of my friends are coming over for weeks at a time. I will be really tired – I already am – and, because my friends will be here, I probably won’t be able to update this much. However, I will try my best. This blog will be back to normal towards the end of summer, I think, maybe before that.
Some things you should do this summer:
· Go the beach and thank God for the ocean
· Swim in a pool until you get wrinkled up like a prune
· Go to a friend’s house, or invite one over to your house, and have a blast
· Pray every night
Have fun!!
Some things you should do this summer:
· Go the beach and thank God for the ocean
· Swim in a pool until you get wrinkled up like a prune
· Go to a friend’s house, or invite one over to your house, and have a blast
· Pray every night
Have fun!!
4.6.08
Building a Better Burger
Ok, you've got all the toppings right there, and they look delicious: you've got lettuce, pickles, tomatoes, mayo, mustard, ketchup, cheese, and, of course, the bun. Yum.
Now, the burger patty looks WONDERFUL -- your dad just took it off the grill. It looks perfect: juicy, simmering, hot, and brown. (Sorry to all the vegetarians reading this.) It looks and smells great. You just can't wait to take a bite! You pick up the burger, with your favorite toppings, sink your teeth in, and...
...the burger flies out of your mouth as quickly as it went in. Thank goodness for the gag-reflex, people. The burger shoots clear across the room. It tasted terrible -- like burnt cardboard (I speak from experience) and you cannot get over how utterly disgusting it was. The burger looked great! And it had all the good stuff on top! But on the inside, the patty was all dry, with maggots crawling through it. Yuck!
That's how it is with us. We may look great on the outside, and have lots of good clothing (the lettuce, mustard, and such), but if our insides aren't good -- if we don't have pure, clean hearts -- we're nasty. No matter how we may mask it, someone's gonna get close, trust you, take a bite, and be hurt and appalled. YUCK! How can that dude be gross on the inside, but be so popular on the outside? How can that girl look so nice, but really be disgusting?
Don't be like a burnt cardboard burger. Be a juicy beef patty for God. (I know, I know, that sounds really lame lol!) Ask God to help you shine through -- to be the REAL you -- and let the pure heart that God gave you bless other people.
(And yes, this post was inspired by the killer burgers my mom made yesterday.)
Now, the burger patty looks WONDERFUL -- your dad just took it off the grill. It looks perfect: juicy, simmering, hot, and brown. (Sorry to all the vegetarians reading this.) It looks and smells great. You just can't wait to take a bite! You pick up the burger, with your favorite toppings, sink your teeth in, and...
...the burger flies out of your mouth as quickly as it went in. Thank goodness for the gag-reflex, people. The burger shoots clear across the room. It tasted terrible -- like burnt cardboard (I speak from experience) and you cannot get over how utterly disgusting it was. The burger looked great! And it had all the good stuff on top! But on the inside, the patty was all dry, with maggots crawling through it. Yuck!
That's how it is with us. We may look great on the outside, and have lots of good clothing (the lettuce, mustard, and such), but if our insides aren't good -- if we don't have pure, clean hearts -- we're nasty. No matter how we may mask it, someone's gonna get close, trust you, take a bite, and be hurt and appalled. YUCK! How can that dude be gross on the inside, but be so popular on the outside? How can that girl look so nice, but really be disgusting?
Don't be like a burnt cardboard burger. Be a juicy beef patty for God. (I know, I know, that sounds really lame lol!) Ask God to help you shine through -- to be the REAL you -- and let the pure heart that God gave you bless other people.
(And yes, this post was inspired by the killer burgers my mom made yesterday.)
"Hey, God! I was just about to call you!"
Yeah, I have a cell phone. And it rocks. Normally, if you're not a computer whiz and can't send an email, your hand gets tired from writing snail-mail (and you can't find the stamps), you can't hog the home phone, or you can't just walk over, you need a cell phone to call a friend.
And even then, sometimes friends will say, "Ya know, dude, I'm busy. Could ya call back later? Like, tomorrow or somethin'?"
Well, God is your BEST friend, even though you might not know it yet. You don't need a computer, stamps, or a phone to talk to him. You don't even need to drop by his house. He's right there with you, all the time. He won't put you off if someone else wants to talk to him. He'll listen to you both (like your mom, God is a great multi-tasker). And, just like a friend, he totally doesn't want to be ignored. He can give you the BEST advice, better than your friends who say they've "been there & done that". So, go ahead, call God right now! Go find a quiet spot, or pray wherever you are. Close your eyes or don't. Bow your head, kneel, or raise your hands. Whatever. Just talk to him.
(The best part? He won't run down your cell minutes!)
And even then, sometimes friends will say, "Ya know, dude, I'm busy. Could ya call back later? Like, tomorrow or somethin'?"
Well, God is your BEST friend, even though you might not know it yet. You don't need a computer, stamps, or a phone to talk to him. You don't even need to drop by his house. He's right there with you, all the time. He won't put you off if someone else wants to talk to him. He'll listen to you both (like your mom, God is a great multi-tasker). And, just like a friend, he totally doesn't want to be ignored. He can give you the BEST advice, better than your friends who say they've "been there & done that". So, go ahead, call God right now! Go find a quiet spot, or pray wherever you are. Close your eyes or don't. Bow your head, kneel, or raise your hands. Whatever. Just talk to him.
(The best part? He won't run down your cell minutes!)
30.5.08
Showered with God's Love
OK, let's say that you haven't had a bath in two weeks. You'd be all gross, wouldn't you? You'd be sweaty, dirty, and let's face it: you'd be one ripe- smelling kid. Even if you decided to be "good" -- you didn't do a few rounds on the basketball court, and you only went outside to get the mail for your mom -- you'd still be all "yuck".
Before we ask God to be the boss of our lives, we're just like that -- but on the inside. When we become a Christian, it's just like we took a shower! We're clean now, and we feel great!
Before we ask God to be the boss of our lives, we're just like that -- but on the inside. When we become a Christian, it's just like we took a shower! We're clean now, and we feel great!
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