Love

This isn't going to be on what you think it's going to be on. I say that because this I'm not going to observe the normal aspects of that magic word, I'm going to take a look at the side we often forget about. I mean we talk about loving each other through not insulting each other, helping each other physically and mentally through holding doors for the ladies and giving up chairs and giving our buddies some tips on their homework, praying for each other and all of these things are important aspects of loving one another. But I've been realizing that I don't always honor my friends when it comes to times when I disagree with them. I mean I try not to go around bashing them with insults on a regular basis, but when it comes to arguing about something (especially the theological); man, I really have trouble holding back my frustration. I have major trouble giving, I often feel like i must never give up because if I do my "philosophy" that i have worked so hard to stand up against theirs will crumble. But that sort of dug in mindset can really destroy my relationships. Cause if you are always on edge making sure that the other guy doesn't catch you off guard with a good argument, there is a level of mistrust that will rise. Abraham Lincoln said "A house divided against itself can not stand." This is especially true in the House of the Lord.

Take my ongoing debate with Andrew about video games, most of the time (thank God) we usually end by coming to the realization that we both believe that Jesus Christ saved us both from our sins and go away with a healthy relationship. But there have been times when I have been VERY frustrated with him over the issue (even though it really is a minor issue and about personal conviction). If I at those times had let my anger feed my relations with him, our friendship might have split and with it other people's relationship. our whole group of friends might have become divided, in turn even the whole ministry as the conflicts added up. And WALA!! You have a divided group in the church. We become immobilized body parts. We can't work together for God's glory because we are to busy arguing over our petty differences.

Unfortunately this is a repeted pattern in the Church, a question arrises as to a certain doctrine, sides are taken to the extreme and a split takes place over a minor doctrine. This doesn't as much apply to the split of Orthodoxy and Prodistancy since that was over Salvation. I am talking more about the split between Baptist, Lutheran, Methodist, Purtitan and other "dominational churches" which is often taken very seriously. The problem i see here is that we forget we are ONE CHURCH not a bunch of scattered ones. What makes us one church is the fact that, despite our differnce in oppinon on Baptism, Communion, Bible Translation, we are all God's children who believe that Jesus is our savior and have been born again in him. The same principle should be applied to any theological argument. It is good for us to debate yes. But when our debates put a wall between us and our brothers and sisters we should evaluate why we are holding on so tightly to this "truth." We are not God! We are not all knowing! We have a LOT to learn, not just from God but from each other. Let's not look at our differences but rather look at the Lord, in whom we are all the same thing: SAVED CRIMINALS WHO ARE NOW CALLED CHILDREN OF GOD!!!!

I am sorry for being stubborn and I am going to pray God makes me humbler and humbler,
~Dave

Happy Heart (thanks part 2)

So the other night I was babysitting, and Dalton who's about three was throwing a temper tantrum because he wasn't allowed to play with the Play Doh. He was screaming and crying and I told him that we have to have a happy heart even when it's hard and he replied to me through heavy heaving sobs "I don't want to have a happy heart! I just want to be sad!" I laughed but then conviction struck. Wow did that sound like me.

"Be joyful always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

How many times have your parents told you to have a happy heart? My parents still tell me to have a happy heart because I constantly need that reminder. I've had so many times through tears talking to my mom about what's going wrong in my life and what's not going my way and she tells me to be thankful for what I have and to find joy in the Lord. So so SO many times I've replied in self pity, expressing that I just want to be upset. I don't like whats going on, I don't like whats not's going my way and I think that's an excuse not to be thankful for what I do have.

That's SO wrong.

Like I said in the post before, we have so many blessings and it's so easy to look over them. Especially when things don't go our way. The first thing that reminds me of this is the song JOY! From the new Sovereign Grace CD "To Be Like Jesus".

When I am lonely or feeling bad
When things don't go my way
When my heart's broken
And I am sad
And tears won't go away
That's when I turn my eyes to you Jesus!
Joy! You fill me with Joy!
You fill me with Joy
Jesus
You are always with me
You will always give me Joy!

So simple, but So incredibly true!

Another thing I think about when it comes to Happy Hearts is Madame Blueberry! Yes, that classic veggie tales character. I know this may sound silly to a whole bunch of teenagers but I think it might be a good idea to watch this episode of Veggietales. It's got such a great message, "Because a thankful heart is a happy heart. I'm glad for what I have, that's an easy way to start..."

And I do encourage you to make a list of the blessings in your life. And talk to your parents about where you need to improve in this area.

In His Grace,

Kylie

Thanks and Blessings

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love, he predestined us for adoption through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things acording to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory, In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him,were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance unti we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory." Ephesians 1:3-14

The passage above may be long, but it contains so many truths. We are SO blessed! David and I were talking about this last night and I felt so convicted. I can be so blind to all the blessings in my life- God is SO good.

God has truly bestowed on us every spiritual blessing! He predestined us to follow him before there was time! We've been saved through him, through faith in his son! We have been placed in loving Christian homes with amazing parents who teach us in wisdom and follow the Lord. We have amazing Christian friends who lead us back to the cross and challenge our faith. I'm so thankful for my parents, who love me no matter how stupid and foolish I am and continue to pray for me and help me grow. I also am thankful for all of the strong Christian friends I've made that challenge my faith and help me to mature and love God more. And we have an amazing church, with incredible pastors, a fantastic youth ministry. And we've been installed with a true passion for God.

We are truly surrounded by so many blessings. And I know I can be so blind to what I have. There are so many people who don't have the christian envoirment we have. David was saying last night that without all this, we'd most likely be indulged in a life of sin in love with the world. There are so many teens and children living in non christian homes with no real influence of God at all in their lives and the majority of them are pretty much encouraged to live immoral lives because of this loss. They've been lost to sin, living foolish lives based on what they want and feel. And it's so sad to think there are so many people living like that, that don't have what we have. Isn't that such a smack of reality?

We should be so unbelievable grateful for what God has blessed us with! He's so good!

My friend Amy challenged us once to write a list of all the blessings in your life. I'd encourage you to take on that challenge.

"Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!"

In His Grace,

Kylie

(ps. Just to clarify, I want to make sure that you all know that all sin is counted equal in God's eyes and I am not saying that we are in any way less sinful or better than anyone else.)

Friendship and Loving Others

"Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls for he has no one to help him up." Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 New King James Version

I have been blessed with so many amazing, godly friends. I am in no way an expert on frienship, and I have much to learn about loving others, but despite that I am going to touch on several aspects of friendship starting with choosing friends wisely.

I have been blessed with so many wise, god fearing friends who are constantly leading me back to the cross. Proverbs 22:24-25 says:

"Make no friendship with a man given to anger,nor go with a wrathful man,or you will learn his ways and find a snare for yourself."

Friends have such a strong influence in our lives. Hanging out with the wrong people can be very harmful to you, and it can change you. There was a time in my life where I was hanging out with the wrong kind of people and my heart grew bitter and hateful because of the influence I was getting from those 'friends'. This verse is very true in the way that it says you will learn their ways, its almost a monkey see monkey do type reaction. But if you are friends with the wise, you will become wise, and you can help eachother grow. I have been blessed with such amazing wise friends who are constantly helping me grow, I am able to speak with them openly about areas of sin in my life that I am struggling with and they are always there to pray for me and give me verses and advice. Praise the Lord! My friends have saved me from believing satans lies over and over again and I could not be more grateful.

"A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity." Prov 17:17

Friends are loving. Always. A person who is bitter and unfaithful to a friend, is not a true friend at all. My friends are constantly showing this to me. There have been several times where I have been unkind or lashed out on my friends, but they have loved me just the same. When I'm upset they comfort me, and when I rejoice they rejoice. Thomas Jefferson once said, "When it hurts too much to look back, and you are too afraid to look ahead; look beside you and a friend will be there." That is love, and again I must say that love in friendship is such an amazing thing.

"This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. " John 15:12-15

This verse says it all, love one another God loves us. God's love is unconditional, it is not changed by anything we might say or do, and that is the way friendship should be.

I am so grateful for the love that is portrayed by all my friends. There have been so many long talks, confrontations, tears and joyful memories...And I know have already said this so many times before but thank you all for your amazing example of God's love. :) "If you live to be one hundred, I want to live to be one hundred minus one day so that I'd never have to live without you." :)

In His Grace,

Kylie

Stand On Your Feet

Hullo all.
So, I was reading Ezekiel yestreday and today. What was shown to me is absolutely amazing.

Ezekiel was, of course, an Old Testament prophet. He went to Babylon, during the reign of king Jehoiachin of Judah. Most of Ezekiel chapter one is a vision that Ezekiel has of the LORD. I won't give you the whole thing, because it's almost an entire chapter. But let me give you pieces of it. (I encourage you to read the whole thing, too. It'd only take a few minutes.) The verses I'm going to use are all over the passage.

"As I looked, behold, a stormy wind came out of the north, and a great cloud, with brightness around it, and fire flashing forth continually, and in the midst of the fire, as it were gleaming metal....And from the midst of it came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance: they had a human likeness...Under their wings on their four sides they had human hands. And the four had their faces and their wings thus: their wings touched one another. Each one of them went straight forward, without turning as they went.... As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, like the appearance of torches moving to and fro among the living creatures. And the fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning....Now as I looked at the living creatures, I saw a wheel on the earth beside the living creatures, one for each of the four of them....And their rims were tall and awesome, and the rims of all four were full of eyes all around....Over the heads of the living creatures there was the likeness of an expanse, shining like awe-inspiring crystal, spread out above their heads. ²³And under the expanse their wings were stretched out straight, one toward another. And each creature had two wings covering its body. And when they went, I heard the sound of their wings like the sound of many waters, like the sound of the Almighty, a sound of tumult like the sound of an army. When they stood still, they let down their wings....And above the expanse over their heads there was the likeness of a throne, in appearance like sapphire; and seated above the likeness of a throne was a likeness with a human appearance. And upward from what had the appearance of his waist I saw as it were gleaming metal, like the appearance of fire enclosed all around. And downward from what had the appearance of his waist I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and there was brightness around him. Like the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud on the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness all around."

At the sight of all this, Ezekiel, probably terrified and awestruck, falls flat on his face. After all, he's looking right at God! God, surrounded by angels of a frightening sort, with shining stuff and eyes and fire all over the place. Given that no one is allowed to behold the face of God, I think anybody in their right mind would fall on their face.
Here's the awesome part. Check out, chew on, and ponder what YHWH says to Ezekiel, the lowly man amongst these heavenly creatures.
"Son of man, stand on your feet, and I will speak with you."
Holy Schamoly! Stand on his feet? He's in the presence of Jehovah, for crying out loud! Why did God tell him to stand up?

Honestly, I don't know. No idea why He'd tell Ezekiel to get up. But it's a type of sort. (In case you haven't been through my history class, a type is "A person or thing (as in the Old Testament) believed to foreshadow another (as in the New Testament.)" Think about it.
We're a pack of ungrateful, rebelious, independent, finite traitors. Beholding God, we should do more than fall on our faces. You know what He would be justified in doing? Tossing us into hell, eternal death and seperation from him. But what does He say to us instead? "Stand on your feet. I love you. I love you so much that I died for you. See the scars on my hands, my side? I took that for you. I drank the entire cup or wrath that you'd stored up for youself." What a gracious, loving King!

Ever after

Yestreday, a Metro train or two crashed. I know that, as of last night, 6 people were known to be dead. It's absolutely tragic. But, at the same time, I think it serves as a good wake-up call for us. Ever think about how short life is? You look back on your sixth grade class, and it feels almost like yestreday. (Those who are out of high school can probably relate more to how brief the years really are.) New Years rolls around time and time again, and you realise that last New Years wasn't really too long ago.
Here's the question: what if you don't live until you're 70?
Possible? Sure. Probable? Not really sure I can say. In Psalm 90, Moses asks God to "teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom." (vs. 12) In Luke 12, Jesus tells the parable of the rich fool (you know, the "Eat, drink, be merry" fellow.) I'd encourage you to read through both of those if you need a refresher. (Josh Harris did a message a while back on Luke 12. covlife.org)
Essentially, we shouldn't put off important things until later. Why? Well, to be quite frank, we don't know if we're going to be alive tomorrow. That means anything important: God, your Bible, your parents, your siblings, talking about important things with your friends. That is not to say that one can never relax, but one should not put off what is necessary for what will not last beyond the moment.

Straight and to the point, I hope. This might be my record for shortest post... :-)
Oh, please pray for those hurt in the Metro accident, and the families of those who have died.

Borrowing

I found this link on the Rebelution site, and thought it was good. Check it out!
http://www.boundless.org/2005/articles/a0002045.cfm#share
Ad majorem Dei gloriam.
~E.K.