Friday, May 30, 2008

Your Life, Why Keep Faithful In It

Faith. This word describes Christianity so much. Hebrews 11:1 gives its description.

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

That's what Christianity is. But it's not that simple. Keeping that faith in this world is hard. Many people lose their faith in Christianity around college. Sometimes by finding reasoning and human science more "real" than faith. Though it mostly occurs when someone gives in to their sinful nature and joins other people who look like their having fun. This brings me to a verse. Psalm37:1-2 says,

Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of those who do wrong; for like grass they will soon whither, like green plants they will soon die away.

This is what will happen to those who give in to their sinful nature. God will make them fall, and then fade away. So you guys in college or getting there, don't be envious. Or give up your faith in God's promise for sin. If you do envy them, it won't be long before you're doing the same things and be just like them by committing to the same sins. And just like them, God will make you fall, and fade away.
God's promise is not worth giving up for that. Hebrews 6:16-20 tells us what God's promise is.

Men swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument. Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where Jesus who went before us, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.

God's oath is by Himself who cannot change, and cannot lie. And if His oath in on Himself (who is eternal) than nothing will ever break this promise, and the promise will never fade or die over time. Proof of this is written in Galatians3:16-18.

The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. The Scripture does not say "and to seeds," meaning many people, but "and to your seed," meaning one person, who is Christ. What I mean is this: The law, introduced 430 years later, does not set aside the covenant previously established by God and thus do away with the promise. For if the inheritance depends on the law, then it no longer depends on a promise; but God in his grace gave it to Abraham through a promise.

430 years passed, and a the law of God did not contradict the promise God made to Abraham alone. The law it speaks of is the law God gave to Moses. The law of the Old Testament. God made sure that this law did not contradict the promise He made to Abraham.
In the last part of the passage Hebrews6:16-20 it said Jesus was a high priest. This in itself is a huge reason to praise Christ and have faith in Him. Why? In Hebrews5:1-6 it says.

Every high priest is selected from among men and is appointed to represent them in matters related to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. He is able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and are going astray, since he himself is subject to weakness. This is why he has to offer sacrifices for his own sins, as well as for the sins of the people. No one takes this honor upon himself; he must be called by God, just as Aaron was. So Christ also did not take upon himself the glory of becoming a high priest. But God said to him, "You are my Son; today I have become your Father." And he says in another place, "You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek."

This means that Jesus did not choose to go and die a painful death on the cross. He could've ignored the words of His Father, and ran away; but He didn't. He stayed and followed His Father's request. And unlike other priests, Jesus did not sin, and therefore did not need to offer any sacrifices. Because He, a pure human, CHOSE to die on the cross and pay for all of our sins. And in doing so, promise that whoever sins, and no matter what the sin, save us from it if we just have faith that He'll save us.

In total, the reason we should keep faith in God and in Christ is because God promised us that He'd save us; with an oath on Himself, that will never fade, die, be broken, or disappear no matter what is done or said towards it. This is the same kind of promise God made to Abraham. And if you don't have faith in God and His promise, and turn to sin; you'll end up as a slave to your sinful nature trying to satisfy it in any way, and in the end falling and whithering away into nothing.
God's promise cannot be broken. The Law of the Old Testament does not contradict it, nor does the promise contradict the law. Instead, the law just shows us that we sin, and this is where God's promise comes in. His promise, that if we have faith in Christ we'll be saved, saves us from the death the law has shown us.
Knowing this, I think I'll keep my Faith in Christ.

Thank You For Reading
Have Faith
Long Live Jesus Christ

Thursday, May 29, 2008

My E-mail.

Hey guys, first off I'm almost done with the next post. It should be up tomorrow or Saturday. Anyways, a few people have been "requesting" that I give my e-mail address. It's darkfire365@yahoo.com. So if anyone wants to get personal or keep in touch you can contasct me through e-mail. Thank you.

Friday, May 9, 2008

Your Life, How To Act Towards Sinners.

Hey everyone, sorry about taking so long to get a new post to you. Before I begin I'd just like to say that God worked in my life this week. On Wednesday I got up in front of my High school ministries, which is around 40 people, and gave my testimony of how God helped me during the hard times in my life. But here's the part where I needed God, I have a huge fear of public speaking. But I did perfectly fine. Any ways, I'll get started on the post.

My post is about how the Bible says to act towards sinners. I read Proverbs 24 last night and it was the perfect passage. I'll break it down in parts and explain it. In Proverbs 24:1-10 it says:

Do not envy wicked men, do not desire their company; for their hearts plot violence, and their lips talk about making trouble.
By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures.
A wise man has great power, and a man of knowledge increases strength; for waging war you need guidance, and for victory many advisers.
Wisdom is too high for a fool; in the assembly at the gate he has nothing to say.
He who plots evil will be known as a schemer. The schemes of folly are sin, and men detest a mocker.
If you falter in times of trouble, how small is your strength!

"Do not envy." It means do not wish to be like them, but instead have wisdom. The two metaphors about wisdom and knowledge mean that knowledge is the power and wisdom is what gives you the ability to control that power and use it for the right reasons in the right way that God wants you to. The part about waging war and stand at the gate blank; the war is life and your enemies to stand against and win are the trials you face. If you have wisdom you will be able to beat them. If you don't you'll be standing at the gate and fail in defeat. This is what it meant when it says faltering in times of trouble. This is ONE of the reasons why you should not envy the wicked. For they fail at wisdom and that will lead to failure.
Next in Proverbs 24:11-12 it says:

Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering towards slaughter. If you say, "But we knew nothing about this," does not he who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not he who guards your life know it? Will he not repay each person according to what he has done?

This first part means to go to those who you see committing sin and try to help them. Because when you see someone you know is committing sin and you can try to help them by telling them of God, and you don't, God will know. He will know and repay you for what you have done. This is what verse 12 meant at the end.
Next in Proverbs 24:15-16 it says:

Do not lie in wait like an outlaw against a righteous man's house, do not raid his dwelling place; for though a righteous man falls seven times, he rises again, but the wicked are brought down by calamity.

This is another reason why you should not be envious of wicked men, but instead wish to be full of wisdom and be righteous. Because even though the wicked will come and bring the righteous down, God will come help pick them up again and again. In Proverbs 24:17-18 says:

Do not gloat when your enemy falls; when he stumbles, do not let your heart rejoice, or the Lord will see and disapprove and turn his wrath away from him.

This of course means that even though you knew and tried to help them from doing what they did, you should not gloat or be happy about it. If you do, God will frown upon this and stop the punishment of the wicked, and if deserving aim it at you. Next is Proverbs 24:19-20 and James 4:4-5. They say:

Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of the wicked, for the evil man has no future hope, and the lamp of the wicked will be snuffed out.

You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. Or do you think Scripture says without reason that the spirit he caused to live in us envies intensely.

Now I bet your wondering why these verses are together. Well the verses from Proverbs give another reason to not envy wicked men, because they have no future, they have NOTHING because they do not know God.
The verses from James have a few things that need explaining. First is that back in the times when the Bible was written, "friendship" meant having great trust in what you were friends with. So when you befriend the world it means you are putting trust in the world, instead of God. This brings us to why God is envious. Well when you trust the world you're putting your faith and trust in the world. But, instead your supposed to be putting trust is God. That's why God is envious. He's envious of the world because we are putting our trust in the world instead of putting it in God like God wants us to. You see that.
But how do these go together? Well if you envy wicked people, who you just found out have no future, that means you want to be like them and even be their friend. Well this means you want to trust in someone who will fail and leave you empty and down. That's why God wants you to trust in him, because he won't leave you!!!!!
Now the last verses, Proverbs 24:21-22 says:

Fear the Lord and the King, my son, and do not join with the rebellious, for those two will send sudden destruction upon them, and who knows what calamities they can bring?

The Lord of course is God, and the King is Christ. They referred to him as the "King" because Jesus wasn't there yet. They are the two who will send sudden judgment on the wicked. This is the last reason not to envy wicked men. Because God and Christ Jesus will pass judgment and then punish them.

Okay, that is a lot of information. So I'll bring all together in something that all teenagers like me face. The in-crowd and kids that are popular for the wrong reasons. But remember that this is an example and that this can be used by anyone for anyone else.

First ask God for wisdom and become a wise person who follows God, no matter WHAT happens to you. That first must be done before you can do this.
Instead of being envious of the popular group, whom you know are only popular because they are doing wrong and who are going towards death, go and try to tell them of God and save them. Now I know what you're thinking is going to happen. Your going to get humiliated and hurt doing this, and end up being thrown down. Well remember, that even though you will fall, God will pick you up so that you can try again.
If they don't listen and their actions catch up with them and they fall, remember not to gloat and say, "I tried to tell you." Instead, go to them and tell them of God and help pick them up.
If you do this, you will end up not only helping them like God wishes, but you will probably also make a new friend whom you can continue sharing God with.

This was half of a page in the Bible. And in it was so much!!!!! So I urge you guys to read as well. It will make your life better and teach you so many things. It is also how you will gain the wisdom God wants you to have. I'm 15 and talking like this about God. So I urge you to read and learn with good intent and an open mind. And also remember,
Treat Others As You Would Want To Be Treated.

Thank You For Reading
Long Live Jesus Christ