A Resolution

I was really touched by a pastor friend of ours whom we have known for a very long time. I don't even remember when was the last time I saw him, probabaly a couple years ago, but he left Texas when I was probably 6 or 7 (wow, it was a long time ago, I don't even remember). But after all these years, he still keeps in contact with us, visits us whenever he's in town or just gives us a little phone call. It's amazing how out of all the people in our old church, my family is the one he remembers. But the one thing that really touched me was when he told us that every Friday, he prays specifically for my family. I find that so encouraging, that after all these years he even sets a specific day to pray for us every week.

I'm not sure if you are already doing this, but I'd like to encourage you to incorporate prayer with your Bible reading. To be more specific, I'd like us to take up this challenge...
CHALLENGE: Choose a specific person to pray for on a specific day (ex. Joe on Monday, John on Tuesday, Jeremy on Wednesday, etc. whoever your friends/family are) and pray for that person once every week.

I'm doing it. Take this challenge with me. If you feel comfortable, you can share any prayer requests you'd want the bloggers to pray for in the comment section. Happy New Year! You know, I have a good feeling about the year 2009. Something BIG is going to happen this year.

As a little extra, I'd like to share this blog by Anberlin's singer Stephen Christian that really touched me and might touch you as well:
http://modesty.blogspot.com/2008/12/reject-acceptance-accept-rejection.html

*Wow, a lot of things touched me! Sorry, I've got no other word to describe it.

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday Jesus! Thank you so much for sacrificing so much for all of us sinners. You have given us the greatest gift of all, eternal life with you. There are some awesome gifts out there, iPods, CDs, Games, Toys, Movies... But nothing compares to you. Thank you so much! Please remind us of that day, the day you came to earth and the day you saved the world. I Love You sooo much! Happy Birthday.

YPC

Okay, I have been working on the site for 2 days, and I have most of the functions working. I think this website will help with the expansion the group, also it is a good way to get the word out.
http://caprockypc.tk/
Please feel free to explore, register, and comment on anything.
P.M me (emorocker or admin) for any problems that you encounter.

I Look Towards the East and See a Star

It seems that I've been observing some people around me and becoming more and more thankful for the life I have. I have seen a recently married couple leaving in two separate cars one night. When one pictures newlyweds, they often see a handsome man and a beautiful woman, basking in each other's love and exchanging smiles. Love is still in the air after honeymoon. But this couple I saw...they didn't get married because they were in love. They got married for immigration papers. Married and living in separate houses with separate lives.

On the other side of town is a woman raising her grandchild, waiting for her young, rebellious, unmarried daughter to come and take responsibility for her child. The child's father? Forget it.

They are only representatives of many more people out in the world with messed-up lives and broken homes. How can two people be married not because of love? What will happen to the child when he grows up and wonders who his parents are? Honestly, how many more people in the world are living lives like that--even worse? The world is not wonderful. It is dirty, left out, dying, and drenched in sin. So how in the world are these people supposed to find hope and peace on Christmas?

These are the people that Jesus came to save. He came to give us peace on earth. We use these terms so often--"Peace on Earth," "Hope," "Joy to the World"--but why? How can they say such things when they don't even believe in who brings the peace, hope, and joy of Christmas?

As Christians, we should be thankful for the hope that we have in Jesus. We've complained about how hard life is with Him, but we've never stopped to think how much harder life would be without Him.

What we need to do is give. Give until there's nothing left, and even if the world doesn't listen, we need to keep trying.

*Sorry to quote so many songs!

Why the World Hates Christians

http://www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/12/05/atheists.christmas/index.html

This is Christianity to the Christians: Jesus, worship, peace, church, missions, youth group, Bible, love, joy, help, teaching, singing, hope, family, etc.

This is Christianity to everyone else: religion, hate, hypocrisy, conservatism, boredom, modesty, slavery, disappointment, anger, discouragement, rules, etc.

If Christianity on the inside is something good and beautiful, why is it, that on the outside, it appears to be a complete mess?

You may or may not agree with me. I addressed an issue like this in a past blog entitled, "Cool Jesus." I feel very strongly about this: Christianity in America needs reform.

When one hears the word "church," he thinks of a solemn service, chanting hymns, a quiet prayer, a long sermon...the modern world has attempted to change that by creating a lively service, adding a band to enhance worship and having the pastor preach in jeans and sandals. Not only have they changed the service, but they added other things as well to attract the audience. The average large church today has a bookstore, a coffee shop, and a playground--one can easily mistake the place for a mall or an airport.

So what are the Christians doing wrong? They are gathering people, entertaining them, and leaving them empty--again. This is why America says that God, Christianity, and church doesn't work.

After Jesus' ascension into heaven, the very first churches that emerged were nothing like churches today. Roman governor Pliny wrote of them to Trajan in A.D. 111, "They [the Christians] affirmed that the sum of their crime or their error, whichever it was, was this: they used to meet on a stated day before light, and to sing among themselves, in turn, a hymn to Christ, as to a god, and to bind themselves by an oath, not to any wickedness, but that they would never commit theft, or robbery, nor adultery; that they would never break their word, that they would never deny a trust when called to give it up; and after these performances, their way was to separate, and then meet again to partake of ordinary food." A song, a lesson, a few refreshments.

Christianity was never intended to be a religion. The cliche is true: it's not a religion, it's a relationship with God. I believe that God and Christianity is a turn-off in America because it is not what it's supposed to be. In a third-world country such as Africa, missionaries are seeing more changed lives there than in the United States. Things there are much simpler; things here need to be grand.

I am personally proud of my church. All we have is a small building and a little band that just does whatever as long as people are able to follow along. We don't have a thousand members; we have but 70-80 people in our congregation. But here is what makes us different: we all know each other; we all love each other. Here is our church motto: anybody, everybody. Of course, we don't tolerate sin; but no matter who you are or what you've done, we'll take you in and love you.

So what is one to do? I believe the answer is simple. Jesus told us, "This is my command: Love each other."

If the world saw the Christians as a loving group of people, we would be seen, embraced, and envied--and everyone would want to be a part of it.

And that's how things are supposed to be.

Finding Beauty in the Heart

All of those Models we see in Magazines, Signs, in Commercials might be real people but they have had a lot of work done. There is so much behind the scenes that we know nothing about. Here is a video to prove it.

http://www.campaignforrealbeauty.com/flat4.asp?id=6909

The Women and Models that little girls look up to can't be considered as role models. I feel so sorry for girls who try to compare themselves to them when it is impossible to do!!!

The world revolves around beauty, everyone revolves around beauty.



That is why all these beauty companies make so much money. They get women to believe that if you buy their product you will be beautiful. No matter what they do, women will never be beautiful enough in their eyes. We, as children of God, should focus ourselves on the beauty of our heart. How we present ourselves through our actions is way more important. I'm not saying women shouldn't take care of themselves and be sloppy. We just obsess over ourselves, spending hours looking in our full length mirrors trying to figure out what is wrong with us and how we could be if only we had longer hair, a smaller nose, a better tan, to just be skinny...etc. The list goes on and on. Rather, spend all of that other time with Jesus. He brings the joy out in us. :)

What's Wrong with the World?; What's Wrong with Me?

"The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life." -John 12:25

I don't know everything, but I think I can assume correctly that none of us have any significant addictions. My parents and everyone else can sigh with relief as I say loud and proud--no, I am not addicted to drugs or alcohol. However, I find that I am addicted to something probably even worse than those:

Myself.

There's always one main thing I learn from our reading. When we were in Proverbs, the big thing that stuck out to me was wisdom. Now in John, I think what I'm learning the most is humility and denying myself. For so long, it seems like I've been so into myself lately. Sometimes, instead of praying for an array of things such as my family, church, etc., I fill the entire prayer crying out for myself, saying, "Why does life have to be so difficult? Why can't I have more good friends (I am so thankful for Grace; why can't there be more people like her??)? Why can't I write any good music or play my instruments well enough? Why does so-and-so have to be in the government? Why doesn't the world understand?" I know my problems are probably not like other peoples' problems, but everyone has their own. I understand David cried out to God as well, and there is nothing wrong with praying for yourself and venting out frustration to God. However, it does become a problem when you begin to focus only on your problems. Here is my main problem: what is wrong with the world?

It was during my Bible class when I began to see that it wasn't the world that was the problem; it was me. The Bible teacher on my DVD stated that self-pity is selfish. It's selfish to always be concerned about yourself. Jesus was the ultimate of example of denying self. Jesus, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, entered the world, not in a glittering carriage or limousine, but in a dirty manger, born to average, unknown parents whom He created yet had to obey even though he could easily wipe them off the face of the earth. He was rejected in his hometown, most people only loved Him because He could heal, and on the night He was arrested, a time when He was going through unbearable anguish, He prayed in the garden--alone, while His disciples slept on. Jesus never focused on Himself, only on His Father, on others--on us.

Now the problem changes: it's not "what's wrong with the world?"; it's "what's wrong with me?" Perhaps, rather than focusing on myself and how others can change for me, I should focus on others and how I can change for them. We are to be like Jesus. If Jesus was a servant, then I should be a servant as well. Instead of waiting for people to give to me, I will give to them first. The best way to escape the valley is to climb the mountains beside. It's not easy, but it's better.

"When in disgrace with fortune and men's eyes,

I all alone beweep my outcast state,

And trouble deaf Heaven with my bootless cries,

And look upon myself, and curse my fate,

Wishing me like to one more rich in hope,

Featur'd like him, like him with friends possess'd,

Desiring this man's art, and that man's scope,

With what I most enjoy contented least:

Yet in these thoughts myself almost despising,

Haply I think on thee,--and then my state

Like to the lark at break of day arising

From sullen earth, sings hymns at heaven's gate;

For thy sweet love remember'd such wealth brings

That then I scorn to change my state with kings"

- William Shakespeare ("Sonnet 29")