Cool Video

Look at this sweet video.

Pictory

Pictory is a website that combines stories and pictures. I really suggest bookmarking it. Spend time looking through the showcases. They are really powerful.

http://www.pictorymag.com/

Hate, Murder, Judgement, Mercy

Then the LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it.

"Now Cain said to his brother Abel, "Let's go out to the field." And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.

Then the Lord said to Cain, "Where is your brother Abel?" "I don't know," he replied. "Am I my brother's keeper?"

The Lord said, "What have you done? Listen! Your brother's blood cries out to me from the ground.

This is part of the story of Cain and Abel from Genesis Chapter 4. I only have one older sister and I have never really grown up with her. I don't think I have ever hated her. I know for a fact I have hated other people in my life though. I have never hated someone so much that i wanted to murder them though. There is a part in Matthew chapter 5 where Jesus says, "You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.' But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment.

What I got from this statement is that hating somebody is the same as murdering somebody. After Cain kills Abel, the Lord said that Abel's blood was crying out to him. I wonder what that sounded like. I also wonder the pain that God goes through when he hears that. This really convicted me not to be hateful towards others. I don't want God to hear that sound.

It is especially hard for me to show mercy for people who I felt have wronged me. My basic reaction is have anger and resentment stored up inside me. By being merciful however, I can be an example. 1 Timothy 1:16 says "But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life."

I'm going to end with Hebrews 4:16. "Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need."

The Gift

I’ve got a gift and it blew me a way
From the far eastern sea straight to here

And suddenly
You’ve done it all
You won me over
In no time at all

Green trees were the first sign
The deepest blue, the clearest sky
The silence came with the brightest eyes
And turned water into wine
The children ran to see
The parents stood in disbelief
And those who knew braced for the ride

Like God himself is coming home to say

I, I can do anything
If you want me here
And I can fix any thing
If you let me near
Where are those secrets now
That you're too scared to tell
I'd whisper them all aloud
So you can hear yourself

Children

An awesome example of 1 Timothy 4:12

http://charitywater.tumblr.com/post/366957421/campaign-to-watch-beans-n-rice-for-a-month

So last night in bible study, we talked about having faith like child from Matthew 18. Now since my car decided to swallow my study book, I can't remember the questions that it asked. One of the questions I remember however, asked: What qualities does a child posses that makes us want to have faith like a child? My answer went along the lines of a child is humble, willing and eager to serve their parents/master. So when i stumbled on the link above, all the qualities i listed applied. My mind pretty much exploded when I saw this. Because of this child I got a glimpse of why a child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Freedom!

The following was inspired by Romans 3:21-31.

Being considered not-guilty is through faith. We don’t brag about the fact we don’t have to do anything for it, but are so happy that God has given us a free gift that we continue to live out the life He wanted us to in the Law. But does this happen? Mostly we take our free gift of being not-guilty and keep it selfishly to ourselves. We are afraid to tell others or step outside the box and live out our free gift (befriend those that no one would befriend) because we are afraid of the repercussions of this world. We don’t live the life that this gift of freedom gives. We should feel free to live out a life for God but we feel so trapped because of the world around us and the controlling ideas of addiction it entices you with. You don’t need a cell phone, the internet, a car, a boyfriend or girlfriend to be satisfied or more importantly free. These things can be good, but also addicting.

God gave Himself so that we all could have freedom in Him. Do you really know what freedom is? Do you think it is your parents being gone for the weekend or not having to go to work which provides an escape to do whatever it is you want? This isn’t going to make sense to those who do not believe in Jesus Christ. They will see freedom in doing what they want which is influenced by what the world thinks freedom is, but true freedom comes only from Jesus Christ. God gives the free gift of being considered not-guilty which allows a person to live a life of freedom, because living a godly life, though at times difficult, is freedom.

For those reading this you might agree and start reading a certain book of the Bible and praying more. Let’s say that you make it a week reading your Bible and praying but in the process you get board or do not “feel” that God is with you. And this is only after a week! It is time to question how caught up in this world you are! Why do you need results now? Is it because we have fast food restaurants where we can get food 24/7, or cell phones that help us never miss a text, or ipods so we can listen to any of our favorite songs whenever we want? All of the following are instant rewards. You want it you can get it! It has to happen today or tomorrow at the latest.

You are stuck in the addiction of being entertained and satisfied by your own worldly means. God gave freely so you could be free. Are you able to leave your cell phone at home or walk through a hall full of people without using your ipod? Is this freedom? Is it freedom not being to go somewhere without your cell or ipod? Is it freedom to always have something like music or the tv on in the background when you are working on a project totally unrelated to those? It sounds like you are in a prison of technology and “me.” You are unable to turn of the television or radio and sit in a room or go on a walk in silence with nothing there to distract you. Get away from all of the music, movies, rings, and dings of this world to a place of silence and freedom that Christ Jesus gave with His life. Jesus is not saying that you have to be Amish, but just take half an hour to an hour each day to get away from this prison that the world labels as free. Be free in God. It is the only way.

It is a free gift to freedom, but it isn’t easy. It means denying what this world values. Cell phones and ipods are not bad, but they can be addicting. If you are a Christian how much more time do you spend listening to your ipod, watching television, or talking/texting on your cell phone in comparison to praying and reading your Bible? Be honest! Freedom begins in putting the importance of God in front of your television, cell phone, and ipod. As you begin to do this like stated above you may want to stop because you aren’t “feeling” freedom from God. Don’t stop, great things like freedom are worth working for. If it was easy everyone would do it, but freedom takes work. Begin with 15 minutes a day four days a week. Get away from technology and spend your time in silence either reading your Bible or praying.

If you go for one month begin to build upon it. This may mean going from 15 minutes to 20 minutes or four days to five. It doesn’t matter just add on. If you don’t make it for a month take away. Freedom is worth struggling and working for, and as you continue on this path you will grow in freedom with God that eliminates these illusions of freedom (ipod, cell, television, ect.). There will be days where you see you are no longer dependent on having your ipod with you or “needing” the television on in order to do your homework. There will also be days where it isn’t as easy, but freedom is worth it. Jesus came freely and died for us so we could have freedom in this world through Him. It is the free gift of being considered not-guilty and part of His family. All are invited. Do you want a life of freedom?

The Last 10 Years

I remember 10 years ago I had just started school in Colorado. I had moved from England and probably had an accent. I was in the process of making friends. There was no way my little 8 year old mind could predict what would happen in the coming decade. I became permanently saved. I accepted Jesus as Lord in my heart and mind. I pursued Him and followed Him. I became friends with Him. Jesus says this, "I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you." He is the best friend that I have. A friend who is selfless, who promises me eternal life. John 4: 14 is a great verse. I urge whoever is reading this to look it up.

A new decade approaches and my 18 year old mind cannot predict what will happen this decade. There is only one thing I will know, i'll be 28 when it's over. And with that, I leave the rest to my Lord.