Tuesday, July 24, 2007

Addicted

On Your Christian Space (a myspace for christians) someone offered to send free copies of this dvd of the Because of the Times Conference featuring Matt Maddix. They were ranting and raving about it so I sent them my address to get it. Yesterday I received in the mail and watched it and was awed! Matt Maddix is a very young and inspiring preacher. He was talking about how we need to get addicted to winning souls! He delivered in his message in a very unique and awe inspiring way! (He jumped on his podium (causing all the elders to run and hold it down) and did summersaults in the aisles for starters. He talked about how we need to get out there and preach the Word of God to people. This forever changed my attitude. I would think well maybe my writing is changing someone, or I saved someone through my myspace...Now I have been condemned for that thinking! I have to go out and save someone! Matt Maddix talked about giving something up until you have won a soul to the Lord, so I decided to give up watching tv until I have preached to someone the good news of Jesus Christ! I am eager to share this! The first person to read this blog and e-mail me telika8@elitemail.org with your information, I will mail this dvd to you. I wish I can do more but I don't have the technology to make copies of the dvd. I promise this will change your views on evangelism! So hurry and e-mail me!

Wednesday, July 11, 2007

Warfare? Punishment? Pruning?

I just lost all my files today. I had to start over from scratch! Everything is gone! Nothing happened to my laptop physically and I don't know what physically caused this. I also don't know if this is satan and warfare against me or God giving me a message about how I'm approaching things. I have also been reading Secrets of the Vine by Bruce Wilkinson (the same author who wrote The Jabez Prayer) and he talks about how God "prunes" you by taking things away so that you can produce more fruit, just as a farmer would prune or cut away real vines to produce lots of grapes. I know I had spending lots of time on my computer and the files on here were very important to me. I know that I have spent time in prayer and in the prescence of God daily though and I decided that whatever I am lacking I am going to fix. This has also motivated me to spend as much time with Him as I can and I am going to do what I can to be more loving and caring in my marriage and to everyone! I am praying and praying on how to approach this and believing that God will work this out for my good. I am asking everyone to please pray for me that I have strength and I don't give up and I keep pressing on to do the things God desires. Last year I lost my laptop when I was in the middle of trying to get myChristian teen magazine out, It was completely destroyed in a fight with my husband and things never were the same again and I couldn't completely network because of that and eventually lost my magazine because of lack of funds etc. and now I am doing good with writing articles and my book is finished (I am hoping my agent will send me a copy back because I only had a copy on my hard drive!) now this happens. so please pray for me!!

Sunday, July 08, 2007

My Weakness

I find myself unbelievably stuck in envy these days. I have expected myself to be much more successful then I am now. I was just reading my fellow co-writer's website on this paid website I write for and just shaking my head in pure envy as I watch at how much more page views she has and how much more money she's made. She had a 9 page article on all the thousands of dollars she's made writing online. Amazing! So let me take a moment to repent and wonder why I am feeling this way. And I go to God to prayer about it and I'm wondering what's taking so long for my book to find a publisher, and why can't I get at least one loyal reader on my blog or anywhere else and I listen to God tell me that I don't stay on track. I don't do everything He needs me to do and so I fall behind and that makes things take even longer for me. So I pray and I try to stay encouraged but I fall and I know everyone falls now and then but I just keep pressing forward. But I thank God that He does this, I thank Him that he tests me and expects the best from me because I know that one day I will be strong in Him, strong enough to reach the world for Him. So I just have to get through this...

7To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 8Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. 2nd Corinthians 12:7-9

Tuesday, July 03, 2007

backslidden or mistake?

I know on this blog I talk alot about how God forgives mistakes as Christians and how He always will be working on us so we will still need improvement everyday. But's what is the difference between a Christian making mistakes or being a Christian who has completely backslidden?

I believe back sliding is when you make a conscience effort to do the opposite of God's will and when you realize it you don't ask for forgiveness. You are someone who has given up on trying to live for God and has completely turned away. Some people who has backslidden may go to church but they don't feel guilty or ask God to help them stop doing a particular sin.

For an example, a Christian who smokes. Ofcourse, there are many out there. But there are those who are praying and trying to quit and if they slip up they are asking God to help them and God is working in them. These people should not feel condemned but to continue walking in the spirit so they won't fufill the desires of the flesh (Galatians 5:16)
But the backslider will go to church but continue to smoke or drink and not feel bad about it or feel convicted.

When you know someone who is a backslider the most you can do and should do is pray. You may mention it to them but do not argue or get angry with them because this would only make things worse. Love will turn these people around to come back to God and live the way He desires. You are to live as a testimony to them and love and be kind and patiently pray. Humble yourself always don't think that you are better then them because without God where would you be?

If you are someone who has realized that you are backsliding and you feel it's too hard to give up certain things. Immediately pray and talk to God. Ask Him for forgiveness. Tell Him how you are feeling and think about all that Jesus sacrificed for you and all He has given you. You don't have to make the leap over night take it day by day in prayer, reading the Bible and meditation in His Word. Make sure you do this immediately because the longer you stay out of His will the more you are open for the attacks of the devil. (1Peter 5:8)

Galatians 5:16-26 (new living translation)
16 So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. 17 The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. 18 But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the law of Moses.
19 When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, 21 envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.
22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!
24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. 25 Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives. 26 Let us not become conceited, or provoke one another, or be jealous of one another.