only 4 percent

According to Enjoying Everyday Life magazine only 4 percent of teenagers today are going to become Christians. This shocked me to read even though I already know the great need to get Christ out to our youth. This should open our eyes to find out exactly where are our teens going. And not just the teens we parent (I have a long way to go for that) but all the world's teens. I believe it's vital to get to teens because they are in that huge transition of childhood to adulthood. They desire meaning in their lives and want to know where to go from here. (Even if they roll their eyes and act like they don't care.) I thank God for sending me a father who knew the importance of teaching me about Jesus' everlasting love and took me to church. But so many teens resist that because they come from families with unsaved parents or overly strict/righteous parents and live in a world that questions the Bible and they don't know where to truly turn. I think the biggest thing we need to get across to them is God's acceptance. Even Christian teens have a hard time believing that God loves and accepts them despite the mistakes they made and that holding on to Jesus will change them from the inside out without them having to try so hard. There was one girl I talk to in my youth group that had a list of things she needed to stop doing and she was telling me how hard it was and how sometimes she wants to give up. I told her how she was doing it backwards. You have to walk in love first. Love God and listen to His voice and allow Him to work in your life and next thing you know those temptations won't be so hard to conquer anymore. We have to share God's love before we give teens this long list of do's and don'ts. (After all, we have do's and don'ts we will always be working on ourselves) The youth is very important to God because their minds are fresh and they are open to faith much easier then adults.
That's why I also feel blessed to have this calling to reach out to young people. If you haven't already, check out Beyond It All Magazine dedicated to take the teen above and beyond the problems of life through the love of Jesus Christ and considering ordering or donating today.

1 Timouth 4:12 "Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity."

God doesn't debate

"Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God."
Acts 5:38-39.
I came across the above scripture the other day and had a word spoken into my heart. It saddens me to see more and more Christians involved in proving people wrong and debating certain issues and drawing people away from them then closer. So you say, they have to know what they are doing is wrong! This or that should be stopped! This law or that law should be abolished! But the real focus should be love. Faith goes beyond believing in God, faith can also be used to know that you can pray for a change and leave it alone. As it says in the scripture above, "Leave these men alone!" God will make sure that if it's not of Him it will fail.

For an example, this debate over stem cells is going too far. Christians need to stop painting themselves as these gunhoe warriors who will stop at nothing to be right. We need to learn to love, pray, and let go.

God doesn't debate, "He is slow to anger and abounding in love."

Exodus 34:6 And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, "The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness,

Nehemiah 9:17 They refused to listen and failed to remember the miracles you performed among them. They became stiff-necked and in their rebellion appointed a leader in order to return to their slavery. But you are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love. Therefore you did not desert them,

Psalm 86:15 But you, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.

Psalm 103:8 The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.

Joel 2:13 Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity.

Jonah 4:2 He prayed to the LORD, "O LORD, is this not what I said when I was still at home? That is why I was so quick to flee to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity.
Well you get the idea...

God Bless! Prayer Requests!

I am opening this blog to all of you who need or know of someone who need prayers so post!!
Praise God He will deliver!!

temporary depression is okay

Depression is seen as a negative aspect in life, that people who are depressed have no faith in life and no faith to cope. While prolonged depression is a sign of something serious temporary depression is okay. In the Bible it says that we all will deal with deep saddness and mourning. We will all feel let down or overwhelmed. Being a Christian doesn't mean you have to have a permanent smile on your face. It says in John 16:20 "I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy." Just remember in your weeping and your grief that God is there and His will is perfect for you.
In fact, Jesus experienced temporary depression in His final days on earth.

"Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, "Sit here while I go over there and pray." He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and He began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then He said to them, "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me." This is at a point where Jesus knew that He will be freeing all of mankind from their sins and that He will have victory over the devil but He still became sorrowful and asked for the responsibility be taken from Him. But the key thing to remember when we have this temporary depression is what Jesus said immediately after, "Not as I will but as thow wilt" We have to remember that God is in control of our lives and though we may "weep for a night, joy will come in the morning" (Psalm 30:5)

Reaching out to Muslims

I was listening to the radio when I heard a talkshow talking about CrescentProject.org. Crescent Project is an organization helping Christians witness to Muslims. This intrigued me because many Christians are afraid to witness to Muslims especially with the war going on and politics etc. But we have to remember it says in the Bible that "every knee shall bow"(Romans 14:11) to Jesus. It's not just some here and there but we are all God's children and we need to love everyone. Below is a synopsis of the organization I copied off the website:

"Our vision is to equip the North American Christian community to sensitively share the joy of knowing Christ with their Muslim neighbors. Personal relationships between Christian and Muslim populations are often strained or non-existent because of rampant misunderstandings that lead to fear and distrust. Our goal is to overcome misunderstandings about Islam through education so that Christians take the initiative to build friendships with their Muslim neighbors. Personal relationships open the door for discussion about spiritual issues and personal beliefs. Our approach to witnessing is best summed up by this quote taken from our training seminar:

“Our job is not to make the Muslim a Christian. Our job is to show them [Muslims] the love of Christ.”

For many years most Christians have assumed that Muslims are “too hard” to reach, and that only “experts” can adequately share the gospel with Muslims. We take the opposite view and believe that local congregations have the best opportunity to reach Muslims because they have the best opportunity to build meaningful relationships with them. "

I bolded the quote above because that is so true. The best way to witness to Muslims (and others as well!) is to not try to force the issue. Just let them know that Jesus loves them and put the seed of the word of God into their hearts and I believe the rest will be done by God. So check the website out crescentproject.org and get involved!

I WILL TELL

Hello everyone sorry I have been MIA on my blog..it's because of many personal dramas I have been dealing with the month of July but I'm thankful for the strength and maturity I'm building because of it all. I have really held on to Psalm 145. I came across it when i hit a really low point and felt like I was too weary to move. All I could do was open my mouth and pray. and it was when i was praying i was show these scriptures:

1 I will exalt you, my God the King;
I will praise your name for ever and ever.

2 Every day I will praise you
and extol your name for ever and ever.

3 Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise;
his greatness no one can fathom.

4 One generation will commend your works to another;
they will tell of your mighty acts.

5 They will speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty,
and I will meditate on your wonderful works.

6 They will tell of the power of your awesome works,
and I will proclaim your great deeds.

7 They will celebrate your abundant goodness
and joyfully sing of your righteousness.

8 The LORD is gracious and compassionate,
slow to anger and rich in love.

9 The LORD is good to all;
he has compassion on all he has made.

10 All you have made will praise you, O LORD;
your saints will extol you.

11 They will tell of the glory of your kingdom
and speak of your might,

12 so that all men may know of your mighty acts
and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.

13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
and your dominion endures through all generations.
The LORD is faithful to all his promises
and loving toward all he has made.

14 The LORD upholds all those who fall
and lifts up all who are bowed down.

15 The eyes of all look to you,
and you give them their food at the proper time.

16 You open your hand
and satisfy the desires of every living thing.

17 The LORD is righteous in all his ways
and loving toward all he has made.

18 The LORD is near to all who call on him,
to all who call on him in truth.

19 He fulfills the desires of those who fear him;
he hears their cry and saves them.

20 The LORD watches over all who love him,
but all the wicked he will destroy.

21 My mouth will speak in praise of the LORD.
Let every creature praise his holy name
for ever and ever.

what made this Psalm stand out to me was the so many scriptures talking about how we will tell of His works. We will tell of his compassion...etc. That's my goal for my magazine, my blog, my website etc. Informing so many that just don't know the blessings of the everlasting love of God. and that's why I have been struggling so much. Satan is trying to shut me up but I refuse to let him. Everytime i feel the pressure I keep repeating I WILL TELL... I WILL TELL.....