How many Christians...

…does it take to change the world?

On Sunday, my family went to a very special Colorado Rockies game. The Rockies are known as a Christian Team, and every summer they have “Faith Day”. Basically, you come to an afternoon game, and stay afterward for a certain Christian music artist concert. This year, MercyMe was asked to do it. As we found this out right around my Dad’s birthday, we decided to buy him an experience instead of a present. He was very excited and we all anticipated it eagerly. We had a great time at the game (the Rockies won 4-2), but the concert was amazing. Although the sound was slightly distorted, we couldn’t really see the stage, and there were some loud, obnoxious kids behind me, I found it to be one of the most thrilling experiences of my life. Worshiping with 20,000 fellow Christians is something that brings goose-bumps to my arms and pitter-patters to my heart! We sang “I can only Imagine”, “Amazing Grace”, and ended on “I Love you Lord”. To hear 20,000 people who have hearts similar to mine was a heart-stopping experience. I felt like Jesus was standing right on home plate just beckoning for me to run to Him!

Being with that many people who know Jesus made me wonder why our country is in such bad shape. I mean, honestly, we are no longer leaning toward being a Christian country. Abortions take place every day, gay marriages are legal in some states, and euthanasia is being talked about. If we were truly a Christian country, these things would not be taking place.

I think our world has gotten this way because the Christians have let it become that way.

I know that sounds a bit harsh, but if each of those 20,000 Christians at the baseball game had gone out and done something to change a small part of our world, don’t you think it would have made a noticeable difference? And if every Christian no matter what country, spent their lives reaching out to others and spreading God’s word, wouldn’t it make a huge difference? I’m almost positive that it would.

We as Christians have become lazy and content with sitting back and letting someone else do the hard work. We don’t want to have to face persecution or rejection, so we sit at home reading our Bibles but not acting upon what God commands us to do.

1 Peter 2:16 says, “Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants for God.” Does this verse say, “Do as little as you possibly can while still believing in God”? NO! It says to live as servants to God. We must obey our Lord and follow wherever He leads us.

I want to commit to being a world-changer. I want to do something to make my country become a Christian nation. Paganism and corruption are rampant, but I can stand against it. It will not be easy, and it will take a lot of prayer and persistence, but I believe God will bless me on my journey. I hope to be successful, but even if I fail, I know God will be pleased.

So…How many Christians does it take to change the world?

Terms of Respect

Before reading this blog please watch this video…

Now, most of you probably have heard of this incident with Senator Barbara Boxer. It has been plastered all over the news and the internet. My dad was the first one who showed me this clip, and I was very angry at Senator Boxer. Well, I didn’t like her in the first place because of some of the things she has done, but this angered me greatly.

How could she ask an army general to not call her “MA’AM”?? The poor general was just following protocol and she has the audacity to tell him that she’s worked hard for her “title” and she would rather he use that term rather than “ma’am”! I couldn’t believe she would say something to a man who has worked with great diligence to earn his title! Do you think if she called him “sir” that he would ask her to call him “general” because he worked hard for it? I think this is absurd. Apparently Senator Boxer doesn’t know that “ma’am” is a term of respect, not a put-down.

It angered me to know that Senator Boxer could put down a man who fights for her own country. And yet, the general complied with her haughty request, and called her “Senator Boxer” instead of “ma’am”. I don’t think I could have done that. If I was in the general’s place, I would have called her “Senator” but with a lot of sarcasm.

I respect the general greatly for obeying her when it would have been easy to disregard her wishes. That takes a lot of self-control!

This whole incident concerning titles and terms of respect got me to thinking. I paralleled it with the times in the Bible when Jesus walked on this earth. Do you think Jesus was called by the names that were respectful to Him? Shouldn’t he have been called the Messiah, Almighty, Prince of Peace, and the Son of God?

And yet He was beaten, and mocked. The soldiers called Him the “king of the Jews”, but it was not meant as a term of respect, it was a slam against who He was. The soldiers did not believe that He really was God’s Son, so they mocked Him mercilessly. Throughout His time on earth, He was scorned, beaten, crucified, and disregarded. Jesus deserved the highest of praise, and yet He accepted the lowest of insults.

Should Senator Boxer be so concerned about her title? She is but a woman on earth for a short time only, and yet she is concerned about what she is called. Jesus should have been called Christ, and yet He was called a liar. Jesus was not concerned about His title, but about what kind of legacy He was leaving behind.

Jesus showed that a title does not matter here on earth. We are all equal in God’s eyes, therefore no one is higher than another. Perhaps Senator Boxer should be more concerned about what she does in office rather than what name she is called by.
Jesus should have been called the Lion of Judah, the Word of God, Christ, the King, and the author of Life, and yet we still scorn His name. Perhaps we should all take a lesson from Him.

Apples

This week my cousins are here. I have been enjoying my time immensely, and have learned some great things from all of them! On Thursday night, my cousin Johanna and I stayed up until 3 AM just talking about the things that we struggle with. If you know me very well, you will know that I am NOT a late night person! I can barely keep my eyes open past ten o’ clock, so staying up until three was a big deal for me (and yes, I paid for it dearly the next day…). Johanna thinks just like me in so many ways, we can almost finish each other’s sentences! We talked a lot about what is wrong with this world, how purity of mind is just as important as purity of body, but mostly about what we are tempted to do. We both agreed that when we are tempted, we feel dirty inside, regardless of whether we fell into the temptation or not. Johanna said that even though she usually resists temptation, it still leaves a mark on her heart. I agreed with her completely, and felt that finally someone understood how I felt when I was tempted!

Although we may feel dirty, being tempted is not a sin. Really. It is when we give into that temptation that it becomes a sin.

We have to get used to the idea that we are going to be tempted. Temptation entered into the world the moment Eve took a bite of the apple. Satan now has the power to tempt us with whatever he can use to make us stumble. He cannot make us actually fall, but he can place the stumbling blocks right in our paths to trip up our lives.

Although I wish it was not so, it is a part of my everyday life. I am tempted daily, sometimes more than once. I am tempted to cheat on my schoolwork, struggle with my parents, lash out in anger at my siblings, make up a story to be funny, compromise my standards to fit in, do a job sloppily, not live the life that God intends for me, and so much more. Although these are only some of the many temptations I face, these are the ones I struggle with often.

Everyone has different temptations, so I think it is a good idea to write them out. That way, when you feel that tug on your heart to give in to that temptation, you can resist! Find some scriptures that counteract your temptation so that you can use the Word of God which is sharper than a two-edged sword to battle it! It will not be easy to overcome.

The story of Adam and Eve has always been one that brought tears to my eyes. I have often felt angry at them for giving in to temptation, resulting in their banishment from the Garden of Eden. I have often wished that I could go back to that day and tell them to resist so that I can live in the luxury of the Garden where there is no pain or death. But God has a plan, and it will bring Him glory. The apple was instrumental in the time of Adam and Eve, and we could not have been warned against temptation in a better manner.

There are many apples in our lives, and we must learn to resist them with all our might. Remember: To be tempted is not a sin! Do not feel angry at yourself for being tempted. Just make sure you are resisting that apple with all your might, so that your actions will not lead to sin. Jesus was able to resist all temptations, so we can, too.

Drastically Different

Sometimes I’m overwhelmed with the fact that I am so very different from other people my age. I’m not complaining, it’s just hard sometimes.

I love being with my family and I enjoy their presence. I enjoy movie night with my family much more than I ever enjoy a movie night anywhere else. I don’t really care for hanging out with big groups of people because I am pretty shy. Unfortunately, when you are a fifteen-year-old, a lot of things are done in big groups such as church camp, retreats, and other church activities. I choose to stay home with my family instead, so I can’t ever seem to get to the point where I’m accepted within a group of people.

I also am homeschooled, which makes me drastically different from others. My values are different from other Christian teens, I don’t always agree with everything that is done, and sometimes I am even made an outcast just because I am so different. I have been pushed to the outskirts many times based only on the reason that I am not like the others. People don’t know how to relate to me (even though I can carry on a conversation, quite well), so they don’t even try. It’s hard to be homeschooled for this reason, but I wouldn’t give it up just to fit in. I have a feeling that even if I did go to public school, I would still be different.

I wear skirts. Skirts that go below the knee, and sometimes even to the ankle. Not every day, but I LIKE wearing skirts. I had a girl come up and ask me once if I was Amish. Yeah, that was kind of weird. It’s not that I have anything against wearing pants (I even wear shorts as long as they are modest), I just truly enjoy wearing skirts and dresses. I even dress up to go to church. Most people my age don’t wear anything different to church than they would to go to a ball game, but I do. I think it’s a sign of respect toward God, and that’s just what I have always done. I wish people wouldn’t judge me based on my clothing. Aren’t we supposed to look past the outer layer? I have no problem with people who wear jeans to church. In fact I don’t think I’ve ever even thought about it! I just wish people wouldn’t think I’m weird because I wear skirts two or three times a week!!!

My mom is my best friend. I know that’s pretty unusual in the world today, but for me she is who I turn to! When people ask me who my best friend is and I tell them that my mom is, they all look at me in disbelief. I don’t have to have a bunch of friends I can turn to because I have my mom! I wish more girls realized how wonderful a close mother and daughter relationship can be!

I’m not allowed to watch certain movies, listen to certain music, or read certain books. And I’M OKAY WITH THAT. Yes, really. I don’t care if it’s “popular” or “cool”. My parents set my boundaries and I completely trust their judgment. I know that if they say, “Molly, don’t read this,” that it is for my own good! I don’t go behind my parents’ back and do things that I know are wrong, because their rules are for my protection. AND I’M STILL OKAY WITH THAT.

I may have become an outcast in this world, but ultimately, that doesn’t matter. It may be hard for a time, but I know it is more important to be doing the things God wants for me to do! The standards of this world will be thrown out and trampled on the day Jesus returns, so I need to live up to His will, not my own.

I would appreciate prayers and encouragement, because it will still not be easy. However, I am determined not to let that make me give in to what I know is wrong.

“And if on some point you think differently,that too God will make clear to you.” Philippians 3:15

One Foot Out

Almost two years ago, I attended a mother and daughter retreat with some wonderful people from my church. My mom and I were excited to go, and anxious to learn something new. We had read the description of the retreat online, and decided that it sounded like a great idea. We drove to Denver with some friends, excitedly speaking of what we were expecting out of the retreat. I often have expectations that never work out the way I had planned, and this is one of those times. We arrived for the first evening of lessons, and were sadly disappointed with what we saw. There were hundreds of teenage girls not even bothering to sit with their moms, even though it was supposed to be a mother/daughter event. This saddened both my mother and me, but we did realize that our relationship is not usual, so we didn’t think much more about it. When the speakers began to talk and tell about some very serious subjects, our hearts broke even more. The speakers may have said that they were passionate about spreading the love of God, but they seemed to make every subject easier to do nothing about. The speakers gave talks that centered a lot around worldly problems and they even gave some worldly answers. One of the speakers even used the Lord’s name in vain several times! They did several giveaways, and the screaming of hundreds of teen girls scrabbling to get the best prize was excruciatingly annoying. It was honestly hard to tell if it was a Christian conference or a mad house.

Although this experience was a long time ago, it still burdens my heart. I went to this conference hoping to learn more about Jesus and how to encourage a great relationship with my mom, but instead I got only eye-candy for the world. It was very hard to learn something from people who you definitely don’t want to be like! The girls there were not eager to learn about God, but only to get a cool prize or the latest CD. They seemed to have forgotten completely the reason for going to a conference about God, and the speakers seemed to have been disillusioned by the world’s charms.

I kept wondering throughout the whole conference if these people had never heard John 15:19? Had they never heard that we are supposed to be in the world but not of it? I was horrified that a Christian conference could be taken in by the world and Satan’s disguising tactics.

Jesus tells us that he has chosen us to be out of the world, not of it! This means that we must set ourselves apart from Satan’s worldly ploys that take in so many Christians every day. We must make a conscious choice to stay separate from the things that are so easy to make a part of our daily lives. It is not easy, but we will be rewarded for it.

It is interesting that we obviously have one foot here on earth for a short time, and yet we still have one foot in the heavens. God lets us reside on earth for any number of years no matter whether we live for Him or for ourselves. God could easily force us to serve Him, but He gives us that choice. God puts us here on earth so that we can bring glory to Him. Therefore, we must have one foot in the world (but not of it), and one foot in Heaven (but not of it until the day of our death). If we choose not to glorify God, then our eternal punishment with far outweigh the pleasure we may have experienced here on earth.

Although it is sad that so many people have two feet planted firmly into the world, we cannot sit idly by and do the same thing. We must get off our worldly cushions and glorify God through all that we have.

On the Surface

Have you ever had a conversation with someone that lasted a little while, but when you stopped talking you realized you really hadn’t said anything of lasting importance? Have you ever taken a class on an important subject and had a teacher who just barely covered the needed information? Or have you gone to a church that ignores the touchy subjects and preaches all fluff?

These things surround us every day, and yet we do nothing about them. I am blessed enough to have a wonderful church with a minister who leaves no subject untouched. My minister says what needs to be said and does not sugarcoat the words so as to make them easier to swallow. I’m so glad I can ask him a question, and he will give me an honest, godly opinion.

Although I have a wonderful church and don’t have to fight very many battles within my congregation, I do face instances everyday that hurt my heart and my soul. For instance, a little while ago, I was in a Bible class with many teenagers my own age. We were asked to find a book of the Bible, and as I flipped to it, I saw many of the Christian teenagers around me going to the Table of Contents to find the book of the Bible. This saddened me that they had not become familiar enough with their Bibles to know the order of the books. (I learned them when I was young by putting them to a melody of a song. And yes, I still sing the song in my head sometimes when I’m trying to find something!) I didn’t think much of this until the Bible teacher asked how many people had read their entire Bible. (Note: This was not a class of new Christians… These were mostly people who had grown up in the church all their lives.) I raised my hand expecting every hand to go up. Of about twenty people, only three or four raised their hands.

This surprised me greatly. I had no idea that so very few high school Christians had read their entire Bible. I didn’t know it was so unusual to have read the entire Bible, much less many times! I just assumed that every Christian had done so at some point in their life. That’s when I realized that the expectations are so low in the present culture that even Christians have succumbed to them.

It hurt me to know that even Christians who had grown up in Christian families were not taking the time to delve deeper into the Word of God.

I have often watched Christian teenagers listen to a powerfully impacting message and say they are going to change and try to do better. Unfortunately, it seems to last not much longer than a week! The hearts of teens today are so hard; it takes many blows to break them down into what Jesus would want. I feel bad for the ministers and teachers who pour their lives into changing teens, only to see results for a little while. It must be so discouraging at times.

And then something else hit me so hard, I was about knocked over.

I realized how self-righteous I was being! I was condemning all these people for not living up to God’s expectations, even though I was also failing miserably! Yes, I may have read the Bible many times, have quiet times daily, and pray, but how many times have I listened to a heart-wrenching sermon and only said, “Hmmm. That’s interesting. Someone should do something about that!” Why can’t I be the person to change that! Why can’t I make a ripple in the pond that will not just scratch the surface, but dig deep into the very core of the lives of people! I want to make a difference!

But I don’t know how. Or at least, I don’t want to know how. I want God to just do it all for me instead of having to work hard and serve others with my life. This is what my flesh desires, but when I was baptized, I made a commitment to serve not my flesh, but my LORD.

I’m challenging you today to choose to find a way to make a difference in someone’s life. If that is by being a good example to your fellow believers, then go for it. If it is serving as a missionary in Africa, then go for it. But whatever it is that God calls you to be, do it for Him alone. Don’t do it so that someday you will have a YWAM Heroes book about you. Don’t do it to make yourself feel righteous. DO IT FOR GOD.

The world may be a place where no one goes deep enough to learn about God and serve Him wholeheartedly, but that doesn’t mean you and I don’t have to.

A Firm Foundation

It seems to me that our world is falling apart.

That sentence is not an exaggeration; rather it is an observation that has been made by many people. So many things are going wrong nowadays. Abortion is no longer looked upon with disdain, euthanasia is becoming more widely accepted, teenagers are idiotic, and marriages are much shorter than God intended. All of these things have become normal and even expected. It breaks my heart to know that I am not a “normal” teenager, but one that is highly unusual. A “normal” teen would be doing things that I would not even like to describe.

All these things have led me to a conclusion about why our world is falling apart. We have taken a world created by God, and sucked all the godliness out of it. God’s design has been thrown out the window, and worldliness has taken its place.

Think of it this way; a builder is given instructions by his superior to build a brick house. While in the midst of the building process, the builder begins to get cocky. The builder begins to value his own ideas over the plans the superior has given him. When the time comes to place the bricks in the mortar, the builder decides that Jell-O would be a better substance for keeping the bricks in place, so he substitutes that in place of the mortar. In the end, the house comes crumbling down.

Is that not what we have done in our world? Have we not become cocky and decided that we are a better judge of our lives than God is? Haven’t we completely rejected the plans God has given us only to trade them in for plans of instant pleasure but future heartache? Why are we so set in our OWN ways?

It disgusts me to see how even I as a Christian think I know better than God does! I often make split decisions without consulting God, and I always regret them later. Sometimes my selfishness takes over, and I decide that I will just do what I want so I can have that instant gratification.

God has given us all consciences to guide us in everything that we do, but we often shut them out so we don’t have to take the time to see if our choices are good ones. We need to listen to our God-given consciences so we will not make choices that will require future consequences! Perhaps that little voice in each of our heads is there for a reason! Perhaps we should listen to it once in a while!

One of my favorite analogies in the Bible is that of the man who builds his house on a rock opposed to the man who builds his on sand. When we choose to follow the plans God has given us, we are choosing a firm foundation…one that will never falter. But when we choose our own directed path, it is only a matter of time before the sand shifts beneath our feet.

I hope you and I alike will be able to make the conscious choice to build upon solid rock and follow the plan God has prepared for your life. I pray that the world will see that they are replacing the mortar with Jell-O and will decide to change their wicked ways.