Christmas

Christmas.
One of the best times of the year.

Everyone giving, family getting together, gaining lots of weight eating all the Christmas cookies, and last minute shopping.

It's easy, with all the hustle bustle of the season to forget the reason we celebrate Christmas day.

Most of everyone knows the story.
An angel.
A virgin.
A journey.
A stable.
An incredible birth.
A holy child.

Jesus, Son of God, was born in a barn on Christmas day. Laid in a manager filled with hay. Wrapped in swaddling clothes. Mary and Joseph watching over Him, cattle, sheep, and shepherds looking on, worshiping the baby King.

Yes, celebrating to remember the birth of a King. King Jesus.

But this is not the only thing I'm thinking about this season.

This is not the only thing we should be celebrating/remembering.

Yes, this baby lying in the manager is grand. But when I look at that baby in my nativity set, I see a Man.

A Man beaten.
A Man scarred.
A Man bleeding, bleeding for my sins. Bleeding for your sins.
A Man taking my place.
A Man taking in the wrath of God for me.
A Man that loved me enough to die.

This Christmas season, when you grab that last present, bake the last batch of cookies, look at the family around you, see the nativity set sitting on your shelf, remember why Christmas is so important.

It's not just about the baby lying in the manager. It's about the Man, hanging on the Cross, dying for our sins.


~tJf~

You Know

So many days come and go,
Good and bad ones,
Better and worse ones.

I may feel as though the world is just
Passing me by...
But I know,
Yes I know!

You are here,
Watching me.
Holding my hand.
You know whats going on.
You are always there watching me,
You know and You care for me!

You are my God!
Loving me no matter what,
Things will come
Beating me down.


I may feel as though the world is just
Passing me by...
But I know,
Yes I know!

You are here,
Watching me.
Holding my hand.
You know whats going on.

You are always there watching me,
You know and You care for me!

I may feel as though the world is just
Passing me by...
But I know,
Yes I know!

My God is always here
He's always watching me,
Loving me,
Caring for me!

He loves me and He loves you.
When things come into your life,
Things, you may not understand,
Don't worry....


You may feel as though the world is just
Passing you by...
But know....


He is here,
Watching you.
Holding your hand.
He knows whats going on.
He is always there watching you,
My God,
You know and You care for me!

You are always there watching me,
You know and You care for me!

For me!

Always and Forever

My God is here.
He will never let me down.
He's always by my side,
Holding me up when things seem down.

My God is there.
Always caring, always sharing
His love!
He's there in the good times,
In the times when you feel alone.

My God is now.
He's someone I can talk to,
Someone I can hold on to.
He is here now and always!

My God is always.
He's been since the beginning.
He always will be.
My God is forever and ever.

My God is here.
My God is there.
My God is now.
My God is always and forever.

Always and forever, My God is here for me.
Always and forever, He will be loving me.
Always and forever, My God is watching over me!

Always and forever,
Now and always.
Here and there,
My God is loving me!

Random Verses

We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. 7 For one who has died has been set free from sin. 8 Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. 10 For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. 11 So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. Romans 6:6-11 (ESV)

We must put away our old self and put on the new(Ephesians 4:22-24) so that we may grow in our relationship with God. If we hold on to the stuff from our old life in sin, we will not grow

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"for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light"
Eph 5:8 (ESV)

We were once in darkness, sinners, with no hope. Lost. Then, the Light shone on us.
(Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8:12)
Jesus redeemed us making us a light for the world! Now we are to shine like stars(Phil.2:15) so that others can know the love of our Savior.

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A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.
John 13:34 (ESV)

A new commandment? In the Old Testament, you see that loving your neighbor(each other) was one of the top laws. So why does Jesus call this a new commandment? Check it, 'that you love one another: just as I have loved you,'. He revolutionized the commandment. Not only are you to love each other, but love each other like Jesus has loved you! Love like Jesus loves.

A Motto

Love God.
Love Each Other. 
Love Our World.


This is my church's motto, and I'm pretty much adopting it as my own just because it's awesome.

Why is this our motto? Glad you asked.

These are the greatest commandments.

Love God.
Matthew 22: 37-38
'And He said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and all your mind. This is the great and first commandment."'

Love Each Other. Love Our World.
(pretty much the same thing)
John 13:34-35
'A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.'

But what does this mean? How do I follow this motto?

Once again, I'm glad you asked.

There was a time in my life that I thought about these things too. How do I love God? What does it mean to love each other? Love my world? Why should I do that?

My small group(yes, you should get in/start one. They rock!) went through this a few weeks ago and we came up with some awesome ideas!

Love God.


How do I love God? How I show God I love Him?
By the way I live. By how listen/read His Word. How I praise Him shows Him my love.

Love Each Other.


How do I show fellow believers that I love and care about them?
Praying for them. I listen to them when they need someone to talk to. Giving them someone they can count on. Being their friend in their lowest times. By helping them spiritually, physically, financially.

~

First, before I list the ways I love my world, I'll answer the question 'Why?'.
When you show love to others that seem like they don't deserve it, they wonder why. And why? Cause that's what my King showed me, love that I didn't deserve. When they ask why I do the things I do, I tell them it's cause my King wanted me to show others the love He gave me. In John 13:34-35, remember what it said? 'A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.'
That is why I love my world. I want to show them my King so that they too can know Him!

Anyway...

Love Our World.

How do I love my world?

By helping them spiritually, physically, and financially. Praying for them.

Pretty much the same things as loving each other.

My challenge?

Love God.

Love Each Other.

Love Our World.

~tJf~

How Deep

His glory in the sunsets,
His love deeper than the sea.
How great is His grace!
How awesome is my God.
Oh! How deep is His love for me.

He died for this lonesome sinner,
He died up on that tree.
He died for this lonesome sinner,
Yes He did this all for me!


His glory in the sunsets,
His love deeper than the sea.
How great is His grace!
How awesome is my God.
Oh! How deep is His love for me.

He rose for this lonesome sinner,
He rolled that stone out of His way.
He rose for this lonesome sinner,
Jesus Christ, He did this for me!


His glory in the sunsets,
His love deeper than the sea.
How great is His grace!
How awesome is my God.
Oh! How deep is His love for me.

He redeemed this lonesome sinner.
Washed me white as snow.
He redeemed this lonesome sinner,
He redeemed me to His Father,
Oh how deep....how deep is His love for me!!


His glory in the sunsets,
His love deeper than the sea.
How great is His grace!
How awesome is my God.
Oh! How deep is His love for me.

I see His glory in the sunsets,
I feel His love deeper than the sea.
I see His greatness in His creation,
Yes, I feel His deep love for me.

Jesus, Your love for us is deep.
Oh how deep is the love You give.
Oh how deep Your love is for sinners,
Sinners...like me!

One Savior, One Love

One Love.

One Man.

Countless sins.

Countless wounds.

Blood spilled.

Love poured out.

Sinners, made clean.

One Savior.

One Perfect Sacrifice.

One Love.

Me, a sinner, dragging through the muck of sin. My burdens, weighing down on my back. Feeling alone. I'm falling into a hole. Darkness fills my being, threatening to choke me. I can't see.

One Love.

One Man.

Countless sins.

Countless wounds.

Blood spilled.

Love poured out.

Sinners, made clean.

One Savior.

One Perfect Sacrifice.

One Love.

I fall on my face. I can't go on. My sins, burdens, pushing me down. I'm a dirty, selfish sinner, with no hope of ever getting through on my own.

One Love.

One Man.

Countless sins.

Countless wounds.

Blood spilled.

Love poured out.

Sinners, made clean.

One Savior.

One Perfect Sacrifice.

One Love.

A hand touches my shoulder. My burden begins to lift. I look up into eyes, eyes that look straight into my heart. 

Who are you?

One Love.

Who?

One Man.

I hurt.

Countless sins.

How can I get help?

Countless wounds.

What will take these burdens away?

Blood spilled.

You?

Love poured out.

Sinners, made clean.

One Savior.

One Perfect Sacrifice.

One Love.

Believe in Me. I'll take these burdens, I'll make you white as snow. Through My work on the Cross, I'll show you My love.

-The Son of God, Jesus Christ, came down to the earth. He left His seat on the right hand of God. He came and was born in a manger. He lived among us, felt what we feel, shared in our pain, wept with us.

He came and lived a perfect life. He did this for us, sinners. God loved us enough to send His Son so that we could one day live with Him and worship Him.

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life."

The world. He loved the world enough to die and raise again. He broke the chains of death. He defeated the darkness with His light.

Now we who were once lost, are made free through the blood of Jesus.

Believe in Him and He will make you a new man.

No matter how far you think you are, you're never to far for His love, His redemption, for the saving grace of Jesus Christ.

One Savior.

One Perfect Sacrifice.

One Sinner made new.

One Love.

My King

You are my King,
You are my King.
You are everything to me.
My Savior, My God,
Jesus, You are my King!

Sometimes it's hard.
Sometimes I can't see.
Sometimes I don't understand
But I know You're there!
I know You care
Jesus, You are my King!

You are my King,
You are my King.
You are everything to me.
My Savior, My God,
Jesus, You are my King!

My burden is heavy,
I feel I can't go on.
Why does this trial burden me so?

You lend me a hand,
In the shape of the Cross,
You carry me,
You take my burden away from me.
Yes Jesus, You are my King!


You are my King,
You are my King.
You are everything to me.
My Savior, My God,
Jesus, You are my King!

I bow at Your feet,
I praise Your name!
I worship You, oh my King.
You washed me clean,
You've done everything.
Yeah, You did it for me.
You gave Your life,
Jesus, You gave Your life for me.
Jesus, yes You are my King!


You are my King,
You are my King.
You are everything to me.
My Savior, My God,
Jesus, You are my King!

My King,
You are everything.
My King,
You are all I want.
My King,
You are my Savior....
Jesus, You are my King!

~t.J.f~

I Worship You

My God, My God,
You make me want to sing!
My heart sings Your praises,
My soul worships You!

I raise my hands to honor You,
I sing out my praise!
My God!
My God!
I worship You!

You deserve all the honor,
You deserve all our praise!
We raise You up,
We bow before You,
My God, I worship You!

I raise my hands to honor You,
I sing out my praise!
My God!
My God!
I worship You!

Hands raised!
Voices praise,
The name, of our God!

Our hands raised!
Our souls cry out,
We sing out our praise!
Oh, Our hands raised!
Our souls cry out,
We sing out our praise!

(Oh oh! Oh oh. Oh oh, oh oh. Oh oh! Oh oh. Oh oh, oh oh.)

I raise my hands to honor You,
I sing out my praise!
My God!
My God!
I worship You!

My God,
My God!
I worship,
Yes, I worship You!

~Teen Jesus Follower~

Just Cause

Oh why? Why would Jesus, the Perfect Lamb,
Why would He come and die,
To die for me, a selfish, dirty sheep?

Just cause,
Cause He loves us,
Yeah, He loves us so!

Jesus, the Mighty Redeemer, loved us.
That's me and you.
He loved us so much He died,
But then He smacked that ole death in the face.
Jesus, Son of God, rose again,
Rolled that stone away.

Why? Oh why did Jesus, Loving Friend,
Why would He do all this for me?

Just cause,
Cause He loves us,
Yeah, He loves us so!

Jesus, the Holy One, came to set us free.
On that tree, He died,
Died for you, died for me.
Jesus, Jesus, You set us free!

No longer are we burdened by the unsatisfying,
Worthless things, heavy laden by our sins.
Cause Your death,
Your blood,
Your love,
Oh! they have set us free.

Why, yeah why did He do this,
The Son of the Most High!
Why did He come and die?

Just cause, oh cause He loves us,
Yeah, Jesus, He loves us so much.
He was willing, willing to die.
Willing to be crucified.
Battered and broken,
He died and rose again!

Just cause, suffering and dying,
Just cause, setting me free,
Just cause, Jesus, my Savior,
Just cause He loves me, yeah, He loves me....

Rejection

With salvation, though it is free, there is a cost. This is something I learned at camp this summer.
People will tell you, being in the family of God will give you a grand life! You'll be prosperous and free! No pain!

Wrong.

Don't get me wrong, being in the family of God, being in the Kingdom IS awesome! It gives you the true joy only Jesus can bring.
Life can be great, but it might not always be easy.

"WAIT!" I'm sure you're saying. "I don't live in those countries where Christians are killed and persecuted. How is my life not always going to be the bee's knees?"

True, we are not tortured, jailed, killed for loving Jesus and being His follower, but we can still be persecuted. It's just in different ways.

Rejection

This is one that most people will face. It's one that I have personal experience with.

Rejection

To be in the Kingdom of God, to follow Jesus, there will be rejection. Not everyone wants the message, not everyone will understand.
In public schools, some people will scoff at the idea of staying pure til marriage, not getting high, or even being kind to the people that hate you. They don't understand, so they reject you. This is the kind of persecution most teenagers face. Friends turning their backs on them because of what and Who they believe.

But sometimes, its not just the unbelievers that shun you...it can be fellow Christians as well.

I think this is the kind of rejection that hurts the most. People you feel should be rejoicing with you, helping you along. People you think will be okay with your decision, the one you feel like God is telling you to make. You think they will be like 'whoa! Totally awesome! Go for it!' The reaction that hurts is 'what? You're joking...' or 'I will never speak to you again, why would you do that?'

Rejection.

It hurts, I know. It always does, but that is part of the cost.

Rejected

Following Jesus, you will be rejected, scoffed at, persecuted.

Well, this has been really uplifting hasn't it? But don't worry I have one more thing to tell you.

True, rejection hurts. At times, you want to give up trying to do anything. It just hurts so badly, but hear me say this:

When you are rejected, remember this, it is NOT you they are rejecting.

Nope.

Who they are rejecting? Let me tell you, Him. Uh huh, it's WHO's will you're following. That is the Person they are rejecting. They are turning their noses up at Jesus, not you. True, it feels like it's you, but technically they would probably still like you if you didn't know Jesus, if you didn't let Him change your life, or if you didn't 'put on your new self'. Jesus makes people uncomfortable because most don't want to change, they don't want anything to change about them or you. Change scares people, so they will harden their hearts and reject Him and His followers.

The only thing that will wake them up, well, really it's not the only thing, it's the only ONE that'll wake them up to the darkness they are sinking in is Jesus. He can change lives. His love is the only thing that can bring someone from the dark into the light. His love will shine through their doubts, their fears, their unwillingness. It just might take awhile.

Doesn't mean you should give up. You should respect their decision, but never give up. Just live a life for Christ and they will see. Show His love. Show His mercy. Show His works. Be His light shining in a world of darkness(Phil. 2:15).



Also, on a side note, I have found this out and the camp pastor mentioned this too.
When you are rejected, it forms a closeness to God you wouldn't have otherwise. He won't give you trials He doesn't think you can't handle. He sometimes 'prunes'(John 15) the branches to make them stronger.

~Teen Jesus Follower~

I Need You

I am broken,
I am weary,
Depressed, tired, and lonely.
I'm on my knees,
Searching for You,
Hear my cry, oh God, see my tears.

God, I need Your help,
I need Your wisdom to follow.
God, I need Your help,
I need Your hand to hold on to.
I need, yeah I need You!

My heart, so full of holes,
Aches, down deep inside.
Dreams have fallen through my fingers,
Hopes, blown away like sand.
What, oh what can make this heart of mine whole again?

God, I need Your help,
I need Your wisdom to follow.
God, I need Your help,
I need Your hand to hold on to.
I need, yeah I need You!

Fill these holes, soothe my aches.
You are the only One that can.
Take my tired, weary soul,
Make it whole again!

God, I need Your help,
I need Your wisdom to follow.
God, I need Your help,
I need Your hand to hold on to.
I need, yeah I need You!

I'll trust that You know what's going on,
I'll see what You have in store.
You'll heal my broken spirit,
You'll quench my thirsting heart!

You know that I need You,
You'll help me they way I need.
I may not understand the picture,
the puzzle pieces don't seem to fit,
But I know You're always near me.

Every time, anytime, all the time,
You know when I need You!

So God, hold my hand,
I need You here tonight.
I need You to lean on,
To help me through.

I need You, oh God, I need You!
I need You!

~Teen Jesus Follower~

Romans

So I have a friend who recommended I read and study Romans and I and II Corinthians. So far I've gone through Romans and thought I'd write down what notes I'd written on certain passages! I know there is a lot more I could write down, but these are the things that stood out to me.

-
Romans 3:20
'For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.'

No matter what I do, I'll never be good enough. The Jews that were pretty much the picture of perfectness, even they couldn't work their way to the top. They followed every rule and still fell short.

-
Romans 3:21-26
'But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.'

No one is exempt from His grace.
No matter how far you feel or how far gone they seem, God will still love you/them. If you think they don't deserve it, you need to remember, neither did you.

-
Romans 6:1-14
What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.
For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin. 8 Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.
Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.'

Just because you are saved, that doesn't mean you can just do whatever. You know, then ask for His grace again and again. You aren't living a new life in Christ. Vs 6, when your old self dies, LEAVE IT DEAD. Live with a new life that brings Him glory. A life that'll show others His love.

-
15 What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! 16 Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? 17 But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, 18 and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness. 19 I am speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification.

20 For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. 21 But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. 22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 6:15-23 (ESV)

Slaves of righteousness. Whatever you are a slave to, it'll show in how you live. If you are a slave to acceptance(as in, liked by other people), you will spend your time focusing on what other people think about you. You'll be upset if you think people don't like you, or that you feel like you don't belong. You won't be satisfied with the acceptance of Christ. Same with if you are a slave to an addiction, people will see that this is your 'master'.
If you are a slave to righteousness you will grow in the way you love, give, and in knowledge of God's Word. That, if you are truly following, will seep into every part of your life. It'll affect the people around you. It'll be obvious Who your 'Master' is.

-
30 What shall we say, then? That Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained it, that is, a righteousness that is by faith; 31 but that Israel who pursued a law that would lead to righteousness did not succeed in reaching that law. 32 Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were based on works. They have stumbled over the stumbling stone, 33 as it is written, “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense;
and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame. 1 Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved. 2 For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. 3 For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. 4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.
Romans 9:30-10:4 (ESV)

The Gentiles, who weren't the followed every rule people(Like the Jews) attained their righteousness while the Jews who followed every rule and did every good work they could didn't. Why? Faith.
You know the saying "faith, trust, and pixi dust."? Yeah, well...drop the pixi dust and you see what the Gentiles had that the Jews couldn't understand. Faith and trust in Christ is all you need. Works are good, true, but not good enough to pay for your sins. The only work that was good enough for that was the Work done on the Cross.

-
Well, there you have it. My main thoughts on the stuff I read in Romans.

~Teen Jesus Follower~

The Story of a Girl

Broken and tired,
Shamed and defiled,
A girl with no future, no hope,
A girl all alone.

Choices gone bad,
Friends no longer on her side,
A girl that doesn't understand.
She's all alone.

They look at her jeans, torn and battered
They look down at her shabby clothes.
Those Pharisees...
Won't they show her love?

They walk by, not saying a word.
why should they? she thinks, her hopes again slashed.
I'm just a girl, a girl all alone.

A group of girls, Bibles in hand,
walk by her, laughing and talking.
They avoid her, step around her without a word.
these girls, she thinks, used to be my friends.
I'm truly all alone.

She sits on the road, head in her hands,
Why, why did I let this happen?
Why, why am I all alone?
No one cares for me, any more...

A hand touches her shoulder,
she looks, but no one is there.
Confused, tired, and scared,
She looks around to see who's there.

Nothere, no one here,
I'm still alone.
She feels arms wrap around her,
and a voice talks inside.

I'll carry you through, I carry you.
Just trust Me, I'll carry you through.
I love you, battered and broken,
I love you, shamed and defiled.

Just trust in Me, I'll carry you.
I won't leave you alone.
Through the good times, the worse times,
I'll be here for you!

No longer are you alone,
I love you, My broken rose.
I'll nurture you back, back to health.
Cause I love you, I love you so!

Just trust in Me, I'll carry you.
Just trust in Me, you'll not be alone.
Just trust in Me, I'll carry you.
I love you...I'll carry you.

Her eyes closed, tears running down,
I'll trust in You, I know You're there.
I don't have to be alone...

A hand touches her shoulder,
She turns, expecting the emptiness again,
Standing there is a girl,
A girl with open arms!

I'll help you through,
I'll love you.
I don't want you to feel alone.

There is One for you,
He'll carry you.
He'll hold you close, loving you.
You have a special place, down in His heart!

God loves the WHOLE world. Not just who we want to love or think should be loved. "For God so loved the WORLD that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life" John 3:16. World means everyone...
Who have you shown love today? Or...who have you walked by...not even acknowledging their presence...
Show others the love of Christ. Let someone know that they are loved.

Whispering

Hold me close,
Hold me tight,
I need You tonight.
I am here, feeling fear,
Feeling the rush of cold tears.

I need You now,
Hold me close,
Let me hear Your voice!

The times seem rough,
I listen close,
I know I'll see You there.
You'll be there, whisperin' in my ear.
I'm listening close, lending You my ear.

You're falling away,
you don't know what to do,
No one listenin',
Listening to you.

You feel alone,
Lost in the dark.
No one to hang on to,
No one to hear your voice!

The times are rough,
Listen close, what is that little voice,
That voice drawing you near?

When times seem rough,
Listen close, you'll see
He is there, whisperin'
Whisperin' in your ear!
Lend Him your ear,
Yeah He's there,
He cares.

Harken to Me, quit what you do.
Listen to Me, whisperin' in your ear.
Lend Me your ear,
I'll hold you close.

The times feel rough,
You feel alone.
Listen close, close to the Voice,
That little voice, whisperin' in your ear.

He's there, whisperin',
He's there, caring.
He's there, whisperin' in your ear...


~Teen Jesus Follower~

Names

God. Who is He? What do I see Him as?

Comforter - You hold me up when things are down, when my life is falling apart. You tell me, 'hold onto My hand, everything's gonna work out in the end.

Friend - You are the Friend that sticks closer than a brother. I know I can always call You my friend. You are the Friend that is always there for me.

Everlasting Father - Abba, Father, You took me in, called me Your own, and You love as a daughter. I am Your child, and You are my Father.

Omnipotent - You are all-powerful.

Creator - You are my Creator. You made all that is on this earth. It's all created for Your glory.

Omnipresent - You are everywhere. No one can hide from Your presence, no matter how hard they try.

Alpha - You are the Beginning. You always were.

Omega - You always will be.

Prince of Peace - You give hope, You bring peace to the troubled hearts and souls.

Healer - You are the healer of the body, physically and spiritually.

All these names, and the list could go on and on, but there are a couple of names that I love to call You the most.

King - You are my King, You reign over everything!

Savior - You came down to the earth, saving me from the chains of death.

Redeemer - You redeemed me, a sinner, to the Father. He now sees me through Your eyes.

"For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His steadfast love towards those who fear Him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does He remove our transgressions from us. Psalms 103:11-12

~Teen Jesus Follower~

My Testimony (Updated)

Hi! I'm Teenage Jesus Follower (also known by E. Smith)
I thought I'd tell you a little about myself.
I'm a girl who loves the outdoors, family, friends, and also head-over-heels in love with my Savior, the King of my life, and I want to tell the WHOLE world about it. :D How did I get to this place? Wasn't I that girl who was quiet, more comfortable in the background?
Don't get me wrong, I'm still a little shy, but there was something that I had to change in my life.
I have always grown up in church. It's all I have ever known.
When I was five, I asked Jesus into my heart. To this day I still don't really remember doing that. I mean, I remember them asking me things like had I been bad and stuff like that, and I needed to ask Jesus into my heart, but thats all...
I was very involved in my church. I did everything possible. I went to church, rain, snow, sleet, or ice, it didn’t matter. Every time the doors were open, unless I was sick, I was in that building. I was doing everything they told me.

Two summers ago, 2009, I felt alone. I really couldn’t remember that day. I couldn’t remember the date or even just doing it really. I held back for months, thinking, maybe I did and I shouldn’t worry about it. I started getting scared of everything. My inside was a mess. Being the quiet me, no one knew.
I went to a camp with my church that summer, and there I made assurance of my salvation. I believed that Jesus, Who is the Son of God, was alive here on this earth and lived a perfect life. I know He died on the cross for my sins and rose again on the third day.

I think it was not to long after that camp, I felt as though something was missing. A sense of, well, emptiness. Why was this? I was doing everything that they told me I was supposed to do, but why the emptiness? Why did the 'religious buzz’ wear off after I walked out the double doors? Wasn't I doing all that I could? What in the world was missing??

What I didn’t know was my parents had this same feeling. My dad talked to a friend of his and this friend gave him a sermon by an awesome pastor. It was a sermon about being all about Jesus. My dad listened to that and was in awe. He let my mom listen to it, and then told us.

When I heard this, I realized a BIG thing. This whole religious thing I was doing, I was just rolling through the motions. Checking my list of things. Worshipping my parents and my preacher's Jesus. Jesus was just a part of my life, a sliver of what He should be. He wasn't who my life was all about....

After realizing these things, I totally changed my way of thinking. We, my family and I, came to these conclusions:
It wasn’t about what we did, what we wore, or anything like that. What it is about is Jesus! That is what, or really Who we were missing. Not that we didn’t already know Him as our Savior, no. It was we didn’t really have a good view of Him. He wasn’t really everything we looked at. Jesus wasn’t the center of our lives, like He should be.

So, now my purpose in life is to live for Jesus, keep Him in the middle of EVERYTHING I do, fulfill the work He told us to do (you know, go, teach, baptize? The Great Commission? Check it out, you should.) and make sure I don't live a wasted life (John Piper's 'Don't Waste Your Life' awesome!). I hope to grow closer to God while going out into the community and telling others of His awesome love for them.

Confused? Questions? Just leave a comment below and I'll do my best to answer ;)

"Who am I that You would come and die?
I don't understand
Why the God of all the universe
Would become a man
To redeem the mess that I have made
Take away the shame
Of what I've done
There is no, no greater love" -33Miles

~T.J.F~

A People

"But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy." 1 Peter 2:9-10 (ESV)

We are a chosen race, a chosen people.
There was a time when we were not. The time we hadn't received God's mercy. The time when all was dark and the emptiness filled your soul. No hope to be found anywhere...
The time that we needed a Savior.

We needed a light to show the out of the darkness of sin. Jesus Christ, the Savior, said 'I am the Light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.' (John 8:12)
Jesus was the One that called us out of that darkness. He is calling us into His light.

Now, if you have called upon Him to save you, accepted the love that He showed to us on the Cross, then you have received the mercy Peter was talking about. You have received God's mercy. You have stepped out of the darkness. You are following The Light.

Once we have the light and the love He gives, I know it's this way for me, it makes me want to show others. That said, it brings me to this:

We are now a people, God's people. As God's people, He gives us a mission, HIS mission. That mission? "GO therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit," (Matthew 28:19) GO and teach. GO and show others the love shown on the Cross. GO and show others the excellence of Jesus and His light(1 Peter 2:9b).
That, is our mission. To teach, to love, to baptize, and to do the things our Father instructs us to do.

Once a people without hope, now a people with One Hope. Now a people sent to show others that hope. A people sent to show others The Way out of the darkness. To show them the One that will break their chains of sin from their hands.

~Teen Jesus Follower~

Easter

It was said that He would be despised...and rejected... (Isaiah 53:3)

It was said He would carry our sorrows, but we would enjoy Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted (Isaiah 53:4)

It was said He would be wounded and crushed for our wrongs...(Isaiah 53:5a)

It was said that the stripes on His back would heal us... (Isaiah 53:5b)


"He was oppressed, and he was afflicted,
yet he opened not his mouth;
like a lamb that is led to the slaughter,
and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent,
so he opened not his mouth.
By oppression and judgment he was taken away;
and as for his generation, who considered
that he was cut off out of the land of the living,
stricken for the transgression of my people?"
Isaiah 53:7-8 (ESV)

Jesus was crushed for our sin, He who knew no sin.

Jesus was beaten for sinners, the Lamb of God.

God's own Son lived and was crucified for you, and for me.

The Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ, died the cruelest death on that tree on Calvary for you and me, sinners with no hope for eternity.

He left His home, His Father, to live and die amongst sinners on this earth.

He didn't have to, you know, He chose to. God showed Him what He was going to have to go through. God showed Him what was about to happen. God gave Jesus the full knowledge of what He was about to go through, yet, He stayed. He knew what was about to happen to Him, but He stayed! He willingly went to the Cross. He went because He loved us to much to let us go to hell. People ridiculed Him, threw stuff at Him, spat upon the Son of God, but He stayed. He stayed because His love for us was greater than whatever agonizing pain He was suffering through. He absorbed God's just wrath so that we may look clean to His Father's eyes.

On that day, 2000 years ago, the Son of God died, becoming the Final Sacrifice, the Perfect Lamb, for all people.

On that third day, after He died, oh! what a glorious day, the stone in front of the tomb was rolled away.

Jesus, Christ, Savior, Friend, He rose again, breaking the chains of death forever. For you, and for me.

He rose again to set us free. He did this for one reason. That reason? His undying love for us, the sinners who crucified Him.

He loves us so much, us filthy, proud, sinful humans, He was willing to die that horrible death so that we may spend eternity with Him and His Father.

How could He love you so? Because He is a merciful God. He created you. How can you experience this love? This unrequited love He has for you?

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him."
John 3:16-17 (ESV)

Believe that the Son of God came down from heaven. Believe in His awesomely amazing love for you. Believe that Jesus Christ was the Perfect Sacrifice, and by dying on the Cross and raising from the grave, He has made a way for you to be free from the chains of death.

Tomorrow, Easter, we celebrate of His rising. Yes, Easter really isn't about the rabbits, eggs, and jellybeans. It's about the love Jesus Christ has for us.

I hope, if you haven't celebrated Easter for that reason before, you will consider the things I have said.

Jesus cam and died for you too. Even if you think you don't deserve it, that is what makes it so amazing! No one, nope, NO ONE deserves this love. We all deserve to live eternity in hell. But God is a merciful God and loves us. I mean, He could just wipe the human race off the face of the earth, but instead, He had His only Son killed for our sins...
He did this to forgive us of our sins so that we can have eternal life in heaven, worshiping our God.

Now He wants us to go and make disciples of all people, to point everyone to Him, so that they too may worship the amazing God we serve.

He wants us to tell others of the amazing love Jesus showed for us on the Cross.

I hope y'all all have a happy Easter!
~Teen Jesus Follower

You Alone for Me

Jesus, the Chosen One, God's own Son,
Loves me so.
Jesus, the Chosen One,
Oh! how You love me so!

Hallelujah, Jesus, You alone for me!
Hallelujah, Jesus, You're the only One for me!
Jesus You are!
Jesus, You alone for me.
You died up on that tree!
Jesus, You alone for me.
You suffered and died for me.
Jesus, You alone for me.
Jesus, You have set me free.

Oh how loved am I,
That You sent Your only Son down here to die.
Loved, set free, made clean,
A sinner, made whole, made whole through Your blood.
Oh! how loved am I,
You alone for me!

Hallelujah, Jesus, You alone for me!
Hallelujah, Jesus, You're the only One for me!
Jesus You are!
Jesus, You alone for me.
You died up on that tree!
Jesus, You alone for me.
You suffered and died for me.
Jesus, You alone for me.
Jesus, You have set me free.

I'm in Your arms,
Broken and weary.
You hold me close,
Wipe my tears away,
Oh! how You love me so,
Jesus, You alone for me.

Hallelujah, Jesus, You alone for me!
Hallelujah, Jesus, You're the only One for me!
Jesus You are!
Jesus, You alone for me.
You died up on that tree!
Jesus, You alone for me.
You suffered and died for me.
Jesus, You alone for me.
Jesus, You have set me free.

Jesus, Son of God, Chosen One.
Jesus, the Perfect Sacrifice...
You, You alone for me!

~Teen Jesus Follower

4 Words

Jesus in my place. The Gospel in it's simplest form.

You look at this and think, well, there's gotta be more to it than that! Nope.

It's not Jesus, plus this. No, Jesus....end of story.

It's not Jesus, plus that. I get to go to heaven now. No, Jesus in my place.

It's Jesus, now...
It's Jesus, now I want to love orphans.
It's Jesus, now I want to love the homeless.
It's Jesus, now I want to help those in need.
Jesus, now I want to tell others of His awesomely awesome love for them.

We do, because of what's done.
We do, because of Jesus did.
Not because we have to. Because now, we want to.

"It is already done for you.
The only work that will get you to heaven is the work that has already been done on the Cross." -Jason Gaston

Sometimes it can be hard to remember that, I know it is for me. I have to remind myself of this often.

Well, that's my random thought of the day.

~Teen Jesus Follower

Sometimes

Sometimes it seems hard,
Sometimes it seems no one is there.
Sometimes, it feels like no one is by your side.

It's times like these I question,
times like these, I cry.
Times like these, I gotta remember,
There is One always by my side!

All I've gotta do is trust Him,
He is there.
All I've gotta do is trust Him,
He is by my side.
All I've gotta do is trust Him,
He still cares for me.
All I've gotta do is trust Him,
He'll put my heart at ease.

I don't have to care what people say,
I don't have to care what people think.
I don't have to worry about what others do.
I do need to care, about Who, Who they see in me!

Sometimes it'll be hard.
But He loves me
Sometimes, the words won't come.
But He loves.
Sometimes it may seem, I'm all alone.
But Jesus, He still loves!

All I've gotta do is trust Him,
He is there.
All I've gotta do is trust Him,
He is by my side.
All I've gotta do is trust Him,
He still cares for me.
All I've gotta do is trust Him,
He'll put my heart at ease.

He loves me, He died for me.
He loves me, He died on that tree.
He loves me, Oh! He set me free!
He loves me, He rose that day,
Yes He rose and set me free!

Because He loves me, I will care.
Because He loves me, I will tell.
Because He loves me, I can love!
Because He loves me, I can trust!

All I've gotta do is trust Him,
He is there.
All I've gotta do is trust Him,
He is by my side.
All I've gotta do is trust Him,
He still cares for me.
All I've gotta do is trust Him,
He'll put my heart at ease.

My heart's at ease, because He loves me so.

Oh I trust, He loves.
I trust, He cares.
I trust, He's there.
I trust...

Jesus loves me this I know...

Ephesians 1:1-14

So I realized that I hadn't posted this even though I wrote this like a year ago...

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.
In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.
Eph 1:3-14

Wow, awesome passage! This entire passage, Paul talks about blessings from Jesus, our adoption by Jesus, Jesus' resurrection, and just the Gospel really.

Verses 4-14 are the verses I'm going to focus on right now.

Verse 4, 'even as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world,' Check this out. Do you see what this says? 'even as he chose us.' Do you realize how crazy and AWESOME this is? Now look at verse 5, 'He predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of His will,'

Before the world was made, God knew each one of us. He adopted us! He made us His family when we had none. He loves us unconditionally when we deserve to burn in hell. He forgave us when we just needed a good kick in the pants. He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to die an agonizing death so we could be in His family, His sons and daughters. And THAT is crazy. Crazy love.

Anyhoo, adoption. Picture this, you are an orphan. A little girl or boy who all he remember is that his parents died or left him there when he was a kid. He's never known real love from anyone. A couple walks in and sees him sitting in the corner. They see him and thus begins a new journey for that kid.
They love this child with all their heart, and he loves them back. A sense of happiness fills his heart. He loves this family that saved him from being unloved for the rest of his life.

This child is you. You were a child, left alone with no one to care for you. But God steps into the orphanage and pulls you into His arms. You are adopted into His family.

The sad thing though, is though He saved us from eternal damnation, some of us don't love Him like we should. How come, when He saved is from that, we aren't always like the orphan that was adopted? Why don't we show our Father the same unwavering love that this child shows to his new parents? Doesn't our Father in heaven deserve to be loved and worshiped?

Well, moving on...

7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, 8 which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight 9 making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ 10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.
Eph 1:7-10

What's this talking about here? Um the Gospel!! 'In Him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses.'
Whose blood? Jesus' blood. Forgives what trespasses(sins)? OUR sins. AWESOMELY AWESOME!!!!!

Verses 9 and 10 'making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.'
Here Paul is reminding/showing us what Jesus wants us to do. 'to unite all things to him, things in heaven and things on earth.' This is what Jesus wanted to teach us. Go, disciple, and reach. That's putting it simply. The Great Commission.

'In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, 12 so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory'

Verses 11 and 12. Do you see what he is saying here? The inheritance, God's love and a place in heaven. Awesome! What greater inheritance could we possibly want?

But wait, listen to verses 13-14.
'In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.'
Paul didn't wait long to hit us with the Gospel again, but that is what this guy lived for. Anyway, the part 'in him you also...were sealed with the promise of the Holy Spirit.' Sealed. Back then, something that was sealed was a BIG thing. A document that was sealed by the king was taken very seriously. So when Paul says that we are sealed with the Holy Spirit, he is talking not about a BIG thing, but a HUGE thing. A MONUMENTAL thing. Our salvation. When we accept God's gift of salvation, we are filled with the Holy Spirit. That is God's seal. That is the KING's seal on your life. It is a seal no one can break, no one can take. It'll stay with you forever.

Awesome, right?

I hope that this has been a help to someone.

This has been a random thought/rambling of a teen Jesus follower.

Trust Him

Things happen.

Life goes on.

Things change.

Life still goes on.

People...they change.

You have changed.

Why do some of these things happen?

There is a reason.

Why do things have to change?

God has a plan.

Why, why do people change?

Trust Him

I don't understand.

You don't always have to.

But why must I wait for things to make sense?

God has His reasons.

Why all the pain?

Trust Him

Why all the tears?

Trust Him.

When will it end?

In His time.

What must I do to make it through?

Trust Him

Is that all it takes?

He'll help you through.

All I have to do...

Trust Him

Is trust...

Trust Him

Trust the One Who died for me?

Trust Him, He'll carry you through.

Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act.
Psalms 37:5 (ESV)

I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”
Psalms 91:2 (ESV)

Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.
Prov 30:5 (ESV)

Bearing Another's Burdens

In the student ministry at my church, we're going through the book of Galatians. Last night, my student pastor taught on chapter 6 verse 2.

Bearing another's burdens, sounds easy, doesn't it?

When you think of this, more than likely you think of helping each other out, but what about things that, well, you can't exactly help with? Like take family problems, you can't exactly help out there. How do you help a friend carry these types of burdens? A friend of mine asked me this question, and I realized I didn't know what to tell her. I had no idea what to say...

I began where my student pastor was last night, Galatians 6.

"Bear another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ." Galatians 6:2

What does this mean exactly? Well, I used a large study Bible(no, really, its gigantic.) and looked up the cross-references for this verse.

Romans 15:1-2 "We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of is please his neighbor for his good, to build him up."

Build him up. Hold your friend above yourself. Love him, pray for him. How you help your friend going through something like that, how you help them carry that burden, is you don't allow them to become discouraged. You pray with them. You let them talk, if they want to talk, and you try to understand. You don't allow them to get down, no matter how hard things are.

You say 'but what if I don't want to listen? What if I have hard problems of my own in my life?'

Philipians 2:3b-4 "...but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others."

That answer your question? You need to realize it's not all about you.

Not that you don't have to think about your own problems. That's the best part about having close friends, in having a close small group. They share with you and you share with them, and you all help carry each other's burdens.

When you don't have this, the closeness, it makes it difficult to share with one another. I know this from experience. If all you have are 'shallow' friendships, it's hard to tell all your problems. All you get is awkward silence.

You want to have a 'David and Jonathan friendship', a 'David and Jonathan small group'.

You know about these two guys, David and Goliath? Jonathan, son of Saul? These two guys were really close. It says 'The soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.' (1 Samuel 18:1)

Can you say that you have a friendship like this? Where you can go against everything you know to help your friend? That's what Jonathan did for David. He went almost as far as risking his life for his friend. Just like Jesus did for us. Jesus sacrificed His life to save ours.
That's what I call close friends.

I hope one day I can say that my small group and my friends, that we are close. Even closer than we are now. It's going to take a lot from me. I've gotta let myself trust people again. I know that these people are people I can trust. To truly be what God wants a small group to be, we need to be close.

So many things...

So many things You have taught me this year. I think back, and know that You were there, even in the hardest times.
I've learned so many things this year. I've learned to trust You more, knowing You have a reason for everything.
So many things I still don't understand, but I know, You'll let me know in Your time.
So many things this year God, so many things that didn't make sense. Why did the hard things happen?
Why is this going on now? I don't understand. It hurts, it hurts bad...
You've taught me to trust in You. I try my best, to not question Your motives. Help me see, what this is You have in mind for me.
So many things, I see that they may have led to this. Maybe these things are going to help me now. Maybe these things are just hanging around for something bigger, something You have in store for me.
So many things God. So many things I wish I knew. So many things I wish I understood.
So many things I know that You understand. I know that these many things, You hold in You hand, hold in Your hand.
So many things I hope to accomplish, so many things I want to do.
So many things I won't do, so many things I won't want to do.
So many things I'll trust You in. So many things You will help me through.
Thank You God, for the many things You have done. The many things You will do.
Help me understand the many things that You send my way. Help me to trust You in the many things, the many things I'll see. Help me to know You are there for me, in the many things of life.
So many things God, so many things...

All the Day Long

Sitting here, I don't know what to do.
Standing there, I have no clue.
What am I doing?
What's going on.
I feel like I can't go on.

I look around me, I can see nothing.
I look down, there's nobody there,
But I look up and I know Who's there!

Jesus is going to be there for you,
Just like He's there for me!

Sometimes things happen,
But life goes on.
Jesus is with me, all the day long.
I know that He is standing there by my side,
Jesus is with you, all the day long!

Things may not seem to work,
Days drag by.
Friends come and go,
But He stays,
He stays with you,
Jesus is by your side all the day long!

Do you feel like you're alone?
Oh yeah.
No one seems to understand.
I feel so alone.

There may be times when you feel like that,
times when it's hard.
You feel like given in.
But remember, remember He is there!

Sometimes things happen,
But life goes on.
Jesus is with me, all the day long.
I know that He is standing there by my side,
Jesus is with you, all the day long!

All day long, He is there,
Watching you and me.
All day long Jesus loves,
He is with you!

All the day long.
Jesus loves me, this I know!
All the day...long.

Crazy Love

So my dad gave me Crazy Love by Francis Chan to read today. He told me to read chapters 5-6 and give my thoughts on it.....so here goes...

Whoa, okay, so the fifth chapter, 'Serving Leftovers to a Holy God'...ouch...

I have to admit, when I was reading the first part of this chapter, I was having trouble.

It's about lukewarmness...

All my life, I have always thought that lukewarmness was talking about us Christians. How if we aren't on fire for God, but we don't just ignore Him, we were in-between, a lukewarm Christian.

What Mr. Francis says in his book though, is "...a lukewarm Christian is an oxymoron; there's no such thing."

I was like, wait...what? This was going against some things that I grew up with the knowledge of, but there have been a lot of things like that in the past year, things that made sense after I studied them.

After he says this, he gives the passage in the Bible where Jesus talks about 'lukewarmness.'

Revelation 3:15-18

15"'I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! 16 So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. 17 For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see."

So, how do you look at this and think that it is talking about Christians? How did I? Jesus was talking to a church, yes, a church of supposed Jesus followers. So if you just pull this out of the passage and teach it, yeah, everyone thinks Jesus is talking about Christians, talking to you.

In a way, it could be.

Jesus was saying to the church here, that because they are lukewarm, He is going to spit them out of His mouth. Francis Chan then says "When you read this passage, do you naturally conclude that to be 'spit' out of Jesus' mouth means you're a part of His kingdom? ...When He counsels them to 'buy white clothes to wear' in order to cover their 'shameful nakedness,' does it sound like advice for those already saved?
I thought people who were saved were already made white and clothed by Christ's blood."

How was this church lukewarm? They weren't giving their all. They were giving only halfway. They weren't real Christians. That's what it meant. Jesus saw their hearts and was disappointed. They said they were Christians, they walked the walk, talked the talk, but they hadn't really given their hearts to Him.

Jesus says it a lot in the Gospels, He wants it all, or nothing. Don't give only a little.

In light of the parable of the soils, looking at the plants in rocky and thorny soil, the author says this; "I wanted to know if the person representing the rocky soil is saved, even though he has no root. I wondered about the thorny soil: Is this person saved since he does have root?
...Is this idea of the non-fruit-bearing Christian something that we have concocted in order to make Christianity 'easier'? So we can follow our own course while still calling ourselves followers of Christ? So we can join the Marines, so to speak, without having to do all the work?'

Umm, so then Chan starts talking about questions you ask yourself, you know what I mean. The questions such as, 'If I'm ashamed about talking about Christ, will Jesus really deny knowing me? If my boyfriend and I cross some lines in our relationship, am I really a Christian?' the list goes on.

You know what I'm talking about. We are all guilty of doing this. You know what's really bad about it though? Question like these show whats in our hearts. It shows what we really think about, our chance of going to heaven instead of what we really should be thinking about. Jesus Christ.

You can think about Jesus, you can say you know Him, but do you follow Him? You're like yeah. I follow Jesus everyday! I tithe, read my Bible, and I pray. I might even give a few extra dollars in the offering plate on Sunday. I'm in church every time the doors are open.

You can say you know God, but like in James it says, 'You believe God is one; you do well. Even demons believe-and shudder!' Chapter 3 verse 19. Look back at verse 17, 'So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.'

That, saying you know Jesus but not doing what He says to do, is halfway worship. That is being lukewarm.

Giving a little extra money in the church and things like that is giving God your leftovers. That's not giving your all for Jesus.

Jesus told us to go and make disciples. 'Go and teach all nations' He said. Hanging out in a church building and making converts isn't that. That isn't exactly what He said, or meant.

All God wants is our love, our devotion, our attention. He wants us to focus on Him and help others see Him, so that they to can feel His love and give it back. God measures us by how we love.

When I read these things, it showed me how great Jesus loves me. I'll fail in all these things every single day. I'll not love like I should be, or I'll chicken out of showing someone God's love. Ugh, I fail everyday, I'll have a bit of lukewarmness in me everyday. Does this mean that I'm not truly saved? Nope. Not since I'm a true believer. Jesus' grace covers me and covers it all. Because I have this, you can see in the Bible, that there is room for my failure and sin in pursuit of God.

After reading this, it makes me want to make sure I'm all in. I don't want to only give parts of me, I want to give all of me!

In light of going on missions trips this summer, this book, I feel, is challenging me to not give partway in all that I could do. I believe that He would want me to make sure I'm doing all that I can out there.