Around this festive season almost everybody will gather around and read the Christmas story at least once. Almost everybody will hear a friendly, "Merry Christmas!". Almost everybody will pray a silent prayer to Jesus thanking him for his birth [excluding all the athiests and such]

 When I come to that realization one might assume that it'd give me pleasure. But I've come far from it... Just because of another realization.

 Give it a couple of weeks or months and you'll see those same people acting in a hypocritical way. Hypocrisy {sp?} has been bearing on my heart lately, its been eating away at my heart. Because I see people at my school and at my church that claim to be Christians, people who raise their hands in worship, people who fall to the ground at the alter in tears, people who seem to be truely in love with God. And then I turn around and see these same people at school, and if I didn't know any better I'd never guess that they were Christians or even attended church.

And with Christmas just passing you see these nativity scenes in everybody's yards and everybody saying, "Jesus is the reason for the season!" and all the good jive. But in all reality most people are doing these such things just because its the right thing to do. Hey, its Christmas, I know that I'm supposed to say Merry Christmas to everybody and be all joyful because Jesus came as a baby for me, leaving his godly form. But after its all said and done who ever really gives his birth a second thought? Now, I'm not throwing the stone at anybody, because I do it as well. The Holy Spirit has just been convicting me about it lately...

So just as a friendly reminder, try to remember Jesus's birth throughout the year, not just in this white [and for my case and some others] green Christmas season, where its easy and something casual to remember his birth. Try not to forget. And also people should be able to tell if you're a Born Again Child of God, not to assume just because they see you at church. Had to add that, because like I mentioned earlier hypocrisy has been on my mind lately.. ><

Anyways. God bless... and may he be with you always.

---Lindsey

 

Sadistic pleasure is how you thrive

People's pain is what you strive

 Tortured screams is music to your ears

 Tearing lives away from people they hold dear

 Thundering clouds obey your demand

You enjoy scattering fire across the land

The stench of burning flesh compares to no other joy

The people above you are merely a toy

 

Your jealousy is your motivation

Your plan is to destroy every safe haven

You whisper lies to us in a musical voice

Making us feels we have no other choice

But to deny the One that made us all

To ignore His forgiving call

Make us believe we have better things to do

Then live in His promise and instead we listen to you

 

In all reality you are just a roaring lion

A pathetic creature that's eternally dyin'

You don't want us to enjoy God's love

And all the extravagant gifts from above

The King of Lies you may be but you definitely won't get me

I'm forever God's, no longer your property

You're a loser, always trying to drag us to your level

I rebuke you in Jesus's name, get away from me Devil

((Now... Just note that I didn't come up with this, my youth pastor gave this to my mother and I thought that it was really cool, so I wanted to share it with you guys... Anyhoo...))

Think you're unqualified to minister to the world? Consider this:

• Moses stuttered

• David's armor didn't fit

• John Mark was undependable

• Hosea married a prostitute

• Amos only had experience as a fig tree pruner

• Jacob was a liar

• David had an affair

• Solomon had too much money

• Abraham was too old

• Timothy had ulcers

• Joseph was a nuisance

• Paul was ugly

• Peter was a coward

• Lazarus was dead

• Josh was self-righteous

• Jesus was homeless

• Naomi was a widow

• Jonah was disobedient

• Miriam was a gossip

• Gideon and Thomas were doubters

• Jeremiah was suicidal

• Elijah suffered from depression

• Paul was a murderer

• So was Moses...

• Not to mention David...

• John the Baptist dressed funny

• Martha was a worrywart

• Samson needed a haircut

• Noah had a drinking problem

• Moses had a short fuse

• Zacchaeus was very short

• David was only a teenager

• So was Mary, the mother of Jesus..

• So was Daniel..

• And so many others used by God...

Fortunately, God doesn't requirea a job interview for his ministry. He doesn't do backgorudn checks or ask for references. He doesn't care what your qualifications are.

The fact is, no one is qualified to serve God. If you think you're qualified, you'll likely fail. God calls unqualified people because the only way they can be successful in their ministry is to depend fully and completely on God!

 

I'm finding it hard to travel this road alone,

This straight and narrow path that leads to His throne.

 

I look around to see only my shadows trailing behind me,

Not the glorious parade of jubilee.

 

I'm all alone on this lonely trail,

Trying to cheer my mind but with no prevail.

 

I can hear the sounds of joy and fun on the other route,

And my mind is filled with utmost doubt.

 

They're on the road that easy and spacious,

With lots of people and very loqacious.

 

I want to go there, this is too tough,

I've had quite enough . . .

 

Yet, as I enter my lowest point, I hear a faint voice,

With encouraging words that cause me to rejoice.

 

I look around to see nothing, but the presence of the voice is still there.

"Continue, I'm always here, even when you are unaware."

 

The voice was like velvet as He encouraged me on.

And I will do as it says, the other trail completely forgone.

 

Though sometimes I may stray,

The Straight and Narrow forever I will stay.

 

 

This isn't a rant.... This isn't a testimony... This is just a reminder. A reminder to all us christians on how we carry ourselves in the world.

But I do have to tell you something that happened to me to get the the point.

 A while back I was feeling depressed. I was down in the dumps. Now you see, this would definitely be quite obvious to most because I'm a naturally hyped person. I'm always smiling or laughing, unless I'm in the zone. xDD But for those couple of weeks I wasn't myself. And people could tell. One of my good friends noticed this and she came to me with, what I believe was, a word from God.

 And it soaked through.

After hearing this and letting God talk to me, I realized something.

 The world is ALWAYS watching us. What I mean by that is the world (non-christians and such) are always watching us christians. They let what we do, how we act, what we say, determine what they're spiritual relation with God is. Now, I'm sure most of you were aware of this...

 And I'm sure that most of you have heard the excuse, "But christians are all hypocrites!" And that is their excuse not to become a christian and/or get closer to God. Jer. 17: 5-10 tells us not to rely on man, but instead on God. If you we rely on man, then things won't work out for us because we can't trust men. But if we rely on God then our lives will flourish.

Of course most non-christian probably aren't aware or concerened with that scripture. They're just searching for any excuse to live the way that they want to live.

So why not help them instead of giving them these "excuses"?

The Bible says that the joy of the Lord is our strength. It says that joy is our's. It tells us to rejoice in the Lord. It tells us to be glad!

And what do we do when something bad happens? Or when something inconviences us? Or somebody gets on our nerves? The list goes on! But what do we do?

We either get really mad and angry or we get depressed or some other emotion.

That's not joy.

As christians we can't wear our emotions on our shoulders. We have to give whatever is bothering us to God and have joy. If not, we'll be labeled hypocrites.

And I realized that. I call myself a christian, kids at my school KNOW that I'm a christian. I try my best to walk out the path that Jesus has laid before me. But at the same time I'll walk down those hallways with my head bowed, trying to shun the world. Or my fists clench, holding back things I'd rather not say because somebody ticked me off.

That's not proclaiming the good news of the Lord. That's not saying Jesus loves you. Heck, we may be the only Jesus some people see. And we want them to see that?

I dunno... Maybe this isn't making sense.... But just remember that when you're angry or depressed to cheer up. The joy of the Lord is your's! And people are always watching you, criticing you. You could be the turn of somebody's life. Either in a bad way or a wrong way. Remember not to wear your emotions on your shoulders, they're watching.

Much love! ♥

-xXx-Lindsey-xXx-