Starting anew

So I've decided to make a more personalized blog. Hopefully I will still update this, but no promises. Come follow me at my new blog!

http://leaningonthelord-christiankid.blogspot.com/

Hope to see you there!

God Bless!
ChristianKid

"She needs to sort out her priorities"

One of my favorite movies ever is Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. After watching this movie recently, I was reminded of the topic of my Bible study.

In the movie, after Harry, Ron and Hermione get back to their dorms after almost being eaten by a three-headed dog, Hermione looks at the boys and says, "I'm going to bed before either one of you comes up with another clever idea of getting us killed. Or worse - expelled." The camera flips back to Ron who heaves an exasperated sigh and mutters to Harry, "she needs to sort out her priorities."

My Bible study just studied some of the most convicting Bible verses I think there are in the entire Bible. Psalm 73: 25-26, "Whom have I in Heaven but You, oh Lord? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."

WOW. WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW.
Go back and read that again, letting the words really sink in. Now read it again. WOW.

Whom have I in Heaven but YOU? Out of all the people in the world that we miss and will miss when the time comes; all those who have left this world and left us with an aching heart but are waiting for us on the other side - they mean NOTHING compared to God. Even if there was no one or nothing in Heaven but God the Father and Jesus, His son (which technically are the same being), that would be enough. We should not look forward to those who once resided on earth and now are in Heaven or Heaven itself; we look forward to God. Imagine it! Those pearly gates open and God Himself wraps you in a hug and says, "Welcome." Doesn't that trump everything else?! Priority number one to fix.

Earth has nothing I desire but You. I know to me, when I read this, I think, "well duh." But think about it. Is there anything on this earth you desire? Anything at all. Of course there is! But we are told to desire nothing but God. A verse to parallel this is Philippians 3:8 which reads, "What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ." Think about what this verse says - our money, our family, our friends, our goals, hopes and dreams - garbage. How many things do we cling to that we cannot bear to let go of? Whatever we're hanging on to that doesn't deal with Christ, in the end it means nothing. A wise man by the name of Jim Elliot said, "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose." You can't keep those worldly things you hold on to so tightly, but you cannot lose salvation through Christ! This also gives us hope, though. Even though it is somewhat of a slap in the face to realize the things you worry about so often mean nothing, it means that you can let go of those worries! God will provide for you. So, Earth has nothing I desire but You. Easier said than done, my friend. Priority number two to fix.

My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. First of all, what does portion mean here? God is your piece of the pie? Portion means allotment, allowance, ration or share. It is used in the literal sense of a share in food, clothing, or property along with figurative senses. So what does that mean to us? It means you need the nourishment of God. You cannot carry on without that portion of your life. Just as you need food and oxygen and water to live out your days, you need Jesus, too. God is your most important portion of the day, yet why is it the last thing on our minds? God is enough for you. God is all you'll ever need. We don't let it be enough, however. We always want more. When given only manna in the desert, we want a gourmet meal. But God knows that gourmet meal will be better served at a later time. Heaven is the best gourmet meal we can recieve. So while on earth, we trust in God to sustain us with manna until He decides it's time for steak and lobster. Is God enough for us? Do we trust only in Him? Priority number three to fix.

In going back to the example of Hermione telling the boys her first priority is not getting expelled, then she'll worry about death, she's right! We need not worry about death or other worldly things, but our first priority is making sure we please God so we can spend eternity with Him and not be expelled into hell. Ron is still right, but not about Hermione - he's right about us! We're the ones that need to sort out our priorities!

So I don't know about you, but I'm going to go fix my to-do list for today! And tomorrow. And the rest of my tomorrows.

God Bless!
ChristianKid

He died for you.

This life isn't perfect. We all know that this life has its severe challenges. This is how God intended our lives to be. Now I know what just went through your head. You're thinking, God wants to punish me by making my life like hell. This is not what I mean. He wants to give your life challenges so you will see how much you need Him and to let yourself come to Him. For some people, challenges are for them to come to Christ. For others, challenges are a way to give testament to Christ to show others what He can do. But challenges can still creep in at any time and shake you even just slightly. When you find yourself in one of these situations, there is just one phrase you need to have cross your mind. He died for you. In any situation that causes you worry or stress, remember Jesus died for you. Let that sink in for a moment. He died for you. Even if everyone in this world will leave your side, Jesus will never leave you. The most powerful, caring force that created existence itself will stand by you no matter what if you believe in Him. He showed this to you in the fact that He sent His only Son to die for you. And not die quickly and painfully; Christ died the most torturous death of His time and had His name supposedly shamed in front of the entire community. He did this as a ransom for you. He was a ransom for you, your parents, your brothers, your sisters, your friends, your children, your coworkers, and the strangers you past on the street. Don't forget it.

Unanswered Prayers

One of my favorite Garth Brooks songs has the lyrics, "some of God's greatest gifts are unanswered prayers." I find this to be very true. Sometimes God has a better plan for you that isn't revealed after some pain or hardship in your life. For example, in the song, the main character goes back to his high school homecoming football game with his wife and runs into his high school sweetheart. He remembers praying to God that he would never ask for anything again if he could just have his sweetheart for the rest of his life. However, he realizes now that he wouldn't trade his wife now for anything; he loves her more than he could fathom loving his high school sweetheart. My guess is that the character had to go through a lot of pain when he and his sweetheart broke up, but God knew what was best for him in the long run. You see, God knows where our lives are headed. He has a plan for us, but it is up to us to ask for His guidance so that we may follow that plan. And if we just give God the glory and power, He will handle the rest. Sometimes I pray for things so much and so passionately, but then God doesn't answer my prayers like I hope. I get frustrated at first but I realize I have to take a step back and remind myself that God has my best interests at heart. He will take care of me and show me His plan in His own time. I just have to be patient. I am giving God my life and I pray that all of you choose to make that same decision sometime in your life. We just have to have faith.
God Bless!
ChristianKid

Understanding fellow Christians

Christianity is the world's largest religion. However, this encompasses countless denominations. We all believe different things here and there, celebrate rites differently, and place limits on our followers differently. But we are all united by one common theme: Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. And within these different denominations, we encounter countless brothers and sisters in Christ, each created as uniquely their own person. And although we may do the small things differently, we are all united by one common theme: Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. We need to learn to embrace every follower of Christ as a child of the Lord our God. If you have ever taken a psychology class, you know that people have different traits and genes that make up who they are today. Followers of Christ have different traits and genes that correspond to their faith life, as well. Some people will be shy in their faith, and some people will be out-going. Some people will be inventive in how they approach others, some like to follow a well laid out plan. Some are better one on one while others can preach to the masses. Whomever you are, let your friends and other brothers and sisters in Christ know! That way you can each understand each other better and help each other grow in your faith. God has created each of you with your own strengths and weaknesses. Some may be similar and different than others. Be sure to embrace each follower of God as your own family for God loves you all equally.
God Bless!
ChristianKid