When God speaks, will you hear Him? His voice is usually not a very clear, very audible, speaking voice. That's extremely rare! His 'voice' could be many things. A gentle prodding to do something. A 'you know you shouldn't do that' or 'that's wrong' feeling, like your conscience. That awesome happy warm feeling you get after you've done something good. Or, have you ever been a church service, sermon, etc. and felt like what the pastor/person was saying applied directly to you life in some way, like he was speaking right to you specifically? That too. Or maybe just a 'thought' in your head that, for whatever reason, you thought was God. In the case of the first one and the last one, what you hear could be one of three things: either its God, Satan, or simply just your own thoughts and feelings. How can you tell which is which? How do u know the others mentioned are God? its simple, really. Just ask yourself the following questions to see whether or not its God.
1. Does it line up with His character?
Does it match up with what you know of God, Jesus, and His character so far? Would Jesus do it, or tell you to do it? Would God (of the new testament!) tell you to do it? What do you think? Not sure? Ask a Christian friend or mentor.
2. Does it line up with scripture, His word?
The bible is God's word, His love letter to His children. Does it say anywhere in the bible that you should not do the thing you think 'God" is telling you? if so, its not God. On the opposite end of the spectrum, does it actually encourage that you do this anywhere in the bible? If so, it is most likely God talking to you.
3. Does it line up with your character?
Remember, God created you the way you are. If what you think God is telling you goes completely against a deeply held passion of yours, its not God. He gave you that passion for a reason, and wouldn't want you to just throw it away. Like if you're a talented musician, but you think God is telling you to put down the microphone and/or instrument forever and completely walk away from the talent He so graciously gave you, its not God.
And, finally, here are a few ways that could help you decide if it is Him in the future
1. Get to know God better - read the bible and pray, talk to him!
The more you have read the Bible, the more you know the Bible. The more you know and understand the bible, the more you know and understand God and His desires for you. And how should you know what anyone thinks, or wants to tell you, or wants for you, or how can you get a closer relationship with them if you never talk to them? God is the same way!
2. Ask a trusted Christian mentor and/or friend.
Preferably someone older than you who has more experience, but it doesn't have to be. This person who also has a relationship with Jesus/God and whom you trust can be a very helpful person to have around for many reasons. This can be one of them. Tell them the situation and they can help you decide, if you are unsure, whether or not it is God.
Wednesday, July 23, 2014
Why I Love to Read
Reading a good book that is well written, with relatable, intricate, complex, rounded characters and packed full with descriptive language is awesome. Even books that aren't utterly amazing and super well written can be very entertaining and fun to read. Reading transports me to another world. Another world where I can experience that would be impossible for me to experience in the real world. Go on adventures that are unparalleled. See things that are utterly impossible IRL, things that I will never be able to truly see. Meet people that don't really exist, yet are relatable, interesting, and amazing teachers. Of course, all of this is obviously figuratively speaking (Except I have often been taught a thing or two by a book and/or it's characters). But when I read a really great, amazing book, I am often able to visualize all of this so clearly it's almost like it is really happening in front of me.
Reading can sometimes be an escape for me too. An escape from my life into an amazing world where, sure, there are difficulties, but I am able to revel in the story and suspense as it unfolds and yet know that I am not in any real danger. An escape from frustrating, anger-inducing, problems in my life or simply from boredom.
Sometimes, I engage in 'deep reading'. Yes, it is a real thing I did not make it up myself. It is when, after truly reading a book cover to cover, you feel grateful, thoughtful, pensive (meaning, 'engaged in, involving, or reflecting deep or serious thought'). You had an actual emotional connection to the characters in the book, and now feel like something was gained, and lost. If a character that you had an emotional connection to died, you feel legitimately and truly sad. Some old friends of mine that have done this and are readers have even cried, no, bawled, at the death of a character in a book. Or the opposite, you feel happy if something very positive happened to them. If you haven't experienced this, you might think i'm crazy. People who truly love reading are a dying breed nowadays, and people who deep read to the point of a serious emotional connection are even more rare it seems. But let me tell you, this kind of reading is phenomenal.
I could go on, but I digress. This post is probably long enough at this point. Have a great day!! :)
Reading can sometimes be an escape for me too. An escape from my life into an amazing world where, sure, there are difficulties, but I am able to revel in the story and suspense as it unfolds and yet know that I am not in any real danger. An escape from frustrating, anger-inducing, problems in my life or simply from boredom.
Sometimes, I engage in 'deep reading'. Yes, it is a real thing I did not make it up myself. It is when, after truly reading a book cover to cover, you feel grateful, thoughtful, pensive (meaning, 'engaged in, involving, or reflecting deep or serious thought'). You had an actual emotional connection to the characters in the book, and now feel like something was gained, and lost. If a character that you had an emotional connection to died, you feel legitimately and truly sad. Some old friends of mine that have done this and are readers have even cried, no, bawled, at the death of a character in a book. Or the opposite, you feel happy if something very positive happened to them. If you haven't experienced this, you might think i'm crazy. People who truly love reading are a dying breed nowadays, and people who deep read to the point of a serious emotional connection are even more rare it seems. But let me tell you, this kind of reading is phenomenal.
I could go on, but I digress. This post is probably long enough at this point. Have a great day!! :)
Monday, July 7, 2014
Christian Songs and Bands I Love & Recommend!!! (some more for worship, some more for listening)
1. Cornerstone - Hillsong
2. Fishers of Men - Newsboys
3. Forever Reign - Hillsong
4. God's Not Dead - Newsboys
5. How Great is Our God - Chris Tomlin
6. In a Moment - Amanda Falk
7. Here by the Water - Steve Bell
8. Arrested by Grace - Worship Mob
9. In Christ Alone - Keith Getty & Stewart Townend
10. Go Glow - Newsboys
11. Far From Home - Linnea Salte
12. Live with Abandon - Newsboys
13. anything at all by newsboys. Any of their songs.
14. anything at all by Chris Tomlin. He is ridiculously insanely talented.
15. anything by any Hillsong. (Hillsong United, Hillsong, Hillsong Live, Hillsong Young & Free, etc.)
16. Already There - Charmaine Champion
17. Longings - Kassie Tyers
18. Everything Falls - Fee
19. One Thing Remains - Jesus Culture
20. 10,000 Reasons - Matt Redman
21. Scandal of Grace - Hillsong United
22. Like an Avalanche - Hillsong United
23. Our God is Greater - Chris Tomlin (not to be confused with #5)
24. Me Without You - TobyMac
25. Maker of All Things - Tim Hughes
26. Oceans (Where feet may fail) - Hillsong United
27. Our God is Love - Hillsong Live
28. Restart - Newsboys
29. Closer
30. Never Alone - Barlow Girl
31. We Believe - Newsboys
I have a lot more where that came from, but I think i'll leave it at 31 for now!! :)
2. Fishers of Men - Newsboys
3. Forever Reign - Hillsong
4. God's Not Dead - Newsboys
5. How Great is Our God - Chris Tomlin
6. In a Moment - Amanda Falk
7. Here by the Water - Steve Bell
8. Arrested by Grace - Worship Mob
9. In Christ Alone - Keith Getty & Stewart Townend
10. Go Glow - Newsboys
11. Far From Home - Linnea Salte
12. Live with Abandon - Newsboys
13. anything at all by newsboys. Any of their songs.
14. anything at all by Chris Tomlin. He is ridiculously insanely talented.
15. anything by any Hillsong. (Hillsong United, Hillsong, Hillsong Live, Hillsong Young & Free, etc.)
16. Already There - Charmaine Champion
17. Longings - Kassie Tyers
18. Everything Falls - Fee
19. One Thing Remains - Jesus Culture
20. 10,000 Reasons - Matt Redman
21. Scandal of Grace - Hillsong United
22. Like an Avalanche - Hillsong United
23. Our God is Greater - Chris Tomlin (not to be confused with #5)
24. Me Without You - TobyMac
25. Maker of All Things - Tim Hughes
26. Oceans (Where feet may fail) - Hillsong United
27. Our God is Love - Hillsong Live
28. Restart - Newsboys
29. Closer
30. Never Alone - Barlow Girl
31. We Believe - Newsboys
I have a lot more where that came from, but I think i'll leave it at 31 for now!! :)
What the Lord's Prayer Means
In this blog post, I will be going through the Lord's Prayer and explaining what I think it all means, line for line. I will have the translation I have recited since Kindergarten and that I know and love on the first line, warning it's a bit of an old translation. Then underneath that, I will have that same line in a WAAAAAY better, more modern, and easily understandable in a version you may have never heard of before - it's called the 'God's Word' translation. not even kidding. Underneath that line, I will have my explanation of what I think it means.
So, in other words, this will be a very long blog post! Let's get started! :) Oh and if you want to look it up in your own Bible it's Matthew 6:9-13. :)
1st Line:
Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name.
Our Father in heaven, let your name be kept holy.
I think the better translation of this verse is pretty straight forward and obvious. No explaining necessary here.
2nd Line:
Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on Earth as it is in heaven.
Let your kingdom come. Let your will be done on Earth as it is done in Heaven.
I think that in this line, Jesus is telling his disciples that when they pray they can ask for things, but they should always keep in mind that God's will for our lives is ALWAYS better for us in the long run, even if it doesnt seem like it. We should pray for strength and guidance to do His will and do what He would want us to do, so that His will can one day be carried out as consistently and as often as it is in Heaven - which is literally every second of your existence. A tough act to follow, trust me I know, but remember Jesus isn't ordering you to become utterly perfect - but He does want you to try to be as close to his likeness - so, perfection - as possible. He will always graciously forgive you when you fail, and if you really do try, you will find a fulfilling life with Him and great reward in Heaven.
3rd line:
Give us this day our daily bread
Give us our daily bread today
Please provide for all of our needs today.
4th line:
And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.
Forgive us as we forgive others.
Please forgive us of all of the sins we will commit today, and help us to forgive everyone else who sins against us. OR, Forgive us of our sins just as much as we forgive others of their sins against us.
Final Line:
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
Don't allow us to be tempted, instead rescue us from the evil one.
Pretty obvious, just asking God to help us overcome/avoid temptation or just to help us not be tempted in the first place. Instead, please save us from evil or could be from the devil or from sin. Or all three.
Ending:
For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, forever and ever, amen.
None. But, the next verse which I think is 'interesting' is Matthew 6\:14: If you forgive the failures of others, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you don't forgive others, your Father will not forgive your failures.
That ^^^^ Turns back to my second possible meaning on the 4th line, doesn't it?
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I decided to write this post because I had been going to a Christian/Mennonite private school (really more so Christian though, we aren't/weren't conservative Mennonites or anything. It was a private school, but it didn't even have a uniform! and personally I dont even think the dress code was outrageous at all either. Anyway, we are getting off topic here) from kindergarten to grade 8, which I just finished. Honestly I would've stayed longer had more grades been available! Anyway, I had/have friends who had also gone through every grade in that school and had never been in any different, like me. Yet even with this, I honestly think that I might be the ONLY person in the class (or maybe just one of a few - a very small group though) who at the end of the year could tell you line for line what the Lord's Prayer, which we had been reciting everyday in the morning after Oh Canada since Kindergarten (although it was optional - you didn't HAVE to say it). The translation never even changed! Yet still, I am probably the only one in my class who could have done this. I personally think that that is utterly outrageous. So, I wrote this blog post to maybe/possibly/hopefully educate a few Chrisitans on what it means - or, at least, what I think it means!! :)
Thank you for reading!!!!! :) have a great day!!!
So, in other words, this will be a very long blog post! Let's get started! :) Oh and if you want to look it up in your own Bible it's Matthew 6:9-13. :)
1st Line:
Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name.
Our Father in heaven, let your name be kept holy.
I think the better translation of this verse is pretty straight forward and obvious. No explaining necessary here.
2nd Line:
Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on Earth as it is in heaven.
Let your kingdom come. Let your will be done on Earth as it is done in Heaven.
I think that in this line, Jesus is telling his disciples that when they pray they can ask for things, but they should always keep in mind that God's will for our lives is ALWAYS better for us in the long run, even if it doesnt seem like it. We should pray for strength and guidance to do His will and do what He would want us to do, so that His will can one day be carried out as consistently and as often as it is in Heaven - which is literally every second of your existence. A tough act to follow, trust me I know, but remember Jesus isn't ordering you to become utterly perfect - but He does want you to try to be as close to his likeness - so, perfection - as possible. He will always graciously forgive you when you fail, and if you really do try, you will find a fulfilling life with Him and great reward in Heaven.
3rd line:
Give us this day our daily bread
Give us our daily bread today
Please provide for all of our needs today.
4th line:
And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.
Forgive us as we forgive others.
Please forgive us of all of the sins we will commit today, and help us to forgive everyone else who sins against us. OR, Forgive us of our sins just as much as we forgive others of their sins against us.
Final Line:
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
Don't allow us to be tempted, instead rescue us from the evil one.
Pretty obvious, just asking God to help us overcome/avoid temptation or just to help us not be tempted in the first place. Instead, please save us from evil or could be from the devil or from sin. Or all three.
Ending:
For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, forever and ever, amen.
None. But, the next verse which I think is 'interesting' is Matthew 6\:14: If you forgive the failures of others, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you don't forgive others, your Father will not forgive your failures.
That ^^^^ Turns back to my second possible meaning on the 4th line, doesn't it?
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I decided to write this post because I had been going to a Christian/Mennonite private school (really more so Christian though, we aren't/weren't conservative Mennonites or anything. It was a private school, but it didn't even have a uniform! and personally I dont even think the dress code was outrageous at all either. Anyway, we are getting off topic here) from kindergarten to grade 8, which I just finished. Honestly I would've stayed longer had more grades been available! Anyway, I had/have friends who had also gone through every grade in that school and had never been in any different, like me. Yet even with this, I honestly think that I might be the ONLY person in the class (or maybe just one of a few - a very small group though) who at the end of the year could tell you line for line what the Lord's Prayer, which we had been reciting everyday in the morning after Oh Canada since Kindergarten (although it was optional - you didn't HAVE to say it). The translation never even changed! Yet still, I am probably the only one in my class who could have done this. I personally think that that is utterly outrageous. So, I wrote this blog post to maybe/possibly/hopefully educate a few Chrisitans on what it means - or, at least, what I think it means!! :)
Thank you for reading!!!!! :) have a great day!!!
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