I am a slave of Christ Jesus. My purpose in life is to bring my Father pleasure (Colossians 1). This is my prologue if there every was one. The only thing that matters in my life is to seek the kingdom first, not second, or third. Jesus sais to seek the kingdom first then all these things will be added to you. It took me my whole life up until now to realize that my life is so easy, our life is so easy. So much worrying and so much sadness when there shouldnt be because all we have to do in life is seek to please the Father. To love the Lord intimately is our only purpose in life, then after we realize that we will move through life in the comfort of Joy that he gives us. Your job doesn't matter, my job doesn't matter, your income doesn't matter. Your house, car, bank account, wife, husband or the degree under your name do not matter. Adam wasn't made to make money, have a nice car and live by the beach. Adam was made to bring pleasure to the Father. That's what we are here for, to bring pleasure to a living God. I don't get why people think that is so hard. The God that created you and me said when you seek me first everything else will work. Our life is that simple, so why don't you do it? I don't know, but i'll tell you what, I have a joy that none of you can have without the joy of the Father inside you. This is my prologue for this is the most important thing to understand first and im glad the Lord has brought this to my attention and I finally accepted it after 18 years. The last year from 2005 to now, the Lord has helped me to understand that my life is easy when I am forgiven and all I have to do is love Him. Pleas understand that problems you have are because you aren't seeking the Lord first. I promise you and Jesus promised you that when you seek the Lord first, your life will then develop. Understand this first before all so you wont be aimless for 18 years of your life like I was. Chapter I: Proper Witness I feel that now in this time it is too easy for people to claim they are Christians. You browse around on myspace and see people's profiles claiming they are Christians, yet they say they drink and smoke? Yet, you look at their pictures and they are wearing skirts that are one inch long and their chest is out there for everyone to see. When Christianity was first rising Christians were persecuted beyone anyone can imagine, by torture, fire and death. These people in the early followings of Jesus were so dedicated to Him and His teachings and His love, that they would proclaim Jesus everywhere they went and had the threat of death over their head everywhere they went. Then you look at people now who slut themselves out and have no respect for their body, and they proclaim that they are Christians. How easy is it for them to claim this compared to the early Christians. God will be the ultimate judge in this situation, but these kinds of acts I feel are our place as Christians to help lead them in the right direction because they are killing, not only their witness, but the overall witness of Christians. So I urge anyone who sees this kind of misrepresentation; of not a religion, but a dedication of Jesus Christ, to help those by telling them it is hurting their witness of followers of Jesus Christ. And encourage these people to cling more to Jesus and to love him with every inch of their body. To glorify Christ in their conservative form of dressing because that is really all that is important. For people to love Christ with everything all day long. Strive to represent him like the martyrs of the early followers did. Chapter II: Separate God calls us to hate everything of this world. Satan rules on this place we live, that's why we need to abstain from everything that this world stands for. Too many people around in school, work and even church do too much to imitate the world. By acting like the world we are not being seperate like Christ wants. Proclaim Jesus with a boldness like they did with no worry of what people would say or even your life. Because your life is less important than the proclamitation of Jesus Christ. I am nothing, and the only way that I am something is when I am used by Christ to glorify himself. I am straight edge. I am not straight edge because of the fashion, popularity, the scene, the hardcore image - I am a striaght edge Christian because I feel there is still a need for kids to stand against drinking all of their life, as well as smoking. Sex obviously is wonderful when I'm married, but sleeping around isn't. For those that say you can't be a straight edge Christian, well im not doing it for you; i'm doing it for Christ and for the moral stand point I take on things that polute the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 6:19). Apparently there are some Christians who see nothing wrong with alcohol, I know the bible never says "don't drink", but explain to me what positive comes out of drinking? Nothing positive comes from alcohol; only broken homes, suicide, stupid choices and addiction. There is a necessity to be straight edge, not that popular "kill your local drug dealer" straight edge - but the straight edge of not drinking, smoking and sleeping around. I am forever true, I stand strong, I do not deviate, I am firm on the foundation of Christ. Chapter III: Ministry I go to church a lot, I love Christ and I love my ministry God has placed me in. God placed me in the ministry of Jr. High, and I am so blessed to be able to minister to these kids. Lord you are awesome, I thank you now for the ministry I am in. The most important thing other than loving the Lord himself is my ministry I have with those kids. I would never do anything to compromise my ministry I have with them. I dislike parties. I dislike clubs. I dislike when people drink to fit in. I dislike when people use the term party as a verb. I dislike people who waste their time and money on things that alter their perception. I dislike when people conform to this world, when they aren't set apart. God called us to be set apart, to be sanctified, from all that this world is. The world we live in is ugly and I want no part of it. I hate pride, I hate gossip, I hate jealousy and I hate lust. We are all guilty of this including me. Judging I hate the most, which I am probably the most guilty of, but everyone's ministry and life is different. God called people to different areas and different ministries in their lives and I don't feel it's right when in our flesh strength we make and force people to do something they don't want to do. Through the Holy Spirit is when I should take action in a ministry, not because of how good it will look in man's eyes. I am here to serve not to socialize. Chapter IV: Morning of the Third Day Life is becoming short; politics, diseases, depression- whatever the problems are Christ is there. He is here now because we are in the end times. America is dictating that of the Roman Empire, which fell internally because of immorality. Homosexuality, immorality, sin are all things that are becoming more accepted in our society. Lord help us to be set apart from what this world is becoming, as the world gets worse Lord I pray that you help us to draw closer to you. I see in this day and age people are searching. Searching for what, happiness, acceptance, love? Who really knows what they are searching for, but you know what, you can stop searching. I have found life, love and happiness in my lord Jesus Christ. People may just say im another hypocritical Christian, or you may say you had a "bad church experience". None of that matters, what does matter is a relationship with Christ. Because through Christ, everything is possible. This isn't about religion, it's not about being catholic, protestant, presbyterian or whatever you are because the only way to heaven is believing Jesus Christ died for your sins, and to accept him into your heart. People put too much emphasis on what's wrong with religion, church or specifically Christians, when in fact you should be looking at what good things God can do for you. "I, the Teacher, was king of Israel, and I lived in Jerusalem. I devoted myself to search for understanding and to explore by wisdom everything being done under heaven. I soon discovered that God has dealt a tragic existence to the human race. I observed everything going on under the sun, and really, it is all meaningless-like chasing the wind. What is wrong cannot be made right. What is missing cannot be recovered." Ecclesiastes 1:12-15. When Solomon says "What is wrong cannot be made right. What is missing cannot be recovered." Refers to the ultimate perplexity and confusion that come to us because of all the unanswered questions in life. Solomon, writing about his own life, discovered that neither his accomplishments nor his wisdom could make him truely happy. True wisdom is found in God, and true happiness comes from pleasing him. If you could do one thing today please take the time to read this. Please, stop being addicted to something worldy, and focus on something more than what we have here. Please, thank you and God bless you. Respect one another, love one another, spread the word to one another. Chapter V: Purity I was reading this one other dude's blog on myspace, where he was talking about sex, and I found that he had the words for what I always had trouble describing. Sex is a drug, it is something people use to feel good for what 5 seconds? That is what's wrong with society today, the culture around us today uses sex so casually. That bothers me so much, sex was supposed to be a gift that you give to someone you love, but the term love has been saturated so much today that people always are quick to come to the conclusion that they are in love, just so they can have a quick fix at their sexual addiction. By the time I am ready to make a commitment to get married, all the people who havn't had sex will be gone. Everyone will either have slept with so many people they can't count or they will have aids or some other std. The number of women with aids has doubled within the last year, you know why, because everyone is having sex with everyone, it's not sacred anymore. "Finally, dear brothers and sisters, we urge you in the name of the Lord Jesus to live in a way that pleases God, as we have taught you. You are doing this already, and we encourage you to do so more and more. For you remember what we taught you in the name of the Lord Jesus. God wants you to be holy, so you should keep clear of all sexual sin. Then each of you will control your body and live in holiness and honor-not in lustful passion as the pagans do, in their ignorance of God and his ways. Never cheat a Christian brother in this matter by taking his wife, for the Lord avenges all such sins, as we have solemnly warned you before. God has called us to be holy, not to live impure lives. Anyone who refuses to live by these rules is not disobeying human rules but is rejecting God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you." 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8. Sexual standards were very low in the Roman Empire, and in many societies today, they are not any higher. The temptation to have sex outside marriage will always be powerful. Giving into that temptation can have disastrous results. Sexual sins always hurt someone: individuals, families, businesses, churches. Sexual desires and activities must be placed under Christ's control. God created sex for procreation and pleasure and as an expression of ones love between a husband and wife. Therefore, the sexual experience must be limited to the marriage. Besides the physical consequences of sexual sin, there are also spiritual consequences. This emphasis on how harmful sexual sin is, is also illustrated in 1 Corinthians 6:18; "Run from sexual sin! No other sin so clearly affects the body as this one does. For sexual immorality is a sin against your own body." Sexual sin hurts God as well because it shows that we prefer following our own desires instead of the leading of the Holy Spirit. And it deeply affects our personality, which responds in anguish when we harm ourselves physically and spiritually. Chapter VI: We Are Sheep Some may ask why does god allow std's, why does god allow people to suffer? Well the answer for that is quite simple, the bible uses the analogy of us being sheep and him being the shepherd. The lord will allow suffering for various reasons, one being that when a sheep goes astray and does something wrong the shepherd will use his stick to keep showing the sheep what he is doing is wrong. This is the same thing the lord does for us, he loves us so much he tries to keep telling us that what we are doing is wrong in so many ways, but we don't listen so it comes to the point where it gets real bad, and maybe just then we will listen to what is right and what is wrong. If someone would just please do themselves a life changing experience today, please just take into consideration what Jesus Christ can do for you. Stop searching because I have the answer right here, if anyone has any questions please leave them here for me, challenge me so I can show you what piece in your heart you are missing. No matter what you have done, how bad you have lived your life, Jesus Christ will always love you, and accept your love for him. I thank god for everyone who has ever been in my life, my past relationships, my past friendships, my current friendships, and my current relationships. These relationships and friendships and the challenges that come from these relationships built who I am today. I can not give any more thanks to god for having me go through every moment of sadness in my life, because if it weren't for those times of sadness I would have never learned from those experiences. Experiences bad or good I have grown by faith and as a person from them, I thank you Jesus for giving me the oportunity to grow and mature. I am only 18 and I have learned so much in life already, I ask you lord to keep bringing things in my life to grow me as a person and to grow me in faith towards you. Thank you lord for giving me the opportinity to love you by my own choice. The whole time I would go through such sadness and pain due to relationships, I knew that in the end it will be perfect. God is in control of everything, even the things you may think are little that pertain to things like relationships in your life. Those things aren't little in God's eyes, nothing is. I put all my faith in God through sadness. Because when I was going through moments like those, I knew He ultimately had control over who I was with, and why I was with them. We can not be selfish, being selfish is doing what we want in relationships, and being with who we want. You should pray about who is in your life and who isn't. I pray everyday, all day long that God blesses me with the right people in my life, and that the person in my life right now is because of Him. I let the Holy Spirit lead me to where I should go. I would never dare to rely on myself, I am stupid, I am an idiot, I am a sinner; ultimately God is perfect, and His son who died for us is perfect. Therefore we should follow what Jesus Christ would do. "Then Jesus began to tell them that the Son of Man must suffer many terrible things and be rejected by the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religions law. He would be killed, but three days later he would rise from the dead. As he talked about this openly with his deciples, Peter took him aside and began to reprimand him for saying such things. Jesus turned around and looked at the deciples, then reprimanded Peter. "Get away from me, Satan!" he said. "You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God's." Mark 8:31-33. In this moment, Peter was not considering God's purposes but only his own natural human desires and feelings. Peter wanted Christ to be king, but not the suffering servant prophesied in Isaiah 53. He was ready to recieve the glory of following the Messiah but not the persecution. The Christian life is not a paved road to wealth and ease. It often involves hard work, persecution, deprivation, and deep suffering. Peter saw only part of the picture. We should try to not repeat his mistake. Instead, focus on the good that God can bring out of apparent evil and the Resurrection that follows the Crucifixion. Chapter VII: One Yoke Along with praying who God has in our life, we should also be aware of our relationships with people who are not Christians. Being in a relationship with someone who is not a Christian will not work. It will ultimately fail because God says that being in love with someone who isn't a believer in Christ is the same as being in love with evil itself. Most often people are selfish in this as well, myself included, that we want to be with someone so bad, and they aren't a Christian, that we compromise and convince ourselves that it's ok. God hates compromise, it is not right. We should not try to justify that ungodly relationship, because it is nothing. The same for the people that say, "Well my girlfriend/boyfriend says they are a Christian." Yet you see nothing in their life that reflects that, and soon you will see nothing in your life that reflects Christ. Being in love with someone who is not a Christian will pull you away from God because of your compromise. "Don't team up with those who are unbelievers. How can goodness be a partner with wickedness? How can light live with darkness? What harmony can there be between Christ and the Devil? How can a believer be a partner with an unbeliever? And what union can there be between God's temple and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God said: "I will live in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they will be my people. Therefore, come out from them and separate yourselves from them, says the Lord. Don't touch their filthy things, and I will welcome you. And I will be your Father, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty." 2 Corinthians 6:14-18. Paul urges believers to not "team up", that is, form partnerships with unbelievers because this might weaken their Christian commitment, integrity, or standards. It would be a mismatch. Eairler Paul had explained that this did not mean isolating oneself from unbelievers (1 Corinthians 5:9-10). Paul even urges Christians to stay with their unbelieving spouses (1 Corinthians 7:12-13). He wanted Christians to be active in their witness for Christ to unbelievers but not lock themselves into personal or business relationships that could cause them to compromise thair faith. Believers should do everything in their power to avoid situations that could force them to divide their loyalties. These verses also have strong application to marriage. Paul did not want single believers to enter into marriage with unbelievers. Such marriages cannot have unity in the most important issue in life-commitment and obiedence to God. Because marriage involves two people becoming one, faith may becore an issue, and one spouse may have to compromise beliefs for the sake of unity. Many people discount this problem only to regret it later. Don't allow emotion or passion to blind you with someone who will not be your spiritual partner. For those that have discovered God's light, there can be no fellowship or compromise with darkness (1 Corinthians 10:20-21). Chapter VIII: We Fail People often ask, if your God is so loving how can he send people he created to hell? The answer is becuase along with giving us free will there is the free will to not love him. Free will was imposed onto us so we can make the choice to love him, rather than be told to love something, because when you are told to do something and you do it because your are told; that is not genuine love. I look around these days, I look at some who are my peers, some who are not, maybe older or younger; and I see that there is so much imorality everywhere. It just makes me sad actually, the casual use of drugs for one bothers me. I swear everyone smokes weed, I go snowboarding everyone is always smoking weed. That is a little dangerous wouldn't you think? Well if you were to ask someone who is smoking or trying to convince someone to smoke, it's not to them. They think "You know, I can control my substances, I know when to call it quits". That's a lie, you can't be under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol and think that you can control what your actions are. The envionment alone, will alter you a lot. I see people with families, careers, homes, kids, and various other commitments in their lives, yet I see them throw away all of it by using drugs. People always think they are so happy with everything just because everything is going their way, will you be happy with your life if stuff doesn't go the way you want it? God always has control, everything he does, he does it for the good of us his children. Do not worry, God is in control always. There are no mistakes, there are no regrets because God is in control of everything. Some may ask well how can there be free will but he still controls everything in our lives. God controls everything, he allows us to choose who to love, or not love. This concept is very hard to understand, but if it were that easy to grasp and understand God, he wouldn't be big enough to worship. Lord I pray you help these people to see their emptyness inside, Lord I pray that you help them to understand that what they are doing is wrong. I Apoligize for my judgements, for I am a sinner, but I can not help to state something that I see everyday in good people's lives. Conclusion: One Road There is hope and I have found it in Jesus Christ. Please give him a chance to come into your heart and make changes in your life. The only thing that is constant in life is faith in Jesus Christ. xxx forever true.