le_meme_chose's Revelife

letting go of the "feel good God"

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 20:28:26 GMT

the problem with Christianity today is that it's all about what God can do for us and not what we can do for God. since when did it matter what God could do for us? i'm honestly really tired of this "feel good God" stuff. i believe it's going to be the downfall of Christianity if people don't recognize it soon and change it. i feel as though we've drifted so far from the bible that the things we teach and/or learn in church now is not very biblical. a lot of it is about being successful, feeling good about yourself and life, and getting the best out of life. so there isn't really anything wrong with these things, but the way they are taught in church is not very biblical.

in 1 peter 2:1, it says, "But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves."

a lot of "preachers" today make thousands and thousands of dollars on feel good seminars and sermons. they hold huge conferences on success and prosperity, but i'd be willing to say that almost, if not all, of it is false prophecy. if you look at their sermons, you should question if they have a biblical basis. when i say this though, i don't just mean whether or not they've thrown in a few bible verses throughout their sermons. it's important to question their motives, the basis of their sermons, and how their message fits in with that of Jesus Christ.

i really fear for God's people if they cannot discern from God's true biblical word and that of false preachers. in our society today especially, we are so caught up in ourselves and what makes us happy and what makes us feel good. it's probably human tendency to drift towards that which makes us feel good, but sometimes those things are not from God and we try to convince ourselves that they are. it's so common for us to interpret the bible to what fits our lives, but that's not the way it should be. our lives should be changed to fit God's call for us: to be His holy people.

i pray that Christians today recognize these false prophets and repent and turn back before Christ's second coming.

Thursday, October 15, 2009

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 01:24:20 GMT

I've been thinking a lot about my purpose in God's kingdom. Since we've been married, we've spent a lot more time in prayer together, allowing God to change our hearts and the way we view the world. I feel like I've reached the point where it's no longer just a religion I practice, but it must be a way of life. I look at Muslims and Jews and it seems as though they truly live their religions and it's not just something they do on the Sabbath or day of worship and rest. I find that so many of us Christians are just Sunday Christians, but the rest of the week we don't acknowledge God in our lives. It's as if God is a convenience to us and we follow Him when it's the best time for us. The point in my life that I'm at is forcing me to choose - follow God with everything I have and am or separate and live the lukewarm life that I've been living. I've so often feared ridicule from others about my faith. Let's face it, Christianity is not cool and it's NOT the thing to be/do in society right now. However, I still refuse to believe that Jesus Christ died in vain and all of this is nothing but dust once we're gone. I wonder why we aren't out there really living our lives the way the Muslims and Jews are. They immerse themselves in their faith and it dictates their very way of life. This is the clear conviction that I've been hearing from God the past couple of months and I feel that it's a call to all of us; a challenge to no longer just be Christians but let it be our lives - let God be our lives.

update

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 00:50:13 GMT

i have to apologize to the revelife community for my lack of entries. i've been gone so long that revelife has completely changed and i don't much recognize it at all.

if you're curious about what i've been up to:
i finished my first year of law school. praise Jesus! seriously. i wouldn't have made it without God constantly whispering to me that He will use me for His glory.
i started my internship and am almost done with it. i've learned so much there, about government, people, and why we do what we do.
i'm getting married in 3 days! yes, it's true.

all in all life has been an adventure. there have been times that i've struggled to know where God is calling me to go and be. other times i can hear Him so clearly. i've thought a lot about my entries and things to write about, but nothing has captivated me. i think a lot less than i used to about life and the lack of interesting entries (or entries at all) is a direct result of this.

i finished reading john piper's "this momentary marriage" and now have a better understanding of marriage and God's purpose for marriage. i know without a doubt that if people really knew what God's purpose for marriage was, they would completely disagree and disapprove. they'd most likely never want to ever get married. i suppose my thoughts on marriage will be for another day, perhaps when i am actually married.

anyway, through everything, i know that Jesus is Lord still. the news and society may tell me lies, but i know that ultimately He is real and still walks me through my deepest valleys and my highest highs.

God is good.

Saturday, April 25, 2009

Sat, 25 Apr 2009 18:21:51 GMT

it came out this past week that the drug Plan B also known as the morning after pill will now be available to individuals who are 17 and over to purchase without a prescription. there's a huge debate from both the pro-lifers and pro-choicers on whether or not this is right. i believe in life and life at conception, but i don't see how Plan B has anything to do with abortion. the drug in effect is not killing a baby. it is preventing a sperm from fertilizing an egg. i guess i just may not understand the pro-life argument for raising the age for Plan B purchasers because to me, it prevents a person from getting pregnant who then later will have to decide on whether or not to abort that child. isn't it better that we prevent those kinds of abortions before a child is even created?

of course it's true that people should not be sleeping together if they are not ready to raise a child, but we also need to be realistic here. people are going to do that regardless and if we can prevent pregnancies and abortions, i don't see a problem with allowing 17 and up teens to purchase the drug.

perhaps it's the lesser of two evils that i'm arguing here because i would rather see someone take Plan B before getting pregnant, rather than later choosing to abort the child. in any event, i actually don't believe that Plan B is an evil thing. i think it prevents the mother from making the decision to abort in the first place. at the same time, Plan B should not be used in place of a birth control. i don't know the long-term effects of the drug and i don't think most people consider that when they are in the situation of having to purchase it in the first place. there is no evidence linking an increase in sexual activity with the Plan B drug so until someone comes up with solid statistical analysis of a link, Plan B seems to be the better solution in preventing unnecessary abortions.

Wednesday, April 08, 2009

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 13:17:11 GMT

a few months ago i wrote about the struggles my fiance and i were having with our wedding. through months of prayer, i am so happy to say that we have surpassed the biggest hurdle along the way. we had our cultural wedding ceremony a few weeks back and it went a lot better than we had anticipated. originally, my fiance's side of the family was not going to participate because we wanted to have a Christian ceremony without doing the cultural rituals his family requested. it was a huge struggle for us and we almost broke off the wedding altogether. however, with our friends and family praying for us every step of the way, God provided for us and both families came together under God. although his side of the family has not yet accepted Christ, it was a blessing to know that God worked in their lives to see why we felt so strongly about having a Christian wedding without doing the cultural rituals of ancestral worship.

the entire time i had very little faith that his side of the family would understand since they didn't know God. however, Jesus also said that all it takes is faith the size of a mustard seed in order for God to move mountains. God has been more than faithful to us even when we were on the verge of splitting up because of the differences in faith from both sides of the family. i continue to believe that miracles still happen; our wedding and marriage would never have even been possible had it not been for God and the transformation in our hearts to really live for Him and not for our own selfish needs. although we will continue to struggle with ourselves and God's purpose for us, i have faith that God loves us unconditional and wants our hearts to be connected with His.

God is good!

Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Tue, 31 Mar 2009 01:08:13 GMT

something that is difficult for me to understand about a lot of Christian guys is they feel the need or the right to date around, get to know (aka flirt) with multiple females, keeping their options open, until they figure out which one they want to date. all the while the girls are feeling like they are special and the only one getting the attention. a lot of times these types of "Christian daters" use the excuse that it's "God's calling" and "God's plan for them" to not settle down yet but be friends with many girls at one time.

ok, let's be honest: this is a complete cop-out for Christian guys who just want to get to know many girls while making it seem like it's their calling.

i know a guy who does this. he's big into missions work and wants a girl to be his wife and they can do missions work together. however, in the search for a wife, he feels the needs or right to talk to more than one girl at one time claiming he's not leading them on because he just "wants to get to know them" as friends. i'm sorry, but you can't flirt with a girl continuously and not expect her to feel like you are actually into her. then to pull out the God card and say, "i don't think God wants us to be together." you know, if you were listening to God in the first place, things wouldn't be this way.

why do a lot of Christian guys use God to talk to many girls? i just don't understand...

Saturday, March 14, 2009

Sat, 14 Mar 2009 18:22:39 GMT

for Christians who have been in long term relationships and broken up, is it possible to still love one another as brothers and sisters in Christ and be friends?

i've been in a debate over this issue with a couple people and i know that it's ideal to still be friends after a break-up, whether or not it was mutual isn't even an issue. every long-term relationship that ends, in my opinion, still has heartache during the aftermath and it's not as easy for girls to just recover and be friends still without lingering emotions getting in the way. quite possibly, 7-12 months after the breakup, the two people can become friends again, but i don't believe it's possible so quickly after the breakup.

what do you think?

Thursday, March 05, 2009

Thu, 05 Mar 2009 01:13:23 GMT

i'd like to write a book.
it'd be a Christian dating book.
not a traditional dating book either.
it'd be a break-up book.

would you read it if i did?

p.s.- i am only half kidding...

Tuesday, March 03, 2009

Tue, 03 Mar 2009 01:44:12 GMT

i've been struggling. i have never felt so inadequate before. i'm surrounded by people who are intelligent, graduating from ivy-league schools... and then there's me. and i question where God sees me going right now because i have no idea... i feel as though i'm walking blindly. at one point i was so sure of myself, but now it seems so distant. i'm blessed with support parents and an even greater supportive fiance. i somehow still don't believe in myself. it's wrong on so many levels because i believe in the power of God and His power to change people and lead people. at the same time, i have so little faith in me.

it's a contradiction isn't it?

in these most desperate times, i have no choice but to rely on God. if i have no faith in myself, i have to be willing to have faith in God.

i've been listening to matt redman's "breathing the breath" and there's a line in his song that goes:
we have nothing to offer you that you didn't first give us...

and it's so true because we praise God with the things that He's first given us. so many times we think we're worthy and we're not, but through the blood of Christ we are. i still find it difficult to go before God because i feel as though i'm not even worthy... even after knowing that Christ shed His blood for me. it's something i think a lot of us need to realize: we are worthy through His blood!

and there is nothing that could ever take that away from us... even the little inadequacies we feel about ourselves in our moments of weakness.

Jesus still lives.

Thursday, February 05, 2009

Thu, 05 Feb 2009 01:24:44 GMT

sometimes in conversations with other Christians, i'll notice statements such as:

"I would never live there."
or
"I would never wear that."

and sometimes I wonder if it's Christians being stuck-up or if it's just a matter of preference. I was talking to a friend today about where I would live next year and mentioned an area of town that wasn't upperclass, but more of bohemian/hippy/organic type of neighborhood. a lot of the homes in the area are older and more rundown looking.

she said, "ew, don't live there."

it makes me wonder if we as Christians are a little too quick to judge and think we are superior. it makes me uncomfortable to think that we would only venture into those types of neighborhoods because of a "service project," but not because we really wanted to. then once the service project is over with, we go back to our cushy lifestyles where we're comfortable with our circle of friends. granted, not all Christians think this way and i think it's great that they don't. however, more often than not, i've come across Christians who make comments that give them a feeling of superiority that i'm not really comfortable with. is it that we've become too attached to the world? then when we feel like being Christians, we put on our good sunday clothes and talk about God to the people in homeless shelters that we only see once a year?

i know Jesus never lived a cushy lifestyle and it's not that radical to think that maybe we should leave our belongings behind and take up our cross to follow Him.