First Semester...

Random Memory of the Day: August 15, 2008

Freshmen Party. Probably one of the Most Awkward times we will ever have in College. I don’t think I need to explain why it’s so awkward. Unless you already know people at Cedarville, it’s just Strange.... I had met just met my unit, my sister unit, and then I was plunged into this giant mass of nervous freshmen, loud upperclassman, and giant bouncy blowup toys. During the first few weeks of college all the freshmen are extremely outgoing… Now, not so much… What happened!?
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I’ve had an amazing first semester here. The only thing I regret is it going by so fast. I was given a Great Small group [Group 60! Woot Woot!], An amazing sister unit, and a great Unit. I’m Very grateful that I was able to come here. God never promised that we would have a good education- or even live a good life, but he has allowed me to have both. He has provided above and beyond what anyone could demand of him. In the end, if he has planned to strip away everything- I have my Salvation. God Has certainly displayed an infinite amount of grace and mercy in my life.

I have learned more in the last 4 months [maybe even the last year] than I can ever remember. God has been faithful to teach me..

Have you ever realized that everything you’ve read- in and out of the bible, sermons you’ve heard, and conversations you’ve had all are telling you the same thing? What I mean by this is simple: Looking back upon the last year, I can see God’s Hand in it all. Back in May I wasn’t 100% sure that I wanted to come to Cedarville. I was so Stressed and nervous the first day, that I was throwing up. Today, I know this is exactly where God wants me.

I stand in Awe at how God has taught me this year. I am Thankful.

God is good.

Shower Time

A Short Story...

I was up until 3 this morning doing laundry. So I decided that since I have 5 chapel skips left, I would skip chapel today. So this morning I had the luxury of sleeping in until 11am. It was Amazing.
The Story Starts with a Shower. It was an uneventfull shower. Rubber Ducky Stall- 19's Side. The Water Pressure Is better there. The Story Doesn't get interesting until I got out....Lets Just say that when I got back to my room..... It was Locked. And my roommate and RA are nowhere to be found. Lol.

So Doug And His Lime Green Towel are locked out- Its been 2 hours now.

This One is going to Be Random. Just Warning you.

@ 1.33am, this post made sense. I'll edit it later if I realize i wrote down complete gibberish.

What does it Really Look like to be a Christian? Everyone seems to have a differing opinion on it. A few people I know think it is simply by word and perhaps abstaining from some things that make you “Christian”. It’s not that we’ve sat down and really talked about it- You can tell by their lives. To profess Christ by word only and not live it out is ridiculous. Those that deceive themselves in that way trust too much in a false intellectual salvation, and not the true salvation that Christ Actually can provide. I’m Talking about Fire Insurance.

Jude 1:3-4, “Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints. For certain persons have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.” [NASB]

I believe that the American Church is assaulted by the Dead. We have Zombie Christians. Perhaps Some Are truly saved, however I can’t help but wonder how many have fallen off the high road and have failed to notice. It’s hard to be a Christian today and know what a True Christian needs to look like. The Church today and all the dead weight it has to carry doesn’t help the issue. The Fact that the common church dilutes the Gospel and the bible obviously doesn’t help at all either.
Obviously, Christ is our Ultimate example.

All that to say:
It seems like The Church in America has very few true Christians to look to as role Models. As I see it, we can choose to be two types of Christians: Ones that profess Christ with our Words only or We can be real christians that live our lives by our knowledge of the gospel and be people of Conviction; True Role Models.

**I'm not advocating Legalism at all. All I am saying is that if you examine your life and see No Fruits of the spirit and You truly are professing Christ with your Mouth only- Than perhaps you need to re-evaluate your Salvation. If You look at your life and you see Fruits of the Spirit- Then Live your faith out. A time is coming swiftly when the Church will be strengthened by the bitter whips of persecution. Who will stand?

I only have one question:
Are You contending earnestly for the faith?

The Begginning of Another Week....

13 weeks since I first flew into Ohio, about 4 weeks left.

I'm looking forward to the slight break of the Homework Marathon.

What's Crazy is that I don't even have hard classes Yet... and School is getting Old. Next semester I need to get off Campus More.


I'm going to miss my friends here at the 'ville over Christmas break though.

Election Day....

When the storm is raging all around me
You are the peace that calms
My troubled sea
And the cares of this world
Darken my day
You are the light that shines
And shows me the way
Oh, the beauty of Your majesty
On the cross You showed Your love for me!
Beautiful Lord Awesome and mighty

I’m captured by this love
I see Beautiful Lord Tender and holy
Your mercy brings me to my knees
It’s Your mercy that has made me free
Beautiful Lord When my sin is all that I can see
Your grace remains the shelter thatI seek
And when my weakness is all
I can give Your gentle Spirit gives me strength again
And oh, the beauty of Your majesty
On the cross You showed Your love for me
And I am lifted by Your love to sing!

It’s Your mercy that has made me free!
You’re beautiful, my Lord You’re beautiful, my Lord

[Beautiful Lord- Leeland]

Recently...

“It is not scientific doubt, not atheism, not pantheism, not agnosticism, that in our day and in this land is likely to quench the light of the gospel. It is a proud, sensuous, selfish, luxurious, church-going, hollow-hearted prosperity.” Frederic D. Huntington 1890

College is a unique experience and time in our lives. It’s a time when we get to learn, discover, and Grow. For me, this seems like one of the first times I’ve been able to formulate my own thoughts without a lot of external pressures.
What I want to write about isn’t really Anything new. I’ve heard it my whole life. I’m confidant that it’s not new to you either. I’m sure this post will be overlooked in importance compared to previous ones. However, You need to understand how important this one is to me and how important it should be for your life. This is no longer something I know, its something I’m trying my hardest [with the help of the Holy Spirit] to accomplish and make real in my life.
I have no doubt you could Google the topics I list and find a myriad of authors that can more eloquently describe what I’m thinking, however there is a certain satisfaction that comes with writing down your thoughts, so here’s my feeble attempt:

1. Christ’s Mercy And Work on the Cross

When I look at my life and all the things I’ve done: I realize how amazing God’s Mercy is. God saved me by grace. Through faith. Not Of anything I’ve Done. It was a Free gift from God. That thought in itself is humbling; Then I look at how I live my life each day as a New Creation. The thought causes me to shudder. It’s not that God’s grace and mercy will ever run out. However, the mere fact that the same God that has cast the unbelieving into the fiery pits of Hell forgives me for approaching my day, my faith, and Him with a cavalier attitude not so uncommon in our society: Astounds me.
I stand in Awe.

It’s amazing how American Christians live their lives. They go about their days without a serious consideration of God on their mind, attacking life’s challenges with a Cavalier attitude. One where little to no consideration is given to sin. [Do you ever find yourself seriously questioning if certain things are Sin, or do you just assume its alright since its a social norm?] How can we identify ourselves with Christ and yet not live for him?

I’m not advocating being legalistic at all, rather that we Love our God And live what we “believe”. Something I’ve struggled with until I got to college and also started reading Crazy Love, is reading my bible. In high school and Junior High I read for one Reason and one reason only. I knew that my small group was going to ask. Out Of Love they asked; to keep me accountable. It only caused my motivation to be wrong. Guys Please, Don’t read your bible [or do anything else] merely because you feel guilty otherwise. Do it for a genuine Love for God and a desire the relationship you have [or should have] with him. Don’t do it for anyone else. In the end, It’s not your relationship with anyone else that matters.

I visited Maranatha Baptist Church last sunday. Somehow- quite Randomly, I realized how unique our lives as Christians should be. I realized how much we allow society’s values to seep into our own. The topic at Sunday School was Kindness and Goodness- We are told by our culture that if we are treated like trash by other people, we can simply treat them like trash right back [which as you may note, is what the Church Of Satan advocates] It is a subtle poison that has crept into Christian [and sometimes my own] thinking. I understand that we all know this. Why am I wasting my time writing it at All then? Because. I have a problem taking my head knowledge and turning it into action, and I’m exceedingly confidant that many Christians have this same problem- as can be seen by how they taint their testimony day-in and day-out. I’m not claiming that it’s easy At All! i'm no expert.

It seems like every job I’ve had [Separate from when I cooked] I ruined my testimony. How? Going with the flow. Not doing my best. Not Witnessing. Getting angry over ridiculously minor things: Fitting In. I would hardly call the time I spent at those jobs beneficial to the Cause of Christ- Which is honestly all that we need to worry about. I feel like far too many Christians make the mistake of separating church with the rest of their lives. I am Guilty.


2. God’s Demand- Not A Request.

God Demands Our loyalty, not an every once in awhile ‘When it’s convenient, loyalty’- but a burning passion for him.
I hate it when people don’t take into account all of God’s attributes. We hear all about the God of Love; but never the jealous or the wrathful God. I believe in the God that Jonathan Edwards displays in Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God. Although this famous sermon is talking about fire and brimstone that is heaped upon the unbeliever, Edwards is showing how God doesn’t ask us for our allegiance. He Demands it. He is God. We are just his creation. He is NOT to be trifled with.
How Dare I follow him in word only? WHO am I to set conditions on our relationship?
Far too many Christians, Myself included, make the mistake of believing that the relationship is about us.

Basically All I'm trying to do is encourage you to take a step back and look at your Life. Look and see how much you Love God. How do you treat him?

After Inspecting your life: If it isn't Already, Are you going to make your faith Real and truly make it a relationship- Or are you going top continue to live your life as a member of the Silent Crowd of the LukeWarm?

"So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth."
-Revelation 3:16

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Chan, Francis. Crazy Love. Colorado Springs: David C. Cook, 2008.