Pure Magazine

Over and Out!

Are you listening?

I recently read an article entitled "Listen and be heard with 'walkie-talkie management" by Anne Milkovich. In the article, Milkovich is speaking about communication skills for managers. One of her main points is that we should train ourselves to communicate as if we are on a walkie talkie. You speak clearly...then you wait for a response. 

This is a wonderful idea for dealing with employees, co-workers, and even family members. However, do you think you effectively listen for a response during prayer?

Milkovich said, "When we think of communication skills, we tend to think in terms of how well we talk. But in fact, listening is really what determines good walkie-talkie skills. People are more interested in being heard than in hearing. Fight this tendency in yourself as you capitalize on it in others."

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Often times when I am speaking to someone and mention that God revealed something to me, I get a strange look. The strangest look of them all comes when I say that God spoke to me. "He actually SPOKE to you?" some people might say. My answer, "Yes. He spoke to me".

The reason a lot of people claim they've never heard God is they don't know how to recognize His voice.

God speaks in many different ways (some of the following content was borrowed from http://www.allaboutprayer.org/hearing-gods-voice.htm):

1) The Bible: In his book Knowing God, J. I. Packer says, "God has spoken to man, and the Bible is His Word, given to us to make us wise unto salvation."

2) Our thoughts: Ever have a thought just pop into your mind and you couldn't figure out how it got there? Often times this is God urging you to do something.

3) Our conversations with others: Ever have a friend lend a shoulder to cry on during a hard time? Ever meet a stranger that had just the right words to say? Sometimes God designs "Holy Moments" and uses others to speak to us.

There are many more ways God speaks. To find a complete list of ways God can speak to us, I recommend buying the book "101 Ways God Speaks (And How to Hear Him) by Sandy Warner at http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/101-ways-god-speaks-%28and-how-to-hear-him%29/2012106.

God is constantly speaking to us, His children. It is our responsibility to listen and obey.

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In order to effectively listen, we must get rid of all "static" in the conversation. This can include the TV show you have on in the background, your pre-conceived thoughts on God, your emotions, your sins, your thoughts, etc. etc. etc.

Here is my suggestion: If you are yearning to hear the voice of God, make yourself available. Get rid of these distractions; go to your quiet place or "prayer closet" as some would call it. 

There is a song about entering the presence of God. It describes it as physically walking through the sanctuary into the most holy place. I like to think of it that way when I pray. I try to remember that I am in the presence of the Most High...it is a lot easier to remain quiet and listen when you understand that the one you are speaking to created the Universe. He might just have more knowledge than me.

The song is called "Take Me In" - by Kutless. I challenge you to look this song up and listen with your eyes shut. Try to imagine walking into the presence of God. There is nothing more powerful than that.

Take me past the outer courts

Into the holy place

Past the brazen altar

Lord I want to see your face

Pass me by the crowds of people

The priests who sing your praise

I hunt and thirst for your righteousness

But it's only found in one place

Take me in to the holy of holies

Take me in by the blood of the lamb

Take me in to the holy of holies

Take the coal, touch my lips, here I am

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Psalm 119:60

"I will hasten and not delay to obey your commands."

There is one thing to point out here. When God tells you to do something, you should do it without delay. When you are in-tune with the Holy Spirit and recognize his tug on your heart, He can ask you to do anything at anytime without any warning. The closer you get to God, the easier it will be to obey without second guessing Him.

Believe me, it will be worth it to follow His direction. He has it all figured out already.

Conclusion

Tell me why it's easier to take advice from a television show or radio program that it is to take advice from God. Why is it that when we have the world on the other end of the walkie talkie, we turn the volume up and when God's on the other end, we turn it down? The answer: it is a whole lot easier to do what the world suggests because no one will oppose you. But when we follow God, the reward will be 10 times greater.

Let's all practice our listening skills and turn the volume up for God.

Overcoming Negative Thoughts

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Let me ask you a question: How many times a day do you say or think something negative about yourself? Do you ever say things like, "I am not smart enough", "I am not pretty enough, , " I am not good enough"? If your answer is yes, then this article is for you.

2 Corinthians 10:5

"We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ"

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Taking Thoughts Captive

What does it mean to take your thoughts captive? Well, just as a prisoner is taken captive, so should your thoughts be. Put it behind bars to never again see the light of day. Once a thought comes to your mind, you then must determine if it belongs there. Match it against the Bible, against God's character, and against the truth. And if you happen to have a thought come to mind that doesn't match up, then GET RID OF IT. You are in charge of your emotions. You are in charge of your thoughts....and GOD is in charge of you. Do you think God, your Creator, would like hearing negative things about you, His creation? I highly doubt it.

Psalm 139:23

"Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts"

The Cause

It is my belief that women think negative things about themselves because it's what they are fed their whole lives through streams of Media. You can be young but not too young, old but not too old, skinny but not too skinny....the list goes on and on. Commercials, TV Shows, Movies, Radio Broadcasts, etc. show an unrealistic image of what a woman should be. Is it any wonder that women all around the world think so poorly of themselves?  According to "Depression Facts and Stats" By Bob Murray, PhD and Alicia Fortinberry, MS "54% of people believe depression is a personal weakness and 41% of depressed women are too embarrassed to seek help." 

Satan rules the Media and the world is his playground. Don't believe what the world says about you. Believe what God says.

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Psalm 10:4

In his pride the wicked does not seek him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God.

Know the Truth

BellaOnline: The Voice of Women said, "A marriage counselor, after counseling hundreds of couples who were on the path to divorce, raised the idea of negative self-talk as one potential cause of divorce. This pattern of negative self talk, he contends, is a barrier to a couples happiness, much more than a lack of open communication is."

That should tell you that negative thoughts/speech affect not only your life, but the lives of those you love. No husband or wife wants to constantly hear you say negative things about yourself. After all, they married you for your positive qualities and they don't want to hear negative things about the person they love.

The truth of the matter is that God loves you too. Every thought He has of you is one of love.He knows you are good enough, smart enough, pretty enough, and talented enough to accomplish what He has set out for you to do.

You want to know a great way to replace negative thoughts? Replace them with thoughts of Jesus.

Hebrews 3:1

Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess.

When your thoughts are on God and you are trying to emulate Him, I can guarantee that the last thing on your mind will be negativity.

Change your thoughts and you change your world.

Norman Vincent Peale

Image borrowed from http://www.herradar.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/positive-way-588x400.jpg

Conclusion

In life, we are guaranteed to have trouble. We will have fleeting thoughts from time to time that we are not good enough. The truth is that we have a loving God in heaven that thinks the world of us. He wants us to think the same. Let's all try to take every thought captive to make it obedient to God.

She Speaks With

Wisdom

Image borrowed from reconnections.net

Proverbs18:21

The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.

Winston Churchill once said, "By swallowing evil words unsaid, no one has ever harmed his stomach." It's a saying that I personally agree with. However, it's sometimes easier said than done. When a person is provoked, you never know what might come out.

As a woman, I know what it means to deal with gossip.  I know what it means to be the victim of someone's tongue lashing and I know what it means to hurt someone by words I've said. Obviously, men deal with the same issues; but we are speaking to the women right now.

How many of you have experienced the pain that follows cruel words? How many of you have been discouraged, outraged, or saddened because of someone's tongue lashing?

The Bible discusses the power of words in many scriptures.

Psalm 64:3

They sharpen their tongues like swords and aim their words like deadly arrows.

Psalm 140:3

They make their tongues as sharp as a serpent's; the poison of vipers is on their lips.

Psalm 52:2

Your tongue plots destruction; it is like a sharpened razor, you who practice deceit.

In my own life, I have allowed harmful words to choose my path. I have allowed them to discourage me to the point where I gave up, to the point where I lost all sense of ambition, to the point where I wouldn't even try for fear of failure. What have words done to you? What have your words done to others?

God never intented for us to speak to each other this way.

Please read the story below:

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A Motivational Story with Wisdom -

The Power of Words

by Author Unkown

A group of frogs were traveling through the woods, and two of them fell into a deep pit. All the other frogs gathered around the pit. When they saw how deep the pit was, they told the two frogs that they were as good as dead.

The two frogs ignored the comments and tried to jump up out of the pit with all of their might. The other frogs kept telling them to stop, that they were as good as dead. Finally, one of the frogs took heed to what the other frogs were saying and gave up. He fell down and died.

The other frog continued to jump as hard as he could. Once again, the crowd of frogs yelled at him to stop the pain and just die. He jumped even harder and finally made it out.

When he got out, the other frogs said, "Did you not hear us?" The frog explained to them that he was deaf. He thought they were encouraging him the entire time.

This story gives us thoughts to think about:

1. An encouraging word to someone who is down can encourage them to achieve their goal.

2. A destructive word to someone who is down can have negative effects. Be careful of what you say.

The quote below was sent to me by Master Mark Russell. His quote describes "words" very accurately:

"Words:

The Snow may look smooth and soft,

but the rocks underneath are sharp!"

One last point,

Are your words encouraging?

Taken From:

http://www.wow4u.com/pow/index.html

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What Should We Do???

During Jesus' time on earth, He was the victim of hurtful words. He endured every kind of lashing, up until his crucifixion. Yet, still his last words were, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing."

If you were in his seat, what would have been your words? Do we really bless those that persecute us? Or, do we curse those that curse us?

Proverbs 31:26

She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue.

Proverbs 15:4

The tongue that brings healing is a tree of life, but a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit.

Psalm 37:30

The mouth of the righteous man utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks what is just.

We Must Forgive

The hardest part of dealing with the pain caused by harmful words, is forgiving those that spoke them. However, by holding unforgiveness in your heart, you will never be free- and neither will the person you cannot forgive.

Romans 12:14

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.

Some of you may be thinking, "You didn't hear what they said to me. It was so harsh that I can never forgive them." You may be thinking, "I don't deserve to be forgiven for the things I've said. I can't even live with myself."

Jesus says there is forgiveness when you ask for it. He offers it freely to us. He died on the cross so that we may be forgiven. Who are we to take the place of God and decide who should be forgiven?

Luke 6:37

"Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven."

I will be the first to admit that forgiving isn't always easy. But, remember that it's a process. Day by day, I was able to forgive the person that hurt me. I am sure that with the help of Jesus, you will be able to do the same. There is nothing more liberating than knowing the pain is gone because you forgave.

Be careful of your thoughts; they may become words at any moment. ~Ira Gassen

Let's all be women that speak with wisdom and bring healing to those around us.

"Mirror, Mirror on the Wall"

We all know the age-old story of Snow White. The seven dworfs whistle away at their work and Snow White finds her prince. But, not many people spend a lot of time talking about the Queen.

The beautiful Queen spent most of her time saying, "Mirror, Mirror on the wall, Who is the fairest one of all?" Then the mirror would reply, "Thou, O Queen, art the fairest of all." And that was all fine and dandy with her.

But here comes the problem: Snow White.

When Snow White was around 7 years old, she grew more and more beautiful. Soon, she became more beautiful than even the Queen. Now, when the Queen asks her most famous question, the mirror responds with a different answer.

"O Lady Queen, though fair ye be, Snow-White is fairer far to see."

She was horrified to hear that someone else could possibly be more beautiful than her, so she ordered the huntsmen to take her into the woods and kill her.

Of course, we know that Snow White escapes and it's a happy ending. But, let's take some time talking about the Queen.

Who is your Mirror?

How do you know that you are beautiful? Is it something that you just know? Do you compare yourself to others around you? Possibly the Media are speaking to you. But how often do you go to God’s word to find your beauty?

As women, it almost seems that we contain an innate ability to compare ourselves to others. Whether we are in a group full of women or watching T.V. there will always be someone we secretly wish we could be or wish we could look like.

I don't know about you, but one of the times I dread most is trying on clothes. Nothing ever fits right, the dressing room is usually hot and sweaty, and usually I leave feeling depressed. Recently, I went shopping with my sister. As I tried things on, I said, "I hate trying things on! It's like my body is awkwardly shaped or something!" I had a bit of a reality check when my sister said, "You shouldn't say those things about yourself." I realized that I write all of these blogs about inner beauty and loving yourself the way you are, but the moment I see how I look in front of the mirror I find nothing but flaws.

The Words You Speak

"Watch your thoughts; they become words.

Watch your words; they become actions.

Watch your actions; they become habits.

Watch your habits; they become character.

Watch your character: it becomes your destiny."

Frank Outlaw

One thing I wondered when I read this quote is, "How many women could have been saved from eating disorders if they only understood this?" Another thought I had was, "How many of us say and think negative things about ourselves, not knowing that it may eventually lead to something more destructive?"

God has uniquely designed each and every one of us. Yet, we all seem to have at least one thing we would change about ourselves. It could be big feet, freckles on your nose, frizzy hair, small breasts, etc. But one thing we all need to know is that God doesn't make mistakes. He doesn't create flaws. He created us in his image. Don't you think that if He is going to claim something as His and say that it looks like Him that He would make it look pretty dang good?

We are human so we naturally think like humans. But, I challenge you to try thinking like God. Try seeing yourself the way that God created you.

Let God become your mirror. Before you walk outside to start your day, read God's promises in your Bible. Maybe even put a scripture on your mirror to remind you that you were fearfully and wonderfully made. God designed us to be a mirror of his son. Isn't that an incredible honor?

1 Corinthians 13:12 (New International Version) 12Now we see but apoor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now Iknow in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

What are you Full of?

The age old question: "Are you full of it?"

Of course we know this phrase is meant as something funny. It is used for moments where someone thinks the moon is made of cheese, that pigs can fly, or that food loses calories when you cut it into tiny, tiny pieces. But try to think of this literally for a second. In your life, what are you being fed? What do your eyes see? What do your ears hear? And what does your hand touch? I have a theory that when you feed your mind, soul, and body with anything except Christ, you give that something power. When you give away your power, you leave yourself vulnerable. It would be okay to be vulnerable to Christ because He is trustworthy. However, what if you gave over your power to one that was not so trustworthy?

There are countless people in the world that aren't full of anything. They are completely empty, pretty much begging the next passer by to fill them up. This is the most dangerous type of them all.

If you are empty, something will eventually come to fill you up. It will be easy for you to be deceived.Hence, why the Media has so much power over the minds and hearts of our youth today.

But, if Christ is in you and you are mature enough to discern right from wrong, it will be more difficult to be deceived. In the end times, Christians will suffer for the name of Christ. They will be forced to decide: suffer for Christ, or go with the flow. If your faith isn’t strong enough, you will topple over and give in out of fear. But, if you know that there is a better place, it will be easier for you to stand firm in your faith.

Ephesians 4:14

"Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming."

We take comfort in knowing that if Christ is in our hearts and we have a mature, growing relationship with Him, we have nothing to fear. There isn't anything on this earth that we should fear.  Dellanna O'Brien said, "Sir, I am afraid of no one except God himself." That is the mentality I would like to have in my own life.

Psalm 27:1

"The LORD is my light and my salvation—

       whom shall I fear?

       The LORD is the stronghold of my life—

       of whom shall I be afraid?"

Can We Walk The Walk?

Since I was a young girl, I thought I had no fear. If there was a risky adventure, I'd be first in line. But, it seemed that the older I got, the more I feared. I never understood that until I recently began this study. When I was a child, I understood God. I understood his Character, and I had such a firm faith in Him, that I feared no other. There is something that happens as we grow older: Our faith begins to fade.

I am not saying that adults are incapable of having a strong, unshakable faith. I am saying that it is harder to hold onto with all of the cares of the world dragging you down. But, once you grab hold of it and truly understand from experience that Christ is with you through anything, you truly can move mountains with your faith.

Our God is capable of anything. He is capable of humbling the strongest King, softening the hardest heart, and strengthening the weakest spirit. But, do you HONESTLY believe that?

Do you believe the words you say in church? Do you believe that God can RAISE THE DEAD, HEAL THE SICK, BRING SIGHT TO THE BLIND, HEARING TO THE DEAF, MOVE MOUNTAINS, and MAKE ROCKS CRY OUT HIS NAME? Can we honestly walk the walk?

Are You Half Empty or Half Full?

Another age old question: Are you half empty of half full? I know you aren't a glass, but this is an expression, people. Work with me.

Obviously, we are all a work in progress. None of us are perfect, nor will we ever be. But, how strong is your walk with Christ?

On a scale of 1-10, how 

is your faith?

Heaven forbid, if someone were to put a gun to your head and make you decide: Die for Christ or live for the world? What would you decide?

The end times are  coming....whether it be in our lifetime or in our children's Children's lifetime, what kind of legacy do we want to leave? How strong is our faith?

Are you full of it? Or are you full of HIM?

Luke 21:17

"All men will hate you because of me. 18But not a hair of your head will perish. 19By standing firm you will gain life."

Our God is amazing. He is worthy of ALL of our hearts, minds, souls, and strength. I challenge you to begin a CLOSER walk with God. Be assured that your God is strong enough to make your faith strong enough. Let God fill you with His HOLY SPIRIT.

What are your

?

I have been inspired by a recent video, to write about following your dreams. This very video is on our webpage. It is a follow-up of a mission trip to PNG. A friend of mine went on that trip as a Missionary, using photojournalism in the mission field. She doesn't know it, but she has greatly inspired me.

Life is all about decisions. It is about going left or going right, up or down, or even creating your own direction. But without God, how is it possible to know which way to go? You might make a plan for your life, but the Lord determines your steps.

I know in my own life, I can tell if I am doing something merely because I want to or because God wants me to. Often times, when God tells me to do something, it makes no sense at all (to me, at least). God is not concerned with what makes sense to us. He is concerned with us...and what's best for us.

I have been thinking a lot about life, and the dreams that most people share. There are the usual ones (family, home, career, money, happiness), but what about those closest to your heart?

My Friend

My friend and I met in Australia on a Mission trip. She being a Canadian, and myself being an American, we would have never met without this trip. And it just so happens that we share a love for Photography in Missions.

Right now, she is a full-time Missionary, using the gifts that God gave her and watching people get saved. That is an amazing thing to me. When we were in Australia together, she didn't have any idea that her gifts would be used in such a way, but today God has shown her what can be done when you step out in faith.

What about you?

What are your dreams? When you were a child, what did God place on your heart? My bet is that it was something extravagant.

Did you know that Jesus said we would do greater things than He did if we just believe? Did you know that He wants us to be extravagant? He wants us to dream. He wants us to step out in faith and live lives of purity and faith.

What happened to those dreams? Are you living them out, or have you listened to the lies of the enemy that say you are not capable?

I know that I deal with the fear of failure on a daily basis, but I also know that God has something planned for me that is greater than myself and greater than my fears.

I encourage you  to take a moment and recall the most extravagant dream you've ever had....think about it, write it down, and start to imagine what life would be like if you lived it out. How many lives would be changed? What would this world look like if we all chose to live the way that Christ intended us to?

John 14:12 (New International Version) "I tell you thetruth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. Hewill do even greater things than these, because I am going to theFather."

Listen to the words of this song..."You've got your destination..."

Live your dreams, and don't let anyone stop you. Listen to God, and no one will.

Can you move a Mountain?

One concept that has kept people marveling for centuries is that of faith. Because of faith, Countries have risen and fallen, people have given their lives, and many others face difficult trials. But, when we return to the meaning of biblical faith, do we really have what it takes? When the going gets tough, do we really rely upon God to bring us out of it?

An unknown source said, “Faith isn't faith until it's all you're holding on to." I completely agree. Most Christians have no problem with their faith when everything in their lives is hunky dory. But, once someone loses their job, finds out they have cancer, loses their home, or has a sick child, all of a sudden it seems much more difficult to trust in God. Don't get me wrong here. I am human just like all of my readers. That is why this has been on my mind a lot recently.  I have been asking God to strengthen my faith because I am weak. It is a very difficult thing to see the light at the end of the tunnel when all you see is darkness around you. But, the saying is true, "Seasons may change, but God always remains the same".

What to do When Life is Hard

Imagine yourself in this situation (With this economy, it could very well be you): You walk into work one Monday morning and your boss calls you into his/her office. You are notified that they have to lay you off. You have received no prior notice and you have a family to take care of. What is your reaction? If you are like me (When this actually happened), your reactions would be shock, anger, and fear. I knew in the back of my mind that God was in control of my life, but my mind started running through all of the things that could happen. I began to worry that my bills wouldn't be paid, I wouldn't be able to find a new job, etc. I know at this point in my life, God would have said, "Oh, you of little faith. Why don't you trust me?"

Matthew 8:26

He replied, "You of little faith, why are you so afraid?" Thenhe got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.

How to become a Person of Faith

“You block your dream when you allow your fear to grow bigger than your faith.”

Mary Manin Morrissey

When you are in the midst of darkness, it is difficult to see the way out of it. It's difficult to see yourself trusting God when logically there is no way you can turn it around. The reason is because logically, you cannot. Spiritually, God can. You know what happened when I lost my job (right before Christmas, when I was planning a wedding and living with my parents)? God gave me a better one in his timing. There couldn't have been a better way for my life to turn than when God took control and placed my feet where they belong.

One thing that my parents have always taught me is that life changes, whether we want it to or not. But, one thing that is always constant is my God.

Matthew 17:20

He replied, "Because you have so little faith. I tell you thetruth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."

Think about this for a moment. Do you actually believe that if God wanted you to, you could physically move a mountain? That is a lot to take in. Here is a better question: If by faith, you can move a mountain, then why can't God by your faith help you out of your circumstances? Do you think God is bigger than cancer? Is He bigger than your job, your finances, your family issues, your home? Yes, He is.

"The righteous will live by

"

Romans 1:17

How do you live your life? Are the words that come out of your mouth inspiring and full of faith? Or are they full of doubt and fear, anger and resentment? I encourage all of us to become people of faith, trusting in God during ALL circumstances of life (no matter how big or small).

Renewing of Your

Romans 12:2 (New International Version)

2Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

When I was in Sunday School, I had to memorize this scripture. At the time, I didn't understand the purpose of memorizing it, but recently it has become the motto for my life.

Every day, we are all forced to make decisions. What should I wear today? Where should I go? What should I do? What movie should I watch? What song should I listen to on the radio?

But, before we answer these questions, are we looking to God for an answer?

1 Corinthians 2:16 (New International Version)

16"For who has known the mind of the Lord

that he may instruct him?"[a] But

we have the mind of Christ.

What does it mean to have the mind of Christ?

Take a moment to consider what it means to actually THINK like God thinks. It seems like a simple concept, but if we could all do this, then sin wouldn't exist (and obviously, it still exists). I am going to use one prime example: Movies. Whatever you let in your mind will come back out eventually. I am a firm believer of "Garbage in, Garbage out".

So many people are desensitized to this world that they shoot me down every time I bring up this subject. They shoot me down because it is an unpopular thing to stand for anything against the world's mindset.

When you watch a horror movie, you are allowing "horror" into your mind. Do you think that it is God's characteristic to make you scared? Do you think He would like you to stay up all night, recalling a horrific murder you just saw in a movie? I would venture to say no.

Here's a better question. If God were to create a movie, what do you think He would like in it? What kind of movies do you think He would like you to watch?

Just as Woody Allen would say, "In Beverly Hills... they don't throw their garbage away. They make it into television shows."

I just heard that "New Moon" is the #1 movie in the world right now. Let me see here, a movie about vampires and warewolves....big surprise. I can say it over and over again...Satan is in our Media. How many Christians have watched these movies, and how many have read the books? Who has stopped to ask the question, "Does God want me to watch/read this?"

What does the World Say?

The world will tell you that, "It's just a movie" or "It's just a book", possibly, "I am just looking", maybe even, "A little flirting doesn't matter".

If you are a Christian, that means you should be trying to be more Christ-like. If you know that God does not want you to do something and you do it anyway, you are flat out going against God's Will.

What does God Say?

Proverbs 4:23 (New International Version)

23 Above all else, guard your heart,

for it is the wellspring of life.

I hate to be so straightforward, but I believe that is how the Bible is. One point I would like to make is that you are in charge of you. You decide where you go, what you do, what you say, and what you watch. As much as I would like to warn you about the great battleplan that Satan has for your life, it is up to you to accept the truth.

Often times, we are forced to do the unpopular thing to follow Christ, and sometimes people may say you are being too extreme for standing for something. But, overall, who are you out to please? Are you out to please your friends or family that may make fun of you for not watching a horror film, or are you out to please God by only placing things in front of your eyes that are pleasing to Him?

Let's all try to allow God to RENEW our MINDS so that we can know his GOOD, PLEASING, and PERFECT WILL.

Defending your Faith

When you see this picture, what comes to mind? Do you see a scared woman praying that God would save her? Or do you see a warrior preparing for battle?

Often times, we are led by the world to believe that we are weak if we ask for help or if we defend something good. The truth is quite contrary. We are strongest on our knees, praying to God because we know that our strength is nothing compared to his. When you think about defending your faith, does it intimidate you? Does it encourage you to go to God for strength and wisdom? Or, does it seem so unappealing to you that you are unwilling to do so?

The image above is actually from the movie, "Joan of Arc". The woman in the picture is Joan, a seventeen year old soldier that heard the voice of the Lord and is willing to go to battle to fight for justice. One of my favorite quotes from Joan of Arc shows her true moral strength and courage to stand up to the powerful rulers. She says, "You spoil the sacraments of the Church, you tear up the articles of the Faith, you destroy the churches, you break and burn the statues which were set up as memorials, you massacre Christians which God Almighty, the Son, and the Holy Spirit have revealed, established, elevated to power, and glorifies a thousand ways through miracles - you peresecute this faith, you wish to overthrow and destroy it. YOU ARE BLIND, but not because you lack eyes or understanding. Do you believe that you will remain unpunished for it? Or are you unaware that God opposes your unlawful efforts and will not permit you to remain in darkness and error? So that the more you indulge yourselves in crime and sacriliege, the more He will prepare great punishments and anguish for you." Wow. There is so much power in the words of JUSTICE she spoke in that passage. I am always amazed at how young this woman is.  She goes into battle, leading her troops and says, "I am not afraid...I was born to do this." Joan ends up being burned at the stake for defending her faith, but instead of cursing God, she screams, "Hold the Cross high so I can see it through the flames!"

This article should serve as a tool to encourage and strengthen you that you are not alone in defending your faith, or in defending the things that God would defend. The Merriam Webster Dictionary defines injustice as a violation of right or of the rights of another. How many of you have seen a friend bullied at school but didn't defend them for fear of being bullied yourself? How many of you have been made fun of for being a Christian and didn't say a word to defend yourself or Christ for that matter? There is nothing wrong with defending the Word of God or your faith.

Edmund Burke says, "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." I completely agree. How many people have died, how many countries have crumbled, and how many families have fallen apart because someone didn't stand up for themselves or for what they believe in?

Some would tell me that defending your faith involves starting a conflict, and that in itself isn't a Christian standard. I would agree to a certain extent, but listen to this quote from Paulo Freire: "Washing one's hands of the conflict between the powerful and the powerless means to side with the powerful, not to be neutral." I agree with him completely. If you avoid conflict so much to the point where you aren't defending those that need to be defended, you are not just in the neutral. You are picking sides whether you like it or not.

Psalm 82:3-4 says, "Be fair to the poor and to orphans. Defend the helpless and everyone in need. Rescue the weak and homeless from the powerful hands of heartless people."

In this scripture, two words scream out to me: DEFEND and RESCUE. I see nowhere in this verse to avoid conflict...I would take this scripture as saying that when there is conflict and unjustice being done...get in there and help out.

Further scriptures encourage the same things. Isaiah 1:17 says, "Learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow. Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow." Here again we have similar words: DEFEND, PLEAD, and RELIEVE.

There is a quote about Joan of Arc that I always marvel at. Louis Kossuth - 19th Century European Freedom Writer says, "Consider this unique and imposing distinction. Since the writing of human history began, Joan of Arc is the only person of either sex, who has ever held supreme command of the military forces of a nation at the age of seventeen."

One thing I though about was, who is the Joan of Arc of this generation? Whom among you will defend your faith like Joan? I see a lot of myself in Joan of Arc, which is why she is one of the historical characters I look up to with deep respect. There is something inside of each of us, I believe, that wants to fight for justice.

There is something inside each and every one of us that God designed to know right from wrong. When you know God, you should detest evil and injustice naturally. He has developed our hearts to long for what is good.

"The righteous care about justice for the poor, but the wicked have no such concern." Proverbs 29:7

Do you see yourself in this character? Is God speaking to your heart? If He is, I challenge you to find ways to defend your faith, defend the rights of the oppressed, defend God (not that God needs defending). It takes a small step of faith to become a soldier for Christ.

But each of us were called to be a soldier.

As Joan of Arc says, "Act and God will Act." Take the first step. Start a club in your school that stands up for Social Injustice, defend a kid that gets made fun of, tell people how proud you are to be a Christian and to know God. Believe me, if you take the first step, God will be there to take you the rest of the way.