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well i just had my secand soccer game it was fun...we lost but it was fun...my mustles hurt...i tryed the best i could so i have no regreats...WE SHOULD HAVE WON THOUGH...we did great the first half...then fell apart...well on a more personal note...well there is this girl that likes me at school...and i think i like her too...I dont want to do anything yet out of respect for Eva...oh well i can wait. |
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I've noticed your design
Cause I'm not blind
I'm like a cigarette
Burning burning every night
But there's no ash that falls
There's only telephone calls in the afternoon
Stretching through a thousand walls
So I'll pray
For words to say
To make these miles disappear
If you can't sleep alone (If you can't sleep alone)
I'm better off
I'm better off
If you can't sleep alone
If you're measuring with time
In seconds or in lifetimes
There's no difference
It's constantly just passing by
But there's nothing at all
No valium or slow songs
To relax my view
Just you, maybe your new perfume
So I'll pray
For words to say
To make these miles disappear
If you can't sleep alone (if you can't sleep alone)
I'm better off
I'm better off
If you can't hear the song (if you can't hear the song)
Then turn it off
Then turn if off
If you cast that first stone
Then throw them all
Then throw them all
I start to sleep but it's not over
The second hand is moving slower now
I'd take it all back
To start over again
Just between the rock and paper
The scissors cut in so much deeper
I'd take it all back
To start over again |
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There's nothing I can say to build these bridges back
Against the tides that washed them away
The life has left this room
Like a thousand fires gone black against the sky and scarlet moon
The smoke is in the air, choking out the sun
It's rising in the air, I can't see
And I will find you there, somewhere in the dark
Buried in a place between dead and broken hearts
There's safety in the darkness, there's safty in the dark
I have left these shores to face the tempest night
That stirs the stars against the waters with its storms
The sirens sing their song
It's like a thousand hands that pull me down and break the course I travel on
The ocean fills my lungs, drowning out the sun
It's rising in my lungs, I can't breathe
I close my eyes to see the light that's leading me |
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hmm
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Jun. 20th, 2006 @ 11:18 pm
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well i dont know what to write so i will write what ever comes to mind. well life is pritty good i cant complain. I might not be going to Holt next year.Its just not working. Home work should prepare you for the test not the test prepare you for the homework! oh well im geting bored there so maybe a chainge in senery will be nice. Pluse some people might be happy im leaveing who knows. Well c ya
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well my aunt died this morning. ironicly when my mom first told me i went "ok" and fell back asleep. when i woke up i was like "huh must been a dream" then my sis tells me and im like "oh...that sucks" sadly enough im not sad...its wierd its like i dont even care. that scares me some one dies in my house and I dont even care. Am i really that heartless? well besides that i did end up replanting a tree so something good did come out of today. Some times i thaink im a pathetic excuse of a human. |
| » masquerade |
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I don't know what to think about me anymore,
Cause I am still the same as always.
Here I am again, that same old broken man.
I can't make it on my own. I need You.
Chorus:
And I am not afraid of anything anymore.
And I am not ashamed, the masquerade has ended.
And I will stand for You even if I lose it all.
Cause nothing really matters,
You are all that matters, Lord.
As messed up as I am, still You bring me in.
You take me in Your arms and hold me.
The worthlessness I feel, You make it disappear.
You are always there, You're endless.
(Chorus)
I don't know what to think about me anymore.
Cause I am still the same as always.
(Chorus)
May. 11th, 2006 @ 12:01 am
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| » the runaways |
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Navigation: A \ Anberlin \ The Runaways
Come closer now
I know your desire is to be desired
Steal a kiss and call us friends
Distance is a theif in which you conspire
Time and time and time will tell
Time will tell or tear us apart
You're miles and miles and miles away
Silence reveals where we really are
You only stayed to break my heart
I can tell it by the way you runaway,
Runaway girl
You only stayed to break my heart
I can tell it by the way you runaway,
Runaway girl
Runaway, runaway girl
It's clearer now
You're no where into giving
giving into, giving into me
It's your fault
You're like a rare disease
I know you're in love with love
I believe
Time and time and time will tell
Time will tell or tear us apart
You're miles and miles and miles away
Silence reveals where we really are
You only stayed to break my heart
I can tell it by the way you runaway,
Runaway girl
You only stayed to break my heart
I can tell it by the way you runaway,
Runaway girl
Runaway, runaway girl
Do you expect me to wait here?
All alone in my thoughts and fears
My whole life could flash before your eyes
Hope one day that you realize
This isn't the way it's supposed to be
This is who I crown now without me
Your regrets from us built up inside
Great space for you; love buried alive
Buried alive
You only stayed to break my heart
I can tell it by the way you runaway,
Runaway girl
You only stayed to break my heart
I can tell it by the way you runaway,
Runaway girl
Runaway, runaway girl
I only stayed to break your heart
You can tell it by the way I walk away,
Runaway girl
I only stayed to break your heart
You can tell it by the way I run away,
Runaway girl
lol memorys this song brings up.Its a really good song from an awsome band
Apr. 29th, 2006 @ 05:04 pm
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| » from now on |
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well from now on cause i dont have any drama that i need to vent i will just post songs on here so you guys can take me off your friends list if you like
Apr. 29th, 2006 @ 04:59 pm
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| » when will i sing a new song |
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when will i sing a new song
i say one thing do anouther
i want to do good
but goodness is not in me
i am in a constent war with myself
the battles are long and it takes its toll
the sadness and the guilt
overshadowing all i ever did
when will i sing a new song
i try to leave it all behind
but it has become a part of me
why oh why cant i beat this
i use to think i was so strong
then this comes along
and beats me to the ground
all i ever say is
good bye for now
when will i sing a new song
constently at war with my biggest foe
he knows what i want to hear
he knows a way behind my defences
he knows me
he hates me
he is me
when will i sing a new song
all i can do is get on my kness and pray
for forgiveness for my ways
to help make me forget
the defeats and the casualtys
of the pain the guilt the lies
when will i sing a new song
one day i will defeat this
i dont know when
i dont know when
i dont know how
but Jesus died so i wont be a slave to sin
he knows my heart and the pain with in
i will be free
i destroyed myself
lost in a sea of imorality
slowly i will find my way
with jesus guideing my way
this will be my new song
jesus died so that my sins are no longer seen
these crimson wounds because of him are healed
they are white as snow
so many where i am right now
Jesus will light there way
that is the new song i sing
Apr. 5th, 2006 @ 01:54 am
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| » breaking the da vinchi code |
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Breaking The Da Vinci Code
So the divine Jesus and infallible Word emerged out of a fourth-century power-play? Get real.
By Collin Hansen | posted 11/07/2003
Related Bible Studies:
• Engaging the Da Vinci Code
• The Da Vinci Code and Other Heresies
• Debunking The Da Vinci Code
Related Audio Sermons:
• There's Something About Mary
• What About That Other Bible?
Perhaps you've heard of Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code. This fictional thriller has captured the coveted number one sales ranking at Amazon.com, camped out for 32 weeks on the New York Times Best-Seller List, and inspired a one-hour ABC News special. Along the way, it has sparked debates about the legitimacy of Western and Christian history.
While the ABC News feature focused on Brown's fascination with an alleged marriage between Jesus and Mary Magdalene, The Da Vinci Code contains many more (equally dubious) claims about Christianity's historic origins and theological development. The central claim Brown's novel makes about Christianity is that "almost everything our fathers taught us about Christ is false." Why? Because of a single meeting of bishops in 325, at the city of Nicea in modern-day Turkey. There, argues Brown, church leaders who wanted to consolidate their power base (he calls this, anachronistically, "the Vatican" or "the Roman Catholic church") created a divine Christ and an infallible Scripture—both of them novelties that had never before existed among Christians.
Watershed at Nicea
Brown is right about one thing (and not much more). In the course of Christian history, few events loom larger than the Council of Nicea in 325. When the newly converted Roman Emperor Constantine called bishops from around the world to present-day Turkey, the church had reached a theological crossroads.
Led by an Alexandrian theologian named Arius, one school of thought argued that Jesus had undoubtedly been a remarkable leader, but he was not God in flesh. Arius proved an expert logician and master of extracting biblical proof texts that seemingly illustrated differences between Jesus and God, such as John 14:28: "the Father is greater than I." In essence, Arius argued that Jesus of Nazareth could not possibly share God the Father's unique divinity.
In The Da Vinci Code, Brown apparently adopts Arius as his representative for all pre-Nicene Christianity. Referring to the Council of Nicea, Brown claims that "until that moment in history, Jesus was viewed by His followers as a mortal prophet … a great and powerful man, but a man nonetheless."
In reality, early Christians overwhelmingly worshipped Jesus Christ as their risen Savior and Lord. Before the church adopted comprehensive doctrinal creeds, early Christian leaders developed a set of instructional summaries of belief, termed the "Rule" or "Canon" of Faith, which affirmed this truth. To take one example, the canon of prominent second-century bishop Irenaeus took its cue from 1 Corinthians 8:6: "Yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ."
The term used here—Lord, Kyrios—deserves a bit more attention. Kyrios was used by the Greeks to denote divinity (though sometimes also, it is true, as a simple honorific). In the Greek translation of the Old Testament (the Septuagint, pre-dating Christ), this term became the preferred substitution for "Jahweh," the holy name of God. The Romans also used it to denote the divinity of their emperor, and the first-century Jewish writer Josephus tells us that the Jews refused to use it of the emperor for precisely this reason: only God himself was kyrios.
The Christians took over this usage of kyrios and applied it to Jesus, from the earliest days of the church. They did so not only in Scripture itself (which Brown argues was doctored after Nicea), but in the earliest extra-canonical Christian book, the Didache, which scholars agree was written no later than the late 100s. In this book, the earliest Aramaic-speaking Christians refer to Jesus as Lord.
In addition, pre-Nicene Christians acknowledged Jesus's divinity by petitioning God the Father in Christ's name. Church leaders, including Justin Martyr, a second-century luminary and the first great church apologist, baptized in the name of the triune God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—thereby acknowledging the equality of the one Lord's three distinct persons.
The Council of Nicea did not entirely end the controversy over Arius's teachings, nor did the gathering impose a foreign doctrine of Christ's divinity on the church. The participating bishops merely affirmed the historic and standard Christian beliefs, erecting a united front against future efforts to dilute Christ's gift of salvation.
"Fax from Heaven"?
With the Bible playing a central role in Christianity, the question of Scripture's historic validity bears tremendous implications. Brown claims that Constantine commissioned and bankrolled a staff to manipulate existing texts and thereby divinize the human Christ.
Yet for a number of reasons, Brown's speculations fall flat. Brown correctly points out that "the Bible did not arrive by fax from heaven." Indeed, the Bible's composition and consolidation may appear a bit too human for the comfort of some Christians. But Brown overlooks the fact that the human process of canonization had progressed for centuries before Nicea, resulting in a nearly complete canon of Scripture before Nicea or even Constantine's legalization of Christianity in 313.
Ironically, the process of collecting and consolidating Scripture was launched when a rival sect produced its own quasi-biblical canon. Around 140 a Gnostic leader named Marcion began spreading a theory that the New and Old Testaments didn't share the same God. Marcion argued that the Old Testament's God represented law and wrath while the New Testament's God, represented by Christ, exemplified love. As a result Marcion rejected the Old Testament and the most overtly Jewish New Testament writings, including Matthew, Mark, Acts, and Hebrews. He manipulated other books to downplay their Jewish tendencies. Though in 144 the church in Rome declared his views heretical, Marcion's teaching sparked a new cult. Challenged by Marcion's threat, church leaders began to consider earnestly their own views on a definitive list of Scriptural books including both the Old and New Testaments.
Another rival theology nudged the church toward consolidating the New Testament. During the mid- to late-second century, a man from Asia Minor named Montanus boasted of receiving a revelation from God about an impending apocalypse. The four Gospels and Paul's epistles achieved wide circulation and largely unquestioned authority within the early church but hadn't yet been collected in a single authoritative book. Montanus saw in this fact an opportunity to spread his message, by claiming authoritative status for his new revelation. Church leaders met the challenge around 190 and circulated a definitive list of apostolic writings that is today called the Muratorian Canon, after its modern discoverer. The Muratorian Canon bears striking resemblance to today's New Testament but includes two books, Revelation of Peter and Wisdom of Solomon, which were later excluded from the canon.
By the time of Nicea, church leaders debated the legitimacy of only a few books that we accept today, chief among them Hebrews and Revelation, because their authorship remained in doubt. In fact, authorship was the most important consideration for those who worked to solidify the canon. Early church leaders considered letters and eyewitness accounts authoritative and binding only if they were written by an apostle or close disciple of an apostle. This way they could be assured of the documents' reliability. As pastors and preachers, they also observed which books did in fact build up the church—a good sign, they felt, that such books were inspired Scripture. The results speak for themselves: the books of today's Bible have allowed Christianity to spread, flourish, and endure worldwide.
Though unoriginal in its allegations, The Da Vinci Code proves that some misguided theories never entirely fade away. They just reappear periodically in a different disguise. Brown's claims resemble those of Arius and his numerous heirs throughout history, who have contradicted the united testimony of the apostles and the early church they built. Those witnesses have always attested that Jesus Christ was and remains God himself. It didn't take an ancient council to make this true. And the pseudohistorical claims of a modern novel can't make it false.
For more on what the early church fathers can teach us about Jesus and the Bible, see our sequel to this article. To schedule an interview with Collin Hansen, please contact him contact him at cheditor@christianhistory.net.
Copyright © 2003 by the author or Christianity Today International/Christian History magazine.
Click here for reprint information on Christian History.
Read other readers' responses to this article
im geting tired of ppl thinking this book is true so i decided to put this up
Mar. 27th, 2006 @ 11:22 pm
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| » just a thought |
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i was in church last sunday and i thought you know who the devil closely resembles. he resembles wil e coyote and we the saints that walk true in the Lord are like the road runner. Wile E always tryes to catch the roadrunner to eat him but never seems to be abel too and no matter how hard he trys nothing works now this coyote is super smart and crafty but even with all that he cant get the roadrunner. I also think that the "BEEP BEEP" of the road runner that is horable to wile E is when we worship though it is music to Gods and our ears to saten worship is like nails on a chalk board. remember that if you walk in the Lord then saten can naver out smart or out run you.
Mar. 27th, 2006 @ 06:33 pm
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man im scared for this kid in my health class.he is the kid everyone makes fun of at school, he has no friendsand i can tell his home life isnt the best. This kid is going to end up shooting the school up! he hates christians with a passion and openly expresses it. somehow i have become friends with him one day i hope to get alown with him and talk to him strait up. i know why he hates christians the hypocritical ones have mocked him saying " Jesus Loves you arien(Sp?)" they ask why i dont join in the "fun" like this " Ryan why dont you defend your faith" in my mind i was thinking from who. but i said i will not use my Lord to mock someone else. Hopefully i will get through to him cause all he wants is to be loved and accepted. im doing all i can to help him but im nearly alown in this. friends if you see someone who is alown and seems to be always alown talk to them civilised pleas! I know this may sound wierd but i can feel his hurt one of two things is going to come of this he is eather going to kill himself or he is going to shoot up the school i hope i can prevent this if at all posible so please pray i do the right thing i dont want him to be anouther stitistic
Mar. 15th, 2006 @ 10:14 pm
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i just got done reading a dead mans journal this guy must have been killed some how obviously but what caught my eye was the comments on his last post not just that there was 48 of them but what they said each one of those ppl was tougched by this mans life and many spoke of how a great man of God he was i never knew him but i wish i would have i hope if i where to die many of the same things would be said of me at leat he is happy
Mar. 10th, 2006 @ 10:59 pm
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In a Confused Culture, Teens Create Their Own Religion
Are teenagers abandoning the true Christian faith?
Kenneth Nahigian grew up in a Christian home. Devout and dedicated to his faith during his pre-teen years, he began exploring other religions while in high school. Interestingly, he returned to his faith his first year in college, but then began to ask questions again. Doubts assaulted his mind, and before long, he found himself backsliding again, no longer devoted or even believing in the Christian faith.
His story does not stand alone. There are countless stories of teenagers who have fallen away from the faith or even began to integrate the destructive ideas of the culture into their beliefs.
In a study by Barna Research, 63% of church going, supposedly Christian teens said that they believed “Muslims, Buddhists, Christians, Jews, and all other people pray to the same God, even though they use different names for their god.” In other areas of truth, such as the divinity of Christ, the resurrection, and the reality of absolute truth, many teens simply do not hold orthodox views. Many would contend that Christ is not the only way to God, that they are not sure there really was a resurrection, and that there is no absolute truth. And yet, these same teenagers would classify themselves as Christians if asked.
A great chasm exists between the reality of what it means to be a believer in Christ and what many of today’s teenagers perceive. Are they, in fact, creating their own religion? Have they integrated the values of a morally degenerate culture into Christianity, and as a result, created something that is no longer Christian?
Although these types of beliefs run rampant in our nation, other studies make it clear that teens are still searching for a meaningful connection to religion. In a study by the leading trans-denominational Jewish teen movement, it was found that 68% of teenagers say that religion is important to them. Of these teens, 92% said that they were seeking a better connection. Teenagers are searching. They do want to experience something real and authentic. So why is there this seemingly irreconcilable gap between their desire for something deeper and their actual perception and understanding of God?
Barna Research also found that many church going teens are not being challenged by the preaching and teaching of the true Gospel. There are countless American teenagers who do not understand what it truly means to be a follower of Christ, but have only been taught to “accept Christ” and then continue living the same lives they were living. With a shaky foundation, they encounter the culture head on and find it difficult to hold onto the faith they barely know.
Easily swayed and not truly understanding why they believe what they say they do, teens try desperately to hold onto a semblance of Christianity, but end up entangling Christian values with those of the culture surrounding them. Many of these same teenagers continue to faithfully attend church and youth group, yet have been so branded by the morality of the world that they find it difficult to truly believe in what they are being taught.
This progression continues, and teens begin to doubt. They are reluctant to truly believe in the divinity of Christ. All the while, these same teens continue searching for something deeper and for a way to genuinely connect with their beliefs. Without a strong and steadfast foundation, however, it is almost a futile pursuit.
There are two value systems battling within them. For example, they debate creationism and evolution. They know that if they choose to believe in Creation, they must face a world that is hostile to their beliefs. They ponder the notion of an absolute truth, unable to reconcile the idea of only one road to heaven with a world espousing moral relativism and a “do what’s right for you” theology. They struggle with sin, trying to understand how they are supposed to “forsake it all.” Surrounded by immorality, the concept of living a holy life before God seems almost impossible. Everyday, they face a world that upholds the pursuit of pleasure as a virtue. Sex is everywhere, drugs are everywhere. Today’s teenagers have faced abortion, school shootings, suicide, teen pregnancy, the teaching of evolution as truth, and the debunking of Christian ideals in nearly all facets of life. Is it any wonder that they have created a Christianity that is so far from everything it was intended to be?
There is no step-by-step, simple solution to this problem. There is certainly no magic wand to wave and make everything perfect. There are, however, practical steps that we can take to begin to bring teens to an understanding of true Christianity. Because many of them have not been taught the foundations of the faith, that is where we must begin. There are three things that must happen if we want to help teens build this foundation:
1. Meet Teens Where they Are
We must meet teens where they are. Every individual is at a different place. As parents, pastors, youth leaders, and adults, it is important that we build relationships with teenagers and find out where they are in their own faith. Do not be quick to judge, but try to understand the world they live in and the different issues they face day after day. Invest time in them and show them that you care. Love and understanding is the platform from which we must speak truth into their lives.
2. Build a Strong Foundation In Your Own Life
If we want to help teenagers build a strong foundation, we must have one first. This is absolutely essential. We cannot take people where we have not been or teach what we do not know. We must make sure that we truly understand concepts like sin, repentance, discipleship, spiritual warfare, prayer, and what it really means to follow Christ in all things. It may mean that you need to become better acquainted with the creation vs. evolution debate, as well as issues like abortion, euthanasia, and moral relativism. Your teenagers have questions about these topics. As a youth leader, perhaps you can bring in someone to talk to your teens about these issues. As a parent, be ready to answer questions and lead your teenagers to the truth.
3. Be an Example
This generation has seen and heard enough hypocrisy in the church. A lot of times, your greatest message is your life. Build relationships with teenagers, take them out to lunch, invest your time in them; and as you do so, show them what it means to walk this Christian life. Show them what it means to have an authentic and vibrant relationship with Christ.
Because more and more teenagers believe in a “new Christianity,” we must grab a hold of the hunger they do have and lead them to the reality of Jesus Christ. As we implement these principles, teenager by teenager, we can change mindsets and teach this nation’s youth to have a foundation this world’s value systems cannot shake.
Sources:
OMG! How Generation Y Is Redefining Faith In The iPod Era Report, AgapePress, Theocracywatch.com, Dallasnews.com, news-leader.com, prnewswire.com, godspy.com. msnbc.com, irish.typepad.com, decaturdaily.com, pluggedinonline.com
*You are welcome to republish this article once you include the following text and link at the end of the article:
Read youth culture news, youth ministry articles, and join the fight for America’s young people at http://www.battlecry.com
isnt this disterbing? :S (more on this later)
Mar. 9th, 2006 @ 11:04 pm
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| » you dont need to read this.... |
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ppl are adicted to many things sadly somethings wont kill you they will just make your life misserable i have one of those addictions its not pot or drugs or any drinking. man if justen wasnt looking up that crap i wouldnt have fallen again...well i guess its my fault not his its a gradual thing i shouldnt have entertained the thought...im worryed that my hormones will try to take me over just like that one dreadful day that brought on the week of pain.maybe i just need to vent it out to someone but i am scared. I dont like ppl knowing to the extent my problem and how hard it is on me...by doing this im not only hearting myself if i dont get this under control i might end up hearting eva...I dont want that to happen...why did i ever look at that first picture?!?!? I DONT WANT TO DO THIS ANYMORE I CANT STAND BREAKING MY OWN HEART FOR A FEW SECANDS OF PLESURE!!Lord im sorry i want to stop i really do but its one of those things that haunt you waits for when your least on your gaurd.i know its my fault i wont shake responsibility.for thoughs of you that think im doing this out of self pity or just causeing drama you are far off from the truth.I wright my failers down so that i vent myself otherwise ill hold it inside and that has ended in dissaster before.purity seems to be right in reach then i find myself going the wrong way and haveing to start over. i try i really do.i know i have my fair share of crittics who say i dont try.Jesus...sometimes i wish i could go to heaven so that i stop hurting myself this world is just so hard to live in to follow you and try to live blamelessly when you get mocked the whole way. Im losseing my strength.This is a war agenst myself and it seems that more battles are lost then won.Lord i have seen my share of battle they still haunt me in my dreams. i see the enimey every day every time i look in the mirror. It mocks me saying i will never be what i dream to be.I have seen pictures of soldiers crying after a battle for they may have lost or watched someone else fall. the helplessness is nearly overwhelming and all you can do is cry.I dont even know what i am writeing anymore...all my emotions are spilling out im giveing them up. there is nothing harder then being a christian even you Lord said that we would have to take up our cross and follow you. i might not be physicly doing so but emotionaly and mentely. i feel beaten bruised by heart has been broken so many times i cant pick up all the peices.I know what it feels to be betrayed by someone close. to have my friends sleep when i needed them.I have shown them who i am yet they still dont know me.Jesus i know what you went through i could never touch, But i have a taist of it. I am my own worst enimey. I know what to do yet i dont. and i know what not to do but i do it anyway. I am sick of it.i want to go back to winter wildness...back to imagen i just want to feel the love that was there. to escape the world, to escape myself. Lord i dont know what to do any more...I close my eyes and there is a sick reminder of what i did. ruthless and unrelenting it dose not sleep it never takes a break.Lord if there is one thing i want it is for anyone reading this to never go down the road i did. To never look at the pornogaphy that you never can escape from. Jesus I Love you thank you for your confert i can feel it even now. I have lost my innacence not the way the world looks at it.IT seems that even the littlest children are lossing there innacence. How much longer Lord? Im sorry...
Mar. 6th, 2006 @ 10:26 pm
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| » this is it we dont have any more time to fool around |
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God on Attack in School
Recent events reveal hostility towards God at all levels of education
From kindergarten through college, students face the challenge of living for Christ in an increasingly hostile environment. They are often discouraged from or even punished for praying and/or otherwise living out their faith in school. As these reports continue to surface across the country, the question remains: How should students and adults respond?
Takes these cases for example, several of which are from AgapePress news reports:
A federal court ruled student-led prayers before high school football games are unconstitutional in Santa Fe, Texas. A judge who worked on the same case at a lower court level ordered people not to pray in Jesus name and was even quoted as saying, “Anyone who violates these orders, no kidding, is going to wish that he or she had died as a child when this court gets through with it.”
In another case, Christian students in Howell, Michigan started a Traditional Values Club and repeatedly met resistance from school officials. When the club tried to donate a Christian flag to be put next to a rainbow colored flag (a symbol of the gay rights movement) on display at the school, they were soundly rejected. As if that wasn’t enough, school officials also felt the need to label the club as a “hate group.”
Alpha Iota Omega, a Christian fraternity in the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, lost its status and privileges because they would not agree to a policy requiring them to admit non-Christian members. They believed it defeated the purpose of a Christian fraternity and went on to file a lawsuit against the university.
Not even elementary schools are safe. For Thanksgiving, a kindergarten class in Medford, New Jersey was told to draw a picture of what they were thankful for. Students’ parents would be able to see the drawings when they came in for open house. When school officials saw that one student, Zachary Hood, drew a picture of Jesus, they got rid of it. His parents went on to file a lawsuit, but the court ruled in favor of the school.
And the stories continue…
In Kent, WA, the Associated Student Body of Kentridge High School refused to recognize the Truth Bible Club because it required its members to sign a statement of faith and live by a code of Christian conduct.
In Boulder, CO, Elizabeth Johnson was prevented from giving an oral book report on her favorite book, Exodus from the Bible, because school officials thought it was offensive.
In Knoxville, TN, Luke Whitson and his friends were stopped by the principal from reading their Bibles during recess and were told not to bring them to school again.
In the New York City public school district, a federal court ruled it unconstitutional to display Christian Nativity scenes, but said it was okay to show the Jewish menorah and the Islamic star and crescent, all of which are religious symbols.
This isn’t even touching on countless smaller instances of harassment that never make it to a court. Anti-Christian biases can be found all over the country.
Why is this happening?
In a culture that strives to accept people of every belief, Christians are often seen as the “bad guys” for their commitment to absolute truth. Other belief systems are welcome because they do not claim to be the only source of truth, while Christians remain the only group committed to what they believe as the only way. Although negative reactions such as those noted above may not happen on every campus, they are becoming increasingly common.
Don’t be surprised–-Jesus told us to expect resistance. During His time on earth, He faced a great deal of ridicule and angry people who did not agree with His message. He spoke the following words in John 15:20-21 (NLT): “'…A servant is not greater than the master.' Since they persecuted me, naturally they will persecute you. And if they had listened to me, they would listen to you! The people of the world will hate you because you belong to me, for they don't know God who sent me.”
With Jesus’ warning in mind, the question remains: How should Christians respond?
As a Student, How Do I Respond?
1 Peter 4:14 (The Message) says it very clearly. “If you're abused because of Christ, count yourself fortunate. It's the Spirit of God and his glory in you that brought you to the notice of others.” As a Christian, you must be doing something right if people are persecuting you. Why? Because others are noticing God inside you, and that makes them uncomfortable. Here are a few things that you can do to stay strong in the midst of these trials.
Live a solid example. There is more to being a Christian than calling yourself one. People often respond to Christians negatively because of past experiences with them. Most likely, those experiences involved a person who called themselves a Christian but was acting very unChrist-like at the time. A hypocritical lifestyle turns people off to the Gospel and nullifies your witness as a Christian.
If you call yourself a Christian, live like one. It is not an option, but a responsibility. Follow the example of Jesus. By doing so, you will help others realize that we are not all “like that.”
Always respond with love. Jesus said in Matthew 5:44-46 (NLT), “… love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven… If you love only those who love you, what good is that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that.” Jesus showed us by His example just how much He expects us to love others. Even as He hung on the cross, He only had words of kindness for His killers.
Pray about starting a club. Every school needs those who will stand up as a solid example of what it means to follow Christ, and these committed believers need a place to be encouraged and challenged in their faith. If your school does not already have one, pray about starting your own Bible club. Sound like a challenge? It may take hard work, but it is worth it. Who knows how many could come to know Jesus because of your efforts.
There are tons of incredible resources available to help you. To get started, take a look at The Coaching Center and Every School.
Remember, even though Jesus warned His disciples of the trouble to come, they carried out His last command (Matthew 28:18-20) until their deaths. They too faced harassment from people at the time, but if it wasn’t for them, we might not even be Christians.
As an Adult, How Do I Respond?
Stay involved. Be aware of what your kids are going through inside and outside of school. An informed parent can be very influential. Find out what the schools are teaching your kids and what kind of environment you are sending them to every day.
Be their advocate. Encourage your kids to follow Jesus and live out their Christian lives boldly. When your child faces difficulties, stand up for them as their parent and as a loving, Christ-like advocate.
Know what rights you and your children have in the schools. The “separation of church and state” argument falls apart very quickly after you take a closer look at the First Amendment. Don’t be afraid to learn more. For starters, visit Defend Your Faith: Legal Rights and The Truth About Separation of Church and State.
When your kids know their rights, they will be able to defend themselves from school officials who try to stop them from starting a Christian club, praying, or reading the Bible in school. If serious problems arise, consider getting legal help from a Christian lawyer.
Pray. The most important thing you can do is pray. Christian lawyers can win court cases and lawsuits that allow young people to exercise their rights in school, but a court decision does not change people’s hearts.
School officials and your child’s peers all need to experience the power of God. Pray that they would come to know Jesus and that your child will develop a love for people and become a strong witness. As more and more schools become hostile towards Christianity, pray that God would give you and your children boldness to stand up for their faith and to live it out, in and out of school.
Editor’s note: As we were putting the finishing touches on this article, we heard about one story with a positive end. For three years, the Schenectady City School District in New York did not recognize the Christian Alliance as a club and refused to give them access to the same privileges other clubs had. After the Alliance Defense Fund stepped in and pointed out that under the Federal Equal Access Act, the school was essentially breaking the law as well as discriminating, the school changed their mind. The Christian Alliance is now recognized by the school with full club privileges.
Additional resources:
Jay Strack’s Student Leadership University
Sources:
Agape Press, Alliance Defense Fund, news.christians.unite.com
*You are welcome to republish this article once you include the following text and link at the end of the article:
Read youth culture news, youth ministry articles, and join the fight for America’s young people at http://www.battlecry.com
Feb. 28th, 2006 @ 11:20 pm
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CHORUS:
You alone are what my soul needs
You know the thirst is taking over
Hardly breathe, I'm in urgent need
You know the thirst is taking over
The thirst is taking over
Hold me down, hold me down
Drip it on my tongue
And my convulsions stop
Thirst for love, thirst for your love
I could swallow your beauty whole
CHORUS
Running out, times running out
Searching for the one who can conquer me
I'm going to scream aloud, throw it down
Crash in the sweet obsession of you
I'm going to swim and drown in the wake of you
CHORUS
The thirst is taking over
I wanna taste it
I need to taste it
Deep in the Saviors arms
CHORUS
I wanna drink you in
I am drinking you in
I wanna drink you in
Hardly breathe, I'm in urgent need
You know the thirst is taking over
The thirst is taking over
I wanna taste it
I need to taste it
Deep in the Saviors arms
this song hit home for me it is an obsesion for the Lord maybe it hit home cause i am obsessed with him myself. My thirst has taken over
Feb. 23rd, 2006 @ 03:36 pm
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| » jobs |
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hey guys i just came back from a job interview and let me tell you this in one wod...YES! aww man i didnt have to ansere much just if oi went to mount hope. I said yes and we struck up a conversation with him about things. and i got two great referces inside the store2 people siad " you have to hire this Ryan kid" lol i guess I just have a good personality aww man cant wait to find out if i can get it :D:D:D
(Love you Eva)
Feb. 14th, 2006 @ 07:23 pm
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| » wow |
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hey whats up guys long time no see/ talk hey i just got back from winter wildness i was rocking out for Jesus and man it was great my left leg is hurting from tubeing man there just something about winter wildness tht makes even the strongest walls around someones heart crumble and humbles everyone i was crying eva was cry and so was erin and guess what guys... Arin finnaly truely accepted christ and he is willing to change its so great to see Gods work in a mans heart.just the strength of it when it moves over you. and the joy that no one could even begain to talk about and cant be felt any other way. well im going to wrap this up God bless and good night
Feb. 12th, 2006 @ 08:55 pm
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ok yesterday i went to the lion kind with Eva great show and great coumpany lol i had to wear dress up clothes...lol i hate those things i would rather be in street clothes. anouther thing i hate is when ppl decide when there in a big croud to stop in the middle of it i was geting very frusterated last night of it lol big pet peeve thanks to school and some of the morons there you know the ppl im talking about that hang out at the foot of the stairs and in the middel of the halls lol. well i have been working out lately and i found out im not in to bad a shape so now i work out a bit i always worried someone would make fun of me cause of im useing well not mustel builder weights but most ppl are supportive so that made me happy one other good thing is when im dont and have to walk home i never get cold lol well thats all ttyl and God bless
Feb. 4th, 2006 @ 04:30 pm
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