This Is My Speech

So everyone does it, and you, yourself can't deny it. Everybody talks. Even if someone is deaf or mute, they communicate using sign language or however else they might talk. But see, the thing with speech, is it can work in 1 of 2 ways- it can make someone happy & uplifted, or it can make them hurt & angry. And this is where you come in.
You are the one who decides whether or not that person you communicate with is going to be uplifted or discouraged.  
As Christians, we should aim to represent Christ in an exceptional way. One of the biggest ways we do that is through our words. How others hear us talk to each other & others, is how they will perceive Christ. If we have bad speech it not only makes ourselves look bad, but even more importantly it makes Christ, and what He stands for, look like nothing more than a joke.

Why people need to even use bad language confuses me. Yeah, you stubbed your toe, and yeah I kinda can guess that it would hurt, but really???
I mean, not only does it diminish your intelligence, but it kinda makes you a not-so-great-fun-peep-to be around...
And when I say bad language, I don't mean like "shut up" to your friends in a playful way & such, but I mean inappropriate. Inappropriate is up to you. If you think that shut up is not appropriate, that's fine; but I'm pretty sure, since all of us live in a corrupt & sinful world, we do know what inappropriate is.

I fail in this area on a daily basis, saying things that ought not be said at all, but yet I do, sadly.
I have been praying that God will help me set the example better in this area & I think He is...

So Imma challenge you to think about what you say. If you wouldn't say it in front of Jesus, well...you get the idea.

What Is Love??

Love. What is it? What is love? Is it a feeling? A heart?? An emotion??? An idea???? A thought?????
When you say you love something, do you stop to really think about what it means? Is love just a transitive verb you use when talking about something? I'm not saying that it's bad to use love to describe your strong like about something, I don't really care & it has been accepted by society for a descriptive word. But I'm just curious, what do you think is the real definition of love?? What do you think love really & authentically means??

Dictionaries tell us that it's a strong feeling & emotional attachment or bond, but the Bible says that true love is shown through your actions. Meaning, you have to do something. You have to express it through your deeds. And the saying goes like this- "Actions speak louder than words". And they really do in this case.
Paul tells us that we can do all the good deeds in the world, and if we haven't the motivation of love, it is nothing.

Love suffers long & is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely; does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, the will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. - I Corinthians 13:4-8

There are different kinds of love, yes. But they all need the above elements to be even labeled as love.
Jesus said that, "there is no greater love than this- than  to lay down one's life for his friends." Annnnnd He, very coincidentally, said this just a bit before He was crucified. Annnnnnnnnnnnnnd He told His disciples this. Annnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnd He carried out this proclamation, showing the greatest & truest love ever. THAT is real love.
Love is not a feeling, emotion, thought, or anything the like. Love is an action. Love is active & doing what it proclaims. Love is showing your love to others. Love is an everyday action to live out.
God is love. With out Him, we wouldn't have the capability & capacity to love truly.

A Higher Standard

So why is it that everyone has this tiny issue with this thing called forgiveness??? Like when that guy'll say something or that girl will make a snide comment we get mad. Sure the getting angry part is natural, but what we do in our moment of anger is what gets us in trouble. We decide to feel it necessary to retaliate & get the last word in. And this is pretty much the same for everyone. It really is bad cuz, we're supposed to be held to a higher standard as Christians, because everything that Christ stands for is the most difficult to proclaim & encourage others to do in a world that makes it so very hard to do & live by ourselves. It is so hard to encourage & urge others to do, when we struggle with the very same things! It's like telling your sister that she is weird for watching Tellatubbies, when you watch the Wiggles!! This is called hypocrisy.

As Christians, all of our thoughts, actions, words, and so much more should be all for the glory & edification of Christ & His kingdom.
I Timothy 4:12 tells us that as Christians, we should "...Set the example for the believers in speech, life, love, faith & purity." So basically, in everything we do, it reflects on our Master. We, as representatives, tell what kind of God we serve. If we represent Christ in a manner that suggests that He is like how we treat others, then what will other people think??? Our object is to bring others to Christ, so if they see us acting the opposite of Christ, what does that say about us?? More importantly, what does that say about Christ???
I am not the best person to be writing about this, because I mess up in this area too many times in a day, but my hope & prayer is that I will become a better representative for Christ. I know that I will never reach the status of "The Perfect Christian", but the Christian walk is never finished or perfected.

My New Year

So 16 years ago, I came into this world & I'm not too thrilled with the idea of the "Sweet 16".
I didn't/don't want to turn 16, because being 15 for 365 days, was the coolest thing. I learned so much, did exciting things, met new people, grew in my walk with God drastically, and so much much more.
Yes, there were quite a few bad things in that year, and they hurt a lot; but in the end, most of the things turned out better in some way or another.
Another, and the main reason, I don't want to turn 16 is that it will be another year of my life that I hurt people, sinned, and ruined what God had planned for man in the very very beginning. So another year of knowing that horrible, but inevitable things, is discouraging & disappointing to myself- and also, I know that by the time the next set of digits come around, I will have disappointed God. THAT is the real discouraging thing.
Another slight thing compared to the previous & main reason, is that right now things aren't so great for me. And I'm trying so hard to cling, for dear life, to my faith, God, & His promises; but in it all the idea of starting another year on this note, seems something like an omen or a precedence being set, maybe...

But the thing is, I've to trust God with every fiber in my being & just keep my walk with Him a constant & ongoing effort.
Having a walk with Christ is the most difficult thing humanly possible. Actually, it's not even humanly possible. If not for the Holy Spirit & a supernatural happening, at the time of salvation, we would fail. No, not fail, because fail implies that you actually tried to do something. If we didn't have this little thing called faith with the presence of the Holy Spirit, there would be absolutely nothing to fail at. Our walk with Christ would be nonexistent. So our walk with Christ isn't humanly possible, much less, easy in the least.
So my goal for this next year is to not increase the siZe of my faith, but my faith's quality.
When Jesus said that if I have faith the siZe of a mustard seed, I can move mountains; he wasn't talking about the siZe, but rather the quality.
I want my faith to be Jesus' Quality Standard. :0)