Erasing Hell

I just read a book called Erasing Hell, by one of my favorite authors, Francis Chan along with coauthor Preston Sprinkle. This book blew my mind. I highly recommend it to any one who has questions about Hell, or even just a Christian who goes about living casually. Maybe, you are like Chan and you try to push any aspect of Hell out of your life, we can act like it doesn't exist at all. Or maybe, you are like me, and you simply forget about Hell. I'm convinced neither of these things, can we afford to do. Hell is very real and very scary. Just think, as you sit here reading this, there are over 1.5 billion people across the globe who have never even heard the name of Jesus. And there are billions more who don't have a personal relationship with him, and here we are sitting comfortably reading a blog post. Why do we do nothing? I'm convinced that God placed us here for a reason, we are the messengers to further his kingdom. THERE IS NO PLAN B! Hell is eternal separation from God. Most theologians do not thing the images of fire and darkness are a literal translation, but rather a metaphor. To get down to the point, Hell is a bad place, that's where the wrath of God is. Think about the incredible pain Jesus felt in the Garden of Gethsemane, he was sweating tears of blood, not because he was afraid of some physical pain. Which would have been ridiculous as it is. Rather, he was fearing the wrath of God from all people of all time. If Jesus, who was perfect was in this much pain THINKING about the wrath of God, can you imagine experiencing it. That's Hell. Want to know what verse is scary beyond belief, " Many will say to me on that day, "Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in your name perform many miracles?"And Jesus said, "Depart from me, I never knew you." This isn't a verse talking about unbelievers, this is a verse talking specifically to those who are already "saved". Knowing Jesus is much more than knowing ABOUT him, its about interring into a relationship with him. So the question turns to you? Do you know Jesus personally? If not, you should probably consider doing so.

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Don't Waste Your Life

So, I've been reading this book, called Don't waste your life by John Piper. And let me tell you, its pretty amazing. This is where my heart is, this is what I want to help with. It chimes right along with Radical, by David Platt. Now what's really cool, is I have been listening to some amazing podcasts by David Platt and Louie Giglio. I have over 382 podcasts. Let me tell you whats awesome, sitting in school, when someone things I'm listening to music, I'm not I'm listening to sermons. Im listening to the Word, and guys its challenging me in ways that even hard to explain. Like, Platt asked in one podcast, "Do you have a 2 months plan to help someone grow closer to Christ, after 1st leading them to Christ?" My answer was no. But then he said this, "If all of us do not have that, there are two reasons why, one: We don't believe that we will Save someone tomorrow, and then we doubt our God. Or 2: we fully believe we can lead someone to Christ tomorrow, but we can just wing it. The problem there is that it's about us doing. So by planning out a period to come beside someone and disciple them involves prayer, bible reading, etc. But how can we lead someone in any of that if we ourselves don't pray, or read our Bible. This is some amazing stuff. Whilst listening to these podcasts, I've been reading Don't Waste Your Life, where Piper pleas with everyone who reads to no let our lives count for nothing, wasting away on the pleasures of the World. It's all about God, guys. Letting our life reflect his glory. Modeling our lives after Jesus. Taking his commands seriously, and taking up our cross daily and following him. Don't Waste Your Life...

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Thoughts of tonight

Thoughts of the day

- I guess my main problem with mainstream christianity is how fake and shallow we can be. One day we can worship our abba. The other 6 we can do our thing. Somehow that doesn't connect to the whole dying to self thing...so how did we get this way? And what about this denomination garbage? I don't hear about it in other countries who are actively persecuted. Why does everyone make such a big deal of it? You know? Why can't we recognize the Body of Christ? Why can't we recognize that without unity in the church we are nothing, can a person look both left and right at the same time? No. Likewise can the church be split in petty arguments. Heck, does it really matter if someone says they can use tongues? Our goal and mission here is not about that, we have a direct purpose! Go and make disciples. Go. Go to your school, your family, across the ocean, just go. Be willing to risk comfort, if you really believe that Jesus Is worth it. The least you can do for the atoning sacrifice, is do what he makes us able to do. Aren't we living for something more? My challenge, to whoever... Be a disciple. And a disciple-maker. Not just a comfortable church goer. Get past these differences. We have a goal that can only be achieved through unity. Ate we really that different?

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I AM UNDEFINED

It's a messed up world for sure.
And because it's messed up, we have 2 choices.
Clean it up, or just mess it up more.
I'm not talking literally you see.
This isnt a mess that you can really see. This is a mess inside our hearts.
Whoa, right?
This is really hard to explain.
Anyways, I have choosen to be undefinable.
Which means no matter what anyone says or does,
It wont make me.
I make myself.
And God leads.
I'm not just some kid with over ambitious dreams.
I'm the kinda kid who will change the world.
Wether you say i can or not, it doesnt matter.
Because you don't define me.
So here, sit back and watch.
I'm going places.
Keep your chin up, you can go places too.
But you gotta beleive in yourself.
Just you.

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A New Start

I thought life was all about making mistakes, and learning from them. Continually. Everyday. Until I die. But, It looks like once again I was wrong. Like everyone else, I seem to have high points. But unlike most people, my past mistakes haunt me, day in and day out. Let me tell you friends, living like that straight up sucks. Don't do that. I recently learned better. Did you know in Christ we daily have a new start!? What?! A new start. But I think, no I'm too bad. But, now I'm confident in this. God will continually give me a clean slate. Man, some God! So, what about the next time I screw up? Should we continue to sin? And do nothing? Certainly not! So, recently i see that this changes my life like nothing else. I'm begining to let go of my past. And God is simultaneously replacing my pain with happiness. I'm healing, I'm being shaped. FROM THE INSIDE OUT. It's a heart thing now. But give me a while, and it will be so prevalent in my life. I am second. I am a child of the light in this bleak world. So what if the journey hurts? It's all worth it in His book. The more we sweat during practice, the less we bleed during battle. Are you ready?

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