It's Easy to Leave God, but Hard to Get Back to Him.

On our way to church a couple of Sundays ago, my dad said something that stuck with me. He said the words, "It's easy to leave God, but it's a lot harder to get back to Him." I thought about this, and I have found this to be true in my own life. There are many times that I fail God, and it seems to become harder every time that I sin against God to get back to the place I was before with Him. For a while, I'll do everything that I can for God, but then, I'll slowly make my way back to not praying and reading my Bible as much as I should. During the times that I serve God, I am at my happiest, but once I sway away from God, that happiness fades, and it becomes harder to worship God the way that I would like to.

Of course, we can repent for our sins, but that's not all we have to do to get back to where God wants us. We have to pray, pray, and pray to get back in the Lord's will. We have to read our Bibles and live right to get back where we were before. It's well worth the efforts, but it's much easier to continue on our path and not waver.


Isaiah 59:2 - "But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid [his] face from you, that he will not hear."

When we let our sin get in-between us and God, God isn't going to hear us when we pray like He would if we are doing His will. For example, if you and your best friend are fighting. Say, your friend throws your phone down and stomps on it. Are you going to be okay with that, or is it going to take an apology and time to forgive? That friend is going to have to keep trying and trying to repair the relationship. The same is with God. When we sin, it hurts God, and although he is forgiving, it still takes repentance and efforts to repair that part of the relationship with God. It's not going to be instant, it's going to take time. We have to build back up to the relationship that we had with God, which can be harder than it sounds.

Psalms Chapter 1

"1. Blessed [is] the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. 2. But his delight [is] in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. 3. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper."

When we walk for God, and put our sin in the past, we will be blessed for that. It is impossible to fully live for God if we still have sin in our lives. For example, I used to love to wear denim shorts that were much shorter than I should have been wearing. That was a problem for me in my spiritual walk with God. I still long to go back to the way that I lived before I began living for God sometimes because my flesh longs for that kind of life.

Having the strength to fight the sinful urges of the world is so important to God. When He sees our efforts to live for Him, we will be blessed for it. If we continuously make decisions in our lives that abide by God's law, that is when we are going to be at our happiness. Sure, sin can bring about happiness, but it's only temporary, and will only lead to a dark path. The effort to live for God is well worth it, for God is the greatest friend that we could ever know, and losing Him would be the worst thing that could ever happen to us.

God Does Not Send People to Hell

From the title, this post might seem a bit controversial at first, seeing that people do go to Hell, but what people don't commonly realize is that God isn't the one that sends people to Hell. Not once does God send a person to Hell, but the person is the one that chooses Hell over accepting Jesus as their savior. 

Revelation 21:8 - "But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death."

All of these things that God has listed in this verse will send a person to Hell, being their own actions, and every person has committed at least one of these sins, and many more. God doesn't force us to sin, we choose to, and God doesn't interfere with that because we have our own free will to choose as we please. Though, when we choose to sin, we choose an eternity in Hell. 

John 5:29 - "And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation."

At the end of our lives, we will all be sent to an eternity, which we have chose for ourselves. If a person has chosen to live an evil life and not ask forgiveness from God, they will be sent to Hell, and God Himself can't change this, because this is the law that He set forth for the world. Before we die, we must choose to accept Jesus, so that we can live in Heaven. 

Romans 6:23 - "For the wages of sin [is] death; but the gift of God [is] eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

Romans 10:13 - "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."

God says that whoever asks for forgiveness will be forgiven. Just like it is our choice to live evil, it is also our choice whether we choose to live for God. God isn't going to force us to live one way or the other. We have to come to Him willing to live for Him. All sins have to be left behind before He will save us. I learned this the hard way. I tried to get right with God, but I also wanted to keep my old sins with me. That's not how God works. He wants the ones that are willing to give up what they love to serve Him, and His word.

Everyone in the world needs to decide today what they want their eternity to look like. Sin may seem like the cool thing now, but when eternity comes, it's going to be the biggest regret in a person's mind. God is willing to save anyone who will come to Him today, and if the person is willing, He will not turn them away. Decide for yourself today if sin is worth an eternity in Hell, and if it isn't for you, look to God. He is the way to get to Heaven, the truth that will show you that way, and the life that will be given to you in Heaven. 

Beware of Cavities

Our teeth are something that needs to be taken care of every single day. They need to be flossed and brushed, and mouth wash can be used to add even further care. If teeth are taken care of as they should, they can work against cavities, and they can be built up to be very strong. 

On the other hand, if our teeth are not taken care of every day, they can develop cavities, and other serious damage. After this damage has been done, toothpaste, floss, and mouth wash is not able to fix that damage. At that point, teeth may have to be pulled, or a dentist will need to drill the cavity out of the tooth. 

Our relationship with God is the exact same concept. If we daily care for our relationship with God; praying, reading our Bible, witnessing for Him, etc. the connection we have with God will grow to be very strong. 

Contrary to living for God, if we don't care for our relationship with God daily, and we keep sin in our lives, cavities will be created, or in this sense, damage to our spiritual life. After the damage of sin has been done, reading our Bibles, or witnessing will not be able to change what has been done in the past, and it surely won't take it away. At that point, the dentist, our Heavenly Father has to step in, and we have to repent of our sins. Repentance is the only thing that will take the sins away. 

Unfortunately, while on this Earth, sin will not be forgotten. God will forgive, but until we die, we have to live with what sins we commit while in the world, which is why it is so important to stay away from sin. Even though it may be forgiven, sin has the possibility to follow us the rest of our days. Sin has the power to permanently damage our lives, and it can be out of our control, much like our teeth that can't be fixed once they are gone. 

Having sin in our lives brings more problems than luxuries. It may not be instant damage, but be sure that sin will have its consequences at one point or another. Sin builds up until it turns into something much worse. Don't let sin damage your life, take care of your sin from the start, and let God cleanse you. 

The Destruction of Acceptance

Hebrews 13:8 - "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever."

It seems that the world is becoming more and more accepting of sin everyday; abortion, homosexual relations, premarital sex, divorce, and so much more. The luxuries of sin urges us to want to accept more and more sin in the world. Society wants to live in their evil ways, therefore, they want to change what the Bible and God says, so that they can continue to live the way they want. The lack of acceptance that Christians have is being raised as a problem, when in reality, the issue is that society is accepting sin, and going against God. 

Revelation 22:18- "For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book.

Revelation 22:19 - "And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and [from] the things which are written in this book."

God clearly states in the Bible that we are not to take away from the Bible, nor are we to add to the Bible. This means that whatever the Bible states is what stays. It's not a matter of acceptance or no acceptance, it's a matter of whether or not one chooses to follow what the Bible says or not. Christians are not being "mean" by not being accepting of others' sins, they are following God. God is also not being "old fashioned" for not being accepting, people are simply becoming accustomed to living against God. 

It is becoming seen as a good thing for people to be "accepting." People don't take the time to see that they are sinning by doing this. If we want to follow God, we can't accept everyone's sins. Instead of accepting peoples' sins, we need to tell these people about God, and the salvation that they can receive if they are willing to give up sin. Not accepting others' sins does not mean that we are to treat them badly, but it means that we care for them enough to tell them that they are sinning against God, and giving them the opportunity to see God for who He truly is. 

We as Christians need to stand up for what God has given us to live by. It doesn't matter how many years passes, the Bible will still hold true. We can't make God who we want Him to be. If we are to change the image of God to hold the characteristics that we want Him to possess, that is taking away from who God is. Just like He loves us, we need to love Him enough to abide by His word. We have to use what God has given us, not change it. 

Workout With God

Feeling weak in God? Try these simple workouts to get that relationship with God that you've always dreamed of! 

1) Run a Mile in God's shoes: 

1 Corinthians 11:1: "Be ye followers of me, even as I also [am] of Christ."

Put yourself in God's shoes. Try and intimidate His kindness and love. His greatness can never be reached, but we can try our best to show the world the work God has done in our own lives. 

2) Lift Bible Dumbbells: 

2 Timothy 3:16-17 - "All scripture [is] given by inspiration of God, and [is] profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness."

The Bible was given to us for a guide for our lives. Work out your mind and absorb the knowledge that God has given us. The Bible will give you strength to spread His word, and have hope for a better future.

3) Crunch Away Sin: 

1 John 1:9 - "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us [our] sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

Confess your sins to God, and rid them from your life. Without all that weight, you can become stronger in God, and go a longer distance for God. 

4) Prayer Planks: 

Philippians 4:6 - "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God."

Find a place where you can fully concentrate on God, and pray. Pray that God will help you be a light to the world. Pray that He will give you the strength to stand up for God, and show Him your gratitude for doing all He does. 

5) Partner Medicine Ball Throw: 

Galatians 6:2 - "Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ."

Grab a partner, and help carry their burden. We all need help in life, which is why God puts other Christians in our lives. Lend a helping hand to fellow Christians, and let's cross the finish line together.

Receiving Jesus VS. Professing Jesus

There is a huge difference in actually accepting Jesus as your personal savior, and solely professing to know Jesus. By receiving Jesus into your heart, I mean, asking Him for forgiveness and dedicating your life to Him. By professing Jesus, I mean, a person is simply saying that they know God, when they truly don't. Or in other words, putting on a fake to the world. I have personal experience in both of these.

When I was around twelve, I got under conviction. God was drawing me to Him one night at Bible School, and the teacher prayed with me, and after the prayer, I thought that I was saved, simply because I went through the process of praying to God. I professed to everyone that I accepted Jesus into my heart, but in reality, I hadn't at all. At the time, I didn't really understand what it was to get saved. I knew that I needed salvation, but I didn't fully understand the severity of the sacrifice Jesus made for us. So, needless to say, nothing changed in my life. I continued living in my sin, and God was clearly not present in my life. For a long time, I told the world I was saved because I didn't want them to think badly of me, and I wanted to believe that I was saved. Though, this was only taking away chance after chance of me getting truly right with God. Thankfully, God kept giving me opportunities to get saved, and thank God, I accepted Jesus on March 31st, 2011. After I did get saved, and I committed my life to God, which wasn't instant, I saw everything in such a new light.

I think that a huge problem in Christianity is that people are fooled by the world and the devil into believing that they are saved when they really aren't. I was fooled for about 3 years, believing that I was saved, and it was completely my fault. I let my emotions and the devil convince me that I was okay with God, but me saying that I was saved didn't do anything. When I accepted Jesus, and gave my life to Him, that is when I got saved. 

There's so many beliefs on how a person gets saved, but there's only one way. A person must accept Jesus into their heart if they want God to be in their life. There's not going to be any change until this happens.

Romans 10:9-10 - "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved."

I personally was so amazed by the change that I experienced. After I professed to getting saved, I was so confused why nothing changed, and why God wasn't working in my life. When I committed myself to God, I saw drastic changes to obstacles that I never thought I would overcome. A major obstacle being, saying 'I love you.' I've never been the most loving, but because Jesus showed me love, I am now doing the same.  

Before becoming truly saved, I was lost in the world of sin. I had no joy for God, no desire to read my bible or pray, and I certainly wasn't thankful towards God. The desire didn't come until the salvation was real. With salvation comes a love for God and a want to live for Him. Until Jesus is accepted into a person's heart, the real effects of a Christian relationship with God will not happen. 

Why Does God Allow Suffering?

A common question that is asked concerning God is why He allows people to suffer. God has his reasonings behind allowing sin, and here are a few: 

1) To remind us of sin: 

When Adam and Eve first sinned when they ate of the tree of knowledge, after God clearly told them not to, they were exiled out of the garden by God, and God punished each of them, which lead to suffering. He stunted Adam's ability to grow vegetation, and He made child birth painful for Eve's sin. Suffering is man's fault. God didn't want His creation to suffer, but man sinned against God, and because of this, we have to face the consequences for the failures of the human race. Thankfully, sin reminds us that we have a savior that can save us from all of those sins. 

2) Awaken the lost: 

John 8:24 - "I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am [he], ye shall die in your sins."

If everything was perfect, no one would see a need to change their lives. They would be more than happy with the life that they had, and there would be no reason to do anything different. Though, because there are bad times in life, we seek something that can help us, and that something should be God. God can't promise that we won't suffer, but He can give us hope through the salvation of our sins. 

3) Depend on God: 

Philippians 4:19 - "But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus."

Suffering reminds us that we need to rely on God. God is the only person that can help end our pain, and He wants to be the guide of our lives. When we cast all of our cares and burdens to God, we can trust that whatever happens, it will be the will of God. If we are to rely on God, we will not suffer alone. 

4) Suffering will not be forever: 

Romans 8:18 - "For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time [are] not worthy [to be compared] with the glory which shall be revealed in us."

Suffering reminds us that we will not be in pain forever, and that we have a Heavenly eternity to look forward to. The outcome of sin was suffering, and the outcome of suffering will be Heaven if we accept God, for suffering will show us we need God. 

Suffering is obviously not a desired feeling, but it is what shows us that there is God above, and that we need to be saved from the sins that we commit everyday. It also reminds us that we have God who will help us through any suffering that we might endure, and who we will see in Heaven someday, where suffering will be no more. 

Revelation 21:4- "And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away."

Sinners Are Not to Be Envied

Anyone that serves God has probably at least once become angry at the world. Not necessarily because of their sins, but because it seems that they are able to get by with those sins with no consequences.

In the book of Habakkuk, Habakkuk also felt this way about the people around him. During this time, there was much violence in Judah. The people of Judah had turned away from God, but Habakkuk stayed faithful to God. Habakkuk hated what what had happened to the people of Judah, and didn't understand why God let them by with their sins. 

This frustration leads to Habakkuk questioning God of His intentions, and in turn, God answers Habakkuk. Habakkuk questioned God why He had let violence go such a long period of time, and God answered saying that he was rising up an army of Babylonians, a very violent people, to come and take down the people of Judah. Further along, Habakkuk questioned God's intentions of why He would use such a sinful people to come destroy the city of Judah when God was supposed to love the people of Judah. God replies with saying that He would use the Babylonians because they are a fearless people, and they wouldn't back down. God also says that the Babylonians will not go unpunished though, for they have sinned as well.

No matter how it seems, no one is going to get by with their sin, for it will eventually catch up to them. It is better to live for God than to live in sin. Living for Gid will bring about a much better outcome, which will eventually be Heaven. While those that have decided to live in sin will unfortunately spend an eternity in Hell. Sinners may have a luxurious life on Earth, but their eternity will not be worth the short life lived on Earth. 

Be Addicted to God

In the Bible, God gives several reasons why one should not drink alcohol, for it is a sin. Here is six of those reasons: 

1) Alters Thinking: Proverbs 20:1 - "Wine [is] a mocker, strong drink [is] raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise."

Alcohol takes away a person's deception of right and wrong. They can't think clearly, which prevents them from thinking in a Godly mindset. When one cannot decipher what is Godly and what is not Godly, their flesh is going to take control, and lead them in the wrong direction. 

2) Addiction: Isaiah- "Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, [that] they may follow strong drink; that continue until night, [till] wine inflame them!"

Alcohol is addicting. Many people will start out drinking a glass of wine here or a bottle of beer there, but once they become addicted, it takes over their life. Addictions are not easy to control or even predict. It can lead up to consequences you're not prepared for.

3) Gateway Sin: Galatians 5:19-21 - "Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are [these]; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness."

Alcohol leads to many other sins. Because a person can't think correctly, they are going to do things that they usually wouldn't. A lot of the time, alcohol brings out emotions that a person wouldn't usually express. For example, if a person likes another as more than a friend, the distorted thought process could lead to premarital sex, which is fornication, and said in Galations.

4) Becomes Problem Solver: Proverbs 31:6 - "Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto those that be of heavy hearts."

Due to the fact that alcohol takes away a person's ability to think straight, people will take advantage of this to forget their problems. Though, alcohol just multiplies the problem. The true problem that a person is facing grows, even when the person is blocking it out of their minds with alcohol. Dealing with the problem in a straightforward manner is what will bring about a solution, not hiding from the problem. 

5) Cannot Enter Heaven: Galatians- "Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told [you] in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God."

God says that drunkards will not enter into Heaven. This is the worst thing that alcohol can do to a person. Drinking is a sin, just like murdering someone; God states this clearly in this verse. Sin will send a person to Hell. Of course, a person can be saved and still drink, but the relationship with God isn't going to be there, and for those that are not saved, alcohol is a huge obstacle in the way of ever reaching God. 

6) Changes the Heart: Hosea- "Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart."

Addiction to alcohol has the ability to change the nicest person in the world into the biggest jerk. I'm sure that we have all saw someone that has been affected by alcohol use. Half of the kids that I went to high school with, some of the best friends I had, aren't the same people inside that I used to know; all due to alcohol and sin that flourished from it in their life. 

Having the "cool" image that drinking alcohol can bring about isn't worth sacrificing your soul. Alcohol distorts everything good in your life, and turns it into something ugly. Relationships can be ruined, hearts broken, and lives completely turned upside down. Life is hard, and the only person that can help is God. God will face the problem head on, and right by your side. He never makes you face a problem alone, but if you turn to alcohol, you might be surprised to be alone someday, still having the same problems as before, but with more depth. Choose God over the world. If you're going to have an addiction, make it serving God, because that's an addiction that won't let you fall. 

Beware of Sharks

A thought came into my head the other day when I saw a picture of a whale and shark that someone had posted on Facebook. The top pictured showed a Killer Whale, the bottom picture was a Great White Shark, and then there was a joke at the bottom. Though, what I thought about was the fact that they have both killed people, but they are looked at differently. Of course, it's not the animals' faults that people are in their feeding grounds, but these animals' actions can display those of the human race. 

The Killer Whale does not harm near the amount of people as the Great White, though, it's called a 'Killer' Whale. The Great White Shark does harm, but it is called 'Great.' How does this compare with the world today? 

The Killer Whale can be compared to Christians. No doubt, Christians mess up sometimes, and as soon as they do, it seems as if sinners, and sometimes even other Christians, are waiting to put them down. They are waiting to ridicule them and shame them for sinning against God, even if they are not living for God themselves. People will call out hypocrite unto them, or 'Killer,' in this sense. A lot of the time, no matter how the name-caller is living their own life, they will make sure that the person that is trying to spread God's word is taken down because they want to see them fail. Also, people don't want to be told that they are living their life wrong. When Christians try to tell the world of their sin, many will persecute the Christian for 'judging' them. They want to be able to live their life of sin, therefore, they make the Christian seem like the bad guy. 

The Great White Shark is the sinners of the world. I can't think of many cases where a person that was living a Godly life was praised for what they do in the media, instead, the people that are living their life against God is greatly praised. For example, as soon as we turn on our TVs, we see celebrities, singers, movie stars, etc. being praised. These people have the ability to influence millions and millions of people, and they are doing just that. The only thing is, these people are teaching their fans to be drunkards, liars, fornicators, etc. Though, at the same time, they are looked at as being great role models. When these celebrities are praised, they are telling the world that they should be like them, which leads to a destructive path. Sinners, much like the Great White, has the ability to destroy someone's life, and lead them far from God.

In the world, there are many sharks. They can be anyone; teachers, family members, friends, and maybe even church members. There's always going to be sharks, and it is up to us to decide who we are going to consider to be role models. Are we going to follow our fellow Christians who are trying to live for God, or are we going to follow the world who hates the work of God, and denies Him? None is great except for God, and the world needs to get back to a time where this truth was followed. 

Sharks will destroy, but I know someone that can mend the worst wounds, God. 

One Lie Brings Much Destruction

When David had gained much power in the kingdom, Saul built up motivation to kill him, in order to protect his throne. David fled to Nob to protect himself, and went unto the priest, Ahimelech who asked him why he was alone. David answered in a lie saying that Saul had given him orders to come, but not to let anyone know of the details of the orders. 

David told Ahimelech that men were supposed to meet him, and he asked for five loaves of bread for him and the men. Ahimelech had no plain bread, so he have holy bread unto David. 

The chief of Saul's herdsmen, Doeg, was at Nob that day as well. When David asked Ahimelech for a weapon, saying it was part of Saul's request, he was given the sword of Goliath, Doeg seeing the exchange.

David fled Nod after reviewing materials, and went to Adullam. When David's brothers, his father's clan, and everyone who was indebted to him had heard of his fleeing, they went to him, bringing a total of four hundred men with them. 

Saul heard where David and his men were, and he was angered, asking all of his men why they hadn't told him. Then Doeg spoke up to Saul saying that he saw David go to the priest, and there, the priest gave him food and a weapon. 

Saul sent for Ahimelech, along with Ahimelech's family and other priests in Nob. Saul questioned Ahimelech about the plot that he and David had against him, and Ahimelech denied the accusations, saying that he had no evil intentions. Though, Saul would not believe him, and told Ahimelech that him and his family would be killed. 

Saul told his guards to kill the priests of Jehovah becasue they had plotted against him, but the servants would not do as they were told. So, Saul told Doeg to kill the priests, and he followed orders, killing eighty five men. 

One of the sons of Ahimelech, Abiathar, fled to David, and told him what Saul had done. David said that he knew Doeg would tell, and that he felt responsible for what had happened to his family. David promised Abiathar that from that day on, he would protect his life before his own, for he was now indebted to Abiathar for he was to blame for his family's death. 

Because of the simple lie that David told Ahimelech, it cost eighty five men their lives. If David would've simply told Ahimelech the truth, Ahimelech would've had the opportunity to choose his own path, but because Ahimelech was told a lie, he didn't have the discernment to consider the outcome. This goes to show that our sins can not only harm our own lives, but it can cost others as well. 

A lie has the power to bring about much evil. Even the most simple lie can really do harm in someone's life, and more importantly, their relationship with God. Lies aren't worth the consequences that come about because of them. If we are to be honest, even when it's hard, or we think we are saving someone from the pain of the truth, we can prevent a lot of future heartbreak. Sin will always find you out, and a lie is not an exception to that 

Sin Will Find You Out

"But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the Lord: and be sure your sin will find you out." (Numbers 32:23)

When Israel began to worship idols, God punished them by bringing them under the power of their enemies, the Philistines. The Philistines, war-oriented people, worshiped an idol, Dagon. One day, the Philistine people took their armies up to Israel, and took over the land. They took their weapons and crops, and the Israel people cried out unto the Lord, and the Lord heard their cries.

In the land of Dan, lived a man, Manoah. His wife became pregnant with a boy named Samson. God sent an angel unto this woman to give her three rules that Samson had to follow if they wanted their people to be spared, for Samson would be the one to save them with his great strength; never drink wine, never touch dead things, and never cut his hair. 

When Samson was born, he was a very strong boy. Once Samson had grown into a young man, he went into the land of the Philistines, to Timnath. He fell in love with a woman there, even though she was an enemy. On a journey to see this woman, Samson saw a hungry lion that charged him, so he killed the lion and tore him into pieces. He told no one of this.

When Samson went back to Timnath after a time to marry this woman he loved, he came across the dead lion. Bees had made home in its body, and had produced honey. Samson ate of the honey, touching the dead animal again. Again, he told no one.

The feast that was set aside for Samson's wedding consisted of Philistine men, where they drank wine. There, Samson gave the men a riddle, and they would receive clothing if answered correctly; "Out of the eater came forth meat, And out of the strong came forth sweetness."

The men tried several days, but could not figure out the meaning behind the riddle. They finally decided to go to Samson's wife, and threatened her to tell them the answer or they would burn her house, along with her and her people. His wife begged and begged Samson to tell her, and he eventually broke, and told her about the lion and honey. 

The men came to Samson, giving him the answer to his riddle; meat being the lion and sweetness being honey. Samson was very angry because they had went to his wife. He killed other men to give the Philistine men their reward. Angry, he left his wife, and went back to the house of his father. 

Samson eventually went back to his wife, but her father had given her away, but said that he could have her sister, but Samson refused. Samson went off very angry, and set the Philistines' crops on fire. The Philistines saw what Samson had did, and blamed his father-in-law. They burned the man's house, alone with him and Samson's past wife. 

Samson then killed a slew of Philistines for burning his wife. He then went up to live in a place called the Rock of Etam. The Philistines came looking for Samson in Judah, and the men in Judah gave Samson over to the Philistines, for he had caused a lot of problems for the Israelites. Samson allowed it, on the terms that they would not kill him themselves, but hand him over to the Philistines. 

The Philistines took Samson, and tied him up, but he escaped. He then married another woman, Delilah, who he told his secret about his hair too. Delilah told the Philistines of this in order to receive riches, and they cut Samson's hair. Samson would hide and escape from the Philistines' grip several times before ending up tied to two pillars of a temple in the Philistine land. He asked God for strength to escape, but there was no use; God had left him because of his disobedience. Samson used what strength he had to pull down the pillars, crushing both him and the Philistine people. The Israelites were finally free of the Philistine people. 

Samson lived a very luxurious life; he had a woman that he loved, he was popular, and he had power. He got caught up in his sinful lifestyle when he left God's people, and began to sin more and more against God. First, he touched the dead animal, then, he drank wine at the wedding dinner, and then, his hair was cut off. Because of Samson's disobedience, he finally paid the price for his commitment of sin. 

The Philistines cutting off Samson's hair is a prime example of the role that others can play in the act of sin. If we let the wrong people into our lives, we are allowing more sin to take residence in our hearts. It wasn't necessarily Samson's fault that his hair had been cut off, but he allowed people like Delilah into his life that was willing to trade him for riches. If Samson had not went against his own Israelite people, and joined the Philistines, he would have not experienced the temptations that he did, and he might not have committed the sins of touching the dead animal and drinking wine.  

God saved the Israelite people like He had promised, but Samson did not follow the rules that God had set aside for him, therefore, he was killed, along with the sinful Philistines. This is what can happen when we go against God. God is the all-powerful being, and he expects us to follow his rules, and if we don't, we will be punished for it. Like in life, our parents punish us for doing something wrong. Well, in the same way, we become the children of God when He saves us, so we are to abide by His rules. Unlike our parents though, God sees every single thing we do. We can't hide from God. 

Eventually, all of our sins will find us out, whether it is on Earth or at the judgement throne of Christ. We are all going to be forced to answer for the sins that we committed against God. Although, it is hard to go against the world sometimes, it is going to be much harder when we have to stand before God, and see all the sin that we threw in his face. God has blessed us with eternal life, the least we can do is follow His word. 

If Only Eve Had Said No

Genesis, chapters 2 and 3, tells the story of the first sin. God created the first humans on the sixth day of Earth, and their names were Adam and Eve. They were placed in the garden of Eden, and God told them that they could eat of any tree, except for the tree of knowledge. The tree of knowledge would show them good and evil, letting them know about sin, therefore, they would be able to willingly sin against God, which is why we need saved in the first place. The devil came unto Adam and Eve through the form of a serpent, and the serpent told them that the only reason that God didn't want them to eat of the fruit was not because they would die like God said, but because God didn't want them to be mighty and knowledgeable like Him. So Eve, wanting to gain wisdom, ate of the tree of knowledge, then gave some of the fruit to Adam, and they both ate of the fruit. They saw that they were naked, being a sin, so they covered themselves with fig leaves. When God spoke to them, they hid. God asked why they were hiding, and Adam told Him it was because they were naked. God saw that they had ate the fruit because they knew they had sinned. Adam blamed Eve, and Eve blamed the serpent.

The sin of Eve began a domino effect in the world of sin. Once Eve sinned, everyone and everything was affected. If she had acted differently, God wouldn't have had to punish them, and the world today would be completely different.

1) The Serpent: For his wrong doings, God cursed the serpent, snake, that it would have to crawl on its stomach, and eat of the dust of the Earth. If it wasn't for the actions of the devil in the form of the serpent, snakes wouldn't have to crawl on their stomachs in the dirt and dust of the ground.

2) Relationship With God: God put Adam and Eve out of the garden, making it that they could not have one-on-one conversations with God anymore. If it wasn't for their sin, it is possible that we could have actually had conversations with God, instead of through prayer.

3) Painful Childbirth: For Eve's disobedience, God oath-ed that childbirth for women would be very painful. Childbirth is known for being very painful, and Eve can be thanked for that.

4) Weeds: For Adam's disobedience, God cursed the ground, making growing plants very difficult, and He created weeds and thistles to inhabit the ground. Weeds can stunt the growth of plants, just like Adam stunted the growth of his relationship with God by sinning.

5) Hard Work: God also made work hard, as He said that men would endure sweat. Work would have been much easier if Adam and Eve would not have sinned.

6) Death: Physical death was now a part of life because sin leads to death. Due to their sin, people have to die at some point in their life.

7) Continuous Sin: Because Adam and Eve sinned once, sin will always continue throughout mankind because everyone has the knowledge of sin now. If we didn't have the knowledge of sin, we wouldn't have the willpower to decide to sin, making it impossible to willingly do wrong.

If Eve had another chance, I'm pretty sure that she would've acted differently. Her one sin spouted billions of sins throughout the many years that the Earth has been around. This shows us how one sin can affect us greatly, and the power that it has on others. We should all think about the consequences of our actions before sinning. It's impossible to rid the Earth of sin, but by obeying God, we may make the Earth a Godlier place.

Reigniting Your Fire For God

So, how do we reignite our fire for God? 

1) Give up all the sin in your life: (James 4:7 - Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you"). As long as we have sin in our lives, our relationship with God will be at a standstill. God can't cohabit in our hearts with sin. If God and the devil were to live together in our hearts, could you imagine the strife and disastrous end that would be? God isn't able to use a sinful person to be the light that the world needs because a sinful person is only going to multiply the darkness. He is only able to use to use those that follow Him. God needs Christians that will show the mercy of God to the world, not one that will join the sinners. If we are to confess our sins, God will do wondrous acts in our lives, and will use us to help a dying world. All we have to do is ask. (1 John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us [our] sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness"). 

2) Don't just read your Bible, study it: I spent years solely reading my Bible, and it being just words on a page for me. Having gone to church my entire life, it embarrassed me that I hardly knew anything about the Bible, even children's stories. When I began studying God's word though, it really blessed my heart because God opened my heart up to more knowledge of the Bible. I was learning more about the Bible than I had ever known because God was opening my heart up to things I couldn't see when I was just reading words. When God sees that we are trying to learn His word, He will give us understanding of the Bible. (Ecclesiastes 2:26: “To the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness"). When we have wisdom and knowledge of the Bible, this is when we can witness to the world, and tell them of God's wondrous works. 

3) Memorize knowledge of the Bible: This goes along with studying the Bible, but I have found that since I started memorizing verses and stories of the Bible, I have been finding so much joy in my life. I am finally able to have discussions of the Bible with other people, and share what I have learned. Like in Ephesians 6, I was so happy when I memorized the armor of God because I had never been able to discuss something so in depth from the Bible. Also, it might sound crazy, since I grew up in church my whole life, but I had never learned all the books of the Bible. I began listening to a children's song, and I'm still working on memorizing them completely, but I found such joy from knowing at least half of them. The knowledge that comes from God's word is holy, and will protect us. We can use His word to lead others to Christ, and bring light into a dim world. (Psalms 119:11 "Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee").

4) Pray: (1 Thessalonians 5:17 - "Pray without ceasing"). What a simple statement, but powerful message. God created prayer, so that we may confess our sins, give our burdens to God, and ask God for help in times of need. It is something that is solely between the person and God, which makes it so powerful. God is able to take away our sins and cleanse of to be white as snow. He is able to answer our prayers, and make us worry free. There is not one person in the world that wouldn't love to have that in their life. All a person must do is talk to God. He will listen. (Matthew 26:41 "Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed [is] willing, but the flesh [is] weak"). Prayer with God will keep us out of sin. He will instill in us the power to stay away from fleshly desires if we ask Him. Prayer is a powerful thing, and a key action in our walk with God. 

5) Find Godly Friends: (1 Corinthians 15:33 "Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners"). God wants us to surround ourselves with people of God, so that we do not sway from our walk with God. If we have people of sin in our lives, the only way that they will lead us is down. It's impossible to keep a close relationship with God, while we are dabbing around with sin. With Godly friends, a person can overcome any problem in their life. They will have someone to pray with, study with, comfort one another, and encourage each other in their Christian lives. 

6) Find a place of worship and fellowship: Last, but not least, it is important that we have a place to escape the world. Finding a church filled with the people of God and the joy of God is a very key element in bettering your relationship with God. (Matthew 18:20 "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them"). God states that when people gather together to praise His name, He will be there with them. It is important to worship God for what He has done for us. He will bless us for it. God honors people that are willing to stand in front of a crowd of people for His glory. Church also is a great place to find Godly friends and influences. We should look to the people of God as examples of who we should be. For example, we can try to be more like our pastor, a Sunday school teacher, our choir director, or simply a Godly man or woman that is trying to live for Christ. A Godly church will provide us with friendships, knowledge, and help, leading us closer to our God. (Psalms 122:1-9 "(A Song of degrees of David.) I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD").

Popularity Leads to Destruction

Romans 12:2 - "And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what [is] that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."

Philippians 2:15 - "That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world."

The concept of fitting in is an issue that everyone faces in the world, but for someone that is trying to serve God, it can have horrible effects if they allow it to. Being a Christian, we are much different than the majority of the world around us. We are the children of God. God saved us with the intention that we would go out into an ungodly world to tell people of God's love and mercy. We are to be the good in the world, God's light, that we might overcome sin with the help of our Savior. Though, many times, the love of God is looked down upon on the Earth. Many look at Christians as being "goody-two shoes." People hate the fact that Christians try to do right by God. They seem to watch and wait for us to fail.The world would love for us to conform to be like them, and unfortunately, it works sometimes.

 The pressure from the world can sometimes be too much for a Christian's flesh. Christians can sometimes feel lonely because they are so different than most of the world, making them very vulnerable. People have a way of convincing others that maybe drinking one beer is okay, or smoking one cigarette is okay, when it isn't at all. Even Christians can become addicted to sin. I know that I have went through this many times. Some friends that I used to have convinced me to cheat one time, and I was hooked for the longest time. This went on for years before I was finally able to overcome it with the help from God. The world withholds people that are great at convincing others that a sin here and there is alright. Christians aren't immune to sin. They can become as sinful as the most wicked person in the world. If we let the world impact what we do, we are allowing the opportunity for great sin to come into our lives. More importantly, by conforming to the world, we are basically telling God that He wasn't good enough for us. 

Matthew 7:13 - "Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide [is] the gate, and broad [is] the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:"

We as Christians have something much greater than the world will ever have; God. God lives inside of us. What can be greater than that? God has given us the promise of an eternity spent in Heaven with Him and His angels. What the world has to offer us cannot begin to compare with what God does. When God saves us, we are put on the straight way, as in Matthew 7:13. The broad way are for those that deny God, and is on their way to a destructive end. Unfortunately, the broad way is crowded with millions and millions of sinners. Sinners that are trying to bring everyone along with them, even if it means bringing Christians too. Of course, once saved, that can't be taken away from us, but the world can sure ruin our relationship with God. The devil has his hand in convincing sinners that the path they are on is okay, but it's not. God's path will lead to a joyous, eternity in Heaven, and the devil's path will end in a fiery Hell.

We all have a choice; the narrow or broad way. The broad way has so many people. It looks like loads of fun, and it has some of the most successful people in the world; movie stars, singers, politicians, etc. This way can be so enticing, but is the outcome int he end worth it? On the other-hand, the narrow way of God has fewer people, it doesn't promise an easy life, and it has a lot of hurt on it. Though, this way will end in eternity in Heaven. Do we want to have a luxurious life on Earth that we aren't promised tomorrow on, and end up in a torturous eternity, never to escape. Or do we want to live for God, even when it means the possibility of hurt, and end up in the most glorious eternity we could ever think of. It is our choice. God gives us the means of coming to Him, but it isn't mandatory that we choose His path. So, make your choice today. Be the light that God intended you to be, or you can choose to be another person on their way to destruction.

R-rated Mistake

A couple of weeks ago, I decided to rent a movie. There wasn't many choices, so I chose Gone Girl, even though it was R-rated. I had heard a lot of people say that it was really good, and I figured that it couldn't be so bad, so I got it. This was one of the biggest mistakes I could have made.

This movie had so much sexual content that it is possible that it took up 75% of the movie. It was very graphic. I had never expected that anything like that could have been produced, and especially shown in a movie theatre. I felt so bad and sinful after watching it.

Even weeks after watching it and praying that God would forgive me for watching something so filthy, I still feel awful that I watched it. It's so sad that is how the world is today. It seems like everything is about sex. I shouldn't have watched it, and I regret it so much. As a forgiven sinner, I should've known better. Unfortunately, sometimes even Christians like myself, can be dragged into sin such as this. Sometimes, the world looks so tempting. It looks as if those living in sin are happier than those that are trying to follow God. They may be happier on Earth, but what will happen once they have to appear before God? We all have to keep in mind what God has promised us. He has promised us Heaven, and we need to abide by His laws. He deserves that. We won't be happy in a life full of sin if we are truly saved, and it certainly won't please God.

How did the world become like this? Why is sex and other awful temptations so enticing to the world today? Why are both men and women becoming objects of sex? I honestly felt so bad for the actors and actresses because they were depicted as being such sexual objects. They were being used for their physical attributes, rather than who they were. What happened to real love? We need to see a real, Godly love on television that we can look up to, rather than a lustful relationship that is all about the physical side. A real, loving relationship is focused around the love of God, and that is what the world needs to see. It might not be as popular and exciting, but we don't need exciting, we need God.

I can't promise that I won't ever sin again, because I will, but I'm going to be more mindful to what God would watch me to watch. Movies and books that are sinful are just going to hurt the relationship that a person has with God. I know that in my case, this movie made me have sinful thoughts, and it really put a barrier on my relationship with God. My heart was so burdened for days, and it took my mind off of what really mattered. Sin isn't worth any amount of time, money, fame, or anything that the world has to offer. Even a two-hour movie has the ability to ruin your relationship with God. Resisting sin is the best thing a person can do, and I hope that I can do better in the future because God deserves people that are dedicated to Him.