Monday, May 23, 2011

Judgement Day?


For those who don't know, the Rapture was predicted to come at 6:00pm May 21st, 2011.

It's May 23rd, 2011 today.

Harold Camping predicted the rapture... for the second time. Apparently, the first time he miscalculated. But, get this:

"The head of Family Radio broadcasting network, which boasts 150 outlets in the United States, has what his website calls "infallible, absolute proof" that there's no point in making plans for Memorial Day weekend. It goes like this:
Camping says that because Jesus was crucified on Friday, April 1, 33 AD, and that it takes exactly 365.2422 days for the earth to complete one orbit of the sun, we can conclude that, on April 1, 2011, Jesus was crucified exactly 722,449.07 days ago. Add 51 days to this to get to May 1, and you get a figure of 722,500.07.
Round that down to the nearest integer, and you get 722,500, which is an important number because it is the square of 5 x 17 x 10 . The number five, says Camping, represents atonement. Ten represents completeness, and 17 represents heaven. Multiply all these together – twice – and you get 722,500. Therefore the apocalypse kicks off on Saturday, May 21."
-Christian Science Monitor 2011 (http://www.csmonitor.com/Science/2011/0518/Judgment-Day-May-21-When-will-the-world-actually-end)

Now, I don't know about you, but even after reading that it still doesn't make very much sense. Also, add all the verses from the Bible, such as Matthew 24:36"But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone."

So why make predictions? The answer to this is, I really don't know.

Only God knows when the time is going to come, and the Bible talks plenty about the end for us to know that it's not going to be pretty.

Now, I'm not saying all of this to scoff at Harold Camping, but rather as a warning not to predict the end, because no one but God knows. But if the world were going to end today, would you be ready?

Matthew 25:1"Then the kingdom of heaven will be comparable to ten virgins, who took their amps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2"Five of them were foolish, and five were prudent. 3"For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, 4but the prudent took oil in flasks along with their lamps. 5"Now while the bridegroom was delaying, they all got drowsy and began to sleep. 6"But at midnight there was a shout, 'Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.' 7"Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. 8"The foolish said to the prudent, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' 9"But the prudent answered, 'No, there will not be enough for us and you too; go instead to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.' 10"And while they were going away to make the purchase, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast; and the door was shut. 11"Later the other virgins also came, saying, 'Lord, lord, open up for us.' 12"But he answered, 'Truly I say to you, I do not know you.' 13"Be on the alert then, for you do not know the day nor the hour.”

Friday, May 20, 2011

New Friends and Long Waits

Good friends are a great thing. Or, correction. Good friends with good morals are a great thing.
1 Chorinthians 15:33 Do not be deceived: "Bad company corrupts good morals."

Recently I got to meet three people who are really wonderful. They are all Christians and not only have we had a good conversation about the Bible among other things, we have also had a lot of fun playing games.

But the problem is that they live more than an hour away which means we won't get to see them very often. On Wednesday we got to see them again and we had a cookout. We played games and had a really great time but when it was time to leave, we didn't want to because we wouldn't see them again for what seems like a long time.

These friends are friends with good morals and these friends are worth the wait for a few hours of visiting.

Friendship is a fragile thing. Friends effect your life and who you are. So choose good friends.

As I heard Grandma Duggar say once, "Show me your friends, and I'll show you your future."

Monday, May 16, 2011

An End or a Beginning?

It's May. That means several things. First of all, summer is right around the corner. But also, graduations are happening all the time. It isn't my turn yet, which I am perfectly content with. But now that I am older, I know more and more people who are graduating. Which means, more ceremonies to go to, more parties to attend. But most of all it means goodbye.

Not necessarily to that person, but it means goodbye to this time in our lives. To the years we had when there were very few responsibilities and lots of high school-related get togethers. I will really miss the girls I know who are graduating. Not because I won't ever see them again, but because now things are going to be different.

No more debate class with one of my favorite teachers. No more speech practice with an amazing girl. No more staying up late together the night before we have a test, then studying as hard as we can the next morning. No more getting together for Chemistry and laughing about how similar we all think or how much we 'hate' chemistry.

While it is a little sad to think about, this isn't the end. It's a last, for sure. Maybe this is when it is appropriate to say 'The end is just the beginning.' Because it's true. Everyone who graduates, even me eventually, is just beginning a whole different adventure. Whether its college, or a job or maybe missionary work overseas, or a wedding, It's a whole new adventure and God has great plans for every one of His children.

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Dedicated to all of the Seniors who are ending one part of their lives to start living in a new way. Dedicated to Caitlin, Mollyanne ,Jennae, Julia, Jannake, Rachel, Miranda and all of my close senior friends that I forgot to mention. I love you all and congrats, grads!

Sunday, May 15, 2011

A Summer of Serving

Galaians 5:13For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 14For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

We are free. Thank God we are free. He has done so much for us, and when Jesus was here He was all about serving. So lets not let our freedom be used to serve ourselves. Let us have pure JOY. I've heard JOY as an acronym- Jesus first, Others second, Yourself last. Then you can have pure JOY.

Every summer I get the opportunity to go to camp and serve on staff. I get to work in the garden, wash the dishes, clean the bathrooms, dorms, chapel and more. I get to serve the campers food and I get to put a smile on my face and serve. It is my pleasure to serve. When my heart is in the right place, focused on Jesus, then it truly is my pleasure to serve because that was what Jesus would be doing if He was here.

Summer is right around the corner and so my time at camp is coming quicker than I ever imagined. But summer is not the only time I can serve. Where ever I am, whatever I am doing I have a chance to serve others. To smile at them. To pick up dropped toys. To clean up a spill. To hug someone who is discouraged. And above all to constantly be shining for Jesus.

I have freedom. Excessive freedom. And I know I could indulge my fleshy desire and do things that 'feel good' to me. But the truth is, nothing feels better than when I am serving others.

Matthew 22:35One of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, 36"Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?" 37And He said to him, " ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38"This is the great and foremost commandment. 39"The second is like it, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself..’

Friday, May 13, 2011

Peculiar Treasures

Exodus 19:5 "Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine:"

It's more than slightly difficult to obey God's voice and keep His covenant. Why? Because we are all sinners. But God has redeemed us with the blood of His son, Jesus. Does that mean we should not strive to keep God's commandment and obey His voice? Certainly not.

I once heard this story told, as an analogy for offering (names are fictional):

Matt Johnson and his wife were in need of a babysitter for their two children. When they found Jessica, she agreed to babysit for them when they needed her. They paid he $15.00 an hour. She washed dishes, did laundry and took great care of both children. She was a wonderful babysitter. However, Matt and his wife soon had another baby girl. For the increased amount of work, Matt talked to Jessica about he pay. After asking her what she thought was reasonable for the addition of watching his baby girl, she replied with, "Mr. Johnson, I'll take whatever you will give me."

Did Jessica expect to get less than what she was already receiving for her babysitting job, just because she told him that she would take whatever he gave her? No, she was going to take whatever raise she would be given.

In this case with offering, just because we are no longer required by the Old Covenant to tithe 10% of all the money we receive, that does not mean that God is looking for us to give Him less. We should be striving to give more.

In the same way, we shouldn't live our lives without any regard to our Savior just because we are saved by grace (Ephesians 2:8-10). No, we are not under the law anymore. Jesus made the atonement for our sins and broke us free. But are we going to live our lives obeying God's voice, or will we give less of ourselves, because it's no longer required?