Christians and the love they have for one another

Wow I can not believe it has been more than a month since I have last posted! Well Happy New Year! I've noticed that my previous post has gotten a lot of attention, please if you have a comment post it! I would really like to have anyones opinion on the series, whether good or bad. That being said I feel the need to talk about something thats been on my mind a lot recently.

As you see by my title its about love, what is love to you? Is it how you feel about your family? How you feel about Jesus? How you feel about a spouse or girlfriend/boyfriend? Is love a natural feeling for you? Is it actions you take? Recently I've noticed a lack of love christians seem to have for eachother and for nonbelievers. This may not be you maybe you are the opposite of this and you believe that people aren't this way. But I think that this is very much true, at least for only some people.
As I said i haven't noticed a lot of love that believers should have, love meaning actions. For example I notice that while christians love the people across the world from them-the starving children with no parets they give money to-they don't seem to reach out and love people in their own communities.

Whoever you come in contact with you should always show love, you don't know who you could be talking to. Maybe that person has hurt in their life, there parents could be splitting up and they need comfort. Maybe its someone who feels alone in the world and just wants a friend. Maybe the person sitting next to you in class is like you-a christian who loves God and wants to do his bidding. But what if you didn't know this, what if this person was a shy kid with no friends in a new school. Shouldn't we as christians be the one to reach out to those we don't know and invite them to sit with us, ask them about there life where they come from etc etc? Do you do this? If so I give you around of applause!

But we shouldn't just reach out to those type of kids, also show love to people who mistreat you- heres a good verse in Luke.."But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked." (Luke 6:35)
Recently a boy my brother was friends with started spreading nasty rumours about him and this girl, this boy was a christian who had a good family. My brother stopped being his friend and wanted nothing to do with him. In my mind I felt sorry for this boy and upsett with my brother. Couldn't my brother show love to this kid, forgive him and be his friend again? Eventually my brother(Jononathan) forgave him, I'm not sure their friends again though. But the point is how did this kid probaly feel? Even though he did wrong, he should be shown Gods love-love that forgive and moves on.

Isnt that what God does to us? We are all sinners but he chose to send his son to die for our sins. And when we accept his gift he forgives us and sends our sins "far as the east is from the west" I believe we should do the same, none of us are perfect. But that does not mean that we should stop trying...trying to show love to our enemies.

This you will find most shocking but...in my own personaly life I notice that some of the nonbelievers I am friends with I feel more comfortable with. Meaning that I can talk with them, hang out with them and I feel like they they want me to be there. I sometimes feel the opposite when I am around some of my christian friends, not all of them are like this mind you. But those who are I don't feel any connection with, I don't feel like I can talk to them like I do with other people. Maybe its because there shy, maybe its because I'm so shy that I appear to be un friendly. Whatever it is it saddens me, I would rather have christian friends that I can call my best friend than a nonbeliever friend who is a bad influence on me. Having non christian friends isn't bad, because I've been able to share my beliefs but its good to have a balance.

This all may not be what you think as love...but what else does God mean when he says (Jesus is saying this) Mathew 19:19-"Jesus replied, " Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother, and love your neighbor as yourself." Notice that "loving your neighbor" is grouped with some of the TEN Commandments. Well to end this long post, I just want to remind everyone to show love to everyone you come in contact with!

God Bless!

Matthew 22: 36-40
"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."

Twilight a series by Stephenie Meyer: My review

Twilight is a series by Stephenie Meyer, I'm sure like me you've heard of it from a lot of people. I heard about it firstly because of a review in a magazine, it sounded interesting. Since then I've heard about it from friends and people at school. So I decided after looking it up to place it on hold at the library. I just got it yesterday and I couldn't put it down, I ended up staying up till 12:00 at night just reading. The first book Twilight is about Isabella Swan (Bella) who moves to Forks, Washington after her mother remarries. She goes to live with her father (Charlie) And on her first day at school she see's Edward Cullen.

The plot of the book is centered on him being a Vampire and both of them falling in love. This is a really good book, it deals with vampires and werewolves which to christians that would seem very evil. My mother even didn't want me telling her about it because of that very thing. I do not think vampires ad werewolves are such a big deal, they're make believe and they are no different than any other fantasy stories we see now. Such as Chronicles of Narnia, and Eragon. There is no slander to christians or to God in this book, the only mention is when Edward mentions that his adopted father's father was a priest who wanted to kill vampires and other creatures like them.

Overall this book has some funny moments to it and the characters make an interesting read.

I do wants to say though this book is for Young adults and I wouldn't suggest letting a younger girl read it, there isnt major physical content but I admit it does get a tad bit close. In my opinion this book isnt offensive to any christians, but if parents have strong rules on what they're kids read I suggest reading the book to make sure its to their standards.

I decided to write this in a christian perspective because I haven't yet seen anyone who has written a review from a christian standpoint. I would though like to hear from others on how they view this book. So if you've read it or have a question for me please comment!

Hope this has been helpful.
-Katelynn

Christian Teen bloggers

I was wondering if there where any other christian bloggers, I tried searching by typing in "christian teens." But this didn't lead me to anything, so I am posting this to all christian bloggers in hopes of mainly finding other teens like me who blog about spiritual stuff or just anything. If any of you christian teen bloggers see this post please feel free to comment and tell me that you are a christian blogger. I was also wondering if like CWO (Christian Women Online) There was a similiar thing for teens. So if there is please leave a comment to let me know!
Good-night and Godspeed!

P.S Are any teens going to Student Venture at their local highschool?

Harry Potter: Why we should stay away

Many people even christians read and watch the Harry Potter series. But yet a small percentage of us do not, I don't really care much if none christians read and watch Harry Potter but it can be a problem if christians do. I've talked to a lot of people and when I say I don';t watch or read the material peolple always ask me why and when I say its bad because a lot of people believe it everyone tells me that they view it as fantasy. But in reality even though you may say that, your still polluting your mind, see when I view this I think about the saying "you are what you eat" Basically this means that whatever you do is who you are, you hang out with a certaint group of friends sooner or later you'll become like them. This applys to movies too, one of my favorite shows smallville is on every thursday and when thursday comes around all I can think about is I hope my grandpa tapes my show, (we dont have tv anymore, too expensive) So you see I'm obsessed practically with that show and its all I think about on thursdays, I have even dreamt about the show and characters.

And when people say that they don't think of it as a fantasy well they don't realize that some people take it as real. Wicca a part of witch craft is considered a religion, and the other day I saw a post on yahoo about a man who created a school just like hogwarts(the school that Harry Potter goes to) where he teaches witchcraft and magic spells etc. Also a few years ago in church the pastor was talking to us kids about how bad Harry Potter is and a girl had the audacity to say "yeah i keep falling off the broom" let me tell you she was not kidding, she was serious.

Another thing is that by reading Harry Potter kids start accepting what the characters have to say and what goes on in their lives, for example did you know that J.K Rowling says that one of the characters in her book (Albus Dumbeldore) is really gay? I'm pretty sure a few of you christians don't like how our world is accepting people who are gay, so how can you accept your children to read books about a character who is gay? I would like to share with you a statement by Rowling about the chirstians who do not approve of her books,
"Not everyone likes her work, Rowling said, likely referring to Christian groups that have alleged the books promote witchcraft. Her news about Dumbledore, she said, will give them one more reason." this was from the ABC website located here http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory?id=3754341

How can you christian parents let your children read from an author who knows that her news about a gay person in her book will upsett people? Please ask your self this, and if you don't have a problem with this then thats your own agenda, but really look hard at what this can do to your children.

Thank you for taking the time to read this.
"Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft," Deuteronomy 18:10

Southern California Fires

As most people have heard (everybody practically) Southern Ca is experiencing tons of fires. Interestingly enough I live in the very center of it, all around my city there is plenty of smoke, indicating fire. If that weren't enough we have to cope with the high winds, that if you ask me are a lot worse, especially cause they are the reason why the fires aren't being put out. Many are staying home, but pretty much every school district isn't giving kids the day off. Today my school though didn't have after school activities and sports, which is probaly because our facilities are being used for Red Cross. I'm not sure how the fires are going, but if anyone wants to check it out heres a goood place to go...http://sosdfireblog.blogspot.com/2007/10/poomacha-fire-grows_23.html
thats for the fire near Palomar but if you check out the other links you could find out about the rest of the fires.

Revelations Chapter one

A few weeks ago I started reading Revelations chapter by chapter and investigating and noting what I've been reading. So I'll be posting these here on my blog, there probaly wont be another for awhile but anyways heres the first chapter...

Chapter 1

Theme
Introduction of John and instruction to him from God,
"The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who testifies to everything he saw—that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. " (1:1-2)

"I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. 10On the Lord's Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet, 11which said: "Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea." (1:9-12)

"Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later." ( 1:19-20)
Here we see who John is, where he was when he was called by God and we see that God wanted him to write to the seven churches.

The seven churches
The sevent churches...Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea. Did you know that every single one of them are located today(and in the past) in Turkey! Imagine my surprise when I found that out, because If I were John I would wonder why they went to one country, and why was that Turkey? Why not some in Israel, Greece, Rome etc? I would have thought that because of that nobody would have the scriptures, but we know that isn't true because we have them. Something to think about.

Notes on This chapter
"Look, he is coming with the clouds,
and every eye will see him,
even those who pierced him..."
I find it interesting that God is coming down or on clouds, and one of my favorite scriptures Nahum 1:3 reminds me of this...

"...His way is in the whirlwind and the storm,
and clouds are the dust of his feet."


"I am the Living One; I was dead and behold I am alive for ever and ever!"
(rev. 1:18) -Jesus was dead and then he came back to life!

A surprising Confrontation

Yesterday God dropped in my lap something very unusual, something I had never really had to deal with before but something that I knew he was with me the entire time. He placed three new friends of mine who are not Christians in front of me asking questions like, why is Jesus so special? Why is it that if Jesus is Gods son and so are we his children, why is Jesus more important to us? They also were asking me how come people in hell do not get second chances, they only have one and then they're done and in hell forever.
Believe me I was not ready for this, never before had I ever had a time where people started asking me real questions about my faith and beliefs in such a way that I almost for a moment wanted to cease all conversation or just stop talking. But then I realized that this could be a good opportunity to share with these non-believers and help them to understand God.

As best as I could I tried to explain to them what I knew and believed, the first question I struggled, not because I don't believe he isn’t special but because to someone who has been brought up Christian all her life that seems easy to me. I remember telling them something along the lines of him dieing for our sins but I'm not sure. For the second question they asked I just told them that in a way were (once were saved) are adopted into Gods family, Jesus is part of God as well as his son. For the next question I wasn't very sure what to say, I sort of stumbled over my words. I did tell them something but I don't remember exactly what I said.

Another thing they started talking about was people being gay, and if gayness is genetic (which scientists have been speculating about) then God created them that way. Leading them to believe that if God created them that way then it isn't bad. I tried to tell them that weren’t true but they all started to gang up on me and tell me I was wrong. Since that was a delicate subject and I didn't know much about what they were saying it was let go.

When it was time to go I told them that If they didn't like what I was saying to tell me and then I would stop, because nothings worse than a Christian pushing their views on people who don't want to hear them. Better to have given them the basic idea of what were talking about and still be their friends so that maybe that could come up later, then them blowing us off and never speaking to us again. One of my friends said it was getting pretty hot, -especially were he was sitting, I hope that means that maybe he understood some of what I was saying but didn't want to admit it, even to himself.

This encounter showed me that I need to be more prepared in prayer and reading the scriptures, so that if it happens again I wont look like I don't know what I believe. Although I know that God was with me every step of the way and was softening their hearts and letting what came out of my mouth be the right thing to say.

Please comment and if there is something I should have added or something that answers one of these questiosn please let me know!