Making no apologies.....
I heard that several times this past weekend. So many people making no apologies for what they believe or how they feel about what was reported on 20/20 on April 8. I do not believe any of the reporting on spanking should have been on 20/20...it had nothing to do with the main issue...sexual and spiritual abuse in the IFB camp. You cannot paint every IFB church with the same brush....not every pastor believes in cover-ups, back stabbing, deceit, and punishing the vicitms. However, there are a few that preach and believe that the victim is the cause, the reporter of the problem is the cause of the problem and the only way to deal with them is to remove them.
So what are they making no apolpogies for?????
Certainly NOT the cover-ups that are going on in some of the IFB churches. Certainly NOT for the spiritual abuses going on every day. Certainly NOT for the "baptist shunning" that goes on if you report a problem to the pastor and he doesn't want to take care of it.
Well, I make no apologies either for what I am about to say. I am a Baptist by choice because I believe the doctrines....not because I have been told it is the only church acceptable by God. I will never blindly follow a man and do whatever he says just because he says to do it. God tells us to discern the spirits whether they be of God or of man. The Holy Spirit speaks to me just like He speaks to anyone else...in the end God will always win. I believe music is an excellent way to spread the Gospel...it speaks to the soul and spirit. God had David play for Saul to soothe his soul. I believe in telling everyone why Jesus came...not just those you deem acceptable to talk too. He died for EVERYONE. God's mercy and Grace is for everyone, including those who have broken my trust. Although forgiveness is given, there are still consequences for actions. I DO NOT believe in "baptist shunning" nor do I practice it. Losing friends is hard, but friendliness will always be given. So, I make NO APOLOGIES for what I believe.
I am not sorry that God used 20/20 to bring to light abuses that needed to be brought out of the shadows. For too long, victims have been forced to be silent and those who knew have been told to be quiet. In the end whether you agree with how it was done, God opened the door and it up to us as to how we deal with it now. It is time for the pastors who know the truth to speak up and take care of the issues. It is time for the problems to stop being brushed under the rug and those who bring them to light to stop being made out to be the problem. It is time for for the shunning to stop and those who participate to act like the christians they claim to be. Until this happens the devil will win in those churches where the Light of the Son in needed the most.
Kristina
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Friday, April 1, 2011
Luke 6:38
*****Luke 6:38~~Give and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together and running over shall men give unto your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.******
What an amazing thought!! I have heard this verse preached in conjunction with Malachi 3:10 on several occasions, but tonight the Holy Spirit showed me something :) This verse applies to much more than tithing and giving of offerings!!! It applies to all of life :) To how we treat others. To how we deal with situations in our relationships with our family and friends, our businesses.
Malachi 3:10 talks about God opening the windows of Heaven and pouring out the blessings. Luke 6:38 talks about man pouring out, shaking together, pressing down. How are we treating those we deal with on a daily basis...our family, our spouses, our children, our friends our co-workers, our fellow church members? Are we meteing out Kindness? Mercy? Forgivenss? Understanding? Compassion? Love? Help? The list could go on. What about those people God puts in our path and we hear the Holy Spirit telling us to go...are we listening??
How much more like Jesus would we be if we just took this one verse literally?? If we all actually believed it in our hearts rather than just in our minds? Can you imagine what a difference one person could make...what a difference you could make...what a difference I could make?
Give kindness~receive kindness...Give mercy~receive a thankful heart...Give love~receive love...why don't we start today shall we :)
Kristina :)
What an amazing thought!! I have heard this verse preached in conjunction with Malachi 3:10 on several occasions, but tonight the Holy Spirit showed me something :) This verse applies to much more than tithing and giving of offerings!!! It applies to all of life :) To how we treat others. To how we deal with situations in our relationships with our family and friends, our businesses.
Malachi 3:10 talks about God opening the windows of Heaven and pouring out the blessings. Luke 6:38 talks about man pouring out, shaking together, pressing down. How are we treating those we deal with on a daily basis...our family, our spouses, our children, our friends our co-workers, our fellow church members? Are we meteing out Kindness? Mercy? Forgivenss? Understanding? Compassion? Love? Help? The list could go on. What about those people God puts in our path and we hear the Holy Spirit telling us to go...are we listening??
How much more like Jesus would we be if we just took this one verse literally?? If we all actually believed it in our hearts rather than just in our minds? Can you imagine what a difference one person could make...what a difference you could make...what a difference I could make?
Give kindness~receive kindness...Give mercy~receive a thankful heart...Give love~receive love...why don't we start today shall we :)
Kristina :)
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
He IS Here
I went to the dentist today. I had the perfect plan in place. Take my Ipod, zone out and let them do their thing. It so did NOT happen that way!!! First I forgot my Ipod in my other purse. Then I panicked because I realized it after I was on my way tot take my mom to work with NO time to go back and get it. To help you realize why I am like this...I am PETRIFIED...TERRIFIED...SCARED..you name anything associated with fear..that is me when it comes to people messing with my face. Knowing that someone was going to stick a needle in my face and use drills...yeah, that was not my idea of fun. Now before you say.."You should have prayed about it and turned it all over to God", I did pray before I left this morning. I asked God to help get through this day and not be a big baby. My friends...He had another plan in motion before I left the house that I did not know anything about :) May I tell you about it??
While driving the 25 minutes to the Dental School, I listened to my Kari Jobe cd fully believeing that I would be fine. I prayed and felt fine when I walked into the school and went up the elevator to the third floor. I was fine when my dentist called my name. I walked into the room where the chairs and cubicles are for the students and the panic set in. All the songs I had in my head flew out the window as I sat down in the seat. As my dentist told me what she was going to do, all I could think of was...please don't let me suffocate and die. They numbed me so I wouldn't feel the shot and I started crying...me a 37 year old balling like a baby!!! But alas I did...that shot hurt, so did the one after it. Then...the songs came back :) God put all the Kari Jobe songs back into my mind that I had memeorized and while the dentist did her thing, I had Gods' Ipod playing in my head :) He was there for me when I needed Him most today :) Kari Jobe sings a song called "Be Still". My favorite part of the song is the bridge..."Be still and know He is God~ He is here, He is here~Be still and know He is God~ He is here, He is here." The whole song talks bout stilling your soul and knowing God is there for you.
For the good times...the bad times...the times we don't want Him around..for the times we don't even know we need Him and the times we need Him so desperately we don't even know how to voice it.
HE IS HERE
Kristina :)
While driving the 25 minutes to the Dental School, I listened to my Kari Jobe cd fully believeing that I would be fine. I prayed and felt fine when I walked into the school and went up the elevator to the third floor. I was fine when my dentist called my name. I walked into the room where the chairs and cubicles are for the students and the panic set in. All the songs I had in my head flew out the window as I sat down in the seat. As my dentist told me what she was going to do, all I could think of was...please don't let me suffocate and die. They numbed me so I wouldn't feel the shot and I started crying...me a 37 year old balling like a baby!!! But alas I did...that shot hurt, so did the one after it. Then...the songs came back :) God put all the Kari Jobe songs back into my mind that I had memeorized and while the dentist did her thing, I had Gods' Ipod playing in my head :) He was there for me when I needed Him most today :) Kari Jobe sings a song called "Be Still". My favorite part of the song is the bridge..."Be still and know He is God~ He is here, He is here~Be still and know He is God~ He is here, He is here." The whole song talks bout stilling your soul and knowing God is there for you.
For the good times...the bad times...the times we don't want Him around..for the times we don't even know we need Him and the times we need Him so desperately we don't even know how to voice it.
HE IS HERE
Kristina :)
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Be Inspired Today :)
Today is beautiful :) The sun is shining, the birds are singing, and a breeze is blowing just enough to make my new cardinal windchime make music :) What inspires you? What makes you smile? When you wake up in the morning, what makes you want to get out of bed? Is it that first cup of coffee? The sound of your children laughing? A hug from your husband/wife?
Or are you someone who doesn't want to get out of bed. You don't want to put your feet on the floor. You want to stay under the covers hidden from the world. You don't care about that first cup of coffee, the kids laughing, a hug from your husband or wife. Right now...nothing inspires you. Sure, you go about your day doing what needs to be done, but you can't wait to go back to bed. May I offer a just a little piece of inspiration that might make your day brighter...even just a little??? GOD LOVES YOU!!!!!! On those days when you just don't want to get out of bed....just lay there for a moment and let God love you. As you lay there thinking about God loving you, you will be amazed at all the feelings you will have in you soul and spirit :) You will begin to smile. You will feel lighter. Your heart will begin to praise Him and you will be inspired :) You will begin to thank Him for loving you and soon you will want to get out of bed :)
Now we will all have those days where getting out of bed is last thing we want to do, but if when we wake up we thank Him for loving us...our day will be just a little more inspired and pretty soon we will be smiling :) Inspiration can come from many things...why not inspire someone to day with a smile :)
Kristina :)
Or are you someone who doesn't want to get out of bed. You don't want to put your feet on the floor. You want to stay under the covers hidden from the world. You don't care about that first cup of coffee, the kids laughing, a hug from your husband or wife. Right now...nothing inspires you. Sure, you go about your day doing what needs to be done, but you can't wait to go back to bed. May I offer a just a little piece of inspiration that might make your day brighter...even just a little??? GOD LOVES YOU!!!!!! On those days when you just don't want to get out of bed....just lay there for a moment and let God love you. As you lay there thinking about God loving you, you will be amazed at all the feelings you will have in you soul and spirit :) You will begin to smile. You will feel lighter. Your heart will begin to praise Him and you will be inspired :) You will begin to thank Him for loving you and soon you will want to get out of bed :)
Now we will all have those days where getting out of bed is last thing we want to do, but if when we wake up we thank Him for loving us...our day will be just a little more inspired and pretty soon we will be smiling :) Inspiration can come from many things...why not inspire someone to day with a smile :)
Kristina :)
Monday, March 28, 2011
What does His name mean to you?
At Lewis Avenue Baptist we are learning about the names of God on Sunday nights. I love this series!!! I have always been facinated with the names of God...He has so many :) Last night we learned about the name Jehovah Rapha~~The God that Heals. What a name right? Did you know He can heal in more than one way? More than a physical healing? He can heal you emotionally and spiritually? Did you know that when we pray we can pray in the name of Jehovah Rapha? We can ask for healing of our emotions and our spirit? Many of us are healthy physically, but emotionally and spiritually we are broken and sick inside. The next time you talk to Him....ask Him to heal you :) He is after the Great Physician...Jehovah Rapha~~The God that Heals :)
Kristina :)
Kristina :)
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