Hipster Faith

As true children of God we are called to bring glory to God and take the light to the darkness! Now I am all for taking care of the earth and doing my part because God created the world and I would not believe that He would have us destroy it, however, as Christians we must understand that we all live in a fallen world and we are very much a part of the problem! Also as Christians we must understand that this earth will not last forever. Christ will return and destroy every bit of what is left and create a new place for us to dwell with Him forever. Now I have no problem with people from different cultures and I especially have not issue with people that look different coming into the church! As a child of God I am called to take the light to the darkness and I am filled with joy when I see new people coming into the church! Now a problem I do have with however, is when people think that their preference of how the church should be run is pushed as an agenda because that is how they like it and any other way is just hypocritical! Now please understand! I am completely aware of a legalistic movement of how the church is run and I stand against it when it defies the glory of God and turns others away from the Savior but understand that we are called to OBEDIENCE in Christ! If I approach another member of the church and talk about the importance of obeying Him and following His commandments that does not make me legalistic! If my view points to salvation by my works and not by grace through faith then I am legalistic! But just because I might use scripture that would expose your sin and causes you burden over what you have done that is not legalism! I am exemplifying the love of Christ through challenging another believers walk and where their relationship with Christ stands. As long as I am not exposing another's sin in order to make me look higher in a spiritual then I am living as Christ has called me to live. And I will be completely blunt in saying that I will NOT, and I will repeat again, I will NOT be a part of a New Generational Revolution! We were not put on this earth to create a revolution but to surrender to Christ and follow Him! We are called to "Pick up your cross and Follow Me". So take care of the earth the best way you know how and love how Christ has called you to love but make sure your purpose is based solely on giving glory to God and glory to Him alone!

The Weight of Eternity

So, I have been really contemplating the very thought of The Weight of Eternity lately! I think about when Jesus said that the gate is Wide to destruction and the path to life is Narrow. The more and more I think about the very thought of spending eternity without my Lord and Savior, the more I find myself cringe! I mean we are talking about eternity... never ending... under His wrath! How does this impact our lives? Does our heart break for those that surround us in life that are on their way towards the Wide Gate? I can't imagine that if we find ourselves surrendered to the Lord and in full repentance, found under His grace and bought with the price of His blood that we are only to be concerned with our eternal stake and no one else! The scary thing to me is that its not even just the people that demonstrate a straight forward life of disobedience and hate for God but even possibly through many that sit in the church pews! We are living in an age where the gospel is being twisted and rearranged to fit the format of what the world would have it to be. Its not enough to just believe that there is a God... there is MORE! I was chatting with a friend of mine about how I believe that to appropriately come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ is to first come to a realization of our depravity. I believe that we could never really understand the God who saved us by sending His Son on the Cross for our sins without understanding His right to bring full wrath to those who oppose Him and are His enemies! How could we ever believe that we can just live our lives in disobedience to Him and expect the blood of Jesus to cover us without full surrender to Him!

You know... Proverbs 1 reads, "The beginning of Wisdom is the fear of the Lord." I just can't believe that God would receive FOOLS into His kingdom, when He calls His true children to Himself for a beautiful, spent eternity! Therefore, the only way for us to be found wise in His eyes is through a fear of who He is! You see when we see God as the Sovereign and True King, we realize our desperate need of Him and our need of death to self! The question is: Have you thought of The Weight of Eternity and have you realized your need to die to self and turn to Him as your Savior? We really can't do anything to repay God for what has been offered to us! We can do nothing to gain it and we are completely disqualified to be called one of His own! But then that is where the incredible state of God's grace comes in action in our lives! If we choose to live in obedience to Him, dying to self and depending completely in Him, His promise of grace is TRUE!

The Weight of Eternity.... have you felt it lately? If you truly know Christ as your Savior, do you feel the weight mounting upon the world? Although we have absolutely no power to save any person from their state of separation from God, we can engage and help others understand the weight of eternity, a complete separation from God for eternity. And I pray, I pray, I pray... for the ones that do sit in the pews every week thinking that the blood of Christ doesn't come with a price, that they would wake up and realize that we are called to "Pick up our cross and Follow Him!" Its so much more than a belief unto God! There is a price and its our own lives! Its a transformation in Jesus Christ... Its a change of the heart... Its a surrender and a dying to the ways of the world and then a turning unto the Savior of the World!

Engaging the World with The One True Gospel,
Twiga

How Media is being conformed to the image of the World

I had such an incredible Laber Day Weekend! I made the trip back to my home town in Maryville, Tennessee! I spent the weekend with my parents and had a rare opportunity to spend it with my 3 year old neice as well. I really enjoyed playing different games and hanging out with Emma Claire Engle! The one thing that offset me this past weekend happened on Sunday morning. As my mom was getting ready for church, I hung out with my neice until she was ready, watching TV. As I scrolled through the different cartoon channels, I saw Scooby Doo! A childhood favorite of mine. I thought to myself, "I haven't seen Scooby Doo in such a long time! I was excited to relive a great childhood memory but it only took 2 minutes before I felt a blood vessel pop! No lie, 3 female characters on Scooby Doo had on haulter tops and very short skirts. Are you kidding me! This was not the Scooby Doo that I grew up with. Then it occured to me: immoral society is affecting the media, more and more! I fear the future of the young generations that will unfortanetly be affected by this movement in many ways. I am encouraged to pray for my future children! It is scary to know that a 12 year old boy can find his way into a pornographic website by a few simple touches of his cell phone. This is the society that we have found ourselves in! We live in a fallen world and the spiral continues to make its way down! So how do we engage such an immoral standard of living? Well, first it is vitally important for us to keep our eyes on Christ and keep our eyes set on His Word! Secondly, we simply engage it by implementing our Christian standards, revealed by the Holy Spirit, to the different avenues of media around us. Its not good enough to just make complaints all the time and leave it at that! We have to confront within the confines of The Spiritual level! Reading Proverbs, while thinking about how we engage everything is very helpful! I try to read a Proverb a day and it amazes me how I clearly see the foolishness that is written about on the pages of the most important book in history! We also engage this immoral culture, simply by not accepting it! Now I know that many people that might choose to read this post, have their favorite TV shows and I have mine as well, but I try to weigh each show according to its standards and its relevance to the scripture. I think we lose by allowing these immoral worldly standards to penetrate our way of thinking and living. I believe that the more time we give to the outlet of media (entertainment) and the less to Christ, we find ourselves on a uphill battle against the sinful flesh that enbodies us. I think about a specific passage that Peter wrote in 1 Peter chapter 1 verse 13, "Prepare you minds for action....and set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ."

I challenge you, just as myself! Engage the world with the Living Word of God! Don't settle just to know about Christ! Really KNOW who He is! Build your life on His instructions! And then when you are tempted to think according to immoral, worldly standards, you will find yourself engaging with The Sword of The Spirit and nothing holds higher and truer than that!

Engaging the world by the Sword of The Spirit,
Twiga

He works all things together for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose!

God just continues to amaze me by how He works in and through my life. I have now been living in Louisville, Kentucky for a little over year. God has taught me so much since my recent move. He has molded me in so many ways! I have experienced rough seasons and I have found myself on mountain tops. I now find myself employed at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and working with Dr. Albert Mohler through his new ministry in podcasting. I have had the chance to learn the Greek language and think it is so incredible in how this language brings the text of the Bible alive and reveals the truth in a much brighter scope. I have been in a lot of prayer lately because of the state of this nations economy and how it is affecting me. I am grateful for my job here at the school but it has not presented a full time employed opportunity. I have prayed for God to continue His work through my life and reveal His plan for what my future holds. Recently God has revealed an incredible opportunity at church in North Carolina located in the Wake Forest area. A church in that area is looking to fill a staff position, which is The Communications Director. This is a very exciting opportunity for me! Revealing the heart of the gospel through the means of media is a strong passion of mine and I am praying passionately for this opportunity to unfold for me. If all things were to work out and I find myself in North Carolina with this church, I would only be an hour away from my older brother and his family. I have so much to be grateful for here is Louisville! I have a great church family, the work atmosphere is fantastic and I have been blessed with so many friends. A big part of me would have a rough time leaving this area because of all the lives that have impacted me but I know that my life is HIS and wherever He calls, I'll go! Romans 8:28 is such a main factor in my life and I believe every bit of it! I am excited to see God's work in the midst of my life right now and I pray that I keep my eyes on Him through every avenue of life. I am so grateful for everyone that has been praying for me! Please know that I am deeply thankful for your support and love! I will keep everyone informed as things progress. I just ask that you would continue to lift me up and ask God that He would grant me wisdom and discernment in possible decisions to come.

A new creation in Him,
Twiga