Sexual immorality

Matthew 5:27-28
²⁷"You have heard that it was said, 'Do not commit adultery.'^{[a] 28}But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

You an I have heard this verse a million times. It says that men should watch what they think and look at. WRONG.

This verse isn't just for men, it is also for women. Men aren't the only ones who must deal with lust. Yes, men usually have more of a problem with this; however, women cannot ignore their own struggles with sexual immorality.

Even Paul acknowleges that women have problems with lust.

1 Corinthians 7:8
⁸Now to the unmarried and the widows I say: It is good for them to stay unmarried, as I am. ⁹But if they cannot control themselves, they should marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with passion.

We don't have problems with thinking about just men too. A lady in my church once said that women also struggle with homosexual thoughts. Even more than you would think.

Philippians 4:8
⁸Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

ladys, we are ashamed of what we think sometimes. But we are given this command. It is good to know that we are not alone. Christ is there for us. He gives us this promise.

Philippians 4:6-7
⁶Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ⁷And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Father, we may be filled with unclean things, but You still love us. We ask that You would hear our cry's for redemption and heal our minds. May You change us from the impure people we are and give us the hearts and minds that bring glory to Your name. Amen

¹⁸ "Come now, let us reason together," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.

I wanted to shrink until I could dissapear

I used to have an eating disorder. One of the things that convicted me to stop was a Stacie Orrico song, "Dear Friend". Another was I realised that I was not giving control to God. I was saying here God here is all my life except this part. You can fix and manage everything but this. And then I concentrated and put all my effort into the one part of my life that God didn't have.

Giving God complete and total control is very hard. Yet God has this verse.
Jeramiah 29:11
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.

This is a poem I wrote during the healing prosses from that disorder.

I wanted to shrink until I could dissapear

Try’n to work around mealtime

Lose some weight that’s my design

What difference will it make

Try’n to hide it from my mom

Wish my worries with food were gone

Is this a bad road to take

Every thing inside was upside down

Thought chang’en the outside would calm everything down

Lie a bit there lose little weight here

I wanted to shrink until I could disappear

I got more worries now why

Friends are notic'en moms gonna cry

Is this hurting just me

Refuse to notice the trouble I make

My whole world seems full of hate

Will I ever truly be free

Liven this way is ly’en

Can’t you see inside your dy’en

Let me show you another way

Let me show you a better way

Jesus took my pain away

Now I’m walk'en with him each day

He’s shown me the road to take

Life holds no end of joy for me now

How did I miss this oh how

His love is truly great

Serpants and Doves

Matthew 10:16¹⁶

¹⁶I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.

God wants us to be as "harmless as doves" and as "shrewd as serpants". He wants us to have a childs heart and a grownups head. In "Sense and Sensibility" the two sisters were both very different; one had sense and wisdom, and the other was joyful and was a child at heart. At the beggining of the movie you quickly realise that one has to much sense and one doesn't have enough. As the movie progresses each sister learns to more like the other. Having wisdom and gentlness like a childare both important to have in the Christian life. You can have all the answers in life and have memorized half the Bible, but if you can't gently talk to and show you the happiness andthe joy of being a Christian; what is the use of it.

Lord, make me a person whom You shine through. Give me understanding and knowledge of Your ways and Your word. May I be ready for the great things You have in store for me.

Ezekiel 16:4-14

⁴ On the day you were born your cord was not cut, nor were you washed with water to make you clean, nor were you rubbed with salt or wrapped in cloths. ⁵ No one looked on you with pity or had compassion enough to do any of these things for you. Rather, you were thrown out into the open field, for on the day you were born you were despised.

⁶ " 'Then I passed by and saw you kicking about in your blood, and as you lay there in your blood I said to you, "Live!" ^{[a] 7} I made you grow like a plant of the field. You grew up and developed and became the most beautiful of jewels. ^[b] Your breasts were formed and your hair grew, you who were naked and bare.

⁸ " 'Later I passed by, and when I looked at you and saw that you were old enough for love, I spread the corner of my garment over you and covered your nakedness. I gave you my solemn oath and entered into a covenant with you, declares the Sovereign LORD , and you became mine.

⁹ " 'I bathed ^[c] you with water and washed the blood from you and put ointments on you. ¹⁰ I clothed you with an embroidered dress and put leather sandals on you. I dressed you in fine linen and covered you with costly garments. ¹¹ I adorned you with jewelry: I put bracelets on your arms and a necklace around your neck, ¹² and I put a ring on your nose, earrings on your ears and a beautiful crown on your head. ¹³ So you were adorned with gold and silver; your clothes were of fine linen and costly fabric and embroidered cloth. Your food was fine flour, honey and olive oil. You became very beautiful and rose to be a queen. ¹⁴ And your fame spread among the nations on account of your beauty, because the splendor I had given you made your beauty perfect, declares the Sovereign LORD .

This is a passage that talks about how God sees us and then comes and makes us beautiful. I read it and was just overcome with an awe of the grace of God. Read it and be struck by just how much God has done for you.

To Make This Inside Beauty Great

To Make this Inside Beauty Great

I stand in front of a mirror
But I can’t seem to see
How do I look inside
Beautiful or ugly
Anyone can have a pretty face
Anyone can have a certain grace
But what does it take
To make an inside beauty great

I look at all the magazines
Oh how does she stay so thin
I’ve judged by appearances
Not by what’s within
Anyone can have a pretty face
Anyone can have that certain grace
But what does it take
To make an inside beauty great

Time and time again
I wonder how I look within
But I think I’ve read
Somewhere it’s been said
Some one has died
That I might survive
The world I can face
Now that I have an inner grace

Anyone can a have a pretty face
Anyone can have that certain grace
I have what it takes
To make an inside beauty great

( I know that this is a lot of poetry and not a lot of devotional, but this is one of the best ways I can express my relationship with God.)

A Royal Priesthood

1 Peter 2:9
"But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light."

I love this verse. Just reading it sends shivers down my spine. To think that I am part of royalty. That God has chosen me to be part of His kingdom.

What must I do to honor Him who has called me to be set apart and special in His sight? Praise Him.

He has taken me from the lowest, most disgusting level in life and changed who I was. He has made me a princesses. May my praise be worthy of His love.

Clay

Clay
Here I am
A lump of clay
useless unless
Some takes and creates
You look at me with love
You take me in Your master hands
And begin to shape me to Your plan

And the wheel begins spinning
You push me and pull me
Shaping me to what I'm to be
Your infinite mercy is sprinkled upon me
To ease shaping me in Your hand
My creator, create me

Blessed

I will be graduating from high school soon. I have been looking back over my life and thinking on all that God has done for me. There is a Rachel Lampa song called "Blessed". This song is a good reflection of my life. I have been blessed with a wonderful Mom and Dad who have raised me to follow the Lord. I have been blessed with four sisters, Annalee, Rebeccah, Noelle, and Elaine. They are good friends who grow me spiritually and they have provided many good times which makes our family fun. I have been blessed with Grandparents, Uncles, Aunts, and Cousins whom I have loved and enjoyed being a part of their lives. I have been blessed with friend and mentors in my church. They have been an active part of my faith and of shaping who I am today. All these people and all these experiences that God has put in my life have grown me and shaped me into who I am today. I hope that this verse also is an accurate picture of who I am.
"Those who fear You will be glad when they see me,
Because I have hoped in Your word." Psalm 119:72

An Interesting Medical Moral Issue

A friend of mine from church is a nurse practicioner. She is currently looking for another position and she told me this story of about am O.B. doctor she had considered hiring with.

He was interviewing her and asking her what she would do in certain scenarios. One of the scenarios he asked her was this. If you were doing a check up on a young teenage girl and she asks you for birth control, what would you do? My friend said she would talk to the girl about abstinace. He asked what if the girls mom was right there and said the girl was having sex every night and would you please give her daughter birth control? My friend said that she would not write the girl a prescription for bith control. She said she wouldn't write a prescrition for anyone who wasn't married.

I admire my firend for taking a stand. This is an issue for those in the medical field. The rate of STD among teens is growning and teen pregnacy is almost considered normal. The bible says "Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body." 1 Corinthians 6:18

To many teenagers are having sex and not thinking about the consiquenses. One they may get pregrantant. Two thet could get a sexually transmitted disease. Three they are giving a part of them away that theymight someday regret not giving to just their wife or husband. Four they are sinning against God. They may not care about the last one, but the other three reasons should at least get them thinking.

Father, give us wisdom on how to keep our minds and bodies pure. May You be glorified in how we behave towards others. May our lifes be a testiment to Your grace. Amen

Walk Trilogy: Walk in Wisdom

Ephesians 5:15-21 Walk in Wisdom
15 See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, 16 Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. 17 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. 18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; 19 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; 20 Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;
21 Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.

The last in the trilogy. ( or maybe I'll go back and make three more terrible ones on the previous part. Ha ha.)

Walk in wisdom. Wisdom is a subject that comes up alot in the Bible. We have a whole book on it. We are giving a command and then a "hope to it". We live in a wicked world and we need to be giving it all the love, light, and wisdom we can.

The first part of wisdom is knowing and doing the will of the Lord. Know what God wants you to do. Don't even try and get out of this. The Bible is filled with what we should be doing and should not be doing.

Don't be drunk with wine. This also applies to any other drug or mind altering thing.(When I think of the medical term for this, tommorrow, I'll fix this) Why do people insist on becoming drunk and high. Don't you know that you look so atractive when you are in that state.(sarcasim) A person can't be focusing on what God wants them to do and be drunk at the some time. YOu can't even walk straight and be drunk at the same time.

God gives us an alternitive. Be happy and joyful in His spirit. Sing and praise Him for all the things He has given you. He gives you a nice list of the ways you can do this.

The last thing, but certain not least, is submit. Why do stuborn, thickheaded, and arragont people always have to look stupid and foolish.? It's the humble, meek, and gentle people who truly look good in the end. Why didn't God make me submissive? This is something that many people struggle with. We hate to be wrong. We hate to be the one to lose. Yet to be love, light, and wisdom we need to set ourselves and take up Christs aditude. As much it pains us, we will be called bless and children of God when we do.

Father, give me wisdom and give me humblness. Make my life a testiment to Your power and glory. May I praise You in all I do. In Jesus name, Amen.

God Please Send Some Help Tonight

This is a poem my sister wrote. I thought it fit in well with an earlier post Walk in Light. At the end of the post it talks about how God has triuphed over darkness. This poem is a plea for God to do just that.

God Please Send Some Help Tonight
by Noelle Pruitt

In the night there is crash. A child cry's out. In the hospital the mother waits in hope.

God, please send some help tonight.

In the night there is a fire. The family is out safe, but one. A boy of three was scared.

God, please send some help tonight.

In the night there is a kidnapping. A girl of ten is gone.

God, please send some help tonight.

In the night there is a girl. She is sixteen and wishes to die. She looks thin and will not eat.

God, please send some help tonight.

Walk Trilogy: Walk in Light

Ephesians 5:8-14 Walk in Light
8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: 9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) 10 Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. 11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. 12 For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. 13 But all things that are reprovedb are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light. 14 Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.

Part two in the Walk Trilogy. (See I'm just like George Lucus.)

At the beginning we are given an observation and then a command. You are children of Light. Walk in the Light. Okay, because we are children of light this should be pretty easy. WRONG. We are naturaly children of darkness. We are drawn and captivatated by what is done in the darkness. So how do we walk as children of light?

The first way is to have the fruit of the Spirit. It says the fruit of the Spirit is in all that is good and rightous and true. Keep an steady urning for God and Hid word. Alow His Spirit to work in your life.

Find out what is acceptable to the Lord, then do it. His word is choac full of what God wants us to do and not to do. It bring Him great joy when we obey Him and we will not be focusing on darkness if we are focusing on what God want us to do.

Don't fellowship with darkness. This is hard. We are called to be ministers of light. We are called to spread the light to a world in darkness. It is hard to be a light in the darkness and not be caught up in the darkness. God gives us this comfort. Christ will give you light and His light will prevail. His light will make all things visible. So God will win the fight with the darkness and He is the one who will help us be light.

Father, may you help me to be light. May my actions and words bring others closer to you. Bless me , Lord. Amen

Walk Trilogy: Walk in Love

Ephesians 5:1-7 Walk in Love
1 Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; 2 And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.
3 But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; 4 Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. 5 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. 6 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobediencea. 7 Be not ye therefore partakers with them.

The next three post will be discussion a passage from Ephesians chapter five.

God is the perfect example of love. He showed love when He created us. He showed us love when He died for us. He shows us love by wanting to have intimacy and a relationship with us. When we imitate Him and follow what He does it is an act of worship and praise which bring Him great joy. Just as a little brother or sister(us) copies every thing their big brother(Jesus) does, so we must do with Christ.

But there are many things that are not suppose to be associate with love. Hollywood has romantic comedy after romantic comedy full of premarital sex, adultery, crude sexual humor, and lust. Christ says to not even let these things be named among you. That is a hard command to follow. Our sinful hearts want to do many of these things. But there is hope.

God says give thanks.

God has reached out to us and made us clean. Because of this we are children of God and heirs of heaven. Because of His great love we will live eternity with Him. Those who have not been made clean by Him will not. So do not take part and follow these ways. Instead look to Jesus and concentrate on Him. It is very hard to stray when focusing on Him. Be an obsessed little brother or sister today and follow Jesus.

Father, may my life be a perfect imitation of You and Your love. May I love others in the way You designed me to. May I focus on Jesus and give You praise. Amen.

Bronx Masqerade

Bronx Masqerade is an amazing book. It addresses many issues that teens struggle with today: rejection, being your self, and living your dreams. It uses poetry with the story in a creative way and I am a person who uasly doen't like poety in a story.(I'm sorry. I even skipped over the poetry in Lord of the Rings.)
The author takes you on a wild ride with with an english class in the Bronx. The class is depressed about growing up in a nieghborhood were there are gang problems and dream often don't come true. The class starts studying the Harlem Renissance, and one of the students who was suppose to write an essay on a poem; wrote a poem on a peom. The class liked it and the teacher asked the rest of the class if they wanted to share any poetry they had written next week. More and more people start bringing in works they have written. The diversity and issues that are in the poems are heavy. Each students style is unique and each poem portrays a part od who they really are. Warning: parents read this book before you let your children read it., so you may decide if you want them to read it or not. There is some swearing and some of the subjects disscusses might not be fit for children.

Who sinned?

My math teacher gives a little devotion before math class begins everyday. This helps me tremendously because I'm not very good at math. Today she talked about Tamar daughter of King David.

2 Samuel 13:1-22

1 And it came to pass after this, that Absalom the son of David had a fair sister, whose name was Tamar; and Amnon the son of David loved her. 2 And Amnon was so vexed, that he fell sick for his sister Tamar; for she was a virgin; and Amnon thought it hard for him to do any thing to her. 3 But Amnon had a friend, whose name was Jonadab, the son of Shimeah David’s brother: and Jonadab was a very subtil man. 4 And he said unto him, Why art thou, being the king’s son, lean from day to day? wilt thou not tell me? And Amnon said unto him, I love Tamar, my brother Absalom’s sister. 5 And Jonadab said unto him, Lay thee down on thy bed, and make thyself sick: and when thy father cometh to see thee, say unto him, I pray thee, let my sister Tamar come, and give me meat, and dress the meat in my sight, that I may see it, and eat it at her hand. 6 So Amnon lay down, and made himself sick: and when the king was come to see him, Amnon said unto the king, I pray thee, let Tamar my sister come, and make me a couple of cakes in my sight, that I may eat at her hand. 7 Then David sent home to Tamar, saying, Go now to thy brother Amnon’s house, and dress him meat. 8 So Tamar went to her brother Amnon’s house; and he was laid down. And she took flour, and kneaded it, and made cakes in his sight, and did bake the cakes. 9 And she took a pan, and poured them out before him; but he refused to eat. And Amnon said, Have out all men from me. And they went out every man from him. 10 And Amnon said unto Tamar, Bring the meat into the chamber, that I may eat of thine hand. And Tamar took the cakes which she had made, and brought them into the chamber to Amnon her brother. 11 And when she had brought them unto him to eat, he took hold of her, and said unto her, Come lie with me, my sister. 12 And she answered him, Nay, my brother, do not force me; for no such thing ought to be done in Israel: do not thou this folly. 13 And I, whither shall I cause my shame to go? and as for thee, thou shalt be as one of the fools in Israel. Now therefore, I pray thee, speak unto the king; for he will not withhold me from thee. 14 Howbeit he would not hearken unto her voice: but, being stronger than she, forced her, and lay with her. 15 Then Amnon hated her exceedingly; so that the hatred wherewith he hated her was greater than the love wherewith he had loved her. And Amnon said unto her, Arise, be gone. 16 And she said unto him, There is no cause: this evil in sending me away is greater than the other that thou didst unto me. But he would not hearken unto her. 17 Then he called his servant that ministered unto him, and said, Put now this woman out from me, and bolt the door after her. 18 And she had a garment of divers colours upon her: for with such robes were the king’s daughters that were virgins apparelled. Then his servant brought her out, and bolted the door after her. 19 And Tamar put ashes on her head, and rent her garment of divers colours that was on her, and laid her hand on her head, and went on crying. 20 And Absalom her brother said unto her, Hath Amnon thy brother been with thee? but hold now thy peace, my sister: he is thy brother; regard not this thing. So Tamar remained desolate in her brother Absalom’s house. This is a very sad story. My heart just crys out for Tamar, but my mind is asking why did this happen. Who was in the wrong? I know Amnon was. But what about David or Tamar? Did they do anything wrong? Did they also sin? Walking through the story we see that Amnon didn't start out in sin. He was in love with his sister. As a young teen I have also had crushes. However he was obsesed. Is this bad? Yes if she became an idol to him if she bacame more important than God. His friend who was a person who was "street wise" ansked him what was the matter and told him he should take his sisters virginity through trickery. This is wrong. Telling anyone to lie is bad. Telling someone to sleep with their sister is very bad; however, Amon takes his advice and that was sin. David comes and to see Amon when he hears Amons sick He grants Amon's request to have his sister come prepare a meal for him. What was David thinking? Was he think 'I'm glad my children are getting along'? Did he realize what Amon was after? Tamar goes as her father asked to prepare a meal for her brother. What was she thinking? Was she saying to herself "gee, I get to play nurse today"? When she gets there, Amons intentions are soon discovered. Tamar pleads with him to not sin because: one it's not done in Israel, two she will be ashamed, and three he will be a fool. Tamar apeald mostly to his social morals, not his spiritual morals. She never says he would be sinning or that God would be displease by what he is doing. She offers another solution by asking the King for her hand in marrige instead. Amon forces her to sleep with him anyway.( I guess social morals aren't as high as it would seem.) He then winds up hating her. Don't you feel disgusted with yourself and others when ever you sin. He has Tamar She then goes to her brother for comfort. He isn't very comforting. "He's only your brother. What are you so upset about?" Not the words you want to hear after you have been molested. She then spends the rest of her life in desolation. Tamar's story is one that many people share. Many people have been sexualy abused, by starngers and family members. Both are very heartbreaking and distressing things. If you can reap no other lesson from this story, but this I will be satisfied. Tamar didn't have to spend the rest of her days in desolation. She could have carried her sorrows and her pain to God. God asks that you cast your cares upon Him. We as human being were not ment to carry great troubles and sorrows. When we (or others) sin we take on more and more of a burden. Take your troubles to God and He will renew your soul and give you peace that passes all understanding.

Mirrors and Eyes

Mirrors and Eyes
All my mirrors must be broken
I put myself in front of them
To look,consider, examine
I am disgusted by what i see
Could that person in the mirror realy be me
Is this realy the person God desighned me to be
Because of this mirror image I feel ashamded
I try and blockout, hide my disdain
I try and go on smiling behind this bane
Then I see my reflection in someone's eye
I see what others see me by
And I find the mirror image was a lie
I am unique and wonderful
My broke mirror is untruthful
Cause in others eyes I am beautiful
I am beautiful

Loving others

"But God demonstrates His own Love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8

Christ died for us before we changed. How many times have I siad to my sisters during a fight "I'll stop acting mean or bossy when you stop being a brat." Or something simular to that.

How immature. How unlike Jesus. Jesus died for us not expecting us to change or to except the free gift He offered. Jesus said,"I'll be the one who is kind and loving."

He wants me to be the first one to say I'm sorry or to reach out to others. May I do this as a testimony of His unending and unfailing live.