in the midst of my mess

But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: 

While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 

Romans 5:8

we don't know the first thing about unconditional love. we find it hard to love even those who love us, let alone those we don't know or those who treat us badly.
think of someone in your life who is hard to get along with.
maybe it's that co-worker who gossips.
maybe it's a relative who is always trying to pry into your life.
maybe it's someone from your childhood who abused you.
maybe it's a teacher at your school who seems bent on giving you a bad grade.
maybe it's that neighbor whose cigarette smoke blows right into your window.
maybe it's a stranger down the street who constantly drives by with one of those deafeningly loud tailpipes.
all of us have someone we kinda wish would just be removed from our lives. someone about whom it's difficult to have a good thought.
our natural love is conditional. even as a Christian, i have to admit that sometimes it's hard to care about certain people's souls! it's embarrassing to even write that, but it's true.
but here is God's example to us: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us... ok think about that for a minute. we were STILL sinning, actively, unremorsefully, uncaringly... not thinking about God at all, not concerned about His perfectness and our imperfectness. AT THAT MOMENT, Jesus died for us because He loved us so much!
that's like if someone just stabbed me and raped my daughter and somehow he is about to fall off a cliff. he's swearing at me and screaming that he's going to rape me too and cut me up, and AT THAT MOMENT, i lunge forward, somehow push him to safety, but in doing so i know i will fall off the cliff instead of him!
would i do that??
honestly, i can't imagine it.

but that's exactly what Jesus did.
He was innocent. He had lived the perfect life. temptations had come in every form, but He stood firm and always chose what God would want. then He got betrayed. then He was sentenced to death. people spit on Him, beat Him, ripped His clothes off, scoffed at Him and made fun of Him, and He was quiet.
if you had been there, you would have deserted Him too. but He chose to die for you anyway, AT THAT MOMENT.

"They went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, "Sit here while I pray... My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death." ... he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. Mark 14:32, 34, 37

are you sleeping while Jesus suffers? are you living your life as if He doesn't exist? you insult His passion by saying, "i'll think about that God stuff later, after i've lived my life and had my fun."
if you call yourself a follower of Jesus, are you sleeping? are you watching t.v. shows when you should be praying? are you eating as much yummy food as you can and stuffing your fridge and freezer to the point that it goes bad before you use it, while others suffer of starvation?

"Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: 'The one i kiss is the man; arrest him and lead him away under guard.' Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, 'Rabbi!' and kissed him." Mark 14:44-45

do you betray Jesus with your words? do you call out His name when you are angry or frustrated or when you've stubbed your toe? realize that when you call the Lord's name, but do not acknowledge Him as your Lord, that you are insulting Him and belittling Him.
if someone asks you if you are a Christian and you say yes, but have never thought about what that means, have never picked up a Bible to read His words, have never decided to follow His leadership, then you betray Him.

"Then everyone deserted him and fled.
A young man, wearing nothing but a linen garment, was following Jesus. When they seized him, he fled naked, leaving his garment behind." Mark 14:50-52

do you desert Jesus at the slightest hint of suffering?
what do you do when someone gossips in your ear? do you flee from listening, or do you enjoy being told the juicy morsel?
what do you do when a woman walks by with revealing clothes on? do you let your eye or even your mind wander up her legs?
or, more extremely, what would you do if a gun-wielding man barged into your home, tied up your children, put a gun to your head and commanded that you deny Jesus or be shot?
are you running so hard to enjoy indulgence, save face, get respect, escape pain, keep your pride, that you would leave your garments behind and run naked, all on your own?
the answer to all of these questions belies your true loyalty to Jesus.

"Then they spit in his face and struck him with their fists. Others slapped him and said, 'Prophesy to us, Christ. Who hit you?'" Matthew 26:67-68

have you ever taken a bribe? have you looked at a woman with lust in your heart? you have spit in Jesus' face.
have you told a white lie or a big lie? you're faking yourself out to make it sound better than it is. a lie is a lie, whether you're telling someone you like their hideous dress so you don't hurt their feelings, or whether you're cheating on your taxes to pay less than the government requires. you have struck Jesus with your fist.
do you love money? is your whole life centered around how to get more, how to get enough? it will never be enough. whatever amount you gain will always look too small once you've achieved it. you are slapping Jesus' face.

"'You are a king, then,' said Pilate.
Jesus answered, 'You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.'" John 18:37
"Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head. They... went up to him again and again, saying, 'Hail, king of the Jews!' And they struck him in the face." John 19:1-3

do you mock Jesus? do you deny His truth?
what do you think of when you think of Easter? bunnies and pastel eggs?
what about Christmas? Santa and gifts?
these are untruths. they're not 'all in good fun.'
do you excuse your own sin, but point self-righteous fingers at others?
are you willing to see sin as God sees it, even if people will persecute you for it? are you willing to speak out against prostitution, homosexuality, abortion, euthanasia, pornography...?

"Again and again they struck him on the head with a staff and spit on him. Falling on their knees, they paid homage to him. And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him out to crucify him." Mark 15:19-20

do you envy what your neighbor has? have you looked at their car and angrily wished you had it? do you see her husband walk by and think how much better your life would be if he were yours? you have struck Jesus on the head.
do you let rage get the best of you? how do you react when someone cuts in front of you at the grocery line? do you let that boiling, fierce feeling rule your mind while you stare daggers into the back of their head? you spit on Jesus.
do you disrespect your boss? when he turns his back, do you roll your eyes and mutter under your breath? have you talked badly about him to your co-workers? you mock Jesus.
are you prideful? have you murdered someone with your thoughts? do you harbor unforgiveness for someone? do you secretly do porn? are you uncaring to someone who is hurting? you lead Jesus out to be crucified.

who is your god? who is on the throne of your life? is it you? do you answer to yourself? think hard about this. how do you make your decisions? do you go to God's word and to prayer, or do you do it all yourself?
every one of us is a sinner. and if you are a sinner, you have driven a spike into Jesus' wrist. you have pushed the crown of thorns down on his forehead.
this is not to make you feel hopelessly guilty, but to bring you to the truth. the truth of how far from God you are without Jesus covering you. this is to help you realize how sinful sin really is, from what we call tiny to the really big stuff.
God requires perfection. and it won't be found in you.
the only way to get the perfection required is to realize the blackness of your soul, contrasted to God's shining brightness, and to fall on your face in front of Him.

while you were STILL sinning, STILL lying, cheating, lusting, gossiping, eating gluttonously, hating, raging, plotting, bribing.... while you were committing all the badness you could, Jesus was dying.
for you.

it's Good Friday. we are all invited to come lay ourselves beneath the cross.
have you taken a good, hard, honest look at yourself yet today?

"Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, 

though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die.

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this:

WHILE WE WERE STILL SINNERS,

CHRIST DIED FOR US."

Romans 5:7-8

where are the clothes???

(this post has been written with the help of my insightful and wonderful husband, Orlondo)

women, where are your clothes?
as the temperature goes up and summer approaches, people spend more and more time outside, walking, running, sitting, sunning, playing sports... and women shed layers and layers of clothing, until there seem to be no more to shed!
sadly, even when we go to church, we see short shorts, tight jeans, and low necklines showing cleavage, and even more sadly, nothing is said from the pulpit about this lack of modesty in and out of the church!!! it seems that our leadership is afraid to make a statement about clothing, and i wonder: is it because they are afraid of offending those sitting right in front of them? or do they not see it? is it about attendance? are people SO entrenched in the culture that they don't even SEE it anymore??
it seems to be like the frog in a warming pot of water, who doesn't escape because he doesn't even notice the water getting hotter and hotter. he stays there till the water boils and he dies, without even being aware.
one sunday, we were sitting behind a very conservative older couple who had a daughter of about 13. her skirt only came below her crotch about 3 inches, drawing the eye and the mind to wonder if and when something inappropriate might be revealed. so after the service, Orlondo spoke privately to the father, and the father's response was that he didn't think it was bad!!! how can this be?
here are some current stats on the online porn industry (only ONE aspect of this terrible problem):

EVERY SECOND, 28,258 internet users are viewing porn (how many seconds did it take you to comprehend that sentence?)

EVERY MINUTE, $184,500 is spent on porn (how many minutes will it take you to read this post?)

70% of men ages 18-34 visit a porn site in a typical month

$10 - $14 BILLION is spent on porn annually, the same amount the US government spends on FOREIGN AID!

12% of the websites on the internet are pornographic

25% of search engine requests are for porn

there are 116,000 searches for "CHILD PORNOGRAPHY" every DAY!

the average age at which a child FIRST sees porn online is 11.

the most popular day of the week for viewing porn is SUNDAY.

38% of adults say porn is morally acceptable

50% of PASTORS regularly look at porn

for these stats and more, done in a much more interesting and artistic way, please visit these websites: marshill stats on porn and onlinemba stats on internet porn

you may think, well, that's online porn, completely different than when i'm walking down the street or sitting in a church pew. what makes you think that men won't look at as much skin as they can in real life??! it is just as arousing, if not more arousing, to see real, live, skin, put on display. and yes, YOU are the one putting it on display, so don't get angry at a man for seeing what you have shown! it is extremely confusing and frustrating to a man when you show them your body in a sexual way, but then get angry or look down on him when he is aroused by you.
and this 'arousal' doesn't mean what you may want it to mean. generally, women want to be loved, accepted, desired, and chosen above any other woman. we want a man to look at us and think, i LIKE that girl! true desire (related to love) from a man leads a woman to want sex. but women, when you show your breasts and upper thighs, men think SEX only, not 'love', not 'like'. they are not thinking of YOU and your person, they are simply seeing woman parts. just like when they view porn.

when men see any part of a breast, they immediately see sex, and can only assume that since you are wearing that shirt, you want them to see sex. do you want your husband/boyfriend/future husband to see other women's cleavage? your thighs have the same effect. men will view you as a sexual object when they see these parts. and it doesn't have to be skin; tight clothes leave little to the imagination and cause men to see exactly what your shape is. it is not a stretch for their minds to imagine you naked in a split second. do you think your mate wants his buddies to view you sexually???
a comedian once put it this way: if you wear a cop's uniform, people WILL assume you're a cop, even if you're not. if you're not a cop, why are you wearing a cop's uniform?? so if you dress like you want sex, like you're easy, like you're AVAILABLE, men will assume those things about you. YOU have chosen the wardrobe that communicates those things.

if you are one of the 38% of american adults who say porn is morally acceptable, think again.
Jesus said, "You have heard that it was said, 'Do not commit adultery.' But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart." Matthew 5:27-28
it happens in a flash, or as fast as it takes to look. women, don't be partially responsible for causing someone to sin. and before you belittle your responsibility by saying, 'he shouldn't be looking,' remember  Jesus said, "Things that cause people to sin are bound to come, but woe to that person through whom they come. It would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a millstone (they weigh over 100 lbs) tied around his neck than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin. So watch yourselves." Luke 17:1-2
i have heard the idea many times that it is more ok for a younger woman to wear provocative clothes, especially if she is not married. but if you're not married, you STILL don't have the right to tempt someone to look at your breasts and crotch. believe me, men will like you because you are a woman. they will like you for being nice and virtuous. and just as you probably think you truly want a 'good man' who will be faithful to you, most men want the same attributes in a woman. the men you will attract by showing your body are not the ones worth finding.
and what happens when your body grows older and gets out of shape? if a man is only attracted to your looks, what does that say about your personality, or about the man you chose!?
this is what the Bible has to say about women's looks:
"Your beauty should not come from outward adornment... Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of greater worth in God's sight." 1 Peter 3:3-4
"I also want women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety... with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God." 1 Timothy 2:9-10

your body is for your husband. when you get married, you will still talk to other people, hang out in crowds, speak on the phone, smile..... but if you want to be faithful, you will NOT have sexual relations with anyone else.  sex is to be a specialness, a uniqueness, in marriage. even people who are not particularly moral get angry when their spouse is unfaithful, hence shows like maury and jerry springer... we know deep inside that a relationship between a man and a woman should be exclusive, between only two people who love each other. sex is the physical expression of being with the person who truly KNOWS you and LOVES you.
because your husband will be the only one having sex with you, he should be the only one to view you sexually, and that is where your clothing comes in. looking sexy and looking nice are not the same thing. looking sexy is something you can do in privacy, for your husband, because it leads to sex. looking nice is when you wear clothes that cover you and show your personality. for example, they match your complexion and accent your eyes and hair....

here's a thought: if all women were truly modest (which includes dress and actions), there would be no pornography, no unwanted pregnancies, no broken relationships, no adultery.... there would be fewer divorces and, thus, fewer kids in trouble with the law due to broken families. and really, there would be no fearful feelings of jealousy between women.

so how can we make this practical?? here are guidelines that we really believe can communicate modesty here in the USA, while allowing you to be able to find clothes at stores:
the neckline of your shirts should cover ALL cleavage (the line between your breasts) and should not easily open when you bend over.
your shirts should cover your pants' waistline by at least a few inches so that they don't rise up when you bend down or sit down.
shorts and skirts should be long enough to almost reach your knees. and i mean like 4 inches above your knee when you kneel down. if you commonly go up and down stairs or are on stage, maybe wear leggings underneath to avoid any accidental viewings.
ALL clothing should be loose enough to get your fingers easily underneath without stretching the material. no one should be seeing the exact shape of your bra or underwear.
your bra should be substantial enough to hide nipples AT ALL TIMES, even when it's cold out. this includes sports bras, which tend to be stupidly thin.
just because it's the style doesn't mean it's ok.

what do you honestly think God's opinion is of the outfit you're wearing right now? does it honor HIM? does it honor your husband/future husband?
can you look at your closet and say, 'here is the wardrobe of a respectable woman'?
if not, and be honest, it's time to get a new wardrobe. if you don't have a lot of money, go to a goodwill; many of them honestly have some really good, up-to-date clothes (some with the tags still on) for CHEAP!
it's time for women to step up and be responsible for what we wear, for how we affect the men around us. their reaction to us is between them and God, but we need to do our part to be sure we do not cause them to lust after our bodies.
what will you honestly be able to say when you stand in front of God's throne on judgement day? will you be pure? were your clothes pleasing to Him? granted, we do not get into heaven by wearing modest clothes, but we still have to give an account for all our actions.
may the new style be respectable modesty! in reality, YOU, the consumer, drive what stores put on their clothing racks; what message will you send them?

double standard

these days, my heart feels numerous questions for God:

• why does evil seem to be winning?
• why would anyone be allowed to steal an innocent child and force him/her into the horrors of the sex trade?
• how come abortion is still even possible, so that millions of babies have been murdered just for being alive?
• why would anyone hate another person for the color of their skin (and it goes both ways these days!)?
• how is it that our public schools can get away with feeding our children processed, genetically modified, greasy slop and call it food? our kids are not only becoming obese, but are getting asthma, brittle bones, eye problems, and more!
• how can big companies get away with dumping their deadly waste into our water supplies without us knowing?
• how did it get to the point where Christians are taunted and called bigots for labeling sin as sin: homosexuality, abortion, immodesty, gossip, lust...?
• and where did these crazy tornadoes and earthquakes come from that are killing people and leveling their homes??!

it seems that Satan is running away with the world, with our country, and no one is doing anything to stop it. the majority is cheering him on! how did this happen?

"Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor His ear too dull to hear." Isaiah 59:1

right??? surely He hears us crying out to Him, begging for help and mercy!? He is the One who created the whole universe! why doesn't He take charge and help the 'good guys' win?

"But your iniquities have separated you from your God;
your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear.
For your hands are stained with blood, your fingers with guilt.
Your lips have spoken lies, and your tongue mutters wicked things.
No one calls for justice; no one pleads his case with integrity.
They rely on empty arguments and speak lies; 
they conceive trouble and give birth to evil." Isaiah 59:2-4
"Their feet rush into sin;
they are swift to shed innocent blood.
Their thoughts are evil thoughts;
ruin and destruction mark their ways." Isaiah 59:7

this is not the only reason God doesn't answer our prayers the way we want, but it is a big one.
sometimes i think people see Christianity as one of those name tag stickers: "Hello my name is Christian." they slap it on their shirt and then forget it's there. they act in any way they please, and expect that piece of paper to take care of the rest. if anyone confronts them, they point self-righteously to it and say, "hey, i'm good. i'm a 'Christian.' don't tell ME how to live."
we act like a pet dog who has been given food and water and loving belly-rubs, but turns at the slightest sound to snarl and bite his own owner!

"For our offenses are many in Your sight,
and our sins testify against us.
Our offenses are ever with us, and we acknowledge our iniquities:
rebellion and treachery against the Lord,
turning our backs on our God,
fomenting (instigating) oppression and revolt,
uttering lies our hearts have conceived.
So justice is driven back,
and righteousness stands at a distance;
truth has stumbled in the streets,
honesty cannot enter.
Truth is nowhere to be found, 
and whoever shuns evil becomes a prey." Isaiah 59:12-14

we have turned our backs on God, collectively, as a country.

• prayer has been removed from schools, from major events, from the military; we even hesitate to bow our heads at a restaurant for fear of what others will say.
• parents allow celebrities to lead their children. girls scream and faint at the sight of their 'idols', boys stare at pornography, and parents chuckle and do the same things themselves.
• true discipline is frowned upon. you can have your children taken away into child protection if your neighbor hears you spanking and calls the police.
• the word 'tolerance' has nothing to do with its dictionary definition anymore. it should mean we could disagree but still live together. now it means you MUST agree or be labeled a bigot.
• the quote, "don't judge me," became a license to sin, unchecked. 
• big companies are licensed to patent a gene in corn, so that they can sue anyone who even accidentally grows a stalk of that particular corn. then our government offers that genetically modified corn as foreign aid to starving countries, and refuses to give them any other kind! meanwhile those big companies are suing poor foreign farmers left and right for growing corn that blew off the company trucks and grew in the farmer's field! unfair!
• we allow our girls to wear shorts that barely cover their crotch, and shirts that show as much cleavage as possible. then we tell them they look 'sexy', but tell boys and men not to look. what??!
• we encourage our boys to 'become men' by drinking or having sex with as many girls as possible; parents shrug and call it 'experience' or 'sowing their oats'. then we wonder why they don't respect women and why they drive drunk.
• adults treat marriage like buying a pair of shoes. shop around; try some on; buy the one you want; if you don't like it, take it back and get a new pair. no biggie. just because you VOWED to be with that person forever doesn't mean you have to keep your vows. and we wonder why no one trusts anyone anymore.
• people talk incessantly negatively about coworkers, family, and friends, looking for ways to be the one to share a juicy tidbit. i hear this all the time, "i'm not gossiping or anything, BUT......" really??
• we expect lies from our government, the people WE voted to lead us.
• creation by God has been all but abandoned, while a theory called evolution is taught in schools as though it is fact. we don't want there to be a God to whom we owe our lives. so we use unreliable and disproved dating methods and chart out far-fetched ancestral trees complete with concept drawings of monkey-men, and again, teach this in school as fact! many scientists refuse to even report all the discoveries that continue to back up the history in the Bible.
• after all this, when a tornado rips through our town, or when a child is killed in a drunken car accident, we cry out to God and blame Him, accusing Him of not being there for us!

"All day long I have held out my hands to an obstinate people,
who walk in ways not good,
pursuing their own imaginations ----
a people who continually provoke Me to my very face." Isaiah 65:2

God is STILL, after ALL THIS, holding out His hands to us, willing to accept us, to adopt us as His very own children! All you have to do is repent, which just means to turn from your wrong ways and commit to walk towards God with Jesus as your leader.
And for those who have been faithful all along, there is SO much to fight for, SO much to look forward to.
Christian, do not give up the fight. do not grow weary in standing up for what you believe! it is worth it!

"Although you have been forsaken and hated...
I will make you the everlasting pride
and the joy of all generations." Isaiah 60:15

we say, "I delight greatly in the Lord;
my soul rejoices in my God.
For He has clothed me with garments of salvation
and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness...
For as the soil makes the sprout come up 
and a garden causes seeds to grow,
so the Sovereign Lord will make righteousness and praise
spring up before all nations." Isaiah 61:10-11

and may all the praise go to God, for saving us, for giving us the strength to carry on, for blessing us with eternal life!

"Let us not become weary in doing good, 

for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." 

Galatians 6:9