This World Cannot Hurt You

So I know I haven't posted in a while but it has been break so cut me some slack. Here is something I wrote all the way back in sophomore year of high school during math class.

When my heart is broken
your love you show me
and that's all I need
to make it through another day

When the rain falls down
like the tears from my eyes
you reach out your hand
hold me and let me know...

"...This world cannot hurt you
I am here, I'll keep you
my love will not leave
this world cannot hurt you
call my name, I'll find you
my love will not leave,
will never leave"

When my heart is in tune
with the song that you sing
in my joy you will guide me
As I sing this song...

"... This world cannot hurt me
you are here, you keep me
your love will not leave
this world cannot hurt me
I call your name, you find me
your love will not leave,
will never leave me"

Just for this Time

The door open just a crack
I sneak to take a look,
But all I can see is a friendly glow.
The door then closes
With a heavenly force,
The pleasures beyond it
Lost for this time.
What’s in that room?
I think aloud.
Hoping for joys,
Seeking the best.
But that door is closed;
He closed it tight,
Never to be opened.
What shall I do?
Sit and stare?
Waiting for the handle to turn,
The door to budge?
The door was closed
With a heavenly force,
The pleasures beyond it
Lost for this time.
Then I hear a voice
Much like an angel
Turning my head
I gaze down the hall
Again I wonder allowed
Are all these doors mine?
Why did I never once see?
My gaze stuck fixed
On the door right in front of me,
Neglecting to see
All He had planned for me.
Each door I will try,
In patience I’ll grow,
Knowing one day I’ll find
The door that will open
With a heavenly force,
The pleasures behind it,
Waiting,
Just for this time.

Lord of my all

I say I need You
Not just with my words
But in each breath, lies the story
Of the One who loved and died.
Oh Lord, not for me please,
Don’t let it be true,
My selfish desires
Drive the nails
Through outstretched arms
Of the One who loved
And is love.
My sin the nails that held Him there
My sin the thorns-- His earthly crown
My sin the cross, a sign to all,
But yet his love,
His grace,
The blood that flowed,
That flows,
Is for me, because of me.
Shall I rejoice in these scars?
Or fall to my knees in despair?
I killed the one I loved,
The One who loved,
The One who is love.
But still I rejoice--
He shows me the holes
As he lifts me back up
To remind me forever that
His blood reigns.
Make this my prayer
My longing.
Jesus--
Be king of my soul
Lord of my all.

Trust in Me

Do you love me?
I love you still
How can you still?
For I AM, and I AM love
Is there forgiveness now?
Now and Forever
How can this be?
My holes--they bleed
You sent your son for me?
For you and for your sins
What am I doing?
What I have willed for you
Why can I not see?
Trust in me
Are you sure Lord??
Trust in me
Trust in me.

Willing to Die for Me

It's humbling to see

what grace really is

the love of a king

willing to die for me

taking grace for granted

I never did see 

the heart of my savior

willing to die for me

I wish I was there

my sins on the cross

I am forgiven because my love came

willing to die for me

why is this true?

it still amazes me

Jesus my king, my savior my love,

willing to die for me

Philosophy of Jesus

This is an interpretation of what the confrontation of Pilate and Jesus in a book by Peter Kreeft.

"Pilate's skepticism implicitly complains: 'How am i supposed to know that great philosophical will-o-the-wisp, truth? Can I see it? Can I touch it?' and Jesus answers: "Yes. In fact, you cant crucify it."

School Paper

Just decided to upload this since I haven't had anything recently.

School Censorship
School censorship has always been a big issue on many high school and lower level campuses. Do students, who are usually under the age of 18, have the same rights as adults? This debate breaks down in two ways; do schools have the right to limit student’s speech for the well-being of other students, and do schools have the right to limit freedom of speech since their students are minors? This debate has been seen in students carrying signs around campus, students wearing certain t-shirts, statements made in school speeches, and what is allowed to be published in student press. Though people in the general public have freedom of speech, they do not have the freedom to say whatever they want whenever they want. A person cannot yell “bomb!” on an airplane and expect to not get in trouble. This is not an issue of freedom of speech, but of protecting the general public. Students enrolled in any public school, should have the same rights as any citizen in the general public. This will, in fact, cause students in school to be better prepared for the real world society after graduating school.
Schools are institutions built with the idea of educating the younger generations who will eventually become the future of America. In his article “School Censorship: It Come in a Variety of Forms, Not all Overt,” David Martinson says, “The values students learn in high school are the values that they take into their lives.” This statement is very true, although it can also be argued that parents have a great deal of influence on how a student basis their life after school. Schools however do have students under their control for a large part of the day and the students and teachers there do have a large and lasting influence on each other. If students are taught in schools that they are only allowed to say things that will appease everyone, they will leave school believing in a freedom of speech that is just speech and not free. Students need to be informed during school, that their forefathers died to give them the right to stand up in public and say what they believe. In the same way though, schools should punish to the utmost any sort of speech that causes or can cause direct harm to anyone on campus. Students who make threats about bombs or shootings should be punished, as talking about committing crimes in a threatening manner is illegal. Though students should be informed about their freedoms, related to speech, they should always be told of the limits of these freedoms and taught what happens if these freedoms are abused. The law should apply to students; all students should be bound to the same laws in the same manner as the general public, despite age. Though schools should enforce the laws established by the respective government, they should not be allowed to fashion any laws beyond the bounds of the governmental laws. Though this will greatly limit the ability of school officials to monitor and control the school setting, school will be more realistic to society and will do a better job at weeding out those who are bound to fail in society. Though this might seem to be a harsh argument, society is a harsh place and if only students bound to succeed in society end up spending time in school, it will be cheaper for everyone. School should teach students about the real world, and how to live in it, not useless information that will be stored away for future use only on the game show Jeopardy.
The way the school system is now, many students are taught things that are very contrary to society. In the article “The Obscene Election Speech,” Philip Hager tells the story Matt Fraser who was punished after giving a speech at a student lead event that contained obscene language. In the real public, someone running for office would be allowed to make obscene remarks and actions during a speech (although it may be unwise.) If people in the real public are granted these rights, so should students in school. Martinson claims;
Students fail to understand why it is important that they be engaged and committed citizens because they learn through the socialization process what is common to much of public education—the way to survive is not to raise questions but to go along.
This is a crime; society often does work this way, but only because this is what the schools are teaching. Schools should teach people that sometimes standing up for what you believe is okay, and even needed at times. Survival in the world should not be based off of apathy and pacifism, but a continual desire to better society and self, even if sometimes that requires one to offend people.
Stealing the freedom of open speech, as granted to the general public, often destroys a student’s ability and desire to think. School often teaches students how to learn, but often neglects enlightening them of what matters most—the ability to think. Often thinking will help a person later on in life becoming a better citizen than someone who only knows how to learn. Learning is often a process of acquiring knowledge, but doesn’t always include the ability of applying what is learned. Thinking goes a step further requiring the student to apply knowledge in a way that it is used in an effective manner given a situation. The world has enough people with knowledge, what will make a society particularly great is one where everyone thinks.
School censorship is an issue far greater than that of freedom of speech. The policies that a school enforces will lead to a society that is greatly influenced by these policies. Therefore schools should practically teach what they want their society to look like. If they want a society full of informed thinkers, they should raise their students to be thinkers. In the same way, if they only teach how to learn, the students graduating from our schools will be less prepared to handle society.











Works Cited
Hager, Philip. "The Obscene Election Speech." Writing and Reading Across the Curriculum. By Laurence Behrens and Leonard J. Rosen. New York: Addison-Wesley Longman, Incorporated, 2007.

Martinson, David L. "School Censorship: It Comes in a Variety of Forms, Not All Overt." Clearing House 81.5 (May 2008): 211-214. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Annie Gabriel Lib,Riverside, CA . 7 Nov. 2008 .

A Work in Progress

Being the mainstream Christian that I am I find myself falling into a trap that, it appears, some being or some entity wants us to fall in to. I suppose to be fair I should at least provide a brief definition of what I consider to be a mainstream Christian. Maybe I should even stay away from the word mainstream and adopt the word secular. I feel that this word more rightfully explains the idea I am trying to get across, though I feel a single word can hardly describe what I am getting at. These mainstream/secularized Christians, such as myself, partake in everyday society as a non-Christian would. We work the same public jobs and attend the same public schools as the world does. In no way would I want to spend time to argue that this is the problem or that these Christians are not really actually Christians. It is clear that though they are in the society they are not bound to the rules and constraints that the earthly society dictates.
If I am making a distinction about these mainstream Christians, I am sure you are wondering what these people are being compared to. For lack of a better term I will call them traditional Christians. These Christians are much more conservative and put an extreme emphasis on the importance of family. They are less a part of the modern world and often spend time involved with friends who share a similar ideology. However different their lives might appear, the mainstream and traditional Christians are not all that different—in fact the share the single most important belief that should draw them together as a body of people. This belief is one in the powerful redeeming love found only in Christ Jesus our lord.
You might have notice the word “should” from just above. This is going to be part of my focus for the remainder of what I have to write. You would think that sharing the power of the blood of our risen Lord would be enough to form unity between these two groups of people--- often times however, it brings strife.
I hate to make the distinction between these two groups. I’ve wondered if it was just me making these separations bigger than they should be. That might be true but I feel that there is definitely some tension. To explain what I mean I will give an example. If a student is given a blank outline of the United States with no states drawn in doesn’t mean that there aren’t states. As the student traces the shape of states into the outline, states are not actually being created. I feel like I am the student tracing the states into our country. I believe that the separation in there, whether or not I write about what it is. By saying there is a difference I am simply drawing the lines and making what does exist simply more visible.
To continue on though, the Bible says that in our life there “must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity” (Eph. 5:3). The demands set in this very are clearly set high. Many of us mainstream Christians flirt with this command because we seem to find it as too strict of a law to be taken 100% seriously. Dating and engaging in other certain forms of modern entertainment set us up to be filled with lust—it is something many of us realize but fear that we lack the power to be able to change it. That is one of the significant problems I feel that we as Christians are facing today—but it breaks down and gets even worse. Many of the traditional Christians attempt to eliminate any form of temptation from their lives. Television in limited, dating and prom are frowned upon, and other accepted worldly practices are denied. This is not because these people totally want to remove themselves from the world but because when God says “not even a hint” it is something that encourages them and is an end that they strive to accomplish. Lust might not be something that these people can completely conquer but in complete submission to the Lord, they strive for perfection.
There is a clear difference in the way that these two groups of Christians handle just one of the many issues presented in the bible. My goal here is not to make traditional Christians look like angels while condemning everyone else (saying that I am one of the everyone elses). Yes, us secularized Christians should try to strive for perfection, but this isn’t the main concern I plan on addressing from here on out.
My main focus, that I think is important to realize, is the gap in the brotherhood that these two different views create in a group of people that should be tightly bound together. Myself, and other mainstream Christians I know, often think of the other group of believers as outsiders and often alienate them. It might take forever to understand why we do this completely, but it might have to do with our own selfish hearts. We don’t want to be told we are wrong or that we could possibly do something better. Human nature makes us want to defend ourselves. Should we, as mainstream Christians, quarrel with our brothers because they might be doing something better than we are? Should we treat them as if their beliefs are radical and outlandish? No! Christian unity should be our goal; fighting each other does not lend itself well to the outside world that eagerly watches every action we do. Our primary beliefs are the same and yet we still find a need for dispute. Christ called ALL believers to take up their crosses and follow him (Mark 10:21). This command doesn’t seem like something meant to be self-rewarding and fun filled—it is a struggle that might often seem impossible. It requires all of us, every aspect of our lives, to be wholly dedicated to Him. This means that “not even a hint” is actually meant to be “not even a hint.” IT is something all Christians should strive for. We should want to honor our creator with everything, not with half of our being. This struggle to follow his commands literally, as He intended them to be obeyed, should not be an issue that causes divide among us but it should be something that requires unity. We need our Christian brothers and sisters as our support—not as our enemies.
Whether or not the traditional Christians look down on us mainstream believers is not something I could claim to know. I could guess that they might view us as outsiders too, but this topic is not something I could cover without first getting their perspective.
So far, there might be two groups of people who will read what I have written and be offended. I don’t mean to offend but I can imagine it happening. Actually, one of these two groups, if getting offended leads you to change your thinking, then I am hoping and even striving to offend you. This group would be anyone who realizes that their own pride could be causing a separation between Christian brothers and sisters. Or the person who might feel convicted because they aren’t living fully to follow God’s commands but instead living to please both God and themselves. The other group that might be offended are those mainstream Christians to who what I have written so far does not apply to. To you, I apologize, as I know that all people cannot be easily categorized into two distinct groups. To you people, I encourage you to encourage your brothers to take up their crosses, to strive for unity, to create a body of Christ that is full of people not ashamed of their brothers and sisters.
Talking to some of my brothers and sisters about what I have previously written has made me feel that there are a few additions I should cover.
One of these said issues of concern is that of legalism in relation to motive for following Christ’s commands. From what I have gathered, it appears that there might be another two groups of Christians. One that takes God’s commands seriously because they truly believe life will be better if they obey a good Gods commands. The other group, also follows his commands, but does so in a more legalistic manner. They seem to obey the rules because they have been raised under the rule that rules should be obeyed. The first group bases decisions on a defined and concrete truth; measuring the outcome of every decision they can make in a given situation. The second group, subject to the authority of the rules themselves, views each situation as two distinct choices—obey or not obey the rules set before them. Obeying in no means is the problem I have with this but doing so just because it is a rule set by man or otherwise is. If a rule is your conviction, when the rule changes, so then does your belief. The first group is bound by the constraints of a constant defined truth that dictates a concrete right and wrong, while the other is bound to personal laws that are subject to change.
Another issue of concern applies more to the group I have before called “secularized.” Although this clearly does affect all believers, I feel it hits us harder in a certain spot. What can we, as believers, do to change, to devote our lives (in their entirety) to the perfect creator? Or a better question…what should we do? We should be able to put our own desires aside, giving them up for a greater eternal pleasure. Can we do this? I don’t believe we can, but in attempting to turn ourselves aside we put Christ in control. And “we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us (Philippians 4:13). We can’t force ourselves to be better, but we can allow Christ to work through us to further better us. That is what we should do and also that is what I believe we can do. It sounds easier than it is though. What does any of this look like? That is something I plan on trying to explore.
I attempted to accomplish the above and am sad to admit that I did fail miserably. I may have been able to change my ways for a day or two, but that is not sincere and does not carry a life altering power. What was the problem? I though I had a bad one, but as I thought about it I realized that I might not have been in as bad of shape as I had originally thought. Maybe failing at this attempt wasn’t even a problem at all. The main concern might just be the attitude that it produced. I don’t think we all have a switch that determines what part of ourselves we are going to give to God at any certain time. We can’t just flip the switch on one night and become super Christians. As much as I was excited to step out of my comfort zone and try to flip this switch on, I quickly found a problem—there was no switch at all. To become fully devoted to God is not something we can change instantly in one night. The bible teaches that whatsoever we sow that also will we reap. If we want to be fully devoted to God, in every aspect of our life, it is something that we have to work at each day of our lives. Like a farmer, we have to nurture the seeds (which are our desires) to grow into what God would want them to be instead of what we would want them to be. Just like a field of corn does not grow overnight, nor will a field of devotion. My mistake was in hoping for a light switch change, where I could sit down and turn my devotion from off to on in one swift movement. The truth is, that in the few days that I was really trying, I was planting and nurturing my seeds that will eventually grow into something I can see. We might all want a light switch relationship with God but just like it is easy to turn the switch on, also will it be easy to turn it off. Growing our spirit and our souls might not be the most enjoyable experience, but it is something we are called to do and is something we should want to strive to do. If god was willing to give the life of His son for us, we should be equally willing to give our life (that is not really ours in the first place) in an equal manner. So maybe I didn’t really fail miserably, maybe I just started down the long road of spiritual maturity. Right now, it might not seem like fun, but I do eagerly await to see what the results might be.

Aging

Another ring on the trunk of the tree
time is passing, we're growing old,
oh the longings, can we be free?
the future is coming but still we grow cold
the past only do we love
scared of the coming day
still the warmth from the one above
we know is with us, forever to stay
please Lord, please be near
take my heart, remove my fear


ALSO MY NEXT POST WILL BE A REALLY LONG ONE BUT I HOPE YOU ALL HAVE THE PATIENCE TO READ IT

Drive Me

Drive me faster
but please slow down
where are we going?
dont tell me now
help me hold on
to know your plan
your taking me somewhere
but still i cant wait
your will it is perfect
i am just a passenger
take me your way
and make me be patient today
waiting on you
my heart it is longing
but my mind is numb
comfort and mold me
in just the right way.

Mini Tour

Hey Guys,

I just got back from mini tour so I am really tired. I have something I wrote that I will post a little later in the night but I just wanted everyone to know that I am still alive and keeping up on my blogging! thanks all

These Scars are Only Love

Oh Lord,
Why is it so hard to be honest to you?
I lie to myself, I treat you the fool.
You know my all
Hear my thoughts, words, my attitudes.
You see it all
But still I hide
Convinced of my deception
The Fool I am cries
“you wont know it for it is mine”
Oh my sorrow, help me trust
To use you for my goodness
To seek your holy face.
Hiding in failures
I only grow worse
Build me up in you
Secure me in your holes
These scars are only love
Spilled for my poor soul
Help me not to hide
To know my failures as you do
And view them vile as do you
Give me your eyes
I want to know your will
Help me to be more like you
Throwing off all that I am
The need I have grows greater still
Secure me in your holes
These scars are only love.

Weekend

I will be on tour this weekend so dont expect any updates...but b4 i go here is something i wrote

Love is Lord of All

The world in constant change
Maintains a harmony,
And elements keep peace
Whose nature is to war.
The sun in car of gold
Draws forth the rosy day,
And evening brings the night
When Luna holds her sway.
The tides in limit fixed
Confine the greedy sea;
No waves shall overflow
The rolling field and lea.
And all this chain of things
In earth and sea and sky
One ruler holds in hand:
If Love relaxed the reigns
All things that now keep peace
Would wage continual war
And wreck the great machine
Which unity maintains
With motions beautiful.
Love, too, holds people joined
By sacred bond of treaty,
And weaves the holy knot
Of marriage's pure love.
Love promulgates the laws
For friendship's faithful bond.
O happy race of men
If Love who rules the sky
Could rule your hearts as well!

--Boethius
The Consolation of Philosophy

The Sad State of the World

This post is going to be quick since I am running off to work, but I promised to post so I will!

Over the past two days I have come to realize the sad state the world is in. I don't want this post to turn into a debate over prop 8, though if you want to debate that I would be more than willing to elsewhere. Apparently, the bible ends after Jude to a lot of people today. I have been told numerous times in the past 2 days that God doesn't judge because he is loving. I couldn't disagree more, God judges because God is Love. The bible clearly establishes that He is Love, and it clearly states he judges (COME ON READ REVELATION.) If he didn't ever judge there would be no "judgement day and no heaven or hell.

Also, It appears that believing in a truth that is concrete, not relative makes you a "close minded bigot" and a "hypocrite." To me, it seems that todays society pushes a relative idea of truth, and by believing it, to me it appears that is being closed minded. And if I am a bigot for backing christian principles, then I am fine with it, your definition of bigot is incorrect and I will take it as praise. By your logic, both Jesus and Paul were bigots. That is a group I would not be ashamed EVER to be associated with.

I have also been told that discriminating is always wrong. Those who know me will be familiar with my position on the issue and familiar with my example. Discrimination based on certain things, ethnicity, sex, and other things such as that are wrong. (note how i am hesitant to use the word always even here) But think about this, you are the proud parent of a 2 year old daughter. You want to go on a date with your spouse so you begin to search for a babysitter for the night. Two people show up at your door willing to take the job. One is a 45 year old man, who you recognize as having been a registered sex offender. The other person who shows up happens to be a 19 year old college student attending a prestigious college in the area. Based on the fact that you should never discriminate, you would have to flip a coin for who gets the job. You can't say that the teenage girl is likely going to be a better baby sitter, that would be going against everything you believe-- you are discriminating...how dare you?! I hope you realize how crazy that is.

Time to Go...but GOD IS LOVE (you will understand why i say that after my next post so check back)

Life From A Dying Savior

I will post something of my own later today, but this was emailed to me today and I liked it so here it is.

"Nothing puts life into men like a dying Savior. All other topics in Holy Scripture are important, and none of them are to be cast into the shade. But the death of the Son of God is the central sun of all these other minor luminaries. May this house be utterly consumed with fire before the day should come here when there should be given an uncertain sound about the atonement. This is not merely a doctrine of the church; it is the doctrine of the church. Leave this out, and you have no truth, you have no Savior, and you have no church."--Charles Spurgeon

A Prayer for Man

Oh my God,
I need thee now
Here in this hour, this place
Give me a mouth to speak your words
Ears to hear your voice
And a heart willing to do both
But also Lord,
Give me more than words,
A life that shows so much more,
To demonstrate your love,
Not for me, but through me.
The watching world waits,
How will I act?
Not my will, but yours.
They don’t need me,
But I need them.
Help them be my passion,
While you, my obsession.
To your name be the glory,
Forever and ever
Amen.

A Prayer for Wisdom

Oh Great God,
Why have you gone to such great lengths to hide yourself,
Your creation is all around. you the master,
Why not claim your work, sign nature, remove all doubt,
Why make us live, seek, learn to love?
You created us, so why not shape us, mold us completely?
I fear the trials, hold my hand, make me move,
I don’t want to live this life but have you live it for me.
Could it really be, that this most blatant curse
Is secretly your greatest gift to me,
That I may live, live by me, through and for you?
Make me wise
Help me find joy in correction
Make me realize you are working
Making me grow, changing my will
This is my desire
To grow in the knowledge of you
To apply it, to grow wise
To be a light to the lost
To know how to lend a hand
To mend the broken heart
To give a caring word
To be like your son
Lord grant these things upon me
I am willing, the heart desires, the mind aches
Make me, break me, take me,
Now.

I'm Back

Well,  I am going to start blogging again since I have started writing again.  Mainly prayers but some other stuff as well.  Please leave feedback!

You make everything glorious....so what does that make me?

I realize that I have been slacking on blog posts....it is not that I am out of ideas but merely lacking time or I guess a real desire to write because I know this probably is never read.

Anyways...I was thinking the other day, why has the general institution of science not abandoned Anatomy/Physiology as part of the key sciences. It seems to completely contradict everything that I have learned through my studies in biology and chemistry. No big bang theory and no theory of evolution. To be honest my teacher isn't really the best, but I've learned something from the class that I did not expect to learn coming in and I know it's not the teachers intent for his students to learn this. I have learned how really amazing God can be. The human body and the way it reacts is so much more complex than I could have imagined. To think that everything could have happened by chance is not imaginable. Many of the things that our body does has been imitated in machinery that is just now coming out. If it has taken man this long to replicate what God has done, how can man go back and say that it all happened by chance? It is a shock that scientist can look at this and still be turned away from a intelligent creator. It isn't something I could understand but I would be willing to hear their opinions on the matter.

All I have is words, to which I am a slave, hoping they'll save me but im lost, oh im so lost.

I was considering writing a few things in the post, i was encouraged to post by Akersh, he even gave me some good ideas that I will cover in the future.

I guess basically to start, I will tell a little story.

There I was one the same stage that I was on almost exactly a year ago. The same church, and almost the same amount of people in the audience....To me it seemed almost the same as last year. I felt the same, a year older but really not much different...did anything actually change. Well in the second to last song I started thinking (mind you not the best thing to do while trying to sing) but I realized...I wasn't the same...I was indeed more mature, but not in the way many people would believe. This was not maturity in the way most people would say, I was hardly any more ready to live life on my own then I was a year earlier. This maturity was my own maturity...a maturity in my OWN faith that I had found and made mine....

Going on a mission trip this summer required me for my faith to be mine... my parents weren't there to defend what they believed...it was me, my mind and my bible. Yes, somethings that was taught on this trip were not true, and being bombarded by them required me to have my own faith that I could fall on in any situation.

This is the point where my heart breaks. Kids(using the term to mean older kids) today never seem to really grasp their own faith. They are so indoctrinated by their parents that they take things for granted. Not an attack against parents but a faith based on parents and not a strong personal and biblical connection will fall under the lightest of persecution. It is heartbreaking to see how many teens who were devoted Christians lose a grasp of their faith upon receiving opposition from college professors who are set to break them and have the information to support everything they say. This being said I really do encourage our generation to truly grasp our own faith, each our own, and hold it... do not falter when opposition strike because it will. Know what is true, believe it is true, live what is true.