What is my motive?

There are many things that we see today that are culturely accepted but not always is it biblical right. We were talking about samson a few days ago in Old Testament HisStory (OTH). How you can see the carnality in Samson the way he viewed his marriage and his gambling. This proposed the question on whether or not gambling is biblically a sin or not. We had about a half an hour class dicussion on gambling and when it becomes sin and ssome other cultural issues that we as christians just automatically think is a sin because our culture accepts it. Like, movies, clothes, music, alcholic drinks, language,...etc.

The big thing is alocholic beverages. In and of its self the liquid is not a bad thing. Beer, wine or any cooler is okay to drink. To have a cup of wine with a special meal, That's okay! I would do it if I was the legal age and I know of people who do. I'm not saying that because they do it makes okay but to point out a fact. Not if you were to give a bunch of alochol to a girl/boyfriend to consume for the simple reason of getting them to sleep with you, that is where it becomes sin. It's not the action in drinking the alochol that was a sin but the motive or reason for consuming it that was sin. God does say not to get drunk on wine and this would be something that we should take into considerstion when wondering how far is to far. Our teacher drew us a picture:

If you were to place your clothing style, movies, music or favorite books into this diagram, where would it stand before God?

Why is it a sin? Because it falls bellow God's standards! God has standards for a reason. They are not just there to mae out lives miserable or because God doesn't want us to have fun. Heck no!! God made things for us to enjoy, IF we will listen and follow to the standards that has been made with our best intrest and safty in mind! God cares a WHOLE lot for us! When he says something He's not joking around, that's why there are consequences for our actions, our sin needs to be delt with.

Just something that's been on my mind that I thought I'd share!!

God, Where are you?

Look at the world around you. Does it seem like God is there? All the wars and blood shed that has happened in the past, the thefts that happen daily and the little white lies that snow-ball into a huge lie. You wonder where it all started. You parents might be working their way towards a divorce and it feels like the world is about to end. I know what it’s like. My parents don’t have the greatest relationship either. It really starts to change the way that I view God and what He can do. I immediately put Him into this box and then wonder why He won’t do the things He said He can. He says He’s a loving and compassionate, all-powerful, unchanging God. I immediately ask, if He is so living than why would He cause such a thing as divorce to ever exist or why does the boyfriend have to break up with me now. I was hurt by both, within the same month. The emotion that was there was dragging me down. It was all I ever thought about I had out a lot of trust and faith into my parents and the boyfriend and then suddenly it was gone. The wall of comfort had fallen. I didn’t see God anywhere

God has told us all through out the bible, time and time again, that He is unchanging and that He is with us and promised to never leave.

While the Israelites were wondering through the desert they were wondering where God was and why they had to leave the wonderful place of Egypt. There they had shelter, good food and were enslaved but they didn’t pay much attention to that. I want to show you where God has given us His characteristics and how they played apart in the Israelites lives.

1. The Israelites as slaves in Egypt (Exodus 5)
a. Making bricks with out straw (Exodus 5:5-13)
2. Crossing of the Red Sea (Exodus 15)
a. Pharaoh’s chariots charge after them (Ex. 15:4)
b. God is right by me (Joshua1:5)
3. Israelites are hungry (Exodus 16)
a. They only ate manna (Exodus 16:35)

In the days when God doesn't seem present, when things are tougher than you can handle, I can trust in His word. Knowing that when He says that I can trust in Him, I can actually trust Him.God doesn’t joke around with things like these. He doesn’t say anything with out meaning it. I have talked to many people and starting to realize that we can take God at His word. We don’t need and shouldn’t reread into anything that God has said to me. I’m learning more and more as I look at God’s word how reliable and true He really is