Twelve Reasons for Christmas

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1. "For this I was born and for this I have come into the world, to bear witness to the truth." (John 18:37)
2. "The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil." (1 John 3:8; cf. Hebrews 2:14-15)
3. "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick; I came not to call the righteous, but sinners." (Mark 2:17)
4. "The Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost." (Luke 19:10)
5. "The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." (Mark 10:45)
6. "God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons." (Galatians 4:5)
7. "For God so loved the world that whoever believes on him shall not perish but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world but that the world through him might be saved." (John 3:16).
8. "God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him." (1 John 4:9; cf. John 10:10).
9. "The saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners." (1 Timothy 1:15).
10. "Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is spoken against . . . that the thoughts of many may be revealed" (Luke 2:34f).
11. "He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed." (Luke 4:18)
12. "Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God's truthfulness, in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy." (Romans 15:7-8; cf. John 12:27f).
http://www.desiringgod.org/resource-library/taste-see-articles/twelve-reasons-for-christmas

Shortest Blog

A girl with a dream but a Jesus with a different plan.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make your paths straight Proverbs 3:5-6

Be Giving!

I didnt edit it because this was a simple AIM convo I had but wanted to share some thoughs.

A Friend (10:58:51 PM): tell me something the Lord has been teaching you lately?
A Friend (10:59:04 PM): something other than what’s on your blog bc I already read that. :)
Jen (10:59:10 PM): hahah
Jen (10:59:21 PM): i was going to say well u can read my blog bahaha
A Friend (10:59:25 PM): lol
A Friend (10:59:28 PM): gotcha!
Jen (10:59:44 PM): Well I was just about to write a new blog
Jen (10:59:51 PM): so i will tell ya about that
A Friend (11:00:21 PM): alrighty
Jen (11:02:23 PM): Well today was a really hard day for me because I don't have my rent money and ive been praying for the Lord to provide and well as of now nothing has changed. I was mad because I was like God I trusted you and I have given to other and I need you. I was down and thinking
Jen (11:03:10 PM): life is so hard and drinking and doing drugs made me not worry about it but that is not the answer.
Jen (11:04:13 PM): As Christian we say all the time when people are need. I will pray for you when we can easly make a difference.
Jen (11:05:14 PM): We are called help each pther, pray for each other and give. It should never be about me it should always be in what way can I show this person the love of christ
Jen (11:05:28 PM): How can I help this person?
Jen (11:06:37 PM): And we dont hardly do a good enough job. We walk by homeless ppl every day and say there probably going to use the money i could give them on beer so why should I give
Jen (11:07:51 PM): We are not called to ask what is this money going for or why. But we should say this is a blessing from God and pray they do the right thing. I have been turned out by many Christians lately by there selfish nature.
Jen (11:08:51 PM): When did Jesus say I could heal you but im tired. I could feed you but i rather buy new shoes or a new computer or an ipod.
Jen (11:09:37 PM): Jesus was a man of action and prayer and I say we need to be people of action for Christ and step it up and do work in Jesus name.
Jen (11:09:39 PM): The end
A Friend (11:11:34 PM): Jesus was also a man who told the disciples to wipe the dust off their feet and not throw pearls before swine. He was balanced and called his followers to be good stewards of all that was given to them, even the Gospel message.
A Friend (11:11:41 PM): Thats a great lesson Jen.
A Friend (11:11:49 PM): And a hard one. :) which means is a good one
A Friend (11:12:32 PM): i think often about that pastor we are friends with in India and how he cares for a household of orphans and widows and no one provides for them
A Friend (11:13:06 PM): and here we are in the lap of luxury. God calls us to give out of our need as well as our abundance.
A Friend (11:14:22 PM): I know I need God to sanctify that area of my life.
A Friend (11:15:46 PM): "But we should say this is a blessing from God and pray they do the right thing." God reminds me of this often when my husband throws money out the window to homeless people. He says it aint yo money in the first place. :_
A Friend (11:16:01 PM): lol God knew I needed to marry a giver
Jen (11:19:07 PM): It just hurts me so much to see such selfishness you know. I am selfish myself but I know that I would give someone the shirt off my back and my very last penny know questions if the Lord said so and I think that people tend tro make excuses. The Lord will bless people who give and the Lord wll provide for those who help others. Even thought at this moment I am worrying about how I will pay rent my phone bill and for food. I know that the Lord is alreeady working on it. I have been on my knees seeking him and asking the Lord to show me anything I need to see. and this was it. Nothing is ours so why walk around acting like we own anything.
A Friend (11:22:04 PM): yup you are right
A Friend (11:22:45 PM): just remember when you get frustrated to be graceful, and if possible use it as an opportunity to exhort your fellow brother and sisters in Christ.
Jen (11:25:47 PM): We deserve death and have so much more and I just pray that I will be grateful in all things and will never turn my back on the people who need me. Every morning I wirte a list of 10 things I am thankful for and it has given me a thankful heart and this afternoon while sitting here crying I remembered that I forgot to write my list and be thankful that even if i was to get kicked out of my apartment tonight it would be ok.

For the Love of God

A Christian should never feel alone when surrounded by a bunch of fellow Christians. This is a call for all Christians to step it up and to be there for one another. This pass semester hasnt been the hardest of my life, with classes, church and family problems. I don’t know how many times I just needed someone to talk to or someone to just tell me to focus on Christ and everything would be ok.
I thought about ending it all I mean I didn’t try to kill myself but I sat there and thought about it. The first day I called 10 people and sent out texts not one person asked what was going. They sent me I’m busy texts back or others didn’t even answer their phones but instead went about their lives.
Being where I came from those few years ago a life on the street, in the clubs and partying, I walked away from all of that but since it hasnt been easy. As a Christian, we are called to love one another and I honestly have not felt the love.
In addition, if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing. 1 cor 13:3
Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor; Rom 12:10
The one who loves his brother abides in the Light and there is no cause for stumbling in him. 1 John 2:10
Recently I have started going to bars and clubs and hanging with lost people. Not that I have done anything wrong because I have not gotten drunk or even drank nor have I lusted after new looking guys but I have started going out because non- Christians are the ones calling me up. It could be Satan trying to tempt me but my question for you is why are lost people more loving and kind to me than people who are fighting the same fight as I. Why do I feel like I could call up a lost friend and say hey I need to talk and they listen when my Christian friends are to busy. Why do lost people constantly call me to hangout or at least to see how I am but Christians who claim to be my friends have no idea that I was sitting in the bathroom thinking about cutting my wrist? My lost professor is hugging me because I feel like a complete failure but my friends from church tell me to suck it up.
Am I the only one who sees a problem here? Why would any non-believe want to be a Christian when his/her non-believing friends care about them more then we do. It is a mess and we need to work on it as a whole to put a stop to it. These surprise parties and these invitations only gatherings need to stop. They make people feel bad and feel left out. I personally have a good amount of friends and have felt like crap when someone calls post or me on face book about a party or a get together that I was not included in. We need to take responsibility; the excuse that I don’t invite anyone is lame and not healing the hurt feelings. If you don’t invite people maybe you should start. The other day I talk to a new believer and she told me “Jen I rather just go out and party and stop going to BCM, I don’t feel welcomed and the cliques aren’t taking new members.” I am not saying as Christians we need to be best friends with everyone because I will honestly say here and now that I don’t like everyone but I love everyone and I want to be there for everyone. We can love others because Christ loved us first so let us start living that.
The other day I post a face book status and it made me see first hand what people thought about Christians.
　
Jennifer Sims Just feels so burdened over sin and the lost. What are us Christians doing for the world.And this is what a non-believer sees.
bad things Christians are doing for the world
1. halting US research on embryonic stem cells

3. sending bibles to Muslim countries in their native language, to be passed out by US military service men in their "off time" putting our men and women in further danger. This is a crime punishable by death in certain areas.
4. Christian groups are funding web development to change google results for the subject on evolution

good things Christians are doing:
1. Feeding the poor
2. Rebuilding villages.

It is my opinion the bad out weighs the good, the all the good that is done could be done by the same people without giving money to these organizations to buy politicians and further their agendas
Not that I agree with everything he says but that’s sad that to the outside world we look like this.
The other day while at the mall with a couple of friends who are on church college leadership were asking people what Christmas meant a lady responded with a
“You Christians are so closed minded, you think that you are the only people who matter and if we don’t believe what you do were bad people” [paraphrased]
We need to step it up. We need to get out of our little bubbles though it is hard and love on some people who feel unloved or even hated by us. If I feel like this with the people, I know I just wonder and fear how people feel that know no one. Remember it is not about us or what we feel comfortable doing it’s about peoples souls and the Love of Christ. Sorry but I had to put that out there.

and Joy Comes in the Morning......

Jennifer Sims
Leadership Journal
Should be sleeping but a thousand things run through my head and seeing that I have not written a blog in a while I will share some of my many thoughts. I friend of mine pointed me to a verse this past week that reads This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. 1 John 5:3-5. What does this mean in my life? In the past week I have had many struggles, much heartache and so many doubts. I felt incapable to do anything and then I realized I cannot do anything on my own. BBBS carnival was Saturday, Wednesday through Friday I couldn’t eat, didn’t sleep and could hardly control my emotions. I was fighting a battle by myself that I didn’t have to fight alone. I wanted to break down and cry I was most definitely ready to give up and call it quits but the little voice inside my head saying hold on Jen I am with you can alive. Friday morning I stopped I allowed myself to understand the truth about the situation, when you put your all into it with full heart and care sometimes you got to let go. In Luke 19:17 “he said to him, ‘Well done, good servant! Because you have been faithful in a very little, you shall have authority over ten cities.’” I was faithful in every part of the project I had my hand on and now it was up to the class.
Often I put a reasonability on myself that its all about me and if I don’t pull through than no one will and everyone will look and at me and said you failed me. I saw that you can not fall short or fail anyone but yourself. A person is not responsible for everyone’s feels but we are responsible for the way we talk to others and the amount of work we put in. I gave it my all and then some this week so I have walk away feeling pretty good about what happened, but I don't.
This week I have found out that in trying to look good and trying to work hard I lost what the point of serving is. Serving is to work to help or work along someone else for the other party not your self, not for the glory you get from doing watever you go but the joy of loving someone like Christ loved me first.

This week my life has looked crazy from the outside but no one real got to see the inside.
" When it rains it pours only on my head."

I just wanted to say thank you for just meeting with me for that hour today. You don't know how much of a blessing and encouragement it is to me to just listen to you talk. I think everything may just be ok with some prayer and slowing down. I think I have been spending so much time proving to others that I'm good enough or that I've changed from that drunk girl in a bar that I lost the true meaning and the every day blessings of life. I hope that won't be our only coffee date! I appreciate you and I am thankful for you. May the Lord keep blessing you and allow you to continue to bless others.
Love
Jen

 

" When it rains it pours but the Awesome thing is that God makes the rain and brings the thunder and then clears it all up with a rainbow. God is good all the time!"

 

God speaks through people, God put you on others hearts and God id love and truth. Praise the Lord you spoke to me through a few people and so I will press on knowing there will be rainbows on that final day.

 

I could feel those prayers. I am pretty sure I passed my class after just checking my scores. I will have to take the class again but I will be able to stay in school. Praise the Lord. Now to only to figure out how I am going to pay my rent and all that fun stuff with nothing in the bank :) By the way thanks for being so honest with me today! A good slap in the face by the truth is always great!