Why I believe in God (another Testimony)

I believe in God...

Because of the things he's carried me through.

Various deaths, depression, low self-esteem, pornography addiction and homosexual thoughts.

And where He's brought me.

Boldness, a growing self-esteem and confidence, understanding of my gifts; understanding of how because I went through the many things that I did, I am able to guide and help others through the same things if I will just be bold and not let a selfish lack of courage leave those still going through it in the dark.

Through it He's strengthened my ties to Him..

Every time I cried out to Him for strength I submitted a bit more of me to His will. A little bit more of me was given to Him (sometimes it was like pulling teeth, and sometimes it was in awe of something He had already done) and in return a bit more of Him was given to me.
As God gave more of His spirit to me, He taught me more about the person I was created to become. He taught me that no matter how hard I try to "find myself", without Him it will only end in frustration and a larger gap between us..

Through it He's built me up...

Psalm 119:67 David writes, "Before I was afflicted, I went astray, but now Your word do I keep [hearing, receiving, loving, and obeying it]."

That's what He's doing in me. He allows me to go through things so that I can grow through them. Before He allowed me to make the wrong decisions, I was naive and only did the right things because I was afraid of what would happen if my parents found out, or how people would judge, or just because I had been told it was wrong. While other things were just gray area, I simply did not know, I couldn't find how they were definitely wrong but also couldn't find how they could be right.
After these things occurred, I had to learn for myself what God says. I had to develop an ear to hear him when he says "Don't do that". I had to develop methods to use that would help me avoid bad habits and abort the seed that would birth sin at first sight.

God exposes His people to battle so that they can understand the enemy's tactics.

As I'm noting this and writing this down I'm still being shaped and molded and will continue to be so in the future until the day I die, but there is that hope that each day will be brighter than the last. And through what I've already experienced, I know that His likeness will be found more present within me every day. So I'm going to keep hoping and staying faithful, He's working.

Almost Saved: Check out p4cm.com and Tangle.com for videos that push christ!

Sorry for the wait.

Dude, my computer was messed up so I sent it to apple and its fixed. Cool? Haha I hope so.

On another note, i can't afford it right now due to a college budget and I don't know if I'd want to spend my money on clothes when there are so many better things it can go to ( I'm thinking about funding a legacy scholarship for invisible children, www.invisiblechildren.com).. BUT if you're looking for Christian clothing: c28.com, p4cm.com, and you can find more if you search on google. But yea, DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT ENDORSE ALL OF THEIR CLOTHING, so don't talk to me about being outraged..just don't buy it.

Anyways, it's random I know, but enjoy and I'll be back with more.

Enjoy this clip of the lifehouse skit "Everything".

A Note on that last note.

Also, Let's stop attempting to trick God. Who is He that He can be tricked by His creation?? That is the dumbest belief that many hold, and says a lot about our egos as human beings. You might be thinking "That's dumb, I'd never do that!" O yea? How about all the times you've tried to teeter totter on doing anything that's not specifically listed as a sin?? He knows what He's convicted you about, so when you reach the pearly gates and He asks you "Why did you (insert issue here)?" And you say "But God, you didn't write that down as a sin!" And He says "You're right, but I gave you My Spirit and specifically told you that was wrong EVERY TIME YOU DID IT! But you disobeyed Me.."

How dumb are you gonna look then. How will you feel? Will you wish you didn't try to just get in to Heaven? I'm not saying you'll be dropped into the inferno, but I am saying that's for you decide if you want to disobey Him or not. When you live on the edge, it's easy to get pushed over. Instead of trying to trick Almighty God who knows all things and hearts, why not strive to be as close to Him as we can possibly be in this life? Instead of seeking "not to sin", why don't we seek to be pure and holy and blameless before Him? I can guarantee you that when you do that, those sins that held you down before never will have the same power over you! Now, you will never be perfect. But you can strive for perfection, strengthening your relationship with your Heavenly Teacher and Guide on the way!


Just stop thinking you're smarter than God. You're not. Game Over.

In Christ,
Ryan

P.S.
(Just for an example, who will be a better athlete? He who strives to be the best on the team, or he who strives to be the best ever? Reach higher.)

Be a Doer of the Word.. No more 'lukewarm' Christians!

James 1:22 (Amplified Bible),

"..But be doers of the Word [obey the message], and not merely listeners to it, betraying yourselves [into deception by reasoning contrary to the Truth]. 23 For if anyone only listens to the Word without obeying it and being a doer of it, he is like a man who looks carefully at his [own] natural face in a mirror; 24 For he thoughtfully observes himself, and then goes off and promptly forgets what he was like.
25 But he who looks carefully into the faultless law, the [law] of liberty, and is faithful to it and perseveres in looking into it, being not a heedless listener who forgets but an active doer [who obeys], he shall be blessed in his doing (his life of obedience)."

Be a doer of the Word! This is relevant because SO MANY have been tricked, through the american culture's turning away from Christian values, into simply claiming Christianity though not actually living a Christian life. Sometimes they claim Jesus as their savior just for fire-protection and do not actually live, or truly make an effort to live, the life that Jesus commanded us to live. This transforms their claims of Jesus as their Lord and Savior into vanity, as God knows our hearts and plans to bring those who LOVE Him up to Heaven. Matt. 7:21-23 states
"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' 23 And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'"
You cannot use Jesus simply for FIRE-PROTECTION!!! YOU CAN'T USE GOD JUST FOR PROTECTION FROM HELL!! YOU CANNOT USE JESUS SIMPLY FOR FIRE PROTECTION!!

That must be emphasized. If you don't want him, then GO! Why even worry about Jesus if its simply for appearances or to give you a warm and fuzzy feeling inside? If you're gonna be lukewarm, then you better go out and drink yourself into debt, be loose with whoever you want and completely disobey Him. Maybe then you'll finally realize how much you TRULY TRULY TRULY NEED HIM in life as well as death. And hopefully you'll have enough time left to flee from your lusts and jump into His arms by then!

Now! That was just for emphasis and to get you to understand the point. No, I don't want you to be "heathens" or anything like that, not my intent. Just understand that because you say "Lord, Lord" does not save you from the second death, so move beyond that! Get past it! God calls us to be servants of His divine will, to trust Him that He is not out to destroy those who love Him, and that He loves you MORE than you could ever love Him or comprehend. So give Him your all, because He gives you His. This is an eternal marriage, that WILL not work the way we do marriage nowadays in the world (41% of first marriages end in divorce). Remember that He abides in those who love Him, and even defines it in John 14:23, "Jesus answered and said to him, 'If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.'"

SO.. OBEDIENCE IS THE KEY! Do not be like the man who "looks carefully at his [own] natural face in a mirror; 24 For he thoughtfully observes himself, and then goes off and promptly forgets what he was like." The constant observance of the Word is to expose your flaws, that you may understand and with God's aid (He won't allow you to successfully do anything without Him, bc your pride would swell up) fix it to continue the perfection process. Remember that the Word is the light used to expose the hidden dark places! It is your mirror to see that spinach stuck in your teeth after lunch, and that pimple in the middle of your forehead. If we could see in the spirit and not the physical, you best believe we would be in the bible and worshipping Him at every hour of the day like we're in the mirror and at the gym,etc. Remember also, just like if you don't check your teeth after you eat, if you don't check yourself in the Word the hidden things will be exposed one way or another. Either you can expose them between you and God, and fix them... Or you can be publicly exposed and embarrassed the next time you smile.

Take this Word and do something with it!
This is meant in completely Love and In Christ,
Ryan

Oh Well

This is only a piece of the song, but get this album Lions & Liars and share it with your friends! It really goes hard, get it.

SPRING HAS SPRUNG.

You know what that means... (drumroll please)


Booty shorts.



Yes, you do have eyes. And yes, you will see them everywhere.

SO...
Don't look twice. NO SECOND GLANCES! Stare at the sky and think WWJD.
Seriously.

Ryan

Grace

(cont') So this all led up to this Mountains and valleys understanding. (It's all summed up in the comment on this post in case this is confusing)

After all this (concluding with the testimony), I was spiritually (and physically) exhausted. I was so completely tired, that I did not want to get out of bed in the morning. I was somewhat in a depressed state and was yelling in my head "Agh God take me now!" I was in sweats daily and I'm not gonna lie, was not feeling like going to classes at all.

But the Lord kept on telling me that this isn't gonna last forever, and I knew that if I'm going through it, then there is something I need to learn from it. (Mom always says, "Don't go through it, grow through it.")

So, after bible study that thursday, my two friends and study leaders (get to be friends with yours!) went to IHOP. To my surprise, I wasn't the only one feeling drained (you're usually not, it's just that everyone likes to keep their business to themselves), but after a pep talk from one of the leaders, I was temporarily recharged.

I was up and down for a couple of days when I decided to call my grandma to tell her what was going down, and she said something extremely profound, "Well Ryan, you know, you just had a mountaintop experience. There's always a valley after those.." Thank God for old folks!

That reminded me of 1 Kings 19 where after the prophet Elijah created a 3 year drought, called down God's fire from Heaven, called the rain to come back to the land and had all the prophets of Baal destroyed in the name of God, he ended up exhausted and praying under a tree that he might die! "I've had enough, Lord... take my life, I am no better than my ancestors."

If that happened to Elijah, the only prophet to be lifted up to heaven in a whirlwind, then WHY OH WHY would that NOT happen to me?!?


That's the thing, prepare yourself, bc on the journey you WILL get tired and lose strength. However, in that same story, we gain hope that God will REVIVE us.



1 Kings 19:5 "Then he lay down under the tree and fell asleep.

All at once an angel touched him and said, 'Get up and eat.' He looked around, and there by his head was a cake of bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again.

The angel of the LORD came back a second time and touched him and said, 'Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you.' So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God. There he went into a cave and spent the night."

He will restore you and preserve your strength so don't worry.

---

--This part doesn't really mesh as well with what I was just talking about, but it is a great message, so I encourage you to read it.--

And the word of the LORD came to him: “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

10He replied, “I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”

11The LORD said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by.”

Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. 12After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. 13When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.

Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

14He replied, “I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”

15The LORD said to him, “Go back the way you came, and go to the Desert of Damascus. When you get there, anoint Hazael king over Aram. 16Also, anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to succeed you as prophet. 17Jehu will put to death any who escape the sword of Hazael, and Elisha will put to death any who escape the sword of Jehu. 18Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and all whose mouths have not kissed him.”

Note: when you're exhausted, you will feel alone, but you really aren't. However, the Lord will make provisions. Next in the story, Elisha becomes Elijah's mentee until the Lord takes Elijah up into the sky.

God Bless,
Hit me up or comment with questions
Ryan

On that last post:

Alright, so real lyfe (yes, "lyfe." its a theme.) application.

As I stated earlier in that Witnessing post, spring break was a real turning point in my walk with Christ. Actually this whole semester has been, this whole school year has been actually, so this would be recent turning point #3. But anyways, Spring break was ridiculous!

I don't know if I also stated it earlier, but the reason I had to get a ride from 'Somalia' to the airport is because Momma (grandma on dad's side, Rest In Peace) had passed over into God's care a week earlier, and her funeral was the first saturday of spring break. I was on a roll with the Lord up to this point and after this. I was truly learning the importance of prayer and had just started a campus wide prayer ministry with a couple friends (btw it is a great idea to become good friends with your bible study leaders if you want to stay strong in your walk with Christ), I was in my bible ALL DAY (during lunch time, any free time I had, I spent an entire weekend just studying the Word and going to church), I joined the Praise & Worship team at church, and was just praying and working to show love all day.

Now, hearing of Momma's death jumped started me to be even more on fire for the Lord. I was actually in bible study at school (W.O.W. Thursdays at 8pm haha SHOUTOUT!) when my parents tried to call me the first time, but I missed the call. But when I heard the news, I didn't know how to react. I certainly was not sad or upset, I couldn't really understand why right then but a few hours later I learned that it was a mixture of things. 1) I felt like all I should be doing was rejoicing for her, because there is no doubt in my mind that she is kickin it with Jesus right now. And that's the comfort that loved ones get when they lose a godly man or woman in their life. 2) I feel like the Lord was keeping me, because He planned on using me through this experience, so I couldn't rest yet.

Whatever it was, this experience (and the inspiration I gained through seeing this woman die in love with God and working for His glory, I'll tell you how she did so later) put me in hyperdrive for the Lord. I was praying what I knew were powerful, spirit filled prayers for everyone; instead of simply encouraging others as I did before I now encouraged them in the name of Jesus, I was posting scripture on my door, buying books for friends, playing christian music in my dorm whenever I could, etc. I was working for the Lord and doing whatever he told me to do, like there was no tomorrow, because I also realized that there is a large possibility that at any time I could breathe my last breath. The Lord had added more tools and strengths to my arsenal.

Furthermore, throughout the break I had my grandma on my mother's side with us the whole break, and she is a straight up spiritual G. Haha that woman is the most spirit-filled person I have ever met in my life. So she played mentor and I learned about warfare and so many things such as how to anoint and to proclaim my faith etc. In addition, I did a three day fast, eating and drinking nothing but the Word of God the whole time, Matthew 4:4 "...man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God." So, it is extremely weird to say that all of this occurred in a week's time, but it did. God was building me up.

He continuously put me in situations to share my faith and be a light, leading up to the day (a week later) that Manhattan Christian fellowship was having a revival and a prophet was speaking (Prophet Forte). He gave me a word, and that night the Lord prompted me to post up that Testimonial note.

This note is getting extra long, so I'll continue on another post.

A MESSAGE TO ALL BELIEVERS.

This is necessary, so bear with me.

STAY IN THE WORD IF YOU WANT TO STAY TRANSFORMED!

After a few too many times of tip toeing away from the Word (whether it's because I'm too busy, schoolwork, tired, or just not making time for Him) and realizing that soon enough tip toeing equates to real steps, which will lead you to leaps if you're not careful, I've learned how necessary it is to make time for the Word as a First Priority. Trust me, you do not want to make leaps and bounds towards perfection in Christ only to rest a bit and find that the baby steps away pulled you back from reaching your full potential, if not back to where you were, or worse...

So, Stay in the Word! It's through His Words that you are transformed. Through the light shining on your hidden imperfections and insufficiencies do you understand where you need the Lord's help to change and become sufficient for His use.

In Christ,
M.O.G. 2010 to Lyfe!

Hold on! (school has me messed up!)

I'm coming up with the next post soon, busy with schoolwork.
Haha but until then...
WATCH THIS!



Pastor Justin keep on doing what you're doing. This stuff blessed me forreal.
#4 Got me messed up right now... WATCH OUT YALL!!