Meat or Milk?

Hebrews 5:12-14

For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. For every one that useth milk is unskillful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

When taken literally, this sounds...strange. But this is one not to be taken literally.

Instead of literal milk and meat, the author of Hebrews (probably Paul) uses these two elements to represent levels of understanding when it comes to Biblical and spiritual things.

Milk represents easier to swallow things, simpler things, more general things. Things such as: you are a light in a dark world.

Meat represents harder to chew things, more difficult, complex things. Things such as doctrinal things: did Christ die for the whole world or just for the elect?

This whole meat vs. milk thing if very important. The reason it is important is because if a new believer, or young believer, is immediately bombarded by difficult questions, their faith can be damaged or even destroyed by questions that they are simply not able to answer. But as you grow as a believer it is important that you are challenged by harder stuff - not too hard as to tear at your faith, but hard enough to force you to keep learning.

It's just like with many things in the world. You learn by being forced out of your comfort zone. You won't get anywhere if you just stay with what you know. In fact, you won't know anything that an infant doesn't know. You must be forced out of your comfort zone to learn anything.

Something too hard can discourage and oppress you, something too easy won't teach you anything. The balance in the middle is what we're looking for, and shooting for as we study God's word.

In Christ alone,

Buttercup

Yeah, it's gonna hurt...

I thought I had it all under control
I thought my fate was still in my hands
All of my plans were firmly set
By the words they I say
I forgot how quickly things can change
Now my vision can not be the same

(Chorus)
My life is not what I thought
I'm not where I planned to be
Though something's gone
There's nothing wrong with my changing world
Though something's gone
There's nothing wrong with my changing world

I need to let go of my destiny
I need to trust in things unseen
I believe in having faith
Though I yield my control
I forgot how quickly things can change
Now my vision can not be the same

(Chorus)
My life is not what I thought
I'm not where I planned to be
Though something's gone
There's nothing wrong with my changing world
Though something's gone
There's nothing wrong with my changing world

I'm embracing all of my fears
I am watching them turn to delight
The very fears which
Were gripping my mind
Are now the hands shaping and sculpting my dreams

(Chorus)
My life is not what I thought
I'm not where I planned to be
Though something's gone
There's nothing wrong with my changing world
Though something's gone
There's nothing wrong with my changing world

In my world
In my changing world
In my world
In my changing world

(http://www.christianlyricsonline.com/artists/kutless/changing-world.html)

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I've always liked this song. It's got great music, lyrics, voices are amazing...but...now I love it.

It's so true.

I thought I had it all under control....I need to let go of my destiny, I need to trust in things unseen.

My world is changing.

The highlight of my week is Sunday night Youth Group - I get to fellowship with my bestest friends. Those guys mean SO much to me. Now, with the approaching school year, things are changing - because the graduates are leaving.

D is moving away. A, C, and K are moving away. J is moving away. Another J isn't moving but won't be coming to Youth Group anymore. Another C will be leaving in the spring....That's half the youth group. And half of my best friends.

That hurts...ya know?

That section of my world is changing.

A year ago, it didn't occur to me that at some point, people would leave the youth group. I didn't even think of it. Honestly, I didn't think about it until our youth camp out that happened this May.

At camp, on the last day, Mr. W told us all to put our hands on the seniors - we were going to have a prayer time for them. It was sweet. Actually, it was really, really sad. We were all bawling. I couldn't STOP crying. I mean, here are those friends that mean the most to me, and...we're saying...goodbye.

At the moment, everyone staying, everything just remaining the same, seems best to me. But...that's not how life works.

We grow up. We change. Those around us change. Plans change. Life changes.

Starting soon, I will be the oldest teen in youth group. Dude, I remember when I was one of the YOUNGEST only two years ago. Now, I will be the one that the younger ones look up to. Not the one looking up to the older ones. My role in the group is changing.

I forgot how quickly things can change...

Yeah. Everyone leaving will be insanely hard, but you know what?

Romans 8:28 stands.

"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, for them who are the called according to His purpose."

God knows what's best. And He will work all things together for the good of those that love Him, and for His glory.

Easier said than done? Oh yeah. I'll be crying. I know I will. But tears are not forever. And neither is separation. Praise God, not only are these guys my best friends but also my brothers and sisters in Christ. I'll be with them forever worshiping our great, fantastic God.

God has a plan for each one of us. I believe that with all my heart. I don't know what those plans are, but I know that God will do what's best.

I can deal with the pain that comes before the sweet. But not on my own. Philippians 4:13 says that "I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me". Through Christ, I can do anything.

Now, "I will praise YOU in this storm!" (-Casting Crowns) Praising God through the hard times is both the hardest and most beautiful.

Yeah. It'll hurt. Bad. But God is always with me, my friends, and you if you trust in Him.

Giving HIM the glory through the storm,

Buttercup

Wishing you all...

...a very happy Valentine's day!

On this day, I encourage you to not only think of all those who love you and who you love, but also, who loves you way more than anyone else ever could! Jesus Christ!

No greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. - John 15:13

He loved us so much that He died for us. He loved YOU so much that He died for YOU.

True love is an emotion that can't stay contained. True love proves itself through actions. Follow Christ's example: This is my commandment, that ye love one another, as I have loved you. - John 15:12

In Christ alone,

Buttercup

Peer Pressure - good or bad?

Most of the time when you hear about peer pressure, you get this overwhelming feeling that something bad happened. Am I right? For most any age group, this is true. From the time that you are old enough to care what other people your age are doing, until you are too old to care.

Peers - "Friends, those in your same age group, those who influence you."*

Bad peer pressure -

Pressure coming from peers who influence you in a bad way. For example, peers who dress in a way that is immodest, and they tease and pressure you because you dress modestly. That sort of peer pressure influences you to do something that you believe is wrong. People who do that want to do one of two things, 1. lead you astray, 2. make you feel bad because you are different. When you give in to bad peer pressure, you might do, say, and/or think things that you would not have otherwise.

Good peer pressure -

Pressure coming from peers who influence you in a good way. For example, peers who read the Bible and pray daily, they encourage you to do the same because they know that it will help you grow as a believer and grow closer to God. That sort of peer pressure influences you to do something that is right. People who do that want to do one of two things, depending on your situation, 1. they want to lead you to Christ so that you will find your Savior and be saved from eternity in hell, 2. they want to help you learn and grow in Christ.

The number one way to receive good peer pressure and to avoid bad is to choose your friends wisely, choose friends who will influence you in good ways not bad. Also, you personally need to be alert, if you think that someone will try to influence you to do something bad, get away! It would be much better for you to avoid bad influence, then to try to stand against it.

"...be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might!" Ephesians 6:10.

In Christ alone,

Buttercup

*definition take from On The Rock, an AWANA ministries book.

Do Evolution and Human Beings contradict?

Believe it or not, this typed section below equals a written page. Doesn't look like it does it? lol.

I originally wrote this for my Journey book (in an AWANA club), but I liked it, so I wanted to share it. The topic is "why humans have souls and spirits, how we got them, and why we are superior to plants and animals." But I titled it "Do Evolution and Human Beings contradict" because if you believe that evolution is true, then you must believe that we evolved from animals, and therefore that we are nothing but animals. But if you realize that we are eternal beings, then you see that it contradicts the theory of evolution. Hope that makes sense. :) And I hope you like it.

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God created all nature, the water, the land, the sky, the trees, the plants, the grass; God created all animals, birds, sea creatures, land animals, insects; then God created man. Human beings are different from nature and animals in many ways, but the most important is that we were created in the image of God. "And God said, let us make man in our image, after our likeness..." (Genesis 1:26a) By creating us like unto Himself, God separated us from all the rest of His creation. Then He said "...and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth." (Genesis 1:26b) Giving us dominion over all of His creation was God's way of saying that we are special, we are greater than the rest of His creation.

"And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breathe of life; and man became a living soul." (Genesis 2:7) Being created in the image of God doesn't mean that we look like Him, it means that we have some (but not all) of the same attributes He does. Such as the ability to perceive beauty, understand emotions, and to tell right from wrong. But more importantly, we are eternal, unlike the animals, we will live forever. When animals and plants die, they cease to exist, but when a human being dies, he or she will go to heaven or hell depending on what choice they made during their life here on earth.

Don't you worry!

Luke 12:22-32

And He said unto His disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on. The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment. Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls? And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit? If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest? Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. If then God so clothe the grass, which is to say in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith? And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind. For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things. But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you. Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

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I read this today in my Bible reading, and although I've read it many times before (not always in Luke), it comforts me. Jesus says that we shouldn't worry about having clothes to wear, or food to eat, for He will provide for all our needs. He may not provide for all our wants but He will provide for all our needs. He talks about the ravens, how they do not store any food, yet they are fed year-round. He talks of the lilies of the field, flowers, how they don't work to make clothes, but they are clothed even greater than King Solomon. He talks of the grass, which lives for a little while, but then is burned, and yet while it is still alive, it is clothed beautifully.

So, Jesus said, don't worry about what you will eat or wear or anything at all! You are so much greater than the ravens, the lilies, and the grass! If God took care of such little things as those, He can take care of you. But the most important thing in this passage is the instruction that Jesus gives: "Seek ye the kingdom of God", dig into God's word, pray, and listen to what God is telling you; and then "all these things shall be added unto you". God will provide; trust in Him, follow Him, love Him, worship Him. And don't you worry!

In Christ alone,

Buttercup

Absolutely Nothing Compares...

No doubt you've heard this story...

This 2000 year old tale...

Of the birth of a little baby...

That was the Son of God.

How precious was this gift...
So undeservedly given...
That would change the course of the future...
For all that would believe.
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2000 years ago, in the country of Israel, in the town of Bethlehem, a child was born. His parents could not find an inn that was not already full, but they were offered a stable that they could stay in. This stable, because of the time and place, was probably a cave or large outcropping in the rock, and it was used to house animals. In this place, on that night, Jesus was born. Our Lord came into the world. If you met him, you would soon know that he was no ordinary child. He was different - he was perfect; he never lied, he never cheated, he never teased, he never disobeyed, he never sinned at all. This was weird and very unusually to those he came in contact with who did not know who he was, for they knew that everyone sins, and no one is perfect, but God.
This special and unique child who never sinned, this perfect human being, was the Son of God. God sent Him down to earth for a reason, to complete His plan, to fulfill His mission. This plan was also special, it involved a one time occurrence that would save the souls of all who would believe.
2000 years ago, this perfect child, now become a man, took upon Himself the sins of the world. 2 Corinthians 5:21 - "For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." This amazing man, the Son of God died a horrific death so that you and I could live. Gives new meaning to "amazing love, how can it be? that you my King should die for me!" doesn't it?
But that is not the end of the story! This amazing story does not end with the cross, or even the grave, for He rose again! And He is alive today, sitting at the right hand of God the Father in heaven, intervening on our behalf. He was born for us. He lived for us. He died for us. He rose again for us. Why? Because He loves us, His most special creation.
Jesus lived the life I could not live. Jesus died the death I should have died.Jesus gives the gift I could never earn.-Mark Driscoll
I know I that this is a Christmas post, and that I went far beyond just the Christmas story; but how can you end with His birth? For that miraculous occurrence was only the beginning! His birth alone is a wonderful thing - God sent His one and only Son down to a sin-filled world! But, why? To know that we must know the whole story! When put together - His birth, life, death, and resurrection - they paint an amazing picture, the picture of God saving His people. This Christmas, I challenge you to think more of Christ and His Gift more than of the perishable gifts that you will be given by friends and family. For absolutely nothing compares with this wonderful gift that was offered to us! This amazing gift, so freely offered - will you believe? Merry Christmas!Buttercup

Standing up for what is right

Standing up for what is right can be difficult. And it usually is. Especially when it is around people you know - friends and family.

It takes courage, and a love for God that is so deep that it overpowers your love for friends and family and what they think of you. When you take a stand, when you do what is right, you could lose friends, but through Christ we (as believers) can do anything because He gives us strength. (Philippians 4:13)

Last night I had to take a stand. I had to stand up for what was right. And I had to do it among friends. They were talking about inappropriate stuff, things that I believe are best kept unsaid and unthought. It was hard to take a stand, but after staying silent for a long time, I felt the power of God rush through me and I knew I could keep quiet no longer. Empowered by the Holy Spirit, I started telling them that what they were talking about was inappropriate and wrong, and I started quoting Scripture to them. To be completely honest, I didn't plan much of anything I said, nor did I think about what I was saying, it just flowed out and it all made sense.

That was a cool feeling. It was the first time I felt that, and I pray that I feel it again - multiple more times. It was neat, y'all. It really was.

Thank you, Lord, for allowing me to go through that situation and for helping me through it, and putting into my mind your Word and putting into my mouth the words to say. Praise God!

In Christ,

Buttercup

"All things work together for good" in action!

Last Sunday night...I disagreed with something that my Youth leaders were teaching about. And, knowing that everyone in the room besides me and Poppy believed it, I didn't really know what to do.

We were talking about the extent of the atonement.

***Please stay! I don't want to scare you away! I didn't know what in the world he was talking about for a minute or two. lol. So don't feel bad if you don't either. The extent of the atonement is who Christ died for; who His gift was offered to.***

Well, to make a long, painful story short and, well, not so painful, I'll just say that when he asked what our group (we split up into boys and girls) thought the extent of the atonement was, I immediately said "the whole world". Let's just say, it wasn't widely accepted. Yeah. Like, me and Poppy were the only ones who believed that it was true.

So...after I said that, one of my friends who was sitting next to me answered the question with "the elect". And that's what our church believes. So, I just sat there for eternity -a freaking fifteen minutes - with my head in my hands trying to gather my courage to stand up for what I believed in. I had it all planned. When my youth leader asked if there were any more questions I was going to ask if he could give me a scripture where it said that Christ died only for the elect.

The moment came...

The moment went...

All my courage had been drained. So I sat there with my head still in my hands. Feeling sick to my stomach. My head yelling at me. My heart beating a hundred miles per hour. My breathing abnormally fast. Sweating. Regretting. Almost in tears. Why didn't I just ask the question? Is it so hard just to ask a simple question?

Yes! With your best friends in the entire world right there next to you believing something that you are challenging, how can you simply "go against the flow"? How can you stand up for what you believe in when you are doing it practically* alone?

It didn't help that I didn't know the proof for my side. I didn't have the courage. And I didn't have the knowledge.

Poppy and I spent hours on Monday studying the extent of the atonement and we now understand it so much better! God really blessed us with a good understanding! The last few days, I have started studying what my church believes about it, so I can know both sides. I am working on the knowledge. Now I must work on the courage too. But I must remember that...

God is my Rock. Whom shall I fear?

Why should I fear anyways? They're my best friends in the world! And I know that they love me and care about how I feel, for two people in particular noticed me acting different and one asked if I was okay, and the other joked with me, trying to make me smile (and succeeded!). I know I won't lose their friendship.

Even if I do - Philippians 4:13.

All in all. I got to see Romans 8:28 in action. I got to see that even when I am having the worst time of my life, that God can turn even that around for good - and in this case, me and Poppy's good! Praise God for His amazing love for us!

In Christ,

Buttercup

*I say practically because both my Savior and my sister were right there with me.

Christian Friendships, part two

I would suggest that you read part one first if you haven't already, it will make more sense. :)

Having Christian friends is not only good, it is important! Being with like-minded people not only is encouraging and uplifting, but makes being different not so hard. Because you are being different with others! As the verse above says, “Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves.” That means that when you are alone, you don’t have a very good chance of winning; but when you have a friend with you, you can defend yourselves. And a cord of three strands, or friends, is not quickly broken. When you have friends with you, you are very difficult to overcome!

For example, you became a Christian not long ago, and you haven’t been able to find any Christian friends yet. You are at school and one of your former friends asks you to go do something with him, and you don’t know if you would be going against God to do it. What do you do? Well, as a new believer, you probably don’t know many scriptures to back up your answerbiblically. You don’t know enough about the Bible to know for sure if doing it would be bad or not; and you are alone. You have no friends to help, or back you up.

If you were put into that example, you would be in a tough spot. You would probably be overpowered, and you might do something that would be very difficult to get out of. But what if we changed the scenario a bit...

You became a Christian not long ago, but you’ve been going to a local Youth Group that is firm in God’s word, and you’ve made good friends who love you no matter what. You are at school and one of your former friends asks you to go do something with him, and you are not sure if you would be going against God to do it; but you do have one of your friends from Youth Group with you. What do you do?

That would be an easier scenario, wouldn't it? You would have another believer with you to help you, and hopefully they have been a Christian longer and know more about the Bible than you do.

Having Christian friends is so important. And most probably take it for granted. I started going to my church’s Youth Group last year, and since then I have learned so much. Before I went to Youth Group, I was in a mental box. I was very shy; I didn’t talk to hardly anyone outside of the family, and I didn’t have many close friends. Going to Youth Group, I saw all of the others having a great time with each other, and they included me. Through these Christian friends, I broke out of my box, and now I laugh and chat with them all the time. A year ago, if I had been told that this is who I would be now, I wouldn’t have believed it. But it is because of my dear brothers and sisters in Christ that I act the way I do now. I am different, yet the same.

Christian friends not only help you in tough situations, but they encourage and lift you up, they teach and correct you when you are wrong, they pray for you, and so much more. As a Christian friend, we need to do the same, encourage and lift up, teach and correct, and pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ.

“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.”

– 1 Thessalonians 5:11 (NIV)

In Christ alone,

Buttercup

Christian Friendships, part one

After writing a bit about my Youth Group and the importance of Christian friends in my last post, I was really thinking. So, I wrote this originally for the July issue of Go Ye Therefore (if you want to know more about Go Ye Therefore magazine please email me at helpnm@embarqmail.com), but I thought it would benefit y'all too. It's kind of long, so I broke it up into part one and part two, but here we go...

When you are a Christian, you are a light in a dark world. All around you are people who do not believe in God. All around you is darkness, and you are the light that is supposed to shine through. Light penetrates darkness. It pushes the darkness out, and fills the space with light. It exposes things that you could not see before.

If you are a Christian, if you are a true believer, then you will be different. And people will be able to see that difference in the way you live, in the way you act, and in the way you talk. They will see that you are not the same as everyone else. They will see that you have something more. As you grow in your faith, little by little you will change. And those around you will see that change, and hopefully ask for the reason.

“But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear.”

- 1 Peter 3:15 (KJV)

All of this, being a light, shining in a dark world, being different, it all sounds pretty easy, right? It’s not. It is actually very difficult. It’s like being the only boy in a room full of girls, or being the only modest teen in your school, or being the only homeschooler in your club. Being singled out in a bad way can hurt. I’m not talking about being singled out as in being the best soccer player, and thus the most popular kid on the team; I’m talking about being singled out as in being the “odd ball” or the “weird one”.

Being the only one, you are not very strong. As a believer, Christian friends are very important to have. In Ecclesiastes 4:12 it says:

“Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.”(NIV)

Having Christian friends is not only good, it is important! Being with like-minded people not only is encouraging and uplifting, but makes being different not so hard. Because you are being different with others! As the verse above says, “Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves.” That means that when you are alone, you don’t have a very good chance of winning; but when you have a friend with you, you can defend yourselves. And a cord of three strands, or friends, is not quickly broken. When you have friends with you, you are very difficult to overcome!

Part two coming tomorrow...

In Christ alone,

Buttercup

Psalm 91

¹He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

²I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.

³Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.

⁴He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.

⁵Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;

⁶Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.

⁷A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.

⁸Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.

⁹Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation;

¹⁰There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.

¹¹For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.

¹²They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.

¹³Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.

¹⁴Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.

¹⁵He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him.

¹⁶With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.

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Buttercup <3

Romans 8:36-39

³⁶As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.

³⁷Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

³⁸For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,

³⁹Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (KJV)

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Nothing can separate us from the love of God. What a comfort that is!

Some Psalms

Here are some great Psalms that I wanted to share with y'all. :) Here you go:

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Psalm 103

¹Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.

²Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:

³Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;

⁴Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;

⁵Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's.

⁶The LORD executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed.

⁷He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel.

⁸The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.

⁹He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever.

¹⁰He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.

¹¹For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.

¹²As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.

¹³Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him.

¹⁴For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.

¹⁵As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth.

¹⁶For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more.

¹⁷But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children's children;

¹⁸To such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them.

¹⁹The LORD hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all.

²⁰Bless the LORD, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word.

²¹Bless ye the LORD, all ye his hosts; ye ministers of his, that do his pleasure.

²²Bless the LORD, all his works in all places of his dominion: bless the LORD, O my soul.

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Psalm 104

¹Bless the LORD, O my soul. O LORD my God, thou art very great; thou art clothed with honour and majesty.

²Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment: who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain:

³Who layeth the beams of his chambers in the waters: who maketh the clouds his chariot: who walketh upon the wings of the wind:

⁴Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire:

⁵Who laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not be removed for ever.

⁶Thou coveredst it with the deep as with a garment: the waters stood above the mountains.

⁷At thy rebuke they fled; at the voice of thy thunder they hasted away.

⁸They go up by the mountains; they go down by the valleys unto the place which thou hast founded for them.

⁹Thou hast set a bound that they may not pass over; that they turn not again to cover the earth.

¹⁰He sendeth the springs into the valleys, which run among the hills.

¹¹They give drink to every beast of the field: the wild asses quench their thirst.

¹²By them shall the fowls of the heaven have their habitation, which sing among the branches.

¹³He watereth the hills from his chambers: the earth is satisfied with the fruit of thy works.

¹⁴He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth;

¹⁵And wine that maketh glad the heart of man, and oil to make his face to shine, and bread which strengtheneth man's heart.

¹⁶The trees of the LORD are full of sap; the cedars of Lebanon, which he hath planted;

¹⁷Where the birds make their nests: as for the stork, the fir trees are her house.

¹⁸The high hills are a refuge for the wild goats; and the rocks for the conies.

¹⁹He appointed the moon for seasons: the sun knoweth his going down.

²⁰Thou makest darkness, and it is night: wherein all the beasts of the forest do creep forth.

²¹The young lions roar after their prey, and seek their meat from God.

²²The sun ariseth, they gather themselves together, and lay them down in their dens.

²³Man goeth forth unto his work and to his labour until the evening.

²⁴O LORD, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches.

²⁵So is this great and wide sea, wherein are things creeping innumerable, both small and great beasts.

²⁶There go the ships: there is that leviathan, whom thou hast made to play therein.

²⁷These wait all upon thee; that thou mayest give them their meat in due season.

²⁸That thou givest them they gather: thou openest thine hand, they are filled with good.

²⁹Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled: thou takest away their breath, they die, and return to their dust.

³⁰Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created: and thou renewest the face of the earth.

³¹The glory of the LORD shall endure for ever: the LORD shall rejoice in his works.

³²He looketh on the earth, and it trembleth: he toucheth the hills, and they smoke.

³³I will sing unto the LORD as long as I live: I will sing praise to my God while I have my being.

³⁴My meditation of him shall be sweet: I will be glad in the LORD.

³⁵Let the sinners be consumed out of the earth, and let the wicked be no more. Bless thou the LORD, O my soul. Praise ye the LORD.

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Psalm 150

¹Praise ye the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power.

²Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness.

³Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp.

⁴Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs.

⁵Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals.

⁶Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD.

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More to come... :)

In Christ,

Buttercup

P.S. Isn't it funny when you have to go through Scripture that is typed out and add the red underlined ("misspelled") words to the dictionary? lol. Anything with "eth" or "est" or any of the KJV words like that are counted as misspelled. haha.

Light of the World, what does it mean?

"You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven." Matthew 5:14-16

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What do these verses mean?

Here, Jesus is teaching us. He is telling us to be different from the rest of the world. He says:

"You are the light of the world."

What does that mean? Well, in John 3:19 it says:

"And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil." Light in the Bible usually means good or those belonging to Jesus or Jesus himself. There are cases though, when Light really means literallight. Take Genesis chapter one for instance. It tells how God created light. But in these verses in Matthew, Jesus is talking about those that belong to Jesus, Christians, people who are saved.

He says that we are the light of the world.

Next He says: "A city set on a hill cannot be hidden." We don't really have cities on hills anymore, at least here in America. They are too big. But in the time of Jesus, cities were built on top of hills for defensive reasons. If something as big as a city is sitting up there on a hill, can you see it? Of course you can! It is obvious, it stands out!

To go with his last sentence, he says next: "Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house." Have you ever seen someone, who needs light at night, put it under something so it cannot shine? No way! If you need light you will put it somewhere where it will shine it's light all over the room, so that you can see.

Finally, He says: "In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven." In the same way that we put a light on a stand, and not under a basket, we let our lights shine before the world, so that they can see! As it says, "so they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven."

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What are your thoughts on these verses?

How do they apply to you?

Have you thought much on how you can be a light to those around you?

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Lastly, here is a challenge for you:

Read this verse over and over again. Study it. Pray about it. Think about how you can be a light. Then, post about these verses on your blog! And be sure to leave me a comment so I can see it! :D lol.

Buttercup

NOTE: I first posted this on the forum on the Mission Minded Teens website. Be sure to join our forum!

www.missionmindedteens.webs.com

1 Timothy 4:12

1 Timothy 4:12 (New International Version) 12 Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.

This is Mission Minded Teens' theme verse because it tells youths (teens) to let no man despise our youth. Despise means "to regard with contempt, distaste, disgust, or disdain; scorn; loathe." (Dictionary.com) We are to be an example to the believers, those who are our brothers and sisters in Christ, no matter how old they are.

We are to be examples for them in speech, in the way that we speak kindly, not harsh. We speak with respect, love, and care. We are to conduct conversation that pleases God, speak of things concerning Him, not things of this world, not evil.

We are to be examples for them in life. How we live, how we work with others, what we say, what we do, how we dress, where we go, etc, etc. People are watching, they look at you to see what you do. Especially young Christians; just like a younger sibling does what you do, younger Christians will see what you are doing, and, whether good or bad, will think it's O.K. ("younger Christian" does not necessarily mean physically younger, just younger in the faith.)

We are also to be examples for them in love. Love our brothers and sisters in Christ, love God, love the lost, love our enemies. But show it in way that pleases God, not man.

We are to be examples in faith. Show your faith to the world, make known you're beliefs in the Savior. But be sure not to do it as the Pharisees, for they would make sure everyone thought they were perfect, they would pray out in public, and do all the sacrifices, and on and on and on. We are to tell our faith to the world, but in a quiet and humble way.

We are to be examples for the believers in purity. Especially for girls. For example: dress modestly and don't go out with a boy unless he's your husband. Also, I like one of the definitions that dictionary.com used it says: "The degree to which a color is free from being mixed with other colors." Apply that to yourself. What does that mean? Keep away from things that draw you away from your Savior.

That must be one of our main goals in life. To set an example for the other believers.

Challenge: How do you set an example? Chose one of these things and try it out. What do others think? Did it make a difference in your life or someone elses?

In Christ,

Buttercup

P.S. What would y'all think of me doing a study on 1st Timothy like the 2nd Timothy one?

Galatians 6:9-10

And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.

40 Facts about Giraffes!

Remember how I asked y'all, when I posted the movie with a giraffe giving birth, if y'all would like me to post facts about them? Well, a couple of you said yes, so, here it is!

Sadly, I couldn't find my old reports about giraffes that I did when I was younger, so, I had to go to the library. hehehe.

1. Giraffes are the tallest animals in the world
2. Adult giraffes can be up to eighteen feet tall!
3. When born, baby giraffes can be as much as six feet tall!
4. There are different kinds of giraffes, such as the Masai, Blotched, Southern, or Reticulated, the way they are different is the skin patterns. The two main groups are the Reticulated (the one most people see/think of, it and the Southern Giraffe) and Blotched.
5. Female and male giraffes have horns
6. Sometimes a giraffe grows two pairs of horns!
7. Giraffes have very long tongues, they can be up to eighteen inches long! That's almost a foot and a half!
8. Giraffes have very long necks to go with their very long tongues, their necks can be more than six feet long!
9. They eat acacia leaves and flowers, acacia is a kind of tree.
10. They have to spread their front legs out really far so that they can get their heads down to the water to drink.
11. They sleep standing up, so that they can make a quick escape if a lion were to come sneaking up.
12. A group of giraffes is called a herd
13. They can run up to almost forty mph!
14. The only animal that is related to the giraffe is the okapi, which looks more like a cross between a giraffe and a zebra.
15. Giraffes live in peace with many animals, like zebras and antelope.
16. A giraffe's pregnancy is sixteen months long!
17. Unlike some other animals, such as chickens, the baby giraffes look very like their parents and relatives.
18. When born a baby giraffe weighs about 130 pounds! (that's heavier than me!)
19. Giraffes have the same number of vertebrae as we do (mice also!), theirs are just A LOT bigger!
20. Like humans, no two giraffes look exactly alike!
21. Giraffes, like cows, have four stomachs. yuck.
22. Unlike many other animals, Giraffes stay in pretty small groups, only up to about fifteen giraffes normally.
23. At about the age of three the male giraffes leave the heard and start mating!
24. The guys fight over the girls! And most of the time, the loser moves away!
25. A giraffe calf never knows his/her dad, before it is born the father moves away, never to come back.
26. Giraffes are mammals.
27. They live for around twenty-five years in the wild and way more in captivity.
28. They have excellent eyesight, and, with their long necks, they can pretty easily spot a predator before it gets them, also, they can spot a human from more than a mile away!
29. A giraffe's legs are not all the same length, the front ones are longer.
30. Zebras, Gnus, Antelope, etc, love to graze with giraffes in the wild, because they know the giraffe will warn them if it spots danger.
31. Giraffes are Herbivores.
32. The predators of giraffes include lions, hyenas, and leopards.
33. The same day it is born, the baby giraffe learns to run!
34. Giraffe babies can grow as much as an inch taller in a day!
35. They can sleep with their eyes open or shut! Creepy!
36. A giraffe's heart can weigh as much as twenty-five pounds.
37. Instead of a bath, the birds clean the giraffe! (It rhymes! I made it up. :))
38. Giraffes have a kind of "nursery" set up, where, some of the female giraffes will watch the little ones, and the other moms will go eat.
39. Most giraffes live in the wild, but a good amount of them are in captivity and/or in nature reserves.
40. When born, a giraffe doesn't have horns, it has tufts of black hair that will eventually, as it gets older, get hard and are then called horns.

Isn't it amazing how well designed these animals are!?! I believe that God designed these creatures for His glory and for proof to us, that He is the one and only true God. How can you look at a giraffe and honestly say that you think it came about by random change, an accident. The giraffe was no accident! God designed it just like He wanted it! There are NO FLAWS in His creation! Is that not amazing to you? Tell me, and I will give you even more overwhelming proof of the Creator, my Creator, your Creator. He not only made the giraffe, but He made the ant, the lion, the fish, the squid, all the animals, the water, the air, the ground, the universe, and us. He made everything! And we need to praise Him, not His creation. Yes, His creation is wonderful, but let's not worship it. Does a customer praise the pot instead of the potter? Does the clay have power over the potter? No.

Isaiah 64:8But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.Isaiah 64:7-9 (in Context) Isaiah 64 (Whole Chapter)

God is in control, we are His, His own, His special creation; but still His, under Him, not above Him.

I hope you enjoyed the facts! Sorry that I didn't do it sooner. Also, if I did a fact twice, please tell me so that I can fix that. God bless!

~Buttercup~

I got the information for the forty facts out of three books:

Animal Close-Ups: The Giraffe, by Christine and Michel Denis-Huot

Animals in the Wild: Giraffe, by Mary Hoffman

Born to be Wild: Little Giraffes, by Christian Marie

NOTE: Libby, I have not forgotten your question! I am just having a bit of trouble finding the scriptures that are about that. Please, if you would, find them for me, and it will make it go a bit easier. :)

For future reference, if you have a biblical question, I would be happy to try to find you an answer, but please give me the scripture references on that subject. Thanks!

Light of the World

"You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven." Matthew 5:14-16



Have you ever thought much about being a light?

Put on the Full Armour of God

I like this passage because it tells us that there are spiritual battles, and that we need to be ready. It gives us the armour that we need to put on in order to protect us from the enemy.

"Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith, where with ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints."

What must we do?

• be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might
• put on the full armour of God, so that we can withstand evil

Who are we fighting against?

• principalities
• powers and rulers of the darkness of this world
• spiritual wickedness in high places

What armour must we put on?

• waist belt of truth
• breastplate of righteousness
• shoes of the gospel of peace
• shield of faith
• helmet of salvation
• sword of the Spirit(the Bible)

Questions and comments are very welcome. :)