Dear Lavinia - SYATP part 2

I was thinking about you tonight, it was good stuff and so I thought I would share....

I know you are romanian and that some of the amazing american things I write on hear sound apealing, and if I described to you in outside words the service I was at tonight, you would want to come and attend it with me during the trip when you will come visit me. But after tonight... I hope I never have to take you to a christian service here.

I cant desribe to you the Christian social attitude that has been adapted by teenagers, by youth pastors. It all sounds good cause it is suppose to. It is meant to be appealing, but where is the meat? The preaching was sound... but simple, low. Students were disrespectful and disgraceful. I was embarrassed and shamed. I cant believe this is my society.

I hope you dont have to see the "christian crowd" of young people who look cute and have matching hair, tight jeans and skull t-shirts cause they are "hard core" for Jesus. The crowd that thinks it is cool to be part of a christian club or something. The crowd that takes the name I revere so intimatly and slauter it to my peers.

Mind you that not all christians are this way, not all services are bad, not all christians look alike. I have a negative biased opinion tonight and wanted to express it to you because I was thinking about you.

What we have is programs. What you have, what I loved so much about Romania, is life. There are pros and cons to each, tonight I saw a con.

To be a Christian....

What is it to be a Christian?
To Love the Father with our whole being
To make the Kingdom our main concern
To participate in unhindered praise
To present humble servanthood
To be pure of heart

What it is not....
A show
A game
A club
A "good" program
An entertainment act
Easy
Coplicated

Christ came to fulfill the law, not to abolish it. We are not stuck doing pointless rituals, we must now live! John 10:10 (my youth pastor, Chris Hinson's favorite verse) says "The thief comes to steal, kill and destroy. I come to bring life and life more abuldantly." So Christ came to bring life, the thief tries to take that away. I think that is exactly what is happening today amoung christians. The thief is trying to steal th very things we have - our christianity. So many are falling for it. Not only are they falling for fals religions, but for scemes to just not live out their own christianity as well. Western Christianity is falling and so many dont even see it. I want to be whole heartedly what he wants me to be - not what this "christianese" world "says."

Paranormal

Tonight I was watching a TV show about Psycic Kids. Ohhhh it made me angry.

All three kids have visions and/or experiences with the paranormal. The counselor people that came to "help" really bothered me, they wanted the kids to experiment more with their "special gifts" so they could learn how to control them and maybe use them to help others. The guy was making me so angry because he was sooooooooo far away from the Bible. He was talking about spirits and energies and almost forcing the kids to feel things. I dont doubt what they feel or see is real, but it is demonic for sure and they werent recgonizing it. It made me angry that the enemy can have such hold on people.

One of the moms was a hard core Christian and telling them that they were experiencing demons, the counselors thought she was wack and said she was the first they had ever experienced. Oh I was proud of her.

There was one comment that really caught me though. The guy was doing and "excercise" with the kids and told them "more of the spirit and less of you." oh gosh i thought, isnt that a biblical principle? hmmmm. It reminded me how close to reality the enemy will take his prey before twisting it, so that they dont see the error.

I am glad that I know the truth about God and that I understand the spirtual rhelm. I am angered that there are such falsehoods going around in my world and that I cant stop all of them, but I hope to be like that mother and stand in the face of adversity.