Rejoice!

I think it is important to remember to include joy in our lives. Often times reading scripture and praying seems so serious and we often fall into a kind of "pattern praying" in which we just run through lists of people/things to pray for without really paying any attention. To me, true prayer is with passion, honesty, and a heart burning for Christ. It is helpful for me when I find myself having difficulties praying to remind myself why I am doing it in the first place. That is when I realize that I should indeed be joyful for the cross that has saved me.

Certainly the gospel's meaning is crucial to our lives, but it doesn't mean that while we are reading the word that we have to do it with a grim set face. Not to say that acting serious is bad-in many cases it is the most appropriate for honoring God; in all cases we should take the gospel's meaning and truth in all seriousness.

Also another thing-how else can nonbelievers believe what we say when we do not have joy in our lives? If there is one thing that humanity seeks it would probably be happiness. I'm not saying that we should walk around pretending our lives are dandy all the time, but when we have true joy-in other words, joy that springs from a heart of Christ, people notice.

In all honesty knowing the cross is the greatest thing that has ever and will ever happen in my life. He offers us eternal life that no one else can give. He cleanses us from our sinful lives. I am honored that He has chosen me to worship Him. If it is as great as I say what reason do I have to be unhappy about?

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.

Philippians 4:4

By the way, I'm not sure if all of you guys know about it but those who wanted my school's new christian club shirts---they are in!!!
If you ordered a shirt email me either tonight or tomorrow if you want me to bring it to church this weekend. For those of you who didn't hear or I forgot to tag on facebook =X sorry, we have extra shirts though! But not a lot. Email me! yimxd@yahoo.com

Those of you who have facebook here is my note on them:
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1334371054#/note.php?note_id=20578312458

and for those of you who don't, here is a picture of what the shirts look like:

the verse on the back is john 16:33


kinda bummed no one really understood the shirts, but it relates to the verse on the back.

"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."

so......that little dude in the corner is being saved by the cross from the grasps of the evil monster. Inside the monster represents all the thoughts that we often have when we are going through the trials that this world puts us through. yeah...lol