We have church which is always fun and encouraging. Pastor Mike always has something that's applicable. Which is fantastic.
Here's a fun fact from today: I heard a Justin Bieber song and I honestly thought he was a girl. HE HAS SUCH A GIRLY VOICE! I'm listening to Baby right now, just because I can, and I'm laughing. He sounds like a little girl!I'm sorry to all the "beliebers" out there, this is ridiculous. Once he hits puberty his career is dead. It's so ridiculous.
Okay. Sorry. I'm done ranting a little about Justin Bieber... who is a 16 year old male... who sounds like a 10 year old girl. Oh dear. It's just wrong that someone who sounds like that is popular... and is constantly trending on Twitter. Just annoying. haha.
NIPTO meeting=short. We managed to get through a church in Revelation in about 15 minutes! YAY us! =P Hannah and I got a brief run through of the "program" for the evening because we weren't actually going to be there. It looked good. I still can't get over how annoying that alarm clock video was... I'm trying to find it. But I don't know if it's on YouTube. FOUND IT. Brandon edited the one he used (cut @2:50ish). But this is the full version:
I would die if it took that much to get me out of bed in the morning...
If you watch the whole thing.... even if you don't: this person has some serious sleep deprivation issues.
On to observations from Revelation 2:8-11-
8"To the angel of the church in Smyrna write:
These are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again.
This is the picture that Jesus revealed to the church in Smyrna of himself. I think the part about "died and came to life again" is relevant to this church. You'll see why.
9I know your afflictions and your poverty—yet you are rich! I know the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.
I don't think that this letter quite follows the typical "introduction, good things, bad things, encouragement/overcomer statment" format. This is kind of "introduction... stuff: half depressing, half encouraging... closing/overcomer statement"
So Jesus is telling them "I know you're suffering and poor... but you're RICH!" Today in America, we're like "HuH??" Cuz there's only 1 kind of rich in America. That's with MONEY. Laaaame. These people were rich in the spirit. They had God's blessing. They didn't have money, but they had God. Which is all that really matters! Jesus also knew that they were being smack talked by Satan.
10Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life.
So, they're probably thinking "Okay, we can handle ten days of persecution..." Then they keep reading: Be faithful, even to the point of death "OHHHH dear..." and I will give you the crown of life.
This had to freak these people out a little bit! I mean, they were going to die. And now they knew it. And they knew that it was basically ordained by God. But when they died, they would receive the crown of life. Not just any old crown. The Crown of Life. People would look at them and see the image of life. Crazy.
11He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death.
Overcomer statement! He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death. Overcoming is difficult. But when you do that, you get all these things that God promises to you. It's fantastic! You won't be hurt by the second death (when Jesus comes back). In fact, you'll receive a crown of life like those people who died from the church in Smyrna. Pretty cool, huh?
Well. I think I'm going to go to sleep now. It's been a busy day and tomorrow is a busy day too! I have 2 things that aren't normally scheduled tomorrow. Should make the day really crazy.
meh. I just realized that I'm probably not going to get a lot of school done. I don't usually get a lot of school done on Mondays because I have classes from 11-1:30... which cuts into my day.
Tomorrow I have something at 9:30ish... then I have class from 11-1:30... then I go home and do school or whatever... then I have to leave at 6 for a make up dance class... then I have to get home by 8 for a new episode of Chuck!(class is from 6:30-7:30... and it usually runs over... and it takes 15-20 minutes to get home...) Chuck doesn't matter that much. But it would be nice to be home in time for it. :P
Okay. Last thing. YouTube worship video of the day: Take It All-Hillsong
Enjoy!
P.S. There was a thunderstorm today: WIN.
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