Winter Jam

I've had posts before about Christian music. I think that's an amazing thing. In OAFC we sing songs a lot.

Sometimes it's hard to pay attention in church. Sermons seem so long and people are easily bored. But with music, there are so many varieties. You have slow gospel music. You have Fast upbeat pop. You even have metal and rock bands with Christian messages.

So I am very excited about Winter Jam. I went last year and it was amazing. There are 10 bands and a speaker.

The best part?

It only cost $10. That is it. Absolutely no other costs. Unless you buy a tee shirt or a CD.

There is a link here if you want to check it out. It has a promotional video and a tour schedule. (most of the shows are from the East Coast to the Midwest) For the one I am going to this year, doors open at 6:00. The concert will start at 7:00. A few others start at 6:00 and doors open at 5:00. I'm sure the other ones will start close to the same time.

If you want to attend a super cheap concert with amazing bands, this is the show for you.

Your sister in Christ,

Amarantha93

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"Everything"

There is a song. It's called "Everything" and it's done by the band Lifehouse. The song is done with a skit a lot. There are several videos on youtube, but this one is my favorite.

I've embedded the video. Last time I tried this, it didn't work right, so I also have a link.

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The song starts out with God showing a girl all the wonderful things He has created for us. For awhile, she is happy and amazed by everything. Until she gets distracted. First it's a boy. She tried to pull herself back to God, but she is torn away from Him.

Then she gets distracted by the chase after money. Nothing is important besides having financial success. She continues to chase after money. She finally gets some, but then it is taken away again and it all repeats. She is so distracted from God. She has forgotten about Him. She can't see Him.

She parties and drinks with her friends. All the while, God is trying to reach her. But everything she has done is blocking him. Then she sees "attractive" people. Super-thin models. She strives to look like them. All of these things block her way to God. Then she begins to mutilate her body.

She realizes what she has done, so she tries to fight her way back to God, but she is not strong enough. She contemplates suicide. She tries again. All the things she has done try to prevent her from reaching Him. She gets knocked down and she struggles to break through. God saves her. He protects her from all her mistakes. He defeats it all, and she is pure again through Him (symbolized with the white shirt). She rejoices in Him again.

Would You Like to Be Certain?

"Would you like to be absolutely certain that if you were to die right now, that you would go to heaven?"

We ask this question all the time in OAFC. We do a door-to-door interview called canvassing. Towards the end, we ask where they believe they will go when they die. Most people answer heaven. Then we ask why. We get several different answers.

The right answer is Jesus. God sent his son, Jesus, to die on the cross to pay for all of our sins. We use the Good News method to express this. It's a paraphrase of John 3:16. You just put your names in the blanks and it turns it into a person promise to you from God.

If someone is uncertain about how they will get to Heaven, we use the Assurance of Heaven method.

Would you like to be ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN that if you were to die right now, that you would go to Heaven?

 We can KNOW we have eternal life! This is possible because of what Jesus Christ did for us. Jesus said in the Gospel of Mark (1:15) "repent and believe the Gospel." "REPENT" means to have a change of heart about sin and about God.

God requires perfection, and he says that even one sin could separate us from Him forever. Because we deserve God's punishment forever. Even in this hopeless situation, God rescues us through the Gospel.

The Gospel is the Good News about God's Son, Jesus Christ, and what He did for each of us. Jesus lived the perfect life we could not live. Then, He was punished for all of our sins when he suffered and died on the cross. Finally, He rose from the dead to confirm that His sacrifice paid for our sins and to guarantee our life with God forever.

 We like to share this in a personal way. You just put your name in the blanks. This is a paraphrase of John 3:16. By filling it in with your name, it gets turned into a personal promise to you.

Do you know who promised that? God did! Another person could lie to you about this, but the Bible says, "God, who can not lie, promised." Now, God cannot lie, and he promised everlasting life to all through Jesus, who is the savior from sin. Isn't it wonderful to know that with Jesus as your savior you will spend eternity in the presence of God?

 I would like to ILLUSTRATE this by asking, "What would happen to you if you didn't eat or drink anything for a year? You would die physically.

 

In a similar way, if your belief in Jesus is not fed and strengthened, what could happen to your faith in Him? Right, it could also die.

Just as you need physical food for your body, you need spiritual food for your faith to grow.

That is why I encourage you at every opportunity to go to a church where they teach that Jesus suffered, died, and and rose in victory to pay for all of your sins.

You are also encouraged to read your Bible daily. In this way, God will feed your faith and keep you sure of going to heaven. 

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Always Remember

God loves you!

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Music-Skillet

Sometimes it's hard to find the right words. There are so many things I want to say. But I don't know how to say it. I want this blog to be so much more. But I can never find the right words. So to help, I'm gonna have some music suggestions.

Before I get to that though, I have a video I want to share. It's about a girl. she starts out with faith in Jesus. But she gets distracted. By friends, boys, money, drugs, etc. She get depressed and wants to kill herself. But Jesus came and saves her from all of it. I think this song is great for someone who was lost their faith.

Here is the link. Lifehouse's "Everything" skit.

My favorite band is Skillet. Not this kind. This kind. They are a Christian band. But not the kind who just do slow, boring, gospel music. I like some/most of the songs we sing in church, but it's not really the kind of music most people listen to. Skillet is is a rock/metal/alternate band. They make Christian music fun to listen to. I love them. <3

Awake and Alive is about how people try to tear us away from God, but He's there to save us. I have two videos for this one. A fan-made one, and the official video.
Hero--This song is a little repetitive, but it's about how we all need a hero (God). And it's got a pretty epic video.

Monster--I love the end, with the voice.

Rebirthing is about the whole principle of Christianity. We are all kinda dead inside, but through Christ, we are reborn.

Whispers in the Dark is saying that God will always be there. Even if we don't know it. It reminds me of that poem about footsteps.

Say Goodbye--This song was a comfort to me awhile ago. I went on a missionary trip and I made a bunch of friends. I missed them all, so I made a video using this song and pictures from the trip. This one is kinda slow, but I still like it.

Invincible is about how weak we are as humans, but with God helping us, we can do anything.

Comatose is about waking up to God.

Better Than Drugs is saying that Jesus is better than drugs.
The Last Night is about someone who is suicidal, but God comes and it's the last night she'll spend alone.
Savior is about needing a savior.
Live Free or Let me Die is about how we want to keep your faith, and nothing can take it away.

What are your favorite songs by Skillet? What's your favorite Christian band?

...

So it's been about a month since I posted on here...

I've just been really busy...

I'm gonna find some songs and I'll post links.

Hopefully, they will be inspirational songs.

I'll try to have them sometime in the next few days.

Probably Monday.

Or Tuesday.

Or Wednesday.

And I'm working on another page/tab for this blog. It will have the assurance of heaven method that OAFC uses when we go canvassing.

Do you have any questions that I could answer to give me ideas for posts?

Personal Witness #1

My dad never missed a birthday. He went to all of my swim meets. He was always there. At least until he got a new job. This job was in another state. We have to drive six hours every weekend to see each other. Because of this, he missed my birthday. He missed my sister getting her permit. He missed our band concerts.

Since the only time I get to see my dad is weekends, I miss out on a lot of things. Instead of going out with friends, I stay at home to see my dad. Because of the move, my sister and I did not even go out for swim team. Our lives have changed a lot in the past year.

For the first time in my life, my family wasn’t whole. It made feel like I didn’t have a home. Eventually, my mom, sister, and I will move up with my dad again. The city we are moving to is huge. Even when we do move back together, it still won't feel like home for awhile.

In John 14:2-3, Jesus said, “In my Father’s house, there are many rooms. I am going there to prepare a place for you. I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” This verse made me realize that I still have a home. Even though my family is separated, we will be together again.

In the verse right before, Jesus said, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in Me.” This verse is a comfort to me. It lets me know that God has a plan for me and my family. I know that I can trust in Him. I can trust that He will get my family back together again and give us a new home on earth and in heaven.

Weekends

A major part of what OAFC does is weekends.

Each state group tries to meet for a weekend every month. Weekends are used as a training experience for youth and adults.

The weekends start on Friday evening and end Sunday afternoon.

Friday:
7pm Meet the group and do icebreakers to get to know everyone.
8pm  Learn about the ministry of OAFC.
9pm Bible study
9:40 Meet your your hosts and depart for the host homes.

Saturday:
AM Return to the church to do a Bible study and learn Canvassing methods, the go Canvassing.
PM Return for lunch. Share about Canvassing from the morning. Then Canvass again. Return and have supper.
Evening Nursing home visit, and prepare for Sunday worship.
9:30 Depart for host homes

Sunday:
Sunday worship and potluck dinner.

Times may change, but that is what a typical weekend is like.