Why is Your name so offensive?

Jesus. A beautiful name, a holy name, a glorious, honorable, praiseworthy name. Taken for granted in sentence after sentence in this sin-filled world.

God. Our Creator, our Maker, our Lord, our Father. The One who gives life, yet can take it away with just a thought. The One who all will confess to as Almighty One and God over all. Hardly ever seen as the One, true God over each living thing, and always used in vein when angry.

Holy Spirit. One who lives in those who believe, One who gives us life. Part of the Godhead. Not even recognized over half of the time.

Our world has taken these three powerful and almighty names, and have given each one a way of using it for their own ways and desires, and not to glorify Him. It so saddens me to hear the misconception people have for the Lord over all things. But what saddens me the most, is most Christians won't even stand up for our God when they hear people using God's name like this. Christians will just go along and laugh and act like nothing is wrong, when something is most definitely wrong. I can say this about Christians, because I do it as well. These people don't know Jesus! They need to know His name. They don't need to know His name as a way to vent their anger in vain when they slam their finger with a hammer. They need to know His name so they can have eternal life with Christ! My heart yearns for the people who know His name as one way, but not as the true and holy way. My heart yearns, yet I don't even try to make a difference anywhere near as much as i need to.

A song by BarlowGirl states, "Jesus, Jesus. Why is Your name offensive? Why are we so scared to tell this world You've saved us? When all of the hope of the world's in Your name, why are we so scared to say: Jesus?" This is such a true lyric. So many of us Christians, including myself, are too wrapped up into what people may say or think when/if we stand up for God. If we're not willing to stand up here around friends we know, then how would we ever stand up in front of people who may hold a gun up to your head asking if you know Jesus?

God has called us to go out and be a witness for him. Telling every tribe and every tongue of His name. So we need to fulfill this calling. We need to tell people the true meaning of His name. God/Jesus/the Holy Spirit. Three in One. Worthy of all power, honor, and glory.

Let's all try and stand up for our God. Let's all try to stand up for His true name. Let's glorify Him for who He is and tell them the only hope of the world is in His name.

"What is impossible with men is possible with God."

Last night at TwoFour Dr. Bruce Ashford spoke on the passage of Luke 18 about the Rich Young Ruler. I've heard this story in numerous sermons, but i've never thought of it from the perspective he portrayed last night.

The rich young ruler is known for his love for his money being greater than the love he had for Christ. Christ asked him to simply give all his possessions away for the sake of Jesus, but he couldn't because his priorities and thoughts were completely off balanced. He loved Jesus, but not enough to destroy what had now become his idol, money.

Dr. Ashford last night brought up a few other areas in our own lives where we put Jesus aside just for our own personal pleasure, just for our idols. Dr. Ashford listed money, sex, approval, and success. Something hit me last night, I realized that i've had a problem sometime throughout my life with each one of these. Even now i still struggle with some of them.

Money. People in this world have always treasured money. Wealthy people- their life is surrounded by money. Poor people- their desire is to have money, to have what the wealthy people have. Adults work for their money day in and day out. College students don't have much money, yet they still want more and more of it. High school students like myself want the money to fit in. They want to have the latest thing and not be known as the lame one who can't afford the newest pair of shoes. Money isn't a bad thing when you carry it correctly. If you let it rule your life then you are worshipping it. Your own bank account has become your security when Christ needs to be your One and only security. I easily struggle with this. I'm a girl.. I like clothes and shoes. But this is something that i need to let my God rule over, it's His money. Not mine.

Sex. Okay so i'm not addicted to sex. I don't look at porn sites or anything close to that. But I know people who have. I know very strong Christians who I look up to like crazy who have struggled with keeping their eyes away from the 15 minute pleasure of scrolling through all of Google being pleased by the things they see. As a high schooler I don't crave any desire to have sex, if i'm honest. I know the importance of waiting until after marriage, and accepting that is perfectly fine with me. That's how God intends on sex to be carried out. So, I don't have a struggle with literal sexual interaction, but I have had a problem with accepting being single. Being single isn't bad at all. And it's taken me a while to figure this out. Yes, I do like boys. I'm interested in one at the moment. But following God's way with that is what I intend to do. I'm finally able to be patient with that. By saying this doesn't mean I don't ever struggle with it, but it does mean that i'm trying my hardest to do what's right and what the Lord wants.

Approval. I'm a high school girl. It's a given that I struggle with this at times. Everyone struggles with this at some point in their life. Everyone wants to be accepted. Being an outcast isn't so fun. But worrying about the approval and attention from others rather than craving the attention of the Most High God is wrong. We need to glorify God in all that we do. If that means people won't accept you from time to time.. then you need to decide if you truly love the Lord and will be able to give up the acceptance of just a few people for the sake of Jesus Christ.

Success. Success is a problem for all people. Each and every person wants to be successful. Each person doesn't want to have the big "L" for loser posted on their forehead. No one wants to hear some one say "Epic Fail" each time they try to do something. "The amount of success that you will ever have will never bring you the salvation you think it will." Dr. Ashford stated last night. This is so very true. We need to believe that statement to be true and seek the true way to salvation which is through God the Father and Jesus His Son.

As you see, each one of these has it's own way of becoming an idol. Each one has taken the spot in my life where Jesus is. The only way to keep Jesus above anything else is for you to do business with God. To let Him destroy those idols. You can't do that on your own. "If you want your idol to be smashed then it must be God who does it." Dr. Ashford also stated. Idols are false saviors and terrible lords. They will never, ever satisfy you like the love of Christ will. That's what I learned last night. That's what i was broken over last night. I've got some work to do on myself and how I prioritize my Jesus, and allow Him to be the number One priority in my life. Without Him i wouldn't even have life, so the least I could do is give back to Him what He was so gracious to give to me.

Oh how i love my Jesus! (:

First blog? Check. Incredibly long? Check.

Alright, so i've been debating for a while on whether i should get a blog or not and the more i think about it, the more i want one just so people can see what our awesome God is doing specially in my life. So, as you can see, i got one. I love talking about my Lord. It's my favorite topic to talk about so i thought i could just write down for all to see my thoughts of Him.

First off, i want everyone who reads this to know the basic facts about me. Lets see, I'm currently a junior in high school at Crossroads Christian school (soon to be a junior at Wake Forest), i attend Richland Creek Community Church (best church ever! - just saying), and i'm in the Reid family (best family ever!). yes, i am the daughter of the famous Dr. Alvin Reid, Professor of Evangelism and Student Ministry at SEBTS and a widely known author and evangelist in the US -- and i'm super proud to be his daughter. He and my mom have both taught me so much about how to truly live my life for Christ. Being a little bit more like Jesus each day is what my heart desires. Striving to be more like Him is what I think of day in and day out. Though I am far from being anything like my Savior, I am trying my best.

Secondly, I want everyone to know my testimony. Some may have heard it before or have read it on my facebook before. But I don't care. You can suck it up and just read it again. (:

When I was about 5 1/2 years old my brother, Josh, and i were at home after a Sunday morning of church. I started asking him questions of Jesus and he answered each one. he then asked me if i would like to have Jesus in my heart and i said yes! So he prayed with me and i accepted Christ then and there.

Right now you may be expecting me to say --> "But then when i was 13 i realized i never truly understood what i was saying when i was only 5 years old so i accepted Christ into my life at 13 <-- Well, if you were thinking this, then you are wrong. Sorry, but you are. Yes, i was very young when i accepted Christ, but i meant it 100%. I have no doubt in my mind about my salvation. I remember when i was just 7 years old I would be the annoying little girl who asked all the other 1st graders if they knew Jesus. I have always loved my jesus.

Now, I could stop there and say "well that's my testimony. Have a good day!" but that wouldn't be right. That's not where my testimony stops. My testimony is still growing. that's just the very beginning of my testimony and my life with Christ. Anything that has brought me closer to Christ is a part of my testimony. Hard ships are a part of it as well. I grow a little more each day. My daily actions and decisions are a part of my testimony. Whether it's school, family, friends, boys or whatever; each has it's own place. Each has a part of my daily decision to follow my jesus. Each has it's own way of somehow glorifying the One who is worthy of all praise.

So for those who had never heard or read my testimony before.. you can now say that you have. There's far more different things that have pushed me away from the Lord and have brought me down on my hands face down embracing the love of my Savior. But that will come in later blogs. For now I think this book that i have just written is far too much as it is. Sorry it's so long. (: But I hope you enjoyed it (: