Azealia Banks: Of course, because it’s e-thugging… Who wants to look like that? But how else am I gonna reach y’all? I don’t have a T.I. to get on a radio show and defend me; I’m the one behind me. Y’all expect me to agree like, “Oh yea, I’m wack. I only have one song.” That’s one song y’all niggas don’t fucking have. You might win some, but you just lost one.
Heads up…this is going to be a pretty wordy post!
Ok. So I have to be honest. I’ve never been a big bible reader. Why? Well, I didn’t go to Catholic school, we never really read it at home, and my bible was the Old English Version that said things like, “to thou flowerous gardens thee dow tender” (ok, so I made that up…and I’m sure some of those aren’t even words, but you get my point.).So, obviously theses are really lame reasons to not read the bible, but it’s just never really been a big part of my life.
Ok, that’s kind of a lie, too. I go to mass every Sunday. So clearly, the bible is a big part of my life. But the tricky thing is, is that even though I read through the bible every three years, doesn’t mean that I actually listen, or understand what I’m hearing.
So I’m a sinner! I get that. But I also have the ability to change that. It’s called Free Willy for a reason. (I also know that it’s called Free Will…but I’ve always called it Free Willy. You won’t understand if you were born after 1990).
So I got to the point where I really wanted to dive in. To really know and comprehend what this book-end is telling me. It has to be important if we use it in every mass. I then proceeded to the Lifeteen website. (If you’ve never checked out that site, please do so now! www.lifeteen.com) I read an article by Mark Hart. And he told me that if I wanted to dive into the bible, I should start with James. (Because only crazy people start with Genesis and the genealogy of EVERY person from that time).
And let me tell you, Mark Hart is one smart cookie. Because I found nothing but real truth in James.
Now, James is said to be written by either James the relative of Jesus or an admirer of James. But honestly, whoever it was, was a real guy/gal. I mean, even in chapter 1, he’s going hard in the paint.
James 1: 2-4 reads:
My brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of any kind, consider it nothing but joy, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance; and let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete lacking in nothing.
Whoa. You’re so right James/admirer. Faith is something we have to work for, and it’s not easy. But if we just push through the trials, God will make sure that we get through, having learned a few lessons along the way.
James touches on other things too, such as: Poverty and Riches, Trial and Temptation, Hearing and Doing the Word, Warning against Partiality, Faith without Works is Dead, Taming the Tongue, Two Kinds of Wisdom, Friendship with the World, Warning against Judging Another and many more. (Those are just the one’s I’ve dug into.)
Tonight, I read Friendship with the World and Warning against Judging Another. And from Friendship with the World I got this:
James 4: 2-3
…You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not recieve, because you ask wrongly, in order to spend what you get on your pleasures.
That’s so right. I do that. God doesn’t want us to grow attached to the world. He wants us to grow attached to Him. And James/the admirer goes on to say this….
James 4:8
Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.
And we can’t draw near to God when our worldy feelings, possessions, or actions are in the way. Guys, God is calling all of us to be holy! HOW AWESOME IS THAT?!
I personally think it’s amazing that He has so much faith in us!
Next it says,
James 4:8-10
Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Lament and mour and weep. Let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy into dejection. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.
Guys, we have to beg for forgiveness. Jesus will only enter into your heart if you open the door, so we must say we’re sorry for sinning. And yeah, that’s hard because it hurts our pride, but we MUST do it! All of James then led me to John 3:30 which reads,
John 3:30
HE must increase, but I must decrease.
That’s it. It’s all about Him. He’s not asking us for much, He’s just asking for our hearts.So what will it be? Will you be friends with the world that God created, or will you befriend the man who gave you life, saved your soul, and continues to love your sinful self endlessly?
i’ll take the latter, and i’m pretty sure my parents gave me life
but thanks tho.
