A New Blog

I have created a new blog, on a new blog platform! With a new comment section and a form to contact me this is an easier blog for both the writer and the reader to benefit from. Feel free to check it out here! I hope all of you that read my blog within the blogger realm will check it out, my time with blogger has now come to an end and I will delete this in a few days, thanks and God Bless.

-The Christian

My Open Letter To The CATA Cougars And The Family Of Jake O'Neill

Dear CATA Cougars,

I would like to take a few moments of your time this evening and tell you what is on my heart. I didn't know Jake, but for the past few days I have seen pictures, statuses, and tweets that make me wish that I did as each of them gave a glimpse of what a kind and caring person he truly was. Tomorrow the halls of CATA will be hushed, and it is the worst feeling in the world to come to school knowing one less of your classmates isn't there. The CATA class of 2013 knows this all too well, I don't think it truly hit me until we walked across that graduation stage and Adam Chambers did not walk across it with us. 

My heart aches with the feeling that I felt that morning, when we all slowly learned of what happened to Adam. Just know I am praying for each and every one of you, his classmates, his family, and his girlfriend. We all don't want to see those that are young leave us too early, yet who are we to doubt God's plan? I know that in this mourning lies a greater purpose only God would know. One think that I always loved about CATA was the amount of respect most of us had for one another, as I saw the days after the passing of Adam and our Senior class. So I ask of each and every one of you that are in the current Senior class, get as close to one another as you can and support one another as much as possible. You all came in as freshman from other schools, but now you are united and you are Cougars and that is what makes you family.

Although Jake is no longer here on earth, he lives in the heart, mind, and memories of you his friends and family, I have no doubt in my mind that he loved each and every one of you very much. We must not let this be in vain, however. Things need to change, and all of you need to lead the charge to make these changes happen. Please don't be afraid to talk to anyone about any problems or feelings that you may be experiencing, I know that after this there will be no shortage of people that will be willing to listen. Feel free to click here if you or someone you know are struggling with suicide. Jake's memory can help spread awareness for mental illness for people all across this great state, and nation. I have seen over the past few days where i was mentioned that Jake would want all of you to be strong, and with that we must also rise from these ashes and change what needs to be changed, so that this is prevented from happening again.

Rest in peace Jake O'Neill, you will be sadly missed by many, a short life that had an impact on so many others. I will be praying for your family, friends, and your Cougar family. You are gone but you most certainly won't be forgotten.

Sincerely,

Dustin Kiggins CATA Class of '13

Ferguson

Last night I sat with widened eyes as I saw the barbaric, and violent actions that flooded the many major news outlets around the country who had their eyes on Ferguson Missouri.  I am sure that Michael Brown was a good kid, however this isn't about race but about a man who made a bad choice and is now dead as a result of his actions. I am almost certain that if Michael Brown had not went into a convenience store, stole merchandise from it and then proceeded to threaten the proprietors of that store then he would be alive and well today. The media has fanned the flames of this incident and has had a hand in causing all of this uneeded violence that we saw yesterday evening plastered all over our TVs and on social media.

Kids Are Dying Daily

The thing that makes me upset the most is the fact that people are quick to point out that white cops are constantly gunning down innocent black men. Racism still exists in America today, and if you think that the only ones that are the racists today you are blind. In our nation today the sad truth is that 93% of blacks killed daily in America, are killed by other blacks, the same goes for whites at 83% to the Justice Department. Where is Al Sharpton in the midst of all the violence on the streets of Chicago? The media? Barack Obama? They are silent as innocent lives are lost, yet Michael Browns life seems to be of more importance than all the others. At the same time police brutality is a major problem in our nation, and that also cannot be denied nor forgotten. They claim they are for black America, yet they are silent about black on black crime. This saddens me, simply for the fact in order to stop violence you must first stop your own people from conflicting it on each other. The problem isn't the color of our skin, but it is our actions and Michael Brown made the wrong choice and it cost him his life. He went from being innocent to criminal when he decided to steal things and threaten those who owned the store in which he stole from. Furthermore, he tried to take the gun of an officer who was fearing for his life and he made a split second decision to save his own life. 

Twenty One Years of Blessings

Today I turned twenty one, it is one of few birthdays that are considered by many to be a milestone birthday simply for the fact that you are able to drink legally. However, every birthday should be considered a milestone simply for the fact that each and everyday dawns with the fact that the next one isn't promised to anyone no matter your age or the state of health that you find yourself in. I want to use my birthday as an opportunity to glorify God, because He is the only reason I am alive today, and He should have all of the glory.

Twenty one is a long life

We often consider a long life to be about seventy years or more, but how much time is there really in twenty one years? I have been alive for 21 years, 252 months, 1,095 weeks, 7,665 days, 184,065 hours, and 11,044,929 minutes. This time that I have broken down are all blessings form the Lord, and let me tell you why. Every second of everyday, the time that has encompassed these twenty one years that I have lived I have been blessed with air to take in, and to push back out again. I have eyes that can see, legs that can stand, and feet that continue to walk me step by step. My heart is beating because I can feel it in my chest. Not a day has gone by where the Lord hasn't blessed me with the blessing of life, of health, and the ability to function each and everyday. I didn't make it twenty one years, rather the Lord has chosen to grant me twenty one years of life that I do not regret living. I know that each and every trial I have been through, all of the sins that I have committed, and every time that the holy spirit has moved through me has fit into the Lords plan for me one way or another. If I die tomorrow I would regret very little, and I do believe I lived a long and happy life.

God Can Do The Impossible

I do believe that if you asked my parents what the hardest time of their life was, I think today would be the beginning of that time. For three months they came everyday to the NICU to see their son, and I would imagine each day they came and I was alive, gave them a sigh of relief that is beyond the comprehension of the human brain. There is no question, that I would not be the man I am today without the Lord putting them in my life, and for that I am truly thankful. I know you will both be reading this, and I love you with all of my heart no matter what. God has used them to mold me and shape me into the servant he wants in me and I only hope to live up to the Lords expectations. Mom and dad, if the thought has ever crossed your mind of "Did we do a good job?" or "Where we good parents?"  I must tell you that you have gone above and beyond the title of what good parents are, and I hope you see that in me. In turn  I hope that you can say the of me that I am a good son. The Lord brought me from a measly one and a half pounds to a normal healthy average twenty one year old, I have come far, probably further than those in the medical field may have predicted. This is what makes our Lord so amazing, it isn't what we will but what God wills. If you wish to read my testimony click this link.

Thank You All

I was humbled today to see so many people wish me a happy birthday, some through Facebook while others called or sent me a text. I have always tried to be the nicest person that I can be, I am human and that in no way justifies any of my negative actions. Over the years I have heard people say "I am a good person." but I cannot say that of myself, because to say such things would imply that I think I am when in reality I know I am not. I am thankful to have some great friends and acquaintances to spend my days talking and interacting with. I am grateful to have met and talked to each and every one of you, thank you for taking the time today to wish me a happy birthday, it means more to me than you will ever know, or fathom. Glory to God, for the days I have lived are a blessing, my family I have are a blessing, the friends I have made are a blessing.

I hope each and every one of you have a very blessed day, thank you for making my birthday a special one, and may God Bless you all.

-The Christian

My stance on homosexuality doesn't mean I'm a hateful bigot.

I felt compelled to write this due to a recent decision of a North Carolina judge earlier today to legalize same sex "marriage" in the state after the judge deemed the state's ban on same sex marriage unconstitutional. This ban called Amendment one was unanimously voted for on May 8th, 2012 which specifically defined marriage as being between one man and one woman within the states constitution.

My friends decisions don't deter my love for them.

I have been hearing lately, and getting the impression that in order to love someone you MUST agree with the decisions that they make, and if you don't then you are deemed hateful. I do not agree with homosexuality, it is sinful in the eyes of God and I refuse to endorse sin in any shape or form. Now before I go any further I must clarify that I am a sinner as well and I too sin on a daily basis, sin is of our nature and it always has been since the fall of Adam and Eve. Simply put, just because sinning is of our human nature doesn't mean that it is okay to sin. Paul himself said we should not continue to sin simply to make God's grace an abundance for them.

Now, let me get back to what you are really here to read, why my stance on homosexuality doesn't mean I am hateful. I would like to think that I have an abundance of friends (and if I don't, I have a few friends none the less) with these friendships there are also differences in opinions and decisions that I do not agree with. Let's say one of my friends goes out tonight to drink (I don't like drinking for various reasons, but for the sake of my view let's just say my dislike for it is because most people drink to get drunk) and they get drunk. I promise you their decision to go out and get drunk will in no way stop me from loving them as a person and friend. I will still look out for them, pray for them and do anything I can possibly do in order to help them as a friend should. The same holds true for homosexuality, a friend had an abortion, or any other negative decision that a friend could make.

I will always love you, but I will still be disappointed

Having said what has been said above, I would like to be clear and say that just because I love you doesn't mean that I won't be disappointed in your decision. Now I am by no means telling you how to live life and what decisions are right for you, I am simply saying that I care for you. Every friend that I have has beliefs or opinions that I disagree with and yet we still continue to be friends. Why should my stance on homosexuality be any different? I will never agree with homosexuality, and if you wish to shun me as a friend then so be it. I will not be the one to stop you from doing so, but my love and care for you will not change. I will still do anything in the world that I can do for you, within reason of course.

How can we still be friends? True tolerance.

Today's society has done the unthinkable in changing the true definition of what tolerance is. The definition of tolerance according to the Oxford dictionary is "the ability or willingness to tolerate something, in particular the existence of opinions or behavior that one does not necessarily agree with". The fact that I disagree with homosexuality doesn't make me intolerant, in fact it makes me just the opposite. We all don't need to agree on everything in order to be tolerant people, that isn't the true definition of tolerance 

After reading this whether you agree or disagree or not I hope you will still find pleasure in reading this blog. I love each and every one of you no matter the decisions that you make. Just because I disagree with a decision that you make good or bad in no way diminishes my love for all of you. Thanks for reading, God Bless you all. 

-The Christian

What did Christ Command of us Disciples?

 Today our culture has taken the Gospel of Christ, and it has become watered down to become almost palatable to anyone. This can be very toxic and very dangerous to those who have misconceptions about true Christianity. We as Christians must make a point to tell those we are teaching that when we accept Christ as our Lord and Savior, our life is now His life. What are we agreeing to when we accept this invitation to follow him?

We all need Christ in our lives, for without Christ our sins are not forgiven. When we become disciples, what does Christ himself command of us? Let us examine the commandments of Christ.

“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 22:36-40 ESV)

The first commandment is quite simple, and that is to love the Lord with everything that we are, our heart, soul, and mind. This is the very first thing that is expected or commanded of us as believers. The second commandment is just like the first, we are to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. Neighbor in this context simply doesn't mean the family in the house beside yours, it means all of those that Christ died for on the cross at Calvary and that is mankind. We are to love every single person on this earth as we love ourselves. This is hard, yet we must try our hardest to love everyone, even those that are our enemies because Christ died for them too.

 Christ not only commanded us of these things above, but he also commissioned us to continue the ministry that he would not be there to continue.

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20 ESV)

The last thing that we are supposed to do as disciples of Christ is to make more disciples, spreading the Good News of Christ and teach them to obey the very two commandments that Christ himself taught those first eleven to do. Continuing the work of Christ until the day that he returns.

I hope you enjoyed reading this today, and I pray that it in some way impacted you in the way that the Lord needed it to. Please feel free to contact me at bloggerforjesuschrist@gmail.com or on my Facebook page as well. Please feel free to tell your friends about this blog, I hope you will continue to support this blog, I love each and every one of you from the bottom of my heart. God Bless you all, thanks for reading and I hope you will read again next time.

-The Christian

Hell Is Important

There are two things that a lot of churches will not teach today in modern Christianity is a place called Hell and also the blood of Christ that is the only thing that can save us from it all. There are some out there that have gotten this idea that Hell is not a literal place, yet they still believe in Heaven and Christ as well. People seem to forget the sole purpose of Christ being born was to die, to bear the punishment that all mankind deserves but he took our place on that cross, so that we would not have to endure the punishment.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God." -(John 3:16-18 ESV)

As shown above Christ was given to the world, so that we will not perish in Hell but have eternal life. Without Hell Christ would have absolutely no purpose to those that he came to save, he would be just another man that died on the cross which is like what we have today with the death penalty. Hell is a real place, and Christ was sent to save the world with REAL salvation. Without the shedding of blood there is NO REMISSION of sin and those who do not believe are already condemned. In today's world we often hear people say that all that matters is that you are a "good person" but scripture tells us that we all fall short of the glory of God.

"the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," (Romans 3:22-23 ESV)

Friend, God loves you very much and he wants more than anything to come to repentance as he wants everyone to come to repentance according to Peter.

The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. (2 Peter 3:9 ESV)

I plead with you friend, if you do not know Christ as your personal Lord and savior I urge you to start reading the bible starting with the book of John, and go talk to someone a friend or a pastor or a family member. Thank you all for reading. Please like share and subscribe by email, it would mean so much to me. I'm blessed to have so much support from you all and I hope you will continue to support this small ministry of mine, I hope to reach a many people as possible so please feel free to share this blog with anyone.

-The Christian