Words vs Actions

Let me start out with what I told all 555 people I have on my facebook:
Claiming to be a Christian does not guarantee you a spot in heaven, some people have a false understanding of what it means to claim the name of Christ. If you say you believe in him, then start LIVING for him every day, in every action. Jesus is not just a quick fix, he is a life style. He is our role model.
Why is it that we all think that once we say the prayer, we're fixed forever? Let me tell you right now, it doesn't work that way. I get so excited when I can talk to people, believers or unbelievers, about God. I get SO excited when people accept Christ into their lives!!! I had 7 campers this summer either commit their lives to Christ for the first time or rededicate their lives. All in one evening too. My co-counsellor and myself were SO excited, she had to run out and tell someone and she had tears in her eyes. All I wanted to do was scream and praise God! It was just an awesome evening and I remember it so well. I remember the feeling of excitement I got from seeing all these girls, at bed time, wanting to invite Jesus into their hearts. Praise God. I will never ever tell someone: No, I won't let you accept Jesus because you're going to be a hypocrite just like the rest. No. I would never do that. Anyone who has, wants to, or will ever accept Christ, I am so excited for you!!!!! I think that the thing most people get confused with is believing in God and living for God. When you accept Jesus into your heart, that's because you believe in God. Okay, fantastic. But notice how Jesus never told us to become "Christians". That's a human term. Jesus told us to follow him and he would make us fishers of men. I actually never got the phrase "fishers of men" until a little while ago. What I understand from it is that Jesus wants us to go and find (fish) other people and tell them about Him. He wants us to go and be friends with them and show them God's love and help them commit their lives.
I am sick of seeing people say with their mouths that they believe in God and that they are Christians and then go against everything the bible says. The bible clearly says "do not have sex until you are married", yet many people I know have had sex before they are married and think nothing of it. Now, swearing and smoking and drinking and stuff like that, I think are gray areas. I don't know for sure if the bible says anything specifically about swearing. I do believe though that your body is your temple, and I don't think that alcohol is something that I would want to put into my temple. Same with smoking. I really can't tell you what to do with your life. I can't judge you. But I can tell you that when you say that you are a "Christian", that's saying you believe in God and want to follow him, that you can't do it half heartedly. It doesn't work. I'm tired of seeing teens go and work at Christian camps, preach to these kids and then come home and they're swearing and drinking and having sex again. It's not right. And I hate it. Don't get me wrong, I don't hate the person, but I do hate their actions. People will know you by your actions.
I just realized how off topic I got, sorry guys. Anyways, I was talking to my pastor the other day about how people tend to think that after you become a Christian, life will be easy. My reaction made him laugh, because with the sound I made and the face I made, it was obvious that I sure knew better than that. Life is not easy when you follow God. Is that a bad thing? Heck no! He will make you uncomfortable. He will challenge you. But it will make you so much stronger. People say that I've "lived so much life" already. I never knew what they were talking about, but looking back on it, yeah, I have. With giving my life to Christ, came an adventure. It is one wild ride you guys, sort of like a roller coaster. (Don't judge me! I'm allowed to use cheesy examples every now and again :) ) Sometimes you will be so high on the Holy Spirit, on fire for God, and other times you will be on your face crying because of the events of the day. I have hit the highest of highs and the lowest of lows, and you know what? I wouldn't take one minute of it back. I love my life, and I love who God made me and who he's helping me become. I love him so much and I would never be able to turn my back on him. It's painful even thinking about it. Once, I tried to think about becoming atheist. Burning my bible, not praying, not having a god. And I couldn't even think about it. I tried imagining burning my bible, and I couldn't do it. I can't do it. I can't do anything without God, and I'm slowly but surely coming to that realization. He is so good to me even when I'm the most terrible daughter in the world. I can't ever thank him enough or serve him enough or do anything that could ever show how eternally grateful I am. Living for God is the hardest thing you will ever do, it's going to test you and it's going to make you cry, but it's going to give you the greatest joy in the world and it will be the only thing that makes life worth living for, trust me. Love you guys!
Blessings,
Ariel