The Prodigal Son

Here's a brief set of notes from 9/6/15's message about the Parable of the Prodigal Son:

• The prodigal son basically said "I wish you were dead" to his father.
• Rich to broke
• Broke to in desperate need
• Lived among pigs --> the unclean of unclean animals
• Finally comes to his senses and realizes what he did to his father
• Goes home
• Father forgives without needing any explanation
• He was on the lookout for his son all along
• Given what he didn't deserve
• Clothes
• Restored in the family (given a ring on his hand)
• Party thrown in his honor

Here's the "take away" from the whole story:

This is really a story about God and us, not just a father and his son.

• God is always waiting for us to come back to Him, despite what we have done in the past

1) God has me in a season for a reason, and its for my good.

2) There's a struggle in every season.

3) Learn from every season, under God's direction.

4) Share God's love with those around you, because you know where you've been and where you've been brought to.

I know this is just a summary of my notes from a talk with the youth, but it's a good reminder for us all and hopefully this is a call for us all to Live life Differently. 

Entitled? Because of what???

Why do people act like the world "owes" them something, just for being alive? It's such a crazy world to even begin with a thought like that, much less live like we are entitled to everything. Just a little while ago, I had a conversation with a friend about this very idea that is happening more and more in our American culture. My question is this:

Where in the world, did gratitude go? 

What happened to being thankful for the things that we have, instead of just looking for the next best thing to "fill a void" in our life?

It's saddens me, to think that we approach the Lord with the same kind of disrespect . . .that we show to people all around us. Let me make this very clear. We are NOT ENTITLED to anything. Period. End of Story.  It is only because of Christ, that we are allowed the opportunity to approach the throne of God, the Father. This attitude of, "God has to give us this, or that" makes me sick to think about. I realize that we may not say this directly, but we sure do act like it.

I say this so that we can all realize this . . .God is the creator, sustainer, and Lord of everything on this planet. HE OWES US NOTHING! In fact, if we call ourselves Christ followers, We owe him EVERYTHING!


Who of us died for the sins of the world?


Who of us rose from the grave and whipped death's tail?


Next time we think we are owed anything, I pray that we remember our place and who we are really in debt to - Jesus Christ, the one who died for every time we mess up.

It's crazy that the picture below represents so much of America right now.

All things bright and beautiful

     It's funny how something as simple as a photograph can catch someone's eye. It can capture a moment in time, and allow us to cherish it forever.

     Recently, I have taken up the hobby of photography, and I would have to say that I enjoy every aspect of it. Making sure that every detail is just perfect before I press click on the shutter. I think that this can translate into many areas of our lives, 

     Now, the great thing about a picture is that it reveals so much more than we would have thought about a particular moment. It can bring back memories, flooding into a person's mind - or it can make the world seem as though it has stopped spinning, even for the most brief of moments. I tell you about this, not to share the fact that I recently bought a new camera, to explore my hobby further . . . but to tell you a little bit about why I love the message of photography (at least the message to me). To me, photography is expressing the many things that God sees daily, in all of us. There is drama, passion, funny moments, sad times, devastating events, laughter, slow times, fast days, and in the midst of it all . . . it's gone, as fast as you can snap your fingers. If we miss it, then we miss it . . .but really, I think it is a conviction from the heart of God, that we all might slow down and enjoy the small things in life - every simple detail.

     You know, in Genesis it talks about how God created the heavens and the Earth. He put so much detail, even into the smallest things, that we might see Him and know His love for us. He created a masterpiece that we could stare at, every single day that we are here on this wonderful planet. He loved us that much, to put the effort into the smallest of things that we might enjoy it, and praise Him with how we live. 

     I was talking to my best friend about this, just the other day and my conversation with him wasn't too much different. I was doing my best to encourage him in being strong at his particular workplace, amidst all the issues going on, but at the same time (and i truly believe it is a good word for all of us), we need to do the small things correctly. It says in the New Testament, that "if we are entrusted with little and we do well with it, then we will be entrusted with much" (paraphrased). 

I say all of this to tell you a few things I have learned about photography, and life (as it may be):

1) Slow down - If you're running a thousand miles an hour, then you'll miss the best opportunities to laugh with people, talk about good times, and enjoy the friendships that God has given to you. You can only put the puzzle of life together one piece at a time, so don't try to sprint ahead with both hands flaring . . .take your time and make sure things are done right.

2) Enjoy the details - Life only happens once, and you might as well soak it up while it's here.

3) Smile - Nobody really likes to be around someone that's grumpy or sad all of the time.

4) Don't be afraid to tell the truth - In reality, life's too short to do anything short of being honest, period.

AND 

5) Praise the Lord for all He has given for you - Kind of self-explanatory, but it's exactly like my grandmother taught me . . ."it's always better for you to use manners, because you don't look as dumb as the other people that don't."

In all reality, this list should be done in the exact reverse of what I typed it up to be, but I'll leave the ordering up to you. If you read this far, you're probably smart enough to figure out the rest.

God bless my friends . . . 

Step into the Ring, Every Day is a Fight

Sometimes life just sucks. Plain and simple. I can totally relate to this, because as I sit at my desk typing this . . .my heart is in constant turmoil over the events of the last month or so. Way too much to put into words, but I guess this will be my best attempt at anything - so here it goes . . .

Pain in our personal lives is awful to go through, and it seems that when we are in the midst of that pain, we are completely alienated; alone in the world, separated from everyone and everything that we once loved and found joy in. It's ironic that when we are hurting so badly, that we feel that no one else could understand what we are going through. How little we really understand about suffering, pain, and affliction.

It was for our very souls that Christ came and died. It was a cruel, and heartless way that He was tortured and killed for all of our mess-ups - all of our faults. He bore the wrath of God upon His very shoulders, and never "called it quits" just because it was an incredibly difficult and painful journey to death. He could have taken the way out, just like everybody else around Him. He could have chose to get off with only minor charges against Him, if He only did what everyone else wanted Him to and gave into the peer pressure that surrounded Him daily. But He didn't.

The point is . . .despite how bad it seems that my life sucks, I've got it easy. So here I sit, in the middle of my "pile of ashes" like Job. There is a difference though, I will choose to praise God, the Father, through all of my hurt. He is much larger than my problems, and worthy of my praise. Besides, I wouldn't have anybody else in my corner, fighting for me, right now.

In Case You Missed It . . .

Here's what I had the pleasure of preaching on Sunday morning - a big "Thank You!" to the Big Man upstairs. This is only a general outline of what I talked about, because God has His own agenda when I speak.

One Heart

1 Corinthians 12:12-31

Unity

     Many parts make up one body, but as the saying goes, "You are only as strong as your weakest link." My question to you is what is our weakest link? (I showed the audience a big chain, donated from one of our deacons) I don't wanna sound too harsh, but sometimes to really finish that statement . . .we have to take a good, hard look in the mirror; Me included.

     The thing about this whole "unity" thing is that we cannot be divided - not on creed, distinction, age, prejudice, intentions, and most importantly mission. Now what is our mission? (Listed in stair-step form, starting with the first step here.)

1. Believing in Christ (Acts 16:31) 

• Worship --> Loving God with our heart(s), NOT just our words.

     This is the process of understanding Christ, and what He has done for us! Matthew 22:37

      2. Growing in Christ (2 Timothy 3:16)

• Small Group(s) --> Learning, Relating, Ministry in Group(s), Outreach, Growth, Caring, Praying, Fellowship, Discipleship

     This is the part of belonging to a group larger than yourself, because we CANNOT "do the Christian thing" on our own. We MUST belong to a gropu of believers that will encourage us, have faith in us, lift us up in prayer and accountability, as well as correct us when we are doing things that are not so good for us. We all long to belong to something, so this is the next step where we must become involved in the lives of others to really grasp our faith, take hold of it, own it, and live it out in our daily lives.  Matthew 22:38     Matthew 28:20

     I asked, "Who here do you know well enough to ask them really personal questions, like: How are you doing this week in your spiritual growth? How can I pray for you, specifically? How is your struggle with ___________ going?" "Seriously, take a look around right now and answer that question for yourself." "If Jesus saw it as a priority to say as His last words, 'As you are going, make Disciples . . .' then we have to take that commandment seriously, and get involved in the lives of believers sitting around us."

      3. Sharing Christ (Acts 1:8)

• Evangelism/Missions --> Reaching the Lost 

     It's not that people aren't hearing the Gospel enough, but that the people that have never heard about Jesus at all- they are the ones that aren't even getting to hear about Him . . .because of the way that WE act! We are spreading the "Good News" to the pople that have heard about it for years, and years . . .AND YEARS!
     This is when I described a hogs' wallow, or a muddy pit in which hogs wallow around in a mixture of their own filth, mud, and water. I asked, "If we are supposed to be 'filling our cup' with the Good News - or the Living Water - of Jesus Christ, but we were really filling it with the mud and filth from our own lives (just like a hogs' wallow) . . .who would want anything to do with us? It's like we are asking them to drink from the same cup of mud that we drink from in our own lives. We are filling this cup with mud and filth, and saying 'Go ahead, take a big swig of that good stuff!' Like really? Who would want anything to do with a church like that?"

      4. Serving Christ (Matthew 25:40)

• Serving Others --> Bringing glory to God & Using our Gifts! 

1 Peter 4:10-11      1 Corinthians 12:4-7     Galatians 5:13

     This is the practical, hands-on approach to the Gospel; Going out, meeting the needs of people with our time, talents, effort, and good, "old-fashioned" hard work. It is so crucial in the day that we live in, that we reach out as the hands and feet of Jesus, going into the places that we have not been before- especially when it comes to our own town of St. Clair. We must not only be hearers of the Word, but doers of the Word! There is nothing more frustrating than when a "Christian" says something, and acts completely different than what they just said. 


"It really breaks my heart when people act like this, and profane the name of God by what they do in the public eye(s). People are looking for a reason to discredit Christ, and to never look upon the cross. We have to be more than this!"

      5. Becoming more like Christ (John 8:12)

• The ultimate example of sacrifice, service, love, and grace.

     If we really understood what He has done for us, we would never argue about useless junk, waste our time on things that don't matter, and we would spend every moment making sure more and more people understood His free gift, started growing in His likeness, and started sharing their faith with others.



Now there is flip side to this topic of Unity . . . 
Chaos & Division

1. Me-Centered Attitudes

• Selfishness abounds

      2. Stagnant or Negative Growth

• Having little to do or share with others. No connection to a growing body of Believers. No time for "feelings" or deep issues.
• "Why grow to be like Christ, when everybody likes 'Me' just the way 'I am?'"

      3. "Hoarding All the Brownies" (Mentality)

•  Everybody learns to share in Kindergarten, but these type of "Christians" don't share to save their lives . . .or anybody else's for that matter.
• "These people are so consumed with keeping it all to themselves, that they end up looking like a small child that has wrapped his/her arms around a giant pan of brownies - trying to keep the goodness to themselves."

      4. Pew-Sittin' Preacher(s) 

•  They care more about "their pew/seat" in church than going out and showing the love of Christ to others around them. They are usually characterized by a few behaviors:
• NO smiling allowed!
• They usually have an opinion about what the church"should be doing"
• Bad attitudes
• Little involvement in church activities/events

     We then proceeded to list a host of reasons that people wouldn't have anything to do with a church/local body of believers, as well as listing sins that people don't want anything to have to do with.
     After we listed these things, I turned back around and said, "If we don't want anything to do with this kind of stuff . . .but we have them as a part of our own lives we are . . ." (And I wrote this in big letters across the front of our list) "FRAUDS!" WE ARE FRAUDS & LIARS IF WE DO THIS STUFF!" 
"We can NOT spend out time acting like something other than what we say we are. Our words and actions MUST match."

I proceed to tell the group that I didn't know what the Lord was saying to their heart(s), but I do know that "We don't need to forget what we've heard here today, and I've got a little something for each of you that want a physical reminder that we are all in this together."


As I pulled out a large popcorn tin, then I had them all try to guess what was in the tin.  When I opened it, and pulled out a small army man, I explained that: "Just like a member of an army is just one of many soldiers, and any soldier that thinks he can win a war all by himself is pretty delusional about his job. There are no Rambo(s) in a body of believers, except for Jesus, and we all have to learn that we must trust and depend on each other more and more."




. . . .and this is what we talked about on Sunday.

Growth

     As the snow is melting and Puxatony Phil declares that spring is not very far away . . .We too, as a church, are about to enter a season of growth. What comes to mind, when I think about growth, is the passage of Psalms 1, in particular about hw the Lord blesses this man’s faithfulness:

“Blessed is the man who walks not int he counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.”

    Sometimes we get too caught up in wanting to grow, when the Lord may know that we are not ready. Each plant grows according to its own season, and its own biological clock – so is the life of the church.

     I believe growth is a good thing, and it shows that the Lord is blessing the faith of His people. It can also be a bad thing, when we focus too much on the numerical amount of growth instead of discipleship growth that Jesus calls us to. If we focus on the wrong things, our roots will be shallow and susceptible to the wailing of the winds. But a tree firmly planted along the streams (or closely meshed with God’s Word) . . .that’s when the Lord will allow us to prosper. 

     So continue to seek the Lord’s counsel in all things, and to dive deeply into His Word daily.

Messengers with a clear purpose

The other night, as I looked up at the stars in the sky, I noticed a light that was moving – and I realized that it was a satellite. I was thinking about what the primary function of a satellite really is . . .to relay the message of it’s sender across the world.

            In today’s techno-crazy world, we often forget about the usefulness of satellites, but I want to bring something into perspective here. Our lives as followers of Christ are EXACTLY like the mission of a satellite. Christ has given us a message to relay to the rest of the world. He didn’t say “send this message if you feel like it.” A satellite does everything asked of it, and more – because it is following the instructions of it’s operator – in this case it is Jesus that is our operator.

            As followers of Christ, we are to get HIS message out to the nations of the world, just like a satellite.

1 Thessalonians 2, verse 4 makes this point very clear when it says:

“. . .just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts.”

          The message is clear. We MUST share HIS message with those that do not believe; otherwise we are not completing our mission in this world. It’s not our job to change hearts, because Jesus takes care of that – it’s our job to get the word out.

Firmly rooted or Not?

    It’s like what my camp director used to tell the staff all the time “What you put into the well, is going to come up in the bucket.”

In Romans, 11:16 we find a similar set of advice:

“ . . .if the root is holy, so are the branches.”

     When I read this, I thought of Paul’s symbol here – the tree. If the tree doesn’t have firm, deep, healthy roots then it won’t grow. In the same sense, it applies to our own “faith trees.”

     When we first hear the message about what Jesus has done for our world, a seed is planted. If that seed is cared for and nurtured, then the seed will develop into a sapling – although it is small, it still is a tree. That tree depends on the roots to sustain it, and if its roots aren’t rooted deeply and providing life to the rest of the tree . . .then the tree will die.

     As simple as it sounds, this is exactly like our life in Christ. If we are not firmly planted in God’s word, and seeking daily nourishment from it, then we can be carried off by all kinds of ideas.

     Remember, the roots are careful about the things that it sends into the rest of the tree. So too should we be careful about what we put into our lives. Holiness does not “just happen,” and neither does growth. If the roots are holy, then the branches will learn from that holiness and grow in the same way – into holiness.

Just something to think about.

Journey to the Summit

     As I sit in my office this morning, I am reminded of how much I want to be outside . . .and how extremely jealous I am that my best friend is in Colorado, climbing mountains – while I am not. If you know anything about me, it is this – I have an affinity for the outdoors, and I would much rather be outside than inside, on just about any given day. With that said, I like hiking and climbing the best out of anything I get to do in the outdoors.
You may be asking yourself . . . “Self, why is he talking about how much he loves the outdoors?” Well, your answer lies in the verses I was reading this morning (and a book I read just a few weeks ago). But first things first!
     In the book of Isaiah, we find a particular passage that thrills my soul in many ways, but especially because of the specific words that Isaiah had to say about the nations of Judah and Jerusalem. In the second chapter of his writings, we find him saying this:

“In the last days the mountain of the LORD's temple will be established as chief among the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and all nations will stream to it.
Many peoples will come and say,
‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob.
He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.’
The law will go out from Zion, the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.”

     As I read this particular passage (which is found in verses two and three), my soul jumped because of pure excitement. It is nature that thrills me in ways that I cannot describe, and even pictures can do nothing to describe the sheer isolation that you feel in the wilderness. It is only you, God, and His creation – which can be exciting and terrifying too.
     This is also true in life, because sometimes the best thing for our hearts is to get away from all the noise, clamor, hustle, and bustle of the world – and to retreat into the heart of the wilderness, where we can hear directly from the voice of God.
     The book I was telling you about is called Touching The Void by Joe Simpson. It is one man’s miraculous story of survival, when tragedy happened on the side of a snow-covered mountain. I tell you about this book, because it made me think of all the trials that we face in life. Just like Joe and Simon were climbing in insanely hard conditions, they never gave up; almost as if the entire book was a metaphor for the will of the human soul.

     The fact of the matter is that when we climb these mountains in our lives, there will be trials that must be faced, elements that must be braved, and obstacles that must be over come but in the end the reward is the sweetest thing in the world, that nobody can quite put into words. On the top of our life’s mountain is God, and through these trials he will teach us to walk in his ways; just like Isaiah talked about. So, let’s climb to the summit, overcoming each obstacle together, and hopefully we will learn something about ourselves, and our Savior along the way.

What Matters Most?

This was the first newsletter article that I wrote for the church I am currently serving at, FBC St. Clair, Missouri. I hope it provides some encouragement to those that are reading it.


I was reading this morning, and I came across a passage in Isaiah 40. It’s amazing how the Lord reminds me how our lives are incredibly fragile. In every way, our very existence depends upon the Lord (whether we realize it or not), because each breath is a gift from the Lord. Like Master Oogway (the turtle sage in the movie Kung Fu Panda) says, “Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That is why it is called the ‘present.’" In this respect I agree with the old turtle, because each moment we are given, on earth, by the Lord should be treasured
From here we have a choice to make . . . do we acknowledge that the Lord is in complete control of the things that happen in our lives – even down to the smallest detail; OR do we choose to ignore God in the equation and promote a self-centered focus. This is where it is crucial to put the focus on God, and not on ourselves, because the Lord is waiting for our attention before He moves before us in a mighty way.
The fact of the matter is, as the passage in Isaiah talks about, the beauty of the world will fade. There are no if(s), an(s), or but(s) about the fact that the world won’t last forever. . .but the Word of our God will. I hope and pray that you will take this to heart, because the things of this world won’t last; and as the old saying goes, “It doesn’t matter how many possessions you have in this life, because you can’t take them with you when you leave this earth.”
My prayer is that you would really focus on the Lord and evaluate your relationship with him, based on these couple of questions:
•What really matters most to you?
•In all seriousness, do we put more value in material things and earthly possessions?
•OR does God’s Word mean more to us than anything else?

It’s something to really think about.

What is a real man?

*A quick word of caution - It may seem like I'm bashing women in this post, but I hope you won't take it that way because that's definitely not how I intend it to sound.*

Is it just me, or is it the typical mainstream image of an actual man - that bothers me . . . and I mean it really gets under my skin. I hope I'm not the only one, but in case I am, here is what I mean.

It seems that in today's culture, it's completely okay to be a womanizing, sarcastic, untrustworthy, lazy, uncommitted, un-devoted, shallow, hollow, and void person(s) that calls themselves "men." It seems like the world, wants for men to be followers rather than leaders. We were meant for nothing more than to follow around our counterparts (sorry ladies) and agree with them on every single issue, under the sun. . . or so it seems.

What would it look like for the men around you to actually stand up for what they believe? Would it be transformational for them? Their communities? Their cities? The state? The nation?

What if men stood up for their families? Their girlfriends (If applicable)? Their friends? Heck, what about standing up for themselves?

What would it require to believe in an ideal? What would it take to have passion about even the smallest things in their lives?

I challenge each person reading this to look beyond what the "men" around you give as a sad, effortless portrayal of what manhood is actually supposed to be - but to see them as the man that they could be.

Remember, Men were not created to be followers, soft-handed, "agreeing", spineless creatures. . . but we were created in the image of God Almighty - with all the ferocity, courage, and bravery that He could place into a vessel meant to serve Him. A warrior, fighting for each "battle" in his life with a calm and controlled restraint; hearing the cries of the afflicted, and answering their call.

That's what I think a real man is anyway. . .

Feel free to let me know what you think.

Another day, another new story

Well here it is, the last semester of my college life, and I'm on the downhill slide - as far as finishing goes. It's kind of crazy to look back on all the people that have crossed my path in my time here. I've seen a lot, experienced a lot, and seen a lot of change . . . some good, some not so good.

It's exciting to think about the future, and all that it holds. The new faces I will meet, the new adventures to begin, and the new things I get the opportunity to learn about. At the same time, it's also the most scary thing I think I've ever had to deal with up to this point.

Change is not always a bad thing, but it is a scary thing. If I just step back and think of how far I have come, to the place that I am at now, all I can really do is stand in awe of what Christ has done in my life. In the good times and the bad He has stood right alongside of me; picking me up and setting me back on my feet whenever I fell.

If I could change anything, I wish that close friendships didn't have to fade like they do. I think that's the thing that I look back on, and I want to reclaim in my own life.

My life is a story, and this is only the most recent chapter . . . so what's YOUR story? I'd love to hear about it.

Changing times

By this time in my life, I expect that I've seen a lot of things and I think that's a fair assumption for me to make. It seems almost amazing to "step back" from life and watch the amount of people, in recent years, that have the tremendous influence that they have on this earth; to watch these people have all of their influence erode away, in the blink of an eye, because of some type of sexual allegation. My fear, as I am finishing up the pursuit of my degree in ministry, is that I too will fall headlong into some type of catastrophic sin(and it doesn't even have to be a sexual sin) that will greatly affect the way that people today see the people they call "Christians."

It is truly unfortunate that the world stands back and watches Christian after Christian fail to live up to the expectations and rigorous rules that we place on our own lives. Not only this, but the fact that every time one Christian falls, the world becomes a little more hardened to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

My heart is utterly saddened by the way that sexual sin has literally ripped apart our culture. We fail to really see a detrimental error in our lives, until it is at the "point of no return," and our pedestals, that we have been balancing on with one leg for so long, is knocked out from underneath us. Nothing is truly more scary than to be exposed, in the light, for the monsters deep inside our own hearts.

I pray that God changes our hearts soon, before things get worse!

The simpler things

So . . .I'm sitting at work, thinking about the list that we were to compile about the 10 most important things in our lives. I am reminded that I won't have these things forever, and I thought it would be good to let you know what I think is important (in my life). Here is that list, in case you were wondering (And yes, it is in random order, just because I can):

# 3 - My Friends

I have absolutely no idea where I would be in my life without the A-M-A-ZING people that mean so much to me. There have been so many times that I have been able to laugh, smile, and have the best of times around each one of you. My heart is overjoyed when I think of each individual person that has graced my life with their friendship. How thankful that I am to know each person in my life, as well as I do, because friendship is something that I have never taken very lightly. I know there are lots of days when I am not at the peak of my friendliness, but I would more than be overjoyed to sit and listen to ANYTHING that you have or want to say. If I had anything that I would want to tell people, it would be to come and sit a while . . . and simply talk. I would love to listen to your stories about life, however tough, amazing, sorrowful, or joyous that it has been for you. In all of that, I was saying this . . .

"Thank you for being my friend. Yes, to each of you that is reading this. I can't thank you for all the smiles, the hugs, the words of encouragement, the love, and - sometimes - the swift kick in the butt (when I needed it). We have been through so much together, and I think those of you will know who you are. You remind me of who I am, and the man that I want to be. I simply don't know where I would be without the reminder of your friendship that is brought new each morning. Thanks for being there - through all the times that I thought I could do it on my own and whatnot. I am truly blessed! If all I know was taken from me, I would be blessed for having your friendship in my life. I couldn't ever say it enough . . . . . . Thank You!"


With all that said, here's a little side note:
To love, to live. . . was the purpose we were given when we were created. Our conception was no mistake . . . and we must live in a manner that is worthy of that calling. As simple as it is, it's very hard for each of us to do, consistently, on a daily basis. Love, laugh, live . . . that's the saying that I have seen all over the internet, especially on girls' facebooks!!! As funny as it may seem, there is an inherent truth to the matter. Created to love, living to love, dying for love - that's what my Savior did. This is the calling I was given when I was born.

Stop yo' High Horse . . . and Wait!

So many times, we get caught up in the things that don't truly matter in life. Think about it, there are tons of things in our culture that draw our attention away from the Lord - music, celebrities, sports, class, among other things. When we reflect back on those things, there should be no legitimate reason that we focus so heavily on those things. Other than the fact that we, as humans, have our own agendas in mind . . . there are many times in life when we are too impatient to really know that waiting, in some instances, is the best thing for us - in those certain moments.
In Psalms 37, King David shares some practical insight into this situation of waiting (vv. 1-7). I'll let you read it for yourself, and see what you think:

Fret not yourself because of evildoers; be not envious of wrongdoers!
For they will soon fade like the grass and wither like the green herb.
Trust in the Lord, do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.
Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.
Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act.
He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday.
Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourselves over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices!

Ok, I admit it. I made some emphasis on certain words, but this is the true message of these verse - the true message that King David was trying to get across. I truly believe that King David said these words to motivate the people to wait, in a time of great prosperity for the kingdom of Israel. Right at the time when Israel's borders were expanding and growing, the King called on his people . . . to wait.
You know, this really and truly relates to our lives as Christians. As our "borders" are expanding well into new areas, and our lives are growing and prospering; God calls us to wait on Him. We should trust that the Lord has a plan for our lives. It even says in verse 3 to, "Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness." When we truly trust in the Lord, in all the areas of our lives, the Lord promises to bless us with the "desires of our hearts." This promise is so much more than just the physical or relationship aspect of our hearts, because God, in His ultimate wisdom . . . knows us better than we know ourselves! Think about it! Why do we get one thing, when we "expect" to get something completely different? I truly and honestly believe, with all my heart, that God knows each of our hearts more intimately than our friends, parents, acquaintances, and peers ever could! God knows all and sees all, even beyond all the hype and circumstances that make us want something other than the things that we truly need.
Take a moment and look around you. Wherever you are, just look around you. Look for the things that you value most, the things that you own and really treasure. Now, picture those things in your mind, and think about whether you really need those things to survive or not - My guess is that you don't.
It's amazing to think that God created us to survive on the most basic of things, but, essentially, they are the most important things in our lives; although they may not receive the thanks and praise that they are due. This may seem a little like fourth grade, but . . . What do you need to survive?

1. Food
2. Water
3. Shelter and, most importantly,. . . . . .
   
4. other people

God created us to need so little, so that we could focus on the things that we could focus on Him and enjoy the things in this life. Everything in life can be summed up in two categories: (1) Things that draw us towards an intimate relationship with God, and (2) Things that don't.

The challenge that is laid on my own heart, as I write this, is to learn to wait on the Lord . . . with everything that I have. It isn't good enough just for me to say that I am waiting on the Lord, but to actually do it; if the saying is true . . . to, "put my money where my mouth is." It's one thing for me to say that I wait on the Lord, and another thing to go out and make decisions that affect my life, towards a future that meets the expectations that I want for my own life. The difference between a want and a need, is that you don't really need what you want. In all reality, you need very little. I'm not saying that it is a bad thing to want things, but I think we should check out motives about why we want something. To evaluate the reasons that we want it, and if they don't line up with Biblical truths . . . then we don't really need it.
Even in the area of waiting, it's easy to get caught up in the moment. I'm as guilty of this as much as anyone else. The thing that we must do, from here on out, is to begin learning a pattern of trusting and waiting and to develop a sense what we truly need.
This is my prayer, that you might exceed in the knowledge of Lord, even more so than I have.

Stormy seas on the horizon

I've been thinking a lot lately, and yesterday was one of those thinking days (especially in the Bible study I attend). It's been a rough semester for me, and I have done my fair share of failing and messing up all along the way. In the course of this semester, I have had my up and downs, highs and lows, and I have been reminded of why I am who I am. God has definitely blessed my life, in ways that I still don't understand, and put me into places where I have learned so much - even from my failures. He has given me so much grace and mercy, guiding me and leading me through ever moment of my life.

I realize, with some thinking at Bible Study last night, that my life is a lot like the story of Jonah. God has placed a supernatural calling on my life, and I have run from that calling for quite a while now. Reading back on my notes from last night, I can see so much resemblance in the life of Jonah and my own life. I have seen all the astounding, miraculous, and amazing things that God has continued to surround my life with; little reminders of the future He has in store for my life. Even with all the amazing things that God has done in my life, like Jonah, I have continued to run from that calling. All the while, God has been drawing my heart back to Him. . . steadily, patiently waiting for me to give up my fighting. I have fought God in so many ways that it is hard to even begin counting the things I have done to go as far away, from what I am called to do, as I can.

Last night was one of those nights, when God spoke to me and asked me one thing. One thing to completely blind side me, to lower all of my defenses, to penetrate deep into my heart. God called me out last night on the things I had been doing; it was straight-forward, blunt, and I definitely needed to hear it. See, God put up a literal roadblock in my path (just like He did with Jonah --> making the sea storm violently) so that I couldn't run away anymore. It was a good thing that He did though, because I have been so weary from running and the guilt of my unfaithfulness has haunted my every thought. God knew it. I knew it. And God was tired of it. I honestly believe that God spoke to me last night to just ask me a question: "What in the world are you doing, my son? Really. . . what in the heck are you doing?" I think it was all I could do at that moment not to burst into tears, but I knew that God was right.

I was like Jonah, asleep below deck while the sea was beyond violent around him - literally scaring the well-experienced sailors aboard the boat, to the point where they threw their cargo (their livelihood) overboard . . . afraid that they were going to die. I was just like that! I was asleep while God was creating a violent storm all around me . . .trying to get my attention . . . and what was I doing? Sleeping. Running from my purpose, blind to the things bigger than me. Boy did I feel naive!

I tell you this not for sympathy, but to serve as an example. I ask that you examine your own life. Are you running from God? Why? Why are you running? God always grabs the attention of those He loves . . . one way or another. Whether through a quiet whisper, or a booming, violent storm; God has His own ways of grabbing our attention. Would you rather run from God and face being wrapped up in your own desires (most likely ending up being miserable), or letting the God of the universe, who knows you best, make the most out of your existence? It's up to you, because only you can choose.

It's a small world, but a there's lots of love out there

This morning, while in one of my university's chapel services, I believe that God had a message for my heart. Standing there in chapel, listening to others sing praise to God, and just standing there, God spoke to me. Let me preface why I wasn't singing (like everyone else) by letting you know why I was doing what I was doing . . .

I read a quote, somewhere along the way, that said to something to the effect of: "Too often, we rush into God's presence with words - but is that all that God is really worthy of, in our lives?"

With that said, I have been doing everything I know how to not rush into God's presence with words, but by worshiping God for all the things He is worthy of. So, there I was . . . standing in chapel, listening to a couple thousand voices singing around me. As all this was going on, I closed my eyes to pray and meditate. During this point, the "worship leader" (who was an older lady) is singing the song Breathe. It's a song that I've heard thousands of times before, but today God spoke softly to my heart, in a way I didn't see coming.

As I was listening, the chorus of the song came around and this is the part of the song that says: "I'm desperate for you" and this repeats several times, ultimately leading up to a very intense, emotion-filled moment for everyone. As I was listening to this part, I heard such a beautiful voice standing next to me - singing her heart out to God. She wasn't loud at all, in fact, she was very quiet about the way she was singing. . . but I could tell that she was literally pouring her heart out on the altar of worship, before the Lord. This is the moment when God's revelation hit me so hard! I could literally feel him moving in, through, and all over today's chapel service! God was audibly speaking to the hearts of thousands of people, and He took the time to individually speak to me. . . how awesome is the God we serve?!?!

Obedience has a price

First off, I probably need to apologize for not having a new post in a while. It is probably best summed up in the fact that I've been pretty sick for about 4 1/2 to 5 days now. Anyways, that shouldn't have be an excuse. Onwards with the posting!

I was reading today in My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers, and he was talking about the cost that other people must endure for us (Christians) to follow God. He brings up the passage in Luke where Simon was chosen from the crowd to carry the cross that Christ was burdened with, on his final walk to the place where he would be hung. Chambers says (in the reading) that:

"If we are in love with our Lord, obedience does not cost us anything, it is a delight, but it costs those who do not love Him a good deal. If we obey God it will mean that other people's plans are upset, and they will gibe (tease) us with it - 'You call this Christianity?' We can prevent the suffering; but if we are gong to obey God, we must not prevent it, we must let the cost be paid."

While reading this and the other thoughts that Chambers brought up, on this particular day of reading for me, I was brought to my own realization. The fact that I want to obey God will cost everything for those that I love the most. I know that this has happened countless times in my own life. I have pushed people away, hurt people with words, and so much more - just because I thought I was doing the right thing at the time. Maybe I was, and then again, maybe I wasn't. I won't really ever know if I don't do all that I know to follow my Lord. . . my God . . . my King. All the sorrow, pain, heartache, loss, frustration, and grief that I have cost to the people I truly care about is in vain if I chose to disobey my God. "When we immediately obey God," Chambers says that "others are affected."

If a life is measured in inches and miles, instead of actions and deeds done for others, then the resounding chorus of a life devoted to following God stretches far beyond the horizon, far beyond the mountains, and far beyond the seas.

Walking moment by moment

While the fellas were playing paintball on Saturday, I was watching, taking photos, and thinking a lot. To be completely honest, it was a hard thing to watch my good friends go through – nor was it the most exciting tournament, on our end. If we were playing golf. . . we would have won by 4 points. Though it was a hard day to get through - near the end, there was a point of triumph. Triumph came in the form of a blowout win. In paintball, maxing another team is when all 5 of your players eliminate the other 5 players on the field of play. We had gone the entire day winless, but this was the match when we vowed to never let up, never let down, never quit.

Coming out of the gate, 3 eliminations were credited to our team of fearless gunners. While I was taking photos of this particular match, I was unaware that these events had happened so quickly. I was caught up in the moment of taking the perfect photos, and they guys were blasting their way to victory, on opponent at a time. Within the next minute and a half, our team had blown the door open on the opponents by eliminating their remaining two teammates.

The game of paintball consists of a series of point values: points for eliminating the opponents players, points for retrieving a flag in the middle of the field of play, and points for placing that flag on the opponents’ bunker/starting area. When all five eliminations had happened, that’s when I realized what was going on. Our guys had done it, when everyone else thought that they couldn’t pull it off! I was shocked, amazed, proud, and so happy for our team (I think I said “Wow!” about 20 times)!

Thinking back on this momentous moment, from our tournament yesterday, I was also struck with another though. This type of victory, the cause for celebration type of moment, doesn’t happen very often in our lives as men and women; but when it does, there is all the more cause for celebration. I think it’s the little victories in life, when it seems like the whole world and everything/everyone in it is against you. Life can be a cruel teacher, that’s for sure! The thing that we should do as believers is to celebrate the small things in our lives . . . the ones that mean so much to us – enjoying each moment that we are given – because no one ever knows how many of these moments that we are given.

In the Philippians 4:4 it says “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say Rejoice.” Think about it with me, what in our lives is a cause for this type of celebration? And do we really take the time to “savor the moment” like it is talking about in Philippians? God has created each day, as a new moment to rejoice and delight in the things that He has created for us to walk in.

David, a man after God’s own heart, wrote in Psalm 37:4 “Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” Not that we should delight in the Lord for the desires of our heart, but that when we do delight ourselves in God’s presence we are content with all that God is and not worrying about what He gives us. It’s not about the material gain that comes from this type of delight, but God will provide everything you need according to his rich mercies. I think this is a call for us to slow down, in this crazy technological world we live in, and just enjoy each moment that we are given. To live without worry, without regret, without any reservations of what could or will happen, and just . . . live!!! Really and truly live!!!

I think that these passages speak to my heart, if not more so than the hearts and lives of everyone around me.

So what would it take for you to slow down and enjoy the moments that God has made specifically for you today?

Avoid the boring morning drive

I was doing a lot of procrastinating today, and ironically it got me thinking. I was thinking of all the stuff that I struggle with, from the really big things all the way down to the smallest things. I think that God has been working on me a lot this week, and I feel like it’s starting to rub off on me – instead of when I usually just hear what He is saying and completely ignored it, by going back to the same lifestyle that I was involved in.

Sorry, I got a little off task. . . back to the issue at hand. I feel that God has been using music for a long time in my life. The emotional highs and lows that I get from certain types of music, songs, and genres definitely is a way that God has a hand in showing me lots of things in my life. For instance, I am currently sitting in a vehicle (on the way to Dallas, Texas ) and the song that was just playing is called The Diary of Jane by Breaking Benjamin. Everyone that knows me pretty well can tell you that I love rock music. It gives me such an emotional high, and gets my adrenaline flowing . . . which is, by the way, one of the best feelings on earth. I feel like I can conquer the world when certain songs are playing (usually the ones that I really get into). I was thinking about how music effects my emotions, my mood, my work ethic, my personality, and a lot more in my life – and I was thinking about the songs that I was listening to while I did my workout earlier this morning. While reflecting on all these thoughts about music, God pulled the switch on the light bulb in my brain. It was one of those “Ah Hah!” moments. That was when it donned on me; if music can have these kinds of effects on people, then why in the world is Christ not effecting more and more people like the music industry is? Let me explain this idea a little better . . .

See most people view Christ as viewed as far away, and sometimes distant, but the music of today is catchy, influential, and speaks to the hearts of the audience that chooses to hear the song. Music is relevant, not always glamorous, and straight to the heart of the issue.

Why in the world can’t the message of the gospel be more like this???

See my idea is that the message we use to portray Christ should be not only relevant, catchy, and creative . . . but we shouldn’t have to use the world’s best techniques or programs, we need to quit beating around the bush and shoot straight to the heart of the issue! How much more important is the newest techniques, ministries, or programs in our churches, homes, and families if the word of God is not penetrating the hearts, minds, and souls of not only our youth, but their families and the rest of our culture? I contend that new programs, ministries, etc. don’t mean a thing if the heart of the issue (Jesus Christ) is not in the middle of everything we do.

We really need to get our stuff together and stop worrying about what everyone else is doing!!!!

From my own experience, today’s youth are not searching for new programs, opportunities, or ministries but they are searching for someone that cares for them. Someone that will listen to them, take the time to hear and share in their ideas, fears, failures, joys, and tears. Today’s youth don’t want anybody that is going to judge them, but a person that is willing to take the time and invest in them. We have to spend time with our youth where they are at, not forcing them to come inside the walls of a “church.” The fear for most youth is that when they are inside the walls of a “church,” they will be judged and/or condemned for the things that they do. I believe that we must meet them where they are, and get outside of the traditions of the past, getting to know what our youth, and their families, do for fun. What are their favorite things to do? What are their least favorite things? And can we adapt some of those things that they love to do into our ministry to our youth?

We have to get outside the walls of our comfort zones, i.e. the “church,” and meet the youth of today where they are – because it adds to the genuine nature of any ministry if a minister really and truly gets to know the hearts, minds, and the actual people that they are reaching with the Gospel. Without actually getting to know a person, I believe that there is no realistic way of meeting their needs with Christ. Showing people who you really are, in their context(s) and environments where they are comfortable, gives you an opportunity to relate with your students and their families . . . as well as giving them a way of relating to you when you start talking to them about Christ. It’s sort of a launching point, or a diving board, to how you can share the Gospel with people, inside and outside of the church.

Being an effective minister of God’s Word, to the people of today’s culture, involves taking off our “masks” that have long plagued the congregations of our church, our teachers, and our church staff. People respect and respond to genuine people, and when someone is genuine more and more people will take the time to listen, ask questions, and try to understand the essential Truths that come from the heart of Christ, into the messages we teach. Please . . . (really hear my heart when I say this) take the time to be creative when you are sharing your story and the message of Christ to others . . . because let’s face it, nobody wants to listen to a boring, 3 point sermon. And yes, if you’re wondering, I have given my fair share of the most boring 3 point sermons, anywhere around. This is why my heart is pleading with you to break outside the walls of tradition, and to find your own ways of effectively ministering to today’s generation of youth, young adults, and families. Creativity is a must if we are to translate the texts of the Word of God into a manageable way for our culture to not only hear, but to really understand and apply to their lives.

As I begin to wrap up this blog post, I’m listening to a new song; Disturbia by Rhianna. . . and it’s kind of funny, but there are a lot of truths inside this song that can be used to translate the message of Christ to the culture of today. So start with a little creativity, add a little part culture, and remember to avoid the boring and you will have an beautiful meal of Christ that most everyone will be satisfied with! Just remember to enjoy!