Things Are Changing...Again

We don't typically deal with change too well do we? I remember moving in to my college dorm and I was just scared to death. Then, right as I am getting settled in, graduation comes. You have to start making big life decisions and its scary too. Then, like a contagious disease all your friends at once seem to be getting married and its very exciting, but also weird because it causes change. Now some of my best friends are expecting a baby and I can't help but think the baby fever of friends is beginning if it hasn't already. This is so amazing, but it is also going to drastically change things. All these things listed change people schedules, where they are living, and also change their priorities. Is change bad? No. I want to give my thoughts on properly dealing with change.

Once Brad and Elyse have a baby, the baby will consume almost all of their time. Will they be able to come over and just hang out till late at night? I doubt it. Will they be able to make it to last minute dinner plans? Probably not. Does this mean they care any less about their friends and family? Not one bit. We need to embrace change and help those as they adapt to new circumstances. God beautifully designed creation mindful that we are going to mature and changes are going to take place in our life. So my first big tip is to truly be happy and supportive of your friends. Whether they are getting married or having a child or taking on a new job or whatever, don't let your selfish desire prevent them from enjoying the next season. They will prioritize their spouse, child, or doing well with their new job and the more you make them feel guilty the more they will push away. So please just enjoy the time you spend together, and in the midst of their stress be the friend that helps them through this new time. They will never forget.

Secondly, remember that God is faithful through every season of life. Circumstances may change, but God is still the same. Remember the times He has gotten you through tough times where you we were worried and anxious. God is going to use you in every season, so be confident and rest on Him. Change isn't as scary and is even more exciting when you look at the Creator Who is in control.

Lastly, learn from those who are experiencing these changes before you. Figure out some of the hard parts of marriage before you get married. I plan on spending a lot of time with Brad and Elyse's kid, one because I love them and want to be a part of His life, and two I want to have a better understanding of how to take care of a kid if I ever have one. It will be different no doubt, but I will learn things as well that will prepare me for the future. 

I know these things are pretty straightforward, but they are things to keep in mind. I am excited for all my friends and family back home even though I don't get to see ya'll as much. I am praying for you though and just keep trusting in the Lord! 

Humble Me Lord

For some reason humility has been on my mind and heart for a while now. I did a Sunday School lesson on money and materialism and I love what I read in Deuteronomy 8:16-17. God tells the people He purposefully tests the people so that they will be humbled so that they don't say it was by their own power that they became wealthy. In a society where our view of a person is based on how successful they are, we are constantly pressured by gaining more and more. When we are successful, we get praise and tend to start believing in our own power. When a person is struggling, they seem like a failure. However, hardships the Lord gives could be the best blessing a person can receive. If the Lord withholds material success and thus preserves the faith of that person and prevents them from falling into pride, that is a great showing of mercy. We have to change our thinking and not view our worth based on what society values, but on what God values. That way when we go through a tough time, we can fully rely and depend on God. When we do receive blessing, we know that it is by His grace and remain completely dependent on Him. For in times of hardship and blessing, He is still faithful to provide everything we need.

Pride and worldly success has consistently infiltrated everything, including the churches. This isn't a new problem, but it is evident in the world today. We are all tainted by it. I am frankly tired of hearing the words growth and outreach become the battle cry of the church. I am not against growth and outreach, but it seems less and less that we are crying growth for believers to come to know the Lord. Rather, it seems like we are crying growth, so we can see our pews filled throughout the week. This is not a pure motivation, but a prideful motivation. Can we please start trusting in the power of the word of God, desire universal redemption of sinners not just our own purposes, and take on the role of building up the body of Christ so that true disciples can be made? I know these are no difficult tasks, but growth of the church in itself means very little if not nothing.

Our salvation and relationship with the Lord is based on a faith in His life, death, and resurrection that requires repentance and a life committed to obeying Him as Lord. Getting people to the church may aid them in hearing this, and obviously the Holy Spirit can and will do a mighty work, but that should not be the main focus of the body of Christ. Take this excerpts from the parable of the sower:

²⁰ The one on whom seed was sown on the rocky places, this is the man who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; ²¹ yet he has no firm root in himself, but is only temporary, and when affliction or persecution arises because of the ^[j]word, immediately he ^[k]falls away.

This person that makes it to the church responds in joy, but is not built up into maturity. It says they fall away, meaning they will suffer an eternity in hell apart from God. It is absolutely not enough, and if our motives are to fill our pews and we are not desperately begging God to save sinners and help them grow in the maturity of faith then what are we doing? God's power is not evident in our pride, but rather in our humility. I really desire we humble ourselves before the Lord, and desperately seek Him that the lost will be found.

In doing so, I am not saying that the church sits idly. My practical response to this goes as follows. My first application is to deepen your prayer life. This is probably the biggest conviction I have right now, and something I desperately want to increase in my life. Second, build up those around you and invest significant time in them. Help those you love and those that love the Lord grow in their faith and make disciples. Lastly, be preachers of the gospel. Tell people who Jesus is and why they need Him so badly so that they may repent and thus glorify God. If they do, spend time helping them understand what it means to follow Christ. I guarantee as you do so, you will grow and your faith will increase even more!

Most of the time when I preach, I am preaching to myself so please hold me accountable to these things. I invite you to join me in trying to develop a better dependence on the Lord. We need to become more disciplined in prayer, more intentional in our time with friends, and more determined to share the message of hope to the world. I love you guys and I hope the Lord works mightily through us all.

How To Change the World

My mom tells me I need to think bigger. She thinks I am going to impact the world. She thinks that I need to be available for God to do something huge in me! Now what mother wouldn't want great things from their beloved son? The thing is, in a way I think she is right. Don't write me off as someone who is full of himself because I assure you I am not. I just think we have the wrong perception of what it takes to change the world.

The truth is, I am not going to change the world. Neither are you. We have no ability or power to do so. But God does. It's a strange dichotomy of lowliness confidence. I can do nothing, but through Him I can do anything! So I don't believe I will change the world, but I know the world will be changed through His power working in believers.

I am working through John 15 very carefully and it made me see that God doesn't care so much about our gifts and abilities. Sure, He gave them to us and created us purposefully to be used for His glory. Yet, without His power working through them they don't amount to anything. God does care about obedience and submission. You may be getting uncomfortable thinking I am about to give you some legalistic sermon on the importance of your deeds, but I assure you I am not. Jesus says you must abide in the vine before you can bear fruit. When you draw near to Jesus, obedience and submission are going to be a natural response because the Holy Spirit dwells within you. Love for God comes from obedience to His word! As you obey His word, you will be overwhelmed by His goodness.

Back to the first paragraph. I don't think I can change the world by anything I do, but I do believe if I trust the Lord and try to obey His commands to the best of my ability that He will change the world through me. He who abides in Jesus bears much fruit. I honestly hope I never care what that fruit looks like. Whether I lead a million people to diligently follow the Lord or none, there will be fruit in abiding in Jesus. I should be able to rest on that. Pride shouldn't be an issue because it isn't by my power, it's by His.

Now I know that there are situations in life where it is difficult to find the right decision. There isn't always a clear cut answer. Plus, the power of the flesh is always warring against us. However, the Word of God is sufficient, and our God desires to help us in our time of need and trouble. I realize we are going to make mistakes. I realize that there are going to be some unbelievably difficult situations. Yet, I hope and pray that we will strive every day to draw near to the Lord and His word. I pray that we will stop judging ourselves by our perception of results, and I pray that we will stop consistently comparing ourselves to others for our self worth. I pray that we will be obedient, and thus trust our God to change the world. If we do so, our Heavenly Father will be glorified, and that is a life worth living. He will work on your heart, just be available and seek Him. The world will change and evil will not prevail. I have read the end of the story. If you want to live a life of purpose for God, plug into the vine and obey the commands of our Lord.

Everything from the Lord is Good

16 Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge.
² I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord;
    I have no good apart from you.”

³ As for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones,
    in whom is all my delight.^[b]

⁴ The sorrows of those who run after^[c] another god shall multiply;
    their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out
    or take their names on my lips.

⁵ The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup;
    you hold my lot.
⁶ The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
    indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.

⁷ I bless the Lord who gives me counsel;
    in the night also my heart instructs me.^[d]
8 I have set the Lord always before me;
    because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.

⁹ Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being^[e] rejoices;
    my flesh also dwells secure.
¹⁰ For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol,
    or let your holy one see corruption.^[f]

¹¹ You make known to me the path of life;
    in your presence there is fullness of joy;
    at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

This Psalm is a great one to meditate on. It makes me see how that when even things don't make sense, what the Lord commands us is always in our best interest.

It reminds me of an experience I had as a child. We were at the beach and I was probably 7 or 8 years old. My dad told us we were going to swim out to the sand bar. As my dad, brother, some friends, and I drifted further and further out it began to hit me that there are some dangers in what we are doing. First of all, I couldn't touch and didn't trust my swimming skills all that much. Secondly, in my mind this was the area where the giant sharks liked to snack on little kids. Despite all these fears, I looked to my dad and he could touch and I knew he had me. He didn't seem worried about the sharks at all and in my eyes my dad was strong enough to protect me anyway. Ultimately, despite me fearing the decision that had been made, I knew it was okay because I trusted my dad. He loved me so much that I knew he wouldn't tell me to do anything if he thought I was in any sort of danger.

Well let me tell you something you already know. Your Heavenly Father desires nothing more than for you to dwell with Him for eternity. Why you ask? Because you are a child of God. You think parents sacrifice a lot of things for their children? God gave up His only Son for His children! Are you afraid of evil? Evil cannot even be in the presence of your God. Are you afraid of Satan? Satan and his demons cower and flee even at the mention of His name. That is the authority your God has. So quit doubting Him every single time one of your comforts gets upended. I understand that some things in life are hard to understand and can be very difficult. But He is to be our refuge. How badly does the Father want to comfort their children in time of need. And you need Him badly. So run to Him and trust Him. It may not make sense to you all the time, but it will definitely be the best decision you could ever make. Commit to no matter what happens in life you are going to stand for Christ, and I assure you that despite many hardships that peace, joy, grace, and love will flow abundantly. Spend some time reading the words of this Psalm and just praise what a mighty God we serve.

Preserve Life at all Costs

I just wanted to share my thoughts on a simple passage we all have read.

Matthew 5:30 states, "And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell."

Everyone who I have ever heard speak of this passage always talks about how it doesn't mean to literally cut off your hand. It is hyperbole. While I don't wish to see Christian amputees running around everywhere, I don't think we should be toning down the significance of this passage.

Let me put it in the medical light. When a disease is discovered in a specific body part, lets say the hand, it potentially will destroy the hand and then spread to the rest of the body. Doctors will attempt to isolate the disease in the hand until it can be cured, but if there is no way that the disease can be isolated, the decision is made to remove the hand. Why? Because it is better to live without a hand then to not live at all.

The problem is people love their hand to much. They think of all the conveniences they would have to miss out on if they didn't have their hand. Writing, picking up things, and simple tasks would be much more difficult. It would be hard to play catch with your children, or even pick them up for that matter. When you focus on these comforts it causes you to lose sight of the fact that these are easy sacrifices to make when keeping the hand means death. Your children would rather have handless you then not have you at all. 

Same thing with sin. It can enter one area of life and eventually it will devour your whole body and bring you to death if you don't rid yourself of it. Say you struggle with sexual sin. It may start isolated and seem harmless, but the truth is if it isn't dealt with it will lead to death. Why you ask? Because you begin to love that sin more then you love God. It becomes an idol in your life. I'm not saying that if you struggle it will lead to death, I am saying if you don't repent and battle to rid yourself of it, it will lead to death. Well how do you cut out sexual sin? Maybe it has to do with media and technology. Maybe you need to spend time away from the opposite sex and just spend time praying about it. Maybe you need someone in your life who knows every move you make so that you can't sin in secret anymore. You know what sparks that sin in your life.

Here is where you probably are thinking about how much you love your "hand". How could you live with no computer or television? How bad would life be if you had no contact with the opposite sex? The problem is that we love our sins, which again is a terrible form of idolatry. But it is better to rid yourself of all these comforts  then to be thrown into hell. We are so near sighted it is hard to see. It is time we start believing in the promises that God has given to us, promises of eternal life. We need to believe that He alone is good and can preserve our lives, and cut out everything that prevents us from being near to Him. If we don't cut things out, we will die. 

So I hope that you don't take the words of Jesus lightly. They are not too extreme. If you do see a place where your right hand is keeping you from God, I pray that you would realize that it is so much better to lop the hand off right then and there. Same with anything else in life. It is better to sacrifice a hand in order to save the soul.

You May Want to Get That

So there has been times I have been at nice restaurants with nice clothes on and I am looking and feeling pretty good. A group of people and I are having a great time and really enjoying the chips and spinach dip we are eating. After fifteen minutes of dialogue in which people are uncharacteristically looking at my mouth, then looking way, someone finally has the guts to point out that I have a huge piece of gross looking spinach plastered over my tooth.

Well I shudder and turn red because I embarrass easily and hate being the center of everyone's attention in a situation like this. But before I can focus on anything else, I remove the spinach from my tooth. I realize that nomatter how good I look in every aspect, this piece of spinach is what everyone is zeroing in on. 

The beauty of this situation is until the spinach is pointed out by another, or someone finds a mirror, the person has no idea and carries on with normal behavior. Yet, once we see and believe that its there, we will do whatever it takes to remove the defect.

I want you to have a proper view of your spiritual life. When sin is actively ruling you it is glaring and ugly to those around you, even if you can't see it. So make an effort to look in the mirror. Let pride and everything else aside and take an honest view of yourself. Are you the man\woman you want to be? How about the one God wants you to be? With our power of rationalization we can easily be blinded. We think that through our self will sin has no power over us because we would like to perceive ourselves as good people. I don't care what you have done, you are not a good person! You are a depraved human that has sinned against a holy God. Hopefully this has compelled you to desperately seek the grace of God with your whole being. You need reproof and correction because our flesh is weak. We have power over sin not by what we have done, but through the acts of the God we worship. We have to rely on His power.  So take a close look at your life and desperately ask the Lord to reveal your flaws so you may be clothed in righteousness. 

Secondly, it is awkward not only to have someone tell you that spinach is in your teeth, it is also uncomfortable to tell somebody else this. If a brother or sister points out something that they deem destructive of you in their life, I urge you to lay down any desire to judge them and pridefully think your ok, and carefully examine the area that they have suggested. This is very tough to do and you don't even have to agree, but at least honestly consider what they have said. On the flip side, if someone has spinach in their teeth they need to know about it! Graciously point out that out of love you see something inconsistent in their life. Here is my advice on the matter... before you rashly get in a habit of pointing out everyones flaws (which is very dangerous in itself) spend time in prayer and fellowship with that person. Develop a compassion for that person so that you speak out of pure motive. You never know how they will take it, but you want them to realize you are only telling them this because you love them and want the best for them. You are gaining nothing by helping them get the spinach out of their teeth, you are simply doing the role of a loving friend. 

I wanna leave you with a couple of passages:

Psalm 139:23-24- "Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life."

This is a good verse to pray through with the Lord and then humbly accept however He answers you.

Proverbs 17:10 "A single rebuke does more for a person of understanding than a hundred lashes on the back of a fool."

Those who can take rebuke are considered wise in the eyes of God. Be considerate of the advice that loved ones give.

Trust the Little Things

I have an overwhelming desire to accomplish tasks in one sitting. Maybe its just a characteristic of a man that when you set your mind to do something, it has to be done. Yet, I have found this to be problematic at times. I will get so overwhelmed by the enormity of a task, that I will simply refuse to do it and put if off because of the stress that comes with tackling such a big project. While stressing over a big paper, I was recently advised just to take it one step at a time. What novel advice! You mean I can take it in smaller strides? Why it seems pretty obvious, this is advice I really needed to hear, and I think it applies to my spiritual walk as well.

I want my life to count for the Lord and I have many views (probably mostly wrong) of what that looks like. When I decide I want to learn the Bible, I want to learn the entire Bible right then and then get dissuaded by the daunting task. When I go to memorize scripture, I write down dozens of verses because I want to learn as many as I can only to be overwhelmed by the work I created. I seek to be a light to as many lives as possible, but then get guilt-ridden when I don't quite live up to the standard I created.

Maybe we need to just trust the small stuff. What if we devoted our lives to a few disciplines. What if we spent time and prayer and trusted it is useful and effective. What if we read our Bible each day and trusted that the Lord will provide us with wisdom as we continue to seek Him. What if we just committed to spending time discipling and encouraging those we have relationship with, and concentrate on asking the Lord to bring that one lost person to Him.

I in no way wish to limit someone's work in the Lord. However, God has not called an individual to reach the ends of the earth with the gospel alone. We are united as brothers and sisters and we commit together to praying for others and testifying to the truth. Lofty ambitions for the Lord aren't bad things but as John 15 says "Apart from me, you can do nothing." So plug into the vine. Do the small things and trust the Lord that His Spirit will do mighty works. Once you become faithful with a little, He will open your eyes to more things. God doesn't intend for His work to be overwhelming. It is likely that it will be difficult or uncomfortable, but He will gladly carry our burdens if we trust in Him. So commit your life to daily disciplines of communing with the Lord and sowing the relationships around you, and trust God for the power, strength, vision, and perseverance in your life.

I Am Ready, But Not Yet

So it's going to be a little tricky to capture my train of thought on this one because there are a lot of things bouncing around. I want to paint a picture with an illustration first though:

We all know someone in the military who is or has diligently served our country. I hope that you have the ultimate respect for these people. Now why do these people go do what they do? Sure there are monetary benefits nowadays, but I want you to envision those patriotic soldiers that love their country enough to sacrifice everything they have to protect what they believe in. It gives me chill bumps just thinking about those who have laid down there lives. So they leave their friends and family, they leave their safety and comfort, to go through intense training and hardship. Once they finish that they willingly go to foreign lands, all aware that their life is at risk. Many see things that would be unbearable for our eyes to see. When they finish their tour, they come home and get to embrace their family. I can't imagine what that feeling of love and comfort feels like. Being immersed in the arms of the one you have longed to see for so long, and realizing the peace and freedom you feel from being on your own soil. Yet, many of our brave soldiers re-enlist. Why? Is it because they don't want to stay wrapped up in their spouses and children's arms? I think for most that's not the case. They could think of no better place then right there with the family. They go back because they have been called to a mission that has not been finished. They are trained to make a difference, and save lives and that is the ultimate sign of love and sacrifice. So they willingly continue to serve, even though they so desperately just want to feel the comforts and love for home.

Before continuing on I want you to grab your Bibles and read Philippians 1:20-26. The most remembered verse in this particular passage is v. 21 where Paul writes "For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." We love our lives so much don't we? We see death as such a terrible thing along with everything associated with it. But Paul is wrestling with these two things and you can feel in his heart how he desperately longs to die because dying means being home with the Lord. He is an alien on foreign territory and he is tired from his service. He knows that there will be no greater feeling then the day he get to rest in His Lord's presence, being overwhelmed by love, peace, and comfort. So death becomes not a fear to escape, but a hope to embrace. His argument to keep on living is because he has dedicated himself to a noble cause on this earth and it remains unfinished. He knows His Master has put him for a reason and he has a great desire to obey the Master. He longs for the souls that don't know the freedom He has, and that will face death (in a spiritual sense) if he does not carry out the testimony of good news that he has received. What a life of sacrifice and unselfishness! Yet, we are promised the same hope at death as Paul. He had a great perspective of what life on this earth looks like.

Be encouraged those who read this. God has put His image all over this earth, from the divine creation of nature to His image in mankind. We can always rejoice because He is active in our world and we can always praise Him. The Spirit is alive in us and compelling us to do the work of the Father. So praise God that even in this foreign kingdom, He is everywhere because it is his creation. But all your days look forward to the day where you get to go home in your heavenly kingdom. And during your time away be in constant remembrance of what God has given you and what He longs to do through you. Rejoice with Him as more people come to worship and glorify His great name. We must lose our own lives so that His may be exalted and praised.

Counting My Blessings

Many people believe in the power of positive thinking. I will agree that being optimistic can put you in a better mood. Yet, evil exists in the world and its not healthy for that to be ignored. However, I'd imagine if one truly pondered the grace in their life they would feel overwhelmingly blessed.

Here's some things to be thankful for as a believer:

1. God is in complete control and specifically made you just the way you are. 
2. He sent His Son to pay the penalty for your sins because He loves you so deeply. 
3. You have been sealed with the Holy Spirit who will be an advocate for you as you go through life.
4. You have been promised eternal life with the God of the universe.
5. You have a hope in something so powerful that nothing in this life can shake it.

Now that was pretty simple and obviously there is a lot more. But I think that the list provides enough things to continually be thankful for. Does this mean that because of this evil can no longer touch us? No not at all. Yet, it's how you respond to the lost world that's so important. Do you worry about things out of your control to the point where they consume your thoughts? Do you focus so much on your problems that you are self-centered and have little concern for others? Do you scoff judgmentally at people struggling with sin who do not know the love of Jesus? The truth is that we are all selfish beings and it is by the grace of the Lord that we have the ability to lose ourselves and trust in One who has the power to save. When we emphasize self all we focus on is self. Our problems get made bigger then anything going on around us. To love others like we are supposed too we must endure things in our own life and be a blessing to others. Not to say that are problems don't matter, but we do know the last will be first. To illustrate what I'm getting at let me give an example.

My parents have provided for me in every way possible. Both of them have taught me so much and I am forever grateful for them. My dad suffers from arthritis and other health issues that cause a lot of pain. He has every right to complain but he doesn't. He knows if he complained then all the attention would go to himself and he couldn't be the father and husband he needed to be. Obviously his health issues still exist, but he chooses to not let them consume him. I know in my relationship with him it allows him to take more interest in what's going on in my life and his love is expressed.

I know there is a lot of pain in this world and I want you to be able to share with others so your able to endure it. However, as a believer, you have so much to be thankful for. Remember the grace God has given you and what He has made you to do. Let thoughts of Him consume your mind because I promise He is so much bigger then anything you face. He created you for goodness sakes. He created the entire universe and still knows the number of hairs on your head. So trust Him through the hard times and quit letting worry consume your life. He is able and willing to bear all your burdens if you would just lay your life down and hand them over to him. 

Talks With Mr. Elvis

I have had the great privilege of getting to spend some time with the elders of our church. About two years ago a group of friends, in undergrad at the time, began going to visit a few people. One of these is Mr. Elvis. He is a wonderful man who tells us about his faith, which he constantly wishes to grow more in, his family and the life he lived. He tells us about what he wishes he had done differently and the things he values most in his life.

One lesson he always gave us was to tell your spouse you love them everyday. It was one of those that he wish he could have done. Now I've heard a bunch of different people say that, but its different coming from Mr. Elvis. He was married for over 60 years and when he tells you this its not in a matter of fact way. You can see the compassion he has even though he told her he loved her a million times he wishes he had every day back that he didn't. It makes you hope for love like that.

Every time we go to his house before we leave, Mr. Elvis prays for us. It is simply a prayer of thanks. He thanks God for our time together and just asks the Lord to continually be with us. It helps me understand that its not always about asking God for guidance in the future. The Lord gives us our daily bread. We need to spend time just giving thanks for that moment, and knowing that if He is with us we have everything we need. The other night he had Allison and I over for dinner. His friend Jan cooked and we had a great conversation just about our Christian walk. He kept asking some tough questions about faith and trying to figure out and who God was. Even though he has so much wisdom, he is not satisfied with what he knows. He constantly battles to have a better understanding. I hope I never get content and spend the rest of my life trying to know God better. We ended up playing rook and skip-bo until 10:30. I almost missed a homework assignment due at midnight because I didn't expect to be over there that long. At the end of the night he asked me if I would like to pray instead of him. I did and I simply just gave thanks for our time together and the love that was in the room.

Mr. Elvis would probably tell you that we are doing him a service by going to see him. I've never been around anyone like him and Mrs. Wilma (another lady at our church) who appreciate the time they have with you so much. The reality is that Mr. Elvis is impacting our lives more then he will ever realize. His hospitality and the love that is felt when we just show up at his house is overwhelming. He has no agenda, but just talks to us about whatever is on his heart. Hearing his story, we get to go through all the times of joy and all the times of sorrow and see how a person got to where they are today. As a 23 year old unsure about what the future holds, it is very comforting hearing from someone who had struggles himself and can give me advice on how he got through it. Mr. Elvis has learned how to give thanks for the current moment. I think I need to stop looking ahead and have that same attitude of thanks. I feel like people have a tendency to think their difficulties are unique, and they have to fix their problems on there own. I love talking to someone who will openly share with me what he has been through, so its not as scary when I go through it. What's funnier is that the difficulties he went through involved money (jobs), health, and discernment for his life. The things he valued were God, family, and his wife. It's pretty similar to how I feel today.

My advice from this post is to quit thinking you have to figure it all out and that you can't enjoy the moment. You are going to grow and learn as you go, so don't allow worrying about what's ahead to take away from the right now. We have so many things to be thankful of right now. Find someone that has been there before and hear their story. Seek wisdom from those who have it. Never be content. You are going to have room to grow and learn the rest of your life. Never stop seeking, and be a minister of God's grace for all the days He gives you.

Love you guys and hope you have a wonderful day!

Life Worth Living

I was reading Ecclesiastes today and in our terms it is pretty depressing.  Solomon says it is better to never have been born then to live in this evil world.  Everything that happens has happened before.  There is no point in gaining wisdom, wealth, or anything else because it will all wither away.

Keep in mind this arguably the wisest man to ever live saying these things.  When you really think about what he says, as depressing as it is, you have to admit he has a good point.  So I was thinking how this should affect us.  I think it clearly means that we were meant to be citizens of heaven and not of earth.  If we expect this life to be all joy then obviously we are wrong because it is such a depraved world. 

We get comfort in things that make us feel safe, such as wealth, but God told us that He would protect us.  God's greatest commandments show that we are to be compelled by love.  Love for Him and love for others.  These are the greatest commandments. I've been thinking about what truly brings me joy.  I love being around people that accept me as I am and let me be comfortable as the man God made me.  I surround myself with these people and I think its something everyone is looking for.  We want to find refuge from all of the things that make us feel insecure.  I love to laugh and goof off, but friendships can't be rooted in that.  Friendships are rooted in random conversations till 3 a.m. where you really get to know someones heart.  They are rooted in the times where a friend desperately needs you and you can be there for them.  They're rooted in seeing the ugly side of someone, but being patient enough to stick it out with them because you know you aren't perfect yourself.  They are rooted in love.  Love that is given to us by our Heavenly Father.  We worship the God who gave us this love.  We worship Him who gave us a way out of this wretched place we were born into.  Yet, we praise Him for allowing us to love while we are here. 

Its funny because I'm always afraid of disappointing people, especially my family and my friends.  It kills me when I make a mistake that hurts someone else.  Yet, I love it when people are vulnerable with me because I share in their suffering.  I don't want people to have it all together because I don't have it all together.  This just shows how we desperately need God.  It shows why we should be quick to forgive and dish out grace.  It shows why we should quit complaining about little things that others do, and focus on demonstrating love.  God's the righteous judge and will handle everything.  Our job is to lead people to Him, and we do this out of love.

Power Not From Us

We are once again having our ministry this summer called "The Refuge".  I have tried to explain to a lot of people what we will be doing, and frankly my attempt to communicate that vision is very weak.  It is simply because I want to have the freedom to allow the Lord to lead our hearts this summer.  And being away from everyone, I am not sure the specific needs.  I also have looked at my own life and every significant event in my life and every time God moved it happened in some way in which I did not expect.  We can't credit anything to ourselves because the Holy Spirit is where power comes from and lives are changed.  I completely believe that.  So does this mean I will sit around and do nothing?  Absolutely not.  We are witnesses and are called to do the work of the Lord.  I just want to be honest to the fact that this is not a well-oiled machine that has every detailed ironed out.  If you know me this should not come as a shock.

So why should people buy in?  Well here are things I am sure will happen.  The Word of God will be taught accurately and will then be applied to our current situation so we may grow closer to the Lord.  We will focus more on God and less on ourselves.  We will also seek out ways to serve the Lord, especially seeking out the lost and developing our mission.  I am not going to structure this, but through prayer and encouragement this will happen.  Lastly The Refuge will be just that.  We have a great community that accept people where they are and desire for people to better know the Lord.  So there will be great encouragement, love, and transparency among believers.  Relationship are crucial in ministry and I pray that we will allow God's power to be made known in the way we interact with one another.  There is power in gathering with believers who actively seek the Lord.

So we are going to seek the Lord together and see where He leads us, and He will lead us.  The Holy Spirit will move through this group.  I am going to lead the best I can, but my success or failure as a leader will not help or hinder God's plan.  He is sufficient on His own.  I just praise Him that I get to be a part of it all.  So I urge you to give your hearts and your prayers to Him, and trust Him to do mighty things.  As we seek out what He wants in our lives, I pray that we live in closer fellowship with Him.

True Corporate Worship

Consumerism in our society has really been disheartening to me recently. Especially when I see how much it has tainted my own heart. Everything we do seems to be for our own benefit. We are so critical of how we received messages, that we lack an intimacy with God due to our own selfish perspectives. Who are we to be the judge of every sermon and music that is selected? Heaven forbid our churches don't apply directly to our personal needs while playing our favorite worship songs. Are we really knowlegeable enough to understand what makes the Holy Spirit stir or not due to the amount of speaking expertise? I am not saying we shouldn't guard our hearts against false and unbiblical teaching. That is essential. I am simply proclaiming that we view the leaders of our church with grace and mercy. Their job demands a lot as well so be considerate and encouraging instead of writing them off because they aren't dynamic enough. These problems are not just in the church either. Just be an instrument of light, not darkness.

I want to relate this to our consumeristic view of worship. My World Mission's prof asked us to change our perspective of how we worship. Worship is a time where we join together to praise our God. God's purpose for the earth is that every one of His people join together and worship His name. Every tribe, tongue, and nation. In Revelation 4:8 we see the picture of the creatures sitting around the thrown crying out the praises of God forever. Let all the nations praise the Lord. So instead of wondering if the worship song is your favorite or not, be joyful in the fact that we can lift our voice with our brothers and sisters around the world. We get to sing the praises of our Lord, just as He intended, and it is pleasing to Him. Those without music are still singing the praises of the Lord in their native languages. What a beautiful picture of christians all over the world are praising the one and only Lord and savior.

John 3:30 says that He must increase, and I must decrease. Our Lord and Savior washed feet. He hung out with the broken and needy. He gave His life for us, so that we may have life. So let's not value things by what we get out of it. Examine your heart. And let's become less so that He can be known by all on this earth. Then we will join with them, singing His praises all the more.

Take My Heart and Make it Clean

Psalm 139 is a beautiful message of how our Creator views us.  The intimacy He has for us is almost overwhelming and you can almost grasp how He could send His innocent Son to take on the sin of the world.  He knows us and loves us deeply.  He hurts when we run away from Him or act like we don't know Him.  It is amazing to think that our awesome God views us in such high regard despite all our downfalls.

I want to focus on the last two verses of the chapter.
Psalm 139:23-24 "Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my concerns.  See if there is any offensive way in me; lead me in the everlasting way."

This has been my prayer for the last few days and will continue to be.  Isn't it amazing to see the ugliness inside Godly people?  Isn't it horrific when the evil inside our own hearts is revealed?  We need to constantly ask the Holy Spirit to examine our hearts and our motives.  The devil is very powerful and can blind certain things from us.  Ask God to strip everything away from you if it means that He will be revealed through you.  Don't harbor evil in your heart but seek the way that is everlasting.  If you ask Him, you will receive answer.  God loves you with everything He has, so in response ask Him to purify your heart so that you can have the same affection toward Him.

I Am Not Enough

I had a conversation with a friend about feelings of inadequacy.  My mom tells me she feels inadequate to teach Sunday school.  I feel inadequate to preach when I speak in front of people.  Why should people listen to me and what I have to say?  Furthermore, there are so many people ridden with guilt that feel unworthy of identifying themselves as a child of God.  They spend their whole lives trying to get right so that God will allow them to commune with Him.  This is such wrong thinking. 

Praise God for our feelings of inadequacy.  I hope we never feel that we are worthy of anything on our own.  You might be thinking that's a little harsh.  For don't we want to be confident and happy and successful?  Let your boasting come from the work the Holy Spirit is doing in you alone.  Realize that everything that you do or that has been given to you is a gift from God.  The reason we feel inadequate is because we are.  Realize that you serve a God who loves to demonstrate His power through you.  Realize that you serve a God that loves to take broken things and make them new.  Through this brokenness and feeling of inadequacy we recognize our need for God and His power.  Through this need we gain stronger then ever because the work of the Lord will never fail and He will give us all we need.  So if you don't think your strong enough, trained enough, or good enough to serve the Lord I am here to tell you that you're not.  Yet, because you believe and are a child of God even a broken vessel like you can be used to glorify God.  I hope you pray daily that pride doesn't creep in and divert God's glory to you.  Inadequacy will always be a struggle, but remain faithful and trust in the Lord.

On a side note, I was talking to AM last night and made me realize just how much the relationships I have were sent from the Lord.  I am so thankful for God's grace, especially the family and friends He has given me.  We take so much for granite in this life and are so easily angered and distracted.  Let the blessings you have stay on your mind this week and always be thankful.  Because when you see how the Lord your God has so richly given you all things, you can't help but be humbled by the thought.  I love you guys and hope your faith increases daily.

How do we let pride creep in?

Pride is described as the deadliest of sins and everyone has struggled with it.  Yet, we have absolutely no reason to be proud if you sit and think about it. 

God created everything in the world, including us.  So everything in us (personality, physical attributes, etc.) is from God.  God also gave us the ability to work, to accomplish, to succeed, so all of these things are also from God.  The word also tells us that every good thing is from the Lord.  So if you're proud of your own achievement and giving credit to yourself either its not really from you or it isn't a good thing.

Secondly, everything we can achieve for ourselves does not last.  Death is something that none of us can avoid.  I hate to be cynical, but it's a pretty obvious fact.  So if you have a lot of money, it will one day disappear and amount to nothing.  If you pride yourself in your athletic ability, you will grow old and be unable to perform.  If you pride yourself in relationships, unless it is an eternal love given by God it amounts to nothing in the end.

I am not saying to never feel accomplished about anything.  But as 1 Corinthians 1:31 states, "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord."  You may work extremely hard and do so many things so just praise God for giving you strength.  God gives you love to pour into relationships.  God grants you success athletically and academically.  Yet He is sovereign and deserves the praise.  And He freely gave us His Son to pay the penalty of our sins so that we could be set free!  Boast in that.  Remember we are to bring glory to God in everything that we do.  And God wants our all.  So live humbly, recognizing that you're God sent His Son to give it all for you.  He has equipped you and prepared you and will give you everything you need.  So as you go on boasting, do so in Him.

Love all of you and hope you have a great weekend!

When Satan Attacks

We oftentimes fail to recognize when Satan is attacking us.  I am going to share something that has been going on in my life, and how the Holy Spirit led to overcome it.

Something had been off with me for a couple of weeks while I was at school.  I doubt many people realized it because I tend to internalize things.  I just wasn't as focused on bringing joy and serving others and didn't have the same passion and desire to worship God like I usually do.  I just felt like I was in a funk and I couldn't figure out the reason for it.  So I remember talking to Elyse on the phone and talking to her about it a little bit.  She was laughing at me because I think she knew how frustrated I was.  I tried to think maybe it was me struggling with relationships, or not having ministry responsibilities that I am accustomed to, or maybe I just had too much free time on my hand.  I still enjoyed being around my friends and everything was fine, but something just wasn't right.

So I go home for two weeks for break.  I had so much fun and it was great to be around family and friends.  Something still wasn't right with me though.  I was getting in the word but just had a hard time staying focused and getting stuff out of it.  I analyze myself a lot and it was messing me up trying to figure out why I felt the way I did.  I had been praying about it for a few weeks.

Then last night it hit me.  I had tried to justify the way I was feeling with everything imaginable and it was Satan that was telling me these lies.  Before I went to bed the Holy Spirit convicted me of the sin I was struggling with.  Now I am going to be vague because I don't want to post it on a public forum, but when the Holy Spirit revealed this to me I immediately knew this was the source of my struggle.  Satan led my mind to believe that something I wasn't doing was okay and it kept me from living in the holiness of God.  Once I prayed God has forgiven me and just rejuvenated my spirit. I just want to say that if something isn't right with your soul, ask God deeply for truth.  Pray that He will reveal it so you can conquer it.  All day today my spirit has just felt so fresh and good again.

I know this isn't the most helpful thing due to lack of specificity, but it is something I needed to get off my chest.  And Satan can fool you into thinking everything is okay when you know deep down it isn't.  Because I felt completely normal, especially around friends, but something was just out of place.  So constantly seek to be holy and combat whatever you are warring against.  Because I promise once you give it to God it is such a liberating feeling. 

I love you guys so much.  Thanks so much to my family, friends, and church for making me feel so loved when I came home.  Ya'll are a huge part of my life.  Always rely on God and seek Him for answers.  It may seem overwhelming, but just try to learn a little more each day.  And if you just chip away I promise you will fall more in love with your Savior then you ever thought imaginable.  Let me know if you ever need anything or have prayer requests!

Still With Me

"I give thanks to my God for every remembrance of you, always praying with joy for all of you in my every prayer, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.  I am sure of this, that He who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.  It is right for me to think this way about all of you because I have you in my heart and you are all partners with me in grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and establishment of the gospel.  For God is my witness, how deeply I miss all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.  And I pray this:  that your love will keep on growing in knowledge and every kind of discernment, so that you can approve the things that are superior and can be pure and blameless in the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God." Philippians 1:3-11

So I know I may have shared this with some of you, but I want you to know how my move to Dallas has kind of affected me.  I feel that Paul's prayer in Philippians captures how my heart feels so well.  When God puts something on my heart it overwhelms me.  I typically pursue it without even looking back.  So my move to Dallas was sudden and unpredicted.  Yet, I knew God would be faithful through it because He has proven to me time and time again that He is faithful to what He lays on my heart.  I knew it was what I had to do.  Another thing about me is I care about relationships a lot.  My family and friends have impacted my life so much and they mean a lot to me because of that.  I knew I had to leave them and I was kind of scared of what would happen when I would go.  It's funny to see how God works.

First of all I want to say that the way I was sent off to Dallas was incredible.  I got to hang out with loved ones, got a book of prayers from some best friends, got some gifts, got to watch a slideshow of all the good times we had together, and got prayed over.  Earlier after I had preached at the church, I was surrounded by family and friends and church members who showed me enormous amounts of love.  Just knowing I had that kind of support (especially in prayer) was so comforting.

Then, I get to Dallas and all the new changes begin.  Yet, I was able to contact so many of my friends and ya'll were all so interested in how I was doing.  Just the fact that you were excited to hear from me meant so much to me.  So even though I missed you guys so much, your encouragement helped me have comfort in where I was.

Lastly, when I went home for Hud's wedding I was overwhelmed by love once again.  It was as though even in the short days we were together we hadn't skipped a beat.  We laughed like we always have and the love was still overflowing.  That's why Paul's prayer captures my heart.  When relationships are formed on the love of Christ they are strong and not easily broken.  So even away from you guys I can rejoice in your successes and grieve in your sorrows.  We are aiming towards the same goal, fighting the same battle, spurring each other on along the way.  That's what our ministry did.  I am growing more then I ever thought possible and from talking to ya'll it is awesome to see how God is working in your lives as well.  As it says right before our favorite verse in Hebrews, 10:23 says "Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful."  Let's keep fighting the good fight till the end and God will guide us through all along the way.  And always seek for ways to build one another up.  We are all together in pursuit to bring glory to God's name.  God gave us the love we have for each other and I pray that it bonds us together for the rest of our lives.

I am getting the chance to pour my life into many people in Dallas.  They are pouring their lives into me and it is just awesome to see how God can use such little things for such huge purposes.  Just know that probably everyone that is reading this has invested something in me that is forming me in my spiritual journey.  I love you guys and I can't tell you how much I appreciate you're friendship.  Always remember one another in prayer and push each other to be like Christ and to bear much fruit. 

Ecclesiastes 4:12- Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves.  A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

It Wasn't Me

The number one question I get from being in Seminary is "What do you want to do when you get out?"  It's a very good question and I tend to ask people the same thing.  Now I know have certain gifts and know certain things I'm good at.  Yet, sometimes it's hard to practically place these things to form a career.  I don't feel like I'm a very dynamic speaker, so I question whether or not preaching is what I'm called to do.  I am currently planning a ministry that is so far over my head I have no business talking about.  Yet, deep down I expect greatness.  I expect to make a difference in this world.  So how do I feel so inadequate to serve, yet have so much confidence in the future.  It is because my God and Holy Spirit is so much greater than anything I could provide.  I do have strengths, but they are given by God.  Let me give you some examples of how this message sparked and I gained a lot more trust in the Holy Spirit the last few weeks.

Many of you know I like writing letters of encouragement to people.  About two weeks ago I had it on my heart to communicate some things to a few people, but they weren't necessarily like my normal messages.  One was to a person I've never written too before.  It was encouraging, but I wasn't sure how they would accept this message.  A second letter basically was written to bring comfort to a struggle that I wasn't even sure was occurring.  I told this person to follow God and seek His guidance in something I merely assumed they were dealing with.  I later thought to myself, Alex you're an idiot.  You don't know what's going on in their life.  The other I just had a overwhelming desire to show my appreciation to one of my friends.  We don't share our feelings much, so I wasn't exactly sure how he would respond.  I say this to illustrate that after I sent these messages I had doubt and even regret to some extent to sending them.  I just wasn't sure how they would respond.  Then their responses came. 

The first person told me that they hadn't had their usual joy at work and had even been snappy with a couple of people.  They said they went to the break room and read my e-mail and were reminded of who they were in Christ.  They told me that their students noticed a difference in their demeanor immediately when they got back to the classroom.  They even asked where all the joy came from.

The second person confessed to me that they had been struggling with exactly what I had assumed.  They said they needed encouragement and it just really motivated them to know someone was identifying with them and praying for them. 

The third person said that they were getting so caught up in their studies they began to lose sight of their purpose.  They said my e-mail helped him realize his purpose in their hard work.  He said it was exactly what he needed to joyfully press on.

All three made a statement that they knew my message was from God.  I have preached a couple of sermons and some more messages in small groups and always received great feedback.  I watch my videos and am almost embarrassed about my nervousness and how I stumble through messages.  It isn't good.  But God works through them.  The Holy Spirit is in my conversations, guiding my heart, and letting the Words of God transform lives.

So I say all this for a couple of reasons.  First, if you think you are weak and only capable of simple things and that you can't impact the kingdom, then I praise God for your humility.  But never doubt that God created you for a purpose and will use you to glorify His name.  If you have identified you're strengths and are using them, I pray that you always remember they are from God.  Keep giving thanks and using what you've been given to win souls for Christ.  Thirdly, recognize that the Holy Spirit is using mundane tasks to reveal God to people.  Recognize what the Holy Spirit is doing in your life.  If you are obedient to the word of God you will know how to wisely approach the world and to live.  If you are desperately praying for God  you will form an adoration for Him and a humility about yourself.  By seeking after God, He will delight in sending His Spirit to work through you.  Take confidence in this because He can do mightier things through you than you could ever do for yourself.  I don't know what I'm going to do yet, but I know it's going to be great and God will use it somehow.  I am just going to closely listen for His direction.

1 Corinthians 1:26-31  "Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called.  Not many of you were wise by human standards; not may were influential; not many were of noble birth.  But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose weak things of the world to shame the strong.  God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things-and the things that are not-to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him.  It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God-that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.  Therefore, as it is written: 'Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.'"

If all you know is Jesus Christ and Him crucified then that is more than enough.  For our wisdom comes from Him.  So boast about His name because though we are weak we will shame the strong.  I pray that each accomplishment we have we will recognize how God simply used us to bring glory to Himself. 

I have a few things on my mind right now so expect some more posts in the next couple of days.  Love you guys!

I Can Relate

Sorry I have been a slacker, but I'm going to get my blog rolling again.  In Mark 2:17 Jesus tells the Pharisees that, "Healthy people don't need a doctor, sick people do.  I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners."  This was His response after the Pharisees were questioning why He was eating with Levi and the other tax collectors.

First a couple of observations.  Only sick people need a doctor.  People are not stated as righteous, they only think that they are righteous.  And Jesus came to call sinners.

You know what unbelievers can't stand the most within the church?  Hypocrites.  You know what Jesus couldn't stand the most? Hypocrites.  Jesus wants to transform us from the inside out, not look pretty on the outside and be empty on the inside. 

I personally want to live above reproach, as the Bible tells me too, and I strive to do so.  I want to be a strong leader that is building up the body of Christ.  Yet, if I put off the impression that I have it all figured out I apologize.  I struggle daily with trying to discern what God wants for my life, if I'm living for myself or glorifying God, or just what is the right thing to do in daily situations.  Praise God for that.  This forces me to go to the Bible for answers.  This forces me to cry out to God because I have no idea of where to go.  All I know is that I want to glorify God and I have to trust that He will lead me there.  I didn't come to Seminary and get all the answers.  I live my life trying to love God and love people and trusting that He will be faithful in that.  That's all I really know to do.

So don't let Satan defeat you in your struggle.  STAND firm until the end knowing that you serve a Lord who loves sinners and will gladly come to you when your broken.  We are only strangers in a foreign land.  So like the Israelites wondering in the wilderness, we are merely living here temporarily until we are called to our permanent home in heaven.

We all have a purpose in our life.  We don't always know the clear cut way to do everything, but God is beckoning for us to come into relationship with Him.  Questions are okay, but always remain faithful knowing God hears your cries.  Sit down and find your rest in Him.  God holds everything together and you can find all the comfort you need in that.  Struggling is normal and will continue to happen, simply realize we are sick and need a doctor.

And those of you who think you are righteous and have it all together, I would check yourself.  I'm just saying that there are a lot of uncertainties in life and we need God.  Realizing that we are sinners in need of God is humbling, and by doing so we can truly consider others better than ourselves and genuinely love God's people.  God is good and will help us in our time of need.

Love you guys.  Keep praying that God would use us to do incredible things for His glory.  Keep in mind the price Jesus paid for the penalty of our sins, and if that doesn't humble you than nothing will.  Have a great week!  And pray that Hud and Constance have a beautiful wedding and marriage.