Jesus plus...

We are having some amazing discussions in our 10:24 groups. We are currently reading through the book of Acts. I enjoy seeing our high school students talking about what they are learning, what they feel God is teaching them, and the questions they have about what they are reading.

This past Wednesday we got on the subject of whether or not there is a difference between a Christian and a born again Christian, which lead into discussion about salvation. Someone mentioned the salvation prayer, and I tweaked one of my students when I made the statement "I don't think you have to say the 'prayer' to be saved." I wonder if we have made salvation too complicated, or placed the emphasis on the wrong thing - a prayer, instead of belief. Jesus tells us that whoever believes in the Son will have eternal life (John 3:16). Paul, when asked what a person must do to be saved said, "believe in the Lord Jesus..." (Acts 16:31). The "salvation prayer" is the way we communicate to God and tell Him what we believe, but we are only communicating to Him what has already taken place.

10:24 group is my favorite part of the week. I really look forward to the discussions we have, and seeing the high school students grow in their faith.

Blessed by the Burden

     I started reading in the book of Romans today. I read through the first 2 chapters, and then went back to read through them again...I didn't get past the first verse in chapter 1 - Paul, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God (Romans 1:1, NASB). I believe all Christians are slaves to the master Jesus, and we have all been set apart, but there seems to be a different - I hesitate to use the word special - call placed on the lives of people to enter into vocational ministry. I have always thought of this call as a blessing, and I still do, but Romans 1:1 has me thinking that it is more than just a blessing. When I think of "the call" I think of it as a joy, blessing, and privilege. However, these thoughts tend to lead me to believe that I should always be "successful" (By man's definition of success), and that things should go well because, after all, God is the one who told me to do this with my life...right? Thinking that way leads to disbelief, frustration, and disappointment when things do not go the way they should, or as well as I think they should. 


     Romans 1:1 started me thinking that maybe the call to ministry isn't so much a blessing, as it is a burden. Don't get me wrong... I do find great joy in what I do, but maybe that is just a benefit. God said that he would show Paul how much he must suffer for His name's sake (Acts 9:16). I think my motivations are wrong if I perform my job because of the joy and blessings that it brings, not to mention the emotional beating I will take when things don't go as planned. However, if I approach my call as a burden that God has placed on me it actually encourages me, at least this morning it is. I know that probably sounds weird, but pointing people to Jesus and helping them to follow Him is not easy, and it is resisted by the Devil every step of the way. I would rather know that it is a burden and will be hard, than to believe that the call to ministry is what you see when the Pastor steps up on stage to speak.


Anyway, that is what Romans 1:1 got me thinking about this morning. 

God Connections

I just wanted to share something that happened that I think is pretty awesome! I was running this morning - no, that's not it... I was running this morning and saw one of the high school students from the Western Branch football team walking to the bus stop. I ran over to him and talked with him for a second, let him know I lived in the neighborhood, and that I would see him in the weight room after school. When I go to the weight room today I am going to invite him to paintball on Saturday, and I am going to encourage him to invite some of his friends from the neighborhood.

I have been praying for a way to make a connection with the teens that live in my neighborhood, and God just answered it this morning. How rad is that!? God connections can happen at any moment...usually when I am not expecting it, but they are always AWESOME when they happen! I want to encourage you to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit, and the potential God connections in your day.

Apathetic to passionate, let's go!

Bringing Needs to the Needy

Last night I had the opportunity to go with some friends to the Salvation Army Homeless Shelter to take some clothes and food to the men who were staying there, that is the first time I have been around that many homeless people, and the first time that I actually interacted with them. As I looked around the room I saw all different types of people there. Some who looked like they belonged there (I don't say that to be mean, but we all have the stereotypical homeless person pictured in our heads), and there were some that caused me to think to myself, "this person does not belong here." As I walked around meeting these men, and asking them if there was anything they needed I got a glimpse of the person behind the "homelessness."

I met some who were believers. I met some who were former military, which bothered me the most... I guess because I am former military, and I found myself asking, "how do you go from defending your country to living on the streets?" I met some that have been homeless for years. I met some who have been homeless for a week. I wrote down their names and their needs, and I realized these people are not asking for grandiose things - they were asking for pants, shirts, socks, underwear, rain gear... One guy asked if he could borrow $100 until next Tuesday, and when I looked up at him he just laughed.

We fed them, talked to them, showed them that they are not forgotten...and in doing this I realized that I have been neglecting a HUGE part of being a Christ follower - Matthew 25:34-36.

Don't Judge Me!

Matthew 7:1-5 is probably one of the most over used, and misused passages of Scripture in the Bible...and one of my pet peeves. All to often I see people post this on facebook as a reference for people to quit judging them. There are basically two problems that I have with this: 1) This passage is talking about wrongfully judging, or slandering another Christian (Also see James 4:11-12). 2) The Bible actually tells us we are supposed to judge those inside the church (1 Cor. 5:11-13). When a Christian is sinning another believer should go and say something... in love, this is not judging; it's called admonishing. In fact, Paul tells us how a believer should go about correcting another brother (Galatians 6:1).

I think it's great to have Scripture memorized, but it would help to know what that Scripture is actually saying so you don't misuse it. Scripture is not meant to be used to defend your wrong doing. Okay, I am done ranting.

An Unbreakable Resolution

Well, it's the beginning of a new year, and I can almost hear the sound of resolutions being made and broken already. I am guilty of making some this year, but not the typical "I am gonna lose weight" type of resolutions. I am making a resolution to take the next step in my faith, and deepening my commitment to follow Jesus. As I was deciding this, I started thinking about resolutions and how temporary they are... then I realized there is one resolution a person can make that can never be taken back or broken - the resolution to begin a relationship with God through belief in Jesus.

God's intention is for us to be in relationship with Him. In the beginning, God created a song, a rhythm. Humanity existed in harmony with God, with ourselves, and with each other. But then humankind settled for another song‐‐a lesser one‐‐and the rhythm started falling apart. Yet even then, God didn’t walk away, and because of that, we have a way to restore the rhythm with Him, with ourselves, and with others. Will you make a New Year's Resolution to get back into rhythm with God, and dance to the song that He wrote specifically for you?

In need of a healing?

I was reading in Matthew 14 today, and thought about something I never had before when I got to vs 34-36. Whenever Jesus would enter a new village people would crowd him, bringing their sick to be healed. It doesn't say that they believed in him, just "they brought their sick to be healed." Some were willing to just touch the hem of his robe.

It made me look at my life to see if I come to Jesus only when I need to be "healed," or am I following him out of love and devotion. I think many times I come to Jesus when I want something from him, and sadly my prayer life reflects this. My prayer is that in addition to receiving things from Jesus that I will give my life in return. Not quite sure how else the Holy Spirit will use this in my life, but it has already caused me to begin to evaluate my walk with Jesus.