18 When they arrived he declared, “You know that from the day I set foot in the province of Asia until now19 I have done the Lord’s work humbly and with many tears. I have endured the trials that came to me from the plots of the Jews.20 I never shrank back from telling you what you needed to hear, either publicly or in your homes.21 I have had one message for Jews and Greeks alike—the necessity of repenting from sin and turning to God, and of having faith in our Lord Jesus.22 “And now I am bound by the Spirit to go to Jerusalem. I don’t know what awaits me,23 except that the Holy Spirit tells me in city after city that jail and suffering lie ahead.24But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God.
Acts 20:18-24 (NLT)
When Paul said goodbye to the Ephesians, he could honestly say that he had done everything that he could do to make sure that the Ephesians knew Jesus. He was SPENT for the cause of Christ. He was spent so that this community would know Life and have life.
When we die and stand before a holy God, who knows the truth of our hearts and efforts, will we be able to speak the words of Paul in Acts 20? Will we be able to honestly say that our time was spent doing "the Lord's work"? Will we be able to say we put others first and spent tears for our people? Will we be able to say that Christ was our message and we spent our lives not shrinking back from making Him known?
What are we pouring our lives into? One day the last drop will drip. Was it spent well?
But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God. Acts 20:24
This weekend was one of the highlights of Taylor and I's time with the youth at Harmony Community. We painted the youth room!
With 6 adults and about 10 or 12 youth, we got the room painted in 3 days. Thanks to all who came out and put some time in! It was awesome to get to spend some time together, and to work together to see a project be completed. I hope that this will help us see it as OUR youth room, and that it will be somewhere the students are excited to come and bring friends!
Here are some pictures of us working and the finished product!
"Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!"
Ecclesiastes 4:9-10
It seems that friends are important. Everyone wants at least one friend. Someone that they can call their best friend. Someone that they have fun with, count on, and talk to. The bible is clear, and teaches that two are better than one and that we will need help from a friend in this life. But, what are some other things that the bible teaches about friends?
"He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm."-Proverbs 13:20
"Better is open rebuke than hidden love. Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses." -Proverbs 27:5-6
"As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."-Proverbs 27:17
"A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother." -Proverbs 18:24
4 Things to Remember When Picking Friends
1. Be Careful. Everything that we allow into our lives influences us in one way. Friends are one of these influences. Surround yourself with people that you can look up to.
2. True friends will be honest with you. Surround yourself with people who love you enough to tell you the truth. A good friend is someone who will tell you what you need to hear even when you don't want to hear it. Be careful of those who only say good things about you. We need friends who will encourage us, but also correct us.
3. Ask yourself, "Do they complement or complicate my relationship with Jesus?" Good friends are those who want the best for us. The best for us is to be in close relationship with Jesus. Surround yourself with people who bring you closer to Christ, not pull you farther away. We need friends who are partnering with us in our mission with Jesus. This is also a great question to ask when considering dating or courting.
Last week we took our students to Fort Caswell in Oak Island, NC for Youth Camp. It was one of those awesome, turn you upside-down weekends. Worship was free, fellowship was fantastic, and the preaching was on fire. If you've ever been to youth camp, you know the kind of week I am talking about. It's kind of like a revival for teenagers, but at the beach. The kids were away and soaking in God's word for a whole week.
But, we're back and a big question we must answer is, "What now?"
We (yes, WE) are all on this spiritual mountain top and ready to set the world on fire for Jesus. But, that's how it is every year. We go to this awesome camp, we get emotional, and we come back committed to Jesus...for about two weeks. So, my question is, how can we make this year different? How can we fan the flame of our hearts for Christ, and not allow our selfishness or our surroundings to damper our enthusiasm for Christ?
"Look, I am about to do something new; even now it is coming. Do you not see it? Indeed, I will make a way in the wilderness, rivers in the desert."
-Isaiah 43:19
God wants this for us. I believe with all my heart He is wanting to do a new thing, and He is calling out a generation for it. But, we have to decide if we are going to get on board with God. God has a plan, and is calling us to take part in it. Will we be obedient? Will step out in faith and see God fill our hearts with passion for His name? Will we rise up as John's, or fall away like Judas?
Think today, what is one new thing that God is wanting to do in YOU? Maybe He is calling you to walk away from a sin, start reading the bible daily,
pray more for lost family, or start a relationship with a neighbor who doesn't know Christ. The possibilities are endless. What new thing is God wanting to do in and through you?
Obviously, I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ’s servant.Gal 1:10 (NLT)When this life is over, and I stand before Jesus, what will matter?Will my friend's opinions matter on that day? What about my boss's? What about the scoreboard of my latest game or the grade on my final exam? No.What will happen to the rest of my eternity will not depend on any of those things that day. That day the only thing that will matter is what Jesus says. If He says well done, I pass. If He says He never knew me, I fail.So often we live our lives focused on what others say and think of us. We live lives soaked with a pride that rides on our title or status. It seems that we are buying into things that get us no farther than a full casket and eternal hell. I think the saying goes, "You never see a hearse pulling a U-Haul." So, if we define success by all of these things, and all these things don't really matter, is that really success? No. A wise man once told me, "Seth, a man's level success is defined by His obedience to Christ."QUESTION:Are we living a life that counts to Christ?Please do not get me wrong, our salvation is not based on our obedience or anything else we can do. But, when a man experiences God's grace, he is driven by a deep thankfulness to live in a way that pleases God. Are we living out of thankfulness? Is Jesus really our Lord? Are we like Paul in our service, or are we wasting our lives away on things and opinions that don't matter?Don't waste your life.Make it count.
Remember Him before the door to life’s opportunities is closed and the sound of work fades. Now you rise at the first chirping of the birds, but then all their sounds will grow faint.
Eccl 12:4 (NLT)
Life is short. James wrote that it is like fog. Here, and then gone. We only have one life to live. Years will disappear as we live our lives. Today will be over before we know it.
So, what do we do with these minutes and moments that make up our lives? If we are going to die, and we don't when, how will we spend this life that we've been given? Whatever we do, I think we should do something that counts.
Life is easily made routine. We wake up, maybe eat some breakfast, and then we get busy with school, work, or whatever else our schedule is filled with. The next day? Probably the same thing. It's easy to get in a rut, much like a worn out tire in a puddle of mud. Spinning round and round but getting nowhere and accomplishing nothing but a deeper hole to try and get out off.
So, how did the wisest man to ever live say that we should make it count...
"Remember Him before the door to life’s opportunities is closed..."
King Solomon said to remember God. If we commit ourselves to remembering Christ, and we make Him the center of our lives they will count. Why? Jesus counts. The bible teaches that things of this earth with surely pass away. We live in a dying world. People pass, jobs are lost, money is stolen, and dreams are broken. What stands? What is absolute? What cannot die, be lost, be stolen, or be broken? Jesus.
So, if we live being all about Jesus our lives count. They matter. We will be making a perfect investment. It will not be easy. It will not be comfortable. But, it will be best.
We don't know how many days we have been given. So I ask, what will you do with today?
I remember playing basketball growing up. I was awful. I was the guy the coach put in when we were up by a whole lot or when we needed to foul someone. It was pretty bad.
I remember one of my first scrimmages. I was actually in the game. Crazy, right? We were on defense. I was guarding some guy that was nearly as bad as I was. He was trying to get the ball, but I stole it. YES! I stole it! But, what I did in the following moments wasn't so glorious. I remembered 3 things that I could do... 1. Pass it. Haha, no. 2. Shoot it. Haha, not yet. 3. Dribble it. Haha, worth a shot. I began to run and dribble at the same time. It was terrifying. But, soon enough I was near the goal and it was time to shoot. I launched it. Seriously. In that moment, without thought, I just threw the ball towards the basket. I'm sure my coach was in the background yelling, "NOOOOOO!". The ball sailed over the backboard. I was humiliated. I had missed the shot...by a lot!
Have you ever missed a shot? The bible says you have...
"For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God."
Romans 3:23
That word sin means "missing the mark" of what God says and has for us. We've missed it. And, our shot wasn't one that swirled around in the basket for a moment and then rolled out. We missed it by a long shot.
I never tried out for the high school team. Why? I was terrible, and I had no hope of ever making it. As a sinner and a shot misser, we don't start off on God's team. We start on the opposite team actually. This is a hard truth, because many of us know that the "other team" happens to be the one that loses. I've got good news though...
Despite our missed shots, and despite our ball(life) sailing over the backboard, Jesus has chosen us to cross the court and be on His team. Jesus calls our name. Jesus offers us grace. Jesus chooses us anyways...
But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.
1 Peter 2:9 (NLT)
HOLY MOLY, this is good news! But, know this, Jesus hasn't chosen us to be the MVP. Jesus hasn't chosen us to sign autographs. Jesus hasn't chosen us so that we could play our own game. Remember, He chose us despite our lack of skill. He didn't choose us because we are awesome, but because He is awesome. He actually chose us despite us. He chose us because of His love. And, He lets us play for His purposes. He chooses us to play for His glory. If your faith/trust is in Him, you are on Team Jesus. He is who we play for.
Today, remember that you missed the shots, but that Christ has called you to play on His team anyway. Remember that grace today. And, let that grace grow you towards a life that pleases and glorifies Him.
This has become one of my favorite songs, and it should remind us all of our worship to God and our responsibility to share Him with our neighbors and the nations.
Though most of you who read this blog aren't from the big NYC (as the ones shown in the video), I ask that as you listen and watch that you think of the people you pass everyday in the store. Think of the ones that you work beside. Think of the ones that you sit next to in class. Then think about the fact that God is sending you to them as a missionary. He is sending you to them as light and hope.
Focus is important. What we focus on helps make us into who we are.
Here are 4 parts of the Christian walk that we need focus on to be effective members of the body of Christ.
1. Love Jesus:
"And you must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all
your strength."
Deut. 6:5
It all starts with us responding to His love with our love. Falling deeper and deeper in love with Jesus is what our entire Christian life is to come from. Without love from God and an increasing love for God, we will surely be a hotter mess than we already are.
2. Share Jesus:
"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be
my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere--in Jerusalem, throughout
Judea, in Samaria,
and to the ends of the earth."
Acts 1:8
When you fall in love, you can't keep it to yourself. When Taylor and I got engaged last September, I wanted to tell everyone. We ought to feel the same way when we experience God's love for us. How could we ever keep a love that saves a secret. We must focus on sharing Jesus and His love with our community and our world.
3. Make Disciples of Jesus:
"Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name
of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit."
Matthew 28:19
A love that saves is a love that changes. Focus on making an investment in the lives of others in order to see Jesus change them and make them more like Him. In the process, He'll be changing you too.
4. Celebrate Jesus Together:
"And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage
one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near"
Hebrews 10:25
A love that saves and changes ties those who have been saved and changed together. Focus on hanging out with other followers of Jesus to encourage each other and make much of Jesus. Don't get bogged down with routine. Just focus on Jesus and grow together. It's that simple.
See the common factor in all of these?
Jesus.
Focus on Jesus. He is Life, and our source for being who He has created and saved us to be. It's...
A word used to describe steaks and finished races.
Church, when it comes to mediocrity and complacency, this word ought to describe us.
I must confess, I have battled these two things over the past few weeks. I have battled them in me, and around me. They need to be battled, and it is only through God's grace that they are and will be defeated.
We must believe Jesus when He said, "It is finished." We must take Him at His word. He is honest. We can trust that what He says is true. So then, why don't we believe Him, or at least live like we do? Why do we continue to allow the sin that Jesus defeated on the cross to take hold in our lives?
Church, it is time for us to be done with this mess. The writer of Hebrews wrote...
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us."
Heb 12:1 (NLT)
Hear that? Strip off. Cast aside. We need to be done with the things, especially sin, that trip us up. They need to be finished. They need to die.
God has given us a race to run. We are to run it with passion. We are to run it with perseverance and endurance. We are to run it with urgency. Church, we are called to be much more than a building and much more than a Sunday meeting. We are called to be holy and set apart. We are called to be salt and light. We are called to be missionaries to a world on its way to hell. Those are things that require more than religion and routine. Those things require an intimate relationship with Christ that goes beyond attending bible study or putting something about Jesus on facebook. Start by placing your faith in Christ, and fininsh by being done with anything that gets in the way of that.
Amigos: Spanish word for friends. (From the Springs-Spanish-English Dictionary)
It's good to have some solid amigos. Friends that you can just hangout with. Friends that you eat with. Friends that you can call when you need them. Friends that you trust. Friends who are reliable. Friends who care. It's good to have some solid friends.
These are 2 of my friends from Brasil that I met 2 years ago.
Have any enemies? Anyone that you don't get along with? Anyone that hates you? Anyone that you just cannot stand? Maybe the very sight of this person makes you sick. Maybe when they walk in, you walk out.
This morning I sat and talked over some of the bible with a student. We're both reading through Romans. This whole thing of friends came up. When you read Romans, you have to ask yourself questions like, "Am I a friend of God?"
The first 3 chapters of Romans talks about how all men are sinful. We are that way by nature. We see that God hates sin, and cannot be in relationship with it. Where does that put us? Well, the bible teaches that we are born as enemies of God.
This is scary. This is terrifying. When we realize how jacked up we are, and how bad God hates that, we realize that we are in the deep in end of a pool called God's wrath.
But, then we got to Romans 5:11...
"So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God.
"
Romans 5:11 (NLT)
We were enemies of God. We had rebelled against Him, and He had turned away from us. There was a disconnect. A good, holy God cannot team up with sin. BUT, Jesus stepped in. Jesus laid down His life on the cross so that we could walk across as if He was a bridge to the Father. We, sinners, have been made friends with God! Not because of something we did, but because of what Jesus did.
What's your relationship with God like today? Is it tense? Is it awkward? Is it silent? Does it even exist? Or, is it one that is full of life? Is it one based on your trust and faith in Him and His grace to you? Do you sit and talk or do you walk by and wave? The truth is that we all have a relationship with God. But, we are either enemies or friends. Does your relationship with God feel distant and cold? Or, are you and God family? Ask yourself these tough questions. Maybe you were friends, but things have grown old. Come back. He is waiting to walk closely with you again.
Live out of thankfulness for this new relationship today. Let His grace flow through you. Live like a friend of God.
This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.”
It is easy to make excuses. I am a major mess-up, so I know all about them. They're easy to make when we sin. Others are easy to blame when things go sour. Its easy to expect much of people, but take no responsibility for/on ourselves.
I'm young and dumb. I come from a broken home. I grew up in a house where drug abuse and addiction played a big part. I have struggled to read. I go on stuttering rampages. I am not the coolest. I am a little ragtag. My pockets aren't usually full. I'm just all-around very good at making messes.
Those are some of the daily excuses that I battle, and my heart would usually love to use them. But, God says...
"NO!"
I'm chosen, blessed, adopted, forgiven, redeemed, and accepted by the one, true, living God of all creation. That gives a thumbs down to all excuses. That erases any ugly past, and any skeletons in your closet. His presence in us makes up for our stutters and stumbles. His grace empowers us to be more that young, dumb, and inexperienced. So, RISE UP. Rise up over your excuses. Rise up over your past. Rise up over your imperfections. Rise up over your surroundings. RISE UP! Christ did! And, haven't we been united with in His death and His resurrection? Rise up!
I believe that the Timothy of the bible had excuses. I believe Timothy had those who would look down upon him for his age and lack of experience. Why else would his mentor, Apostle Paul, say to him...
"Don’t let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity."
1 Tim 4:12 (NLT)
What will you be? Just another pile of excuses that point back to a broken and wasted life, or an example that leads others into the footprints of Christ? Will you continue to allow your downfalls to keep you down? Or, will you rise up in your new identity found in Christ Jesus? You are no longer to be an excuse. I believe those died on the cross too. Be an example today. The world needs Jesus. He has chosen you to show them His great love.
Responsibility. This is a huge word that most people don't like. They dread this word. They substitute other words for this word. They run from this word: Responsibility.
Myth: It is your pastor's, or youth pastor's, responsibility to reach your lost family or friends.
This lie has crept into the church and settled among believers. The responsibility of the church, true believers, has been shifted to the leadership of the church. This is dangerous, and unhealthy. It is unbiblical, and ineffective. The church is not our mission field. The church is to be a training center for missionaries. Are you taking the responsibility to reach your lost friends with Christ? Or, are you spiritually irresponsible with the grace that God has given YOU?
A big part of this is the size of the impact that will be made. Your pastor does not have the same influence among your friends that you do. They don't know your pastor like they know you. Your pastor probably doesn't work alongside them like you do. Your pastor probably doesn't have the same opportunity to reach them as you do. God gave you the friends that He did so that you, an insider, could take the love of Christ inside of your little circle to them. That is where our responsibility as friends and family members lies. There are huge opportunities for you to make an impact for the Kingdom of God. It starts with those closest to you.
PASTOR: Train your people to be missionaries.
CHURCH: Don't put the responsibility of sharing Jesus with those closest to you on someone else. Do you love them? Share Jesus with them.
How serious do you take Jesus, and how much do you love those around you?
I recently heard the Newsboys in concert. At one point they told why they played Christian music. The reasoning?
"Sometimes the only way to a kid's heart is through their headphones."
I'm a youth pastor. I know the struggle between secular and Christian music. And, I know that this post will probably get lots of "pshhhhhh" or "whatevs". But, I totally agree with the Newsboys, and I'm thankful for bands like them.
This is not a post where I write 151 reasons to burn down your nearest secular radio station. But, I would like to encourage you to examine what you are allowing to enter your heart through your headphones.
First off, you need to know where I'm coming from on this. I like secular music. Nothing gets me pumped for a workout or a run like some Eminem. But, when I came to Christ, He didn't just give me a pass into heaven. What He did was become Lord, which literally means "Master" or "Owner" like in slave times. When I gave my life to Jesus, I didn't just give Him my heart. I gave Him my life. My rights. My money. My relationships. And, yes, even my preference in music.
Sometimes, I think we are slow to grasp the impact of what we see and hear has on us. Everything that surrounds us is going to invade us. The things that we see make an imprint on our minds. This explains the damage done by porn. It robs and abuses your mind. So much, that when guys watch it, it changes the way that they see the women around them. The same goes for music. Music changes the way we think. When someone says, "No worries", I immediately begin to hum the tune of "Hakuna Matata" from The Lion King soundtrack. Why do people post lyrics on twitter? Because, they are tied to an emotion or thought. What we see and what we hear goes farther than the surface. It goes to the heart.
My life verse is John 3:30.
"He must increase, and I must decrease."
The He is Jesus, and the I was John the Baptist, but now it's got to be me. From this I see that my Christian life has to become more and more about Jesus. I am to be "All About Jesus".
Question: Does the music you listen to make you more like Jesus or more like the world?
If the music we listen to really does go heart deep, then it changes who we are. The heart is the water spout of our lives. What goes on in our hearts determines what goes on in our lives. As a Christian, are you feeding yourself with music that looks the opposite of Jesus? If so, you are poisoning your walk with Jesus.
A few months ago I had a youth come to me and talk about the music on his ipod. He had paid all kinds on money in filling up his ipod with junk. But, in following Jesus, he realized the harsh affect that it was having on his heart and in his life. What'd he do? Deleted everything in his ipod that didn't point him back to Jesus. Instead of worshipping his music, or the money he had already spent on the music, he decided that it was time to part ways with something that was damaging his walk with Christ.
Question: What on your ipod needs to be deleted? What is on your ipod that doesn't strengthen your walk with Christ?
You love music? Good news. Unlike 15 years ago, there is some solid Christian music that we don't have to be completely embarrassed by. Some solid artists have taken a stand and started producing music that can help produce good fruit in us. Below I'll put some songs/bands that are worth taking a look at.
Rap? Yea, there is even something for you guys. I used to think Christian rap was soooo cheesy. But, there are some guys putting out some solid stuff. I have often heard that people just listen to some music because of the beat. You no longer have that excuse. If that is the real reason, then check out some of these artists' beats. Don't sacrifice your heart in order to hear a good beat. It's dumb, and you don't have to.
What happens if a growing boy doesn't eat? Though he may make it without the "ewwy" broccoli, he won't grow very tall. His muscles won't develop into those of a G.I. Joe. If he doesn't get the nutrients he needs, his body will shrivel, and eventually just stop.
The same can be said for believers who don't "eat" enough of God's word: the Bible.
4 But Jesus told him, “No! The Scriptures say,‘People do not live by bread alone,but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
Matt 4:4 (NLT)
I often talk with believers who struggle to keep a consistent time of prayer and bible reading. Heck, I struggled for years to develop a habit of spending time with Christ. But, my daily "quiet time" has become essential to my spiritual walk. I can now tell a huge difference between the flow of days in which I do read my bible and the ones that I don't.
Why Read My Bible and Pray Everyday?
I remember a cute little song that one of my Sunday School teachers taught me growing up that went something like this...
"...Read your bible, pray everyday, and you'll groW, grOW, GROW!..."
It's cute, and it's RIGHT! If we have a true desire to groW, grOW, GROW! then we will begin the process of spending time with Jesus every day.
RELATIONSHIP is also a HUGE word when it comes to having a quiet time. If I want to build a good relationship with someone I don't ignore and neglect them. But, I spend time with them. We hangout. We talk. We'll probably catch a cup of coffee together, or maybe shoot some hoops. It's no different from our walk with Jesus. It's said that Christianity is not a religion, but a relationship. I wholeheartedly agree. But, it's up to us to enhance that relationship, and we do that by spending time with Jesus.
How Do I Read My Bible and Pray Everyday?
Listen Dude, spending time with Jesus isn't nearly as hard as we make it out to be. There isn't a cookie-cutter system. Here are a few answered questions and tips:
When am I supposed to have my quiet time? Jesus doesn't have office hours. You will never call on Him and get His secretary. Jesus's door is always open to talk. Take advantage of this. I usually sit down and have my quiet time first thing in the morning. My bible and prayer time usually goes with a cup of coffee. But, that's because that's what works for me. You can meet with Jesus anytime. When you wake up, or before you go to sleep. Maybe you leave lunch a little early, and find a place to check into your bible for a few minutes. Make time for Jesus, anytime.
I just haven't had time... Bologna. You make time for other things. People have time to do what they want to do. Like I said, Jesus's door is always open. You may just have to spend less time on facebook, texting little Susie, or cut off SportsCenter for a few minutes in the morning.
Where do I start? I used to say the gospel of John, but my mind has changed. Really, it doesn't matter. But, my suggestion is always Romans. Martin Luther called Romans the purest Gospel. It doesn't get much better than that. The book of Romans is basically Apostle Paul writing down the basics of our Christian Faith.
There are just so many distractions, my brother listens to the TV really loud... Be wise. Get away. Go somewhere quiet. Take a prayer walk through the woods. Read your bible while laying on the trampoline. Or, this is a crazy thought, go in your room and shut the door...
But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.
Matt 6:6 (NLT)
Reading the bible is a privilege. I mean, we actually get to hear God speak. Praying is a privilege. We have the opportunity to approach God in grace! Take advantage of this. The Creator of the universe wants to sit down and talk with YOU!
I hope this has helped in some way. If you have any thoughts, questions, or suggestions don't hesitate to leave a comment.
Here are some other thoughts or resources that may help...
Try the YouVersion bible app. www.youversion.com They have reading plans and an accessible app where you can read anytime. Most students use this electric version of the bible in our bible studies.
A good devotional to supplement your bible reading is usually helpful. But, be careful not to lay down the Bible in favor of a devotional. Here is Johhny Hunt talking about the devotional that I'm actually using now. It's great. You can find it on amazon for a decent price.
I want you to know something today. If you are in Christ, YOU ARE NEW!
"This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old
life is gone; a new life has begun!"
2 Corinthians 5:17(NLT)
You've messed up? You lived a jacked up life for years? You haven't been the greatest friend? Maybe, you've lied or lusted. Maybe you used to be a gossip. In Christ, you are forgiven. Yep, I said it...FORGIVEN.
When you enter Christ, God the Father doesn't see you and your jacked up life anymore. He sees JESUS! How huge is that? It's HUGE!
"For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that
we could be made right with God through Christ."
2 Corinthians 5:21(NLT)
So, if you are FORGIVEN, if you are really NEW, live like who you are would live. Catch that? Live like the person who God has made you. He has made you into a new creation. You, in Christ, are not a pervert. You are a pure child of the Living God. Live purely. You, in Christ, are not a liar anymore. You are a product of the Truth. Walk in truth. You, in Christ, are no longer a mess up. You have been made into a masterpiece. Let your life be the swipe of God's paint brush.
"He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them."
I recently moved into
a home in Marshville, NC. Yep, the home of Randy Travis. The last few weeks
have been hectic. From starting work at a new church, to packing and moving, to
having the satellite dude come this week, these past few weeks have been a big
adjustment.
I must say, I’m
loving it. The busyness has been fun. But, there have been some weird,
different, and even scary parts. I’m from the country, and I grew up about 15
minutes from the nearest city limit sign. Not anymore. I live in town now. And,
if you are in town in Marshville, you can hear the train moving down the tracks
several times a day…and night. That scared me at first. When I first thought
about it I said, “Oh, poop.” But, once I got moved in, my mind changed. I heard
the train, and instead of referring to poop, I said, “Man, that’s cool.” I am
loving this train. When it wakes me up at 2am? I don’t clinch my teeth. I
smile. It’s just the train…
Following Christ can
be this way. When we stand on the outside of following Jesus we may think, “Oh,
poop.” But, when you’re on the inside? You wouldn’t rather be anywhere else.
Yep, even when things feel as inconvenient as hearing a train pass at 2am. You
may think of the hiccups and missed opportunities when first seeing if this
Jesus thing is for real. I know. I put off following Jesus for 2 or 3 years
because of what it might cost me. Now, as a Christ-follower, I couldn’t imagine
myself following anyone else. Are there rough patches? You better believe it.
But, those speed-bumps aren’t because Jesus led me down the wrong path. I’m experiencing
that bump inthe road because I’m
imperfect, and I live in an imperfect world. Following Jesus is like living
beside the train tracks. And, I’m falling in love with sound of that ole train.
But, I need to be
careful. I love the sound of that train now, because it’s new and different.
What happens after I’ve been here for a few weeks, months, or years. It could
lose it’s romance. I could get so used to hearing the sound that it doesn’t
even catch my attention. Or, it’s repetitiveness could grow to irritate me. I
think the same can happen to following Jesus…
Sometimes when we
finally crossover to following Jesus, we lose our love after a while. Loving
others doesn’t come so easy. Reading our bible doesn’t seem so exciting. And,
meeting with the church? Those people can start to get on your nerves.
So, what do you do?
Well, I don’t want to stop hearing that Train, so I’m going to keep listening
for it. I’m going to take note of it’s passing. In my silliness, I may throw up
a wave. Will I do the same for Jesus? Will I continue to keep an eye out for
His beauty? Will I listen for His calling and encourage? Will you? Don’t fall
out of love with Jesus.
I have never been a super student. Especially not in math. I remember taking a math quiz in the 7th grade like it was yesterday. Pre-Algebra was almost the death of me. But, this specific quiz was handed out, and I felt like I was looking at a different language. It was like my teacher said, "Let me blow your mind!" I didn't even know where to start. The only space for an answer that I could fill was one that said "Name:_________".
Sometimes we feel this way in our Christian walk. We are faced with a problem, or a temptation, and we have no idea how to answer. The answers are almost always more complex than saying yes or no. Each question has larger implications than that. There is a grade to come. Maybe the grade is the approval of our friends. No one wants to be a loser. Maybe the grade is financial status. Nobody wants to be broke or have to give up going out to dinner every night of the week. Maybe the grade is the fulfillment of a pleasure, dream, or addiction. We all have things we want.
But, Jesus showed us how to get an A. In Matthew 3 and 4, we read about Jesus being tempted. Jesus was in a situation and He had to make a choice. He had to bubble in an answer. It was test time. Satan threw out all kind of temptation. He tempted Him with power, and false fulfillment. But, how would Jesus answer?
a. WITH SCRIPTURE!
With every question and temptation, Jesus answered back with some truth from the BIBLE. Jesus would take the Word, and say, "Here Satan, put that in your oven and cook it!"
This is an awesome example for us. If we want to answer the questions of life correctly and pass the only test that matters, we need to be rooted in the bible. We need to be able to answer our sin with biblical truth. When we do this, we find a way out of the situation and ace the test. When we have questions of doubt, we are to look back at scripture and know that God will provide.
3 Disciplines to Help You Answer With Scripture: Read Scripture:
How will we answer sin with scripture if we don't even look at the word? Make a point to read your bible daily. Start with a 5 minute devotion. Get alone with Jesus. Pray and read. The gospel of John and the Book of Romans are good places to start.
Remember Scripture:
OOOOOH, this one is scary. Actually memorize scripture? Yes. You're not always going to have your bible with you. You're not always going to be surrounded with "Super Christians". You may last a little while walking with Jesus and not having some scripture memorized, but not for long. He gives us His word for a reason. Have the words of it written on your heart. We are in a spiritual war. Be ready to fight.
Really Believe Scripture:
If you don't REALLY believe the bible then you're wasting your time. Don't just read it. Read it and know that it is the inspired word of God, and He cannot lie. And, don't read it like some story book. Read it like a passionate love letter. Read it like He really means what He is saying. Take God's word seriously. Not like Goldy Locks and the three little pigs, or whatever. Also, if you REALLY believe it, you will begin to live it. If you believe your pants are on fire, then you will act like your pants on fire. If you believe God's word is true, you will see it's truth becoming true in the things that you do.
Here are a few Scriptures that help me answer temptation and doubt:
"So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God."
1 Corinthians 10:31 (NLT)
There is common misconception in today's world concerning the way we follow and serve Jesus: My circumstances or placement in life should determine the way I serve Christ.
The truth is that whatever we do, or wherever do it, it should all be for the glory of God.
The last few weeks have been an exciting time in my life. They have been full of change. I've made a move from serving at one church to another. I'll soon be moving homes. We've been trying to throw some arrangements for furniture together. And, in all of this, Taylor and I plan and look forward to getting married in April. This has been going on throughout the holidays and all of it's fun. So, it's easy to say that we've had a lot going on.
But, the Lord gave me some encouragement today. In all of the business, I have asked myself, "What are we gonna do?". Questions concerning what I'll teach, how we will approach certain situations, and financial needs have raced through my mind. But, this morning God gave me a word. Wherever I go, I have one purpose for living: To Glorify Jesus.
I need to plan to glorify Jesus. I need to prepare in such a way that in every situation I enter Jesus will be glorified. I need to set myself up for success in the area of pointing to Jesus, and that is in every area. Prayer is a HUGE part of this. If I do not pray that Jesus be given glory through my life, then I will not be properly equipped to do so. He is my source. He is my power. I can't get so caught up in doing that I forget why and for whom I'm doing all this for.
I need to focus on glorifying Jesus. Not me. Not a study. Not a program. Not a bill. And, not some drama. If I'm going to live a life that glorifies Jesus, I need to focus on JESUS. If I'm focused on everything else then that is what I will glorify. To glorify means to highlight or to lift up. If we are going to highlight Jesus, we have to focus the swipe of our pens, which are our lives, across the name of Jesus.
Remember, wherever you go or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of Jesus. Don't make excuses. Don't search for cooler things or more excitement. Search for Jesus. He is our purpose for living.
