Bold Love

LOVE LIKE JESUS - - PART 4
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I just got home from To Save A Life (see the following posts: http://matt-bartlett.blogspot.com/2010/01/you-can-save-life.html, http://matt-bartlett.blogspot.com/2010/01/to-save-life.html). You should really go check it out. I only advertise it constantly because I really believe in what it stands for.

So how does this tie in to my belated closing of my first series, Love Like Jesus? The main character in this movie exemplifies the bold love of Jesus Christ. Christ loves the unlovable. He loves the outcasts, the drinkers, the self-righteous. It's easy for us as Christians to say that He loves everyone, but what does everyone look like? As I mentioned in my first post, Jesus loves all of us equally. None of us is worthy of God. We're all sinners, saved by grace.

One of the most encouraging passages in Scripture for me is Hebrews 4:14-16. It says that we have been given the authority to boldly come before the throne of the Lord Jesus Christ. We don't have to tremble or fear. He promises to repay our sins with his redeeming love.

Christ was beaten, tortured, and gruesomely hung on a tree. His side was pierced. His hands and feet were driven through by nails. His brow was scarred by thorns. Jesus went to the grave willingly. Why?

Jesus died to set us free from our sin so that we could live a life for his cause. And this has everything to do with love. 1 John said we know love because He first loved us. This bold love invokes a bold response. Like Jake Taylor in the movie, we should be going out to the last and the lost in our worlds. We see kids sitting alone everyday. Even in our own churches and youth groups. Sure, it's awkward. So what? Think of the eternal impact here. Are you willing to sacrifice your comfort for the possibility of saving a life? I sure hope so.

My challenge to you: love someone today who hasn't done anything to deserve it. Love someone who is against you. Love a sinner with the Agape love that Jesus provisioned for us. As Christians, the God of the universe is within us. We don't personally have to be great at being around new people. As outgoing as I am, I really have a hard time talking to someone who is new. I'm just not comfortable, at least not yet. But I have a secret to tell you, and you should tell everyone.

God answers our prayers. Pray for boldness. Pray for your friends who don't know Jesus (if this particularly sounds interesting let me know, I have a great devo that I'm going through right now called My Most Wanted List). But back to the point. The more you follow God's call and love the people that you don't even feel comfortable with, He will strengthen you. If you start slowly living out that bold lifestyle, He will increase your boldness. Don't believe me? Try it.
Just some food for thought. Be bold. Your reward is in Heaven.

To Christ be the Glory,
-matt

Unequal Yoking

Deuteronomy 22:10.
"Do not plow with an ox and a donkey yoked together."

2 Corinthians 6:14.
"Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?"

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Unequal yoking, I believe, is one of the most serious problems among Christian teens today. It certainly isn't limited to there, but it sticks out like a sore thumb all over high schools, churches, teams, etc. Yoking ourselves unequally can and will prevent us from achieving all that Jesus Christ has for us in those seasons of our lives.

First let me describe more of what I'm talking about. Let's get a working definition for yoking. Yoking simply means being joined to something. More specifically I'm focusing on the yoking that occurs between two people and how that affects how each lives.

Now that we have a working idea of what yoking is, lets look at what Scripture says. The passage from 2 Corinthians 6:14 is pretty clear in its meaning. If you are a Christian you shouldn't yoke yourself with someone who is not. For guys, this means don't you dare date a girl who isn't in love with Jesus Christ, even if she is the most beautiful and sweetest girl you've ever met. Girls, don't waste your time on a guy that knows how to say all the right things that make you feel good, but doesn't follow the Lord. I mean this all seems like common sense, but when we're caught in the moment we tend to lose track of that don't we? We know that a relationship between such different people is probably not good... but we can make it work. That's your first myth right there. You're not going to make it work. Don't try and tell yourself you will. The truth is a Christian in a relationship with a non-Christian will be pulled down to the level of the one in the darkness.

Picture them actually yoked together, like they were pulling a plow. If a Christian and a non-Christian are yoked, the plow will teeter to one side for a while, and probably drag to a stop. The more time he/she spends dating someone who isn't a follower of Jesus, the more their yearning for Christ diminishes. Each side of the relationship has different desires. As a Christian, the purpose of our life should be to bring God glory and walk in his ways. A non-Christian obviously won't share that passion. When we start running to God the other side of the yoke won't run with us. We'll have to drag the other person's spiritual baggage, and we can't do that for long. If you're dating a non-Christian right now, or thinking about it, I beg you not to waste your time. Sure there's the one miracle guy who gets his girlfriend to accept Christ, but then the couple often encounters another problem.

The second problem of equal yoking comes when a Christian is yoked with a Christian, but unequally. I demonstrate this with the passage from Deuteronomy. Consider the meaning behind what it says. Oxen and donkeys are both animals that are useful for plowing. When a pair of the same is yoked together, they are able to pull at equal rates and reach the end goal in a nearly straight line. Now what happens when you put the two together? Picture it in your head. If two Christians are yoked together (dating) but are not at similar places in their relationships with Christ, they will pull themselves in circles. They will make an inch or two of progress, that comes from simply pulling forward in the first place. But the stronger (in faith) of the two will drag the latter in circles endlessly.

As mentioned in the example in the paragraph prior to last, a new Christian yoked with someone who has been walking in the faith already can be a tricky and just as dangerous combination. But let me dig a bit deeper into the unequal yoking of Christians. In a dating relationship, one person shouldn't have to guide the other along the path of the Christian walk. The idea of yoking yourself together with someone is that you take every stride step for step. We aren't identical in our walks, so we won't proceed forward exactly concurrent with our partner, but we'll be very very close. But when two believers enter into a relationship on different levels, they fail to reach where they cold have if they weren't yoked. The stronger of the two has the potential to reach a higher level in his/her walk, and the lesser of the two has the potential to grow just as much. Let me make this a math problem and show you in an easier way. (don't grown it won't be hard).
Lets say the stronger Christian starts at level 10 (this is all just hypothetical) and the lesser is at 5.
Even if they both grow 7, 5+7=12 and 10+7=17, one is still further along.

Get what I'm trying to say? You can't just slingshot up to a girlfriend/boyfriend who is deeper in faith or vice versa. If you are dating someone who is on a whole different level with God then you are hurting yourself and them in what really matters, relationships with Jesus Christ.

So how do you tell if someone is on the same level as you? It should actually be pretty obvious. The easiest way is always just to ask. If you can't be open about your spiritual lives then you don't need to be dating anyway. You also have the Truth of Scripture to consult as well as the all-knowing God of the Universe. If you investigate then it won't take much effort to find out where each of you stand.

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Some of this might sting. Some if it might be stuff you don't want to hear. You might discredit me, but you can't argue with the Truths revealed in Scripture. I don't write this all because I care about you. I want your relationship with Christ to continue to grow, and that means it must be protected. Don't allow Satan to get a foothold by giving you more to carry than you need. Don't yoke yourself unequally. Jesus said in Matthew to come to him for rest. He said that his yoke was light and that he would carry it with us; for us. Yoke yourself to Christ, not someone who is going to inhibit you. Sometimes there isn't a nice way to say this kind of stuff. There usually isn't. Know this, I truly wish the best for you. Jesus wants the best for you.

Faithfully,
-matt

Weekly Scripture

1 Thessalonians 5:16-24
16Be joyful always; 17pray continually; 18give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. 19Do not put out the Spirit's fire; 20do not treat prophecies with contempt. 21Test everything. Hold on to the good. 22Avoid every kind of evil. 23May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it

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This is what a Christian like looks like. It's not a hard concept to grasp, it's the actual practice that can be sometimes difficult.
16. Live with the Joy that Christ has placed inside of you. doesn't mean always be happy, that's not enough. live in security and joy that Christ has drawn you to Him.
17. The most important aspect of our connection to God is talking and listening to Him. Paul says prayer continuously. He doesn't mean like the Pharisees did, showing off for all to see. He just wants us to be in communication with the Lord Almighty throughout every day. He wants to be a part of our lives; so let Him be.
18. God doesn't want us to be bitter. He doesn't want us to get mad at Him - and if you think about it, we don't have the right to be mad at Him. Non-Christians see how we act. They see us when we attack each other and fake it. That's not living the lifestyle he called us to. See Romans 12:1.
19. When the Spirit wants to work in and through us, we must let Him! Eph. 3:20. God wants to use us for incredible things.
20. Trust the words given to us from God, the scriptures. They hold Truth. The bible is a sword to be used offensively against the powers of darkness. Don't let your sword rust. Sharpen it up constantly.

Ya'll study this further and let me know what you think. It's a great text. Hope God uses it to teach you something new in this season. Love ya'll. Thanks for reading.
-matt

You Can Save A Life

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Scriptures mentioned: Matthew 22:36-40, Luke 19:10, Hebrews 4:12-16, Matthew 7:7-8

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I pray that somehow God uses this to challenge us. Please go see the movie. Also, it's nothing special about my words, but instead the focus is God's glory. We've all heard most of this, but maybe today we choose to finally listen. Be bold. Through the power of Jesus Christ, you can save a life. Send any questions my way. I love you guys. Thanks for supporting me.
In the name of Christ Jesus,
-matt

To Save A Life

First off, this is a life changing movie. You have got to go see it. I'm not going to spoil it for you so you can read the rest of this post. I just wanted to hit on a couple of points that the movie raises. For me, it cut a little too close to me. The truth hurts sometimes doesn't it. Watch the trailer here (it's only two minutes or so).

1. IT'S WORTH IT
-The main character in the story, Jake, reaches a point in his life where he is forced to decide. Is following God worth it? Was life better how it used to be? He begins to wonder why his world is collapsing around him. Just as it is for him, there is no easy answer. We don't have to know the answer. Jesus is sufficient. Read John 9 in your next devotional. The blind man didn't know the answer, but he knew the one who mattered, Jesus Christ. Too many people walk away from Christ because life gets hard. They look for other things to put their faith in. They dedicate their life to something else but the Creator of the Universe. Life isn't easy, but I promise you its worth it. Christ is worth it. No matter what you're going through, God is right there with you. Trust him. You don't have to understand why, just have faith. Trust in Him. It's worth it.

2. DON'T SETTLE
-Too often we get comfortable in our lives. We're okay with who we have become. But the question is, "is there something more?" Honestly, what are you living for today? Is you're life just fine. It might even be really good. But without Christ as the focus we can just be settling for less. God wants to do great things through all of us. Luke 2:52 says that Jesus continued to grow. He didn't just get comfortable with his life. Christ wants the same for us. He wants to do great things in and through our lives if only we let him work. He has a plan for your life that is greater than any dream you could have for yourself. Don't settle.

3. HYPOCRISY
-This movie really got me pissed off at the church several times. How many kids do we let walk into youth group without talking to them? How many leave without hearing their name? We all stick to our own little cliques and groups and we let the new comers fend for themselves. That's pathetic. Jesus Christ sent us to love our neighbors. And honestly it doesn't get much easier for us than loving the new kids that come to church. God is leaving them right in front of us. If we claim to be Christians, and thus claim to have Jesus Christ living inside of us we cannot continue to act like this. Don't assume someone else will talk to the new kid. Don't assume that he will just be able to assimilate to this new environment. Christian or not God commands us to reach out with them. The church is described as the bride of Christ, as part of his body. So why don't we shape up and act like it? God wants to save lives. Don't shut yourself off from that opportunity.
-I haven't even hit on the two-face Christianity yet. When we act this way we literally are defacing the God we claim to serve. A lot of Christians have a church-self and a regular-self. When non-Christians see this, they quickly lose any respect they had for Christianity. Don't sit in church just to be there. As Jake Taylor said "What's the point of doing all this if you don't let it change you?"

4. LOVE
-God calls us to love Him and to love our neighbors. Like I mentioned above, we all tend to stick to our groups rather than branch out and love those around us. *A special note to all of you in high school: You probably aren't going to be in an environment like this after you graduate. This is a golden opportunity to save a life. Don't waste it. I've almost finished my four years, and trust me if there is anything I regret, that's it. I'm just as guilty of all of these. But I want my life to matter. When Terry Teykl was speaking at Faithbridge the last Sunday of 2009 he painted a vivid picture for me of just what Heaven can look like. People will be able to come up to us and thank us. Thanking us for caring enough about them to get them their. I can't think of any better gift to receive than that. Imagine someone thanking you for helping them get on the path to eternal life? Love.


These were just some themes that flowed throughout the entire movie. I urge you to watch it, Christian or not, the story will cut straight to the heart. Can one teenager make a difference? You bet. Take the chance. Who knows, maybe someday you will learn what it means To Save A Life.
-matt

Lord I Lift Your Name on High

This song basically sums it all up. Old school worship, but the God it lifts up is the same. The lyrics so beautifully describe what our response to Jesus Christ should be. Because of his actions we should praise him by lifting his name on high. What does that mean? It's simple. It means boldly declaring the name of Jesus Christ. Easier said than done.

I've recently been convicted about how chicken I have been to discuss Jesus with non-Christains. I can share the Gospel, that's easy. But like when I'm sitting at lunch and nonbelievers are there, it's easy for me to pass over the chance to say something. Aren't we all guilty of not saying what we should? We are called to proclaim Christ to the nations. Not doing anything means we aren't acting as Christ called us to. So give it a serious thought. How often do we glaze over the name of Jesus Christ?

The name Jesus Christ is the most powerful name in the history or future of humanity. The name of Christ alone drives out demons, heals the sick, and makes miracles possible. Shouldn't we being talking about him constantly? Don't we want to see the world turn to him one soul at a time?

The end offers up the most simple, yet most elegant prayer. Jesus, You are Holy. Jesus, You are Awesome. You are my strength. You are my song. You are my all. You are my King. You are my God. Pray that tonight. Pray the ending of this song. then pray Psalm 150 out loud. It's all about Jesus. Proclaim the name of Christ.

by coincidence my pastor was talking about the power of the name of Christ this past weekend. check it out if you're interested at http://vimeo.com/8845013
-matt

Application: Live Out Love

Love Like Jesus - - Part 3
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Matthew 10:8-9 records Jesus' commands as he sends out the twelve. He orders them (not asks them) to "Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give." You can take as much or as little stock in that as you want, but keep in mind that this is straight from the bible. It means what it says.

So does this strike you as a petty request from Christ, or maybe a direct order? I'd say it was the latter. To be a Christian means that we choose to follow in the footsteps of Jesus Christ. Matthew 22:7 tells us that the greatest commandment is to love God and love people. We are called to take this radical love that will not ever make sense to the world and give it freely out to the nations. We don't work for any earthly rewards, but for the treasure we will receive in heaven.

When we know Christ, His love is inside of us. We possess the love of the Father in are earthly bodies through the dwelling of the Holy Spirit. To not share this is a sin of omission. A sin of omission is not doing something that we are supposed to do. That's the nasty side effect to not living the way that Christ wants us to. He calls us to love like the Father. He lavishes his love on us. His love is beyond comprehension (just look at 1 Corinthians 13). The point is, we should live out love. We have received a free gift that we are commanded to share with others. Our lives should reflect are love. Are you living life under the influence of the Love of Christ? Are you revealing Christ's love? Live out Love.

-matt

Weekly Scripture

Matthew 6:5-14

5"And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 6But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 7And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
9"This, then, is how you should pray:
" 'Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
10your kingdom come,
your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
11Give us today our daily bread.
12Forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.
14for yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

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This is the scripture we studied this weekend at Winter Rush and it continues to impact and change my life. Jesus told us how to come and talk to the father. All we have to do is make ourselves available to God and he will willingly do the rest. He loves us, oh how he loves us.

-matt

An Audience of One

When God came to me and appointed me to lead my peers in a mission trip to Costa Rica He gave me a very specific purpose. He told me that I shouldn't measure the success of my trip by the overall group consensus. He told me a job well done wasn't what He had sent me there to accomplish. He told me that my purpose was to drastically alter the life of one person that I had brought with me. At the time I didn't know who it was. But from that moment forward, I made it my greatest ambition to make that come true.
God didn't send me for the many, but instead he gave me an audience of one. One soul that was willing to listen. One soul that I had the glorious responsibility of having a hand in its shaping. At the time I thought that was just my temporary mission for the trip. I'm starting to learn much much more.

Not intentionally by my thoughts, I have been living my life for that audience of one. When I engage in relationships with my peers, and with my younger friends that I try my best to mentor, it is always battle for one soul at a time. Even when I write my blogs, my target hasn't changed. Bear with me, because this entire concept is a realization that God is giving me more clearly this very moment. I'm looking back at the trajectory of my life and I see clearly the ministry of one that God has been working through me. At the time I had no clue! I see it most clearly in those I am discipling and my blogging.

Specifically with my blog is where I'd like to focus real quick. Every day I hear of my words on this medium affecting someone. Without fail my words make a difference in someone's life every day. Of course, none of this is about me, but Jesus Christ who speaks through me. But all of that time I heard different people challenged by God in different ways. I was encouraged by good friends. I was mocked by some. I was admired by those who I have never met (and still might never know). But all the while, God's words cut to the heart of one by one by one. by one. One.

God began to reveal this to me Saturday night at Winter Rush Retreat. He told me so many great things that night. I am still in awe. But this I won't ever be able to forget. Midway through the first worship session I hit my knees. I felt the Spirit pressing upon me. I let go of myself and invited Him in. I remember praying specifically, "God, show me what You want to show me." I didn't ask for Him to tell me anything, at least through words like He usually does. At this is where I really got blown away. God gave me a vision.

I'm not sure how much of it is mine to share right now. I'm not even sure what it all means. But after the vision had come to a close, He spoke directly to my heart saying this, "I will use you to speak to nations, but your audience starts with one." That sentence stuck with me. I kept mulling it over through the sermon. It was a recurring though as I listened to Tiger speak to us. I felt the Spirit moving. I felt him reaching into souls and transforming them. But this time He wasn't a wind or a wave. He was an arrow. I felt him pierce everyone in that room in a different way. I saw him use one message and worship session to impact so many people in such different ways. God worked for many audiences of one.

God continues to impress upon me this lesson. With it as a tool I have been encouraged to look back at my life and see how Christ has specifically been at work in me. I've seen my prayers do petty things like move rainclouds. I've seen my prayers be answered as friends accepted Jesus into their lives. I've seen others follow in my footsteps in too many ways to count. I've seen countless friends start blogs just like the one you are reading now. I might not have been a factor in their decisions to begin one at all, but I feel as if my example has contributed in some factor to some of them. I've seen the feeble grow into leaders. The timid have become bold. And I've been a part of all of it.

Honestly, I don't really worry too much when I don't get much of a response. God has given me faith. I trust that he will move just how he wants to move. The greatest blessing is times like this where I am encouraged to see my life making a difference. I can say today with all sincerity that I would trade my life to see any person in this world come into a life saving relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. I know that my short life of 18 years has been worth it. And that feeling is the best feeling a man can ever receive.

Now don't worry, I'm not going anywhere. God has been pretty clear to me that He has clear plans for my future. But to all of you who read this, I want you to know that I pray for you every day. To my best friends who read this, I am blessed that you place my words in such high esteem. To those who know me and value what I have to say, I want you to know how grateful I am to God for you, that I am given the opportunity to share with you my heart. To tens, hundreds, even thousands of people who read this that I will never meet I would like to say this. Jesus Christ loves you. His ministry is not focused blindly on the masses. You are his audience of one. Accept Him as the Lord of your life and I guarantee you will never be the same.

Again, I thank everyone of you for reading this. I hope to meet you all someday in Heaven. I want to be walking the streets of gold and meet someone on that path. They will ask me, "Are you Matt Bartlett?"
"Yes, that's me," I will respond.
"You're words changed my life. You are the reason I am here with you today."
That's not to say that I'm any different from any of you. I'm a wretched sinner, saved by the grace of a Holy God. Join me in paradise.

I pray my feeble words have some impact on just one of you tonight.
In Christ,
-matt

Winter Rush

I honestly can't recount all of what God did on this retreat weekend. I saw a friend enter into a relationship with the Lord. I saw hundreds reconfirm Christ's love in their lives. I saw another friend grasp some of the influence he had in this upcoming semester. I saw my brother take one more step down his road with the King of Kings. I saw the Spirit at work in my life and the lives of others.

It's funny sometimes how God chooses to work. I never intended achieve anything for myself this weekend. I was here for the lost. I was here for the found. I was here to encourage and foster others in their own walks. To be the facilitator and not the transformed.

Needless to say that God went above all I could imagine (Eph. 3:20). He brought me to my knees in sweet surrender (Eph. 3:14). And revealed to me his destined plan for my future (Jer. 29:11). I don't understand it all now, but that okay. The important part is that there is more work to be done in the Kingdom. There is more living to be done in the collision between Heaven and earth. To God be the glory (Eph. 3:21).

-matt

Reign In Me

So lately this song has really been getting to me. Not in the "oh I love this song" vibe, but in the convicting love that only Christ can bring. The song is a cry out to God that asks for his authority in our lives. But I haven't been giving him that authority. It's been all about what Matt can do.

Odds are I'm not alone in this. It really hit home earlier today when I was reading my dear friend Morgan's blog (the full link is at the bottom of this post). She mentioned a topic which I believe is relative to this discussion.

For those of us who have a food addiction.......food no longer is just something that nourishes and fuels our body. It becomes the focus of our days, our activities, our emotions. When that is threatened...It almost spirals us out of control internally.

It would have been easy for me to say that I don't have a food addiction and let myself off the hook. In just the same way, I could sing that song and be content with my spiritual life. But thats only half of the truth. As Morgan said, we all of things in our life that we hold dear too us; too dear. Things that we love quite often more than the Risen Lord, but of course we would never admit that. Heck, Christian culture today isn't interested in your sins. It's no longer about the heart of the individual.

It is awkward to breach the gap of confession. Christianity today advertises a Spirit filled life - if you don't measure up to the expectations (which none of us will short of Christ Jesus) then keep quite. It's easier to gloss over sin that is slowing eating away at you than to deal with it out in the open. You see if we admit our sins in public then we make Christians look messy, and heaven help us if we ruin our squeaky clean image.

Who gives a darn? This is stupid. Are we wanting to allow Jesus Christ to reign in our lives? Yes? If so; stop living under the false impression that hiding your sin keeps God from seeing it. Walk out of sin and towards Christ. What is keeping Jesus from reigning in you?

some things to think about, godbless
-matt
-w/ special thanks to Morgan. follow her here.

Weekly Scripture

John 6:32-59

32Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. 33For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world."

34"Sir," they said, "from now on give us this bread."

35Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty. 36But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. 37All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. 38For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. 39And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. 40For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day."

41At this the Jews began to grumble about him because he said, "I am the bread that came down from heaven." 42They said, "Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, 'I came down from heaven'?"

43"Stop grumbling among yourselves," Jesus answered. 44"No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day. 45It is written in the Prophets: 'They will all be taught by God.'[d] Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me. 46No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God; only he has seen the Father. 47I tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life. 48I am the bread of life. 49Your forefathers ate the manna in the desert, yet they died. 50But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which a man may eat and not die. 51I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world."

52Then the Jews began to argue sharply among themselves, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?"

53Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. 55For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. 56Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him. 57Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. 58This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your forefathers ate manna and died, but he who feeds on this bread will live forever." 59He said this while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.

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Jesus said he was the bread of life. Similar to our physical dependence on food, we spiritually depend on the Bread of Life and the Living Water. If we aren't consuming the truth of Christ, what is there to keep us living but our own strength? What spiritual food have you eaten today? Don't starve yourself. Your relationship with Jesus is pivotal to keeping your head above water in this broken world. Keep eating.
-matt

Worship: Our Response to God's Love

LOVE LIKE JESUS - - PART 2
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Bare with me as I figure this video blogging thing out, its a learning experience.
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Some notes:
-Verses: Romans 3:11, 3:23. Revelation 4:1-9. 1 Thessalonians 5:17
-What did ya'll think of my first video blog? any comments?

Thanks for watching,
-matt

Living the Lifestye of a Missionary

This sermon should motivate us to go out.
Given by Walker Moore at Houston's First.

Am I a willing witness?

Is my first heartbeat a heartbeat of obedience?


Video link ---> http://www.houstonsfirst.org/livingthelifestyleofamissionary

Audio link---> http://hfbcpodcast.com/audio/2010/20100103.mp3

-matt

Who does Jesus Love?

LOVE LIKE JESUS - - PART 1
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In asking this question I know many would assume the easy (and correct) churchy answer. God loves everyone. Nothing wrong with that statement. God does love everyone. But just like the meaninglessness of the word love in today's society, the sentence as a whole fails to carry the impact that it should. From this generality I could digress into either the varieties of people which God does love, and also I could wander into the kind of love that only God possesses. In order to accurately understand this, I feel we must dwell on both. As I am only a man with human understanding I would like to draw upon Scripture which I believe conveys this love extremely well.

If you have twenty or thirty minutes right now, please open your bible, or look online, and read the entirety of the book of Hosea. I feel that much more understanding could be found if we were all equally informed. For these purposes it is not necessary to dissect the short chapters verse by verse. All that is needed is a general understanding of the theme and story which God has placed in front of us most graciously. (break from this post and read now if you could)

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To recap: Hosea was a prophet of God. He was called to choose a prostitute (whore, depending on your translation) to be his wife. His life is lived as imagery of the relationship between God and all of mankind. Hosea 4:12 describes the human condition very accurately. (As a note, I am reading out of the ESV.) "My people inquire of a piece of wood, and their walking staff gives them oracles. For a spirit of whoredom has led them astray, and they have left their God to play the whore." Pretty harsh isn't it? Not quite the Sunday School answer we might have been hoping for. The truth is this; that to God we are a whore.

Let that soak in. I, _________, am a whore to God... and he loves me. And he loves me! and he loves me! Does that not bring more clarity to the beauty of his love? It later tells us in Romans 3:23 that no man seeks God, and that is putting it mildly in reference to this passage. Hosea metaphorically plays the role of God. He chases after his bride, calling her back to her even after she has disgraced him. We continually make a mockery out of the name of Christ by how we act. Why do you think the world detests Christians in some spheres? This should bring a fresher view of the awesome love of God. Although the comparison is weak, think about the practicality of a relationship like this in today's world (it was just as ludicrous during this time as well I would imagine.) People divorce their husbands and wives every day. Sometimes it is for cheating on them with another person. Sometimes for the dumbest reasons that make little sense. Either way, you won't see many people who have stayed with a completely unfaithful spouse after scores of affairs. Would you?

No. We wouldn't. If someone where to forsake me for someone else, I certainly do not possess the love to draw them back to me even once. (Only through the Spirit would this be possible, but that is God's love made real in us. So my argument still stands that intrinsically I would not be capable of such love, let alone to bring someone back after the twentieth affair.) Are you starting to comprehend the agape Love of God? We won't ever be fully able to understand, but this glimpse into the awesome Love that God has for us is extraordinary.

Now in my last statement let me clarify the word "us". The book of Hosea addresses the nation of Israel, God's chosen people. It address the history that Israel has always had towards the Lord and of their continued actions into the future. Hosea (God in this metaphor), is married to the whore( the people of God, the church) and he seeks to mend the relationship with them. Now this is where Jesus Christ comes into the story. Christ is the mender of this gap. Literally the bridge between the people of God and God himself. More important still, Christ specifically addresses in greater detail just who God loves.

Christ came not only to save God's people, the Israelites, but also to the Gentiles (non-Jews). Jesus came as it says in John 3:16, to bring God's love to the entirety of the world. This means all of mankind; not just Christians. Luke 19:10 says that he "came to seek and to save the lost." God doesn't just love the Christian, but he loves everyone. How much? With agape Love that only God possesses.

But who does God love more? Does he love the Christian more? In no way is that true! God loves everyone equally. Just read James 2:1-12 to see that God does not support favoritism, nor partiality. God loves every person on this earth just the same. Yet why would we think otherwise? Of course we would deny that believing that God would love anyone less, but we all have judged someone unworthy of loving. We could jump to the biggest examples; Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin, Fidel Castro, etc. But that isn't what I want to examine. I want to talk about the co-worker at your office. You know he is sleeping with his girlfriend. "I would never do that, I can't believe he is that sinful," you whisper inside yourself. Or what about the girl who sits across from you in class? She cuts herself and wears long sleeves to hide it. You also have a suspicion that she is anorexic. Those are the people I want to talk about.

I have really felt convicted on this lately. Trust me, that I am placing equal blame on myself when I write this. The truth is that no matter what we would say about any person we know, we are just as disgusting to a Holy God. We think our "lesser sins" make us somehow more right with him. We are only made right with him through the blood of Christ. The truth is that by failing to live a perfect life, everyone has earned eternal damnation. So I have been forced to take a slice of humble pie and love my neighbor as Christ intended me to do. Lately I have felt a renewed passion for the lost. This love has given me a greater understanding on the equal ground that we all stand on before God. Only through Jesus' work on the cross am I not left on that ground, but rescued.

Who does Jesus love? Jesus loves the sinner (that accounts for all mankind - saved and those who have yet to experience Christ's Love). Say this sentence aloud now, after being reminded of these things; "Jesus loves me." Do you not feel that power that sentence commands better now? I hope you do as the intent of this post was simply that the Love of Jesus would be made more real to you. I hope you take this from my words. Jesus loves you. Christian or not; He loves you. So what do you think?

Who does Jesus Love?

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Scripture: Hosea, Hosea 4:12, Romans 3:23, Luke 19:10, John 3:16, James 2:1-12

Thanks for taking the time to read this. I really appreciate it and I hope that God somehow spoke through me and reached your heart. This kicks off my first series and I think it makes for a good start. As always, your response are greatly appreciated.
By the Blood of Jesus,
-matt

Love Like Jesus

My first series is going to kick off with this post here. I plan to address the following:


Love Like Jesus
1. Who does Jesus Love?
2. Worship: Our Response to Love
3. Application: Live out Love
4. Bold Love

So look forward to these topics hitting the blog very soon. The ideal plan I have so far is to do this series in regular text format, possibly putting up video responses to any questions that I get regarding these topics. I am also considering putting up short segments of video in addition to the text for each segment. I guess it really depends on how camera shy I am. Thanks for reading (and now watching and listening).
-matt

Intro to Video Blogging

i'd love to hear feedback guys.
godbless,
-matt

Weekly Scripture

I'm going to start putting up some verses or passages every Monday this year. May throw in some thoughts every now and then. This week's passage is Psalm 3 out of the English Standard Version.

Psalm 3

1) O LORD, how many are my foes!
Many are rising against me;
2) many are saying of my soul,
there is no salvation for him in God.
Selah

3) But you, O LORD, are a shield about me,
my glory, and the lifter of my head.
4) I cried aloud to the LORD,
and he answered me from his holy hill.
Selah

5) I lay down and slept;
I woke again, for the LORD sustained me.
6) I will not be afraid of many thousands of people
who have set themselves against me all around.

7) Arise, O LORD!
Save me, O my God!
For you strike all my enemies on the cheek;
you break the teeth of the wicked.

8)Salvation belongs to the LORD;
your blessing be on your people!
Selah

To All Non-Christians

To All Non-Christians(I beg you, please give this five minutes)

I guarantee this is worth five minutes of your time. Regardless of what you believe, please listen to what I have to say. I'm not asking you to do anything unreasonable or insane. Just give me a chance. Hear me out.

I want to talk briefly about a brilliant man by the name of Blaise Pascal. This man was extremely intelligent, but most people don't recall that he lived a very short life. He died at the age of 39. Another interesting tidbit, at the age of 31 he became a Christian. In a night he would later refer to as "the night of fire", Pascal's entire belief system was flipped upside down and he began to follow Jesus earnestly. Pascal still loved science and continued to devote his life to it as well as Christ. He offered his coworkers a wager (later known to many as Pascal's Wager).

Pascal proposed this:
Christianity claims exclusivity, the only way to be with God is through his son Jesus Christ. If Christianity is true and one is not a believer then they will have to pay the consequences for their own sins. If Christianity is wrong, and one is a follower of Christ, then they receive the same fate as the rest of the world. Both the believer and non-believer would receive the same eternal outcome. He said that if one were playing the odds, gambling on which path would lead them to the best outcome, one would be foolish not to choose Christ. This being said he proposed that this theory be test scientifically. It is only reasonable to find out for one's self if Christianity is indeed true.

That is Pascal's Wager.

With that said, here are some things proposed as application to undertaking his challenge.
For One Month do the following
1. Regularly Attend Church
2. Investigate Christ and his story
3. Read the Bible

If one did this, he/she would be able to determine whether or not this Christianity would be worth following. If it really is a lie, then nothing matters. But what if it is true?

If you are a non-Christian reading this, please give this a chance. Whether you are Atheist, Agnostic, Mormon, Jewish, Islamic, or anything else. God wants you to know him desperately. Take up Pascal's challenge and give it a serious try for a month. If you find Christianity to be wrong then so be it. But there is a chance that the Truth will become real, just give it a chance.

Faithbridge, the church I attend, has just started a sermon series entitled Doubt which would be great in answering any questions you have. I will also be here to help in any way I can.
That goes for the second part of the wager as well. Ask me questions. If I don't know the answer or can't adequately explain something I will show you to people who can.
Thirdly, if you need a Bible just ask me and I will give you one for free, no strings attached.

Even if you are 100% positive that Christianity is a lie, or at least that you don't need Jesus, or even that God doesn't exist, I beg you. Give this a shot. It could be all wrong. But if it is true, and I do believe it is, you would be missing out on Eternity. I wan't to see you in Heaven with me. My number is 281-770-9275, my email is mbartlett250@yahoo.com, my facebook is www.facebook.com/matt.bartlett1. contact me anyway you can and I will do everything I can to help you really take this wager seriously. How can you know Christianity is not true without investigating? I'm giving you Pascal's Wager. Accept the challenge.

Luke 19:10
"For the Son of Man(Jesus) came to seek and to save the lost."
I'm praying for all of you. I love you all.
-matt