Weekly Scripture

Jeremiah 29:11-14, 44:5-6.

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you," declares the LORD, "and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you," declares the LORD, "and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile." But they did not listen or pay attention; they did not turn from their wickedness or stop burning incense to other gods. Therefore, my fierce anger was poured out; it raged against the towns of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem and made them the desolate ruins they are today."

God gives us the option for a life blessed under his plan, we have to choose to accept that by seeking him wholeheartedly like He told us to.
Seek
-matt

I Don't Get It: An Essay on the Unexpected

Here's a bit for when God just doesn't make sense. I know I can relate to that. Things don't ever seem to really go according to plan, but I've come to realize that's the way I like it.

Exodus 15:24-25 - "Then the people complained and turned against Moses. 'What are we going to drink?' they demanded. So Moses cried out to the LORD for help, and the LORD showed him a piece of wood. Moses threw it into water, and this made the water good to drink."

If that isn't the one of the weirdest solutions to a problem you've ever heard of, then what is stranger? This is the same God who split a rock and let fresh water flow from it. This God turned water into wine. This God could have changed the water with the flick of his wrist, or just made usable water appear from anywhere He pleased. But instead, He chose to work in the most unconventional of ways.

If you haven't really though about it, the unexpected is the realm in which God truly thrives.

• No one expected the Red Sea to part for just long enough for an entire nation to walk through, but then collapse onto their enemies.
• No one expected a "runt" like David to defeat Goliath and become the mighty king of Israel
• No one expected God to enter this world in a manger, and leave it having beaten death forever.

Are you tracking with me? God likes to keep the world guessing. Nobody one-ups God. That's the way it should be. Ephesians 3:20 is a verse I hold with me all the time specifically for this reason. It says that Our God is a God who is able to do incredibly more than we could ever ask for or imagine. That's comforting to me.

Why should I worry about planning things out to the minute when God already has better things for me? Sometimes, like the wood for Moses, the solution is right in front of me and God wants to use the ordinary to work extraordinary feats. And then often times, the answer is not anywhere in sight, and I am called to trust.

Mankind places its trust in so many things. We trust our close friends, our looks, our money, but seldom is it shown clearly that we place our trust in God. That's hard. It's scary. But our God doesn't fit into a logical formula. You can't put God inside a box, He made the box.

My challenge to myself and to those reading along is this, live like you serve a God of the unexpected. What the world calls impossible should be different when compared to Christ's words in Luke 18:27, "... What is impossible with men is possible with God."

Live like you believe it.
-matt

Unbreaking Love

So I've spent the majority of my time this week reading my Bible, which is why I haven't really posted much of late. So this will just be a blurb about what God has shown me through a couple of key verses here and there.

Genesis 13:4 - "This was the same place where Abram had built the altar, and there he worshiped the LORD again."

Now you've gotta take that last verse in context to see where the beauty of it comes in. Where is this "same place" that is being referred to? Before this time, Abram (later Abraham) had built an altar and worshiped the Lord there. When times got hard and there was a famine, he fled this sacred place and went to Egypt. While in Egypt, he told everyone that , his wife, Sarai (later Sarah), was actually his sister. This got him into quite a bit of trouble when the Pharaoh took Sarai to be one of his wives. When Pharaoh figured this out, he was furious and threw them both out of Egypt.

And after that big mess, after Abram's screw-up, he returned to God. Abram went right back to where he and God had left off. He picked up from there and kept going. There is the beautiful part of this. Whenever we sin and make a mess of things, we don't have to do anything before we are able to return to where we were with God. We can just start over where we were. This shows that none of us are ever unreachable. God doesn't ask us to clean up our sin before we come back to him. Abram sure didn't he came back to that place with a mess on his hands. And God loved him enough to restore their relationship.

-matt

Weekly Scripture

Exodus 14:14
"The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still."


Short sweet and to the point. Why do we try and wrestle with everything ourselves? Let him take control.
-matt

Why Do We Believe?: An Essay on Relationship

Every Sunday many of us go to church, or maybe know that we probably ought to go to church. We hear a sermon, the preacher tells us something cool about God, and we add it to our list of spiritual knowledge. We go on like that every week, of every month, of every year.

When we are pressed and questioned of our faith, we usually fall back on what we've learned at church.
How do we know that God loves us? Because He says He does.
Why does the bible appear to contradict itself? Well, my pastor says it doesn't contradict itself.
Why do I need God? Cuz we're supposed to.
How can I know God is with me? Umm... Because He is always with me?

Do you see what I'm trying to say? Many of us know about God, but we don't actually know from personal experience. It's one thing for me to say that I know God is with me; It's another to say that I know God is with me because He protected me from cutting my leg off with a chainsaw (That's a whole other story). I can say that God loves me; Or I can say that God loves me because it says in the Scriptures that He is my Abba Father who is always watching over me, His beloved child.

There is a difference between believing what others tell us about God and believing what we have seen God do in our own lives. We only experience God moving in our lives if we are personally seeking Him. When we read His word and spend our days in prayer and worship He becomes alive to us.

Imagine this scenario: I tell you that I have a friend, and I promise that he's a really cool guy. I describe to you what he looks like, what his hobbies are, what kind of pizza toppings he prefers, etc. You'll know many things about my friend, but you won't physically know him. Likewise, I could tell this same friend all about you. You could both know quite a lot about each other without actually having that relationship brought about by true friendship and interacting with each other.

This how many of us treat God. Our pastors tell us all about Him, and He knows all about us, but unless we go to Him directly we won't really know who He truly is. I mean no disrespect at all for preachers, I admire and respect the roles that God has placed them in. But often many of us in the congregation have a consumerist mindset when it comes to church (and even to God himself). We take the sermons, and we take God's stuff, but we don't bother to talk to Him about it.

When I am asked what it is that I believe in, I very seldom (if ever), answer that I'm a Christian. I tell the questioner that I believe in Jesus Christ and of His life, death, and resurrection. You see Jesus didn't come to start a religion. In fact, He was actually pretty ticked at the religiosity of His day. He came to institute that relationship between God and Man. He came to bring forth this New Covenant that only a God-man could do. It's not about proving ourselves right by following all these rules and written codes, it's about Jesus and His blood shed for the restoration of the chasm between God and man caused by our sin.

What does it mean to you? What does it mean to follow Jesus?
There are many people that will say they know Jesus on the day that we stand before Him. Will you be in the group to which He says, "I never knew you." Or will He tell you this: "Well done, good and faithful servant."
God says in Jeremiah that if we seek Him, and we earnestly want to find Him, He will reveal Himself to us. We must choose to seek Him and not merely know about Him.

Your brother,
-matt

6 Weeks: An essay on Opportunity

We all came into this school year with expectations. Everyone has an agenda they would like to accomplish, even if you say you don't have an agenda - if so your agenda is to not have an agenda. I digress, ahem. Anyhow, each of us set out wanting to accomplish things with our life.

For all of us, I hope one of our goals was to be closer to God. And for many of us, we've come to realize that something of that magnitude doesn't happen unless we work for it. Maybe God has blown your mind in so many incredible ways, and maybe you only wish He had. 

If you're in the first boat, and God hasn't really rocked your world yet, here is your opportunity. We have six weeks of school left. To equate this with a marathon, we're in the final 100 meters. It's time to run harder than ever before. I know for myself its easy to say that I want God to change me, but I don't actively pursue Him and allow Him to work in my life. If you find yourself wishing these pasts months could have had more meaning than they did, don't let your dissatisfaction carry over into the last month or so.

For all of us, we have an opportunity. Even if God has been overwhelming you, there is always room for more.

We don't have much left of this school year. The good news is that God isn't pinned down by time. He isn't ever limited by our lifespan (or attention span for that matter). Imagine what God could do if you spent this final stretch of the school year earnestly seeking Christ and living out the Gospel with your life. Lives can be save, worlds changed, and eternal impact made. All we have to do is choose to answer the call He has on us. Regardless of how we have been living, He calls us to more. 

So if your faith has been stagnant lately or if it has been on fire, you can still lay it all on the line for the rest of this school year. Dive into the word. Change the world. Just because life might have been wishy-washy before doesn't mean it can't be life changing now. The past can only bring down the future if you dwell on it in the present.

Focus on now. Life for God today. And then tomorrow, do it again.

God didn't give us a spirit that quit when it got tired or was frustrated. Instead He gave us a Spirit that was larger than our lives, a Spirit that moves in us to change hearts. Live out the call.

Finish Strong.

-matt

Weekly Scripture

Joshua 1:6-9


 ⁶ "Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them. ⁷ Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. ⁸ Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. ⁹ Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go."


-matt

Temporary Hiatus

I'm taking a while off from blogging ya'll (with the exception of weekly scriptures). Just gotta get everything in my mind and life a bit dulled down a bit. All is well and I hope ya'll are having a great last few weeks of school.
He is Risen!
-matt

Weekly Scripture

1 Corinthians 15


1Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. 2By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.


3For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. 6After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. 7Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, 8and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.


9For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. 11Whether, then, it was I or they, this is what we preach, and this is what you believed.


The Resurrection of the Dead


12But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised.14And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. 15More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. 16For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. 17And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.18Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. 19If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men.


20But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. 22For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. 23But each in his own turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. 24Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. 25For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26The last enemy to be destroyed is death. 27For he "has put everything under his feet." Now when it says that "everything" has been put under him, it is clear that this does not include God himself, who put everything under Christ. 28When he has done this, then the Son himself will be made subject to him who put everything under him, so that God may be all in all.


29Now if there is no resurrection, what will those do who are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized for them? 30And as for us, why do we endanger ourselves every hour?31I die every day—I mean that, brothers—just as surely as I glory over you in Christ Jesus our Lord. 32If I fought wild beasts in Ephesus for merely human reasons, what have I gained? If the dead are not raised,
"Let us eat and drink,
for tomorrow we die."
33Do not be misled: "Bad company corrupts good character." 34Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of God—I say this to your shame.


The Resurrection Body


35But someone may ask, "How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come?" 36How foolish! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. 37When you sow, you do not plant the body that will be, but just a seed, perhaps of wheat or of something else. 38But God gives it a body as he has determined, and to each kind of seed he gives its own body.39All flesh is not the same: Men have one kind of flesh, animals have another, birds another and fish another. 40There are also heavenly bodies and there are earthly bodies; but the splendor of the heavenly bodies is one kind, and the splendor of the earthly bodies is another. 41The sun has one kind of splendor, the moon another and the stars another; and star differs from star in splendor.


42So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; 43it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; 44it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.
If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. 45So it is written: "The first man Adam became a living being"; the last Adam, a life-giving spirit. 46The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual. 47The first man was of the dust of the earth, the second man from heaven. 48As was the earthly man, so are those who are of the earth; and as is the man from heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. 49And just as we have borne the likeness of the earthly man, so shall we
bear the likeness of the man from heaven.


50I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— 52in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. 54When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory."
55"Where, O death, is your victory?
Where, O death, is your sting?" 56The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.


58Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.






-matt

Unbroken

Why am I made broken?
I yearn to soon be whole.
When my life seems so broken
I know life carries on.


Why leave roads untaken?
Why part with life too soon?
When life seems so broken
I know life carries on.


Your dreams, to me, seem sunken.
I only wish things could be right.
When like seems so broken
Still life carries on.

Or does it?

We make the choice to live unbroken,
To fight against the world.
When life seems so broken
Love carries me on.

 -----

To you whom I have never met, I love you with all my heart. I pray you know the joy of Jesus, and that others can learn it in your wake. And to all of you who read this today: choose to live unbroken against the chaos of this world. Don't give up. Don't ever give in. You were made with a purpose. You were not a mistaken. Jesus loves you so much. He will never let you go.


In Christ
-matt

Easter

So this is Easter weekend, and I'm quite honestly a bit annoyed rather than excited. Easter is the traditional holiday where Christians (and pretty much everyone who believes something God-ish) goes to some sort of church and thank God for coming to save us. My question is what makes this Sunday so special?

Please don't answer, A) Jesus died for our sins 2000 years ago and this is the day we celebrate it. or B) Because if everybody knows that you have to go to church with your family on Christmas and Easter.

I'm writing this after being prompted by a book which inquired as to why Christians live like God doesn't exist. And that's quite honestly how I view this "Holy Week".

For a few, we get all excited and celebrate the true meaning of the day, and there isn't anything wrong with that. But it seems to me as an excuse to be religious. People all over follow all the rules and thank Jesus for being the little baby from the manger that grew up to become my get-out-of-Hell-free card.

There isn't anything wrong with celebrating the good that Christ has done for us as Christians. But why do we limit it to Easter? Can't we talk about the Resurrection in November too? How bout May? or January? 

How many of us remember to thank God for being who he is? I know personally its a lot easier to just ask Him for things and thank Him if we get what we want. I'm not worthy for Christ's sacrifice. Yet he loves me all the same. That gift is mine to celebrate always, not just once a year.

After Easter is done, are we going to forget the God we claim to be working for?
I sure pray that we don't forget Him.
We need Him. Everyday.

-matt

Forgotten God

Book Review

Premise: (Back Cover)

"POWERFUL. When was the last time someone used that word to describe you?

It doesn't make sense that Almighty God would have children characterized by fear and insecurity. He put His Spirit in us so we could be known for our power (Acts 1:8, 2 Tim. 1:7). Sadly, most believers and churches are known for talent or intellect rather than supernatural power. What's worse is that we're okay with it.

Could it be that we've forgotten the One who distinguishes us from every religion and cult in the world?

Through solid scriptural support and compelling narrative, breakthrough author Francis Chan returns us to the Holy Spirit as the Bible describes Him. He reminds us that we were not created and saved merely to survive our time on earth. Chan contends that we've ignored the Spirit and are reaping the disastrous results.

It's time for the beloved church of Jesus Christ to reverse the trend of neglect. Let's pursue the Spirit-filled like of effectiveness God desires and we desire."

What I liked: This entire book was dead center. The Spirit was clearly at work when Chan penned these words. He looks at what Scripture has to say about the Holy Spirit, God we have seemingly put on a shelf and ignored. Read this with the right mindset and spirit and God will change you.

What I didn't like: The worst part about this book was also its strongest part. What made this book hard to read was how accurate it was. Words were said that were hard to swallow. The truth is, I'm not following the Spirit like I should be and this Godly rebuke stung at times. I know I'm not the only one in this boat. Be prepared for a hard read, but it is so worth it.

Favorite Passage:

"I think a lot of us need to forget about God's will for my life. God cares more about our response to His Spirit's leading today, in this moment, than about what we intend to do next year. In fact, the decisions we make next year will be profoundly affected by the degree to which we submit to the Spirit right now, in today's decisions. It is easy to use the phrase "God's will for my life" as an excuse for inaction or even disobedience. It's much less demanding to think about God's will for you future than it is to ask Him what He wants you to do in the next ten minutes. It's safer to commit to following Him someday instead of this day."

Random Passage:

"What if you could hear the voice of the Holy Spirit and He asked you to literally give everything you owned? What if He asked you to sell all of you possessions and give the money to the poor? Could you do it? Before you start explaining why He would never ask that of you, take a moment and answer the question honestly. It's not out of His character to ask for everything."

 ------

If you're looking for a book that will force you to take God, and especially the Holy Spirit, seriously, then give this one a try.

In Christ,

-matt