A Word for this Semester

The Spring semester of 2011 is upon us, and we are about to continue further on the road of faith. We will be tested and tried, but never will we be without hope. Greater things are in store for us, and we must press in to the Father for our strength. Take this scripture to heart, and let the Word of the Lord guide you:

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. - 1 Peter 5:6-10.

This is a promise from God, himself. No matter what you face this semester, God has already determined the outcome. Ultimately, God will lift us up. Victoriously we will approach the throne and we will boldly and confidently accept our place at His right hand. That being said, we must live with this end in mind. Knowing that we cannot lose, our fearless faith must rise to the forefronts of our lives. Stress and worry do nothing but disqualify us from the Gospel we claim.

Satan wants to scare you. The prince of this word has planted seeds of doubt and insecurity around. Even this very moment, you are being observed by the enemy. Do not live foolishly, but instead stand protected by the Word and a community of faith. It is within this community that we will receive live giving truth.

God is on our side, we have nothing to fear. Stress by definition is a fear of the future. God has determined how your future will play out. He knows your grades, your friendships, your job, and your very soul. You can't hide anything from Him, so give it all away. Humble yourself and let Jesus take all of you. Let Jesus carry you. You have nothing to lose, and everything to gain.

-matt

From My Knees

As I worshiped in my Antioch community this morning, God continued to reveal exciting things to me. The Spirit came to me saying "You are strongest from your knees." I've been in the Christian circle long enough to translate this Jesus-jargon into something about prayer. I thought initially I understood what God was telling me, but I persisted to ask for more. Let's explore this together, what does it mean to be "strongest from [our] knees"?

First let us consider the apparent division between the two parts of this sentence. "Strongest" carries a very positive connotation of power. It implies that we are mighty, but in what situation? From our knees. Kneeling demonstrates submissiveness, meekness, and humility. By kneeling before a Holy God we admit that we are under His sovereign rule and our very selves are secondary to His will.

The honest truth is that without God, we are powerless. God is all powerful. Isaiah 40:23 tells of how the strong of this world are nothing before the might of Our God. As much as we flee submission, we are called to it. We are called to be obedient to God in all circumstances. This obedience produces a humility in our souls that gives God room to work. A prideful person leaves little opportunity for God to be real in their lives.

To be strong is not something that we are inherently capable of. Our power comes from the Spirit of God that lives inside of us. Our access to God comes by means of prayer which is direct communication with Him. Nothing in us is worthy, but God communes with us because He wants us! He wants to be the power inside of us. With an invitation of this magnitude, how can we refuse to live a life under his authority. How can we refuse ultimate power. Let us live a life from our knees.
-matt

College Will Do That to You... Thanks Jesus

Coming into my first year at the wonderful institute of Texas A&M I wasn't quite sure what to expect from anything. I had a couple things nailed down to start with, or so I thought. I knew I would church shop for a couple months. I knew what I believed. I knew that I wasn't going to become complacent in my faith, but I certainly wouldn't ever become what you would call "radical".

Well here is a little confession. Everything that I knew has been turned upside down, and my faith has been strengthened because of it. Jesus ended up planting me at Antioch my very first Sunday in town and He has kept me there ever since. Over this semester I've really had my faith pushed to its limits, but not in the way I expected. Contrary to what I've heard, it isn't hard to keep your faith in college - with the caveat that you choose to pursue it. It wasn't a struggle for survival, it was a struggle for truth. 

If you talk to me today, I would hope that you see something different. If you ask my community of believers for testimony of my life in College Station, they'd be able to tell you. A lot of the things I wrote off as for the "charismaniacs" have become a huge part of my life. I will spare you the all the details, but know that I have seen an increase of God in my life in radical ways. Exhibit A, my favorite thing to do on weekends is walk around campus and the College Station area and pray for people and tell them about Jesus. That's weird... or at least it used to be, now it's a lifestyle.

I grew with a "safe" Christianity. Church attendance, service projects, and inviting a friend to D-Now were the norms. No one dared utter the words prophecy, visions, healings, miracles, etc. I've known Jesus for a while now, but I've only recently come into a fuller understanding of just what He is capable of. Jesus is always bigger than how big you say he is, always. 

For those of you coming to Aggieland as students in the coming years, I want you to know that Jesus is taking this campus by storm. When you enroll in this university you're enlisting as a Freedom fighter in this Revolution against the powers of darkness. The battle is real, and it is raging more fiercely that you or I can understand. 

For those of you whom God has sent elsewhere, I urge you to affix yourselves to the Jesus Christ of the Scriptures and to pray for the Holy Spirit's guidance in your life. God is just waiting to show you how good he is, just ask Him.

If you gather nothing else from this essay, heed Paul's cry to the Ephesians. "I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received." Let that challenge your soul. Ask, Seek, and Knock the Harvest is at hand.

-matt