Repeat

Reflections on Jeremiah 23:22

"But if they had stood in My council, then they would have announced My words to My people,

And would have turned them back from their evil way and from the evil of their deeds.

NASU

Jeremiah is a book calling the people of Israel to repentance, return, and reform.  Chapter 23 is an interesting excerpt that speaks directly to the prophets.  It calls out prophets who hear another’s prophecy and declares it themselves as if God spoke through them.  They are prophecy thieves.  It is amazing to see how frustrated this makes God.  This brings us to verse 22…a verse I think we can walk away from with some things to process.  If we were to break down this passage into an equation, it would look something like this:

God’s presence + Speaking the Word/Truth = Life change (people turning from evil)

Take out any of these components, and you are left with some manufactured, self satisfying quest that ultimately ends up hollow, misdirected, and heresy.  Just a thought about each of these:

First: Standing in God’s presence is essential.  If we are just people who look to others insights into the Word, we are claiming the credit of somebody else’s spiritual inspiration.  If the Holy Spirit is living in us, we trust that he also speaks to us. This is a significant part of the Christian faith…don’t cheapen it to simply living on “repeat”.

Second: Announcing God’s Words.  The quote: “preach the gospel, and when necessary…use words” has birthed a false movement  of people thinking  intentional speaking  is overrated.  Ultimately, it’s become the banner for a passive culture of “Christians” terrified to speak truth.  While lifestyle is necessary, it is the follow up and affirmation of God’s word boldly proclaimed in Grace and Truth.

Third: Turn from Evil.  Here is a simple statement worth contemplating: Sin blocks intimacy with God.  In fact, slowing down and over-pronouncing the word intimacy leaves you with something close to

In-to-me-you-see.  It is putting feet to the whole concept of Abide…that I am “in Christ” and that Christ lives “in me”.  Christ actually sees into the very heart of who I am.  Sin kills this.  Lamentations describes this well:

Lam 3:42-44

We have sinned and rebelled and you have not forgiven.

44 You have covered yourself with a cloud so that no prayer can get through.

NIV

When Sin exists, it hinders us from experiencing the presence of God.

Meditate on this “equation” today and see which area you need to apply directly to your life.  Let this be just one way that together we are being “transformed by the renewing of our minds”.

Amen?

~Deep thoughts from a Shallow guy~

m@

The Art of "HOW"

I have had a lot of reflection over something that happens to me almost daily.  In the midst of tragedy…there is always this awkward moment when people want to know the state of things, while not quite knowing how to ask.  I have plenty of experience in “doing it wrong”.  When a dear friend of mine’s father-in-law died, and I was on the phone with him while he drove his family to the funeral, without knowing what to say I blurted: “Oh my gosh, how is Sarah (wife who’s dad just died)”?  How was she supposed to be? She was crushed, broken, confused, swirling, and sobbing at that exact moment! Yet I did not have the foresight to pause and construct a statement that effectively communicated my concern and love for them.  I wish I had. I regret that moment.

Luckily, my friend forgave me for my polite ignorance. It has taught me an invaluable lesson that sometimes the “HOW” question is a very painful one.  It doesn’t change the fact that we really do want to know “HOW” they are.  We often neglect to think through how a question with a painful obvious answer might come across to the person we are asking.

To save you from the same feelings I had with my poorly aimed question…here are 5 suggestions:

1)     Often, not questions, but rather your presence, is really what they need.

2)     A well crafted statement often communicates the intent you have. For example, rather than asking a friend who’s mom is battling cancer: “How is your dad?”  Perhaps better would be a statement like:  “I’m sure this is so confusing for you, your family, and especially your Dad.  Know that I love you, and am praying and grieving with you”.

3)     Don’t misunderstand GRIEVING. Grieving is healthy and Biblical.  If someone appears or even answers: “I’m grieving”, don’t see them as weird…see them as responding well.

4)     If you sense yourself just wanting details…be highly aware how painful details can be for the person you are asking. Remember, this is far more about them than it is about you.

5)     If you have recently been a “HOW” asker, don’t be too hard on yourself.  Your heart is in the right place.  Take a look at the previous 4 and try a follow up encouragement to the person who is in need of the very thing you genuinely want to give:  Love and Support.

Amen?

~Deep thoughts from a Shallow Guy~

mn

Stillness vs. Nothingness

There was a great quote in a movie that I saw this weekend.  The only critique I would have of the movie (which was the new Karate Kid by the way) would be that they didn’t call Jackie Chan Mr. Miagi. Oh well…I guess that’s not that big of deal.  The line that stood out to me was when Jackie Chan said: “There is a big difference between doing nothing, and being still”.  It instantly sent my thoughts to when the Bible talks about a Sabbath.  A lot of times, I fill my “day off”, the day that was created and meant for me to be refueled and refreshed in the Lord, with nothing-ness activities. And while these activities may be fun, they often leave me drained and yearning for something more.  Crazy that Jackie Chan would challenge me to what the answer is.  It’s a matter of intentionally being still. Not about simply doing nothing.  Being still takes initiative, takes planning, takes focus, and takes prayer. Nothing takes just that…nothing. But it also fills you with just that…nothing.  Here’s me and Mr. Miagi’s challenge for you today: pick a time this week, preferably on your identified Sabbath day…to be still before the Lord.  Take initiative to be silent, journal, study his word, pray, meditate, love, and trust.  Take a time to meet with Jesus.

Amen?

~Deep thoughts by a Shallow guy~

mn

the model of Christ

Hello friends. I just wanted to take a second to challenge us in how the passage from this past weekend applies to us. We looked at Philippians 2:1-18. Paul challenges the Philippians to put the needs of others above our own. He gives Jesus as an example. Jesus, being God, became a man. The man became a servant. The servant died as a condemned criminal. Then Jesus was exalted as Lord. He is the model for us. We humble ourselves and pour ourselves out for others. In the end, God will honor us, and there will be reward, but today, we serve as the lowest of low.

So, how are we doing? Is your life marked by “grasping” after things for yourself? Is it seeking the things for your own comfort or gain? Or is your life marked by seeking the good of others? How do we move from self seeking to others seeking? I think the key is Christ’s example. We seek others’ good when we trust Christ to seek our good. Ultimately, we try to take care of ourselves when we don’t trust anyone else to take care of us. Matthew 6 teaches us that God is looking out for our needs. Let’s trust Him to take care of us… like He did on the cross, and let’s start pouring ourselves out for others… like He did on the cross.

For His glory and our joy,

NR

A Flemish Chili Pot Thought

Last year I was facing a dilemma.  I had a lucrative sales job, making good
money but something in my heart was stirring to ask the Lord how to move
forward.  My prayer was, "Lord, either change my attitude or give me a new
direction to follow with your guidance."  The more I prayed this prayer, the
more I had an inner voice within me nudging me to go and serve.  This voice
to serve got bigger and I started telling people my prayer and a good friend
of mine, Matt Newman, responded in saying: "Fleming, get your tail up here
to Arkansas and serve with our youth. They like weird people like you up
here."  So I did.

I decided to quit my sales job and set up the next six months to volunteer
with different ministries. My first stop was here in Arkansas, then Rwanda,
New Mexico, India, and Nepal to follow.  Let's just say that is was quite
the world tour of experiencing various forms of ministry in different
cultures.  I am writing you this chili pot thought today and am on my way to
serving in Nepal next year as a missionary.  How in the world did I go from
being a salesperson last year to now moving to Nepal to serve in missions?
I listened to the small voice inside nudging me "to go and serve."

My challenge for you today is to encourage you to slow down and take the
time to ask the Lord how you need to serve.  There are Outward Bound
opportunities to serve locally and God calls us to live missionally, locally
and abroad.  Please do not wait to only serve when you take your spring
break mission trips to Guatemala or Portland.  There are opportunities for
us to serve in our schools, neighborhood, and eek--even in our own families.

Lord, let us pray to you to open our hearts and minds to serve you.  Teach
us to listen to your instructions Lord God so our lives can humbly serve you
in Spirit and Power.

Rev. 3:20 "Here I am! I stand at the door and knock.  If anyone hears my
voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.

Blessings in Christ,
Ryan Fleming

Follow my adventures and read some more of my story on my blog:
www.ryanmartinfleming.wordpress.com

townhouses

So…this isn’t your prototypical Chili pot thought.  Usually those are clever ways of engaging us with God’s word…making us scratch are chin and simply go…hmmm.  In fact, those who have never taken part of our Chili pot thought, the basic idea is this:  you can learn a lot about people and where they are from their shoes, their key-chains, and their chili.  Up north (the true chili J), they use macaroni noodles.  Ohio, it’s spaghetti noodles with sprinkled cinnamon.  East coast uses oysters at times while west coast its more soupy.  How do you do your chili?  The fun thing is…it’s a mixture of unique and personal ingredients that when you put them together…you usually end up with a pretty good chili.  That’s why these are chili pot thoughts.  They are just one ingredient to a big bowl of thoughts.  We would love your thoughts and responses as we go in this weekly endeavor.

This week…we thought we would put in your hands one more time the letter we gave your students to give you (parents) last week…just in case it never made it out of their pockets.  This is to remind you of some of the tweaks we made this ministry year in an ongoing effort to reach NWA and the world with the gospel.  Hope you enjoy.

Have a great week!
Matt and the Student Mosaic team

Reflections on Romans 1:20-21

²⁰For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. ²¹For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened.                                                            Romans 1:20-21

I’ve been spending a lot of time in Romans 1 lately. In these particular verses, Paul is answering the objection, “But what about people who don’t know about God?” Paul’s answer? They do! He says that God makes Himself known, to a certain extent, through His creation. The phrase “what has been made” is a special one. It is the Greek word “poema,” from which we get the word “poem.” It is God’s creation, His workmanship, that tells the story of who He is. People can see from His creation that God is eternally powerful (how He relates to the world) and is divine in nature (how He is in Himself). Because they can see this from creation, and they do not honor or thank Him, people have no objection.

So what went wrong? Verse 21 says that even though they knew God, they chose not to honor Him, and their foolish heart was darkened. This is huge! Knowledge of God is more than a head issue; it is a heart issue. People do not know God because they have darkened hearts. They have darkened hearts because they rejected God. Therefore, they will not know God until their hearts are enlightened.

So what do we do? First, we thank God that He enlightened our hearts. We could not have done this on our own. Second, we constantly ask God to enlighten our hearts and our minds as we study His Word. We need the Spirit’s help to know God. Finally, if we desire for people to know Jesus, we acknowledge that they have a heart problem. We pray for God to enlighten their hearts as we preach the gospel.

For His glory and our joy,

NR

Reflections on Romans 8:28

I haven’t been able to get this verse out of my mind for the last 2 weeks.  It is sandwiched between the two theological towers of suffering and sovereignty, and acts as an emotional connecting bridge of sorts.  It’s a verse that peels back three layers of an authentic Christ follower.

Layer 1: those who love God

Oh that this not be assumed. Far too many use God like they buy an updated Mercedes. It is far more about other’s impression of them than any form of intimate submission to a HOLY, and TERRIFYING God.  Love of God that mirrors His love of us while impossible, is commanded and expected.  Only to be summed up with a “what is impossible with man is possible with God” (Mark 10).

Layer 2:  being that person that knows all things are working together for good

One glance around makes us question that we can be included as “one of these people”.  The world is crumbling around us.  It is hope inducing seeing Paul’s affirmation of this in the rest of chapter 8.  In three different places he talks about the groaning going on in anticipation of what’s to come rather than what is.  He acknowledges life stinks.  So how do we see good in any of this?  (echo…anyone have an answer?) . The only answer I can muster is because of the grand extent that we trust him, we have hope.  Hope that comes as the last stanza of suffering, endurance, and character (Romans 5:3-4). And this Hope brings the fruit of life: goodness.

Layer 3: those called according to His purposes

Here is where the scary questions come into play.  If there is a makeshift, “casual” believer who does not deeply love, and can find no hope in goodness, are they included in the purposes?  Are they really called?  The scariest thing I can imagine in light of an omniscient (all knowing) God is simply existing.  Think of it…that we would be so sin calloused that God would all but disclude us from what he is doing.  Not only would we not be experiencing him, savoring him, worshiping him…we would barely be apart of acknowledging him. 

Let us be men and woman that live with a Holy dread over our being “called according to His purpose.”  And not just be dreaders, but joiners of the kingdom movement that is already at play.                                               

                                                                                                            ~amen?

~Deep thoughts by a shallow guy~

mn

Plans

I am a planner. I feel peaceful and at ease when I have a good planned; I feel worried and distressed when I do not. A year ago I began the adventure of grad school. I started taking a couple of distance courses at a particular school while Kassie and I prayed about where we needed to be for the next couple of years. Wrapped up in the decision were housing, work and school. I analyzed it from every possible angle. I have on my computer multiple spreadsheets outline every course that I might take at any given school, when I would take them and the cost of each one. I talked to people who attended the various schools. I prayed. I read. Then, I made a decision. I applied to the school that seemed like the best fit, full of faith that I was in the right place.

This week, I received my rejection letter from that school. My plans were thrown out the window, and it was completely outside of my control. I went through one whole day of pouting. Then, there was the panic of, “what now? Plan B? Does God have a plan B for my life?” I went to see a good friend on Friday. He is a faithful follower of Jesus. He is also the paradigm of health and fitness. He is having tests run in Little Rock today that will tell how serious the cancer in his body is and what his chances are. He said things are not looking good. You know what he also said? He said, “There is no plan B with God. He knows what He has for me. My job is to be faithful and obedient.” Puts things in perspective, huh?

Mike Newman pointed out to the Antioch crew this week that every time Scripture says, “this is God’s will for your life” it is always talking about living righteously in the present, not making a big decision for the future. Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart
/ And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him
/ And He will make your paths straight.” Notice that it does not say, “He will show you your path.” It says that He will make it straight. This seems to imply that our job is to walk forward. Forward after what? Hebrews 12 says that we run after Jesus. Fix our eyes on Jesus and run forward. He will order the rest.

Still working on that one…

For His glory and our joy,

Nick

More thoughts from the church

As we have been digging into Acts 2:42-47 this past week, we have seen a good model of what the Church should look like.  People encouraged one another, opened their homes, sold possessions to give to another member, broke bread, had a ton of fellowship, and prayed.  1 Corinthians 12:12-25 shows that the Church is made up of many members and that those members are one body (the Church)!  Each member has a role and has a purpose to be used by God.  One of these members that we would like to expound on is someone that I have become friends with over this past year.  This particular individual has been completely redeemed by Christ and is constantly being transformed in his faith.  This persons name is Josh Sarahan and he has been living out a strong mission for the past 4 months.  This mission has been a calling to walk a cross over 2400 miles!!!  Yikes…does that sound extreme?  You bet it is, but because God pressed it so hard on Josh for this mission, he was faithful and available to do this work.  There have been so many people that have wanted to know his story (believers and non-believers) and the name of Christ has been seen because of this.  As we look at the Church and see our self as a member, God desires to see us faithful to His call no matter what it is.  When we do this, we experience the full gift of what God has to offer…His Church!!

lessons from the early church

In Acts chapter 2 we find one the greatest descriptions of the early church given in the New Testament. Luke wrote, “They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teachings and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer” (Acts 2:42). He later goes to say, “And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common; and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as everyone might have need” (Acts 2:44-45). As I have been praying and thinking about what it looks like to be the church, I’ve noticed a few characteristics of this early church.

1)     1) They were devoted to the Scriptures. They learned from the apostles’ teachings and let it shape their lives.

2)     2)  They were devoted to each other. Church was not a place to attend; it was a group of people among whom to belong.

3)     3) They were devoted to eating together. This is simple sign of sharing life and community.

4)     4) They were devoted to prayer. This recognized God as God as they sought His will and provision as well as His praise.

5)     5)  They sold their possessions to meet the needs of their own. The needs of the body were always met.

This is just a short list, but I wonder what would happen if we devoted ourselves to these things. Notice that the action in verse 42 begins with “continually.” This was not something they did at a gathering once a week; it was a way of life. What was the result of this? Verse 47 tells us that “the Lord added to their number daily.” The result of this kind of deep, Bible centered, people valuing community was that people were saved! So the question for us, church, is do we look like this?

For His glory and our joy,

NR

Ministering in Weakness

***NOTE: This comes from a series I've started on my blog (abidingtruths.blogspot.com) on Jesus's conversation with the woman at the well in John 4.


Continuing in our look at John 4, let's take a look at verse 6. It reads, "So Jesus, being wearied from His journey, was sitting thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour." Jesus was wiped from a day of traveling in the hot, Palestinian sun. It is around noon, the hottest part of the day, and Jesus does something remarkable for the GodMan: He takes a break. He stops to rest. This should be a message to us in and of itself. Jesus got tired and needed rest.

However, it should also be noted that Jesus was in this exhausted state when the woman came to Him. We don't see Jesus tell her to come back another time. He does not refer her to one of His disciples. He ministers to her. But, it's a simple kind of ministry. He sits and talks to her about her life. And this doesn't appear to drain Him. Why? I think Jesus explains in verse 34 when He says, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent me and to accomplish His work."

How is it that Jesus was able to continue ministering in His weakness? I suggest that we can learn a few things. First, Jesus allowed ministry to feed Him. I think all too often we find ourselves dividing the ways we serve others and the ways we are served. I think we create too much distance between ourselves and the once we are ministering to, so that we can never be fed from the experience. Ministry should happen in authentic community that feeds us all well.

Second, Jesus understood that it was the Father's work, not His. I often feel the weight that a person's soul rests on my words or actions. Actually, everyone's souls are in God's hands. We are merely able to "participate in the gospel" (Philippians 1).

Ministry is not some job that we are tasked with that weighs us down and must be abandoned in our moments of weakness. It is also not only for "vocational ministers." It is a way of life for all believers in Biblical community that sustains us as we live in the will of the Father.

For His glory and our joy,

NR

Patterns

If you missed this last Saturday, you missed what is quietly becoming one of our favorite gathering environments.  It’s a time where families worship, look at God’s word, celebrate communion, and simply belong…together.  In fact, now that I am in my Monday morning reflection mood, the night itself lined up with the topic we spoke about.  We looked together at:

 “Follow the pattern of the sound words that you have heard from me,

in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.”

2 Timothy 1:14 

We all know and agree that there are patterns that enslave us, and there are patterns that set us free.  As we look at our own lives, we would be fools to be living in results that are not fruitful, without looking back at the patterns that have gotten us here. 

There was a critical point in the night where we presented to all families present a pattern within our ministry that has been causing a check in our spirit.  For years, we have become a church that has grown accustomed to worship with families silo-d between multiple buildings.  While there is much benefit in getting with your peers to seek God with specific application, there is also some fallout to this pattern.  It has become a common thing for students to feel completely disconnected from the church body, at times even saying: “I don’t belong to that Church”.  This is painfully revealing of many of our students ecclesiology (understanding and philosophy of the church). 

We want to address this pattern first hand with an experiment. For 12 weeks, throughout the course of the summer, we are going to adjust our worship pattern by joining as families (grades 7^th through adult) to worship as one. We are pursuing this very humbly, carefully, and above all…prayerfully.  We are also doing it with a big safety net, sensing the support and backing of our pastors and elders.  We don’t know where this will take us, except to our knees where we will be seeking God together.  At the end of the 12 weeks, we will gather together to seek what the Lord has taught us, and where the Lord will take us. 

We hope you will prayerfully join us in this journey!

~Deep thoughts by a shallow guy~

mn

What does it mean to be a disciple?

What does it truly mean to be a disciple?  It has taken me a lot of my spiritual journey to form a proper perspective of this question.  We have been studying the reason to initiate and multiply, pray about discipleship, the cost that comes with being a follower, and why we need to being sent out.  Jesus invited His chosen 12 to walk with Him daily, to see Him pray, evangelize, teach truth, and most of all, to see how to go out and show others how to do it.  I find in my own life it is so easy to just set the cruise control and coast…but we see that we must start taking the truths that have been instilled into us and begin to reproduce and inject it into those around us.  Luke 6:1-9 shows the disciples being “sent” by Christ for the purpose of His ministry.  I am challenged everyday by the truths of the Word to go out and truly be a “SENT” disciple and seek out where I can participate in the work of His Kingdom.  I encourage you to do the same!

Everything Disciple

What does it look like for us to follow Christ, to be His disciples, in the everyday every part of our lives? That's what we have been trying to assess through Luke over this last month and really over the last year as we have pursued teaching our students how to live intentionally with initiative in all seasons and circumstances. Since being here, I have seen my life changed through this vision, which is really just what Scripture teaches us is the Truth. It's been such a dream to watch & grow alongside my team, our leaders and our students throughout this entire year... but really the conclusion that I have come to in all of it: He defines my existence, significance, purpose, ministry, plans and anything else in between.

With no real knowledge or direction of what is next in my life, I have found great courage in the comman of Scripture to be faithful. Making all the plans in the world can be good, and I believe it's biblical, but truly the heart of surrender behind those plans is of the importance to God. Next year is not promised, nor is tomorrow; so we have to be willing as seekers of Christ, those desiring to be conformed to His image, to lay our lives before Him... everything.

Your time, your job, your family, your friend, your next big change, your ministry, the blessings, the hardships, the struggles, NONE of it defines you or holds more importance than Christ Himself. Our work as His followers is to be faithful with that which is set before us, which includes the entire above list, but it is secondary to our love relationship with Jesus Himself. He may come back tomorrow or you may die next week, and with that reality before us, we should take great comfort in His plan and not our own.

May you recognize He is enough; He is everything so that you are able to follow Him in the everyday, every part of your life... cultivating faithfulness as a disciple of Christ.

Trust in the Lord, do good; dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness. Psalm 37:3.

-ew 

Assessing Discipleship

We have been studying Discipleship in Luke. The question of “what counts as discipleship” has risen. Does it have to be 1 on 1, or can it in a large group? When we have critical questions like this, it’s critical for us to look at Jesus’ strategy of reproducing Himself. We know that Discipleship is the end goal, yet even in his final commissioning we see him encouraging his men to achieve it by “baptizing and teaching” (Matthew 28). Both of these are activities associated within the body of Christ as a part of the Church. They are public affairs rather than private coffee shop dates. That said, it is clear that Jesus’ focus is to get close to a few. While we know that at times he had as many as 500 following him, the intentional investment ministry took place with only a few. Even in his “elite” group of 12, there were 3 that got more specified, set apart time. Our conclusion: Discipleship could easily be associated with our process of spiritual growth (Discipleship). This happens in multiple ways and in multiple facets. We should follow Jesus’ initiative though by getting close to a few, investing them in such a way that as the word says: “the disciple will become like his teacher” (Matthew 10:25).

Amen?

~Deep thoughts by a shallow guy~
mn

Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the Ends of the Earth

Every year, spring break seems to be a mile marker for the year. It also gives a deeper perspective of the great work of our Creator. Sometimes, the NWA lifestyle seems to suck everyone into its world and what we experience of our worship of God seems to be wrapped up into the standard NWA lifestyle. The reason that Spring Break Missions is a key mile marker for myself is because it allows me to leave my everyday life as I know it and see another culture. The God that I love and serve here is also the same God over the hurting urban communities of Memphis, or free-minded people of Portland, and even over the povished people of La Limonada, Guatemala. Acts 1:8 says “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." This passage is a great reminder that we are to be a witness…a Christ follower…to our Jerusalem (NWA)…Judea (Memphis)…Samaria (Portland)…and to the ends of the earth (Guatemala). I so many times feel like a short term mission trip is needed to keep me reminded of the work that still needs to be done here in NWA. My question to myself since I have been back is, “Am I looking EVERYDAY at opportunity to be the hands and feet of Jesus to the people around me?” I wonder how many times throughout the day that I am faced with a person to reach out to, but because of my business, lack of confidence, or just laziness, I choose to pass on by. I am reminded by this passage in Acts that I am commanded to be a committed Christ follower in all ways so that His name would be known. Will you join in this truth?

Saved by His grace,
Jarrett

Portland update #5

Oh, words are not enough. What an incredible final day in portland with our brothers and sisters at bread & wine. We experienced something really cool in the loveslave project. Please ask a student about it. We closed the trip out at the eddlemans' house, hearing the story of God and praising Jesus together. I wish I could say more, but it's very late and I'm exhausted. We will be sleeping in the airport tonight and flying home in the morning. Pray for sleep and safe travels.

For His glory and our joy,
Nick

Portland update #4

Friday we finished up several service projects across. Many people within bread & wine were encouraged and said that they had really seen gospel service and community modeled by ours students. I couldn't be more proud of this crew. They have had wonderful hearts and been incredibly open to having their ideas about church challenged. One of my favorite comments came from Jayme Doss. She said, "I used to always think that my time with God meant time by myself reading and praying. Here, time with God means getting together in community to read, pray and discuss." We're learning that our walks with Jesus were meant to be in community.

Students are also learning what it means to live with "gospel intentionality." We have viewed little decisions like where we have breakfast and who we start conversations with through the lens of building relationships to share the gospel. The bread and wine community has said that our time here has already built some relationships that have led to people asking to come and explore the bread & wine community.

Friday night we got to go downtown and see more of the city. Fun times.

For His glory and our joy,
Nick

Guatemala Update # 3 - final blog

we made it to guatemala city. yesterday was a recovery day, in which it just felt like we needed a nap all day. i think after a week of loving on kids, out in the sun, and the wonderful death hike of doom, which we loved, we drove the four hours back into the city, and crashed. besides a trip to the park to throw a frisbee, we were at the hotel most of the day. today we are going to head out to do something pretty neat. we will spend the morning at an orphanage of kids who work at a cemetary. i just got off the phone with the director and he said they were doing a skit and dance clinic, followed by soccer. besides those...they really need people to just hug and love their kids. then he asked me if he thought our kids were up for any of that. i said...i think youve come to right place. we will then head to antigua for our shopping day. its a great way to finish the trip.

we fly out tomorrow at noon, getting home at 927 to xna. ill have the students call from houston. keep praying for courage, strength, safety, and rest. we love you all, and are excited to see you

matt, martha, and the G team
ps...did you know there are special latin american key boards...for the life of me i could not figure out any quotation markings. makes for alot of periods and a massive lack of apostrophes. sorry...

Guatemala Update # 2

Friends and Family:
We have made it to thursday! Due to some unforseen internet issues, i was unable to update yesterday. I guess you never know when your in the mayan mountains how well the internet coverage is going to be. We have had an incredible time. Today was our last day in Santa Cruz. it was a tearful goodbye as we exchanged gifts and hugs with the students and kids that we have gotten to know. what a precious people. We actually started today with a famous hike to a waterfall here. not lying...by the end of it, we were exhausted. There was a whole lot of sweating going on for sure as we hiked 4 miles either directly up or directly down. but it was a wonderful time to talk and see where the Lord is moving in each of the students lives. The students are doing great. Nobody is sick, we are all getting good rest, and besides handing out a handful of ibuprofen for sore backs from piggy back rides, things have been incredible. Every student has led in significant ways. One of my highlights was yesterday after we did a zaccheus skit for kindergarderners, ryan graham stood up and shared an incredible testimony. Despite his fear, he clearly communicated the love of Jesus through both the story of zaccheus and his own story. pretty cool. We have been taking some great video and pictures that we look forward to sharing with all of you. Tomorrow, we head back into Guatamala City and will check into our next hotel (where we will be for the rest of the time). tomorrow night we will serve at a homeless and hurting food kitchen. We will meet some pretty unique people. pray for courage. then Saturday, we'll be heading to Antigua for our debrief day that will include shopping and alot of laughing. we're hoping to visit an orphanage on the way.

thanks for praying! tonight we are studying 2 cor 5. should be a blast. Keep praying for energy, hope, strength, and courage as we prayerfully seek to live out the gospel to our guatamala friends.

Via Con Dios (Go with God)
Mateo, Marta, and the G team

(cross my fingers...i'll try to blog again Saturday after we return from antigua)

Memphis Update #4

We absolutely loved this last day of our trip! There were lots of emotions stirring in the air, yet we mustered up the strength to say good - bye to these kids (as they kept asking when we were coming back). Our day was full as we painted and cleaned an entire gym, we fed 150 people in the Bethel Community, and then fed another 50 people when we arrived back at the Grizzley Center. Not only did we physically serve, we were able to see how God used our group to spiritually serve as well. We have countless stories about how the Memphis kids would approach our students asking them what a personal walk looked like. Wow- how sweet it was watching our students talk about the Lord to these new friends. We then worshipped this evening with NES-( 7th-9th group from our church), and heard a powerful message from Coops/Jarrett-- Coops is our friend who runs the Bethel gym. We have all been in awe of this week's trip. As my eyes are heavy, I feel blessed to have experienced this trip with the most incredible leaders and students. Our hearts are "overflowing" with love for MAM and for the people of Memphis. We are grateful for the parents who prayed and felt lead to let their kids come on this trip. We are thankful for a body of believers and a church who sent us here and who financially gave so we could in-turn "feed the 5,000." We are thankful, filled, and excited to love others with Christ's Overflow. See you back in NWA.

Chanika

portland update #3 - serve and learn (or perhaps the gospel demonstrated and the gospel proclaimed)

Today was our first day in more of the rhythm of the week. We all started out with breakfast at our various locations. Then, we split up to various homes where we served for a few hours. We served both inside and outside the bread & wine community. Nick, Kassie, Shawn and Kristin went to ashley's house, where we scraped the old paint off of the walls in preparation for a new paint job. Michelle, Alex, Andrew, Carter, Megan, Kelli and Taylor went to Art's house, the home of elderly man who has recently joined the b & w community. There they cleaned and prepared to repaint. Carrie, Jayme, Cydnie, Sami, Luke, Dylan, Reid and Jason all went to Cameron's house. Cameron is a leader within the bread & wine community. There they painted and helped him on a remodel on his house.

In the afternoon, we met at Elevated Coffee and heard more of "the story of God" from Duke. Really a cool discussion time as we heard the story of God saving His people from a fresh perspective. After that we prayer walked the neighborhood through some good portland rain. We prayed that God would soften hearts to be ready to receive the gospel. In the evening, half of the team went to a prayer gathering at cameron's house while the other half went to dinner with their host homes. It's been incredible to see how the b & w community lives out community. They are very intentionally in each other's lives in a regular, rhythmic way. It has challenged many of our understandings of how the church understands and relates within itself.
More to come soon.

For His glory and our joy,
Nick

portland update #2 - orientation and sunshine

Incredible day. We all did breakfast at different locations across Northeast Portland. Then we gathered at the Revard's house to learn about bread & wine, the church here in portland. They introduced us to their identities and rhythms, which you can read about here. We hung out atop the Green Micro Gym, from which we could see Mt. Hood and Mt. St. Helen's on the clear, sunny portland day. We then did a little "neighborhood beautification." We cleaned up the streets and had a few great conversations along the way. It's all about paving the way for the gospel to hit people's hearts by showing them that the church cares about their city. Tonight a few groups got to experience a gospel community (bread & wine's small groups) while the rest of us spent the night with our host homes. Great day in portland. Cool to learn how this community is living out the gospel.

For His glory and our joy,
Nick

P.S. Only one pair got lost walking today. Reid Schatzman and Jason Holmstrom made a devastating wrong turn that put them a couple of miles away from where they were going. They found us after some cell phone coaching. All the girls did great.

portland update #1 - arrival

we are here. we are in our host homes. Praise Jesus; He is good. Everybody did great traveling. The bread & wine team has already welcomed us in so warmly. Here's a quick snapshot of our arrival. I won't be doing any editing this week, but i will throw some clips like this up so that you can see what's happening. i will try to write something more elegant after some sleep. we love you all very much.

For His glory and our joy,
nick

Memphis Update #3 - Things that amaze us

Today we were blown away by things that leave a sweet "mmmmm" feeling in your heart when you law down at night after reflecting about the day. A content breathe that can only be filled with the words, "thank you, God." We are amazed by the ability our kids have to clean, rake, power wash, wash toilets, scrub baseboards, dance, laugh, pray, and eat all before noon. We are amazed that the urban kids are just as excited to see us as we are them (and they know us by name). We are amazed that our kids are ok without a shower knowing that most of these kids haven't showered all week. We are amazed that Memphis has the best BBQ as we ate at Central BBQ tonight. We are amazed at God's overwhelming presence as we worshiped with NES team from Sunday morning. We are amazed at our own students who powerfully pray for and love on kids they've never met before. Finally, we are amazed by God Himself - Who continues to pursue us daily and Who loves us deeply. Thank you for your prayers for this Mosaic Student Missions Team. Wish you could see everything we see-- you too would be amazed. :)

Until tomorrow...
Chanika

Memphis Update #2

Day 2 was full of flexibility, faith and fun! It's amazing how our plans can easily diminish as Christ's ultimate plan takes over with an overwhelming rush of constant stability. Today we began the day serving the MAM gym by cleaning it from head to tow-even without the supplies we needed :) Our group split up in the afternoon and ministered to two different communities... Bethel and the Grizzly Center. Our Mosaic students will daily anticipate the arrival of over 200 urban kids, eager to be the hands and feet of Christ. We are overwhelmed by His constant Love and Grace through the lives of these kids. We are so blessed to be here. So, as I write, our students are winding down, ready to rest and excited about what our day will hold. May God continue to draw us closer to Himself here in Memphis.

Much love,
Chanika

Guatemala Update #1

We made it to Guatamala!
after a LONG day of travel, we finally got to our hotel last night in Guatamala at 5pm. We were shocked that our original flight took off after the most abnormal night of snow in the history of arkansas. timing is everything isn't it. we ended up hanging out on the runway for an hour, which made us miss our connection in houston. luckily, and to continental's credit, they booked our entire team on the next flight out. praise the Lord. We met our translator at the airport (Josea...pronounced hose-way) and headed immediately up into the mountains. by the time we arrived, we were tired. a great dinner and a short meeting/devotional later later, we were in bed by 9. Up at 7 today for quiet times and breakfast and then on the road for our 30 minute drive to santa cruz. the kids did incredible today. despite some nerves about language etc ....they jumped right in and did awesome. In the monring, we met our groups (each one of our students paired with 5-6 of theirs), took a tour with them of their homes and village, saw the constructed kindergarten, then came back to play some games and make salvation bracelets. this afternoon, the kids did their first "specialties" that they planned and prepared for. they were incredible. the kids loved the music class (robert and landry) the flower crafts (abi), the knitted hats (lindsay) and the "football americana" (toomer and alex). the drive back to the hotel tonight was filled with laughter and memories. it's going to be a great week. Thanks for your support and your prayers. We love you all. I will try again to blog on Wednesday. blessings!!!

Matt, Martha, and the Guatamala team.

ps...we are studying the first 6 chapters of 2 Corinthians in our nightly study. tonight specifically talking through 2:12-17. We'd love for you to join us in this

Memphis Update #1

We arrived safely in Memphis-greeted by warmer weather than NWA. We are thankful for the safe travels, good fast food and a warm welcome. We are starting off this week by praying that we can model our Lord Jesus Christ by serving, loving, and praying for the urban community here in Memphis. We pray that God will rock our world and that we would experience His greatness through through the lives of His children here. Blessings to Him for a wonderful Sunday in the Heartland of Elvis (which isn't really that urban at all).

Much love,
Chanika

Spring Break Update: Memphis and Guatemala

Well, fellowship's email seems to down as a result of the recent storm, and that was our main method of communicating updates. I have heard that the Memphis team is safely in Memphis. I've been unable to get an update from the Guatemala, but that is likely only because my email account is down. It should be back online by tomorrow morning. If there was anything important to communicate, there are definitely other ways they could have. So, no news is good news. We love you all and will continue to pray for God to do great things this week. The Portland team flies out Tuesday evening. Check here for more updates.

For His glory and our joy,
Nick

Passivity: Reflections for fellas on what it means to be an initiator

At first reflex when we see the word initiator, most of us do one of 2 things: puff up our chest and prepare ourselves to “dominate”…or…get into the fetal position in the corner of a room knowing we are destined to fail. Why is it there is such extremes in the world of initiative? While the word initiative does not appear in the Bible, we are given a clear example by Jesus on multiple accounts about what it means to initiate. Never do we see Jesus waiting on His heels waiting how things will “turn out”. We can even see prior to Jesus throughout the Old Testament a steady foot forward in initiative. In the Psalms alone, the words “I will” appear over 190 times as a cadence mantra that inspires us forward rather than backward, ignites rather than reacts, and invests rather than retreats. Is there any question that God who inspires these authors, and is the very image we are seeking through the picture of Jesus, is an initiator Himself?

Young men…stop being lazy, lonely, bored, and stagnant guys. We have been given the word that is the playbook to His calling and purpose in our lives. Often the best way to discover the unique plans God has for us as individuals is to act in an initiating manner towards the things he has called all of us too. Obey Him moving forward. As the old proverb goes: you can’t steer a parked car.

~Deep thoughts by a Shallow guy~
mn

All the single ladies!

My sweet and wonderful ladies of Mosaic Student Ministry! As I sit here thinking…processing…and thinking some more, I thought that I would share with you a few of the pieces on my heart. So men, we love ya but this blog is just for my girls!
:)

Ladies, do we not wake up each morning, look in the mirror and have a desire to be beautiful to someone? To experience love? To be seen as “very precious” to our King? Let’s dive into God’s word! 1 Peter 3:1-6…

“Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives, when they see your respectful and pure conduct. Do not let your adorning be external – the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear- but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious. For this is how the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves, by submitting to their own husbands, as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. And you are her children, if you do good and do not fear anything that is frightening.”

As I begin to embark on a new adventure in life (marriage), I have continually thought of what it means to be a woman of the Lord and how we as women are wired to honor God and serve Him with our lives. This specific section of Scripture has become very precious to me because of these words “which in God’s sight is very precious.”
Now, obviously Paul is talking very specifically to “wives and husbands” in this section; however, DO NOT ride this passage off as one to look at when you start thinking about marriage or being a wife. Remember that there is great truth for all women of the Lord as we focus on what womanhood looks like according to God’s word. Paul directs all Christian females to put on something NOT corruptible, something that beautifies the soul and gives honor to His Spirit. Growing up, my FAVORITE game was “Pretty, Pretty Princess!” I loved all the jewelry that I could get and dress up in! But oh, to win the game and get to wear the beautiful crown filled with precious jewels my joy was uncontainable! I would prance around and be filled with excitement showing everyone my beautiful jewels and asking them to all bow down to “Princess Carrie” ☺ (did I mention that I probably took this a little to seriously as a child?). And so when Paul tells Christian women to NOT allow their beauty to be consumed by the outward appearance, I find this interesting! Now, Paul is NOT saying “don’t take care of yourself” or “never look cute ” or “don’t shower…in fact just throw mud on yourself and put a bag over your head!” NO! HEAR ME SAY…Paul is NOT saying those things. However, he IS saying do NOT be consumed in these things. He is commanding us- as ladies- to cultivate an inner beauty of a “gentle and quiet sprit”! If you are anything like me, you may say to yourself “Well GREAT God! Now I’m suppose to keep my big mouth shut and never say anything! I will need a complete personality makeover now!” But again…I DON’T think this is what it is about. This spirit is to be one of consistency with the Lord. One full of peace in knowing that the King of Kings is in complete control and we are to trust in Him with our lives and follow Him with every opportunity that He gives us! This is a spirit of respect, honor, love, submission, and trust. It looks more like a peaceful stream of water than the raging waves of the ocean.
So HOW do we cultivate this beauty? What does this look like? Well….as I have prayed through this verse here are a few things that God has brought to my attention that maybe you can chew on over a nice cup of Tazo© Calm Tea at Starbucks.

1. Proverbs 31:30- “A woman who fears the Lord is to be praised”. We MUST know the Lord! I think this is what it means to “fear” the Lord. We must know His heart, know His word, and ultimately we must KNOW Him! Do you know the Lord in a deep, intimate, love-relationship way?
2. Ex 34:29- “When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with two tablets of the Testimony in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the Lord.” SPEND TIME WITH GOD! The most beautiful woman is one who cherishes and desires to spend time with her Maker! It was obvious to others that Moses had been with the Lord. Is it obvious to the people you live with or your classmates that you spend time with God? Is your face radiant?
3. 2 Corinthians 3:18-“We…are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory…” When people see you, who do they see? They should see Jesus Christ. Do they? How is God molding you to look more and more like Him? And how do you respond to His molding?

Ladies, how are you cultivating beauty? How are you leaning hard on the Lord? I pray that today your cultivate an imperishable beauty that beautifies your soul. You are precious to many and loved by the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords! May your hearts be at rest in Him and may your desire be for His attention alone!


~Princess Carrie ☺:)

Generational Discipliship: Reflections on Deuteronomy 6:4-8

The Youth Ministry of Fellowship Mosaic has a rhythm we march too. Everything we do find’s it’s roots in an Upward, Inward, Outward perspective of Deuteronomy 6:4
Deut 6:4-6
4 " Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one! 5 " You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.
(Mark 12:31)"The second command is this, 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.' There is no other commandment greater than these."

While we have strategically planned our ministries around these principles, it seems at times that today’s definition of church skips what comes next:
Deut 6:7-9
7 " You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. 8 " You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. 9 " You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

One of the grand purposes of the Church since the beginning of time has been to pass on to the next generation the wonderful deeds of the Lord in knowledge and truth. This chili pot thought is less about providing a solution and more about acknowledging a problem. Is this happening? Parent’s, are you spectators in the spiritual formation of your students or are you an active participant? If we as a student ministry are only being partially effective in living, programming, and communicating this, perhaps it is time we make considerations for change? Worthy of thought…Worthy of prayer…

~deep thoughts by a shallow guy~
mn

Science and Faith: Part 2 - The Natural and the Supernatural

One of the greatest objections to faith from scientifically minded people is that there is so little evidence for God. They want some kind of proof that God is real. They claim that attributing unexplainable things to miracles from God is intellectually irresponsible, or in other words, wishy-washy and stupid. There are a couple of fundamental problems with this line of thinking that should be highlighted.
Underlying the objection is a certain kind of belief that Tim Keller calls a “defeater belief.” A defeater belief is a belief that if held keeps you from believing something else. So, for example, a strong belief that reindeer cannot fly would be a defeater belief against the story of Santa Clause. What exactly is the defeater belief behind the objection here? I think it is simply that anything true must be scientifically provable and that the world will always operate inside the rules of science. But, is there any reason to believe this? Why should we believe that anything true should be scientifically provable? Do we believe that whether or not one person loves another person is scientifically provable? It seems absurd to most, but that is exactly what some naturalists propose! However, if it is the case that everything must be scientifically provable, then science itself must be able to be tested scientifically. Can we show scientifically that all truth is scientifically provable? It seems rather difficult. Actually, it looks like this defeater belief is really just a step of faith. People trust in science for many of the same reasons people trust in faith.
Interestingly, the world of scientific study is actually beginning to work against itself. It is a fascinating study to take a look at the implications of quantum mechanics. I recommend Lothar Schafer’s book In Search of Divine Reality. The basic idea of quantum mechanics is that at the atomic level everything is determined by processes that cannot be observed. Something immaterial occurs that determines the material outcome. Did you catch that? At the core of science is something unscientific! At the end of the day, a quantum leap occurs in an unobservable way. Some scientists, like Dr. Schafer, see this as evidence for some kind of divine influence that is determining and holding the entire universe together. I’m not kidding. I took the guy’s class. He is not a Christian, but he believes that some divine mind is “before all things and holding all things together.” Why don’t all scientists believe this? The simple answer is that they trust that science will eventually figure it out. They believe this not because the evidence supports it. They take it on faith that science will prove true. Ultimately, it is not evidence that determines what anyone believes, it is a choice of where to place their faith. I think if both sides would admit this, we could a lot closer to understanding other’s point of view.

Is High School Dating OK?

This is a great question to tackle, especially the week after Valentines Day. One of the challenges of addressing questions such as these is that there is not a passage in scripture that gives us a clear answer. Therefore, I think we need to reshape the question asking what is best for the grand story of my entire life rather than my momentary wants and desires.

Here is some other ways to look at the same question:
1) Does Dating glorify God?
2) What are the benefits and the temptations involved with dating?
3) If Nick and Kassie Roland can date in high school and get married…can’t it happen to me too?

Lets answer some of these…
Does dating glorify God? I think it can and it should. What I do know is that God called man and woman to be together in marriage. Therefore, we are going to be attracted to the opposite gender. I feel as though all things on earth can bring glory to God. In the same sense though, all things can steer us away from the Lord. I can play soccer to the glory of God. I can also let soccer become an idol, pulling my time, attention, and ultimately worship, away from the Lord and onto it. This same temptation of creating an idol can happen regarding dating. Dating can consume us so much that the Lord takes a distant second place. When this happens, as it often does, we steal God’s glory.
What are the benefits and the temptations involved with dating? If you were to put these two on a scale, I feel the temptations massively outweigh the benefits of teenage dating. Why? When I think through the potential benefits, the list includes: Fun, hang out, communication, companionship, preparation for marriage (churchy answer) and more. The issue with these is, everyone of these things can happen while in a group and without “dating somebody” which is where temptation often comes into play. Within our culture, dating alludes to privileges. Privileges such as intimacy, affection, and 1 on 1 time, are often the very things that get us into trouble. They are the things that we want, yet often lead to mistakes we later regret. As believers, we often draw lines of “how far is too far” but then tiptoe right up to the edge of that line. More often than not, our flesh is going to overpower our recently drawn line and we are going to fall into the heavy emotions of the moment. Result: our temptations just did a roundhouse kick to anything we once defined as “benefits”.
If Nick and Kassie Roland can date in high school and get married…can’t it happen to me too? Of course it can…it just rarely does. In fact, more often than not, I think dating prepares us more for divorce than it does marriage. We date somebody until we become disinterested, sick of them, or they do something that offends us. In this case…the answer is obvious: DUMP THEM. This molds our instincts that once we are tired of a person, we can just move onto the next. When and how does this get us ready for marriage? Nick and Kassie dated each other for 4 years, all the while saving themselves in purity for WHOEVER they would have married. It was just extra bonus that they were saving themselves for each other. I do think they are a great example of dating that worked, but they will tell you there were many bumps along the way that came from dating so young. NOTE: I have been in youth ministry for over 10 years and they are the only couple I have ever seen that has this story.
REALITY: there is a good chance the person your dating in Junior Hi or High School is not going to be the person you marry.

So…where do I go from here?
My opinion (which remember because it is not officially in the Bible, will remain an opinion) is that you can have very good, very deep relationship that prepares you for marriage, while not having the official title of “dating”. Why this? I think to often as soon as students become a pair, their “dating privileges” find a way of burying the moral and spiritual lines they have drawn. If your truest desire is to guard your heart and body, it is wise to avoid situations that could be cause temptation. So, hang out in groups…have a blast doing it. Don’t freak out about being attracted to somebody…we are designed to work like that! Use these opportunities however to develop your sense of boundaries, your skills of question asking, and your discipline of pure living.

~Deep thoughts by a Shallow guy~
mn

Overcoming Sexual Temptation

You might think it strange that the girl who has never had a boyfriend or even been on a date would be the one given the assignment to write the blog, “How do I as a Christian overcome sexual temptation?,” but I think it’s interesting that God really doesn’t care what season of life He has you in or where you stand with the opposite sex….we will always be called to live a life a purity, holiness & righteousness (and trust me, even single people deal with it).

I know most of the students/people who are asking this question are doing so because they might think there is a quick, couple-steps answer to how to “be better” when I am alone with my boyfriend/significant other. However, I would argue that the answer we are seeking lies in the nature of how we spend our time in thought, action or deed. I am brought back to Jesus’ powerful words in the gospels that say,

So if your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It’s better to enter eternal life with only one hand or one foot than to be thrown into eternal fire with both of your hands and feet. And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It’s better to enter eternal life with only one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.

What we watch, hear, think or spend our time doing, effects how we will respond in time of temptation, sexual or otherwise. Some questions to ask ourselves…how do I spend my time? And is it leading me to greater love, knowledge, understanding & desire for the Lord & His purposes? What am I watching or listening to that leads into my thought life? And what is the result of it?

You see, there will always be temptation. We live in a fallen world, one with sin and if sin wasn’t available then we wouldn’t be tempted, but we will be. It’s fact. So I think the better question to ask would be, “How do I as a Christian LIVE while sexual temptation is inevitable?”

I think Paul gives us a couple of pointers in light of our calling…

Romans 12:1-2
And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

Philippians 4:6-8
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.

As you seek Jesus, offer yourself to Him as a living sacrifice & allow Him to remake you, I promise that coping with sexual temptation will become easier. It won’t be gone, but it will make you smarter/wiser in how to take further steps in purity & holiness.

P.S. a guy/girl that deserves your time/heart/future will share this desire & goal with you even in the hard times. So if they don’t, get rid of them.

How can the Old Testament people be saved if there was no Jesus then?

This is a great question, one that is important to understand as we understand who Jesus is and what He did. Prior to answering this question though, I think there is some important truths to remember:
1) God is outside of time. Therefore what he does in an instant could actually play itself out over thousands of years.
2) It says (referring to Jesus) in Hebrews 13:8 “I am the same yesterday, today, and forever”.
When we exist inside of time, it’s hard to understand a God who is outside of it. Therefore, we accept it by faith. Believing this takes us a step closer to seeing how Jesus’ death can be the central act of all history. When sin entered the world through Adam, a plan of equivalent payment had to be made. This payment would be so great, and such an act of Love, that it would fulfill redemption of all people for all times. Therefore when Jesus died as the substitutionary atonement…it was not just for the sins that came after him, it was for the sins of everybody, who has ever lived.
2 Corinthians 5:14-15 addresses this well:
For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf.
Our first thing to note then is that all were included in the payment accomplished by Jesus’ death.
Another point of interest however is answering the question: was Jesus present? Many scholars, as they seek to understand the role of the trinity throughout time and text, point to names often used for either Father, Son, or Holy Spirit. For example, when a metaphor of dove is used, we assume that this is referring directly to the Holy Spirit. In a simple word study, we see the title of “Lord” in the New Testament as the primary title to depict Jesus’ role and authority. Interestingly enough, Lord is used often throughout the Old Testament in specific settings or stories. So where we know Jesus was not there in flesh, the spirit of the Lord is active. Most scholars refer to this “spirit of the Lord” as God the son, or the spirit of Jesus, as present. (example: Genesis 10-12)

Finally, I find it very unique that the disciples in the gospels knew what they were looking for in a messiah. Meaning: The gospel is explained thoroughly in the Old Testament! People awaited a Messiah who would take away their sins, being the ultimate payment against death. They lived in the same mode of redemption we do.

In summary, these are 3 good places to start. Christ’s death, by view and plan of God, paid for the sins of all because that is the way he purposed it. Secondly, if Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever, than we see his fingerprints not just in the gospels, but also throughout the Old Testament. And last, we trust that to be able to expect the Messiah, they had to know something of what he was going to be like. The Old Testament is as much a purposed account for the gospel as the New Testament is.

~Deep thoughts by a Shallow guy~
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Science and Faith: Part 1 - A Conversation

One of the most frequently asked questions is the question of how scientific discoveries affect our faith. Since we’re sticking to the “deep end” issues of the faith in the talks, we’re going to tackle this issue in the blog. I quickly figured out that one blog would not suffice for such a big issue. So it looks like we will get 3 blogs on the issue of faith and science. First, we’ll look at the big picture issue of how science and faith interact. Then we’ll move on to the questions of miracles and evolution.

For many centuries, there was not a clear divide between science and faith. Scholars were expected to study theology/science/math/philosophy all as one discipline. Then, during what we call the “enlightenment” people starting seeing science/math/philosophy as distinct from theology. Later science, math and philosophy would also separate into somewhat distinct disciplines. Since then, it has been a difficult question as to how science (or any other academic discipline) and faith should interact.

Ian Barbour has suggested 4 different ways they can interact (see Tim Keller’s Reason for God, chapter 6). On one end of the spectrum is all out war. In this view, faith and science are always in conflict. It’s always creationism versus evolution, faith versus reason, or scientific evidence versus religious belief. The assumption is that science and faith are enemies. On the other end is the idea that they have nothing to do with each other. People of this point of view think that religious beliefs and scientific information do not belong in the same conversation. Barbour proposes that a healthier response lies somewhere in between. Two other options include the idea that faith and science could either be integrated or at least that there should be a conversation between the two. I propose that one of these middle ground options is better. If God is the creator of the universe, then he is the creator of everything that scientists study. Surely faith and science are not enemies, and they cannot be wholly separate.

There is one more reason for there to be healthy interaction between faith and science. When Christians attack or ignore science, they often attack or ignore people who place their faith in science over Jesus. Though it is clearly untrue that all scientists are atheists, it is a community with many nonbelievers. Christians sacrifice a tremendous opportunity to have a healthy conversation about our faith with a people group who need such a conversation. Let’s quit attacking people who do not believe as we do, and let’s quit ignoring them. Rather, with a love of Christ and a faith in a Savior who is truth, let’s engage in a loving, grace filled dialogue.

More to come on science and faith…

For His glory and our joy,
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