I had the incredible opportunity to speak at Crave (college and young adult worship service) last night. Crave is easily one of my favorite programs at the church. Goesles Parade was here to lead worship and absolutely brought us into the presence of God. I was so excited to walk through a passage that has meant so much to me in the last two years of my walk with Christ, Isaiah 6: 1-8. It is an incredible story of how the life of Isaiah begins to move from normal to incredible. I am not going to lie, i want my life to fall under the incredible category and i think you should feel the same thing about yours. We unpacked two truths from that passage:
1 - God wants our attention - Isaiah had an incredible calling and was going to go on to do and say some very powerful things but it was never about him, it was always about Jesus. We need to not be focused on our questions in life, but rather be focused on Jesus. Jesus didn't say he would show you the way, He said He was the way (John 14:6).
2 - God wants us to see Him accurately. Christian t-shirts and clever little bumper stickers don't give a lost world a good idea of who God is. God is not corny and unoriginal to the point he has to take a "Reeses" logo and change it to say "Jesus". We need to be getting a view of God from His Word. Not the world, not tv, not even our own feelings. I am nervous about our generation so being concerned with feelings and emotions, get over your feelings and hear from God first and then look at your feelings.
We should desire to see God do great things in us, He spent so much for us and has incredible plans for us but we need to get to the point where we are focused on him and not our future.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Friday, January 28, 2011
2 things we will NOT say anymore
there were 2 things that i have heard a lot of over the last two years here and several weeks ago i stood before our students and committed that we will no longer allow these 2 excuses out of our mouths as they pertain to our walk with Christ.
1- I can't do it - the christian walk is tough, especially because it involves loneliness sometimes and having to watch others leave and make decisions contrary to what we feel is right. That can be a very difficult place to stand, but it breaks my heart that many times a student will make a decisions that they know is wrong simply because they can not face the situation of being alone. we may choose that we do not want to live it, but we will not say that we can't.
2 - I am too busy - this world and this area of Texarkana is low population and high activity. Definitely not a bad thing in and of itself. i love this city and i am excited that my kids can grow up with things to do and places to learn, and in no way do i feel like a martyr in that God called me to move here. However, we can not let business overtake our walk with Christ, and for many it is. Flat out, programs and events have become more important. Again we may choose other things over Christ, but we will not cowardly say anymore that "I am too busy". Now, be mature enough to know that this does not mean if you miss a bible study one time because you had a final exam and needed to do well on it that you are going to hell because you obviously hate Jesus, not the case. but I find it interesting and even in my own life sometimes how we are so willing to plan out shopping trips and games around our lives but not meeting together as believers and worshiping him and our own personal time with him.
It will not fly anymore and we are not going to throw these pitiful excuses to a God that gave it all for us.
1- I can't do it - the christian walk is tough, especially because it involves loneliness sometimes and having to watch others leave and make decisions contrary to what we feel is right. That can be a very difficult place to stand, but it breaks my heart that many times a student will make a decisions that they know is wrong simply because they can not face the situation of being alone. we may choose that we do not want to live it, but we will not say that we can't.
2 - I am too busy - this world and this area of Texarkana is low population and high activity. Definitely not a bad thing in and of itself. i love this city and i am excited that my kids can grow up with things to do and places to learn, and in no way do i feel like a martyr in that God called me to move here. However, we can not let business overtake our walk with Christ, and for many it is. Flat out, programs and events have become more important. Again we may choose other things over Christ, but we will not cowardly say anymore that "I am too busy". Now, be mature enough to know that this does not mean if you miss a bible study one time because you had a final exam and needed to do well on it that you are going to hell because you obviously hate Jesus, not the case. but I find it interesting and even in my own life sometimes how we are so willing to plan out shopping trips and games around our lives but not meeting together as believers and worshiping him and our own personal time with him.
It will not fly anymore and we are not going to throw these pitiful excuses to a God that gave it all for us.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
God in Motion
Last night we had an incredible group in both services. I had the incredible opportunity to communicate God's Word to over 200 students and something that i have been feeling for a while, GOD IS IN MOTION IN OUR MIDST. There is an incredible sense of clarity that is washing over students through-out our ministry that is simply addicting to watch. Of course from a student pastor's perspective I see myself asking "What did are we doing?" It is God moving among His people and we are simply trying to not get in the way. We do not focus on our students as "7th graders" or "10th graders" but as people who are lost without Jesus. We do not try and make it cool and clever but simply true. We are teaching the Word and teaching students how to get into the Word and dig out its truth and it is an incredible thing to watch. We love what we are doing and pray that God will continue to move among us.
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