Jesus or Wealth

I know what text you think I'm going to use for this one...the one about the rich young ruler walking away from Jesus who said, "sell all that you have and give it to the poor then follow me." But you're wrong. Hopefully this catches you off-guard like it did me this morning.

Mark chapter 5 tell us the instance of Jesus and His disciples sailing to "the country of the Gerasenes" (?). And immediately they were met by a psycho who was demon possessed. This dude broke metal shackles into pieces! Anyway, the demon begged Jesus to not destroy him (them? the demon's name was Legion) but instead send him (or them) into a heard of swine. So, buddy Jesus, being the nice guy He was, sent them (him?) into the swine and the heard ran off the cliff, plummeting to their death. Here's where it gets interesting...

The people from that country found out what happened, SAW the formerly demon-possessed man, heard that Jesus sent the demon into the heard, and begged Jesus to go away! We've got to understand, that anyone who has a heard of pigs doesn't just have them for fun. Someone has a heard of pigs because they are making money from them. So, when Jesus healed the psycho, but killed another man's heard, the people were more concerned about what would happen to THEIR FORTUNES rather than PEOPLE GETTING HEALED if Jesus stuck around.

Are pigs really more important than people? Is making money really more important than people being redeemed? Please prayerfully consider this thought: are we telling Jesus to go away because we're afraid of the cost of letting Him take up residence in us?



Are we willing to tell Jesus to "stay" and give up everything for Him? That's exactly what He did for us. He gave up His life for us. Let us remember that this Jesus was and is God, the Almighty, the One who owns it all, but gave it all up for us. I believe that this is what He requires of us. Paul knew it and he could honestly say, "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me."

Mourning to Laughter

Realizing that I choose to be completely non-productive in the evenings because I don't want to be challenged by reading the Bible, or other challenging books, or praying, or preparing for youth group makes me feel soooo LAME! Somehow, I got in a funk and I HATE it. It's time to repent, re-connect
with the God who gives life, and love, learn, lead, and live in view of eternity, and to help as many people as possible become totally committed to Jesus!

I haven't read my Bible for the past few days except for preparing for a sermon or stuff like that because I haven't been connected to "the Vine." If I'm not connected to God, why read His word? I haven't been reading a couple of books I've started recently (freaking awesome books: "Blue Like Jazz" and "The Irresistible Revolution") because what I've read of them so far challenges the CRAP out of me! I didn't want to be challenged because I know that doing anything without God is pointless.

But I'm back, Lord. I am sooo ready to be challenged! MAN, I realize how worthless my self-serving attitude and behavior is and I need to be saved from it! I need my passion for myself to be replaced with a passion for YOU, and that begins with prayer and ends in obedience.

Why prayer? That's the way I truly connect with God. I can do ANY spiritual discipline and not be connected to God. But I cannot truly pray to God and not connect. Prayer reminds me of the sacrifice that He already made, the forgiveness I've already received, and the open arms the Father always has for me when I've strayed.

Rescue Mission w/ Echo

Last night at the Rescue Mission was AMAZING! I didn't get to spend too much time with the whole group, but was able to wash a TON of dishes with Lyric and Katie. They're alright :\ JKJKJKJKJKJKJKJK! Love those girls! :D Although, it was sad seeing families of 6, ma and pa with their 4 children, one in a stroller, HAVING to come eat dinner at the homeless shelter. Makes me realize how unbelievably GREAT I have it. All I can say is, "Thank you God for blessing me! And continue to break my heart for the poor and the lost."

What's The Use of a Suffering God?

Recently I was asked, "What's the use of a suffering God?" Initially, I had no idea...which made me curious. After praying and thinking about it for a while, God started revealing some good stuff to me. Here was my response to the question...

Wow, there's so many places one can go with this. For starters, mankind is made in the image of God. So, for a God who will come off of His heavenly throne to bear with other's burdens and sufferings tells us a lot about ourselves. We were initially made with a heart that is bewildered by and breaks for people who suffer. Clearly, many people's hearts have grown cold to the constant injustices people suffer and therefore do not blink an eye anymore at a suffering person. I believe our ability to be broken with (for or over) someone is one way that we can be a godly witness to people.

Also, humankind was made to be in community. Again, going back to being made in God's image, if you think about it, He also exists in a divine community: Father, Son, Holy Spirit, all in one. So, for a communal Being to make communal beings is one thing. But for that Communal Being to participate in community with His creation brings it to a whole new level. Even still, for our communal God to be in communion with His creation who are suffering! That's the kind of God we serve. One who is not afraid of getting dirty for His "subjects" (as in He is our King and we are His subjects). Watch Emperors New Groove. Notice how the king had the old man thrown out the palace window for "ruining the Emperors groove." That kind of practice was and is truly not far from the truth. Many rulers would have people executed if they even appeared sad before their king/ruler (also consider Nehemiah who was afraid that he was sad in ch 2:1-3).

Finally, We have a God who truly does know our pain. In fact, He has often felt pain. Consider when God was grieved that he made man on earth at all (Genesis 6:6). Also consider the whole story of Hosea who tried to demonstrate what we do to Him and how He feels about us when we commit idolatry; it's like a wife running out from her husband and prostituting herself. When the husband goes and pays for his wife back (which is ridiculous in itself) she goes right back to prostituting herself again. We serve a God who knows pain. Sometimes the best thing for a suffering person is for someone to understand their suffering. Someone saying, "I feel your pain" is not enough. Someone who experiences pain with someone is healing.

Great Leaders

I just got finished with a meeting with my leaders (and it was GREAT fellowship!) and I just cannot say enough good about Matt, Jenn, and Ashley! They are such a great supporting team! Getting with these guys makes me realize that I simply cannot lead a youth group on my own. There is soooo much wisdom in the council of many (Proverbs 15:22)! I'm sooooo excited about their enthusiasm to lead/serve as well as their passion for God! Not only this, but God is providing yet another leader to the team! He's going to be a real asset and I can't wait to see what God does through Charles! But wait, there's more :D I just spoke with our potential worship leader as of January, and He's STOKED that we want him to lead worship for us and our youth!
All of this to say that God is SO good! He is such a PROVIDER! Jesus' words prove true that "You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it!" (John 14:14) That's all for today :)

8 Ways to Aviod Drama

So, I've been reading Colossians, and there's some great stuff all over it, but today, God really spoke to me through Colossians 3:12-14. Hopefully He'll do the same for you. There's a lot of different applications for these verses, but I though that avoiding drama and building relationships is pretty close to God's heart. So here's 8 WAYS TO AVOID DRAMA :)

Be Compassionate - allow others pain motivate you toward doing good for them, rather than simply telling everyone about their pain

Be Kind - It's easy to push people away when they are being difficult or if they are just different. Instead, draw them closer to yourself and "kill 'em with kindness."

Be Humble - Know (and practice) that you do not always HAVE to be right! Is it not better to save or develop a friendship than to be right?

Be Gentle - Imagine the difference between a savage lion and a gentle lion...look at a savage lion cross-eyed and he'll pounce you. Look at a gentle lion cross-eyed and he'll lick your face raw. In other words, don't fly off the handle when something upsets you.

Be Patient - If you can't settle a problem with someone and they're not ready to resolve it, don't give up. Continue seeking forgiveness and restoration within the relationship.

Bear With One Another - One of the most difficult things in life is to value and accept another persons FEELINGS! Feelings are often not logical, but if someone is felling a certain way, whether it's logical or not, THAT'S HOW THEY FEEL! Accept it, value it, and move on from there.

Be Forgiving -  Forgiveness is more for the forgive-er than for the forgive-ee. If we hold resentment toward someone and don't let it go, we're like a refrigerator keeping a plate of raw stake inside and won't let it go. Eventually that raw stake will smell disgusting and will contaminate everything else in the refrigerator.

Be Loving - Always be thinking, "does what I'm about to say demonstrate love for this person?" "Does what I'm about to do show my love for that person?" I promise, you will never do anything wrong if you carefully consider these 2 questions and respond appropriately.

A Fruitful Endeavor

THAT'S IT! Titus has been kicking my butt for long enough. It's time to move on. It figures that the day I move on from Titus, I'd be challenged more than I've ever been challenged before. Paul tells Titus, "Our people [Christians] must also learn to engage in good deeds to meet pressing needs, so that they will not be unfruitful." (Titus 3:14)

So often I find myself trying to make time to ready my Bible, pray, and discuss spiritual things...which is good, but it that the end goal? to read my Bible more, pray more, learn more? I don't think so. Paul says that if Christians are not engaged in "good deeds" then our our lives are unfruitful! (Think about Jesus' parable of the soils in Matthew 13:3-9)

Earlier, Paul explains (clearly) the gospel and concludes his explanation with our response to the gospel..."But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. This is a trustworthy statement; and concerning these things I want you to speak confidently, so that those who have believed God will be careful to engage in good deeds." (Titus 3:4-8)

Earlier still, Paul explains that "good deeds" are inseparable from being saved: "[Jesus Christ] Who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds." (Titus 2:14)

Finally (or firstly), in chapter one, Paul describes the people who only think they're spiritual: "They profess to know God, but by their deeds they deny Him, being detestable and disobedient and worthless for any good deeds." (Titus 1:16)

I have to admit, I've been quite unfruitful. I haven't been "careful to engage in good deeds." I certainly haven't been "zealous for good deeds." So, all of that MUST change. This is why I'm so excited about the new series Echo is doing, "Exposed."  We are going to be exposed to people with real, "pressing needs" and we're going to be careful to engage in meeting these needs. In fact, I think that once we see people with real, pressing needs, we'll be zealous for meeting their needs.

Are you someone who is careful and zealous for doing good deeds? Do you need some help finding pressing needs? Do you want to be a person who is careful and zealous for doing good deeds? If so, I invite you to Echo youth group November 18th as we learn about a severe need having to do with child trafficking right here in our city. If not, I invite you to make Jesus Christ your Lord and Savior. He died a sinless man so that the wrath of God intended for us would be satisfied. Now, through faith in Jesus we can have eternal life with the Source of all that is good, the God who created the universe.