from "Shadow of the Almighty"

"You wonder why people choose fields away from the States when young people at home are drifting because no one wants to take time to listen to their problems. I'll tell you why I left. Because those Stateside young people have every opportunity to study, hear, and understand the Word of God in their own language, and these Indians have no opportunity whatsoever. I have had to make a cross of two logs, and lie down on it, to show the Indians what it means to crucify a man. When there is that much ignorance over here and so much knowledge and opportunity over there, I have no question in my mind why God sent me here. Those whimpering Stateside young people will wake up on the Day of Judgment condemned to worse fates than these demon-fearing Indians, because, having a Bible, they were bored with it -while these never heard of such a thing as writing."

-Jim Elliot ...November 6, 1950

This made me laugh...

Shhhtoked! from thegoods:CJ and Damien Hobgood on Vimeo.

Dare you to move!

I've copied and pasted 3 links to 3 sermons by Matt Chandler that are really convicting for me personally. Many times in the Bible religious people play games with God when they aren't willing to submit to the authority of God and/or the promptings of the Holy Spirit. These sermons are quite powerful and I just wanted to pass them on to you for you to here.




http://hv.thevillagechurch.net/resource_files/audio/200907111700HWC21ASAAA_MattChandler_LukePt43-GamesPeoplePlayPt1.mp3

http://hv.thevillagechurch.net/resource_files/audio/200908020900HWC21ASAAA_MattChandler_LukePt44-GamesPeoplePlayPt2.mp3

http://hv.thevillagechurch.net/resource_files/audio/200908091100HWC21ASAAA_MattChandler_LukePt45-GamesPeoplePlayPt3.mp3



tchuss!

Show me Jesus

It's that time again... time to transition back into a culture that I'm sure I have grown unfamiliar with. I've already said goodbye to a few people here that I will probably not see again. I am extremely excited to come home! I miss the faces of my friends and the family of the local church. I hope and pray that I will never take my church for granted again, it is amazing the way the Lord works through the body of Christ and I want to be a part of it.

Adventure starts when you dare to do the impossible with God. When you seek holiness that comes from His righteousness. When you dream His dreams. When you lay down your life for someone else. When you humble yourself and turn your mind upside down with the Truth of God's Word. Impossibilities become the adrenaline to live the life God has called you to.

This adventure has been hard. I've lost parts of me in this process. I've been hurt and healed and stretched and stressed and thankful and broken and empty and overflowing and tired and wired and hot and cold and high and low but I am alive in Christ. It is no longer I live but He in me! Yes, I am at war with my nature but the Spirit propels me toward Christ.

If I could just see Him.

Lately my mind has been occupied with beautiful dreams about seeing Christ. If I could just see Him my entire life would change. If I could just see Him I would be like Him instantly! If I could see Jesus my life would never be the same.

2 Corinthians 3:18 "And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is Spirit."

Matthew 5:8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God."

Give me purity, give me Christ, my deepest desire is to see God. This is the cry of my heart. My greatest desire is to see God and to be with Him! Nothing else will do. Nothing else will satisfy or quench this thirst but living water.

Nothing you desire can compare...

I'm flying to England today and later this week I will be teaching a Bible Study from these notes on Wisdom. I just wanted to share these notes/verses with you and maybe you can get some benefit from them. Happy Thanksgiving!



Romans 11:33-36:
Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!
“For who has known the mind of the Lord,
or who has been his counselor?”
“Or who has given a gift to him
that he might be repaid?”
For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.

God is rich, wise and the author of knowledge. Nothing exists outside Him or beyond His authority. He is sovereign, He is all knowing, He is the most glorious!
You can’t even dig deep enough! Oh, the depth! He is bottomless! This is one of my favorite things about the Word of God. As I devote my life to Christ and search for Him in the Bible I continue to dig and find Him and I will never reach the bottom this side of eternity.

Romans chapters 1-11 reveal our sin, our struggles, our depravity, our hope, His love, His Spirit, His plan for redemption through Christ’s blood, His plan for victory! This doxology in 11:33-36 takes Romans 1-11 into account and says in effect:
He is unending, He is wise! He has a plan to redeem us from ourselves! Who can know His ways? Who can know His thoughts? HE IS GLOROIUS!

I propose this thought during this study: Wisdom that comes from Christ revealed through the gospel, believed by faith and fueled by grace should always point to the glory of God! This is my motive during this study, to look at wisdom through the lens of the gospel… And it’s always important to remember that MY WORD MAY RETURN VOID, BUT GOD’S WORD DOESN’T. That’s why I’ve saturated this Study with verse after verse to show the depth of God’s Wisdom for the purpose of His glory.

• Oh, the depth of His wisdom. (That’s what I really wanna talk about in this study.)

If our goal is to let this Wisdom that comes from God bring glory to God in our lives then we must ask the question…

What is Wisdom? Wisdom, which includes knowledge, understanding, instruction, discretion, and obedience, is built on the fear of the Lord and the Word of God. Folly is everything opposite to Wisdom.

Be careful to note that there are two kinds of Wisdom.

James 3:13-18 Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

1 Corinthians 3:19 For the wisdom of this world is folly with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in their craftiness,”

Just as we see two types of Wisdom in this world… Proverbs focuses on three types of people.

The simple: The simple people in Proverbs are not committed to wisdom or folly; they are easily misled. They refuse to seek Wisdom that comes from God.

The simple believes everything. (14:15)
The simple inherit folly. (14:18)
Proverbs 1:32 For the simple are killed by their turning away, and the complacency of fools destroys them.

The fool: The fool is opposed to God’s covenant. Opposed to the cross & the Word of God.
• Fools resist the offer of forgiveness. (14:9;15:8)
• fools are dangerous in their influence. Proverbs 13:20 the companion of fools will suffer harm.
• Fools cause grief to their parents. Proverbs 10:1 A wise son makes a glad father, but a foolish son is a sorrow to his mother.

The Wise:
• Embrace God’s covenant through the cross. (1 Corinthians 2)
• Proverbs 1:5 Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance. They hear the Word of God, and seek understanding to know God.
• Proverbs 9:9 Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning. They are open to rebuke, to correction, to insight and the knowledge of Truth.
• Proverbs 12:18 the tongue of the wise brings healing. Their words edify and build up.

Where do you land in these 3 categories? Simple, Fool or Wise?

James 1:5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.

Note this: Greeks seek wisdom. 1 Corinthians 1:22 The Greeks were definitely seeking wisdom but from the wrong source. Seek the Wisdom that comes from Jesus Christ!

How do we get Wisdom?

1. The cross!
2 Corinthians 2: 1-2, 4-7, 10
1 And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. 2 For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. …4 and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.
6 Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away. 7 But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God
10 these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God.

Paul preached the gospel through a plain manner of speech. But this gospel communicates a treasure of the truest and highest Wisdom. It takes a measure of grace to believe the gospel!

The gospel contains a wisdom that:
• Has exceeded the achievements of man.
• Reveals a love from God that we could never perceive apart from the gospel.
• Comes from the Spirit of God.

2. The fear of the Lord! It would be irresponsible to teach a lesson on wisdom apart from mentioning “the fear of the Lord.” It is the beginning and the foundation of the Wisdom that comes from Christ.

• Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.
• Proverbs 2:5 then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God.
• Proverbs 9:10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.
• Proverbs 14:27 The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, that one may turn away from the snares of death.
• Proverbs 19:23 The fear of the Lord leads to life, and whoever has it rests satisfied; he will not be visited by harm.

To be wise like Jesus we must learn to see God in His power, His strength, to revere His name, to treasure His Word.

3. Seek Wisdom!


• Proverbs 2:4 seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures.
• Proverbs 8:17 I love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently find me.
• Proverbs 15:14 The heart of him who has understanding seeks knowledge.
• Proverbs 28:5 Evil men do not understand justice, but those who seek the Lord understand it completely.

The Value of Wisdom: (in Proverbs)
1. To understand “the fear of the Lord.” (2:5)
2. To find knowledge of God. (2:5)
3. To guide your path. (2:9)
4. To protect you. (2:11)
5. To protect you from the wrong relationships. (2:16)
6. To bring you to Christ. (2:20)
7. To find life & peace. (3:2)
8. To keep you from pride. (3:7)
9. To equip you financially for righteous, just & equitable purposes. (3:10) Note the difference between just purposes & wealth. Wisdom doesn’t serve to make you rich for your own glory! Wisdom exhorts you to honor the Lord with all you have and all you are for His glory, for His will, for His name’s sake.
10. Proverbs 3:13-16 Blessed is the one who finds wisdom,
and the one who gets understanding,
for the gain from her is better than gain from silver
and her profit better than gold.
She is more precious than jewels,
and nothing you desire can compare with her.
Long life is in her right hand;
in her left hand are riches and honor.

The goal of the book of Proverbs is to describe and instill wisdom in God’s people, a wisdom that is founded in the fear of the Lord and that works out covenant life in the practical details of everyday situations and relationships.

WISDOM IS WHERE THE RUBBER MEETS THE ROAD. GIVE ALL THE HONOR AND PRAISE TO JESUS!

I leave you again where we started…

Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!
For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.

Broken bones??? Manna Ray Tubing

I really wanna try this... but I'd probably brake a few bones!

My favorite sermon of 2009...

Watch this message... it will change your life!

Why do you read the Bible? to what end?

this text is from the 1st chapter in J I Packer's "Knowing God":

For this very reason we need, before we start to ascend our mountain, to stop and ask ourselves a very fundamental question—a question, indeed, that we always ought to put to ourselves whenever we embark on any line of study in God's holy book. The question concerns our own motives and intentions as students. We need to ask ourselves: What is my ultimate aim and object in occupying my mind with these things? What do I intend to do with my knowledge about God, once I have it? For the fact that we have to face is this: If we pursue theological knowledge for its own sake, it is bound to go bad on us. It will make us proud and conceited. The very greatness of the subject matter will intoxicate us, and we shall come to think of ourselves as a cut above other Christians because of our interest in it and grasp of it; and we shall look down on those whose theological ideas seem to us crude and inadequate and dismiss them as very poor specimens. For, as Paul told the conceited Corinthians, "Knowledge puffs up.... The man who thinks he knows something does not yet know as he ought to know" (1 Cor 8:1-2).

To be preoccupied with getting theological knowledge as an end in itself, to approach Bible study with no higher a motive than a desire to know all the answers, is the direct route to a state of self-satisfied self-deception. We need to guard our hearts against such an attitude, and pray to be kept from it. As we saw earlier, there can be no spiritual health without doctrinal knowledge; but it is equally true that there can be no spiritual health with it, if it is sought for the wrong purpose and valued by the wrong standard. In this way, doctrinal study really can become a danger to spiritual life, and we today, no less than the Corinthians of old, need to be on our guard here.

But, says someone, is it not a fact that a love for God's revealed truth, and a desire to know as much of it as one can, are natural to every person who has been born again? Look at Psalm 119: "teach me your decrees"; "open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law"; "Oh, how I love your law!;" "How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!"; "give me discernment that I may understand your statutes" (vv. 12, 18, 97, 103, 125). Do not all children of God long, with the psalmist, to know just as much about our heavenly Father as we can learn? Is not, indeed, the fact that we have received a love for his truth in this way one proof that we have been born again? (See 2 Thess 2:10.) And is it not right that we should seek to satisfy this God-given desire to the full?

Yes, of course it is. But if you look back to Psalm 119 again, you will see that the psalmist's concern to get knowledge about God was not a theoretical but a practical concern. His supreme desire was to know and enjoy God himself, and he valued knowledge about God simply as a means to this end. He wanted to understand God's truth in order that his heart might respond to it and his life be conformed to it. Observe the emphasis of the opening verses: "Blessed are they whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the Lord. Blessed are they who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart.... Oh, that my ways were steadfast in obeying your decrees!" (vv. 1-2, 5).

The psalmist was interested in truth and orthodoxy, in biblical teaching and theology, not as ends in themselves, but as means to the further ends of life and godliness. His ultimate concern was with the knowledge and service of the great God whose truth he sought to understand.

And this must be our attitude too. Our aim in studying the Godhead must be to know God himself better. Our concern must be to enlarge our acquaintance, not simply with the doctrine of God's attributes, but with the living God whose attributes they are. As he is the subject of our study, and our helper in it, so he must himself be the end of it. We must seek, in studying God, to be led to God. It was for this purpose that revelation was given, and it is to this use that we must put it.

The Remedy

Lord I love Your Word

Just reflecting on God's Word tonight I scribbled down a few lines to a poem and I thought that I would share it with you... here it is:



Lord I love Your Word
It is the truest sound to my ears
It gives faith that fills my eyes
The song of joy rising with my breath
Lord I trust Your Word
It is a lamp unto my feet
Useful for me
God breathed to teach
Lord I read Your Word
Because You first loved me
Day and night by Your light
The Truth has set me free

True Theology is God's Word

What's the point of studying God's Word and increasing in the knowledge of God? To glorify and delight in God through a deep personal knowledge of him. Meaningful relationship with God is dependent on correct knowledge of him.

Do you love the Lord? Do you long to live by faith so that you can please Him with your life and grow closer to Him as you live out each day? Do you tremble at His Word? Do you find true meaning and life by meditating on the scriptures day and night? Are you falling in love with God when He illuminates the scriptures and allows you to see Him? There is nothing like seeing God and knowing that you are loved by Christ. Nothing compares with His glory, His name, His love, His kindness, His majesty, His grace, His beauty, His freedom, His Spirit, His Word. Any theological system that distinguishes between “rational propositions about God” and “a personal relationship with God” fails to see this necessary connection between love and knowledge.

Does God's Word give you more than knowledge? Does God's Word transform you and cut the marrow from the bone and bring a song of praise to your lips? Does the Word of God live in you and bring the gospel into your thoughts? I hope so... because when it does, life is so sweet! Let's devote ourselves to Jesus Christ by His Wisdom, His strength, His power, His leading, His Truth, His forgiveness and once again His Word.
Knowledge without devotion is cold, dead orthodoxy. Devotion without knowledge is irrational instability. But true knowledge of God includes understanding everything from his perspective. Theology is learning to think God's thoughts after him. It is to learn what God loves and hates, and to see, hear, think, and act the way he does. Good theology is based in the belief that God exists, is personal, can be known, and has revealed himself. These presuppositions motivate theologians to devote themselves to a passionate pursuit of knowledge from God's Word. Loving God means loving truth. God is a God of truth; he is truth.

The greatest thing that could happen to you today would be for you to fall in love with the Bible. For you to devote yourself to The Word of God. For you to be changed by seeing the glory of God in the Scriptures. (2 Cor 3:18) For you to know the Christ of the Bible as your Savior, Master, Redeemer, Propitiation, Friend, Mediator, Justifier, Shepherd and source of Truth. God meets man's greatest need of relationship with him through an understanding of truth.

“O Lord God, you are God, and your words are true, and you have promised this good thing to your servant” (2 Sam. 7:28). “Every word of God proves true” (Prov. 30:5; Ps. 12:6; 119:42; John 17:17).


ALL WORDS IN ITALICS ARE FROM THE ESV STUDY BIBLE ARTICLE: "Biblical Doctrine- An Overview of True Theology: Knowing and Loving God"

You are God!

Jesus wants the rose

A prayer for our nation

This is a prayer by Billy Graham that a friend shared with me today and I just loved it and thought I would share it with you!

'Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask your forgiveness and to seek your direction and guidance. We know Your Word says, 'Woe to those who call evil good,' but that is exactly what we have done. We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed our values. We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery. We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare.. We have killed our unborn and called it choice. We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable. We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self esteem. We have abused power and called it politics... We have coveted our neighbor's possessions and called it ambition. We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression. We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment. Search us, Oh God, and know our hearts today; cleanse us from every sin and Set us free. Amen!'

The power of God at work, saving everyone who believes!

2 Corinthians 11:3-4 …I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ. For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus than the one we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or if you accept a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it readily enough.

It's a big crazy world we live in full of wolves in sheep's clothing. We are surrounded by empty philosophies, false cliches and in every direction the truth is suppressed. Our eyes are blind to the Truth of Jesus Christ until God gives us the grace to see Him. My intent with this blog and my prayer in this moment as I write is that Christ will open your eyes to see the reality and Truth. To see the climate of ideas that surrounds us and the glory of the gospel that endures in the midst of us. It is of fist importance that Christ died for our sins. Lord give us the grace we need!

My greatest advice to you would be to filter culture, filter information, thoughts, ideas, philosophies and teaching through the Bible. It's the only absolute source of Truth we have. Read Psalm 119 and see the glory of God's Word in action. We know from God's Word that Jesus is the Messiah, the Christ, God's son who gave his life as a ransom for many. We read in Romans that salvation comes by faith alone through grace. I come to you, like Paul, deciding to preach nothing but Christ and Him crucified. And I pray that this message would not come with lofty speech or with eloquent words but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power. THE GOSPEL IS THE POWER OF SALVATION TO THOSE WHO BELIEVE!

Don’t put up with teaching
1- That denies that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. (John 3:16)
2- That communicates salvation by any means than faith in Jesus by grace. (Ephesians 2:8)
3- That denies the realities of being a Christian and suffering. There's no health & wealth gospel in the Bible (Romans 5:3)

I am committed to preach the Gospel and to share the Truth of the cross every time I teach from the Bible. Do you wonder why? Does it seem elementary to keep mulling over this Truth of Christ killed, buried and risen? When I was younger and dragged to church I hated hearing the gospel over and over. I was like, "Why dont these people talk about something else? I wanna hear about Noah or Jesus walking on water, not the cross."

2 Corinthians 4-6 In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

All the rebellion in my heart in those years was a blinding of my eyes to the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ. It is my mission to stand in the face of this opposition and speak the cross in a compassionate yet powerful way. Think about the cross, study the cross, sing about the cross, worship Jesus as the one who died and rose again, write about the cross, talk about the cross and live because of the cross! Because the Truth of the cross and life in Christ is the Gospel!

I'm gonna unveil some light on the Gospel with the help of John Piper's book God is the Gospel:

The gospel includes the good news that there is a living God who created heaven and earth. we bring you good news, that you should turn from these vain things to a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them. Acts 14:15 WOW, It is good news, it is the gospel that there is a living loving God who sent His Son to redeem us! There simply can be no good news without a living God who created the universe.

“How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, ‘Your God reigns.’” Isaiah 52:7 Part of the life of the gospel is to know the good news that Christ has conquered sin and death through the finished work on the cross. This is good news that OUR GOD REIGNS!

Acts 8:12: “Philip... preached good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ It is an essential part of the gospel to know that Jesus, the Messiah has come for us! Read John 1:14... The Word of God has become flesh and blood and moved into the neighborhood! WOW, what a God!

“Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you... For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures” (1 Cor. 15:1-3).
It is the gospel that Christ endured the suffering, the shame and death on a tree for our sins. He didn't deserve to die but He laid down His life as a ransom for us.

But there would be no gospel if Jesus had stayed dead. 1 Corinthians 15:17, “If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins.” This is why Paul’s definition of the gospel in 1 Corinthians 15:1, 3-4 includes both the death and resurrection of Jesus: “I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel... that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures.”

THE GOSPEL IS NOT GOOD NEWS WITHOUT THE PROMISE OF THE SPIRIT. The Holy Spirit is the down payment, a guarantee of the fullness of joy we will know in the perfected
fellowship with the Father and the Son in the age to come (2 Cor. 1:22; 5:5). What makes the gospel good news in the end is the enjoyment of the glory of God in Christ. The Holy Spirit provides the present experience of that enjoyment. Therefore the promise of the Spirit in the gospel is what makes it good news. Ephesians 1:13. “In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit.”

Peter described the gospel that God sent through Jesus as “the word that [God] sent to Israel, preaching good news of peace through Jesus Christ” (Acts 10:36).
Wow, we can have peace with God because of the good news, the gospel of Christ.

The effect of this peace with God is eternal life. This too is what makes the gospel of Christ good news. Paul says in 2 Timothy 1:10: “[God’s grace] has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.”

This gospel of grace and salvation through faith in Jesus Christ has changed and is changing my life. I will never be the same because of the precious blood of Jesus, that bought me and washed me and gives me life. Oh, that we would fall in love with the Bible, oh, that we would sing praise to the name of Jesus, oh, that we would fall in love with the gospel that is the good news, oh, that we would bring glory to God, the maker of heaven and earth, who loves you and proved that on the cross.

"Behold Your God"

“Behold Your God!”

(things we can know about God from Isaiah 40)

V9- Behold your God!

He is our God! He is the one we’ve been looking for… as we search through life looking for meaning, here in the 40^th chapter of Isaiah God says, “Look at me! I am yours!”

V10- Behold, the Lord God comes with might

He is mighty! He is mighty to save! He is strong and when He comes into our lives He opens our eyes to see His glory! He is a conquering King!

V10- behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him.

He is a generous benefactor to those who trust in Him and put faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ which is the power of salvation to those who believe. He gives grace, He exalts the humble, He is the defender of the weak. He is now, because of the finished work on the cross, because of the innocent blood of Christ our Father.

V11- He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young.

He is our Shepherd! The same mighty King in V10 leads His family with the gentleness of a shepherd. He takes care of us and feeds us with His Word. He will gather us when we wander and lead us home.

V12- Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand and marked off the heavens with a span, enclosed the dust of the earth in a measure and weighed the mountains in scales and the hills in a balance?

He is wise in the way He creates and sustains. He is the Creator of all things! This wisdom and precision shows me that He can be trusted!

V18- To whom then will you liken God, or what likeness compare with him?

He is incomparable! No where outside of the Trinity will you find such power and such glory. In no other name than Jesus can men be saved! Who can compete with His kindness? His grace? His love? His wisdom? His Word?

V21- Do you not know? Do you not hear? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth?

He is founder, He is from the beginning! There was nothing before Him!

V22- It is he who sits above the circle of the earth,

He is heavenly! His ways are higher than our ways and His thoughts are higher than our thoughts. Our God reigns!

V22- V23 who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them like a tent to dwell in; who brings princes to nothing, and makes the rulers of the earth as emptiness.

He is sovereign! That means He is in control! That means He will do as He pleases and who can thwart His purposes? Wow, nothing can separate us from that kind of love and authority! Praise and glory to Christ who endured the cross as a propitiation for our sins, that He would bring us to God!

V26- Lift up your eyes on high and see: who created these? He who brings out their host by number, calling them all by name, by the greatness of his might, and because he is strong in power not one is missing.

He is the sky-maker! He is the Creator that imagined the stars and gives source to their light. He knows them by name. Not one is missing, nothing can be plucked from His hand.

V28- The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary;

He is everlasting! That means there is no end in Him! He does not even tire our have need for rest, He doesn’t grow faint of heart or ever unable to love.

V29- He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength.

He is the source of true power and strength, we can do all things through Christ who gives us strength. He is the defender of the week and the giver of grace that brings life… Oh, that we might be to His glory!

V30- Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted;

We are not like him. He is the infinite while we are finite. We grow weary and need Him to know and experience life. Without Christ there is no way, no truth and no life.

V31- but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.

Behold your God! Let the Truth of God’s Word give you hope tonight, that we are loved. He proved it on the cross. Jesus will rescue you if you turn to Him. He will give you the grace to know Him and live for His glory. Wait on Him and He will fill you with hope and renew your strength! Through faith in Christ and the power of His Word we know that He will never leave us or forsake us.

Mainz

Traveled to Mainz, Germany today...

Walking around the Altstadt under the chilly overcast Central European sky, another city, another stretch of cobble stone streets, another cathedral, another market festival with all kinds of quality produce, german sausage, gourmet cheeses, beautiful breads and magnificent pastries. We had a bite to eat that took almost 2 1/2 hours. (these things happen quite often in Europe) I had the Yager Schnitzel with BratKartoffel... yummy! And a nice bottle of water. It's good meals like this that allow you to sink into conversation and spend quality time with good friends.

After lunch we headed across the square to the Gutenberg Museum. Johannes Gutenberg invented to printing press in the 15th Century. I will admit, I thought this museum might be a little boring, but it was awesome! I got to see some of the very first Bibles ever printed. These Bibles were printed in Latin in 1455. We also got to see a demonstration of how the original printing press was used... way cool! ( i got some postcards for a few of my peeps...)

After the museum we headed over to the huge cathedral in Mainz. There were some clergy or what looked to me like monks singing these crazy chants and harmonies. The blend of their voices would echo through the hall while people gathered to pray, take pictures and admire the amazing architecture. It's amazing that a church this big, that was still around in Gutenberg's day... seems more like a tourist attraction than a house of worship.

We decided to get some crepes and stroll down allong the river, taking some pictures and savoring the twilight. The city was buzzing with the transition of daytime market and carnivals to nightlife and fests. We found some German engineered spinning playground tea cup sort of things and spun ourselves into a dizzied frenzy. Followed by a nice walk past the innumerable Doner shops and enticing Italian restaurants.

A great day of memories...

What is a Christian? 10/19/09

Guten Tag! Here's the Club Talk from Monday Night... Just wanted to share it with you!

What is a Christian? 10/19/09 from Rob Scott on Vimeo.

an eloquent testimony of God's power

1 Timothy 1:17, “Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.” He later wrote,

As I read [these] words, there came into my soul…a sense of the glory of the Divine Being; a new sense quite different from anything I ever experienced before…. I kept saying and as it were singing over those words of Scripture to myself and went to pray to God that I might enjoy Him…. From that time I began to have a new kind of apprehensions and ideas of Christ, and the work of redemption, and the glorious way of salvation by him. And my mind was greatly engaged to spend my time in reading and meditating on Christ, in the beauty of his person and the lovely way of salvation by free grace in Him (from Jonathan Edwards, A Personal Narrative).

The Glory of Grace

Let Christ be magnified.
May His name be praised
Let our lives sing of His glory.
Perfection, set apart, ...Holy.

Jesus, you are my sustenance.
You are the grace that has given me life.
You are the joy that saturates my heart.
You are the hope of a future.
You are the sovereign, undisputed King.

You've opened my eyes to see you.
You've called my ears to hear you.
You've spoken Your Word.
You've shown yourself True.
Jesus, you are my strength.

Father, the earth is silent before You.
The water, land and sky.
The heavenly realms adore You.
Your blood testifies.
Let your Majesty shine!

Take my simple mind.
Teach me to be wise.
Protect my wandering heart.
Guide me by Your light.
Show me how to lay down my life.

Ask yourself this.

WOULD YOU BE HAPPY IN HEAVEN IF CHRIST
WERE NOT THERE?

The critical question for our generation—and for every generation—
is this: If you could have heaven, with no sickness, and with all the
friends you ever had on earth, and all the food you ever liked, and
all the leisure activities you ever enjoyed, and all the natural beauties
you ever saw, all the physical pleasures you ever tasted, and no
human conflict or any natural disasters, could you be satisfied with
heaven, if Christ were not there?

-from "God is the Gospel" by John Piper

Only God can make the Gospel GLORIOUS!

Coming home from two days in Bonn, Germany discussing God's glory I allowed myself to rest last night and let this truth marinate on my heart. Now as I wake to this Truth simmering with Joy and Praise for the One I write to share this with you. That you may know the Glory of the Gospel. Most of this lesson was taught by John Piper at the Shepherd's Conference and I just listened, prayed and tried my best to copy down notes!

5 Observations for PREACHING CHRIST.

1. Preaching Christ involves preaching the truth that God's ultimate goal is the display of His Glory.
What does this do?
a. Preaching the Glory of the Gospel protects the Gospel from a man-centered view of the Gospel.
We are constantly moving to a man-centered view of the Gospel. We like to think in terms of ourselves, I think it mirrors our selfishness. We love to think how Christ died for us, he forgave us, he made the world for us instead of thinking how glorious He is. He died because He is glorious and His glory had to conquer sin. He forgave us because His ultimate desire is for us to behold his glory and be changed into His glory.
b. It allows us to see sin for what it really is. Romans 3:23 is the most commonly preached verse regarding sin. For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23 Yet, most people think of sin as hurting someone else. Sin is not hurting someone else. Sin is falling short of the glory of God. So from this we can see that you can't understand sin without knowing what "falling short" of His glory means. Romans 1:23 helps us to understand Romans 3:23. Romans 1:23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. When we exchange God's glory for something else we are sinning. Sin is preferring anything above God. When we exchange God's glory for our own, this is sin. The average person does not understand what trouble they are in before God.
c. It allows us to see the cross. Romans 3:25-26 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. To understand the cross we must understand the meaning of sin and the centrality of God. What is the righteousness of God? It is God doing what is right. What is right with God is what accords with the infinite value of His glory. v25-26 only makes sense through the death of Christ on the cross. God is center throughout the Bible, not man.

Let's look at Isaiah:
Isaiah 43:7 "whom I created for my glory",

43:21 "the people whom I formed for myself",

46:13 "for Israel my glory", and...

Isaiah 48:9-11 “For my name's sake I defer my anger,
for the sake of my praise I restrain it for you,
that I may not cut you off.
Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver;
I have tried you in the furnace of affliction.
For my own sake, for my own sake, I do it,
for how should my name be profaned?
My glory I will not give to another.



When we share the Gospel we should share with people the supreme value of the glory of God.

2. Showing God's glory shows his love. Most people don't get this! We are loved by God when He shows us His glory! The love of Christ is probably not what most people think it is. Read John 11:1-6. Jesus loved them, SO... He showed them His glory. Jesus says, "It's all about my glory!" Love is not... sparing us pain. Love is making His glory plain to us. Most people including myself usually do not view love this way. We usually think of love with ourselves at the center and someone giving affection to us. Admiration for a glory outside of us is what we were made for. We were created by Him for Him. It is loving for God to do what He has to do in order for us to see His glory.

3. Let's look at the Gospel closer:
a. The cross was planned "in accordance with the scriptures" 1 Corinthians 15:3 Christ's death on the cross didn't just happen! It was planned.
b. The Gospel is a historical event. "Christ died" 1 Corinthians 15:3 If Christ hadn't died, there would be NO GOOD NEWS!
c. It achieved something:
1) The wrath of God was absorbed by Christ.
2) Sins were covered.
3) His righteousness was completed and secured.
d. That achievement is freely offered for faith alone. You can't work for it. Salvation is a gift from God by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.
e. When I receive the Gospel by faith the achievement is applied to me! Awe Yeah! God is good!
1) I am reconciled. (by faith in Christ)
2) I am forgiven. (by faith in Christ)
3) I am justified. (by faith in Christ)
4) I have eternal life. (by faith in Christ)

Why were you forgiven? 1 Peter 3:18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, This is why Christ suffered... That He may bring us to God. The book of Hebrews resonates this message. He is the mediator between God and man. There is no other way to God unless Jesus brings you to Him. Unless God is our highest treasure, the Gospel is not good news. The end of the gospel is to see and enjoy the glory of God.

4. Preaching Christ involves opening blind eyes. 2 Corinthians 4-6 In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. If you do not know Jesus with opened eyes because of faith than you cannot see His beauty or glory, it would be boring to you. Most of the people we share the Gospel to are in this very state of blind perception. I was there! The Gospel was boring to me all my life till the day God opened my eyes and showed me my sin. Then I had to turn toward His son and His glory. It was faith in Christ because of grace that opened my eyes to see! Note that, we have no power of our own to open people's eyes. Only God can make the Gospel glorious. That is why we should pray earnestly for the Holy Spirit to do it's work as we faithfully share the good news of Jesus Christ.

5. We must preach sanctification as the effect of the opening of our eyes. 2 Corinthians 3:18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit. Help people to see Christ and He will change them! If we behold the glory of God we will change. If verse 18 happens... sanctification happens. When we see His glory we are satisfied in Him. When we are satisfied in Him, the power of sin and greed is broken. I have struggled in my walk with God to protect my eyes and remain pure as a christian man. Yet, as I have learned and am still learning to behold the glory of God, everything is changing. I don't want to be the kind of guy that would exchange God's glory for that of my own. I pray that today we would see God's glory and be changed even further from this degree to another.

RECAP:

1. God's ultimate goal is the display of His glory.
2. Love is His glory displayed.
3. The cross is the infinite price paid that we might see.
4. Conversion is the gift of God opening our eyes.
5. Sanctification is the effect of seeing God.

Homesick but PRESSING ON!

Top two most homesick moments of the year:

1- Missing the epic surf sessions from Hurricane Bill.
2- Missing the opportunity to go to Catalyst with my best friends.

Now I sit here and pray for obedience in my life to walk the steps that God has for me. To speak the words that God gives me. To encourage others and overcome the sinful nature that I battle every waking day.

I listened to two sermons by my best bud Sean Byers tonight... The common denominator podcast and a message called Live 2 Die. http://providencebiblechurch.com/?page_id=96 It's a crazy feeling when you hear and know that God is molding one of your best friends for something greater. Just as I also am aware of the mighty hand of God on the life of my friend Kevin Connell and his ministry at East Coast Church. They may not know it but their faithfulness continues to spur me on toward Christ. The message of the gospel that flows from their lives encourages me even if I'm an ocean away.

I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. Philippians 1:3-11

The future is all about His Glory. Christ had died and Christ is Risen! Christ will come again!

The Christian Life

Walking on Water Family Update. Please Watch This!

Britt Merrick and his family found out this past week that their five year old daughter Daisy has cancer. I really encourage you to watch this message given by Britt the following Sunday. It is very powerful and we all should allow this message to sink deep into our hearts and minds and lives! Please be praying for the Merrick family and especially for Daisy!

When My Heart Is Overwhelmed from Reality on Vimeo.

It's October in Germany!

Saturday: Me and my friend Scott aka the new guy on Staff with MCYM/Club Beyond traveled to Vilsek/Graf in Bavaria to watch the Heidelberg Lions football team block a punt with 7 minutes left in the 4th quarter then score to win the game by 1 point. We enjoyed a good Doner and the sun was breaking through and saturating the countryside as we listened to a great sermon by David Nasser on the ride home.

Sunday: Up before dawn I scooped up my friend Lindy in my 23 year old BMW and we headed toward the Rhine River for a day on the water, a day near the castles, a day in the big hills under a chilly sky. We Rhine River cruised and had a great breakfast on the boat, overcame many small obstacles and had a great time exploring this beautiful area of Germany. A day that good will be hard to forget!

Home from a weekend of travels it's back to the cause. Last night at Club Scott gave a great Club Talk on our value to God preceded by small groups that allowed students to process through the verses before we even heard them preached. We have a lot of students that need the Way, the Truth and the Life. Needless to say ...God is stirring hearts in us and all around us. I'm so glad I'm a part of the family of God.

The Message

The Gospel Message by Bryan Jennings from WalkingOnWater on Vimeo.

Wisdom and "The Ministry of Marriage"

So much has happened in my heart this year and in the way that I worship God. So much has changed in how I live by faith. So much has shaken me to the core and caused me to cling to God's Word and the promises within it's pages. So many verses have jumped off the page and rung my bell. So many sermons have spoken to me and called me to dig deeper and attempt to apply scripture to my walk. Through the victories and failures I am learning to fail forward. And one area that I desperately want to align myself in accordance with the Bible is in the area of relationships leading up to marriage.

About a year ago give or take a few months I went on a wisdom rampage. Devouring Proverbs daily for almost 6 months. Studying the life of Solomon and listening for Wisdom in a sea of Podcasts. I asked for Wisdom, prayed for Wisdom, searched for Wisdom, hungered and thirsted for the kind of Wisdom that comes from Christ. If you knew me in that season of my life I'm sure you heard me speak of some kind of desire to know, have and exercise Wisdom in life. I don't regard myself to be a wise man, I have a long way to go. A long road to walk with Jesus and to be sanctified along the way. Yet, in these days right now, over a year later, wisdom is calling again. I've been confronted with a truth that the wise thing for me to do right now is to learn from my mistakes in failed relationships and do what I can to prepare myself for marriage. It sounds corny even as I type that last sentence but the calling to enter the covenant of marriage is no small task. I have been confronted by Christ to live out my faith now in a way that will bring glory to God later in life through the ministry of marriage. Who a man is as a husband and father to a large degree shapes who he is as a minister of the Gospel.

This entire calling to grow in this area of life started when I listened to a series by Craig Groeschel called "The Vow." That series came in and rocked me to the core. I wasn't even thinking much about marriage but the Truth and the Wisdom could not be ignored in my life. Jesus was speaking to me and guiding me with this series. Then a few days ago a book at the bookstore caught my eye by Voddie Baucham. The book is called "WHAT HE MUST BE ...if he wants to marry my daughter." The book has further confronted me with the sad statistics of the state of marriage in our culture and called me to strive and pray and prepare myself for a marriage that exalts God's Word and functions in the way marriage was intended to bring Him glory. I am now concerned with what I must become.

There are some things a man simply must be before he is qualified to assume the role of a Christian husband. For instance, he must be a Christian (2 Corinthians 6:14); he must be committed to Biblical headship (Ephesians 5:23); he must welcome children (Psalm 127:3-5); he must be a suitable priest (Joshua 24:15), prophet (Ephesians 6:4), protector (Nehemiah 4:13-14), and provider (1 Timothy 5:8; Titus 2:5).

I desire to honor God's Word and strive to become a man who will love his wife and lay his life down for her. I want to learn from the mistakes I've made in the past and do what I can now to walk with God in obedience to His Word. I want to be victorious in the battle for purity. I want to learn to lead in love, to lead in The Word, to lead in righteousness and to lead in selflessness. I want the world to know through my marriage that Christ has changed my life by grace.

*Words in bold by Voddie Baucham from "What He Must Be"

A day in this life...

Everyday is a new chance for me to be stretched and broken. When I break, the Gospel seeps through the cracks with power. Cause it's not about me...

Rolled over this morning and opened my Bible and was so encouraged by what I read. In 2 Peter 1:3 it says: His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence. It made sense. I have everything I need to live this day for the Lord. I was supposed to teach tonight and God showed me that I have everything I need to share the Gospel. I dont have a degree from a seminary and I still havent read the entire Bible but I have everything I need in Christ to share the Truth of His grace tonight. So I head out the door to work and morning prayer knowing that this day I will give to Christ and live it for Him. Yet... Living in the will of God and following Christ is always easier said than done. Everything came at me today. I wasn't communicating well, things were getting under my skin, attitudes were stirring within me. I knew for a fact that this opposition was trying to hold me back from teaching God's Word tonight. Up until this point in my life, I've experienced severe opposition as soon as a day before I would teach but never on the same day. I just decided to follow through and be faithful to what I had studied and what I felt called to share.

I stood up today almost a broken man and in that moment I knew that God had moved me out of the way. I knew that He needed to speak tonight. Peace is with me now as I type this knowing that the life, death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ was proclaimed as the Way to know who God is. God is Creator. His book is all about us knowing Him through His Son. The whole book is God revealing Himself to us. Even the first verse reveals Truth. He has created us. And check this, we can never know who we are or know what our purpose is until we find out who Jesus is. Once you find out that Jesus is who He said He was... Once you find life through His Spirit you will also find that you were created BY HIM FOR HIM. Purpose now flows through your life to bring Him glory, honor and praise.

There will be more hard days to come. There will be more Truth as well, as I read God's Word and He reveals Himself through Jesus Christ and The Holy Spirit. There will be more struggle and more victory. There will be more brokenness and emptiness followed by joy and praise.

The last 7 days

*Hungout with about 250 kids last weekend... Sumo Wrestling, playing relay games, eating ice cream, pinata, loud music and much more fun

*Kicked off Club on Monday... Gator fans are scarce in this region.

*Taught from the Bible that we are created beings with a purpose to honor God with our lives... He shapes us, We live for Him.

*Hungout with a bunch of Middle Schoolers Tuesday to Kickoff MS Club. Lots of pizza, lots of new faces, lots of good times.

*Swam a couple times this week and got a good core workout too... smellin like Chlorine is awful, I miss the salty water!

*Yesterday went on a hay ride, rode a horse, had a bond fire, made smores, threw the football and Frisbee, saw some human skulls and bones,went to an Ostrich farm and a potato field right by the border of France.

*Watching the action from Lower Trestles all week. Hoping Machado can win one again!

*Realized I wont be able to watch the Gator game this week. :(

*Religious Education Conference starts tomorrow... sitting in on some sessions.

*Stoked about the days to come.

*I'll be home in 3 months!

Club Kicks OFF!

Club Kicked Off to a roaring start last night. It was rep your favorite college football team night and its sad to say I was the only one in Gator Orange & Blue. (I guess people don't understand Championship football here) 45 Students came to hang out and enjoy the night. We had a great guitar player come and lead us in some indescribable music. We had some awesome volunteers come and pump life and energy into Club. We had some good grub to munch on provided by the Chapel. We dug into God's Word and found out that even in the 1st verse of the Bible, God is revealing Himself to us. He says through Genesis verse 1, "I am Creator." Then we looked at Colossians 1:15-16 how we were created By Him For Him. The ramifications of this Truth are astounding! We have purpose! To honor God with our lives! I love that passage in Colossians... Christ is supreme!

Under the same sky

Sitting here in some place with forest hills and tiny roads. No fast food for kilometers. No gelato within walking distance. I worked hard today, made good use of time and crossed some things off the list. I've had a crazy night though, one of those nights that make you hopeful for tomorrow. I've spent the last short while reading old blogs from this trip. Walking down the bumpy memory lane of my first few months here. It's amazing the way the tables have turned now. I am a different person now than I was 5 or 6 months ago. It's funny as I read my old blogs how much I notice the Christianese. It's funny how words like grace, mercy, truth and love flow through everything. Maybe as Christians we try to communicate using these words sometimes and tonight I wonder if there's a better way? I want to learn more. I want to continue on this path. I want to find more of God. I want to be a stronger man. I want to be healthy spiritually and physically. I want to be a better friend. I want to listen more than I speak. I want to charge the waves of life harder than I charge the waves of the sea. I want to connect with my family and love them better. I want to be a better brother, son, cousin, student, leader and a better man. I want to take this experience and never forget the lessons I've learned here. I want to go full throttle for His glory the rest of my days!

Reminiscing

Charlie Hall live at Murray Hill Theater... January 2009!



If you look closely in the crowd you can see me and some of my friends just enjoying the night!

Mission: His Glory

I'm moving around a bit this month as my roommate's family comes to visit. I am staying with a friend in the small mountains north east of Heidelberg for the next week and then I will be staying with another friend for a short period of time after that. It's a new perspective and the world keeps changing. The cool air is rushing in now and the first indications of autumn have arrived. Watched a football game in the cold rain last night and then had dinner with some friends at a lovely restaurant called "Vapiano's" in Mannheim. I loved the Rucola Ravioli with a Caprese Salad.

We are gearing up for Club to start in a matter of days and I'm in expectant hope that this year we will see more of Christ and Him glorified. I am contemplating God's glory and praying that I will be used in the capacity that I was created. My hope and eyes are on Jesus. I am extremely excited to be here this fall to enjoy Club, the HS football and share Christ through my life.

I'm also excited to finish strong here and return to Jacksonville in a few months. I'm hoping to use what I've learned here and serve the Lord at home in the ways He calls me. Life never made much sense until I met Christ. Now, as His will unfolds, I am concentrating on Him, knowing that in Him I can do all things and be the man He created me to be. It's a hard road that takes faith. It's a chaotic life that teaches us to embrace Truth. It's His voice that's beckons me to be silent before Him. It's His glory that is becoming my mission.

Truth?

Are you hungry? Jesus is the Bread of Life.

Are you thirsty? Jesus is the Living Water.

Jesus will meet you where you are. If you seek Truth, look no further than Him, He will set you free. If you are lonely, He will never leave you or forsake you. Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved. If you are single -marriage will not solve your problems. If you are rich -your money can't buy your way. If you want life, you must find Christ. Life flows from Him. He invented it. He knit you together in your mothers womb, You are the made in His image by Him for Him. You have purpose: To bring Him glory and honor and praise. He wants you to know the fullness of grace and to be changed by the power of the cross. You were once alienated from Him because of sin but there is hope. He has made peace through His blood that was shed for you and me on the cross. He has made this relationship right and presents us holy in the sight of God because of His death, burial and resurrection. This is the Gospel. That God would leave heaven on a mission to make things right, to make a way, to humble himself and serve, to cover our sin and to model obedience even to enduring the cross. The act of a Holy God giving Himself up for us changes everything. I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. We live by faith in the power of the Gospel and we know the Truth. Life becomes new as we now live by faith. Once you have tasted that Living Water, once you have the Bread of Life, You know life in Christ.

This is the Truth I was looking for my whole life. When I was alone, alienated from God in my mind, insecure and compensating... desiring to serve myself and find life at the altar of happiness. God doesn't want you to be happy, He wants you to be holy. He wants you to be overflowing with love, compassion, peace and joy. He wants you to know Truth and be like Him. He wants you to walk with Him and experience life by Him for Him.

The Gospel is my desire and my burden for you. I pray that you find Truth in Christ Jesus, the Truth that endures to all generations. He is God's plan to reconcile us to Him, "to make things right." This is grace. Sinners made Holy by the blood of Jesus. It's not good works + Jesus. It's not sacrifice + Jesus. It's only Jesus. Grace is that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. The Truth that makes my life worth living is that Jesus is the Truth that has set me free.

He loves those who love Him and those who seek Him find Him.

Can you see Him?

http://www.lifechurch.tv/message-archive/watch/can-you-see-him/1

Bad Boy Bill

Spending the day at home reading my Bible, listening to sermons and just monitoring the activity in the ocean on the East Coast. It's a special day for surfers and I'm just tracking the waves from the sidelines.

Here's a look at the first lines starting to roll through on Friday afternoon:

Here's a shot of the Biggest Dawn Patrol event of 2009 to date:

I may keep updating this as the saga continues...

Surf For Life

A Vision for Surf Ministry

By Robert Scott

What spiritual gifts do I possess that I use for God’s will in my life?

I have the gift of exhortation and the gift of teaching. The most passionate part of my life and ministry is teaching from the Bible, the Truth of Jesus Christ. I have a heart that breaks for teens as well as surf cultures that need Christ.

What is God’s calling on my life?

To know Him and to make Him known. Specifically, to teach Truth from His Word and share what Christ has done in my life to a generation of teens who need Him. From the moment I became a new creation and started walking with the Lord, Jesus started using me to take kids surfing. The Lord gave me the opportunity to share that passion for Him and the love of surfing with teens. Since being in Germany the Lord has shown me that He has called me to continue in that expression of love for kids who are interested in surfing. I hope and pray that through my life teens will know that God loves them. I pray that as I share truth that they will develop a hunger and thirst for God and that eventually they will become a part of God’s family. I believe that everyone can come to the cross, and God has called me to lead them there.

What is the mission behind surf ministry?

That every surfer can trust in the Lord and follow after Him!

Why does surf ministry exist?

Surf ministry exists so that the love of Christ and the Truth of His Word can be shared with a global surf culture.

What does surf ministry look like?

Surf ministry is Christ-centered relational ministry aimed at reaching out to people who share a passion for surfing, the ocean and spiritually empty surf cultures around the world. Surf ministry would be a mixture of discipleship for believers who want to go deeper with Christ and outreach to those who have never heard of Christ. This is an opportunity for teens to hear His Good News through the common ground of surfing.

How is surf ministry accomplished?

· By teaching students how to surf and how to live.

· Through bible studies with surfers on and off the beach.

· Through service projects (beach clean ups, mission trips, etc.).

· Through prayer gatherings at local surf spots to pray for the local surf culture.

· Through movie nights featuring Walking on Water Films.

· Through BIG events such as a Surf Camp.

· By educating young surfers on what God is doing in this world through surf ministry.

· By encouraging students to follow Christ and reach out to cultures all around the world that need truth.

Why movie nights and what movies?

Walking on Water Films share the love of Christ with those who love surfing. These movies are visually stunning and extremely impactful spiritually. I’d encourage anyone who has never seen a Walking on Water film to see one.

What are people saying about these movies?

· "Christians are uniting within the surf culture, and, with a stronger voice, are spreading the gospel.” - Christian Examiner on Walking On Water

· "Filmmakers guide surfers to faith." - Los Angeles Times on Walking On Water

Movie Nights would include titles such as:

· Noah’s Arc – The story and testimony of Noah Snyder. A pro surfer who, at the top of his career met Christ and his life has never been the same. His testimony is so powerful and many people have been introduced to Jesus through this film.

· Heart of a Soul Surfer - This is the story of a young girl named Bethany Hamilton who lost her arm in a shark attack when she was 13 years old. The story chronicles the way that the Lord has turned this tragedy into an opportunity and how God can use all things for good to those that love Him and are called according to His purpose.

· Walking On Water (The Movie) – This is the story of two young surfers that were given the opportunity to travel the world in search of the best waves and in search of what lies beyond their local break. They experienced different cultures and how Christ is pursuing the people that live around the world.

· Just Stop and Think – This is an amazing proclamation of the Gospel. In this film Francis Chan shares, from his heart, the amazing truth that Jesus Christ died for us so that we could have a relationship with Him. This film is not a WOW movie but it is well suited to share with surf culture and with teens.

What is God doing in this world through surf ministry organizations?

Some of the many organizations reaching out to surf culture include:

Christian Surfers (www.christiansurfers.com) – CS is probably the largest organization in the world with an intentional focus on surf ministry. Christian Surfers are stirring surfers to respond to God's call to move from Apathy to Awareness to Action. They are God Led & Surfer Focused.

Surfing the Nations (www.surfingthenations.com) - Surfing The Nations impacts local and international communities through the sport of surfing and selfless service by meeting needs and changing lives. With a focus on the 10/40 Window STNs is taking Christ to unreached people groups on the shores of continents all around the world.

YWAM Waves (http://www.ywamwaves.com/ministries.ministries_SFMI.ews) - SFMI is a ministry of YWAM dedicated to presenting the gospel to the least evangelized through surfing. They aim to use surfing as a means for missions to nations where an exploding surf culture coincides with the poor and least reached of our world.

Walking On Water (www.walkingonwater.org) – They are currently sharing Christ through surf films and missions all around the world. WOW also are known for having some of the most amazing Christian surf camps where teens get the opportunity to learn to surf with pro surfers who have given their lives to Christ.

BIG DREAMS –

• It is my vision and burden that I will continue to reach out to teens who surf, desire to surf and just love the ocean. It is my dream to actively engage surf culture and those communities around surf spots with the Truth and love of Christ.

• It is my dream that in the future… I would have a part in creating a surf camp for teens that teaches them to ride waves and fall in love with Christ. This camp would have an “all in” focus that we as young Christian surfers would lay down our lives for the Truth and make Jesus famous throughout the world.

• It is my dream to be a part of a mission trip for teens that would travel to a destination with good waves and broken people. On a trip like this teens would see the need for Christ in spiritually poor places and I pray it would be an eye-opening experience for both the surfers and the cultures we visit.
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• My ultimate goal through surf ministry is that the people I teach and share life with would see that there is more to life than surfing. Surfing is just the vehicle to deliver the message. I want them to know that there is a big world out there, full of people that Jesus died for. I want them to know that everyone can come to the cross.