Over Oceans Blog

What the gospel is not.

2010-01-13T11:21:00.001-08:00

from "Shadow of the Almighty"

2009-12-23T08:50:00.000-08:00

"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...

2009-12-06T05:49:00.001-08:00

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

Dare you to move!

2009-12-05T03:00:00.001-08:00

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

2009-12-04T02:40:00.000-08:00

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...

2009-11-25T04:37:00.000-08:00

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

2009-11-23T13:31:00.000-08:00

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

My favorite sermon of 2009...

2009-11-18T11:14:00.000-08:00

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

Why do you read the Bible? to what end?

2009-11-17T07:39:00.000-08:00

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

2009-11-16T05:15:00.001-08:00

Lord I love Your Word

2009-11-11T13:32:00.000-08:00

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

2009-11-11T10:36:00.000-08:00

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!

2009-11-11T10:04:00.000-08:00

Jesus wants the rose

2009-11-09T15:00:00.001-08:00

A prayer for our nation

2009-11-04T05:05:00.000-08:00

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!

2009-10-31T02:21:00.000-07:00

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"

2009-10-28T11:25:00.000-07:00

“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

2009-10-24T13:55:00.001-07:00

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

2009-10-21T09:11:00.000-07:00

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

2009-10-18T13:53:00.000-07:00

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

2009-10-18T13:28:00.000-07:00

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.

2009-10-13T05:36:00.000-07:00

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!

2009-10-11T00:42:00.001-07:00

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!

2009-10-07T13:48:00.000-07:00

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

2009-10-07T04:13:00.000-07:00

Walking on Water Family Update. Please Watch This!

2009-10-06T01:58:00.000-07:00

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!

2009-10-06T01:35:00.001-07:00

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

2009-09-30T11:26:00.001-07:00

The Gospel Message by Bryan Jennings from WalkingOnWater on Vimeo.

Wisdom and "The Ministry of Marriage"

2009-09-24T14:17:00.000-07:00

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...

2009-09-22T13:03:00.000-07:00

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

2009-09-18T07:53:00.000-07:00

*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!

2009-09-15T01:35:00.000-07:00

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

2009-09-10T12:55:00.000-07:00

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

2009-09-09T12:00:00.000-07:00

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

2009-09-05T07:09:00.000-07:00

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?

2009-08-30T12:06:00.000-07:00

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?

2009-08-25T13:03:00.001-07:00

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

Bad Boy Bill

2009-08-22T05:48:00.000-07:00

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

2009-08-22T02:33:00.000-07:00

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.
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.

LIFE NOW 8/21/09

2009-08-21T07:25:00.000-07:00

*Classic swell on the way to North FL courtesy of Hurricane Bill (watching from the sidelines)

*Teaching three times in three days next week (Please pray that I decrease & He increases!)

*Canoe trip was thebomb.com/amazing!

*It was super hot yesterday but the temp dropped 20 degrees and it feels great today!

*Reading three books and listening to various podcasts daily...

*Got a vision for surf ministry down on paper. (If you want a copy let me know)

*Excited for school to start and to be used by God this new semester.

*Feel like God is leading me to come home and finish my degree past December...

*Living each day as if it's an opportunity... Trying to make the most of this chance to grow!

*Missing my friends, my family and my ocean.

*Loving the gospel, it changes everything!

*Jesus, no where to turn but You... You have the words of eternal life!

A day on the Altrhein...

2009-08-17T10:24:00.000-07:00

Back from a day on the water with some really amazing students! Today about 14 of us took a canoe trip down the Altrhein River, it's actually a runoff of the Rhine River. We met this morning, loaded into some vans and headed for a day of paddling and soaking up the sun. Well, my knees soaked it up well, they are very burned. We paddled for a few hours down the river, stopping to swim and eat every so often. We laughed and smiled and tipped and swam, we shared an awesome moment of life together!

For me, I was so excited to share the Gospel today! I was in nervous prayer a bit this morning and just praying from my heart that the Lord would show up and exalt Himself above all else. I had the opportunity to share from Mark Chapter 4, four parables that Jesus taught along the shore + one life application (the storm, that took place the same day). I shared a truth, scattered a seed into the lives of these teens. I shared that Christ endured the cross for them, because of love... That he was put in a tomb but the grave couldn't hold Him and that He has risen again, defeating the penalty and the power of sin in our life. This is the truth that I am compelled to share. It is this truth that makes life worth living. I mumbled and tripped over my words a little today, but the Lord used me to scatter a seed of hope into the lives of these military teens. Please pray for them as they are confronted by the truth of God's unfailing love. He is so powerful yet so personal. My life has changed by grace and will never be the same... all because He first loved me.

Embracing Grace

2009-08-15T06:47:00.000-07:00

hearts on empty
faded smiles
another fork in the road
the wrong way for miles
the sky is broken
the clouds are cryin
my spirit's waking up
my flesh is dyin
just another summer
thick wind in my hair
a chance to discover
a truth to share
sorrow will turn to joy
as we learn to embrace
established and rooted in love
the work of grace
His will before us now
Jesus, our eyes on You
overflow in Me
so I can live true...

Why Jesus?

2009-08-12T07:42:00.001-07:00

The tide turns

2009-08-11T08:18:00.001-07:00

I'm living and learning, walking a road with God and sometimes I'm peeking down the side streets, wondering what life would be like if I went that way. Sometimes it's my own desires that lead me to chase self-centered dreams, sometimes the pressures of culture seem to almost force a decision or a step, but at all times God is in control. I've been praying about ministry and school and friends that I miss and students that I'm working with. I've been reading the Gospels and a few books on leadership. I've been really missing my family, my church, my friends and the ocean. I've been writing down the things that God has been showing me. I say all of that to say this. It is all rubbish compared to knowing Him.

But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ.8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ9 and be found in him Philippians 3:7-9

The beauty of life is that it's about Him. I've learned that if I keep my eyes on Jesus, I will see true beauty. If I trust in His sovereignty, I will know peace. If I follow Christ, I will know His will. If I love Him, I will obey Him. If I love others, I will serve them and share truth with them. If I trust in Him, I will know Him through each step of the way: Through drought, through plenty, through smiles or pain, through peace or war, through sunshine or rain, through ocean or desert... He will be there with me.

A look at the Christian Bubble!

2009-08-10T02:21:00.001-07:00

This video is a satirical look at an issue that too often lurks under the surface of modern Christianity. We are to live in the world but not of the world, there is a difference. There are people who need to see that being an authentic follower of Christ is normal and supernatural. It boils down to the fact that God wants to have a relationship with us, He doesn't want to turn us into pod people. You can be in the world and not of it. You can work a job and be surrounded by lost people and be a light. You can live in a community and be salt to your neighbors. You can represent Jesus through your lifestyle and testimony that once you were blind, but now you see.

"The Calling"

2009-08-09T06:36:00.000-07:00

So initially I messaged these quotes to a friend but then I realized that we all need a little encouragement sometimes, no matter how abrasive the truth behind the words may be.

In the book, "Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership" the Author contrasts the calling, the ministry, the struggles and the mountain top God moments from the life of Moses. I identify with Moses most of the time... Identity issues, fears, the unknown...

Here are a few quotes from the chapter "The Conundrum of Calling":

"There is a difference between knowing your path and walking your path."

"Ministry is always much harder than we think."

"It's hard to keep answering a calling that continually takes us right out to the edge of our faith and our human limitations."

"But a true leader is one who ...has seen a vision of what could be and who continues to take steps in that direction against all odds."

"For Moses: After the initial excitement, leading his people was just plain hard all the time."

"This is about the Spirit of God setting us on our feet and telling us: THIS IS YOURS TO DO. WHETHER THEY HEAR OR REFUSE TO HEAR, WHETHER IT FEELS TO YOU AS IF YOU ARE FAILING OR SUCCEEDING, YOU ARE TO SPEAK MY WORDS."

Lookout Jacksonville!!!

2009-08-06T05:47:00.000-07:00

Carving knee high peelers at the Jetty's & the Pier is Kaleb... a 6 year old grommet looking to shred waves for a long time to come. Lookout, J'ville may have a Pro-Surfer on their hands.

Kaleb 1st chapter from on Vimeo.

Big Right Shack!

2009-08-06T00:17:00.000-07:00

http://www.surfline.com/surflinetv/sixty-seconds/brian-conleys-giant-mexican-shack_29324

this is why we surf...

More from Habakkuk

2009-08-05T02:28:00.000-07:00

"You can't have a Habakkuk Chapter 3 type faith until you've had a Chapter 1 type question and a Chapter 2 type time of waiting." -C. Groeschel

Habakkuk in Chapter 3 exercised his faith by doing three things:
1- Remembering all of God's faithfulness in His life and the lives of his ancestors. (3:2) He called on God to "renew, revive, restore" God's goodness to his people in this time and this day.

2- Excepting what God had said even though it wasn't what he wanted to hear. (3:16) Even though it made his heart beat, his lips quiver, his legs tremble and felt like decay in his bones.

3- Rejoicing in the Lord, being joyful in His Savior. (3:17-19) Even though... I will rejoice. Even though _________________________________, I will rejoice. Fill in the blank with whatever you want but a Chapter 3 type faith with rejoice in the midst of that struggle.

In the beginning there was love...

2009-08-02T13:41:00.001-07:00

Your heart is bigger than the ocean
Your eyes are brighter than the sun
Your ways are higher than the endless sky
Your truth is older than time
Nothing can come between you and me
You've promised never to leave
And no one can pluck me from your hand
Your thoughts are more than sand of the sea
You are able to do more than I can dream
You've given me a hope to believe
The truth of You has set me free
Jesus You are all I need
I'll trade today for your glory
You've covered my sin with your blood
I'm falling in love with the story
that changes lives and makes us one

I wrote these lines today in reflection of what's going on in my heart. I'm not sure where I am going, because Jesus I am following Your lead. I'm excited to know You and stoked to walk with You where You go. Make me silent before You, as You are on the throne.

to know Him more...

2009-08-01T13:47:00.000-07:00

There's life and there's living. There are mistakes to be made and lessons to be learned. Failure is not an option, sometimes it's mandatory. It's so easy to get wrapped up in self. I know that Christ has both set me free and is setting me free. That's a doozey to explain but a joy to understand. Peace, Wisdom, Love, Faith, Hope... these things are a by-product in my life of what Christ did to sin on the cross. Why He chose to die in that manner I will never know, but I am certain that it was motivated by love. God is love, He is perfect and wants good for His people. He wants good for you. He wants you to know Him and seek Him and find Him.

Sometimes life gets so noisy it's hard to hear His voice. Sometimes life gets so busy we run out of time to read His Word. Sometimes life gets so uncertain it's hard to know His will. Yet as I sit here on my bed, typing from a place of rest and another lucid a-ha moment in my heart... I wonder if God's will for my life is just for me to know Him more, not in a theological sense but in a Father/Son way. He is calling me to fall in love with Him and to meet Him, to find Him in the silence even in the midst of chaos. Jesus took time to leave the crowds and find His Father in solitude. Maybe we should too. I've never been so aware of how noisy my life has been. I've never seen so clearly how much I have been affected by media, by the rush of culture, by the desires of my flesh.

I'm trying to say is this: God hasn't gone anywhere. He's not on vacation. He hasn't drifted away, He is on the throne and Jesus sits at His right hand making intercession on our behalf. Jesus still speaks. He hasn't stopped speaking, its just that sometimes life may be too loud for us to hear him. His blood stands in our defense. He wants you to come home. He wants to show you and the world through you, an authentic display of love.

A poem I've grown to love

2009-07-31T06:42:00.000-07:00

Holy One,
there is something I wanted to tell you
but there have been errands to run,
bills to pay,

arrangements to make,

meetings to attend,

friends to entertain,

washing to do...

and I forget what it is I wanted to say to you,
and mostly I forget what I'm about,
or why.

O God,
don't let me forget, please
for the sake of Jesus Christ...

O Father in Heaven,
perhaps you've already heard what I wanted to tell you.
What I wanted to ask is
forgive me,

heal me,

increase my courage, please.

Renew in me a little of love and faith,
and a sense of confidence,
and a vision of what it might mean

to live as though you were real,

and I mattered,

and everyone was sister and brother.

What I wanted to ask in my blundering way is
don't give up on me,
don't become too sad about me,

but laugh with me,

and try again with me,

and I will with you, too.

-Ted Loder, Guerrillas of Grace

Old Guys Rule!

2009-07-28T05:01:00.001-07:00

I hope I'm as cool as this guy when I turn 61...

Don't Forget!

2009-07-26T11:23:00.000-07:00

I spent a week with the MCYM Staff at the annual MCYM Welcome/Goodbye Conference in Wildberg, Germany and God spoke into my life clearly and I wanted to share a few thoughts with you through this medium. Who is this God? and Who are we? Two questions that were posed during two sessions of the Conference. The speaker Dave Sanders used a quote from a book called Creation / Temptation by Bonheoffer that said, "Satan does not here fill us with hatred of God, but with forgetfulness of God." It seems easy for us to forget sometimes the God we serve:

How good He really is...
How Holy...
How merciful...
How He is full of light and in Him there is no darkness at all...
How strong...
How eternal...
How matchless...
How complete...
How victorious...
How loving...
How gracious...
How BIG...
How true...
How Glorious...

And then we not only forget who He is, at least as I speak for myself: I often forget who I am:

I am accepted.
I am God's child. John 1:12
I am Christ's friend. John 15:15
I am united with the Lord. 1 Corinthians 6:17
I am bought with a price, I belong to God. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
I am a member of Christ's body. 1 Corinthians 12:27
I have access to God through the Holy Spirit. Ephesians 2:18
I am complete. Colossians 2:10
I am secure.
I am free from condemnation.
I am assured all works together for good. Romans 8:28
I cannot be seperated from the love of God. Romans 8:35-39
I will be perfected. Phillipians 1:6
I can find grace and mercy in time of need. Hebrews 4:16
I am significant.
I am the salt and light of the earth. Matthew 5:13-14
I have been chosen and appointed to bear fruit. John 15:16
I am God's workmanship. Ephesians 2:10
I may approach God with freedom and confidence. Ephesians 3:12
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Phillipians 4:13

What would happen to God's people if we reminded oursleves daily through His Word and prayer... Who He is and Who we are in Him? I think the world and our lives would be turned upside down. I think people would be loved and experience true love. I think people would come to know God and hearts would bow down in worship before Him. I don't wanna forget who God is and I don't want a false perspective of myself. It is no longer I that live but He is alive in me! Thats why I wanted to share this with you. It's changing my life, and I pray it will change you.

Lives Change in His presence...

2009-07-22T12:46:00.000-07:00

Bryan is the founder of WalkingonWater.org and one of my favorite guys. I had the chance to hear him speak at UNF last year. I just wanted to share this clip of his testimony with you. Give it a few minutes and listen to the change. The Lord works in the lives of people. He wants us to know Him.

That's My KING

2009-07-21T12:29:00.001-07:00

"Christian" ...what?

2009-07-15T14:06:00.000-07:00

It's a hard life. People are hurting in every direction. Kids are wanting to grow up quick and make money, parents work hard just to keep up, just to keep their head above water. Culture is a flood of perception, the media comes in quick and quite often unchecked, and we wonder where our materialistic impulses come from. I wonder why it's so easy to notice someone in new clothes but we try our best to look away when we see signs of pain or conflict? Is it just easier to complement then to get tangled in the emotions of human interaction on a real level? And when did we learn to put on a fake smile and just do what it takes to make it through the day? I understand that on some level composure is necessary but when is the right time to be real? We are christians. But what does that mean? When the whole world walks by with blinded eyes, what is our response? Is it enough to be a good person or believe that Jesus exists or is being a christian something more, something completely other? Is a christian someone who goes to church and hears the truth or is a christian someone who does truth, who lives in accordance with it? What does the Bible say a christian is? John 5:24: "I tell you the truth; whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.” The word “Christian” appears in the Bible only 3 times. A Christian is more often described as “a person in Christ” or “Christ in you.” Followers of Jesus Christ were first called “Christians” in Antioch (Acts 11:26) because their behavior, activity, and speech were like Christ. The word “Christian” literally means, “Belonging to Christ” or a “follower of Christ.” It's all about having a relationship with Christ. It's out of the overflow of that love that we should come together to confront injustice and humbly rise up against the flow of desperate living that seeps through the cracks of our culture because of our nature. We need a new nature, we need rejuvenation... we need a new heart, a new mind a new Spirit at work in our lives. This is being "in Christ" 2 Corinthians 5:17: Therefore, if anyone is in Christ,” he is a new creation;” the old has gone, the new has come!” I've been asking this question "what is a Christian?" from a small group resource we are using. A true Christian is a person who has put faith and trust in the person and work of Jesus Christ, including His death on the cross as payment for sins and His resurrection on the third day. A true Christian is indeed a child of God, a part of God’s true family, and one who has been given new life in Jesus Christ. How do you become a Chrisitian? By admitting that you have sinned, believing that Jesus Christ, who was sinless, died in your place, He did not deserve death but accepted this penalty on our behalf and committing your life to Jesus, the risen Lord, by asking Him into your heart to change your life and make you more like Him. Romans 10:9-13: That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. As the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame." For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile--the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, For, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."

I've really enjoyed the first entry in the small group book called, "My first 30 quiet times." We are going through this book with some of our middle schoolers and that question just couldn't escape my mind. What is a Christian?

LOL

2009-07-11T14:49:00.000-07:00

This made me laugh so much I had to put it on here!

Chapter 3 type Faith

2009-07-10T15:08:00.000-07:00

Truly these must be days of grace. One thing I've learned about God, when you hang on through the storms and let faith sustain you in the dark times... He always reveals Himself to be good and full of life. I've still got crazy passions and misunderstood notions of what I should do with my life and where I should be, which road I should take but I am in Christ. Wherever I go, whatever I do, I pray that I will do it unto the Lord and make what little vapor I have count. What's the use in trying to be someone else. I am willing to go anywhere, but just to be transparent... I can't discount the fact that the Lord may want to use me in ways that are different than my desires to serve Him... Yet I serve a risen Savior that also wants to give me the desires of my heart. Still, the closer I get to Jesus the more I see that my heart is desperately wicked and can't be trusted. None are righteous, no not one. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us!!! I want to live for Him. I want to be willing to do what He calls me to, even if it's embarrasing, awkward and uncomfortable... even if I have to go against the grain and learn to speak up for truth and testify to what is right. I wanna learn to worship Jesus despite the circumstances, despite my will but in adoration of His. I want to be willing to live near or far from glassy peelers and waist high rip curls. I long to learn to love, even when I can't be loved in return. I want to be commited to the calling that God has on my life and be found faithful in the small things. I want to be a light that shines on the top of the hill into the darkness and never feels ashamed of the Spirit that's changed me. I want to be less religious and more in love with Jesus. I want to give myself and my time when I feel I've got nothing left to give, to serve in ways that people don't even notice but in ways that God sees Himself represented in me. I want to be more like Him and less like me. God change me more, give me Wisdom to live in this world for you, in Spirit and in Truth.

in the stillness...

2009-07-06T08:56:00.000-07:00

my december from Eric Hires on Vimeo.

This video is so contemplative... Think about life, behind the beauty, there is love. In the silence, in the stillness. Every moment is a moment made by God for Him. I'm so glad I'm a part of His family, His story.

Changes...

2009-07-05T12:03:00.001-07:00

Changes-Chris O'Rourke from WalkingOnWater on Vimeo.

Changes Everything...

2009-07-05T11:30:00.000-07:00

Back from Italy...

The world is so big and full of wonder, glory and mystery. The Lord paints the sky and gives breath to flesh, changes our hearts toward truth and mercy by grace. The people are what matter, those souls that roam the land and the sea are spiritual beings on a human journey. It's not about the car you drive or the clothes you wear, the money in the bank or what's left in your wallet, it's not about the bling or even your biggest dreams... It's about Him. God's plan for your life is for you to know Him and make Him known. Hearing the Gospel changes me to this day. hearing of who Christ is, the power and the grace, hearing of what He came to do, His finished work on the cross, hearing of His ressurection, how He conquered sin and death, hearing about His Spirit, that He is alive forever more, in me... Changes Everything. His life, death and ressurection have turned the world and trusting hearts upside down. Now our lives are poured out into the darkness and people see His light, His splendor and He is glorified because of what He has done. I've never been so aware of my sin, how I have nothing to offer... Yet I am forgiven through faith and clothed in garments of grace. There's nothing for me to do but rest in the ways He uses me. Try not to be anyone else and just press on in this skin, with my faults and my insecurities, with my fears and my worry I just take another step toward Him and He slowly shapes me to be like Him. I'm so far from done, yet He is faithful to complete the work He has begun in me... This is my hope, that He will finish what He started when He met me where I was. He loves me the way I am, but He loves me too much to leave me this way. That's why I trust in Christ, because He is. There's nothing to trust in apart from Him. These are my thoughts as I return from two weeks in Italy, two weeks with the Gospel working on my heart...

Forgotten Promises of God.

2009-07-04T07:58:00.000-07:00

Here's a link to a great walking on water blog post I just read: Forgotten Promises of God. I thought you may be encouraged by this blog post!

Italy Beach Break High School Edition

2009-06-26T06:09:00.000-07:00

It's hard to put into words what God does through the Holy Spirit. Live's Change in His presence. A response is required by that kind of love. As I look back on this great adventure, I know that He was, and is, and is to come.

Roll Out: We packed a bus full of students from Heidelberg & Turkey and rolled through the first night south through Switzerland and into Italia. It was a grey morning driving into Tuscany but you could see the beauty just ready to burst forth.

Day 1 : Straight off the bus we are met by the work staff and ushered into tent city where an unsuspecting leader immediately gets pied in the face and Beach Break has begun. Our guys group was signed up for Paintball on Day One so we had a quick breakfast and geared up for an 8-on-8 Woodsball match. I have never played Paintball so it was fun for me to get a taste of the that adrenaline rush. After paintball we loaded on to the shuttle that took us to the beach, we spent the afternoon playing volleyball in the sand and body surfing the shin high peelers. I loved the moments, I could feel the walls tearing down through leisure activities and relaxation I was looking forward to hearing from Jesus that night. Our first club was all about Christ and His power. We read about how Jesus has so much authority and power that even the winds and the waves obey Him. I loved the talk and felt the rushing wind in my heart that night. -We were all running on only a few hours of (bus sleep) and continued into a foundation laying small group and a good end to the first night. At least thats what we thought. There were about 400 students and close to 200 leaders/work staff in tent city and nearby areas. Well that night, we felt the authority and power of God in a real way, just like the Bible story we read. Lightning came through the area with a bright sky and thunderous shockwaves through our tents. At 3am we had to evacuate the campground and move hundreds of people into the gym at Camp Darby. It was a crazy moment but an awesome adventure to recall.

Day 2 : The leaders rose up in the gym with all the students still at rest, the leaders met to worship Christ together in a raquetball court. This was my favorite worship moment... Evacuated haggard leaders meeting in a room with crazy acoustics to present our lives before God. If I only had a recording of that moment, those voices in Spirit and in Truth. We were supposed to take everyone to a waterpark that day but the plans had changed so we moved on to the beach and the Lord had a special blessing for me and my students there... WAVES. They were almost two feet high and I got crazy on them lefts, boogien the curl, sharing what I love with students that had never even ridin waves before. We also had some good pizza and gelato to eat.

Day 3 : Elba... We take buses and drive to the port and cruise the Med waters to Elba, an island off the coast of Italy where Napolean was once exiled. I looked in my Surfers guide to Europe and I knew that there was a reef break on the south west corner of the island, I really wanted to get there but it wasnt feasible. I ate gelato and chilled on the pebbled beach. Skipping stones with students and enjoying the sunshine. That night we talked about Christ as a personal God. He's not only all powerful, but personal as well.

Day 4 : I was really stoked off my rocker Day 4 to visit Cinque Terre on the west coast of Italy. We took a train into the 5 cities and enjoyed some pesto pizza, snorkelled in the lagoon/harbor and many students leaped at the opportunity to jump off some cliffs into the water. I wanted so bad to jump off the rock but I'm still letting my collar bone heal and I didnt want to risk any injury at this point. That morning before Cinque Terre, we talked about sin. How we've all missed the mark. How sin creates a wall between us and God. Everyone needs forgiveness... We've all sinned and fall short of His glory.

Day 5 : It was another beach day for us and the waves were less organized, there was a choppy on shore wind and not much pulse in the water but we made the most of it and boogied our way to shore. We ate more and more gelato and basked under the Tuscan sun. Many students had their first chance to ride waves on Day 5 and it was just great to relax and catch the fetch. It's the inbetween moments that matter most in ministry I think. The silent moments of relection, the bites to eat with fellowship and bonding moments that happen when our guard is let down. These are the moment when the Gospel is preached by the way we live. I was thankful for each and every word and truth shared this awesome trip. That night we talked about the cross, we talked about the fact that Jesus has destroyed the wall of sin that seperates us from God. There was a 15 minute quiet time for everyone on the beach and we all had the opportunity to watch the sunset in silence and pray for God's movement on our behalf, we used the silence to just absorb the G3 sunset that saturated the sky. Hundreds of people in silence before the sun sets is an epic moment in my walk with God. I am so thankful for all the people who have given and sacrificed so that I could be a part of God's plan in these students lives. I'll end with some advice that I shared with one of the students. We were talking about life and I said that if I could give him any advice it would be this: Trust in Christ that He died for you, Trust that He can and will forgive your sin, Trust that He rose again, Trust that we will be with Him.

Last Day & Ride Home: The trip ended with a talk on the resurrection. God has conquered the penelty and the power of sin. We packed up and said goodbye. The workstaff shared their testimonies and we headed north with a bus full of kids on pop zing, north for Deutschland. It was a long road but through the entire trip the Lord provided us with safety and blessings both known and unseen. I love these students. I love Christ. Remember: There are no gaps in the trinity... God is control, Jesus has finished His work on the cross, and the Holy Spirit compells us and guides us to turn toward God and walk with Him. We do not love Him under our own power but He fills us with His power and His love.

Italy Beach Break 2009

2009-06-16T01:21:00.000-07:00

The last few registrations for Beach Break are coming in and the work crew is in place, setting up camp for 600 middle and high school students to experience the love and grace of Christ. Beach Break 2009 starts this Friday! We will be camping in tents over the next two weeks at Camp Darby in Livorno, Italy. Beach Break will include day trips to Elba, Cecina, Pisa, Lucca & Cinque Terre. I'm seriously stoked for the boat trip to Elba next week. I always love being near the water.

There's still an element of mystery regarding the program and what we will be doing all week but one thing is for sure. Students will be introduced to Christ through truth, love and grace.

Pray it up for this time together. Lives will be changed this week. You can be a part of this week with us through prayer & supplication.

POP ZING AWE YEAH!

Schools Out For Summer

2009-06-12T06:12:00.001-07:00

Yesturday was the last day of school and to usher in summer with a bang Club Beyond teamed up with Youth Services to host an event called, "Splash into Summer." We had over 150 kids show up to a day of Water Wars, extreme obastacle courses, BBQ, a chance to dunk their leaders and a great story from the Bible.

I think that of all the events we've been a part of this year I may have had the most fun at this one. I enjoyed being dunked in the tank, even though it was a cold windy afternoon. It was awesome to work with the YS and to see all the different faces.

There were over 1,000 water balloons filled with a host of super soakers and buckets of water for our Capture The Flag/Water War. It was an all out water assault. I enjoyed every minute of the day!

it's PCS Season...

2009-06-05T04:40:00.000-07:00

...it's PCS Season and that means many people are moving away. Some are headed back to the States or to a different post in Europe. This is my first experience actually seeing people's lives being shifted at this level. Our staff is being moved and shifted as well. I've never had to say goodbye to this many students, coworkers and friends. I'm in prayer right now knowing that as people move out of this area, new faces will move in. There wiill be new students to reach with the truth of Christ, new staff that come this way with a burden to share God's love and new soldiers that come here to serve their country. As the tables turn, doors open and close... Please pray for those who still need to meet Jesus. There are students who need to know Christ personally, staff that need His guidance and soldiers that need His protection. Just a few thoughts and something to pray for.

-Rob

10-13

2009-06-03T13:04:00.000-07:00

In the police force, there's a code called 10-13. If a man is down and needs help, backup or rescue he calls out 10-13 on his radio. Police officers take 10-13 very seriously and if a fallen officer crys out 10-13 over the radio, the nearest officers drop everything they are doing to come to the rescue of the officer in need.

Are you in need of a rescue?

Romans 10:13 says, "WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED."

Christ waits for you to call on His love and mercy. He draws you to him and will rescue you by grace through faith. We all are sinful and fall short of the great glory of Christ. We all need rescue from sin, we all need to be cleasened of unrighteousness. He is our salvation.

I just want to encourage you through this blog to cry out to the one who forgives and mends. Develop a real relationship with Jesus through faith in His death, burial and resurrection, through faith in His Word. The tomb is empty, He wants to hear your cry and respond in love.

More Than Conquerors

2009-05-25T10:01:00.000-07:00

We have conquered the mountain. Let me first say that this weekend was one of the greatest moments in my life. I will never forget the way the Lord blessed me and my friends this weekend. His hand was clearly seen by His creation, His protection and His love. The Haus Ministry gathered together in a campground in Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland this Memorial Day weekend. We met together, ate together, worshiped together, encouraged each other, conquered a mountain and shared life as one. I can honestly say I've never seen a group of this size (approx 20 people) serve each other and fit together in love the way we did this weekend. I think it's a testimony of grace the way we all shared in making this weekend an unforgetable life song to the Lord.

The first night we arrived in the Suisse and pitched tents... always a fun time for the guys. We also marvelled at the weather which was perfect considering the weather reports said rain each day. We also joined many others for a Bible Study on the book of Jonah. We talked about a truth that sometimes we dont want to do God's will. We sang songs and emptied our hands of all burden before God that night. We got real and honest about the Christian life, it's not easy; but its worth it.

Day two we conquered the mountain but it took about 8 hours to do it. We left the valley after pancakes and other breakfast yummies... and walked toward Isenfluh. It was a steady fast & short breath incline up to Sulwald. Up here, the cattle and sheep graze in the thin fresh air; the daffodils brighten the countryside and the waterfalls roar. There are 72 waterfalls in the area. Weclimbed and climbed for 3 hours over rock, snow and got plenty of pics. We decided to try for a glacier lake and a nearby restaurant on the top with a panoramic view. We all had to Press On and keep our eyes on the goal. All along the path there are little troughs with fresh cold water water seeping from the mountain. After a bite to eat we set on a path less travelled and got in some gnarley situations... STEEP declines, drifty snow covering the path and wet slippery stones every foot step, mud everywhere. We helped each other, prayed, and kept on keeping on.. focused and determined to make it home. At this altitude there was no turning back, like the Christian life we had to move forward one step at a time, together. We lost the trail at one point and the sky got dark and the rain fell in all its sweet splendor. We came across a haus high in the peaks with no driveway, only trails that lead to the doorstep. They gave us a tip that we had missed a turn and we moved back toward a new trail that would lead us closer to home. At one point the lightning came and we huttled near a small cave and let the heavy showers pass by. We continued to press and boulders were in the way, trees had fallen in our way... we helped each other. I hope you recognize a theme in this writing that we were there for each other, we wouldnt have made it without staying as one, with one goal, to conquer that mountain and make it home. That night we were all beat but enjoyed some tasty steaks and smores by the fire.

The next day a smaller group travelled up to Kleine Sheidegg and a group biked into Interlaken. I enjoyed resting a bit and taking the train up to Kleine Sheidegg up above the tree line near Jungfrau. I had a Bella Vista Rostizza for lunch. (hash browns covered with chicken, mushrooms, tomato and melted cheese.) The lunch was great and we enjoyed the view then headed down the mountain to go see Trummelbach Falls. TF is a set of 10 waterfalls that have cut right through a mountain with over 20000 gallons per second of water moving through there. One sad story that loomed over the weekend like a dark cloud was that Friday afternoon aboy went missing near the falls. He was a 12 years old British boy and somehow he fell into the falls. We prayed for him a few times but we just found out this morning that they found his body in the water but the current was too strong to get it out. Please pray for his family, I cant imagine losing someone I love to that water.

It was one of the best weekends of my life and a model of Christian unity I will never forget. Please pray for the Haus Ministry as we share life together and grow toward Christ. Pray that God will continue to bless this awesome ministry!

HMS Kids Boot Camp 2009

2009-05-20T07:55:00.001-07:00

Yesturday at Heidelberg Middle School Club Beyond had the chance to partner with the community to serve students who have parents deployed down range. The event: HMS Kids Boot Camp 2009.

At this Bootcamp, students had the opportunity to try on Military gear, get in a 5-ton Army truck, get Camo face grease, do PT, eat some MRE's and see what Army dog's can do. It was a great day at the Middle School and over 60 students enjoyed the event.

Please pray for these students who live life day to day while their parents serve our country and fight for freedom.

Jesus isn't hanging on a cross.

2009-05-18T07:04:00.000-07:00

I read a great blog today and you should too...

here's the link: http://evotional.com/2009/05/jesus-isnt-hanging-on-cross.html

Jesus isn't hanging on a cross! He is on the Throne!!!

this week:

2009-05-16T05:40:00.000-07:00

*On monday we passed out Popsicles at the High School to advertize Beach Break and then we had a pajama night with some crazy prank calls, pillow fights and a great Club Talk by Jenna about How Christ wants to have a personal relationship with us...

*Tuesday I played soccer with Middle Schoolers at lunch and that night we had a Superhero Club... I enjoyed a really deep small group after the Club Talk

*Wednesday I did laundry and took time for a much needed rest

*Thursday night I went to a wonderful Bible Study... we talked about how God delights in us... Wow, it was good.

*Friday we hung out with some students, watched the season finale of The Office and enjoyed a Yager Schnitzel at the Shutzenhaus (i know i spelled that wrong)

*Tonight it's time for "Die Kartoffel" (Argentinian Steaks brought to you raw... you take your cut of meat and cook it on a lava stone at your table... once your meat has achieved perfection, eat it off the stone... I go with Filet Mignon) with my friends Mike & Julia and a new couple who just moved here and want to help us work with students... Awesome!

Dont Give Up On Dreams...

2009-05-13T08:44:00.000-07:00

DON’T GIVE UP ON DREAMS

We lost the sky
Misplaced the sunshine
Wasted all our free time
It was only words
We made a map of our minds
Filled our pockets with moonlight
We traded rhymes
I can’t afford your verbs
We never say goodbye
Cause it’s midnight and daylight
I always meet your terms
You said I love you first
We can’t forget to remember
It’s always late December
The shadows silently sing…
“Don’t give up on dreams”

maybe just maybe

2009-05-09T11:20:00.001-07:00

maybe just maybe, everything's workin out for a reason... the tides and the shade, the struggles and the pain, the stars and the changing seasons. maybe just maybe, i've got a little more to say... hope in my heart, Gospel on my breath, a future on the narrow way.

we had a fun week with nerd night on Monday (everyone dressed up like geeks, dweebs and nerds) and then a great small group on Thursday and a paintball night on Friday. I got to go to both a track meet and a baseball game for our students this week and I feel that there is something deeper in me producing something through me that I can't quite explain or comprehend. it must be Jesus and His glorious mercy. i was one of those breathing tornados but now i live in the eye of the storm...

i talked to my best friend who is road trippin through Cali right now and I was so encouraged by our conversation. it's true: IRON SHARPENS IRON. God please grant me the grace to saturate myself with YOU. mold me both for tomorrow and the future. equip me just to rest in You tonight. help me to forget the past and PRESS! (on) i think there's been days lately where i've felt so alone and depressed that i've doubted the goodness of God... i haven't turned my back intentionally but instead of being filled with the Holy Spirit i've been overflowing with apathy... which is sort of a oxymoron i think...

anyways, i am thankful for this moment, i am thankful for forgiveness, i am thankful for hope and i know that a day is coming that will be the culmination of grace. i look forward and rest tonight in thankfulness and joy

***sorry for such a random & poorly punctuated/grammatically incorrect blog post

My Favorite Place

2009-05-06T10:59:00.000-07:00

I got a little homesick thinkin about how much I miss surfing the Poles, being a part of small groups with my best friends, how much I miss PLUTH and PLBC, my family and the bridge... I ended up just jotting down these words:

I’ve caught waves off the coast of Florida
Wrote poems by the Frisco Bay
Got lost somewhere in Austria
Ate a crepe on the Champs-Elysees
I fell in love in California
Lost my heart in Germany
Didn’t have much fun in London
But Bruges was like a perfect day
Sang songs to the Lord in Praha
Ladenburg feels like a maze
Climbed a rock on Mt Washington
In DC I took a nap in the shade
I watched the sunrise in the Grand Canyon
In Cozumel got caught in the rain
Never been to Hawaii
But Home is my favorite place

The Amazing Race

2009-05-06T02:16:00.000-07:00

Wow, time flys. This is the first chance to rest I've had since my last blog post. I feel like I've been moving and processing things as fast as I can... and even though that may not be quick enough I believe that God is doing something through us here.

Last Friday we had our Freaky Friday event for May: "The Amazing Race." Over 80 Middle School students showed up to decipher clues planted all over the Patrick Henry Village post and use teamwork to complete each task. The first team to find each clue and complete each station would be crowned winner of The Amazing Race. After the race we had a huge game of Dodgeball before Laura shared a Gospel presentation on "the lost coin" and how God loves and treasures each of us so much that He would send His son to rescue us.

The following day me and my friend Ashley took a daytrip to Bruges, Belguim to take a look around. It was the coolest little city, of which I knew nothing about... which in my experience makes it better when you have no expectations. I love seeing different cultures and hearing different languages, knowing that God created all of this and it reminds me that He's still in control.

I'm excited to rest today a bit and prepare for my small group tomorrow...

The Times They Are A-Changing...

2009-04-30T13:26:00.000-07:00

I walked off the plane into this moment of newness and it seems as soon as my suitcase hit the ground everything started to change. I'll admit that the change has been slow to come for me. It takes a different kind of individual to succeed here, and in order to be an effective leader here everything must change. I was naive in thinking that a hungry heart and a passion for youth would be enough. I just bought my first planner yesturday. I never thought I'd be that kind of guy, never really wanted to live by a to-do list and though it may be naive of me to think this way... I thought that if I had made it this far, maybe I could ride that wave that way till I one day reached the shore. I'm really writing this because I want to say that I am desperately trying to step up to the challenge of being more organized and better managing my time. And the reason behind that is the students here. If I can really improve here with my job performance I think in turn, I will better serve the students. I pray that the Lord will have mercy on me as I go through these growing pains and as I learn to not live life one wave at a time but one page at a time, one day at a time.

Retreat & Re-Focus

2009-04-29T02:03:00.000-07:00

Well, I've been super busy the past few weeks, getting back to work as my collar bone continues to heal and travelling a bit. Its a fight of faith, this christian life, this calling to follow Christ. I know that something is developing in me through this that I can't quite explain but it's been encouraging to see the Lord carry me through this time in my life. He is completely faithful, steadfast in affection and love for those who seek Him and who cling to Him. I feel like a kid holding the hand of my daddy just asking him to not let go because the chaos of this world around me I just don't quite understand.

I was in Prague, Czech Republic for 4 days last week. We had our MCYM Staff Retreat in Prague and we utilize this time to grow closer to Christ, to step back from ministry and just take a deep breath and try to listen to what God would say to us. Our Region of MCYM met together every morning to read the scriptures and sing worship songs as one. It was amazing to me to think about the fact that Prague is such an atheistic city. In that room as we sang with our hearts directed toward heaven, who knows... we may have been the first christians to ever just worship God in that room. I had the feeling that those praises were breaking through some kind of thick spiritual canopy that covers the city.

My favorite aspect of our devotions that I want to share with you is our focus as MCYM Staff, as Club Beyond leaders. Our Regional Director made the comment that he could give us a nice little one line focus statement, something that he could speak into our lives that we could all go home repeating in our heads over and over... that little one line statement could become our vision statement, our motto, our focus. But he didnt do that, he refocused that into what our ministry is really about: Jesus. Our mission is Jesus. Our message is Jesus. Our strength is Jesus. Our hope is Jesus. Our life is Jesus. Our walk is with Jesus. Our truth is Jesus. Our reality is Jesus. Our faith is Jesus. Our righteousness is Jesus.

When you focus your mission on Him, thats when you see clearly what you are to do next, thats when He becomes a lamp unto your feet. I was so thankful to hear Jimmy's heart about that... I'm thankful to serve with someone who recognizes that we must first grow closer to Christ ourselves so that we can share Christ with others as well.

Life & Faith

2009-04-17T11:29:00.000-07:00

Through all the struggles of life and faith it is amazing to hear from God... He speaks to us through His son Jesus Christ. He loves us with unfailing mercy and grace. He is truth and holy. His holiness is honestly something I can't even grasp... He is completely other.

I've been holding on and choosing to trust in a God that would leave all the glories of Heaven to die for me. Learning to look at the cross instead of my shortcomings. Remembering the past and how He changed me, washed me and made me new. I was addicted, broken and empty yet He met me where I was. In these harder times I've been remembering the first days of being transformed and it makes me thankful before Him. Just like Habakkuk I am waiting and listening and God is speaking and I am growing in faith as the result. Our walk with God is not validated by circumstance but by His love.

Habakkuk Ch 3 Verses 17-19 read,
17.Though the fig tree should not blossom And there be no fruit on the vines, Though the yield of the olive should fail And the fields produce no food, Though the flock should be cut off from the fold And there be no cattle in the stalls, 18.Yet I will exult in the LORD, I will rejoice in the God of my salvation. 19. The Lord GOD is my strength, And He has made my feet like hinds' feet, And makes me walk on my high places.

This is this kind of faith I want, need and am praying for... As it all falls apart progress cannot be measured, it is in these times that I want to sing of His goodness and take joy in His presence.

God grant me faith that I might know you MORE.

a new poem I wrote today

2009-04-13T18:42:00.000-07:00

"Palace Gardens"

under heaven songbirds sing
empty sky still opening
footstep shadows in the grass
still streams tempted by bubbling brooke
insects delicately wandering
thoughts dismayed at rest
silent heart now healing
nature makes sense of this mess
to the ground all collide
from the inner soil of life
breathe a deep breath of hope
:to love and to be loved.

"Crisis of Belief"

2009-04-13T03:25:00.000-07:00

I can surely sense that I've hit a wall of faith in my walk with God or what Henry Blackaby referes to as a "crisis of belief". What I believe in my heart just doesn't match up to what I see in my life. I want to be more effective in sharing Christ, give more and serve from a purer place in my heart. As I pray for the next level and hold on to God through the continous spiritual storms of life I trust that the righteous will live by faith. Though I may not see what God is doing I will trust that He is good and continue.

I don't think I'm alone in this place, I believe that many christians come to this crossroad where we must choose to trust that Christ is in control even when it appears that the wicked prosper as we suffer and the darkness seems to allude the light.

Jesus, you are my King... and I will serve you. I will turn my eyes to the cross, because your shed blood makes sense of my pain. If they rejected you they will surely despise me. I trust that faith is the only true currency in this bankrupt world and I will trust in who You are. Make me a humble giving servant. Forgive me for being saturated with self and distracted by the temporary things of this life. Lead me and show me the way everlasting. Amen.

Collision

2009-04-10T13:44:00.000-07:00

Last night was amazing... for me. Earlier in the day I saw that Kevin was praying about the Collision service at PLBC for that night. I wished so badly I could just be there and once again be a part of what God is doing in the midst of the students at Promise Land. I desperately miss being a part of such a loving church. You can always feel the love of Christ when you walk around or near that church, or when you spend time with the people.

I started praying that the Lord would be lifted up and that He would do something special last night. I was at home watching some movies late and as I was just about to go to bed I decided to check my twitter one last time and BAM! There Kevin was twittering a link to watch the service live online.

I followed the link and there they were. The band practicing for the show, my friends walking around the room. It reminded me of their faithfullness to the Lord. They are still being used by God in the lives of His people. I saw grace and truth collide last night and I'm now changed and challenged to make the most of my life for Him. I'm all in!

Thanks Promise Land...

Transformed

2009-04-05T09:56:00.000-07:00

My friend Jimmy made this video from day 1 of Service Project 2009.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2kufVHEAJA

This too shall pass...

2009-04-05T07:20:00.000-07:00

It's another afternoon here in Ladenburg, Germany. Another day of rest, my next chance to clean my dirty clothes, rest my bones, read a book and or close my eyes. It's quite warm today so I decided to put on my flip flops (I havent worn flip flops since I arrived in Europe) and stroll through town and maybe grab a bite to eat. I stopped at the Galleria Pizzaria on the Hauptstrasse. There were some tables outside where you can stop and eat while the town passes by on foot or on bicycle. There are musicians playing in the street for change, people shopping, tourists wide eyed, children laughing and you just get the feeling that everyone is enjoying life together. Its a slow pace, long stare, deep breath kinda town. It's a sit by the bridge in the park and watch the water pass you by and listen to the wind sing kinda place. I sat down to order a Gnocchi alla Romana from the streetside cafe. As I approached the table two elderly gentlemen also sat down. I'm a complete stranger who can speak hardly any German but the three of us just sat down and made the most of the moment. They had just visited the Mercedes Museum that is just down the street and they actually gave me a free pass to go check it out this month. They told me about Heidelberg in different seasons and how much they love Ladenburg. Since all the MCYM Staff and Students are in Czech for Service Project I've been just stuck here and it was so nice to actually have some human interaction today. So now that I'm home I just felt like jotting down this terrific little lunch I had and sharing this experience. I know it's in my best interest for me to rest and let my bones heal so I'm trying to enjoy the little things that happen this week.

Storm

2009-04-04T16:16:00.000-07:00

In this place at this time the words to this song have felt so real to me. It almost seems autobiographical... I know that I am being strengthened within by facing this storm and these obstacles face to face, and I know that I must take my faith to the next level to overcome.

How long have I been in this storm?

So overwhelmed by the ocean's shapeless form

Water's getting harder to tread

With these waves crashing over my head

If I could just see you

Everything would be allright

If I'd see you

This darkness would turn to light

And I will walk on water

And you will catch me if I fall

And I will get lost into your eyes

And know everything will be allright

And know everything is allright

I know you didn't bring me out here to drown

So why am I ten feet under and upside down

Barely surviving has become my purpose

Because I'm so used to living underneath the surface

If I could just see you

Everything would be allright

If I'd see you

This darkness would turn to light

And I will walk on water

And you will catch me if I fall

And I will get lost into your eyes

And know everything will be allright

And I will walk on water

And you will catch me if I fall

And I will get lost into your eyes

And know everything will be allright

And know everything is allright

Everything is allright

by LifeHouse

MCYM Service Project 2009

2009-04-03T11:13:00.001-07:00

Tonight a double decker bus filled with students and leaders from MCYM will drive through the night toward Opava, Czech Republic. MCYM Club Beyond Service Project 2009 starts tonight! I'm not able to attend because of my collar bone injury. This is one of the biggest events of the year for MCYM, a place where students can have the opportunity to serve through construction, language and VBS type ministries. I'm not actually in on all the activities that will be going down since I'll be resting here in Ladenburg all week.

Please pray that the Lord will make Himself known through Service Project 2009. I know that if I was healthy enough, it would be one of my greatest honors to serve alongside those students this week.

Hope for Tomorrow

2009-03-30T13:52:00.000-07:00

I have so much hope for the future as I settle down for rest tonight. My first 6 weeks here have felt like a nightmare at times, but I see God all around me... I know that hearts are changed by the Gospel. The Gospel is the message here, its the story, its the words on our breath, its the reason and our hope. I came here for different reasons and most have faded away but the Gospel remains.

I don't want to live my life under my own power. I want to rely on the Holy Spirit. I am starting to seek God about my future again, while at the same time making the most of this opportunity. This work has revealed so many of my weaknesses which the Lord will overcome and I have a strong passion for Christ that I don't always feel that I can articulate. Honestly I feel more comfortable typing or writing words than speaking them... But my perspective is changing so much and my desires change alongside my perceptions.

I see how important education is right now. I feel that I missed the bus on getting a good education but I dont want to give up just yet. I feel a major push in my heart towards Bible College after my time with MCYM is complete. I am starting to pray and seek God about my education, I am listening for His voice and meditating on His Word.

Please pray that the Lord will clearly guide me to the right school next year just as He has clearly led me to this moment. All my faith is in the fact that He is good, I just desire to do the task that He has created me for... I think that's what I've been looking for for so long.

Let's call this the COMEBACK...

2009-03-27T08:46:00.000-07:00

The days keep coming as the sun keeps rising and falling through the sky. My arm's in a sling to keep my collarbone from moving and I'm starting to engage the student culture here in Heidelberg once again.

We had a great middle school guys small group yesturday at the Java Cafe on post. (Java is our equivalent to Starbucks) We met up and just kicked back and shared life for a while, spoke truth and encouraged each other toward Christ. I love the small group setting, the opportunity to be real, to unveil the real you... it's a place that we can share our victories and bear each others burdens.

Our small group is really starting to gel now. We had so much fun yesturday we've decided to meet up tonight for round two at the bowling alley with pizza for dinner. Our small group has been so much fun for me and it's one of the best times I have to connect with the students, I just wanted to write and share with you how God is making this work. It's all for Him!

Looking for Love

2009-03-26T02:10:00.000-07:00

If love is a commitment... If love is a choice... If love is laying your life down for someone else... If love is mercy... If love is a product of grace... If love is more than a clashing cymbal... If love is forever... If love is a one way street... If love is truth... If love is light... If love is humble... If love is giving... If love is in Jesus... COUNT ME IN!

It's all I've wanted since I was about 7 years old. My parents divorced when I was in 2nd grade and in that moment all the realities of life crashed into my soul like a flood of strife, angst, anxiety and doubt. I thought that if my family couldn't stay together than nothing could hold together. I saw the division and how it changed every aspect of my reality. From that moment I desired to find a love of my own that could withstand any struggle, that could overcome any obstacle. I know now what I didn't know then...

My heart was crying out for Jesus. I was being filled with a desire for an incorruptable love. My circumstances were crushing me, yet the hope of Christ was seeping through the cracks in my life. I'll confess that I have struggled the last few days asking God why this has all happened to me. Sometimes I question God when I cannot see His ways. I guess I really wanted to write this to renew my own faithfullness... He has overcome every obstacle in my life to this point and called me His own. This is just a reminder to myself that any situation can be used to honor Him if we hold on to the hope of His life.

The further down we must go... The higher we will RISE to be with Him.

The Latest

2009-03-23T07:28:00.000-07:00

So just to give an update:

I visited my orthopedic doctor today in Heidelberg and after much discussion we have decided to take the most conservative route for healthcare on my shoulder. We are gonna monitor the healing and see if the bones will start to mend themselves over the next few weeks. We are also praying that the knumbness in my arm and chest will go away as the bones reset and begin to grow back together.

Thankfully we have found a physiotherapie office on the Hauptstrasse in Ladenburg about two or three blocks away from where I live, which is convienient considering my lack of transportation. The cost is also very low for Physical Therapy at this location which helps considering my situation.

Over the next 14 weeks the healing process will unfold and I am hoping in the Lord and His ability to fix me. Just wanted to give you the latest...

-ROB

Health Update

2009-03-20T05:14:00.000-07:00

Ive got a medical appointment this afternoon with a neurosurgeon to scan my brain, neck and shoulder i believe. MRI. My collar bone is jacked up for sure. The newest struggle I am having is that the bones are pinching the nerves under my clavical and its causing my chest to go knumb. There are also a few nerves in my neck that were probably affected by whiplash and its causing my left arm and sometimes my left leg to go knumb. The doctors are gonna scan my head today and hopefully everything will be ok so that I can have surgery soon. Normally I would have already been operated on but since I had amnesia for about an hour they need to know that my head is ok before they put me under again. It's nice to have my mom here right now to help me make the correct decisions and get through this process. I still dont know how long the recovery process will take from surgery but hopefully we will know that soon. I just wanted to write this to update anyone who wanted to know whats going on with my head, neck and collar bone. Thank the Lord for that helmet because it most def saved my life.

Never Give Up

2009-03-20T02:03:00.000-07:00

time gets rough when you feel the pain
life gets cold in the frozen rain
i keep looking forward never gonna give up
dont look back cause its never enough
it takes Christ to mend a broken life
it takes innocent blood to pay the price
our God was broken on a tree
He gave Himself for you and me
He is the truth He'll never give you up
He humbled Himself and drank a bitter cup
at the sound of victory all heaven proclaims
salvation comes through Jesus' name
this rocky road is starting to turn
the stars in the sky look like they burn
keep walking with Jesus and be like Him
He's the giver of life... He conquered sin...

joy

2009-03-18T01:33:00.000-07:00

so i havent had the chance to blog for a week because i've been up a mountain and landed on my head, tied up and rushed to a german hospital where i would undergo 4 days of laying on my back waiting to get my clavical operated on because its splintering into my muscle right now... that was a glorious run on sentence. i know my grammar and punctuation is always lacking but i have to type with one hand today so it may seem progressively worse this afternoon.

all i can say about the last week is that i am experiencing true JOY... you wouldnt think a barrage of madness could instigate something like joy but i tell you that i feel loved, i feel broken in the best sort of way, i am optimistic about the future and i am who i am because Jesus loves me. i wouldnt be here without the support of family and friends and its possible that one could live an entire life and miss out on the joy that comes from knowing Christ. i know that joy and i trust Him by faith. the opposition can shake the world, break my bones, disturb my heart and i may even be alone but i am with Him. i am a branch that gets life from the true vine, accepting no imitations.

situations force you to choose your path. our selfish hearts long for the comfy road of sunshine blue skies 75 degrees and nothing can derail our plans and goals. we try to become someone we are not at times because we want to fit in with the world. have you ever taken the narrow road? the narrow road doesnt always make sense, you may not even have a place to rest your head or you may skip out on a meal every now and then... you may feel like you are digressing on this path, you may feel like you arent even getting where you want to go but the narrow road is not about you... its about you becoming who God wants you to be. im not done yet, and theres no turning back. its on this road that ive found joy holding hands with pain, where love overcomes loneliness and where light saturates the darkness.

all im trying to say is True Joy is found in the True Vine. Jesus is the rock when everything is spinning, and you find Him on the narrow road.

im empty but full of life

im a sinner yet He stands in my place

i am full of pain and joy and peace

i am weary yet confident in His Word

nothing can seperate me from the love of Jesus Christ.

Everything Cool Happens in Europe

2009-03-11T13:45:00.000-07:00

A month ago today my world changed... Heading east with starry eyes and a heart on fire I embraced the madness of being thrust into this "new" world like a fish out of water. I could feel the tremors of a life being changed through my mind, my heart, my prayer life, the way I walked with God, the way I intently would hang on each new verse that would give me a momentary life sustaining gasp of spiritual oxygen. I resisted the Spirit at times, doubted God's provision, recalculated the sum of the decisions that brought me here and faced the truth. The truth that God truly loves me enough to curb my selfish desires and break me for His glory is a hard one to wrap my one track mind around. I speak honestly when I tell you that I begged God for a mercy that could only come from him, I asked for a peace that could calm all my fears and I asked Him to make Himself known by my life and the way I live. I've even asked Him to help me write that I may accurately share with you how amazing His grace truly is.

I am a product of mercy, a child of grace, I write that you may know that it is worth it. Follow Him. Loose your hands and get a better grip on life. Empty yourself in silence, find Him in the midst of the chaos. Beauty grows despite the mess. I came to the realization this week that it would glorify God the most if I would just complete my joy in Him by finding my rest in Him. I no longer want to strive after the empty paths of self and comfort. I am very uncomfortable in the flesh but at home in the Spirit. I'm chasing this wild goose that keeps calling my name.

I had a wonderful day today with my friend Olivia. We spent the afternoon practically doing nothing but sharing life. The sky opened up today and we just reveled in the newness of the light. Mediocre tasks like an oil change, a trip to the post office and an afternoon in a McCafe just
seemed to cement the idea in my heart that this is all orchestrated by God. Its in His timing that Ive found true rest. Its His love that has put amazing people in my life. I have a lot to learn from the friends God has put in my life. I got a package from my penpal today and I cant help but know that it is God that has put her in my life. I'm listening to the "Everything Cool Happens in Europe Mix" she made me as I type and it all makes sense. He died for us that we may know Him. There's no mathmatical equation to forgiveness, it's all a byproduct of God's love and His character. Jesus shedding His blood for all mankind on the cross proves that He cares, whether you except that or not He is still worthy of all we have. Whether life is hard or not He is still on the throne. Whether the earth shakes or all is still every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. The Word of God will never be altered, He will never forsake His children, He diciplines us because He wants the best for us. He wants us to know Him in a way that changes everything about our lives.

I walked home tonight and just listened to the water of the Neckar River flow under the railroad bridge that crosses from Ladenburg. The sky was G3 and the moon seemed full, it was the first time Ive seen the moon since Florida. It has been so overcast and Ive missed it all the days to this point. G3 is rare in this valley this time of year. Is your life overcast? Just because you cant see what God is doing in your life doesnt mean He isnt there. You may think you will never see that light again, you may even forget its there but I assure you, that moonlight tonight caught my eyes and i couldnt even look away.

One Fine Day!

2009-03-09T14:37:00.000-07:00

Today began with a howl... and I do mean screaming squall lines racing through the sky stampeding their way through the valley toward the hills. Sideways rain and city walls deflecting the winds and forever changing their course. I opened my eyes and felt that I couldn't make my morning walk to Neckarhausen in these conditions so I called Ashley to scoop me up and we journeyed through the passing skies to Campbell where the gym and raquetball courts are. On the ride over the squall passed and the sun broke through the sky in a familiar chorus of bright morning bliss. With Tenth Avenue North seaping through the speakers it was the first full on Florida moment I've had since I've been here.

We hit the Raquetball for a while and lifted some weights, got the blood pumping and took off to the middle school for some contact work. I had a really interesting conversation with a student today and it really just put a smile on my face. We also had a pizza party for the raffle winner of Fear Factor and 5 of his friends at 1st lunch. It was cool to meet some new kids and just chill with them eating pizza. Today was off to a great start.

After middle school lunch I was dropped off at the Shopping Post where I would take my driver's test again, since I had failed it the first two times. Hey, it's not as easy as you would think... but I passed it today! I got a 97 and put that behind me. In retrospect, it probably worked out for the good because I really do understand how the system works now because I've had to study that book so much lately. Failing the test the first two times was really hard on my self-esteem, I think a little air was let out of my ego each failing attempt. I'm not saying I'm prideful now that I passed but for a guy, being able to drive is a very necessary attribute in the repertoire.

Next on the Agenda, a last minute skit rehersal and costume tweak session. The theme for high school Club tonight was "Red Carpet Club." We held Club in the Village Pavilion which is a very nice dining hall. The kinda spiffy place you'd hold a formal dance or yuppie conference or just maybe "a Red Carpet Club." Me, my friends, the students, everyone and your mom dressed up as movie stars.. I was goin for Mark Ruffalo/John Cusak (since they are my favorite actors) but it was probably more like Robbie in a blazer. The night began with some hor d'ouevres, a tall glass of water and then transitioned into a "first kiss video." Jenna & Laura interviewed a few of us and asked us to describe peanut butter on camera. Of course we said that its creamy or chunky and gets stuck in your teeth. But then they used our footage to answer the question... What was your first kiss like? After that funny video... myself, Austin and Phil did a SNL skit where Jim Carrey was a lifeguard and Will Ferrel is chillin in a hot tub. HILARIOUS moment! We also got to show our Beach Break Promo Wake Up Videos. We gave out Oscars to the best videos in each category... Best Male Wake Up Vid. Best First Kiss Vid. One more skit was on tap for the night involving myself and a few friends. We did the "More Cowbell" sketch from SNL. It was so funny! My friend Mike Hart did an awesome Christopher Walken in the skit. Finally at the end of the night, Laura gave a great Club Talk on how Jesus was the perfect sacrifice for all sin. She explained how sin could only be forgiven through His blood. She explained that we each have sinned and have fallen short of His glory, yet He loved us so much He made Himself the Way. We had 45 students at Club to hear this message of grace and mercy. The same Gospel that changed us is still being proclaimed. I am thankful to be a part of God's redemption plan. What could be better than pointing others toward the light, toward the Christ... What could be better than helping them find true love.

YOU GET HIM (and He is enough!)

2009-03-07T05:58:00.001-08:00

Expectations are a tricky thing. Deep down with every decision we make I think we all expect some certain result. I think the result is sometimes the motivation that pushes the decision forward. Yet many times we make decisions prayerfully as we seek God and listen for His voice. What next? If we act based on our time with God in His Word and through the answer of our prayers we should experience the will of God in our lives. The only way I can truly write honestly about this is to personalize it. This is the intersection where I find myself right now.

I have travelled abroad based on a need in this ministry. Through prayer and petition I asked God to speak to me and to lead me or to keep me where I was. I have certain scriptures that I could still share with you that led me to take each step. There were obstacles that were moved for me to get here and God has reassured me that I am where I belong time and time again since my arrival. But this is the question I am asking today, this is the crossroad I tread upon:

Why is it so different than I expected? Why were my expectations so far off?

I think these two questions should be asked by most of us regarding a decision we've made. God has you were you are for many reasons...

Isaiah 55:8-9 says, "My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,' says the Lord. 'For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts."

I write to share with you that certain expectations I had about this place have been exceeded and a few things I felt certain about have sort of shattered in my mind. Its sort of the way Jesus turns everything upside down. My high expectations have been brought low, and my low expectations have been wonderfully uplifted.

low to high:
I came here for the students, not for the location. I travelled to Europe when I was 15 and I didn't like it very much. I thought the food was bad and there was no sunshine and I got homesick after a few weeks. And to be honest Germany was my least favorite place I had visited. So I was naturally hesitant and filled with low expectations about living here. But now that I am settling in and being planted here, as my shallow roots begin to take I am loving this place. I love the food here so much and I will truly miss that when I leave, I love the architecture, the history andI love being immersed in a foreign culture.

high to low:
I travelled this way thinking that I would spend a lot of time with students and just rest in God's will. I thought that if I could follow Christ in obedience to come, saturate myself in the Word and serve with an open heart that everything would just fall into place (like a Christian fairy tale.) But thats not life and thats not the reality of following God. The reality of following, knowing and being with Christ is that YOU GET HIM (and He is enough!) The truth behind this mission is that:

"I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me." Galations 2:20

So as far expectations go, living for God is unexpected. You know not when, where or how He will lead you, but we know why... because of His love. So do not fear the unexpected uncertainties that come with being a follower... Because YOU GET HIM (and He is enough!)

Yesturday

2009-03-07T02:20:00.000-08:00

"Freaky Friday" was the busiest day so far for me on this side of the ocean. I had crashed on Thursday night at my friend Austin's house as we prepared for the day ahead. The day began before the sun had time to rise, @ 5am alarm clocks were calling for the tasks at hand. I rolled over and out of bed through the shower and into the early morning with high hopes and butterflies, expectation and anticipation.

Task 1 (6 am): Make a "Wake Up Call Promo Video".
Austin had pre-arranged an ok with a high school student's parental units for us to sneak in early, set up some embarrasing props and startle the sleeping student to life. The goal was to make this video a promo for Beach Break in Italy this summer. We made our way up to the door quietly, slowly and softly. With the video camera ready to roll, flashlight ready to shine and noise makers ready to cause ruckus we entered the room. We had brought a cute little Dora the Explorer blanket to drape over the sleeping victim of this Wake Up. With the embarrasing blanket in place we shined the light directly into his eyes, got crazy loud and disturbed the inner peace of the room. It was hilarious and even though I havent seen the video playback yet I'm sure it came out good. We woke him screaming, "Josh, It's almost time for Beach Break are you going? Are you excited? Wake Up man, It's almost time for Beach Break!!!" then as the camera pans down we ask... "Josh, Why do you sleep with a Dora blanket?" So funny..

Task 2 (11 am): Go to Middle School lunch to amp up the students for Fear Factor
Its always fun going to the Middle School for lunch. Today we just tried to get the students stoked about Fear Factor after school. A lot of kids were really excited to go and see what would happen.

Fear Factor (3 pm): After preparing for this event the last two weeks I was anxious to see the creepy crawly unfold. We had 5 event stations consisting of different games and fear challenges. I think we had about 90 students attend the event. There was a physical challenge with a complete relay obstacle course. An event called "Gone Fishin'" where students, without using their hands, had to pick up fish in their mouths and run across a tarp about 20 feet and drop the fish in a bucket. The team with the most fish in the shortest amount of time would win. Next there was a "Grab & Guess" station. Inside a bag was an unkown item that the students would have to conquer their fears to feel around and guess the name of the object. With items like Octopus, Peanut Butter, Noodles, Sardines and more. The next event you had to fire a nerf gun at a board with about 7 disgusting things to eat and 1 good thing being chocolate. You would get more points for a more disturbing item to eat. The last event was a contortionist spelling contest with words taken from a Bible passage. The students would have to spell a word from the passage correctly using their bodies to get points. A word like "Gennesaret" would be worth 20 points. After all the fear challenges, my friend Olivia gave a talk about conquering the fear in our lives, and how Jesus wants to be our way out of those fears. When we are fearful we should turn to Him.

Capture the Flag/Camp Fires (8pm): After cleaning up from Fear Factor we set up for a night with the High Schoolers playing Capture the Flag in 34 degree rain. We had some fires blazing under the gazebo with smores and hot chocolate. We had three teams of about ten people each representing the US, Germany and Britian. We played and played and ran and got soaked and bathed in the cold mud and it was beautiful. We had three zones and the course proved to be a great place for some Capture the Flag. My team won one round of the game. Later in the frigid night Austin gave one of the best invitations I've ever heard. He simply shared the Gospel from his heart, without persuasive or noble words he shared the heart of God to forgive us. He shared that we as leaders have been changed by this relationship we have with him. It was funny but the Holy Spirit was also penetrating hearts last night. Hearing him speak made me feel so alive to know that I know Jesus, that I too am the light of the world. Thats something worth sharing.

The entire day culminated in that talk for me. All the hard word to plan these events was validated by the Gospel. The fact that we all are sinners, yet Jesus died so that we may be made new, forgiven, changed, awoken to Him, made alive. He died, was buried and rose again. That resurrection power is still alive today... conquering sin, breaking chains and setting the captives free!

Learning to Hang On

2009-03-06T09:11:00.000-08:00

I've had an easy life up to this point. I am and always have been a dreamer. Early in life it was hard for me to pay attention or to get my homework done. I used to dream as a young boy should about growing up near the water, camping trips with cub scouts and building tree forts in the back yard. My childhood always seemed to be entwined with thoughts of the river. Life has had it's moments, but the Christian life up to this point had been pretty easy. I went to church a few times a week, prayed as much as I could, I grew closer to Jesus and the trials did come but never like this.

The mysteries of ministry are unraveling all around me. It takes not only spiritual but mental strength to deal with the day to day situations that appear out of thin air. Cause the truth is that people are hurting, sin is real and bottom line... WE NEED JESUS. And that's a heavy burden to carry around in this tiny heart. God has been speaking, to me and to others. He pleads through us... We are now light as the darkness surrounds us. These recent days the waves have gotten larger, my ship is tossed and the shore is no where to be seen. The truth is a beacon that will guide me home.

I want to make the most of this. I don't want to go through these storms without learning from the lessons at hand. My mind runs away from me sometimes, I will confess this. I start looking for a way out. Sometimes I imagine the worst and expect the least. But we serve a God who is full of life, able to fulfill all of His purposes in you and me. As the storm rages I will not let go, because I know that He will not let go of me. As the pressure builds I will speak the truth and be set free. As the darkness comes I will shine my light and I will not be ashamed of that which lives in me. As I grow I will not look back or long for the former captivity. I will overcome.

A season to grow

2009-03-04T03:10:00.000-08:00

Well, I'm back from a 4 day training weekend with MCYM Staff. Today is only the second full day off I've had since I arrived in Germany. The hours are long and the struggles of ministry are real here but it is so much fun to be with the students, to become part of their journey.

Our conference was for all first and second year MCYM Staff in Europe. MCYM is strongly commited to Staff training in different areas to ensure that we are equipped with the skills we need to successfully carry the Gospel to the students. We attended different sessions on Time Management Skills, How to reach out to Families, How to spend a day in silence with the Lord, How to share your testimony, Proffesionalism, How to engage Military culture, How to confront and deal with conflict, How to listen and converse more effectively, How to build a business plan for your ministry, How to lead an effective small group, How to cultivate student leaders and a few others. This training weekend was a wide-eyed time for me to just soak up these life skills and principles.. I desparetly need to grow in these areas to be used by God to my utmost potential. We've also been given homework assignments with books to read, book reports to do, scripture memorization sign offs and spirtual leader interviews that need to be conducted. Its heavy stuff for a simple beach bum like myself but I need this at this time in my life.

Club went well on Monday and Tuesday nights... Now I'm really looking forward to walking down Philosophers Way this afternoon with my friend Ashley. Its good to have a day to sit back and think about what has been and what is to come.

I miss so many people back home. I love you guys and I'm also seeing that the Lord's plan of redemption takes us all working together. Through one spirit in unity we take Good News to the world.

Club Beyond Round 1

2009-02-25T01:53:00.000-08:00

I had the chance to finally experience MCYM Club Beyond the last two nights. Every monday night we have High School Club and the Middle Schoolers gather every Tuesday night. It was quite an eye opening experience for me because up to this point I still hadn't been to a Club night and couldn't really put the puzzle together in my mind.

Monday was kind of a tough day for me because I failed my German driver's test for the second time and I was struggling to find a costume for our dance party that night. I tell you the truth when I say that I've never been quite as humbled as I have since I arrived here. I've seen the truth with my own two eyes that I have nothing to offer, yet the living Spirit of God within me continues to minister grace and mercy through me, mostly in the small moments. Well anyways, I finally found an old suit to wear to the event since this club was themed our dance party. Club moved very swiftly through a barrage of games and dance breaks. There was food, smiles, music and truth in the air that night. I cased the room with my eyes and every person in every direction seemed to be thoroughly enjoying themselves. Laura gave the Club talk from the creation story in Genesis 1. She utilized a video clip from the Bourne Identity and also a pad lock with a key. She explained how we were created for a purpose to know and have a reltionship with Jesus Christ, while also defending the truth of the Bible and refuting the evolution theory. I was blown away to see the Lord using my good friend in such a beautiful moment.

Tuesday I began the day meeting Austin at the gym for a good workout and raquetball match. Raquetball is totally boss, we have a rematch today (he beat me twice yesturday). After the gym we went to the middle school for some contact work to meet middle schoolers where they are, right at lunch. We walk around and hang out with them while they eat, just trying to be a friend... but we also get to go to recess between lunches and play basketball, soccer, football. Its awkward at times to be "on their turf" but I see the potential to really cultivate friendships in this time. After lunch I had a Gyro Salad for lunch (the food is amazing here, way better than America... so fresh) and then headed back to the office. Club last night was cool... We started the night off bumpin some Lecrae, playing some games and eating some tacos. The night then made its way toward a discussion on "How to spend time in God's Word" focusing on...

1. Preparing your heart in Prayer
2. Studying the Scriptures (looking for promises, commandments, sins to avoid, prayers to pray and questions to ask)
3. Application and Thanksgiving.

...we then broke up into small groups to discuss the lesson and everybody was so wound up it was really hard to settle things down and really get deep but I know the Lord planted many seeds last night.

-I realized last night that I may never see the fruit of this ministry while I am here but He is at work stirring student's hearts on the inside, in the places I can't see. I prayed after Club just broken for the students in my small group. I prayed that the seed will fall on good soil, be watered and grow with the hope that one day (even when I'm gone) that the fruit will be evident... that then their light will shine in the dark parts of this world as well.