Introduction

Well, going to Trilogy (college conference for Intervarsity Christian Fellowship) was definitely a great experience for me. We were challenged in so many ways and there was quite a bit to chew on after the weekend. However, the most impacting challenge that I encountered involved a talk on witnessing and the limitations that we, as believers, place on ourselves. I know for me, that witnessing can be a very scary thing (maybe for you too). But anyway there was a point made by the speaker that hit me pretty hard and it was this, "If Jesus is your best friend, like we all claim, then why aren't you introducing Him to the people you know." Now, to some people that does not apply but for a lot of us, I think, we are scared of it. I know I have been and have made several excuses to make up for it. These excuses include but are not limited to: just living the gospel (I'll talk about if and only if they ask about it), I am afraid of the rejection that can easily come with sharing the gospel, I assume someone else will do it if it's really God's will, I am afraid that I wont have the answers to their questions and that I am not ready for it yet. As far as the first listed item is concerned, it was quite eye opening for me to hear. Yes, of course Jesus lived the gospel and He showed that in the ways He talked, acted, and presented Himself. But more importantly, Christ openly talked about it. If we are truly trying to be imitators of Christ we need to be doing the same. Jesus did not wait for the opportunity to present itself, but rather He created the opportunity without hesitation. He had a mission and a gameplan that He did not falter from. Don't wait for the opportunity to introduce Christ, create it.

The Mountaintop Experience

So, I've been thinking about this topic for quite some time now and it has come up continually over the years of attending countless Christian camps, retreats, concerts or even mission trips. The idea that we are going to have an awesome time at yet another life-changing Christian event and will get closer to God as He meets us there. Last Friday, I went to a worship team meeting and practice for Intervarsity Christian Fellowship and we talked about the upcoming retreat which I am attending called Trilogy. Anyways, when it got around to prayer requests many of the people there were asking that God will show up at Trilogy and that His presence will be felt throughout the entire place and that people's lives will be changed. Now, I'm all for that don't get me wrong. But I couldn't help but think, God always shows up ALL the time. We just have to be willing and moldable vessels for Him to shape. And why is it that we look forward to growing closer to God at these retreats anyway? Why aren't we trying to do that daily? I'll tell you why....we're lazy. We expect the "mountaintop experience" to come to us. We are complacent. We want God to cater to our needs, think about it...it's truer than you want to believe. What needs to happen is the realization that no change occurs unless a heart change occurs first. Stop expecting the "mountain" to come and rescue you. Instead, make it a point to draw closer to Him daily rather than waiting for your next "Retreat Re-Charge." Stop praying for God to show up and start praying that you show up for God.

What's Your Story?

Awhile ago, a man named Dan gave a message about what a real story consists of. First of all, you have your characters (we will just focus on the main characters for time's sake, whether protagonist or antagonist) . You grow to either love or hate these characters depending on the description of events that they have undergone and how they have handled those situations. For example, enter John, a father of three children (we'll say 2 boys and a girl) and whose wife just recently passed away in a terrible accident. [Already, you begin to feel sympathy towards this character but need to know more about him before you form your opinion.] John struggles with the tough loss of his wife while also trying to provide for his children whom he loves dearly (this is where you begin to see his character unfold). He fights to put food on the table for his children by boxing in the ring every Friday night. John risks everything every time he steps into the ring, always facing opponents much bigger and stronger than he was. But his motivation fueled him to conquer his giants. Anyways, I think you get the point about the whole description thing. But the main point is that John isn't one dimensional, he has feelings and convictions that govern his life. A good story contains characters that take risks.

Secondly, a good story has a good plot. This plot contains conflicts, turning points, and resolutions which build upon the characters while captivating your interest. But your interest is only sparked if the plot is interesting, no one reads a boring story (unless you must for school).

So think about it. What if your life were a book? Would people want to read your story? Do you take risks? Do you face conflicts and overcome them for the better? Or are you a boring read who hides behind the scenes, only wanting to meet the bare minimum? I encourage you to look within yourself and realize that Christ's life was the best book of all (DUH!), He gave His life as the biggest risk just for you and He wants to be the resolution to the conflicts you face. If you want to be the #1 Best Seller, you need to be Best Seller material. So...let's hear it.

Answering the Call

Last night, I attended our IV off-campus small group (Inter-varsity Christian Fellowship) and it's always great to be encouraged to live out the faith. Every week we are challenged to face the things that withhold us from completely giving over to God and to get out of our "comfort box." But anyways, the passage of last night's bible study was Luke 10:1-24 which is where Jesus has sent out 72 disciples ahead of Him into various towns to spread the gospel. But before He sends them out, He kinda gives em' a little pep talk about it. In 10:2-3²He told them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. ³Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves." Read that over and think about it.

Jesus is basically telling His disciples that there is lots of work to be done and so few to do it. He also tells them to pray to the Lord to send out more workers into the field AND that it's going to be tough. Imagine that, a lamb among wolves. Sounds like a pretty scary situation to me. But later on He says this in 10:19-20- ^{19 "}I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.²⁰However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven."

Here, He is letting them know that He will be right there with them the whole time and that they ALREADY POSSESS the power to overcome any obstacles in their path. What an encouragement that is! But, He does warn them to not focus on the temporary joy of it but rather the eternal joy that comes with salvation. So think about it, if you are a Christian (one who is set apart for God) sitting there, ask yourself what have you been doing lately to answer the call? Jesus said it Himself, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few." We don't have a quota to fill of people that we need to convert but this harvest is never-ending, and what are you doing to get more workers involved (I'm definitely asking myself the same questions)? It's sooooo much easier for us to talk about how we are going to answer the call but it is the action that makes a world of difference. Jesus is calling you and He's calling me to harvest the fields, to bring in more workers. He tells us that it will be hard and it will seem impossible (like lambs among wolves) but He has already given us the power and the victory. Yet, Jesus warns us not to focus on the temporary satisfaction that this may bring us but rather the eternal reward which awaits us in Heaven. Don't get caught up in worldly temptations or the short term joy of things. Focus on what lies ahead and don't look back. And when you are discouraged, remember who is right there with you.

Nothing can stop the saved who are in tune with their Savior. So what is holding you back? The only answer to that question should be yourself. So let's put away self. And answer the call.

Romans 8:31- What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?

Galatians 2:20-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.

Good Friend or Best Friend?

Inevitably, throughout life, we meet many people and we make many new friends (at least I hope you do). Some of these "friends" may be simple acquaintances and some may be a little closer to your heart. However, as you grow older, the need for dependable, reliable friends becomes much more evident. Sometimes, these friends are the ones you've grown up with since you were a wee lad, others are people that you just seem to click with and have a good connection with, and others are just easy to talk to (regardless of the depth in your relationship with them). But, when it boils down to the wire and life just starts to suck more than a black hole (mind you that's pretty bad), you need somebody to lean on that you can trust and that you can depend on.

Now how do you know what makes a "best friend?" First of all, you want a friend who cares about you and one that has your best interests at heart (hopefully its mutual between you, otherwise you're the crappy friend). You also want to make sure that they are completely honest with you. But how do you know that? I learned how to accurately gauge honesty in a person by reading an awesome book called Dateable by Justin Lookadoo (prescribed to me by my brother...go read it!) but anyway, the piece of advice given was this–if they do it for you, they WILL do it to you. For example, if you plan to have a friend spend the night or something and they have to lie to their parents in order for it to happen, they WILL definitely lie to you somewhere down the road when they want something else from you. Another crucial aspect of a best friend is availability. These are the people you can call when you're falling apart at 3am in the morning and can help piece you back together within the hour. Best friends will make themselves available to you no matter the circumstances (you can't depend on a flake, period). To sum this up, a best friend has a strong sense of integrity. A best friend is someone you can trust with anything and everything. This is the type of person that you would die for in a heartbeat without even having to think about it.

Now the things I said above are definitely important and all, but when it comes down to it, these things make you feel good inside as a result of what your "bestie" (yeah I said it) provides you. If they have your best interests at heart or if they are perpetually honest with you, these things benefit you because they are positive, encouraging things. But from what I have experienced and discovered, these are not the things that separate a good friend from a best friend. Sure these are definitely characteristics you want to look for in a friend but this is what a lifelong best friend does most importantly–they tell you when you are wrong. This can be quite difficult for anyone to digest (myself most definitely included) but when someone is close enough to you to tell you when you are wrong and that you need to straighten up, that tells you more about them than anything else they do. When they correct you when you're wondering off the path, they're essentially telling you that they love you so much that they don't want to see you hurt, they are telling you that they are trying to protect you, and they are telling you that they want the best for you. If you see what I'm trying to say it's this–a good friend is there for you when life screws you over, but a best friend is there for you when you screw up your own.

So thank you Ben Jones. You have truly been a blessing from God.

Proverbs 27:9-"Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart, and the pleasantness of one's friend springs from his earnest counsel."

Proverbs 27:17- "As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

Proverbs 28:23- "He who rebukes a man will in the end gain more favor than he who has a flattering tongue."

Purpose

So, much has happened since the last time I posted on here...but here's the long and short of it. I left for college. This included lots of packing, preparation, and sadly, saying bye to friends and family. But looking back on it, I can just remember the great people I grew up with and the awesome friendships I made throughout the years. Of course I am going to miss all of them, but I know I see will them again. As my pastor put it, "Either on this side of glory or the next." I think they all know who they are, but I love you guys...so much. I honestly hope that has been apparent, and I have been praying for each of you while I have been away (and will continue to do so).

But aside from the mushy stuff, I was able to visit my brother (and others ;) at Master's this weekend and go to a good friend (Geoff) of mine's church called the Lighthouse Bible Church. Since, it was Labor Day Weekend, Pastor Roger talked about work and what that means for us as believers in Christ. Basically, no matter who you are...you work. Whether a hard working stay-at-home mom (or dad), or an accountant, or a student, you undoubtedly work towards some sort of goals which have been set for your day, week, month, or year (maybe even more, you must really think ahead). If you are a stay-at-home parent, one of your goals may be to have a kid poddy trained at the end of the week (the only thing that scares me from becoming a father). If you are an accountant, your goal may be to finish some sort of budget for some crazy high end corporation who has the power to buy love (oh wait, only Ben can do that). Or if you're a student, you may just be trying to finish out your first year with straight A's! The point is, we all set goals. They are what motivates us to get up in the morning and what gets us tired at the end of the day. Goals seem to be the things that give structure and meaning to our lives while giving a sense of accomplishment as we complete short term goals along the way. We build confidence as we end the day knowing we did what was expected of us and it grows with every accomplished day. As this process goes on, the continual "piling" of goals on top of one another, we get some longer term goals done and it goes on and on and on and on and on. But what's the point? (oh it must be practical application time!)

It's quite simple, purpose. When it boils down to the bare bones of life, the reason we live is purpose. But the goals we make here on earth are of a finite nature, considering we are finite beings. Eventually, the glories of earthly accomplishment fade and you are left with nothing. This is true of those without Christ in their lives (don't mean to sound mean but seriously, you're missin out). I really don't think one can truly enjoy life without realizing that they don't own themselves. The reason people are left empty handed in the end is because they are trying to make the purpose reflect their own personal achievements and accomplishments. My question is why work so hard for something that won't last? Why pour all of yourself into something finite? What should be asked is this. Why wouldn't you work for something that will last forever? Why wouldn't you pour all of yourself into someone who cared enough to die for you? We need to start realizing that it is Christ who lives within us, we were bought at a price, and that we are working for rewards far greater than this world can offer. We have a purpose. We have Christ. Do work.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20- 19Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.

Colossians 3:23-24-²³Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, ²⁴since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.

Galatians 2:20- ²⁰I 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.

Pondo From My POV

So, if you have read Jesse's blog he talked about not worrying about things and letting God have complete control over your life. Because believe it or not, we don't have the control...we like to think so a lot of the time but, in the end, WE FAIL! This was definitely one of the things I was able to pull away from Pondo with in my heart. But one thing that really interested me that week was the idea of having a "mountaintop experience." That spiritual high that lights us on fire like never before! However, when we come back down...when we begin to feel that worldly pull again and we begin to slip into our old habits and seemingly sinful ways, we become what Pondo called a "caffeinated Christian" or begin to live "red-bull Christianity." This got me to thinking about what that really means and how I can apply it to my own life.

To explain this in a little bit more detail- when we drink energy drinks...or coffee...or too much soda, whatever, we overload our system with lots of sugar and stimulants. Our body processes this stuff as quickly as possible, giving us...MORE ENERGY!!! However, since the body had to work too hard to give you this energy, once the work is done, you experience a "crash." This translates to our walk with Christ, we go to these Christian camps and drink our energy drink for the week. We get so pumped up to do things for God and to live the example we always talk about living with this newfound energy. We get back down the mountain and it lasts for awhile, we may read our Bibles for a few days in a row or maybe even pray a couple more times than we would have before. But then the "crash" comes, and we run back to the ways of old, waiting for our next caffeine rush. But does this always have to be the case? I think not.

If there's one thing I learned from Pondo it was this- you will not experience a change unless you embrace it. Embracing means to become apart of...the change must be apart of you, it requires dedication. It's not easy, what is these days anyway...but it is possible by God. Caffeinated Christians' examples don't stand the test of time, but we don't have to be that way. Be the change.