Tonight, my family was discussing what the most important things that happened in 2008. My answer was easily being called to ministry. This sparked my thinking and I thought that I might share my testimony with my readers.
I was saved at five after reading a brief and abridged version of The Pilgrim's Progress. My Dad was a pastor and my family was quite strong in our faith. I read that story and that was the moment it made sense. I wanted to become a part of what my Dad was doing even if I didn't understand it all. Fast-forward until I was about 10. We had moved and started serving at a different church and I was the PK there. Everything was fine. I was well-loved by the members, familiar with faith, and cool with my friends. But I was spiritually dead. I was just getting by because I was the pastor's kid. Everyone expected me to be perfect in being a good "church-person" or be just getting by. So, I did. I got comfortable. I ignored any stirring I might have had.
We moved to our current church when I was 11. I went on my first over-night youth trip at 12. It was different. I felt something that I couldn't ignore. I wanted to go down and talk with someone but I had already been saved, so what else was there? I went on another youth trip in February. I felt it again. But this time I realized there was something more. And I guess it scared me. I ignored it again because I didn't know how to feel about it. All this time since we moved, everything I heard became something pointed directly at me. Everything I heard reminded I was spiritually dead. I wanted to get close to God, but I had never done that before and the idea scared me. Then, this summer, I went to camp. If you haven't ever been to a World Changers camp, they have a very special service where they black out the windows, turn off the lights, center the stage light on the cross, and have a prayer service. All throughout the service you pray, cry, and write on big boards about sin and prayer. Most of all you have an experience with God. It was the best experience ever and I wanted to sit there forever. But this was not the night I was called. I was called two night later at a normal worship service. I now realize that the night of prayer was to give me an experience with God to prepare me for the night he would call me. That night during the invitation I started to pray. As soon as I started to pray, God spoke in my mind and said "Ministry" a couple of times. I realized what it meant and was worried about how to handle it, but I felt God's peace. So for the first time in my life, I heard God's voice and acknowledged it. I later talked to Gregg about it and realized how awesome it was. I went up to the room I was staying in and laid down on my half-deflated air mattress and talked to God, asking things like if that was really what he said, how I should to terms with it, but mainly "What now?". I looked at some ministry brochures that I had been given and found the verse Romans 10:14-15.
"How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!"
This verse convinced in me that my call was the most important thing in my life and that if anything lived in me, it should be my call. That is how I came to be who I am in Christ today. My spiritual life did not begin when I was saved or when I understood it, but when God told me to live it. And that is what I plan to do.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Monday, December 22, 2008
A Report
Last Friday, I spoke at the youth revival I had mentioned to my readers. It went well for being completely student-led. We had 2 youth speakers. We had a guy from William Carey College come over to do music. We had a youth sing special music and another do the introductions. Everyone in our youth group was responsible for getting people to come. We had 15 to 20 people show up including at least 5 not from our youth group. My message on Acts 4 (click here to see again) was not as smooth as I would have liked. I was struck with nervousness as soon as I got up there and got lost in what notes I had. I wanted to do my message with almost no notes so I could "breath" in to it. I so realized and learned that I need more notes to succeed. I forgot vital parts of my message, but it was good experience to learn how to prepare and not get nervous in front of people. I don't know how big an impact I made on everyone there, but for me, it was a learning experience. I know I will do great next time because of it.
Just wanted to let you guys know how my big night went and I promise I will back with more spiritual truths soon.
Just wanted to let you guys know how my big night went and I promise I will back with more spiritual truths soon.
Friday, December 12, 2008
Your Chapter Of Faith
On December 19, I will be speaking at a youth revival. My topic is how to be a Christian and make that fact known. Here it is.
Acts 4:9-10
"If we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed, let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well."
1. We should be prepared for hardships. Jesus said that "If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you."
Peter and John were imprisoned for even mentioning the name of Jesus in a positive manner. Jesus says that if we are hated by the world, we are being like Jesus. James says that hardships produce faith. Peter says we should be "aliens and strangers" in this world.
2. Always give the glory to God first. In Peter and John's speech they said (paraphrased), "If you're talking about us healing this guy, well, we didn't do that. It was all God." Also, when they preached the sermon immediately after the man was healed, they said the very same thing. People will need to recognize that it is God who is capable of everything and does all good.
3. Don't give up. Peter and John were under the threat of death. They were asked to stop speaking or else torture and sufferings would ensue. Peter and John could not be silenced. "But Peter and John answered them, "Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard."
They left the courtroom and went straight to the other believers. There, they stopped and prayed.
"And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus." And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness."
Pharisees couldn't stop them. Fear couldn't stop them. Exile couldn't stop them. Death couldn't stop them. Kinda like Jesus. The disciples prayed not for protection, not for the threats to be forgotten, but for the boldness to continue to preach and to share and to be Christians in the fullest sense even under these circumstances. We should not be fazed by the threats of this world because we have Jesus on our side. We have faith in something real and more powerful than anything else.
I hope the story of the early believers in the face of real danger has encouraged you to take faith like those before you. Their story is the story of the faith. Now it is your story. Write a great story.
Acts 4:9-10
"If we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed, let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well."
1. We should be prepared for hardships. Jesus said that "If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you."
Peter and John were imprisoned for even mentioning the name of Jesus in a positive manner. Jesus says that if we are hated by the world, we are being like Jesus. James says that hardships produce faith. Peter says we should be "aliens and strangers" in this world.
2. Always give the glory to God first. In Peter and John's speech they said (paraphrased), "If you're talking about us healing this guy, well, we didn't do that. It was all God." Also, when they preached the sermon immediately after the man was healed, they said the very same thing. People will need to recognize that it is God who is capable of everything and does all good.
3. Don't give up. Peter and John were under the threat of death. They were asked to stop speaking or else torture and sufferings would ensue. Peter and John could not be silenced. "But Peter and John answered them, "Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard."
They left the courtroom and went straight to the other believers. There, they stopped and prayed.
"And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus." And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness."
Pharisees couldn't stop them. Fear couldn't stop them. Exile couldn't stop them. Death couldn't stop them. Kinda like Jesus. The disciples prayed not for protection, not for the threats to be forgotten, but for the boldness to continue to preach and to share and to be Christians in the fullest sense even under these circumstances. We should not be fazed by the threats of this world because we have Jesus on our side. We have faith in something real and more powerful than anything else.
I hope the story of the early believers in the face of real danger has encouraged you to take faith like those before you. Their story is the story of the faith. Now it is your story. Write a great story.
Friday, November 28, 2008
Who, Me?
Acts 3:1-10
"Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. And a man lame from birth was being carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple that is called the Beautiful Gate to ask alms of those entering the temple. Seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked to receive alms. And Peter directed his gaze at him, as did John, and said, "Look at us." And he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them. But Peter said,"I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!" And he took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. And leaping up he stood and began to walk, and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. And all the people saw him walking and praising God, and recognized him as the one who sat at the Beautiful Gate of the temple, asking for alms. And they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him."
Peter and John are on an average trip to the temple on an average day to have an average prayer time. But something unaverage happens. The beggar approaches them and asks for alms. Peter looks him straight in the eye and says,"I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!" The man began to walk. People got excited and surrounded them. Peter found a good opportunity to preach. The first thing he said was, "Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we have made him walk? The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers."
Isn't that what we should do? First, give glory to God, then focus on what happened. God should come before us in importance and in accomplishments. We did nothing, he did everything. When we do something for God, this should be our rallying cry, "Why are you looking at me as if I did something? You should be looking elsewhere, because God is wrapped all around this." That should be our motto for everything we do.
"Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. And a man lame from birth was being carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple that is called the Beautiful Gate to ask alms of those entering the temple. Seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked to receive alms. And Peter directed his gaze at him, as did John, and said, "Look at us." And he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them. But Peter said,"I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!" And he took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. And leaping up he stood and began to walk, and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. And all the people saw him walking and praising God, and recognized him as the one who sat at the Beautiful Gate of the temple, asking for alms. And they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him."
Peter and John are on an average trip to the temple on an average day to have an average prayer time. But something unaverage happens. The beggar approaches them and asks for alms. Peter looks him straight in the eye and says,"I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!" The man began to walk. People got excited and surrounded them. Peter found a good opportunity to preach. The first thing he said was, "Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we have made him walk? The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers."
Isn't that what we should do? First, give glory to God, then focus on what happened. God should come before us in importance and in accomplishments. We did nothing, he did everything. When we do something for God, this should be our rallying cry, "Why are you looking at me as if I did something? You should be looking elsewhere, because God is wrapped all around this." That should be our motto for everything we do.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
The Disciples, Part 2
Acts 2:1-12
"When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. And they were amazed and astonished, saying, "Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God." And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, "What does this mean?" But others mocking said, "They are filled with new wine."
Pentecost was the Jewish religious holiday taking place 50 days after the Passover. It celebrated being "given" the Torah to the Israelite people in the desert. Since the disciples were still Jewish, they attended with their friends and family, as was their custom. (If you want to know more about the Jewish side of Pentecost, or "Shavu'ot", click here). During this convergence, the Holy Spirit came down, entered the Disciples, and they began speaking in tongues. Many people of different nationalities were attending and heard these ordinary, uneducated men speaking in their own languages. Some respected them and wondered what it meant, but others thought they were simply drunk. Peter, full of the Holy Spirit, preached a great sermon.
Acts 2:22-24
"Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know— this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it."
Peter again has power to preach, explain, and bring people to Christ because the Holy Spirit has come down. He doesn't need Jesus by his side anymore because he has another form of the Trinity with him. It's the same for us. When we accept Jesus as our personal Savior He, or the Holy Spirit since they are interchangable in Scripture, comes and lives inside of us, and we become empowered to do great things for Christ.
Acts 3:12, 16
"Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we have made him walk?.... And his name—by faith in his name—has made this man strong whom you see and know, and the faith that is through Jesus has given the man this perfect health in the presence of you all."
"When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. And they were amazed and astonished, saying, "Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God." And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, "What does this mean?" But others mocking said, "They are filled with new wine."
Pentecost was the Jewish religious holiday taking place 50 days after the Passover. It celebrated being "given" the Torah to the Israelite people in the desert. Since the disciples were still Jewish, they attended with their friends and family, as was their custom. (If you want to know more about the Jewish side of Pentecost, or "Shavu'ot", click here). During this convergence, the Holy Spirit came down, entered the Disciples, and they began speaking in tongues. Many people of different nationalities were attending and heard these ordinary, uneducated men speaking in their own languages. Some respected them and wondered what it meant, but others thought they were simply drunk. Peter, full of the Holy Spirit, preached a great sermon.
Acts 2:22-24
"Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know— this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it."
Peter again has power to preach, explain, and bring people to Christ because the Holy Spirit has come down. He doesn't need Jesus by his side anymore because he has another form of the Trinity with him. It's the same for us. When we accept Jesus as our personal Savior He, or the Holy Spirit since they are interchangable in Scripture, comes and lives inside of us, and we become empowered to do great things for Christ.
Acts 3:12, 16
"Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we have made him walk?.... And his name—by faith in his name—has made this man strong whom you see and know, and the faith that is through Jesus has given the man this perfect health in the presence of you all."
Saturday, November 8, 2008
The Disciples, Part 1
Acts 1:4-8
"And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, "you heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now."
So when they had come together, they asked him, "Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?" He said to them, "It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight."
It had been over. Jesus had died. The Disciples had run away. Everything they worked for was gone.
Then, Jesus came back and the Disciples were restrengthened. Jesus would make everything okay. And he did. For forty days. After these days, the above conversation took place. Then Jesus left and the Disciples were helpless again. Do you see what happens? Before Jesus, these guys were just Galilee fishermen. Common people going nowhere. But Jesus came, invited them into his arms, and changed their lives. They were somebody and they could do something. Until Jesus died. They returned to nobodies going nowhere. But Jesus came back and they were on top again. When Jesus is in somebody's life, they are transformed to beyond what they ever imagined. They can do anything God enables them to do. Back to the Disciples. Jesus is gone and they are waiting for Jesus' promised help.
Tune in next time for the exciting conclusion of "The Disciples in Spiritual Anxiety"....
"And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, "you heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now."
So when they had come together, they asked him, "Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?" He said to them, "It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight."
It had been over. Jesus had died. The Disciples had run away. Everything they worked for was gone.
Then, Jesus came back and the Disciples were restrengthened. Jesus would make everything okay. And he did. For forty days. After these days, the above conversation took place. Then Jesus left and the Disciples were helpless again. Do you see what happens? Before Jesus, these guys were just Galilee fishermen. Common people going nowhere. But Jesus came, invited them into his arms, and changed their lives. They were somebody and they could do something. Until Jesus died. They returned to nobodies going nowhere. But Jesus came back and they were on top again. When Jesus is in somebody's life, they are transformed to beyond what they ever imagined. They can do anything God enables them to do. Back to the Disciples. Jesus is gone and they are waiting for Jesus' promised help.
Tune in next time for the exciting conclusion of "The Disciples in Spiritual Anxiety"....
Monday, October 27, 2008
Love God? Do His Will.
1 John 5:1-3 says:
"Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome."
My geometry class has been teaching me to think and come to conclusions using direct and indirect deduction. Let's try this now.
If we believe in Jesus, then we are born of God.
If we love God, then we love others born of God.
If we obey God's commandments, then we love others born of God.
Life is a lot like deduction. If one part of your thinking is wrong, the whole thing is wrong. The hardest part of being a Christian is following God's will. But if we don't obey, the passage says we don't love God or others. God's responsibilities are easy, with His help. We should let him take the big stuff and just trust Him. Will you trust Him and follow His will?
"Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome."
My geometry class has been teaching me to think and come to conclusions using direct and indirect deduction. Let's try this now.
If we believe in Jesus, then we are born of God.
If we love God, then we love others born of God.
If we obey God's commandments, then we love others born of God.
Life is a lot like deduction. If one part of your thinking is wrong, the whole thing is wrong. The hardest part of being a Christian is following God's will. But if we don't obey, the passage says we don't love God or others. God's responsibilities are easy, with His help. We should let him take the big stuff and just trust Him. Will you trust Him and follow His will?
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