Some of you may know, 2 weeks ago I went on a Mission trip to Joplin MO. That is the reason I haven't written in a while, trying to get caught up on stuff since returning. I do plan on writing about my trip but I had this idea and I wanted to get it out before I forget.
I started to read the book Forgotten God during my trip and something that I read made me have a think!
We are mostly familiar with the term "Fruit of the Spirit," but do we understand what that means?
I think we get caught up in the word "fruit," and don't really "get" what that means for us a believers. The word fruit means results or consequence of being led, by the Spirit.
So what the bible says is the RESULT of having the Spirit, being led by the Spirit, walking in the Spirit, etc. is....
LOVE
JOY
PEACE
PATIENCE
KINDNESS
GOODNESS
FAITHFULNESS
GENTLENESS
AND
SELF- CONTROL.
Do you possess these qualities, exhibit these qualities, live out these qualities as a RESULT of having God's Spirit in your life?
If not or if you struggle with these (and I know we all do, me included) we need to do 2 things...
Repent!!!!!
and ask God, the Spirit to give us and help us to live out these qualities!!!!
Our LORD is with you
Josh
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Friday, November 4, 2011
LOST
A few years ago I made the mistake of getting into the show LOST. I say mistake because the show really sucks you in and gets you hooked. Even though most people hated the way the show ended, i still really enjoy it. In fact I have started to watch it again, every now and then. I'm only in season 1 and probably won't go much farther than that but as I have been watching it, a funny idea came to my mind.
This show is all about humans interacting with each other in this crisis situation. The reason it was so successful was the drama that was created by each character looking after their own interests, not caring about anyone else, back stabbing each other, etc. As people watched week after week, they feed off the dramatic situations of human no being able to live together peaceably.
I wonder what the show would have been like if every survivor was a follower of Christ. It would probably be beautiful and boring to watch, not much drama at all. They would have formed a community, shared each other's possessions, did what was best for each other rather than looking after self. Sure there would be the initial shock of living through a plane crash, but after everyone got their head on straight it would have been great. I could see the survivors sharing possessions and each other's burdens (that is another hook for the show, every character has a past). Living in a way that is true community.
Guess what? This is the way it should really be with us as followers of Christ. If we truly want to live out and carry out the mission Jesus set before us, living in community is where it starts. There is no plane crash for all of us to get over, but people are heading towards a Christ-less eternity and I think that is a lot worse. We were called to engage our neighbors and be the Light of the world and Salt of the earth in our communities.
Maybe God is calling you to start a small Life group in your home? Maybe an outreach/service group in your church? It doesn't have to be complicated or elaborate, find something you and your non-believing friends have in common and start up a group. Invite some people who are in the dark into your light, so that they can see their in the dark.
Jesus has called us to build communities and reach the people in our world with the Gospel.
Today could be your day 1
May our LORD be with you
Josh
This show is all about humans interacting with each other in this crisis situation. The reason it was so successful was the drama that was created by each character looking after their own interests, not caring about anyone else, back stabbing each other, etc. As people watched week after week, they feed off the dramatic situations of human no being able to live together peaceably.
I wonder what the show would have been like if every survivor was a follower of Christ. It would probably be beautiful and boring to watch, not much drama at all. They would have formed a community, shared each other's possessions, did what was best for each other rather than looking after self. Sure there would be the initial shock of living through a plane crash, but after everyone got their head on straight it would have been great. I could see the survivors sharing possessions and each other's burdens (that is another hook for the show, every character has a past). Living in a way that is true community.
Guess what? This is the way it should really be with us as followers of Christ. If we truly want to live out and carry out the mission Jesus set before us, living in community is where it starts. There is no plane crash for all of us to get over, but people are heading towards a Christ-less eternity and I think that is a lot worse. We were called to engage our neighbors and be the Light of the world and Salt of the earth in our communities.
Maybe God is calling you to start a small Life group in your home? Maybe an outreach/service group in your church? It doesn't have to be complicated or elaborate, find something you and your non-believing friends have in common and start up a group. Invite some people who are in the dark into your light, so that they can see their in the dark.
Jesus has called us to build communities and reach the people in our world with the Gospel.
Today could be your day 1
May our LORD be with you
Josh
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
STOP TALKING!!!!!!!
I want to share with you an article I wrote in our Youth Newsletter for this past month. It may have been presumpteous to write sed article but it was from the heart. As a youth pastor I hear almost everyday how this student said this to this other student and it torn them down and apart. Or this parent is saying this to his or her child and they are basically destroying whatever sense of normal this student may have. It's not over spiritual in anyway, I only use one verse from scripture, I just feel it's time for a serious change. Whether you follow Christ or not, something has got to give. Hope you enjoy!
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Great Expectations
This weekend was crazy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!...!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Everything that happen was totally unexpected. The snow. Church was cancelled because of a power outage. I was suppose to speak at a retreat that didn't happen because of the before mentioned snow. It was nuts. However a lot of good came out of this craziness. Let me tell you the tale.......
Okay so like I said, I was suppose to go speak at the RLV youth group retreat up near Penn State. I was really psyched for it and (not to tut my own horn) I had a really awesome message to share. One that I was both excited about and solid with scripture, that is always a great combination. So when I heard about the coming weather, I was really praying that it would turn out to be nothing. The weather people were calling for snow laying in the grass but not the road, so I was hopeful but I think we all know how it turned out. At 9:30 am I was at the church, looking out the window at the snow covered parking lot. Needless to say I had to make a call that pained me so much, I took some Advil afterwards. Okay not really, but I think you get the point. I really wanted to go speak, I was looking forward to this trip. Abby and Zion were going to come along and we were going to make it a family thing, it was going to be great!
Well as it would happen because my day was now totally free I could go and help a student's family move to a new house. I had rented a Suburban for the Youth Corn Maze trip the night before and didn't have to return it till later that afternoon. My buddy Mike had an afternoon free and a truck that was not afraid of snow either, so we had good vehicles to get heavy moving done for them. By the way the family is a Mom and two girls, so moving heavy stuff really was not going to happen with just the three of them.
Even though I didn't get to do what I wanted, this was one of the greatest experiences of my life. I will admit at one point I thought to myself, "I just want to be done and go home to my family." I talked to Abby at one point during the afternoon and she gave me some great encouragement, she said," you are right where you need to be." She is so wise!!
It was so cool because even though these were not my plans, these were God's plans. We were doing exactly what He calls us to do. Help the widow and the orphans, show love and mercy to those who really are in need of it. This is the mission that Jesus has called us too, this is what being a follower of Christ is all about. I was so honored to be with my buddy Dan, Mike and his wife Pam, then on Sunday my friend Matt help this family find a new, fresh start.
Was it a pain...at times. Was I sore afterwards...you betcha. Did I want to go home to be with my wife and son...uh huh!! But sacrificing what I wanted to help a family and be the hands and feet of God far out weighted my priorities for that day.
Jesus has called us both in the New Testament and Old to help the widow, orphans, the poor, strangers, outcasts.
I also want to leave you with this. James 4:13-15, talks about that we do not know what tomorrow brings, we should never say tomorrow we will do this or that because we don't have a guarantee of tomorrow. Instead we should look to the LORD and submit ourselves to His purposes. Now I am summing those verses but thee point is the same. We need to ready and willing to submit to what God has for us to do rather than what we want to do.
I believe this requires two things from us: 1-we need to listen to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. We had tried to get some of the guys from the church to help but none were able to come. When no one showed up my first thought was, I have this truck till 5pm I can help. That was not just my thoughts, that was the Spirit because my other thought was I have nothing to do today, I can go home and have a snow day. Glad I listened to the Spirit.
2-We need to be aware of the needs of others, especially the poor, orphan, widows, etc. It was so cool to see people from the church being the church, Christians acting like Christians. We need more of this, that is what is going to save the world and bring people closer to Christ. The church being the church. Seeing the needs of others, putting those needs in front of our own and doing what we can to fulfill those needs.
who can you help this week?
how can you be the church?
how can God interrupt your plans for the better?
May our LORD be with you
Josh
Everything that happen was totally unexpected. The snow. Church was cancelled because of a power outage. I was suppose to speak at a retreat that didn't happen because of the before mentioned snow. It was nuts. However a lot of good came out of this craziness. Let me tell you the tale.......
Okay so like I said, I was suppose to go speak at the RLV youth group retreat up near Penn State. I was really psyched for it and (not to tut my own horn) I had a really awesome message to share. One that I was both excited about and solid with scripture, that is always a great combination. So when I heard about the coming weather, I was really praying that it would turn out to be nothing. The weather people were calling for snow laying in the grass but not the road, so I was hopeful but I think we all know how it turned out. At 9:30 am I was at the church, looking out the window at the snow covered parking lot. Needless to say I had to make a call that pained me so much, I took some Advil afterwards. Okay not really, but I think you get the point. I really wanted to go speak, I was looking forward to this trip. Abby and Zion were going to come along and we were going to make it a family thing, it was going to be great!
Well as it would happen because my day was now totally free I could go and help a student's family move to a new house. I had rented a Suburban for the Youth Corn Maze trip the night before and didn't have to return it till later that afternoon. My buddy Mike had an afternoon free and a truck that was not afraid of snow either, so we had good vehicles to get heavy moving done for them. By the way the family is a Mom and two girls, so moving heavy stuff really was not going to happen with just the three of them.
Even though I didn't get to do what I wanted, this was one of the greatest experiences of my life. I will admit at one point I thought to myself, "I just want to be done and go home to my family." I talked to Abby at one point during the afternoon and she gave me some great encouragement, she said," you are right where you need to be." She is so wise!!
It was so cool because even though these were not my plans, these were God's plans. We were doing exactly what He calls us to do. Help the widow and the orphans, show love and mercy to those who really are in need of it. This is the mission that Jesus has called us too, this is what being a follower of Christ is all about. I was so honored to be with my buddy Dan, Mike and his wife Pam, then on Sunday my friend Matt help this family find a new, fresh start.
Was it a pain...at times. Was I sore afterwards...you betcha. Did I want to go home to be with my wife and son...uh huh!! But sacrificing what I wanted to help a family and be the hands and feet of God far out weighted my priorities for that day.
Jesus has called us both in the New Testament and Old to help the widow, orphans, the poor, strangers, outcasts.
I also want to leave you with this. James 4:13-15, talks about that we do not know what tomorrow brings, we should never say tomorrow we will do this or that because we don't have a guarantee of tomorrow. Instead we should look to the LORD and submit ourselves to His purposes. Now I am summing those verses but thee point is the same. We need to ready and willing to submit to what God has for us to do rather than what we want to do.
I believe this requires two things from us: 1-we need to listen to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. We had tried to get some of the guys from the church to help but none were able to come. When no one showed up my first thought was, I have this truck till 5pm I can help. That was not just my thoughts, that was the Spirit because my other thought was I have nothing to do today, I can go home and have a snow day. Glad I listened to the Spirit.
2-We need to be aware of the needs of others, especially the poor, orphan, widows, etc. It was so cool to see people from the church being the church, Christians acting like Christians. We need more of this, that is what is going to save the world and bring people closer to Christ. The church being the church. Seeing the needs of others, putting those needs in front of our own and doing what we can to fulfill those needs.
who can you help this week?
how can you be the church?
how can God interrupt your plans for the better?
May our LORD be with you
Josh
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