Eph. 4:1-16

We've been going through Ephesians in youth group on Wednesdays. It has been really fun and really convicting and really humbling. The text this week was really awesome. We talked about speaking truth in love and kicking people out of the church. And it is simply amazing to me how perceptive of what DOESN'T happen in the church these teenagers are. Church Discipline needs a comeback.

Proverbs 14:7

In the immortal words of Obi-Wan Kenobi:
"Who's more foolish? The fool, or the fool who follows him?"

Being foolish has become one of my all time favorite pet peeves. Especially when I am a grown man who is married and still enjoys video games and cartoons. Maturity has become something measured by how much money you make or how happy you seem, not how ferociously you preach the gospel or go after God for all that He has in store. What seems to be a rapidly spreading problem is the fact that if you do not act "mature" in the sight of others they think something is wrong with you. They will talk about how we need to be smiley all the time and not tell our burdens. They will want to stifle the teaching of God's Word for fun and games. It is at these times that I wish to scream with all my might, "God is speaking, but you are not hearing Him." cf. Isaiah 6. What goes through people's minds when they want to put the Scriptures on the back burner of equipping? Why is it that if I play video games and watch cartoons, yet preach and teach the Scriptures with a fire burning in my chest I am immature? And in that same vein why am I expected to NOT teach and preach the Scriptures but entertain? Why is everything turning into a big pile of confusion for me?
When there are statistics that show 80% of teenagers abandoning Christ when they get to college and all they did was have fun and a few devotionals, something must be done. This is not happy fun time. This is war. We make war everyday against sin and temptation and the devil who would have us believe it is peace time. We can not stand idly by as the enemy takes our children. I WILL NOT stand idly by. I will teach what God is saying in His awesome book until I die. I will stand on the foundation that will not fail. I will not give in to some twisted idea that kids just need to have fun and not learn all they can about their God while they are young.
And don't misunderstand me, I am all about fun. Remember the video games and cartoons from earlier? Fun has its place, but it isn't before Jesus. When entertainment comes before Jesus it has become an idol of extreme magnitude. Do not give in to the lie. Our kids are not going to magically learn about God through osmosis. Do not assume the gospel has taken root. Fight with everything you have to see the children saved and discipled.
If we do not train up our children, someone or something else will and they will just be one more statistic saying that Jesus isn't important. Jesus is so important that I am willing to die for Him. Jesus is so important that the entire world changed because of Him. Jesus is so important that I will not trade teaching His word for games.

Stuff going on

Well I'm still super busy. I think I will be until the LORD takes me home :) anyway we started a new service at church and I have to lead worship and preach. So I'm pretty tired on mondays now. which is lame because i have class from 8 in the morning until 8:30 in the evening. Oh well.
I'm trying to get something set up to record sermons so we can start podcasting, but i'm waiting on a computer to do that with. Which is being donated and i should have this week, so sweet! God has been so faithful. He has created opportunities and started building relationships in the church and helping me through difficult times.
He's definitely given me plenty of work as well. i am constantly working on a sermon or a Bible study or a song list or homework or something. But i don't mind :) He's also allowed me to purchase all three season's of the big bang theory on dvd so that helps to keep me sane. That show is hilarious. And if you think it's terrible or sacreligious or whatever, get over it.
Well there's an update. Have a blessed day. No scratch that. At my rate of posting, have a blessed few months :)
John 16:33

Falling over

I have been going. and going. and going. and i will not be able to stop until August 15th. I wen on mission to Connecticut for two weeks, came right back to TX and into Bible studies and worship leading, RISE retreat is this weekend and I have had meetings and talks to write and other things to think on and do. Not to mention my students decided they wanted to learn about predestination and eschatology the next two weeks. UGH. Oh well. God is faithful. Jesus is still risen. The Holy Spirit still carries me along and reminds me that Jesus is alive and the Father is faithful. 1 Corinthians 15:58

it has been awhile! I have lots of news. I am now officially the Minister of Youth and Music at FBC Kyle to start out. I start tomorrow :) I am really excited and I hope I do everything the Lord wants me to while I'm there. I really want to impact the youth group with who Jesus is and why we need Him. I also get to lead a congregation in worship. I dig that a lot :) anyway just an update

I just bought a bunch of books. I will be reading them probably over the course of the rest of the summer.Here is the List:

Jesus Culture: Banning Liebscher
The Basic Ideas of Calvinism: H.Henry Meeter 6th Edition
A Generous Orthodoxy: Brian McLaren
The Christian Athiest: Craig Groeschel

I have also just finished Death by Love written by Mark Driscoll and Gerry Bershears. Great book. I will also most likely burn the McLaren book when I'm done reading it. But there's an update on reading. On a much happier note, please be praying for me. I received a candidacy questionnaire for the Minister of Music/ Youth Minister position at First Baptist Kyle and I would really like this position. I have been praying for a single job instead of three and God dropped this one on me a week and a half ago. I appreciate all prayers. Alright. Back to the grind. Thanks for reading!

Faith through the Scriptures

I'm teaching on faith tonight for the youth group at FBC New Braunfels. My text will be from Luke 8:40-55. And this isn't the whole lesson, but it's a good enough summary. I've heard lots of sermons just focusing on the woman with the issue of blood being healed by her faith. Then I read it again and realized that she gets healed right in front of Jairus, the man who wants Jesus to heal his daughter. Jairus is a leader at the synagogue and is well versed in his Hebrew Scriptures. As the woman touches Christ's "wings" , the hem of His garment; the hem of His prayer shawl, she is healed.
This is because in the book of Malachi there is a verse, a very prophetic one, in chapter 4 verse 2 that says, "But for you who fear my name the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in it's wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall."
The same Hebrew word for wings is hem or garment. This is a prophecy about the healing power of Jesus, even to the point where His garments have relay His power.
The woman knew this prophecy, and she was desperate in her pain. She had faith enough to reach out and touch his garment because of her knowledge of Scripture and her belief.
But the story isn't over. Jairus sees all of this happening and when they get to his house they are informed that his daughter has died. But Jesus tells him to believe and she will be healed.
And after seeing the power in Jesus garments, i think Jairus was pretty convinced of Jesus.
Hebrews 12:1-2:
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

A lot of times our faith is not placed in Jesus. It's placed in looks, abilities, knowledge, popularity. A faith placed in anything other than YHWH is idolatry. And don't get me wrong, if Paul was the chief sinner, I'm his second in command. But that doesn't take away from what the Bible commands of us.
I hope the kids enjoy the lesson, which I'm sure they will because I'll be in my prayer shawl and they get a kick out of that.
Just some thoughts from a madman who loves Jesus :)