Hustle and Bustle

The past 8 days have taken their physical and mental toll on me. I do not think since be able to work, I have felt more exhausted. Working 70 hours is great because you get so much done, but at the end it leaves you exhausted.

We finished up or Campus Evaluation today at JU. It sure is great to see the 70-100 students that our ministry has impacted in some way shape or form on campus. Over the past semester I have been able to create solid relationships with 10-15 guys in 2 different fraternities. And even better the Lord has blessed me with two guys one in Sigma Chi and Sigma Nu who want to do nothing but share their faith.

I could honestly go on and write a book how hard it has been over the last week. I think a trick the enemy plays is boasting our weaknesses and minimizing our victories. It is so easy and natural for us to become like this. We are broken people living in a broken world, and are in a natural state of rebellion against God. No wonder!

The next 3 months are going to be crazy. Usually it is a time of highs lows and change. On the high going to Puerto Rico and be able to invest in our future leaders. The low seeing faithful students of the ministry graduate and go off into the work world. Also losing two staff members and a close friend. One who is going to China to be a missionary for two years. Here what lies ahead
1. Raising 1250.00 dollars a month in new support (15000)
2. Going to Puerto Rico for a month
3. Going to Massachuetts? If all the pieces work out
4. Going to Orlando for a global staff conference
5. Moving out to Riverside

I'm ready lets do this. Or should I say I show up and let Jesus do the rest.

Being Real

Over the past couple of days life has sure been a challenge. On the campus of JU, support, relationships, and trying to stay healthy and active. I can honestly say that my faith in Jesus Christ is the only thing that I have to hold onto. Through all of these circumstances God continues to blow my mind away. His favor is crazy
1. Being able to serve as a disciple maker at JU
2. Being able serve as an informal Greek Life Advisor
3. Having an informal relationship with President Tim Cost.
4. Being on a college campus that is going through a major make over (85 million dollars worth).
5. Being in a city that is going through a make over
6. Being apart of a movement that is changing generations.

Walking daily with Jesus takes faithfulness in the small things. It is like baseball we all want to see the homerun. But really singles or base hits are just as important. They are not flashy. Honestly neither is my life right now. Im a 25 year old college graduate who is in debt, barely getting by, living with the parents, and there seems to be no light at the end of the tunnel.

Through this whole process I have seen people's true character through the good and bad. I have seen the ups and downs. The only thing I have to hold onto is Jesus nothing less. Going through the book of Genesis and studying Joseph has made me realize a couple of things:
1. Be faithful in the small things
2. Serve others audaciously with the gospel
3. No matter what season of life you are in give thanks to God.

I really do not have time to talk about the "5 year plan" or what the next season is going to look like. There will sure be changes: Puerto Rico, Orlando, Boston, raising 15,000 dollars more in support, moving out, close friends moving to China and Chicago, but Jesus will still be there. As long as Jesus is here and I love others I'll be fine.

False doctrine

One of the things that gets my blood flowing is churches who preach a false doctrine. Christians out of all the religions across the world like to tweak and work the Bible towards an agenda. This is often common in the United States. If Jesus were to come back and take a look at the local church, he would have to say "shame on us." Do not get me wrong there are some foundations that all Christians should have.
1. Jesus is the son of God. He is the only way to salvation through repentance and accepting him as our Lord and savior. John 14:6 Romans 8:23 Ephesians 2:1-8
2. The church is a local body of broken people who come together to celebrate prayer and encourage each other with Jesus at the front. It is also the hope of the world. Acts 2:42-47 Matthew 5:14-15
3. God has commanded all of us to go to all nations and make disciples. Matthew 28

As a college minister I spend so much time having to work through false doctrine. There are so many church kids who have grown up and been exposed to condemnation and religion (Romans 8:1). There are so many people who think being a good moralistic person, and going to church on Sunday is actually carrying out the Great Commission. There are some people who think that our hope and strength is in creation rather than the creator.

What Jesus does want us to see is he is someone who brings order into chaos. Even in the church even in South (God help us), there is chaos. As Christ followers our eyes and hearts need to be on Jesus. The Holy Spirit goes beyond the religion and the make up. He goes straight to the heart. In fact the heart is deceitful and broken above all things. We at all times worship something. Jesus needs to be the center of our worship. As a fraternity man, a college minister, a Republican, I still need Jesus. Homosexuals, murderers, womanizers, Democrats, Barack Obama, we all need Jesus.
Jeremiah 17:7-10, 2 Chronicles 16:9

No sin makes us different from another person. Our world and the church have a tendency to elevate certain sins. Great movements of God's kingdom are started and maintained by faithful followers. Joel Osteen the Republican/Democratic Party or even the United States do not define the kingdom of God!

Lets stop all the bickering and complaining and actually be a people eternally connected and driven by the love and hope of the gospel. That is Jesus took the penalty of death for us. Because we are by nature unable to love God.