An Illusion of Safety: Broken

At church today during our worship service I saw a grown man next to me cry and drop to his knees. The bearing that he carried into church today was broken by the grace and power of the Holy Spirit.

Throughout my entire life I always had this illusion of security or fulfillment. I thought to myself that if I could fill myeslf up with the good things of this world, everything would be ok. I could use those to satsify the longest desires of my heart. I replace the good and supress the bad or negative things that plague my soul. However in my recent time since graduating from college, that illusion has been broken. We can cover it up with money, power, sucess, Brooks Brothers Polos, the perfect golf swing, the perfect body, the perfect wife, even the perfect family.

Now do not get my wrong all of these things are not bad, but when they become the center of your life it creates a big illusion. It is a sad thing that I have seen all of these things break! I have seen all of these illusion break because of the love and grace of Jesus Christ. That is the thing that brings me perfect intimacy, perfect joy, perfect grace. There is no illusion in Christ. There is real relevant life chaning power because of his supernatural grace. Supernatural grace that has sometimes left me speechless. There is true power in the name of Jesus Christ to not only break every chain of our life. But to give us POWER. Power to conquer this broken world and to rejoice in all of his generosity for our life. 1 Corinthians 9:22 highlights this power "To the weak I became weak, to win the weak, I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some."

I am so FREE not living an illusion. Sure I still play golf, wear Brooks Brothers oxfords, and maybe enjoy a steak dinner here and there but I do not MAKE THEM THE CENTER OF MY LIFE. When you put all of your energy, effort, work, and passion into creation rather than the CREATOR of CREATION...ooh boy you are setting yourself up for destruction. I am sorry to say that the "American Dream" is only an illusion. But the "Dream for Jesus Christ" is reality.

Some people try to define love in this world. Often they measure love based on how much was shown to them through a realtionship with a father or spouse. When someone ask such a philosophical like that, I often turn to the bible or past experience to try and answer that. However I read this book tonight that illustrated a true definition of love. Of course if comes from the sovern God of the universe who loves us more than any person, or thing on this Earth. That is because he sent his perfect sinless son to die on the cross for our guilt and shame.

People often illustrate the death of Jesus as this clean holy ceremony. But do you think God would just sacrifice his only Son that easily, for our discusting filthy sins? Imagine your deepest darkest secrets being revealed to our spouse or family. Because that is what the day of judgment is going to look like. But by his grace we have been set apart. That darkness will eventually be brought to the light of the Father!

"Christ love for the church is without limit. When Jesus died for his bride (the church), she was dirty and sinful. She was acting like his enemy. Yet he still choose tolove her and lay down his life for her-not in a quick, easy death but allowing himself to be mocked and beaten then nailed to a Roman cross. Jesus, the one who deserved to suffer the least for human sin, paid the highest price to meet his bride's deepest need." (That courageous love)

HEY GOD CAN I GET A BIG BREAK......LIKE NOW....PLEASE?????

Honestly there has been a lot of God's favor in my personal life throughout these past couple o f weeks. Close friends and Campus Outreach have found favor in Christ and he continues to bless his people even though we do not deserve it. Through prayer obedience and walking by faith on a day to day basis, I am truely amazed by his grace.

Some people who are might ask, if God is a giver than why does God take away? Why does God put me through bad situations? God does not owe you a dime! Because of our broken sinful nature we deserve death. The greatest gift in the history of gifts was given on a cross. That should be enough. If we look with a big picture perspective, time on this world is short. There is going to be a lot of giving in heaven. But now even on this world, I am truely content where God has me.

Sure Im not at 100 percent support yet, I have a lonngg way to go till I am a pastor, but God has blessed me time and time again. My love towards others and serving him is because of the joy I have through loving God. Besides if you look at any other person who has everyting a man could have, there is no everlasting joy there. I have seen to many people, and tried to find ultimate joy and purpose in this world. It all falls short! For the past couple weeks I kept asking myself, when will I get my big break? When will God follow through on a certain couple of subjects? I am done with that stuff.

The icing on the cake for that was last night at Winterjam. I met a lady who has honestly been through hell and back. She is from Iran and is a converted Muslim. She told me that a couple weeks ago she returned from Iran because of her son being killed by the government. Even with the loss of her son, she still jumped for joy! She had more joy for God and for life than anyone I have ever met so far in life. It left me speechless, it left me thinking about now and where I would be today if I did not have God in my life. Probaley sucessful but miserable. An alcoholic with a short temper and absoutley no true friends.

However by walking with God day to day (which is by means no walk in the park) I am a game changer! I am a man who is motivating other men to be game changers! I am motivating men to go to the nations and spread the gospel. God has given me the ability to lead people to salvation! God has given me the ability to be the helping hand in inviting people to heaven! Come on if that does not get you motivated then I do not know what will! If you are a follower of Jesus Christ you are a game changer! You are light in darkness! Light of the world! Be the Tim Tebow of your business! Be the Tim Tebow of your family! Let every thought and action be an overflow of joy for others so that they see Christ in YOU! Goodbye apathy goodbye discontent.

Old vs New

In the past things were very comfort, things felt pretty good. The reality is however if God is going to use me for the impossible for his kingdom, I must keep pushing, keep taking one small step than another. For 2012 I am headed to JU, Puetro Rico, North Carolina, and New York City, and Orlando Florida. I will be sharing the gospel, leading bible studies, leading a summer project, going to seminary, motivating and inspiring the next generation of men to do something big with their life. That is for his glory and honor. It is truly an adventure to serve God with everything. It is truly an adventure to do whatever it takes to grow a gospel centered revitalization on the college campus. When people think of Christian organizations, they think of a social club that sits on the sidelines. I want to motivate my boys and the men God places in my life to get off the sideline and get in the fight. To for once be captivated be his glory and presence. Sure there is a lot to give up, but you now walk with a good Shepard through light and darkness. Men you are now victorious because of our savior being raised from the dead! You are moved and built up by the Holy Spirit.

This has been a season of strict discipline and I still have to finish up strong. But I can see light at the end of the tunnel! My precious little self has been molded into a war hearted man who is in poverty. The only way I am made rich is through Christ alone.

The fuel to my life is Christ. If I try to fill my tank up with some other crap, then I will become complacent and apathetic. My sole purpose is to honor God, move through audacious faith, and build up the next generation of men who are going to honor and do the impossible for HIS kingdom. Let me give you a suggestion. If you haven't taken a look outside, this is not Kansas anymore. This world is falling in a plague of sin, depression, brokenness, and separation. But there is something more purposeful and more meaningful. Throughout the bible there are SO MANY scriptures about the hope and prosperity of following God. Jeremiah 29:11, Jeremiah 33:3, 2 Corinthians 4:16, John 10:10, Matthew 11:29, John 3:16. But do not thing my gospel is one of prosperity. We are SONS and DAUGHTERS OF THE FATHER. I don't know what kind of father you had but a Godly father sometimes has to discipline his son..over..over...and over again. Sometimes God puts you through something because only through suffering you draw near to him. Only because of deprivation or removal or something you learn about his character.

There is so much I have learned about the character of God. Some has been breathtaking. Some has been kind of scary because, well of some of the stuff that I will ultimately be held accountable for. But one thing remains. Jesus is my sole purpose in life, and it is my goal and desire to bring a lot of folks with me up to heaven. Through my personal walk, Campus Outreach, or the future church (New Horizon Church sounds like a really great name), I am going to do that. The highest form of selfishness is to go to heaven alone.

The mediator/gateway to heaven

I always get asked the questions why am I so relentless in walking daily with Jesus Christ. Why is it that I am always seeking God and wisdom through prayer, reading, and discipleship. Why is it that I am always preparing myself for spiritual battle. Why is it that I am constantly praying for the lost, and for some to get off their rear end and actually get in the fight. The fight I am talking about is between life and death. Do you want your life to count? Is it counting now? Are you living a life worth sharing with to God?

Because I hate to be the bearer of bad news, if you are not soley dedicated to following Jesus than your life will have no purpose. I am not talking about following him on Twitter but rather following him day by day hour by hour minute by minute. So there is my answer because almost two years ago my life had no meaning or purpose. In two years God has done so much and prepared for the glory of his kingdom. Most importantly I want to focus on salvation or being rescued.

"But we see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone" The name Jesus means savior. He is the savior of souls. He is the savior who brings honor and glory to the father. To die for all of my screw ups mess ups and idiotic mistakes is something I never ever take for granted.

I honestly have no idea what to write sometimes. God is doing so much in my life at such a fast rate it is hard to keep up. Since coming home from Orlando and entering a season of dilligence and obedience, God has provided SO MUCH. What I am doing is so "counter culture". What I am doing with my life goes against the status quo. But what I am doing with my life will hopefully bring others to heaven. That is my ultimate goal for my life to be a testimony to the grace and power of Jesus Christ.

My friend who is on staff with Campus Outreach in Melbourne Florida is doing some lets say some unexplainable things. At FIT he is discipling and growing strong relationships with international Muslim students from Saudi Arabia. He wants to share the gospel and Jesus Christ, grow in fellowship, graduate, and then show them that God wants to use them in amazing ways. He has a vision of them going back and planting a church in Saudi Arabia! I in 10 years hope to be a guest pastor at that church.

I know that someday in 3-5 years I will be preaching the gospel and leading a church that will be "the light of the world" for a broken dark chaotic world.

My generation

I have heard so many pastors tell me that my generation or the next one is going to be the one that restores the high power and honor of Jesus Christ in a broken chaotic world. The kids of yesterday that grew up on the Internet War on Terror and now the Great Recession are some of the hardet workers in modern history. There is an increase number of students graduating from college. About 30-40 percent of my friends are going to graduate school. I myself plan on going next summer. Ok seminary kind of like grad school. At our fingertips thanks to constant innovation, we have acess to a wide array of information. If you want to discover anything or anyone about the world, you are a few clicks away. You can get to know a person before you even meet them thanks to Google Earth, Facebook, and Twitter. You can find out their likes/dislikes cirlces or friends, and what they like to do for a living.

While this is HUGE for the Great Comission and spreading the gospel it has created an atmosphere of loneliness in the 21st century. The norm is to get through life by yourself and figure it out on your own. However my life and so many other goes against the status quo. Sure I do have an IPhone, Twitter, Facebook, and all of that jazz but what I do with my life down to the daily decisions is inter-connected. My close circle of friends and brothers/sisters in Christ cherish community. Look through the book of Acts and you will find that the church is not a brick or dynamic over budget ministries. They are a body of believers. A body of believers who get in the word together, pray, and suffer in the name of Jesus Christ. That group grew from 5 to 5,000 and so on. It then moved to the ends of the Earth and 2000 years later is "the light of the world."

So what does my generation need. They need close real authenticity. They need men and women who are going to be bold enough to point them in the direction of the cross. They need men and women who are not going to gossip about their struggles and past burdens. They need mission based organizations who are going to motivate and push them to the ends of the world. To sum it all up they need ACCOUNTABILITY....FELLOWSHIP....AUTHENTICITY.......AUDACITY