While Jamie and I were in Grand Rapids I found a theater that was showing To Save a Life. This is a new Christian movie but it is not your typical Christian movie. It is marketed for teens and gives them a timely message.
I will admit it did stretch my faith and me watching it.
In it the main character has it all. He was living the high life and then something tragic happens that changed his life forever.
He ends up becoming a Christian and it seems his life is falling apart. It does not paint a rosy picture of once saved life it going to be easy.
Through it all he makes it his goal to change lives. To make a difference in peoples lives. He was Jesus with skin on as Pastor B would like to call it. Watch this clip...
It opened my eyes to a lot of things that I did not realize teens go through. It also made me aware of short comings in my own life. Jamie saw my hamster running fast in his little wheel after leaving the theater. If you have an opportunity to check it out please do you will not regret it.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
God's Protection
On Thursday Jamie and I went to Grand Rapids for a couple days.
We started our trip by volunteering at the Dave Ramsey Total Moneymaker LIVE! event. Jamie and I have done this for 4 years now.
We help people with questions about starting their journey of Godly stewardship. Through Financial Peace University in 13 weeks you learn basic information about finances. Which may seem like a long time but it is life changing.
Who knows how many lives we changed by giving 8 hours of our life.
Side note, I am praying for the means to go and get trained to be one of Dave's financial counselors. I know it will be in God's timing and not mine.
On Friday we spent the day doing things together. Man was that awesome. We have not had much time together since Jamie has started working again.
Did not seem to matter where we went our GPS was sending us in the wrong direction.
Through all the frustration we missed a 4 car accident and almost getting hit by a car that was not able to stop.
We made it to our destination later than we would have liked but we were safe. That is definitely more important.
Thank God for for your protection. We love the blessings we were given during our trip seen and unseen.
We must remember that through our faithfulness we are given many blessings. These are not always financial blessings. They come in many forms seen and unseen.
We started our trip by volunteering at the Dave Ramsey Total Moneymaker LIVE! event. Jamie and I have done this for 4 years now.
We help people with questions about starting their journey of Godly stewardship. Through Financial Peace University in 13 weeks you learn basic information about finances. Which may seem like a long time but it is life changing.
Who knows how many lives we changed by giving 8 hours of our life.
Side note, I am praying for the means to go and get trained to be one of Dave's financial counselors. I know it will be in God's timing and not mine.
On Friday we spent the day doing things together. Man was that awesome. We have not had much time together since Jamie has started working again.
Did not seem to matter where we went our GPS was sending us in the wrong direction.
Through all the frustration we missed a 4 car accident and almost getting hit by a car that was not able to stop.
We made it to our destination later than we would have liked but we were safe. That is definitely more important.
Thank God for for your protection. We love the blessings we were given during our trip seen and unseen.
We must remember that through our faithfulness we are given many blessings. These are not always financial blessings. They come in many forms seen and unseen.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Loving God, Loving People, and Loving Life Doing It
Matthew 22:37-40 says "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets."
This verse boils down to "Love God" and "Love People". I believe we are to "Love Life" while we are doing these two important commandments. Now anyone that goes to the same church I do, Journey Life Church, knows these three things are our core principles.
How do we do that? How do we love God, people and do so together?
The early Church faced the same question.
Acts 2:42-47 says "And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.
There are only four basic things they devoted themselves to teaching (Bible study), fellowship (small groups), breaking bread (communion), and prayer. Everything else flowed from these.
By being devoted to these four simple practices, the early Church grew strong in Godly character, and the ministry bore fruit. If we expect the same kind of fruit then we must be devoted to practicing these same disciplines.
If we are truly practicing the disciplines then we are teaching both by example and by instruction. Those who come to Christ through us will learn to practice the same disciplines and the legacy continues.
Time is precious. We must be about the essentials and we must stay focused.
Keep it Biblical. Keep it simple. Keep it genuine.
This verse boils down to "Love God" and "Love People". I believe we are to "Love Life" while we are doing these two important commandments. Now anyone that goes to the same church I do, Journey Life Church, knows these three things are our core principles.
How do we do that? How do we love God, people and do so together?
The early Church faced the same question.
Acts 2:42-47 says "And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.
There are only four basic things they devoted themselves to teaching (Bible study), fellowship (small groups), breaking bread (communion), and prayer. Everything else flowed from these.
By being devoted to these four simple practices, the early Church grew strong in Godly character, and the ministry bore fruit. If we expect the same kind of fruit then we must be devoted to practicing these same disciplines.
If we are truly practicing the disciplines then we are teaching both by example and by instruction. Those who come to Christ through us will learn to practice the same disciplines and the legacy continues.
Time is precious. We must be about the essentials and we must stay focused.
Keep it Biblical. Keep it simple. Keep it genuine.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Turning Over a New Leaf
I have been doing a lot of reading in the last week. Ask Jamie she has not seen much of me. Between reading for MI-SOM (Michigan District School of Ministry) and 4 other ones I have got a ton of notes compiled.
Resounding in the books I have been reading is a call to action.
Our country has been broken. The core of the problem is easily identifiable. Increasing neglect and devaluing of God's Word and the associated fallout that comes with it. We, as is the body of Christ, are all in this together.
Two basic principles should govern us. First our direction should come directly from the Bible. We must seek Scripture to determine our plan. God has already given the blueprint. We just need to learn to read and follow it. Second we must set an example for the Church by approaching things from the positive rather than from the negative.
Our goal should be to present a clear Biblical model in the hope that it will be put into practice throughout the body of Christ. This may require us to change our current practices or even start over from scratch. Whatever we do be assured that it is well worth it.
Keep it Biblical. Keep it simple. Keep it genuine.
Resounding in the books I have been reading is a call to action.
Our country has been broken. The core of the problem is easily identifiable. Increasing neglect and devaluing of God's Word and the associated fallout that comes with it. We, as is the body of Christ, are all in this together.
Two basic principles should govern us. First our direction should come directly from the Bible. We must seek Scripture to determine our plan. God has already given the blueprint. We just need to learn to read and follow it. Second we must set an example for the Church by approaching things from the positive rather than from the negative.
Our goal should be to present a clear Biblical model in the hope that it will be put into practice throughout the body of Christ. This may require us to change our current practices or even start over from scratch. Whatever we do be assured that it is well worth it.
Keep it Biblical. Keep it simple. Keep it genuine.
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