Whatever Takes Us Away

We are past Easter now. We have worshiped and learned more about our Risen Savior, and now we move forward. This Saturday we will be heading over to nearby Batavia for a youth conference. Our friends at King's Way Fellowship were nice enough to extend the invitation and we've responded. If you haven't talked to Tina or I about this conference, please let either of us know ASAP (Friday at the latest).

Also upcoming will be the start of NHUMC's Youth Sunday School. This Sunday morning @ 9:15 in the Youth Room. Bring yourself, your Bible, and whatever manner of breakfast drink you most prefer - I know not all of you drink coffee, so I won't be in charge of drinks.

In line with that, the Youth Group will be meeting every Sunday evening from now on - unless otherwise noted. Check the church website for updated events, times and places (look for link to church calendar). As soon as we get the materials we'll be starting the Rise Up cirriculum (it goes along with ATF/Battlecry) so start bringing friends and family.

Lastly, thanks to those of you that showed up last Saturday. Despite the cold weather we still got some things accomplished! Special thanks to Blueberry Boy of Stix in the Sneaux! You're awesome!

6:30 am, that's not the best time to have a church service, but then, anytime is a good time for a church service. However, the Easter Sunrise service at church this past weekend ran me over, drug me behind, and slammed me to the ground physically. I think I've caught up on sleep now.

It was a good service. I hope next year we have more people there, it is an awesome thing to be a part of. I fumbled through the songs on guitar, but we all tried our best to worship none-the-less.

Afterwards we had breakfast! One of my favorite things to do - eat! More people need to show up for that next year as well. Get up early, go to church, worship, eat - nice day in my opinion.

Christ
Easter. The Risen Christ. That is the reason we exist as Christians today. However, most citizens of the United States today would distance themselves from the church – holding little faith in what the church seems to stands for today. Ask many non-believers what the church stands for and the response might sound something like anti-abortion, anti-gay, anti-big government, anti-anything. The responses we might not hear would be something along the lines of we stand for Christ Jesus, we stand for helping the under-privileged, we stand for unity in the body, we stand for faithful living, and so on. The things we should most be quoted for saying and being are the least in the minds of non-believers because of our actions and our lack of living out our faith. Many “church leaders” have been using their status as a political platform, using Christ as a springboard towards what they want to accomplish, not what God wants to accomplish through them. We are told to go into the world and make disciples, what we do is go into the world and spread dissension and confusion. Easter is a time where we should take a real hard look at ourselves, individually, and see what it is we really stand for, Christ or the world. I want to vow that I will make a recommitment to Jesus Christ this Easter, putting Him before all other decisions in my life, letting Him guide my decisions, letting Him be the head of my house.

Faith
Our faith is being tested during these times. Many of us put our faith in things of this world, rather than putting our faith and trust in God. As a parent, what is the worst thing you could imagine? How about putting your own child on death row, knowing he/she did nothing wrong? Why is that so hard to imagine? God did it 2000 years ago. It is in that birth to be death that our faith should lie, not on what the latest trends are, not on the current charismatic speakers, not on a book about a book about a movie. Complete trust or confidence in someone or something, that’s a dictionary definition of faith. Do we have complete trust or confidence in Christ? Many of us, myself included, are probably not in that category. I did a search online for quotes about faith, and to my surprise the first 18 quotations that popped up were all negative towards faith; cynical at best. Is that how we want to be seen when it comes to faith in Christ? Let’s all make a recommitment to our faith in Jesus this Easter; faith in who He was, who He is, and who He Will Be.

Hope
“A feeling of expectation and desire for something to happen.” Hope. I hope the weather gets better this week! I hope the New York Yankees win the World Series this year. I hope my kids go to college and I don’t have to pay for it! That’s what hope is to most of us. Hope for things of the world, hope for things, not hope for eternal things. My feelings of expectation and desire are for Christ to return. I understand that it may not be during my own lifetime, and I’m okay with that, but that’s where my hope lies. The Bible speaks truth, absolute truth, and it says that one day Jesus will return for all of those who’s faith rests in Him. What do you hope for? What are your expectations this Easter? I remember as a child that my expectations for Easter were for candy, maybe some new toys, and I knew I’d get that Easter outfit I’d only wear once. I usually got those things, but in a matter of days, sometimes hours, those things would be gone, never to be seen again. Today, as an adult I can only hope and pray that the thing I want most will come soon. How awesome would it be to wake up to our Savior ready to lead us to our eternal home? To me, that’s what hope is for, looking forward to the best of times, the best of things – knowing that I and all those around me would be perfect in God’s sight forever, with God forever. Isn’t that worth looking forward to? Let’s make a recommitment to hope. Not just hope in our lives, but hope in the future of the church, hope in each other, hope in the day Christ will come. Christ has died halleluiah. Christ has risen halleluiah. Christ will come again halleluiah!

Love
Jesus taught us the greatest commandment, to love. Love one another. Love as I have loved. Did you hear what Jesus said after those? Love, period. It wasn’t love, but put some restrictions on that love. He just said to love, period. In Greek there are a few different words for love; a word for brotherly love, physical love, and unconditional love. The word used to describe the love Jesus talks about is unconditional, or agape love. Love without end, without restrictions, love with out saying something after it. I love you all. I love you because Jesus loves you. In a real community, love, not power should be what drives us all to live together in harmony. Love, not money should lead our paths and ways of life. If you honestly love someone, regardless of what they do, regardless of who they may hang around, regardless of the addictions they may carry, if you really love someone, tell them. Just say it. I love you. Don’t put anything else after it, except maybe a hug, a kiss on the cheek, a holding of hands, or just a simple pat on the back. I love you without restriction. With all my heart, soul, mind and everything I have, I love you. This type of love is what it is to be a Christian, but too often we stray from that love and turn to the physical or brotherly love, love with things attached to it. The Father gave us His One and Only Son, to live a perfect life, without sin, without blame; the Son He put to death on a cross. He did this because He loved us from before we were born. And Jesus, out of love and obedience to His Father, loved us so much that He put Himself on that cross to blot out our sins from the Father’s eyes. He did this for you, He did this for me. Unconditional, unashamed love. Let’s recommit ourselves to what love should be, to what love is, to what Jesus wanted from us when He gave us the instructions to love one another.

Weather. It's a fickle thing we cannot control. As it looks for tomorrow we won't be spending much, if any, time outside for our service project. However, we may be doing a few things inside and will most likely have some devotion/worship time. We may spend a little time outdoors, so dress appropriately.

We're still on for 2:00 pm and will probably go to about 4:00. If you need a ride please let me or Tina know by 12:00 pm Saturday.

He is Risen!

I don't even know where to begin, but I'll attempt . . . God answers prayer.

I have struggled the last few months with being a "youth director" and whether or not it's where I'm supposed to be. I may have stated this before, but I got some confirmation while on our trip to Muncie last month. Still, I sometimes question myself and I continually seek God's guidance in this, ask for help and pray a lot over this.

Normally I can't attend the Wednesday evening prayer service, but I had stiches removed this afternoon and stayed home from work as a result - as it turned out there was a board meeting/discussion time along with the prayer meeting tonight at church. God works in funny ways sometimes. All I was hoping to do was see if we could get the church's support with the youth ministry (not just financial support, but physical, spiritual and prayer support).

We've been here alomst a year now and there's a lot Tina and I don't know about the history of NHUMC, but we are willing to learn and be a part of that history as it unfolds before our eyes. What I learned this evening was there was a couple a while ago (probably 15 years at least) that was in charge of the youth group at the time, very involved, very energetic, and in touch (as much as possible) with the teens of that time. One of those teens was sitting at the table with us during this meeting; grown with children. Another thing learned was that the prayer group that started a few years ago had a priority list, and at the top of that list was the youth of the church.

I can't remember the exact moments, but some really awesome things happened at this meeting and I received more confirmation as to my status as the youth director.

So, here I am, back at home typing on the iMac. Where is this going?

Here.

Right now.

This church gets it. Everyone at the meeting agreed that the youth of today will be the church leadership of tomorrow and they need the support of everyone elder to them. They are so willing to let God use them, their talents, skills, abilities, everything and I am humbled to be a part of that. I'm so used to having to jump through hoops to get anything accomplished at church. I've been praying that God would open doors for this group of teens entrusted to me. Praying that I would be able to be the man God wants me to be. Praying that my life can be an example of Christ to these kids. Tonight, sitting there with many of the elders of this church, I was humbled several times over. A few times I fought back tears. These people are awesome and they want to reach out to as many teens as they can. One said to me that she is so glad that I came to this church and told me how glad she was that I share my talents and abilities with the teens (one of whom is her grand daughter).



What I expected was not what I received. What I received was unexpected. What I received I will gladly share with any teen that walks through those doors; broken, beaten, depressed, stressed, addicted, happy, sad, mad - I am not bothered by the conditions, but I do care about you and I will share something truly amazing with you . . . a story that broke even me and was shared with even me, the story that came from heaven.

Jesus.