TNT!

I haven't posted in a long time. I apologize for that. I have simply been way busy and have needed to wait for things to slow down. My schedule is pretty full with school, newspaper staff, youth group, TNT and various other church events!

Well anyway TNT is moving back to doing more accountability stuff tonight. I am so excited! Up until this point we haven't tried to do accountability for a while... The sole reason being that it's just been too hard to do accountability with so many people. Don't get me wrong I do enjoy teaching about God but I'm glad the group is getting back to its core.

Westway is also doing many great things lately. I'm excited to see where it'll take us. Well I will definitely try to post on here more often now that things are slowing down.

God Holds the Hands of Those Who Hurt

I found this out through personal experience. I had already known this sure but I got reminded of it in a hard way. I had been hurting for a weekend because I had gotten really busy and overwhelmed myself. I basically felt like I was at a dead end with no way out of it. It was the worst.

Through it all I didn't focus on God much. I just kind of lived life like everyone else. Now every day since I started to focus again after my little slump I am reminded more and more that I need to give up everything. I want to give up EVERYTHING. So everything is back in the process of going out.

Here's the point... God is ALWAYS there. In the midst of struggles. In the middle of an exam. In the middle of no where. God is there. Holding your hand waiting for you to come back and walking alongside you.

In the manner of housekeeping TNT is going places this summer. We hope to bring people closer together and closer to Jesus. Things are going to change drastically over the school year.

Jesus Christ Saved Us Because of Love

Here's what I want you to do... Think of the thing that is most cherished to you. Anything at all. Just bring that to the forefront of your mind really quick. Now think of this... We are all at the forefront of Jesus's mind. Jesus loves us and is obsessed with us. We are talked about as a bride: beautifully clothed and prepared to be wed.

“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.’” (Revelation 21:1-4)


Jesus waits for us to come to Him and be His bride. He doesn't care about the conditions He has  to wait in or the amount of time it takes for us to come to Him. He's waiting for all of us to come back to Him and love Him.


He loved us enough to die for all of us and to show His love to the ones who were with Him before that. He loved me enough to take me out of the life I was living and use me for His purpose. He loves us!


For your Maker is your husband – the Lord Almighty is his name – the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; He is called the God of all the earth. (Isaiah 54:5)

Radical Discipleship of Jesus

Disciple: One who accepts and assists in spreading the doctrines of another.

That is the first definition of disciple. The other major one talks about the disciples of Jesus otherwise known as the original twelve. The followers of Jesus today are the all branches of this original movement of Jesus' disciples. The disciples of that age were way more radical than we are today.

Let's look at the apostles lives:

• They were subject to torture just for preaching
• They were all killed for their beliefs (except John who died a natural death)
•  They continued preaching despite being told not to
• They usually didn't have any place to live and maybe went without food for periods of time
• They used whatever money they had for the good of others
• They believed in Jesus so much that they died for Him

That is just the things that come from the top of my head... but that is still way more radical than even I have ever been in my life since I found my faith. Here's the thing about what the apostles did... It was all basically exactly how Jesus lived. After Jesus ascended they continued His work.

My fear about the church today is that sometimes we can't say the same... (Yes I know I'm as guilty as everyone else) My hope and prayer for the church today, however, is that someday we can say the same for us. Let us continue our Kings work!

Boy Scouts: An Epidemic

My friend Andrew, told me a few weeks ago about this incident where he was trying to do a good deed for an old woman because of his faith and she simply said, "You must be a boy scout." It was kind of a funny thought for a second and then it hit me. Boy scouts today have a better reputation than Christians do. I haven't thought much about it until today when I went to Wal-Mart and I had the same thing happen to me. Here's a story from Acts 6:8.

Now Stephen, a man full of God's grace and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people. Opposition arose, however, from members of the Synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called)--- Jews of Cyrene and Alexandria as well as the provinces of Cilicia and Asia--- who began to argue with Stephen. But they could not stand up against the wisdom the Spirit gave him as he spoke. Acts 6:8-10

Everyone in that story knew where Stephen stood because of all the things he did. He spoke, acted and thought in a way that everyone around him knew who he followed. Even the enemies of Christ understood what "religion" he was a part of. They didn't stop Stephen and ask him if he was a boy scout...

So I guess now what we're left with here is a choice... Do we continue to let people think that being a boy scout changes you more then being one with Christ? Personally I think we need to shine bright for Christ. As Jesus says in Matthew: You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.

So why are we hidden?

Being Undignified for God

I'm taking a break from the coverage of CIY for a little bit. I was just listening to the song "Undignified" by the David Crowder Band. This song brings about a lot of thoughts for me. Like the first thought is this: What are we all afraid of? Why don't we ever try to be undignified for God?

Then I realize something... I have troubles with the same thing! I have troubles some days letting go of everything that is holding me down from giving praise to God! David is a huge inspiration for me when it comes to being undignified for God. King David never thought of the idea of being over someone else because of the fact he was a king. He danced around in what was basically underwear for God! God deserves our worship and honestly I think we can look kind of silly doing it because of the fact that if it's our best, it's worth it.

Honestly if we have joy beyond comprehension of someone without Jesus in their life then we should reflect it while we worship.

If it seems like it's "too much" to give God I would have to say that you can never give too much to God... God deserves it all.

God bless.

CIY: New Found Knowledge

My dear friends, as I write this to you I sit in the Reed Library of Fort Lewis College. This college took it upon themselves to accomadate this year's CIY conference. I tell you my brothers and sisters it was a long drive here but it was well worth it. I've found out so much about the church's problems in this world. We are persecuted. We are beaten. We are tortured. We lose everything. There is something else though...

We are saved.

And it's for that reason that we speak out. It's for that reason that we continue to pray for the persecution to cease. I know my purpose and in all honesty it didn't change a whole lot. Just the direction of it and the focus of it. I owe my life for His cause. That is exactly what I hope people see in me. If they don't then I pray they will.

Jesus is everything. I am nothing. Absolutely nothing without Jesus. I am here to minister to the southern areas of this world. Where ever that may be. However I can do it I shall do it. Not by my own power but by God's power and grace in me.

This year at CIY I have seen God move in people and I've seen Him move me. This week will be remembered. Not just for the fun times but also for the serious times.

I'll post later with some stuff on "Love Costs Everything".

Grace and peace be with all of you.

CIY: Something Bigger

I haven't posted anything for the last couple of days because I am at this big conference known as CIY. What's weird is that a lot of the ideas I've had over the past couple of months sort of reflect what is being talked about here. I hope to post some things on it as soon as I've had time to reflect and ponder what has been talking about. The theme is "Something Bigger". It talks about how God takes small things (such as myself) and makes them bigger beyond recognition.

I'll keep in touch. Peace and grace be to all of you. Pray for all of us here and pray that we will have understanding.

Loving Your Enemies Just Like Your Friends

Even as a leader of TNT I have troubles with this... Of course it doesn't really show in the group itself because of the love I have for everyone in the group. I know we all have trouble with this because it is human nature to have some feelings of "dislike" towards another person. But here's the thing. Our human nature is sinful. We are naturally sinners. Let go of human nature and live by the Spirit! The Spirit is of the next world while our human nature is of this world. Live for the world to come friends.

Jesus called us to do this very thing as followers of Him.

But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold form them your shirt. Give to everyone who asks you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you have them do to you. Luke 6:27-31 NIV

Jesus did this through out His whole time on this earth. Even though He lived as we do now, He set an example for us to follow. He lived a blameless life from the time He was born to the time He ascended into heaven. He also provided us with a contrast of the two lives (life by the Spirit and life by sin) in the same chapter of Luke.

If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. And if you lend to those from whom expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and to lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High. Luke 6:32-35

Jesus did the most remarkable act of loving an enemy when He was up on the cross... He forgave the men who crucified Him... Honestly I don't know if I can ever live up to that by myself but I know that with the Spirit any of us could do it. We can love our enemies even the ones who threaten us with terrible things...

Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." Luke 23:34 NIV

We sometimes lose sight of the cross. We forget sometimes what happened before Jesus was on the cross to lead up to Him being crucified. He loved the teachers of law who were against Him through His whole ministry. We need to keep sight of these things and live in the Spirit in order to follow in His footsteps and to take up our cross.

But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:44-45

Pray on this my brothers and sisters, for you as well as for me. Remember the cross!

Grace be with all of you

The Best Way to Spend Life

I've found that there is only one really good way to live life. That way is to follow Jesus with all your heart... Now there is about one thing I never thought I would talk about on this blog... and that is death. I have been doing a lot of thinking today and I've realized that I need to with this post.

There is one key thing as a Christian that I know: Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Light. He is the key to our salvation. By believing in what He did on the cross we are saved. Well He died on the cross for us right? Because of Him dying on the cross He saved our lives from what we were going to suffer otherwise...

This idea comes up for me... If our lives were saved by Jesus don't we owe our lives to Him? (This is sort of the idea of a life debt but it works) If we owe our lives to Him, our lives are not ours anymore... Therefore we are sort of obligated to do what He tells us to do... But if we know Jesus personally and we read His word then we don't feel "obligated" to do things for Him... We do those things out of love as well as obedience. Mostly out of love. Honestly my life has never been better then when I decided to live entirely for Him! He blesses those who do.

Live for God! It's a blessing!

The Spirit is the Answer

My brothers and sisters in Christ I have found the answer to my last post. The Spirit is the whole reason for Peter preaching at Pentecost. He is also the whole reason for us to preach in the name of His Son to this day. The Spirit takes away all of our earthly problems and makes their burden light. Here's another comforting thought... The Spirit prays for us!

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God's people in accordance with the will of God. Rom 8:26-27

Living in the Spirit is the answer my dear family in Christ! If we live in communion with the Spirit we will live a righteous life, as Jesus did. Jesus also gave us one last commandment before He left us. Love one another. If we love one another we are following the law because it does no harm to a neighbor. Live in the Spirit and show an outward extension of the grace given to you. And Paul writes...

And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh. Rom. 13:11-14

Pray a lot on this my brothers and sisters. By the Spirit's power, which is not ours but God's, we can accomplish great things for His kingdom.

What is Stopping Us?

I read a couple of weeks ago in the book of Acts the second chapter about Peter preaching at Pentecost and the story just blows me away. The beginning of the chapter talks about how the disciples themselves were filled with the Holy Spirit and ends with three thousand people believing in Jesus and being saved! It goes on to say that they "were devoted to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship."

These people that became the first church gave up everything because of their beliefs. They sold their possessions and shared the money with the other believers... The thing that just gets me is the number of people who were saved in a single day. Three thousand!


This raises one question for me... What is stopping us from doing the same sort of thing? By us I mean the church of today. Personally that three thousand people saved covers way more then just the people I know and worry about every day. There are people I know that need the Lord and I can't seem to get them to listen to me. I just don't get what is stopping us my brothers and sisters in Christ.

Is it fear, doubt, worry, life or are we just too busy? God is beyond all of that. Since God is beyond all of that, why can't His work be beyond that too? We all need constant prayer so that we, the workers, can help God make the differences He needs to make. We have (in some cases) become a sleeping church. Wake up my brothers and sisters! We need to be well aware of what He wants for this day and age.