Heaven without Christ

I've been reading a book called Crazy Love by Francis Chan for the past week or so. It is a great read designed to truly hurt your brain. It makes you think so hard that your brain physically hurts. Well, at least mine does. I love this type of book. It makes me reflect on my life, my walk with Christ, and the decisions that I've made and continue to make.

In chapter 6, he quotes a passage from God is the Gospel by John Piper. I want you to read what Piper had to say in his book. Then I'm going to challenge you to actually respond this this post. I want to see what you think about this. I want to see how this makes you feel. I want to see if this makes your brain physically hurt like it did mine.

"The critical question for our generation--and for every generation--is this: If you could have heaven, with no sickness, and with all the friends you ever had on earth, and all the food you ever liked, and all the leisure activities you ever enjoyed, and all the natural beauties you ever saw, all the physical pleasures you ever tasted, and no human conflict or any natural disasters, could you be satisfied with heaven, if Christ were no there?" -John Piper

You better sign up.

Simple as that. You'd better sign up. We've got work to do in Springfield and we aren't doing it yet. Are you going to step up and help? www.westernoaks.org/youth-then click on SNL Summer Mission Trip. Do it.

Two Cents

How much do you value two cents? Be honest with yourself. If you were to see two cents laying on the seat of your car would you leave it there? Would you pick it up and toss it aside? Would you put it in your pocket in hopes of using it when you hit $10.02 at the gas pump instead of $10.00 exactly? Would you get excited that you had two cents more than you did before you found it?
I could keep going-I'll spare you though and just tell you what I would do-what I did do. I left the two cents laying on the driver's seat of my car. It has been there for over a week now. Every time I get in the car, I see it. Every time I get in the car, I leave it. Who cares? Not me. Two cents just does not seem valuable to most people, including me. You might be thinking that after time, two cents will begin to add up. You're right too, it will. It does take a while though-but it can add up. Here is my problem, I rarely use cash. I put nearly every purchase on my debit card. Having two cents, especially in pennies, does me no good.
Now, those of you who know me should probably know that I have been spending the past few months trying to decipher the direction God wants to take my life. Let me rephrase that-the direction God is taking my life. In the past two weeks I have been able to find peace and comfort in finally knowing what God "wants me to be when I grow up." I have had the option of becoming a full time grade-school teacher, or a youth pastor. I am confident that God has designed me to be a youth pastor. Sure, I would enjoy teaching in a public school. I even think I'd do a darn good job. I have a degree in it and all. But my true design is that of a youth pastor. It is what I love, it is what I thrive in, and it is what I know God wants me to do.
Because of my decision, I have been receiving a whole lot of "two cents" lately. Not two literal pennies, but people's opinions and inputs on my decision. Most of them have been very caring and friendly. Some, however, haven't. I've talked with people who totally support my decision to not teach. Others, though, believe that I should teach. These people have also spent a good chunk of my time lately giving me their "two cents" on why I should teach, why I shouldn't be a youth pastor, and the like.
Now, before I go on, let me say this-everyone has been looking out for my best interest and I truly appreciate it. Well, I appreciate it now. I didn't appreciate it though. I had made my decision and I didn't need other people telling me what they thought. Especially people who disagreed with my decision not to teach. Their two cents was not valuable to me. I just wanted to leave them on my driver's seat.
Then I read this:
Ecclesiastes 9:13-17
I also saw under the sun this example of wisdom that greatly impressed me: There was once a small city with only a few people in it. And a powerful king came against it, surrounded it and built huge siege works against it. Now there lived in that city a man poor but wise, and he saved the city by his wisdom. But nobody remembered that poor man. So I said, "Wisdom is better than strength." But the poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are no longer heeded. The quiet words of the wise are more to be heeded than the shouts of a ruler of fools.

Instead of seeing my friends' two cents as wisdom, I have been seeing it as loud, obnoxious shouting. God has shown me something over the past few days though. Even if I do not completely agree with my friends opinions about teaching, that does not make them unwise. I haven't come across a single person who has told me not to become a youth pastor that didn't have some solid reason. Everyone has backed up their two cents with a good reason. Everyone has come to me with wisdom and my best interest at heart. Should I just forget them? Ecclesiastes is very clear-do not forget the wise. I will not spend everyone's two cents. But I will not leave it on the seat of my car either. Instead, I will put it in my pocket and wait for that time at the gas station when I hit $10.02 rather than $10.00 even. Who knows-maybe their two cents, their wisdom, will save me just like it saved the poor man's city. If not, at least I'm two cents richer.

Take a look at Ecclesiastes 9 today. Are you ignoring the wise? Are you giving those around you credit for their two cents, even if you aren't going to use it right away?

Pick up the two cents off your car seat. You may not use it right away, but someday you're bound to pump $10.02. And if you never go over on the pump, hey, you're two cents richer.

The Mercy Rule was Almost Used!

It was close to happening. The other night in our softball game we lost badly-very, very badly. So badly, that the mercy rule almost had to be used. We ended up losing 9-0. Ouch! As I sat on the bench before we were getting ready to bat in the bottom of the 5th, I looked over to a friend and told her that my competitive nature was about to rear it's ugly head. I was so frustrated that we were losing so bad.

Now during this whole time I am sure the other team was having fun. They were creaming us-it had to be a good time for them. There was one player on their team that truly intrigued me though. She was having so much fun that it actually helped me to have a good time. It was contagious.

She was good. Really good. Her first at bat she got a hold of it and bounced it to the fence. She was slow though, so she only made it to 2nd base. As she got there she joked loudly that no matter where she hits it, she gets a double. She then proceeded to act as though she was "running" the bases with a walker. It was histerical!

Her next at bat had me going though. This is where my frustration started to disolve a bit. Our right fielder moved in as he figured she would crank it out to left field again. That way he could play back up at first base. As he moved in he yelled to her that he was leaving the right field open for her and tempted her to "Hit it over my head!" When she heard him, she got a huge smile on her face and opened up her stance. She then cranked a line drive directly over his head. Man, she could hit. (She also got a double again!)

You know, a lot of players that could hit as good as this woman could might get cocky. She never did though. She always was smiling, laughing, and having a great time. When she wasn't on the field she was sitting with friends laughing so loud that you could hear it from a mile away.

As Kendahl and I drove away from our loss, she could sense my frustation. (Maybe beacuse I told her that I was frustrated). Either way, after we talked about why I was frustated, the conversation worked back towards that woman. Both of us began to laugh as we thought about how funny she was and how much fun she was having on and off the field. Her joy was absolutely contagious-even when my stupid competitive side was wanting to rear it's ugly head.

Galatians 5:22-26
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

The woman who could have single handedly beat our team last night was living by the spirit. She never rubbed it in or got cocky. She just had a good time. She was joyful. She was keeping "in step with the Spirit." Thankfully it was contagious and I was able to get my step back.

Are you keeping in step with the spirit despite what is happening in your life right now? If not, look to someone who is. It is contagious.

New Look, Same Great Product

Ever seen that on a product?  It is on my deodorant right now.  Honestly, I don't care about the new look of my deodorant.  I just care that it helps me to not have huge pit stains.  You also probably don't care about the new look of this blog.  Either way, its the same blog as before.  It just has a great, new look.