Praying for Japan

An earthquake in Japan: it is hard to understand why these things happen.  Why are there natural disasters?  Why are they so devastating?  Did the people who were affected do something to deserve that type of pain?  These questions inevitably come up any time disaster strikes.  I think back to my own experience with a natural disaster and the thoughts that went through my head in the days that followed.  In my case, I quickly realized that we will not always understand why these things happen.  These disasters do not pick favorites.  They do not know who in the world is "good" or "bad."  Any of us could be the victims of the next major disaster.  For instance, an earthquake could strike anywhere at any time.

But when you are in the middle of the disaster, that is not always comforting to hear.  First of all, you do not want to hear people questioning your morals.  That happened to me after the tornado.  I remember hearing someone in a local store questioning what sinful acts our university was involved in to deserve such a devastating disaster.  While we are all sinners and deserve punishment for those sins, we should not immediately think that when disaster strikes, it is a result of someone's sin.  But we must realize that we live in a fallen world, and the reason the world is in this state is because of our sin.  Even so, this is not the way to comfort someone who is going through the aftermath of a disaster.

So how do we help those who are hurting as a result of this disaster in Japan?  First and foremost, we must pray for them.  It may have been a week since the earthquake hit, but the Japanese people are still hurting.  Imagine losing everything you own.  Imagine your world literally being shaken.  Imagine living in a place that you know is your hometown but if you did not know any better, you would not recognize it.  Imagine the fear of aftershocks continuing days after the earthquake.  Imagine the fear of a nuclear meltdown.  While most of us cannot physically go to Japan to help, we can pray.  We can pray that there will be no more death as a result of this tragedy.  We can pray that people will be found alive in the rubble.  We can pray that people will find healing, both physically and emotionally.  The emotional effects of this earthquake will carry on for years.  We can also pray for spiritual healing.  For those who do not know God, we can pray that they will find Him in the midst of this tragedy.

This leads to one final question that people are asking.  Why would God allow this?  This question arises in the midst of every earthquake, hurricane, and storm.  Is God punishing them?  Did they do something wrong?  We have already seen how while the effects of our sin have led to a fallen world (leading to disasters such as these), these disasters are not necessarily a result of some specific sin.  Although this can be true, as we see this in Scripture at times (where God allowed judgment and disaster as a result of the specific sins of different nations), it is not necessarily the norm.  So instead of blaming the people for some great sin that they have committed, and instead of blaming God for this disaster, let us pray.  Let us pray that healing will come, that restoration will come, and that the Japanese will recover quickly.  Yes, it is hard to understand why these things happen, but instead of getting caught up in the philosophical questions that arise out of these situations, we need to take action.  We can do this by sending aid to Japan, going to Japan to help if we can, and praying for them.

We never know when we might get caught up in one of these tragedies, and the last thing any of us want is someone blaming us for the disaster that we face.  We would want others to reach out to us, helping us recover.  So in the same way, let us not judge those who go through these hard times.   Let us help them financially, physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

Matt

"Our House" and Scripture Memory

Have you ever found yourself singing along with a random commercial on TV before? Or have you ever found yourself quoting the dialogue right along with the actors of that commercial? Without even trying to, we learn the lyrics to our favorite and sometimes our not so favorite commercials. I know that I have found myself sitting in front of the TV before quoting a commercial without even realizing what I was doing. This actually happened just a few days ago. I do not even remember what I was watching now, but I was sitting in my chair working on my laptop when I heard a new commercial come on. After singing “Jingle Bells,” the commercial broke off into “Our House.” Immediately I thought it was a Maxwell House commercial again because I have grown accustomed to associating that song with that brand of coffee. I was singing the lyrics of that song when I looked up at the TV and realized that they were not advertising Maxwell House. It was a Verizon commercial! I then realized how quickly these commercials can become integrated into our lives, which prompted me to write this new post.

If you have been a regular reader of this blog, and not necessarily of the posts that have been walking through the Bible, you might have noticed that I am a big believer in the importance of memorizing Scripture. Just about two or three years ago, I thought I had done a great job at memorizing Scripture, participating in Bible Drill and knowing verses from several books of the Bible. But as I got into college, I learned that Jews (at least in earlier times for I am not sure about today) were required to memorize the entire Pentateuch during their childhood. That means that they would know by heart the first five books of the Bible! Then, professors required Scripture memory in some of my classes, and they required passages, not verses. I began to see the importance of memorizing chunks of Scripture and not just single verses, although both are beneficial. Now, I have begun to make the commitment to memorizing whole books.

But before this post becomes a pedestal for me to stand on so that I can showcase all my accomplishments, let me say that that is not my intention at all. In previous posts I have mentioned my desire to memorize a book, at the time Philippians. But that plan fell through, I became discouraged, and it never happened. I have told you about the encouragement I remembered gaining from David Platt who came to Union and quoted Romans 1-8 in a chapel service. That encouraged me to get back into memorization and I finished learning 2 Timothy, which I had done most of a few years before that service. But for some reason, I could not get back into it and find the commitment to learn Philippians from start to finish. My problem was a lack of commitment.

Finally, back in the spring I told you about a commitment I made with some students on a recent mission trip about Scripture memory. We committed to learn Philippians, and I was able try this again. About 10 weeks later, I finally accomplished this task, and it was because I made a commitment to God, and He gave me the strength and ability to do it. I have since been working on 1 John, and am amazed at how easy it has become. But it has only come by commitment and sacrifice. There is a method I found thanks to the leader of that mission trip, and by setting aside 20-30 minutes each day, I gradually worked my way through these books. I will not go into detail about that method now, but if you would like to know more, leave a comment, and I will get back to you. Basically though, by learning two verses a day (I now do three) and reviewing each day, you can work your way through any chapter or book. Once you have reached your goal, review it for 100 days, and you will have it down almost perfectly. Then, by studying it about once a week, you will be amazed at how well it sticks with you.

I share this method with you today because it worked so well for me. While there is no magic in the different methods you can use, for me having an organized plan was much better than me trying to figure out what to do and how much to do each day. If you commit yourself to it and are willing to sacrifice a little bit of your time each day, you can learn a chapter of Scripture, which might be a great first goal. Who knows, you may even be able to memorize your favorite book. We all probably know hundreds of songs and hundreds of commercials that we could quote at any time. So why do we not put more time into memorizing God’s Word? I encourage you to find a method that works for you and start today. As I said, if you would like to learn more about the method that has worked for me, just let me know below and I will send it to you. Most importantly, I pray that if you decide to do this that you will not do it for your own glory but for God’s glory.

Matt

Church Discipline - Part 4

Suggestions for Discipline

Knowing that His children are going to sin, although He desires that they all live a holy life, Jesus’ intention for discipline is that His children will keep each other accountable, which is why the first step of the process only involves the person who is in the wrong and the one who was wronged (possibly a close friend). Theoretically, the problem would be resolved between the two and no one would ever have to hear about or deal with that situation again. Repentance would be sought, forgiveness would be granted, and a relationship would be restored. If done correctly, the church itself would never hear about most situations that occur between the members of their congregation. Instead, the members would have been taught how to handle this situation in a godly manner amongst themselves, and each member would keep each other accountable on a regular basis.

In cases where it does not work out this easily, the church would have to be willing and ready to step in and get involved. If the situation could not be resolved, then a few others would have to be brought in to help. This is where the importance of a small group, such as a Sunday School class would be useful. Small groups within the church are supposed to give believers a group of brothers and sisters who they can depend on. They should look out for one another, providing for each other’s needs, such as their physical needs or spiritual needs. They should be trustworthy and ready to help at all times. When believers are plugged into a small group, they surround themselves with loving people who will lovingly walk alongside them in life. Discipline is part of love. The reason a parent disciplines a child is so that the child will recognize their mistake and choose not to make that mistake the next time they find themselves in that situation. In the same way, a believer should not be afraid to lovingly confront a fellow believer that they see living in sin. Likewise, that believer should recognize that their brother or sister is coming to them in love and not in a judgmental way. If people understood the point of discipline and demonstrated it in the correct way, then the church would never need to get involved.

Unfortunately, there would be those times in which the church would have to step in. On those rare occasions, the leadership of the church must be willing to consider the possibility of excluding one of their members. If they are practicing discipline effectively in their small groups, then this final step of discipline should not be a problem for that church. After the first two steps had been taken, the church would then bring the member who is sin before the entire congregation, outing their sin. If the member still neglected to repent of their sin, then they would simply be asked to leave the church, taking away their membership. At that point, the church would also need to make it clear to the congregation and to the sinful member that their intentions for kicking them out of the church are pure. They desire repentance, and until repentance is sought, they will have no dealings with that member. They should not completely break ties; however, pursuing that member in love. They should still be cordial when they meet them out in public, and they should be friendly, possibly paying them a visit or calling them one night. Just as they would seek the salvation of a non-believer, the church should continue to seek the repentance of a fallen brother.

Conclusion

The solution to this problem is not easy, and will not be resolved easily. The Church today must wake up and understand the importance of Jesus’ commands in Matthew 18. People need to get over their pride and fears associated with discipline and not allow it to interfere with their obedience to Jesus’ commands. The Church needs to return to what it was founded on in Matthew 18, using the last two thousand years of church discipline as an example. For the first time in the history of the Church, discipline is being neglected, and the Church will not grow if this sinful pattern continues. Church discipline is hard, and will possibly bring hard times on the modern Church, but discipline is also commanded by Christ and must be performed in the Church no matter how hard it may be to carry out. It is far more important to obey Christ’s commands than to shy away from them due to the fears of the world. If discipline is not brought back into the Church as a whole, then the Church will eventually fall apart due to the lack of accountability. Therefore, discipline should lovingly be used to keep believers in check so that the church may be strengthened in Christ.

Matt

Church Discipline - Part 3

Discipline Today

The neglect to discipline is not only inconsistent with the teachings of Scripture but also with the traditions of the last two thousand years. Now while it would be impossible to observe every denomination’s reasons for neglecting church discipline, R. Stanton Norman offers insight into what has happened to the Baptist church. He lays out four primary reasons as to why the twentieth century has brought about this neglect of discipline. First, the idea of individualism that permeated the thoughts of the twentieth century world has come into the Church. The idea of accountability has almost become a thing of the past, and people become quite upset when someone points out their faults. They immediately jump into a defensive manner not believing that anyone has a right to “judge” them. Instead of looking at the concerns of a fellow believer, they take the concern as an attack. This selfish individualism has destroyed the idea of accountability and has left the church wondering how to exercise discipline.

Secondly, Norman suggests that a “lack of respect for authority within the church” has led to a decline in discipline. Again, the influence of the secular world has crept into the life of the Church. The secular world in general does not respect the Church’s authority on any concerns, whether it be dealings with abortion and homosexuality or the institution of the Ten Commandments in public places. As a result, people within the Church have begun to question the Church’s true authority. This has helped contribute to the idea of individualism, and people do not want the Church to have any involvement when dealing with matters concerning their personal lives. Much like individualism, this lack of respect for the church has crippled the Church’s efforts to discipline properly.

Norman also suggests that conflicting denominational lines has also led to the decline of church discipline. When church discipline is actually practiced and taken to its furthest point, the expulsion of one of its members, it is too easy for someone to jump across denominational lines and begin attending church again as if nothing had happened. Too many times, each individual congregation is seen as “the church” rather than “a part of the Church.” People have forgotten that the Church is actually the larger group of believers, and if unity is not held between the various denominations, then when church discipline is practiced, it will not have a major effect on the individual. However, the problem can also be seen within a denomination as well. If someone is kicked out of one Baptist church in a community, they can go a few miles down the road and find another Baptist church just as easy. If churches are not communicating properly, then this second church may allow them to join their fellowship without knowing why they desire to transfer their membership. Unity is not only important within the small group of believers at an individual church, but it is also important across the Church as a whole.

Finally, the lack of accountability has also led to the Church’s inability to discipline. Again stemming from the individualistic nature of people today, no one wants to be held accountable to anyone else. However, this is one of the most important aspects of the Church. Jesus taught the importance of small group disciplining in forming His own small group of followers. Likewise, the founders of the church in the New Testament followed this example, taking the time to pour into a select group of believers. The early disciples met in small groups within their own homes on a regular basis for times of study and prayer. They lived life together and helped each other along in their Christian walk. Although the idea of small groups is still around today, the idea of accountability has been lost. These small groups may only meet to eat and study, but do they take the time to find out where each other is struggling in life and commit to pray for them? The beginnings of church discipline must start within this small group concept.

Assuming that these four reasons suggested by Norman are valid, it still does not solve the problem. These reasons show why the Church is unable to discipline, but if the Church is not willing to discipline, then what was mentioned above is worthless. Maybe part of the problem the Church is facing today is the unwillingness to discipline its members, afraid of what the repercussions might be. One fear the Church may have is the thought of their members leaving the Church and never coming back. Another fear deals with the possibilities of lawsuits and how to handle extreme cases such as those.

Many times the fear of the unknown keeps people from doing many different things in life. A church must not let fear be a hindrance in disciplining its members. If they are using discipline correctly, then they would be doing it with the mindset of helping their members rather than throwing them out to the side. There will be those times in which a person may never come back to the church, but that cannot be the concern of the church. The church must continue to reach out to that person in an effort to restore the relationship, but when someone makes it clear that they want no part in the church, then the church cannot feel as if they did an inadequate job at disciplining. Actually, the church did everything right in such a situation.

The biggest danger in disciplining members today is threat of having a lawsuit given against the church. Laney illustrates this possibility with a case between Marian Guinn and a Catholic Church in Collinsville, Oklahoma in 1974. Marian, a single mother who began attending this church, was taken in and cared for by several members of the church. When she was found to be in an affair with another member of the community, the church elders confronted her on her sin out of concern. They warned her of the dangers of the path she was taking and tried to help her overcome the situation; however, Marian did not heed to their advice and continued to take part in this man’s affair. The church then took matters one step further and told Marian that she would have to explain her situation before the church while they dismissed her from the congregation. It was at this point that Marian refused to adhere to their request and told them not to bring it before the church. Instead, she would move to another church and just anonymously tell the church that she was leaving. When the church would not agree to her terms and shared the case with the congregation the following Sunday, Marian filed a lawsuit against the church. Her claim was that the church had made an “invasion of privacy and [had a] willful intention to inflict emotional distress.” The case then went to court and the jury ruled in favor of Marian. Cases such as this are probably one of the greatest fears of churches today and the primary reason why discipline is not practiced.

The question that comes from this case is should the fear of being sued cause a church to disobey a command given by Jesus? Quite simply, the answer is no; however, in many people’s minds the answer is not that simple. When cases such as these are taken to court, the country and the world begin to see the negative side of the Church, and many become turned off by this negative publicity. In many ways it could hinder the Church’s ability to spread the gospel. So the Church has to be careful about how they handle these cases; however, if a church is following the guidelines laid out by Christ and will take the first two steps seriously, it may never come to the troubles of this final step.

The fears of actually carrying out church discipline are real, and may be the primary reason why it is not practiced in today’s churches, but as already noted, this cannot be used as a reason to disobey Christ’s commands. The Christian life itself is hard, and the idea of being persecuted may be a fear that many Christians have today. Persecution, however, is not a reason to give up on the Christian life and sit on the sidelines. Jesus commands Christians to live out their faith and carry the gospel to others despite the cost. In the same way, the fears associated with church discipline should never cause a church to neglect His commands. So the question that arises is what would discipline look like in today’s church?

Matt

Church Discipline - Part 2

Discipline in 1 Corinthians 5

For some, this practice seems quite difficult to actually carry out. For various reasons, churches are afraid to actually follow this command and discipline their members. Paul encountered one of these situations in writing to the believers in Corinth. In 1 Corinthians 5, Paul addresses a problem in the Corinthian church where one of their members had committed a sexual sin with his father’s wife, presumably his step-mother. The Corinthian church had neglected to discipline this man adequately, and Paul appears to be more concerned over their failure to discipline than this man’s sin. Gordon D. Fee suggests that “the horror [in this situation] lies in the fact that there is sexual immorality among them, but they are taking no action.” This example that Paul uses stresses the importance of using church discipline. Those who neglect to discipline are only hurting themselves by allowing sin to reign in their midst, being too prideful to do anything about it.

So Paul commands the Corinthian church to “hand this man over to Satan,” which could mean one of two things. Blomberg suggests that this does not mean physical death; rather, it refers to the removal of the man from their fellowship. According to the formula laid out by Jesus in Matthew 18, such an action is not for the destruction and the humiliation of the man, but is to be used in order to cause the man to seek repentance so that he may come back into the fellowship. Fee further suggests that by handing this man over to Satan, it serves as a contrast to what he would have experienced within the church; instead of the loving environment of the church, he would have to endure the hatred of the world where Satan’s powers were at work. This may appear to be a harsh punishment for the man, but once again, this action is intended to be done out of love, in order that the man would see his errors and desire to ask for forgiveness.

Discipline in Church History

This formula given by Jesus and modeled by Paul’s ministry became the basis for centuries of church discipline. In the centuries that followed, the Church took the job of discipline seriously, and Laney points out that a process was even developed to reinstate those who had been kicked out of the church. Now while Jesus never gave clear instructions on how to go about reinstating someone who eventually came to repentance, it appears as if the early Church was on the right track in their tactics. They were not neglecting their duties to discipline the disobedient, and they were making sure that the person was truly repentant when they brought them back into the church. Overall it appears as if the first few centuries of the Church understood the importance of instituting discipline.

Then, in the Middle Ages, the Church decided that discipline should be a more private matter. They determined that when an issue arose, it should be handled between that person and the priest, not before the entire congregation. While they were correct in making this situation a private matter between two people, they were wrong in suggesting that it was the only way to handle the situation. They obviously missed out on the rest of Jesus’ commands in Matthew 18, where He commanded that the situation be brought up before the entire church when repentance was not sought. Furthermore, Jesus also seemed to suggest that anyone could fill the role that the priest was filling in the Middle Ages. There was no command that limited that role to a select group of people. Any believer who saw their brother stumble had the responsibility to confront him.

At the time of the Reformation, Luther was not as strict about discipline as Jesus had commanded. Although he did believe that discipline was necessary and that being cast out of the church was the final step, he did not emphasize the importance of private, small group discipline. Instead, he believed that discipline “should come from preaching the Word.” Calvin, however, made a much larger contribution to church discipline stating:

“As the saving doctrine of Christ is the soul of the Church, so discipline forms the ligaments which connect the members together, and keep each in its proper place. Whoever, therefore, either desire the abolition of all discipline, or obstruct its resolution, whether they act from design or inadvertency, they certainly promote the entire dissolution of the Church.”

Although Luther supported discipline in its simplest form, Calvin was the Reformer who made a point to keep discipline a central part of the Church. He understood that a church that does not practice discipline will fall apart. Rather than looking at discipline as a practice that would hinder the relationships between believers, he viewed it as a practice that would bring believers closer together.

Likewise, the Anabaptists understood the necessity of discipline, emphasizing the importance of using it to build one another up rather than destroying each other. From the time of Calvin to close to the twentieth century, several of the Protestant denominations held to a strict form of discipline. Anabaptists, Methodists, and Puritans alike supported a rigorous form of discipline. Until the twentieth century, discipline has always been a major part of church life. Laney states that “its neglect today is not consistent with the rigorous efforts of the past to correct sinners and maintain a pure church.” So the question that arises today is why discipline is no longer practiced. Granted, there are some congregations that still obey the commands of Matthew 18, but for the most part, the modern Church has abandoned the call to discipline its members.

Matt

Church Discipline - Part 1

Church Discipline

I recently wrote my senior thesis, my last paper for college! The idea for this topic came from a class that I took on Paul's epistles last year. The issue of Church discipline was brought up in that class, and it was one of the first times that I have ever thought on or considered this topic. I realized that I had never seen it practiced and wondered what it might look like if a church made a practice of discipline (if and only when it is needed). So I am going to post a little bit of my paper each day as I have done in the past with previous papers. There was supposed to be some Greek in this paper, but it does not carry over to this blog, so I attempted to transliterate it, but probably did not do a great job of that. Just look over those parts of the paper. Here is part 1:

Introduction

One of the lost practices of the Christian Church is that of church discipline. Throughout the Church’s history, discipline has been instituted in many different ways, but since the twentieth century it appears as if the practice of discipline has been lost. The modern church tends to not institute church discipline, thus neglecting Jesus’ command to correct a brother who has fallen away. Jesus gave this command in Matthew 18, expecting His disciples and the future Church to conduct themselves in this manner. Paul appears to be enforcing this practice in 1 Corinthians 5, correcting the Corinthian church since it appeared that they might have been neglecting to discipline their members. History also shows how discipline was used and changed over the last two thousand years. In fact, J. Carl Laney traces its development from the time of Christ to the present day, showing how the modern church is really one of the first groups of Christians to neglect the practice of church discipline. The problem today, however, is knowing how to fulfill Jesus’ commands in the American society. For instance, if one member is forced out of one church, it is very easy for them to go a few miles down the road and begin attending another one. Furthermore, the Church is also plagued by the fear of possibly being sued if someone’s sin is revealed before the entire congregation. The problem the Church faces today is not only if church discipline should be instituted, but also how it should be carried out.

Discipline in Matthew 18

First, it is important to look at the formula which Jesus laid out in Matthew 18. The passage begins in verse fifteen with Jesus mentioning that this formula for discipline is used for ho adelphos sou, which means “your brother.” Donald A. Hagner points out that this means that discipline should happen within the community of disciples, which today would be the Church. Craig L. Blomberg further clarifies that such an instance does not involve a third party; instead, it should be a personal meeting between the concerned brother and the one who is caught up in the sin. Since these are the only two people who even know about the situation, it is better for it to be resolved between them without bringing in anyone else. In fact, Jesus takes it one step further in saying that it should be done alone (monou), which Hagner suggests means in private. Theoretically the problem would be resolved between them, and the next step of discipline would not be needed.

Jesus, however, knew that there would be cases in which this one-on-one meeting would not solve all of the problems. There would be those times in which a third party member would be needed to help resolve the conflict. It is important to understand that these one or two extra people do not have to be church officials. Their primary duty is to assist in being a witness that the situation is being handled properly as well as urging the person to seek repentance. Blomberg adds that the reason this step is added to the process “is to resolve [the] individual’s conflicts by involving as few people as possible.” Jesus had first clarified that the situation would best be resolved alone, between the two people. This would prevent others from knowing about the situation and spreading false information around. The conflict would be resolved, and repentance would be sought. By adding this step into the equation, more people know what has happened, but there is still a sense of privacy in that only a few people are involved. Finally, it is still closed off to the church at large and would hopefully be resolved by the end of this stage.

Jesus also knew that there would still be those rare exceptions where a person would not seek to fix the situation, and He commanded that only at that point should they be handed over to the church. Again, the point of this discipline is to fix a problem between two brothers, and that is best done in private, not before a large group of people. In extreme cases, however, this course of action must be taken. Therefore, Jesus offered the third step to this process in bringing it before the church. What is interesting about verse seventeen is that Jesus uses the word ekkleisia, which is translated as “Church.” This Greek word is the same one that is used throughout much of the New Testament when referring to the first century church. That specific organization of believers, however, had not yet been developed. So could Jesus be referring to what is known as the Church today? It appears as if He could have been. This passage makes it clear that those who confront this brother who has gone astray are fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, those with whom they would have already been associated with. In essence, that is what Jesus intended for the Church to always be, a group of believers who care for and look out for one another, a group that cares for others in hard times, rejoices with them in times of joy, and rebukes them when sin has entered their lives. So although the Church itself had not yet been officially formed, it is quite possible that Jesus was referring to it even in Matthew 18.

Because of the close association that those who rebuke their brother and the one who was being rebuked would have, the separation was intended to be harsh. Jesus commanded the Church to cut the unrepentant brother off from the Church itself (or group of believers). If after these previous three steps, no course of repentance was sought, Jesus’ final command was to remove them from the fellowship. Once again, He did not intend for this to hurt the unrepentant brother as to drive him away from the Church forever; instead, it was intended to draw him back into the fellowship. In the first century there was not a church on every corner, and to kick someone out of the church left them with nowhere else to turn. They could not just hop over to the next church on the street and move their membership. The only other option left for them, if they did not want to repent and be brought back into the church was to join the Gentiles and tax collectors, those viewed as the lowest in Jewish culture. Therefore, by placing them in a group such as these, the intention was for them to see their sin and desire to be brought back into the church.

It is important to understand that when Jesus laid out this series of instructions, He did so out of love. The reason He commanded that only one person pull this brother aside in private was to not completely humiliate him in front of the entire congregation. If the two of them could work out the differences and move on, then there was no need for anyone else to ever know what happened. That situation would be left between the two of them and God. The only reason the next two steps were even mentioned were for the rare cases in which the sinful brother refused to repent and set things right. Jesus was serious about sin, and He did not want any of His children to stray and fall back into their old ways, but He was also loving, giving them that opportunity to ask for forgiveness.

Matt

2000-2009: A Decade Gone By

As 2009 comes to a close in less than 10 hours, it is not only a new year that will begin, but also a new decade. We will say good-bye to what has been most commonly been referred to as the 2000's and enter into the 10's. What will 2010-2019 bring us? So much has changed in the last 10 years, and it appears as if society is only going to continue to expand and get more complicated as time continues.

Over the last 10 years we have seen many significant events take place both in our country and across the world, in sports and in entertainment, and even in my own life. We have had 3 presidents: Clinton (for less than a month), Bush (for 8 years), and Obama (for almost one year). September 11, 2001, changed our nation and world forever. Since then airport security has been enhanced, and recently another terrorist attempt has been seen reminding us that we are not done fighting against terror. The decade is ending just like it began.

Before 2000 most people did not use Google, did not have cell phones everywhere they went, did not have fast personal computers, and did not have IPods or other Mp3s. Even gaming systems were different, the N64 being the latest for Nintendo. VHS tapes were still popular as DVDs were just beginning to come out, and now as the decade ends we are shifting to Blue Ray and 3D movies at the theater. Most notably about the decade was Y2K, which never happened. Can you believe 10 years ago today, that was our major concern?

In 2005, Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans, and that has not been the only natural disaster of the decade. Typhoons, tidal waves, earthquakes, and tornadoes have killed millions across the world, as we have seen some of the worst of nature over the last few years. 2005 was a record year for Atlantic Hurricanes, and since then tornadoes have come in record numbers across America. 2008 marked my one and only experience with a tornado.

In sports, the Patriots have dominated the NFL this decade, whereas Jimmie Johnson has dominated NASCAR in the second half of the decade. We lost Dale Earnhardt at the beginning of the 2000's along with several other drivers in similar situations. College football has been filled with controversy as the BCS rankings began to become less favorable as the years ticked away, and for Tennessee fans, this decade marked the end of Phil Fulmer in Knoxville. There were 4 Olympic Games as well, think of Shaun White or Michael Phelps.

Celebrities have also made the headlines, but not in good ways, over the last 10 years. Who will forget names like Anna Nicole Smith, Lindsey Lohan, Brittney Spears, Michael Jackson, Tiger Woods, Jon and Kate, Tom Cruise (the couch), and the list could go on and on. Whether it was death or drugs, divorce or child custody battles, celebrities have had their names in the headlines, and that will not change.

This list is far from exhaustive. It would be impossible to list everything that has occurred in this decade. But just sitting here thinking back makes me realize that this decade consists of almost half of my life, and there have been things that have happened in these 10 years that altered my life forever. 9/11 changed us all, but other than that, there are so many personal things that have occurred as well.

I hope you are ready for the new year and the new decade. But take a moment and think about what these last 10 years consisted of in your life. How did the news headlines change your life, and what personal things occurred. It is always good to reflect back on your life, so take a moment to do that before 2010 gets here.

As for the blog, hopefully 2010 will be a new start. December has been a waste on here. With school, work, and Christmas, I did not find anytime to write. So one New Years' Resolution I may have this next year is to get back to writing more. See you next year!

Matt

Dollar for a Drink

Have you ever thought about the people in third world countries that struggle just to survive? I think it is easy for us to forget about the daily struggles some people face across the world because we really do have it all in America. But just because we may be blind to the fact that others are struggling to meet their daily needs does not mean that it is not actually happening. Right now, in Sudan, people are struggling to find good, clean water. Water! I can get up from my computer right now and go get a drink of water without even thinking about it. But those people in Sudan must traverse miles to even find a water source, and even then they are limited as to how much they can bring back. They are then limited as to how much they can drink, for they must ration it out. And yet, here we are with an abundance of water, more than we know what to do with.

So here is my challenge. A friend of mine here at Union, Joshua Guthrie, created an organization called Dollar For A Drink last fall. From October to December 2008, he raised $8,000. That was how much it cost to build just one well in Sudan. He actually exceeded his goal last fall, which made him go on and set a new goal for the fall of 2009. So this fall, the goal has been increased to $24,000! With that money, 3 new wells can be built in Sudan.

The good news: In just 1 month, for this new goal began at the beginning of September, 1/3 of that goal has already been met. Enough money has almost been raised to cover 1 of the 3 new wells!

The bad news: 1 of 3 is not enough. People are dying each day in the Sudan because of a lack of water. That is why Joshua wants our help, yes, me included.

How can you help? By donating $1... that's it! If 24,000 people donated $1 apiece, the goal would be met. But if you feel led to donate more, go right ahead. The idea is to give up $1 for a drink (such as a cup of coffee, a coke, a bottle of water) that you would have during the day. You may challenge yourself to go a week without that extra coke at break during work. That would be $7. See the idea? It does not matter what you give, but I encourage you to give to this great cause.

So how do you do it? It's simple. Go to www.dollarforadrink.org and find out how you can donate. There is an online method or you can do it by mail. Also, you will find much more information on the website about what this non-profit organization was designed for. Furthermore, you can promote this cause at your school, business, or church. The more people that hear about it, the fast the goal can be met.

So can you do it? Yes. The question is... will you do it? It's your choice. I am not going to place guilt on you, but I do encourage you to seriously consider what you give. These people in Sudan are literally depending on us, on our sacrifice.

It's really quite easy... $1 for 1 drink.

Matt

Remembering the Persecuted

This week has been GO Week at Union, and we have been focusing on local, national, and international missions throughout the week. It is an opportunity for students to get involved in some form or fashion for the glory of God. This year the theme is "to the nations." Now some may argue that we need to be focused on our local area, and I completely agree! However, there must be a balance. If we are going to the nations without going to our neighbor, something is wrong. If we remain in our bubble without thinking about our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ across the world, something is wrong as well.

Tonight was a focus on those brothers and sisters scattered across the world. In America, we do not suffer persecution from the government. We are free to gather and worship Christ. We are free to spread His word to those around us. But so many people today do not have that freedom. So tonight, we pretended to be in those situations (although we could never do it justly, for we have no idea what these people suffer each day). We "secretly" met in the gym to have a Bible study without use of any Bibles. Scripture was strictly from memory. Our meetings were quiet and in the dark. Now this pales in comparison to what people are suffering this very moment across the world, but hopefully it gave us some idea of how free we are in our own country.

The main focus tonight was to remember to pray for those who are suffering. Many have died even today for the sake of the Gospel. People are killed, imprisoned, and persecuted daily just because they proclaimed the name of Jesus. Can you imagine? People are tricked, lied about, and arrested (sometimes over things they never did). And here we are sitting in our churches, sitting in our homes, going about our daily lives forgetting that we have brothers and sisters who are suffering. We are ONE body in Christ, and when one member suffers, we all do. But how many times do we forget this?

Now do not think that I am lashing out against Christians because this convicted me as much as anybody. It made me stop once again and think about how I live my life. How often do I forget?

One last thing... do not only pray for our fellow Christians, but also remember those who are doing the persecuting. Steve Booth has been our speaker this week, and he reminded us tonight that they need our prayers as well. He reminded us of Paul, one of the greatest persecutors we have ever known. But did God give up on Paul? Of course not, and if He had of, we would not have half of our New Testament. If God can change Paul's life, he change the lives of those across the world today. So do not forget the persecuted or the persecutors!

Matt

9-11-2001

The question is, where were you 8 years ago? Can you even remember that far back? In some ways, the events of that day seem so distant now. In other ways, it feels as if it were only yesterday. I am sure that those who lost loved ones on that day still feel as if it was yesterday. But what about the rest of us? Have we forgotten the fear that we felt 8 years ago? Has September 11th become "just another day."

I have to admit that now that we are on our 8th anniversary of those awful attacks, it is getting fuzzier. I do not remember the details of that morning as much as I once did. But I did not lose anyone, and maybe that is why. But a tradition that I have developed over the last 8 years is watching FOX's coverage from 2001 each year. When I got up this morning and turned on the TV, FOX was showing the same video that I have watched year in and year out, marking each significant event of that morning. And even 8 years later, it still sends chills through my spine, fear. I wonder... could it happen again? Are we really safe? Could there be another attack one day?

For some, this day may be beginning to become routine again. But we must be careful not to let September 11th become another ordinary day. True, we no longer dwell on it as we once did. However, it is good to have that reminder each year that we must watch out, we must remember our military, we must remain safe, and we must turn to God as we did on the days that followed 9-11-2001.

Some people may have moved on since 2001, but after talking with several people on campus today, for many of us, we have not forgotten. We all spoke of where we were that morning, what we remembered feeling, how our schools and communities reacted, how our churches reacted. For those of us who were just kids on that dreadful morning, we have not forgotten, and I do not think that we ever will.

To close this out, I just want to thank all who worked so hard that morning in New York, D.C., and Pennsylvania (even those who lost their lives). And I want to thank those who are continuing to fight the war that began that morning. May we never forget the sacrifice that so many have paid for us in recent years.

Matt

1 Year of Posting

1 Year ago I began this blog to keep friends updated and post my thoughts on a variety of topics. And over this past year, I feel like that is what I have been able to do. The blog initially allowed me to keep you updated on Union as we recovered from the tornado. And throughout the summer, I was able to let you know how work was going and brag a little bit on the kids that I taught. More recently, I have consistently kept you updated on my Mission Trip to Hays, Kansas.

But it has not just been about me. The real reason for the blog was to give me a chance to review books that I have read. I have written about many books over the last year, not all of which I read in the last year. I hope that you have been able to find something that interested you, and if you wonder what type of books I have read, just check out the Book Reviews section of this blog. A new review is coming in the next few days on The Moonstone.

This blog was active during the primaries and the election. I gave my thoughts on the candidates, where they stood on certain issues, and the election itself. Then as President Obama took office, I even commented on the inauguration. There have been hurricanes, severe weather, and snow storms that I written about as well. These can all be seen under the personal thoughts category, like this blog post.

I then began reviewing music, commenting on songs that I have heard on the radio or through iTunes that touched me in some way. Lyrics can be powerful, and the Music section of this blog seems to be the most popular section. Out of all 200+ blog posts that I have written over the last year, the "One Life to Love" post has received the most comments. Hopefully I will be able to continue this section of the blog as well, and since I have been listening to John Waller's newest CD recently, I should have some new songs to talk about.

Because I have given several sermons over the last year, I have been able to share those with you on here as well. And through different devotions, school papers, and memory verses with the kids last summer, I have had plenty of passages to write on. There should be more to come on that as well, including more from the Pastoral Epistles, something from the Gospel of John, and maybe some ideas from Proverbs.

And the world of sports keeps most Americans busy each week. I should continue to post about sports over the coming months, but since NASCAR is the only sport in season right now that I watch, those may not come as often.

If you are new to the blog, a lot has happened over the last year, as you can see. But there is also a lot to come. The world is always changing. There are new things to think about and write about. Sports seasons will continue to play out each year, new music and books will continue to be released, and I will continue to write about things that God is teaching me. There is so much more that I have done through the blog already, and I hope that there is much more to come. So keep coming back to see what is new, I will do my best to keep it updated. Before we know it another year will be gone.

Matt

The Circle is Open

The Ted Dekker website has gone through a complete change this week. For the last several years, his website has consisted of one main section, known as the Circle. This "circle" is actually drawn right out of his books, Black, Red, and White (and later Green). It is a fellowship of "believers" in the novel that celebrate the salvation they had found. This "circle" is a parallel for Christians who celebrate salvation in God. And for several years, this virtual circle on his main website has been a place of fellowship, deep discussions, and a place to discuss current and future works by Ted himself.

But over time, the message boards became a little boring. And although we all probably miss what we once knew, it is exciting to have a new place to talk and discuss. What was supposed to be opened back in late October/early November, opened at noon today. Some last minute glitches pushed the release date back further and further, but today Ted Dekker 2.0 was finally opened. It was well worth the wait.

It is much like the old website, but the design is completely different. There are still places to talk and discuss just like before, but it is more customizable and personal. Also, Ted Dekker is introducing what he calls the Underground where there will be some special, online only, stories that will be released in the future. But for now it is going to be used to release excerpts from his new book Boneman's Daughters, which comes out mid-April.

So if you enjoy Dekker's books, go over and check out the Circle at www.teddekker.com If you have never read any of his books, go and see who he is and what books you might enjoy in the Library section. Or you can check out some of my previous posts in Book Reviews, where I have reviewed several of his books over the past year. Check out Ted Dekker if you have not already done so!

Matt

Stimulus, Storms, Snow

I do not know what you think about the struggling economy, but I am honest enough to admit that I am clueless about what is going on. I do not understand enough about economics to even make a guess at how to fix this problem. But I do realize that things are not right, and I can see that through the stock market. So the question I have, is what is the solution? Is this stimulus bill the way to go? I am not sure. All I know is that it did not work back in the Fall, and so I do not know if it will work now. But hopefully we will find the solution. I pray that someone in Washington will be able to figure out what the answer is.

As for the weather, what can I say except that it has been crazy. 2009 has been colder than 2008 so far, but we still have had storms. Watching the weather today, I noticed that Alabama, Georgia, and Florida have had tornadoes. But thankfully, 2009 has not produced as many tornadoes as 2008 had by the end of February.

And today, we have the complete opposite weather, snow! Looking outside right now, there is at least 2-3 inches down. But this is not unusual. Actually, this is what winter in West Tennessee should be. Many times, this type of weather will extend into the beginning of April. So it is really nice to see some snow outside tonight. Snow may cause some problems, such as power outages and wrecks. But in my opinion, it is far less dangerous than severe weather. So bring on the snow!

I ran out of S's to talk about for today. There is a lot going on in our country and in the world. in some ways, things seem to be spiraling out of control. But I have learned not to worry as much about the events around us. Worry will not solve any of our problems, so why even waste our time? But it is always useful to stay informed about the things going on in the world, and this is just my view on some of the current situations in the country today.

Matt

Discipleship

One of the main themes of Conclave this weekend seemed to focus around the idea of discipleship. Francis Chan first spoke on this during the first main session on Thursday night. But it was an idea that was repeated on multiple occasions throughout the weekend. Chan looked at the life of Jesus. He went around speaking the truth to anyone who wanted to hear it. But on many occasions there were people in the crowds that did not care about the Gospel. They would turn away and leave, or Jesus would send them away through His message. Those who remained were the ones that Jesus was able to pour into. And really, Jesus only poured into 12 main men in His ministry. There were many that He taught during His lifetime, but there were 12 specific men that Jesus "discipled."

Through His ministry we see the importance of witnessing and discipleship. As a Christian we should be involved in both, but sometimes we get so caught up in one that we neglect the other. And I feel that many times discipleship is left out in our lives and maybe even in our churches.

This weekend helped me see the importance of discipleship. So I ask you to think about your spiritual life. Did you have a person that mentored or discipled you? Was there a person who invested in your life, teaching you God's Word or living the Christian life before you? And if so, what have you done since? Do you in turn invest in the lives of others? Are there people in your life that you can pour into and teach them what it means to live the Christian life?

I think we can all point to people who had an influence in our lives. But I wonder if we can then point to people that we are investing in. If you cannot think of such a person, then I encourage you to think of someone who may look up to you. Or if you are involved in a certain ministry in your church, think of someone who might be a great help in that ministry in the future. Begin investing in that person's life. That, is discipleship.

Continue to witness and spread God's Word because it is our calling. But do not neglect to disciple others. You may never know what type of influence you will have on their life. But what if they take what you have taught them and seek out someone else? And what if that person continues the process? Pretty soon, there will be a network of believers who are connecting with one another for accountability, support, teaching, and service work. What impact could we all have on the world if we connected closer to believers? Only God knows the things that He could accomplish through us. Discipleship is important. I encourage you to seek out those who you could disciple in the faith.

One last thought. When you do find such a person, it helps you in your walk as well. Knowing that there is someone looking to you for some sort of guidance can help keep you on the right track.

Matt

January 20, 2009 - A New Era

Today was an exciting day for the nation. Barack Obama officially became the 44th president of the United States of America. I was so glad that I got a chance to watch the ceremonies this morning. The support was amazing. There were thousands of people crowding the streets of Washington D.C. Past presidents and vice-presidents were in attendance, including George W. Bush and Dick Cheney. D.C. had to be a crazy place today. It was so great to see everyone coming out onto the stage in a good mood, especially Malia and Sasha Obama. Those 2 girls were excited, and why wouldn't they be? I cannot imagine a 10 and 7 year old watching their father being sworn into the highest office in our country. Despite the turmoil and troubles around us, the country was able to take a break and celebrate a great day, the beginning of a new era.

So maybe President Obama stumbled over his words this morning, but that in itself is not a catastrophe. Plus the man swearing him in was really the one who misplaced the words. But they both laughed it off, continued with the ceremony, and finished with smiling faces. What do the next 4 years hold for our country? Well I cannot give you that answer. What do I think will happen? Honestly, I do not want to guess because there are so many things that could happen. These next 4 years will be a defining moment for all of us as US citizens. Hopefully, one of the first accomplishments will be resolving the economic crisis. But even if that continues for a while, we can still have hope that God will see us through. I trust that President Obama will help us and guide us along through these hard times.

But a new year and a new era have begun. We are setting sail into 2009 with new goals and new dreams. President Obama's life has changed drastically. Malia and Sasha have switched towns and switched schools. Our new first lady, Michelle Obama is adjusting to a new life in the spot light in Washington D.C. And America is facing a new year that could give us hope for the future. I do not know what is on the horizon, but I do know that God is in control, watching over us each day.

May God be with President Obama and his family. May God Bless America.

Matt

Random Thoughts of the Day

Global Warming: How real is it? I am not going to get on here and say that it does not exist, because I believe that it does to a certain extent. But I think it is ironic that the country has been going through a recent cold front. Northern states have received double (and some triple) amounts of snow. And almost every state has received below average temperatures in recent weeks. In fact, this week most of the country will be in that situation, with teens stretching down to the southern parts of Alabama and Mississippi. So how real is global warming? As I said, it more than likely exists, but maybe not to the extent that we have always thought. Then again, what do I really know. I am just a college student who is not a scientist. Just my thoughts.

January 20th: The big day is right around the corner. In 1 week we will have a new president in the White House. George W. Bush's terms are coming to an end. Barack Obama will be the 44th president 1 week from today. A new age is dawning for America. It promises to be an exciting time. But even from the start, the challenges are mounting for President-Elect Obama. Of course we are all concerned about the economy, but Obama will encounter those struggles immediately. It is great to see him working hard even now, trying to find a solution to our current problems. That shows leadership on his part, and I have been impressed at his desire to begin work now, rather than waiting until his "official" first day. Next Tuesday will be a historic day.

Matt

Remembering 2008

2009 is on the horizon as 2008 comes to an end tomorrow night. Personally, I cannot wait for a new year. I am excited to think about what the new year could hold. But before jumping on into January 2009, I want to take a look back at the year that was... 2008.

January - Began with a New Year Party at the house in the midst of my long break from school. I was at home most of the month waiting for a new semester with new roommates.

February - A new semester began with new roommates and new friends. We played crazy games around campus enjoying our first weekend back at Union. But the fun came to a standstill on the 5th when the tornado destroyed part of campus. The rest of the month was mostly spent at home, waiting to go back to school. On the 19th, we returned, and I lived in a hotel for the next few months.

March - A cancelled GO Trip led to a spring break at home, which was a great rest from a stressful, hard, long semester that had only barely begun. But summer began looking brighter when I received a phone call to work at Christian Wee Learn for the summer. This was a welcomed phone call since I was no longer going to be able to work at Centrifuge at Union.

April - The semester continued, and this blog was born. It became a place for me to keep friends updated, talk about books that I had read, and vent about whatever popped into my head.

May - The semester finally ended, and campus was looking much better! Dorms were popping up everywhere, but it was time to go home and put an end to a hard semester. Then work began, and I began wondering if summer was going to be fun after all.

June - Work became much better as the kids began listening somewhat better. They were soaking in the material much faster than I ever expected, and I was growing attached to every single one of them. But even in the midst of fun, I was missing Union.

July - Kids Kamp kicked the month off, and it was a great time away from the daily activities at work. But it was also a time of work as I co-pastored for those 3 days. But summer was beginning to end, and the kids were about to head to school.

August - The summer program ended with a huge party day. I was so impressed with the kids and could not believe that they had accomplished so much in such little time. As they went back to school, I really longed to head back as well, but summer was not yet over. I continued to work with them in the afternoons.

September - A new semester finally began, at a "new" Union. Things looked completely different, and it was great to reconnect with friends. We were all excited to begin a new semester on a campus that was still in the process of rebuilding. But we could not walk on the sod.

October - The semester continued along as we saw more work being done all around us. The buildings were complete, all minor repairs were being wrapped up, and little things to help campus look better began popping up (such as lampposts).

November - Campus went through homecoming, and old alumni came to see what the new Union looked like with the new dorms. Another semester was ending, as the election came to an end as well.

December - The economic crisis seemed to grab everyone's attention as the semester ended. But the excitement of Christmas took place over all fears of the world around us. Then the semester ended and we all returned home for a great Christmas with friends and family.

Now here I sit wondering how 2009 will begin. Will there be another life altering event take place that will shake the very foundation of my world again? Or will 2009 begin like some of the more normal years of my life? I have plans for what I see in 2009, but will they be fulfilled or changed like last year? We never can know the future, but when it comes we have to work with what we get.

I hope that I am able to participate in my mission trip this year as well as setting up a summer job that will not be changed. I hope that I have a normal semester in the spring, unlike the previous 2. I hope that I can have a normal, peaceful year. But I realize that in an instance, that could all change. I cannot become comfortable with my life, because the unexpected could come.

Make your plans for the New Year. Set your goals. It is a good thing to set goals in life and work towards completing them. But while you are setting goals for the new era of your life, remember that your goals may not be God's plan. Be willing to change those goals if the need arises. Be willing to conform to God's will and not your own. You may have great plans (like I thought I did in 2008), but I can guarantee you that if God changes those plans, His plans are greater. I experienced that first hand in 2008, and it will be a year that I will not soon forget.

Matt

Merry Christmas

Now that we are officially entering the 2 days of celebration for the Christmas holiday, I thought it would be appropriate to look at the Christmas story once again. But this time I want you to look at it in a different way.

The past 2 days at Christian Wee Learn, we looked at the story of 2 young cousins. John and Jesus were born just months apart from each other, and their parents did not know what would become of their lives years later. They knew that these 2 babies were special and were born with a purpose, but they did not know that it would one day lead to brutal deaths for each one. But prior to those tragic days, their lives were filled with many great moments of teaching, preaching, and miracles (for Jesus).

When looking at the story about their births in Matthew and Luke, it seems like so many things could have gone wrong at any given moment. For instance, the angels came to many different people delivering messages to set these plans into motion. Because of the faith of these people, these babies were born and brought up for a specific purpose. And yet problems still arose. Herod tried to kill young children, hoping that Jesus would meet His death as a young baby. But once again, Joseph's trust in God's direction led the family to Egypt, saving Jesus' life for the time being. The story about these 2 children ends with their early childhood and does not pick up again until we find John in the wilderness preparing the way for Jesus, his cousin. From there we get the Gospels, the story of Jesus' life and His sacrifice for us, the ultimate gift in life.

But what would have happened if things had fallen apart in this story? What if Jesus had never been born? Would Christmas be what we know it as today? Or would this Christmas season just be another part of the year for everyone? We can never know the answers to these questions. What could have happened is never known, only what happens. But knowing that the odds were stacked against Jesus and John as kids should add a little more emphasis on the Christmas story. We would not be opening gifts with families and eating nice Christmas dinners if this story had been drastically different.

So in the midst of the chaos of travel, gifts, and food, take a minute to reflect once more on the Christmas story. Read through the first few chapters of Matthew and Luke. Thank God for His gift of Jesus, in the form of a baby, and for the sacrifice He made for us. Do not let this Christmas season pass without focusing on the One who gave it to us in the first place, Jesus.

Matt

Snow and Ice

Well as we enter into these winter months, remember all of those who will be trapped in snow and ice storms this year. These weather systems began many weeks ago in the northern areas of our countries. I know that they are pretty much used to this type of weather, but that does not mean that it is hard to deal with at times. I would be frustrated with the shoveling of snow and power outages that come with these storms.

Snow and ice are typically the main weather problems during winter, and this year it seems like much of the country is being hit by it earlier than normal. In fact New Orleans received quite a bit of snow just last week. And now tonight West Tennessee is about to be hit with a snow and ice storm, although we do not know how bad it is going to be yet. I guess we should be thankful that it is snow and not something worse, but those of us at Union are frustrated that some of our finals are being postponed due to this weather system.

No matter how much fun it is to play in the snow, it can always be bad for those who have to travel in it. Pray for safety and keep everyone in mind as we see these type of systems continue to pass through the country over the next couple of months.

Matt

Have You Been Stressed?

We all go through times of stress in our life. And it seems that when one crazy thing pops up, stressful situations continue to come into our lives. But is stress worth it? We know that the Bible specifically commands us not to worry about things in life. Jesus tells us this in the Sermon on the Mount. But how easy it to follow that command?

I do not know about you, but I know that I can easily find myself stressed out if I am not paying attention. Different situations will begin popping up in my life, deadlines will arise, and before I know it, I am running frantic trying to get everything done. It normally leads to long days and short nights. I find myself missing out on sleep, and I am always exhausted. So is it worth it to be stressed?

Not only does the Bible warn us about worry, our bodies let us know when we have too much going on in our lives. I am not saying that it is wrong to busy in life. However, it seems that the busier life gets, the more stressed we become. They normally go hand in hand.

We are all going through difficult times right now with the economy. That is affecting every American, and even many around the world. But my guess is that the economy is not the only stressful situation in your life. More than likely, you have other struggles such as sickness, bad work environment, heavy workloads, or bad relationships. When all these hit you at once, life seems like it is too much to handle.

So how should you handle the stress in your life? Well first of all, I would encourage to try to prevent stressful situations by not making your life too busy. But if stress has crept up into your life, go to God. He can give you comfort and a clear head to help you work your way through the stress.

I am on the brink of finals, and I can see stress on the horizon. My goal is to kill the stress before it arrives. If I prepare now for my tests, then I will not be as overwhelmed come finals week. Planning can also help you in your quest to kill stress. So be careful. I understand that life is hard, and that stress is almost inevitable. But as Christians, we know the one who can cut out the stress in our lives. Give it to God.

Matt