Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul?" (Matthew 16:24-26)
So here we are in the middle of the holiest of weeks. Palm Sunday has passed, and 2000+ years ago at this time, Jesus was just about to be captured in the Garden of Gethsemane. He has sat down for one last meal with His closest of friends, and vowed He would not eat or drink again until he was seated at the right hand of the Father. Jesus is praying to God in the garden that this cup may pass Him, but has submitted His will to His Father. (Matt 26:39, Mark 14:36) We know the story- Jesus is captured, tried, beaten, and eventually crucified on the cross. This is where our modern day history begins.
We all fall short of God's glory- period. (Romans 3:23, Ecc. 7:20) But that's not the point- it's what we do with our lives that honors God. The day of Resurrection freed us from the seperation of God once and for all- it never needs to be repeated, ever. (Rom. 5:19) Jesus tells us that we must lay our lives down, often putting earthly pleasures to death. We are to "take up our cross" and follow Him. I once heard it said that the Christian life isn't a playground- it's a battleground. How true that is. Taking up our cross means laying our lives down and often doing things we don't want to do. But if we keep our eyes on Christ, God WILL glorify us! (1Peter 5:10) Ultimately, it's our salvation- the submission of our lives, bodies, and hearts to Christ that guarantees our eternal home in Heaven. By losing our lives, we will find a life in Christ that this world can never provide- just read my testimony for an example. I laid down a life of pride and immorality to receive one of true agape love and forgiveness.
Read the gospel(s) this weekend. Watch "The Passion of the Christ". Really focus on what this week is all about, and remember, no matter what you're going through right now- "It may be Friday, but Sunday's coming!" Have a blessed week.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Accountability
Hey everyone, today I'm going to talk to you about what I believe is one of the most important (and most over looked) aspects of every believer's walk- accountability. I can just hear the sighs and "ugh's" now- but stay with me. It is an extremely important topic, and a vital part to staying connected with God. Webster's defines accountability as "an obligation or willingness to accept responsibility or to account for one's actions." So why do we need accountability? How will it help us? Let's look at what God's Word says about that...
1. Importance of Accountability
"Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor. For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up." (Ecc. 4:9-10) Everyone needs a support system- as it was explained to me, someone to hold my "feet to the fire." There are two main reasons for this. The first is because if there is no accountability, we don't have to answer to anyone. Yes, we know God is always present- but don't we have a habit as humans to pretend we're behind closed doors- keeping our sin hidden? It is MUCH harder to have to answer to someone face to face consistently than it is to hide in shame. Ever heard of the "definition of integrity"? It's "Doing the right things when no one else is looking." Ouch. The second reason we need to be held accountable is because as the above verse says- if we fall, we need someone there to catch us. Because chances are, once we fall- it could lead to falling further and further. Before we know it, Satan has us completely bound in our sin. However, if we have an accountability partner, this self destructive pattern could be stopped. Listen to what James says: "My brethren, if any among you strays from the truth and one turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins." (James 5:19-20)
2. Issues of Accountability
"But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called 'Today', so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin." (Hebrews 3:13) Let's face it- we ALL have something that needs to be brought into the light. For some, it may be a dark and ugly sin that we do not want exposed. For others, it may be something that we over look on an every day basis, but it is slowly chipping away at our hearts. Now in reference to the latter, I am speaking of topics such as anger, bitterness, gossip, and slander. These may be something we say, "Well, I'm not addicted to anything, and I'm not hurting anyone." Wrong. The truth is, our words can be far more devastating than our actions, and by the way- as a child of God, we are called to pure holiness. (See my previous blog "On the Fence") As far as the dark and ugly goes- just remember, once you except Jesus into your life, you are free once and for all. There may still be strongholds over your life, but they can be broken. God loves you no matter what, but it is His desire to see every single one of His children flourish. And- as we all know, darkness can NOT survive once it's exposed to the light! It may be painful at first, but I promise if you stick with it- Jesus will free you from the bondage and strongholds!
3. Increasing of Accountability
"Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed." (James 5:16) So where do we go from here? My first suggestion would be to pray and fast- asking God what sins need to be brought to the surface. The second would to be for Him to place someone in your life as an accountability partner. This should be someone with whom you can have regular contact (men with men; women with women- no exceptions), and can ask/tell them absolutely anything. You are giving them the green light to ask the tough questions, but all in the Name of Jesus- to help each other increase your walks. Try to get together on a regular basis- once a week is great. If for some reason you can't get together in person that week, do it over the phone or through email. Once again, it may be hard at first, but stick with it. You are a sitting duck if Satan can get you alone, but if "two or more" have gathered in Jesus' Name- Satan will be crushed! (Matt 18:18-20)
In His Name,
Matt
1. Importance of Accountability
"Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor. For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up." (Ecc. 4:9-10) Everyone needs a support system- as it was explained to me, someone to hold my "feet to the fire." There are two main reasons for this. The first is because if there is no accountability, we don't have to answer to anyone. Yes, we know God is always present- but don't we have a habit as humans to pretend we're behind closed doors- keeping our sin hidden? It is MUCH harder to have to answer to someone face to face consistently than it is to hide in shame. Ever heard of the "definition of integrity"? It's "Doing the right things when no one else is looking." Ouch. The second reason we need to be held accountable is because as the above verse says- if we fall, we need someone there to catch us. Because chances are, once we fall- it could lead to falling further and further. Before we know it, Satan has us completely bound in our sin. However, if we have an accountability partner, this self destructive pattern could be stopped. Listen to what James says: "My brethren, if any among you strays from the truth and one turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins." (James 5:19-20)
2. Issues of Accountability
"But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called 'Today', so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin." (Hebrews 3:13) Let's face it- we ALL have something that needs to be brought into the light. For some, it may be a dark and ugly sin that we do not want exposed. For others, it may be something that we over look on an every day basis, but it is slowly chipping away at our hearts. Now in reference to the latter, I am speaking of topics such as anger, bitterness, gossip, and slander. These may be something we say, "Well, I'm not addicted to anything, and I'm not hurting anyone." Wrong. The truth is, our words can be far more devastating than our actions, and by the way- as a child of God, we are called to pure holiness. (See my previous blog "On the Fence") As far as the dark and ugly goes- just remember, once you except Jesus into your life, you are free once and for all. There may still be strongholds over your life, but they can be broken. God loves you no matter what, but it is His desire to see every single one of His children flourish. And- as we all know, darkness can NOT survive once it's exposed to the light! It may be painful at first, but I promise if you stick with it- Jesus will free you from the bondage and strongholds!
3. Increasing of Accountability
"Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed." (James 5:16) So where do we go from here? My first suggestion would be to pray and fast- asking God what sins need to be brought to the surface. The second would to be for Him to place someone in your life as an accountability partner. This should be someone with whom you can have regular contact (men with men; women with women- no exceptions), and can ask/tell them absolutely anything. You are giving them the green light to ask the tough questions, but all in the Name of Jesus- to help each other increase your walks. Try to get together on a regular basis- once a week is great. If for some reason you can't get together in person that week, do it over the phone or through email. Once again, it may be hard at first, but stick with it. You are a sitting duck if Satan can get you alone, but if "two or more" have gathered in Jesus' Name- Satan will be crushed! (Matt 18:18-20)
In His Name,
Matt
Saturday, March 6, 2010
On the Fence
"If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth" (1John 1:6)
I'm in the middle of reading the book "Extraordinary- The Life You're Meant to Live" by John Bevere right now. So far, I have found it to be one of the most moving, motivational, and convicting books I have read in a long time. A good portion of the book Bevere refers to the power we have inside of us once we come to Christ- a power that completely smashes every bondage and stronghold Satan has over us. However, many of us Christians continue to practice our old ways- even once we've been set free. The bottom line is, once Jesus sets us free, we no longer have any excuses to continue to live in sin.
"The one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked." (1John 2:6) As Christians and as fathers, we need to learn how to tap into that power and walk the way we were created to do so. God created us for His pleasure and His enjoyment- not to take advantage of His grace and Jesus' death on the cross. God is holy, and through our salvation- so are we. (1Peter 1:14-16) We need to decide if we are going to do the bare minimum in our walk, and therefore, receive the bare minimum rewards once we reach Heaven; or are we going to dive in feet first- Christ as our Leader and take on anything and all that this world dishes out to us? I believe in the latter, you know why? Because if any of you guys who are single fathers (and anyone else for that matter) are reading this- you have already been through a tremendous amount of struggle. I for one am a fighter- God saved me not only from physical death, but from eternal hell as well- and I choose to live my life for His glory!
"For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God with your body." (1Cor. 6:20)
Don't straddle the fence anymore. Stop doing the bare minimum, or making excuses. I know the fight is tough- and the enemy loves to toy with our minds. But guess what?!? That's all he has- just tricks. Once you are a child of God through Jesus Christ, sin is no longer your master. Stand up and fight back, put on the full armor of God. When you choose to follow God with everything you have (Matthew 22:37), He will unlock greater blessings than we could have ever known! We are holy. We are righteous. "...however, let us keep living by the same standard to which we have attained." (Phil. 3:16) I pray that we all continue to seek our Lord constantly and achieve our FULL potential in Christ. We all have a God- given ministry deep inside of us, let's unlock it and help expand God's Kingdom here on earth. (John 15:16)
"So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed!" (John 8:36)
I'm in the middle of reading the book "Extraordinary- The Life You're Meant to Live" by John Bevere right now. So far, I have found it to be one of the most moving, motivational, and convicting books I have read in a long time. A good portion of the book Bevere refers to the power we have inside of us once we come to Christ- a power that completely smashes every bondage and stronghold Satan has over us. However, many of us Christians continue to practice our old ways- even once we've been set free. The bottom line is, once Jesus sets us free, we no longer have any excuses to continue to live in sin.
"The one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked." (1John 2:6) As Christians and as fathers, we need to learn how to tap into that power and walk the way we were created to do so. God created us for His pleasure and His enjoyment- not to take advantage of His grace and Jesus' death on the cross. God is holy, and through our salvation- so are we. (1Peter 1:14-16) We need to decide if we are going to do the bare minimum in our walk, and therefore, receive the bare minimum rewards once we reach Heaven; or are we going to dive in feet first- Christ as our Leader and take on anything and all that this world dishes out to us? I believe in the latter, you know why? Because if any of you guys who are single fathers (and anyone else for that matter) are reading this- you have already been through a tremendous amount of struggle. I for one am a fighter- God saved me not only from physical death, but from eternal hell as well- and I choose to live my life for His glory!
"For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God with your body." (1Cor. 6:20)
Don't straddle the fence anymore. Stop doing the bare minimum, or making excuses. I know the fight is tough- and the enemy loves to toy with our minds. But guess what?!? That's all he has- just tricks. Once you are a child of God through Jesus Christ, sin is no longer your master. Stand up and fight back, put on the full armor of God. When you choose to follow God with everything you have (Matthew 22:37), He will unlock greater blessings than we could have ever known! We are holy. We are righteous. "...however, let us keep living by the same standard to which we have attained." (Phil. 3:16) I pray that we all continue to seek our Lord constantly and achieve our FULL potential in Christ. We all have a God- given ministry deep inside of us, let's unlock it and help expand God's Kingdom here on earth. (John 15:16)
"So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed!" (John 8:36)
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Salvation and Witnessing
The reason I chose this topic today is because I am speaking at a treatment center here in GR next week. They asked me to speak on the same topic. I was just going through some of my old hand-written blogs/journals and found an entry I had written just over a year ago. In this entry I quote Romans 1:9 which says, "For God, whom I serve in my spirit in the preaching of the gospel of His Son..." I continue to write in the entry of how after I first gave my life to Christ in 2001 (see me testimony on the "About Us" page), I really didn't do much with my walk other than go to church once, maybe twice a week. I really began my walk in 2007, but was just really getting going. I guess where I'm going with all of this is I ended the passage with these words: "Today I pray for God to make me a stronger witness by way of the Holy Spirit. I pray to draw so close to Christ and know Him so intimately, that others see Him in me."
So here I am, less than a year later- and I can say that I am far more confident in my witnessing and am not ashamed of my salvation or how I got here (Rom 1:16-17). Trust me, I still struggle with witnessing to some people (mostly family), but I pray to continue to carry my life out as a Christ-like model. (Phil 1:6) But overall, I have found it not only enjoyable to share the Good News, but also a duty and calling. In fact, Jesus commands us to do it in the Great Commission! (Matt 28:18-20)
I am going to talk briefly to two groups of people who may be reading this: the unsaved and those kinda just going through the motions like I did. First of all, to those of you who have never given your life to Christ, or maybe have back-slid. Several things are at stake here- the most important being your eternal future. Jesus tells us that no one comes to the Father but through Him, and to reach the Kingdom of Heaven one must be born again. Romans 10:9 gives a good outline of what it takes to be saved, but as long as you ask Jesus into your life with a truly repentant heart- He will hear you. Doesn't have to be anything fancy, just sincere. The second point is that we can not become witnesses of Christ until He lives within us. Most of John chapters 14-16 are great examples of how Jesus not only sends us the Holy Spirit to carry and guide us, but also, how we can not do anything apart from Him (John 15:5). Finally, becoming the dads we were created to be. I know whatever you are going through right now hurts, is tough, and you may see no way out- but we find a completeness and wholeness in Jesus that this world could never offer! Trust Him, let Him be your Guide and Light.
If you have given your life to Christ in the past, but have walked away from Him for whatever reason- today is the day to recommit your life to Him. Confess and repent of your sins. Ask Him to wash you clean; and give Him control again. Stay in the Word; pray fervently; attend church faithfully; and begin to surround yourselves with other strong believers. Find a small group that fits you- whether at your church or with some friends. Change what you watch on tv or at the movies and switch your choice of music. (If these things are an issue) Most of all- submit yourself and lay your life down daily for the Lord! (Matt 16:24-26) If you do, you will be amazed at what God will do for you in your life as time passes.
God Bless!
So here I am, less than a year later- and I can say that I am far more confident in my witnessing and am not ashamed of my salvation or how I got here (Rom 1:16-17). Trust me, I still struggle with witnessing to some people (mostly family), but I pray to continue to carry my life out as a Christ-like model. (Phil 1:6) But overall, I have found it not only enjoyable to share the Good News, but also a duty and calling. In fact, Jesus commands us to do it in the Great Commission! (Matt 28:18-20)
I am going to talk briefly to two groups of people who may be reading this: the unsaved and those kinda just going through the motions like I did. First of all, to those of you who have never given your life to Christ, or maybe have back-slid. Several things are at stake here- the most important being your eternal future. Jesus tells us that no one comes to the Father but through Him, and to reach the Kingdom of Heaven one must be born again. Romans 10:9 gives a good outline of what it takes to be saved, but as long as you ask Jesus into your life with a truly repentant heart- He will hear you. Doesn't have to be anything fancy, just sincere. The second point is that we can not become witnesses of Christ until He lives within us. Most of John chapters 14-16 are great examples of how Jesus not only sends us the Holy Spirit to carry and guide us, but also, how we can not do anything apart from Him (John 15:5). Finally, becoming the dads we were created to be. I know whatever you are going through right now hurts, is tough, and you may see no way out- but we find a completeness and wholeness in Jesus that this world could never offer! Trust Him, let Him be your Guide and Light.
If you have given your life to Christ in the past, but have walked away from Him for whatever reason- today is the day to recommit your life to Him. Confess and repent of your sins. Ask Him to wash you clean; and give Him control again. Stay in the Word; pray fervently; attend church faithfully; and begin to surround yourselves with other strong believers. Find a small group that fits you- whether at your church or with some friends. Change what you watch on tv or at the movies and switch your choice of music. (If these things are an issue) Most of all- submit yourself and lay your life down daily for the Lord! (Matt 16:24-26) If you do, you will be amazed at what God will do for you in your life as time passes.
God Bless!
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Becoming the Dad You Were Meant to Be
"He will restore the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers..." (Malachi 4:6)
Hey guys, today I want to talk to you about fathering. About being a great dad. About being the father that God created you to be, regardless of our circumstances. What does it take to be a great dad? Well, there is SO much that goes into it- probably much more than I can write in a single blog- but here's a few ideas that you can work off of.
1. Represent a Christ-like model to your kids.
Paul writes in Phil. 1:6, "For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus." We are a constant work in progress, always remember that. Jesus promises us that if we abide in Him and hold tight to His words, that not only will we bear fruit, but our prayers will be heard by God. In fact, we did not choose Jesus to make us great men, but rather He chose us! (John 15:5-7, 16-17) Chase after Him-daily; Spend time in prayer and reading His word; and most of all- believe in your heart that Jesus is our Lord and He will hear you.
2. Spend quality time with your kids.
Being a single parent is tough, and I'll admit- I'm guilty in this area as well. There are days that we are tired, sick, stressed, and so on that we just feel like we can't give our kids our all. But do know that this is cherished time, and it's also time we can't get back. Look, you're gonna have bad days- that's a given. Don't beat yourself up when you do. The important thing is that we attempt to give our kids the time they deserve. There's a saying that goes, "Take care of the moments and the years will take care of themselves." Playing a board game can be just as much fun (and cheaper) than going to a sporting event; a cardboard clubhouse or a walk through a nature trail can evoke imagination and education more than a theme park; and most importantly- a hug, a kiss, and the words "I love you" will do more for a child than ANYTHING this world can offer. Statistics even show that when a dad is involved with his children, they have higher self esteem, do better in school, and have more positive attitudes than those without involved dads. You may be saying though, "Look Matt, that sounds good and all, but how can I give what I never received? My dad never loved me or showed me affection- I don't know how to as well." In fact, your memories of your father may not be good at all- but that does NOT have to continue on to your kids! If you can't give love because you never received love, I have a verse for you: John 3:16. God loved us so much that He sent Jesus to die for us once and for all- period. Go to the cross. Accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior. (See Romans 10:9) Even if you have before, but have walked away from God- today is the day to recommit your life to Christ. Repent and ask Him back into your life. Finally, as a child of God know that you are both a new creation (2Cor. 5:17) and have attained a new family lineage. (1Peter 1:23) This is God's promise and it will open a new relationship with your children that you never thought possible.
3. Championship Fathering
There is an organization that I highly recommend called the National Center for Fathering. They have an initiative moving right now to make "good" dads "Championship Fathers". Go to their website at www.fathers.com and click on the "Championship Fathering" link. Read it over and once you're done- make the commitment. We will love our kids; we will coach our kids; and we will be great role models for our kids. I have made the commitment myself.
I pray this is a good start for you all, let me know how else I can be of assistance- God bless you all!
Hey guys, today I want to talk to you about fathering. About being a great dad. About being the father that God created you to be, regardless of our circumstances. What does it take to be a great dad? Well, there is SO much that goes into it- probably much more than I can write in a single blog- but here's a few ideas that you can work off of.
1. Represent a Christ-like model to your kids.
Paul writes in Phil. 1:6, "For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus." We are a constant work in progress, always remember that. Jesus promises us that if we abide in Him and hold tight to His words, that not only will we bear fruit, but our prayers will be heard by God. In fact, we did not choose Jesus to make us great men, but rather He chose us! (John 15:5-7, 16-17) Chase after Him-daily; Spend time in prayer and reading His word; and most of all- believe in your heart that Jesus is our Lord and He will hear you.
2. Spend quality time with your kids.
Being a single parent is tough, and I'll admit- I'm guilty in this area as well. There are days that we are tired, sick, stressed, and so on that we just feel like we can't give our kids our all. But do know that this is cherished time, and it's also time we can't get back. Look, you're gonna have bad days- that's a given. Don't beat yourself up when you do. The important thing is that we attempt to give our kids the time they deserve. There's a saying that goes, "Take care of the moments and the years will take care of themselves." Playing a board game can be just as much fun (and cheaper) than going to a sporting event; a cardboard clubhouse or a walk through a nature trail can evoke imagination and education more than a theme park; and most importantly- a hug, a kiss, and the words "I love you" will do more for a child than ANYTHING this world can offer. Statistics even show that when a dad is involved with his children, they have higher self esteem, do better in school, and have more positive attitudes than those without involved dads. You may be saying though, "Look Matt, that sounds good and all, but how can I give what I never received? My dad never loved me or showed me affection- I don't know how to as well." In fact, your memories of your father may not be good at all- but that does NOT have to continue on to your kids! If you can't give love because you never received love, I have a verse for you: John 3:16. God loved us so much that He sent Jesus to die for us once and for all- period. Go to the cross. Accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior. (See Romans 10:9) Even if you have before, but have walked away from God- today is the day to recommit your life to Christ. Repent and ask Him back into your life. Finally, as a child of God know that you are both a new creation (2Cor. 5:17) and have attained a new family lineage. (1Peter 1:23) This is God's promise and it will open a new relationship with your children that you never thought possible.
3. Championship Fathering
There is an organization that I highly recommend called the National Center for Fathering. They have an initiative moving right now to make "good" dads "Championship Fathers". Go to their website at www.fathers.com and click on the "Championship Fathering" link. Read it over and once you're done- make the commitment. We will love our kids; we will coach our kids; and we will be great role models for our kids. I have made the commitment myself.
I pray this is a good start for you all, let me know how else I can be of assistance- God bless you all!
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