When We Walk Through The Storm

My own sermon that I preached in my homiletics class has come to mind more than once the past two days. It's awesome how God works and speaks to our lives, and sometimes we just need to be reminded of His promises that we know very well. I hope you will be encouraged my friends. It is based off of Matthew 14:22-33. This story of Peter walking on water may be familiar to you, but I hope today God will open your eyes to this passage in a new light because it is a perfect imagery of our walk with Him when we are facing storms in life. I have recently been going through a storm in my own life, but without having to face this, I do not know if I would have the same message to share with you today. I started this sermon a few weeks ago not really sure what direction God was going to take me.
Many of us are at a time in our college career where we may be facing some big decisions about our futures. Such as, what do we sense God is calling us to do after Bethel or where do we see ourselves 5 years from now? It seems like by now we should know this answer, but maybe you don’t. I know I don’t. I feel as if I have been walking through a storm going through this cycle of taking courage and then doubting that God has called me at all. Maybe you have gone through this too. I have four points for us today, to help us understand this passage and how we can apply it when we are facing hard times or maybe some big decisions.This incident of Jesus walking on water served to strengthen the disciples’ trust in Him. Peter needed further confirmation of Jesus’ identity and power so he decided to get out of the boat upon seeing him. Peter was a man of reckless faith who often willingly risked his own safety and comfort to be near Jesus, and this is just one example of that. When he first stepped out onto the waves he trusted that the one who had called him would not let him sink. But when he allowed fear and doubt to overwhelm him, he took his eyes off of Jesus and began to sink. He forgot who had called him, “Come,” Jesus says in verse 29, and as he began to sink, he cried out for the Lord to save him; his eyes again fixed on the one who reaches out. Upon his cry, Jesus immediately reached out and caught him getting him back into the boat.I think it is safe for me to say that all of us have doubted God’s strength, God’s call, and/or God’s ability to save us when we are facing the storms of life, which leads me to the first point. We must remember His strength. When we find ourselves at our weakest we seek for a way to renew our own strength. Some people do this by turning to addictions  other people, or their own ambitions. But as Christians, we must do this by remembering His strength through reading scripture, praying, and fellowship with other believers. In verse 23, it says “Jesus went to a mountainside to pray.” This is not unusual because Jesus often did this. He needed to be with the Father and sought His strength through prayer. In verse 27, Jesus tells Peter and the other disciples “Take courage! It is I. do not be afraid.” This encouragement strengthened Peter to forget about his weaknesses, his own shortcomings, and humanity, which gave him the courage to step out of the boat. He did this not by his own strength but by Christ’s strength. When we do this in our own lives it leads us to reckless living that causes us to be more like Christ. So do not be afraid, take courage, and step out in faith.
Secondly, we must resemble Jesus. What do you think Jesus looked like while walking on the water? Was he calm and bold or was he scarred and timid? Jesus could have waited until after the storm to meet the disciples, but instead he boldly stepped out and met them where they were. We know how to get through the storms because Jesus is our perfect example. He stepped out boldly, trusting in the Father. Granted he was God and had the supernatural power of being able to do such an act, but he was also human and prone to doubt. Yet he did not. Peter is also an example for us because without much hesitation, so it seems, got out of the boat trusting that Jesus would not let him down. So, we must model ourselves after Jesus and Peter, willing to say, “Lord, if you are in this, I will get out of the boat.”Peter only began to sink because he forgot who had called him, and doubted that Jesus could keep him afloat. This leads me to my third point, recall His call on your life. Just as Peter had been called, so are we. We have each been called for a specific purpose, and the storms that we go through only help us to fulfill that purpose. So why do we doubt? Maybe you have thought in the past, “If God really knew me like I did, He wouldn’t use me.” I have been tempted to believe this; however, I have come to know that this is a lie straight from the enemy. So why do we doubt God’s call? When we walk through the storm we are often tempted to take our eyes off Jesus, focusing on the storm around us rather than on him. That is what Peter did. Maybe we think we don’t need him and can do this ourselves. Verse 30 says, “But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink” It is easy to doubt, and I do not believe doubt makes us any less of a Christian, but can actually lead us to a deeper faith.
Finally, the most beautiful image of all is when Jesus reaches out for Peter in verse 30 and 31, crying, “Lord, save me!” And immediately Jesus stretched out his hand catching him getting him back into the boat. I see a cycle in this passage that we often go through of finding courage as Peter did to step out, but when we see the storm for the storm and not for our strengthening we begin to doubt. But I am so thankful that we can cry out for Jesus’ help because he will save us. In verse 32 through 33 we hear the good news of this message that the “winds will cease,” meaning that our storms will come to an end. Also, that Jesus “truly is the Son of God.” It is hard to trust and always have faith, but Jesus never said it would be easy, but I know that he never said we would have to go alone. He will never leave us nor forsake us. 
This story demonstrates Jesus’ ability to help us in the storms and troubles we face in life. God allows us to experience storms so we can strengthen our trust in him. I am not sure it can always answer our “why” do we have to go through this or “what if” I had done things differently questions, but I do believe it is important for us to keep asking God the hard questions. Though we may not always get an easy answer, when the next storm comes we know and trust that He will help us through and that in the end we will be close to him. So, my challenge to us is to step out of the boat in full trust that he is right there, walking in the storm too.

New Adventure: Teaching English to Lower Class Mexican Americans

Next week, and for the next eight weeks, I begin teaching English at La Casa de Amistad in South Bend, Indiana. I am excited. I am looking forward to getting to know some amazing people and to learn something myself. There have been a few miscommunications in the preparations for my teaching, but everything has worked out well. I have a feeling this summer is going to zoom by, and the next thing I know I will be on to the next adventure. Life is a little fuzzy right now, but my God is so good and is at the center of it all. I have no reason to fear and no reason to doubt. I will do my best to blog over the next 8 weeks because it will allow me to look back and see where I have grown, where I still need more of Jesus and less of me, and to reflect on this next chapter in my life.

I Die Daily (This is not a depressing post)

I was challenged in my own quiet time on what this whole idea of taking up your cross means and what it means to be a completely committed follower of Jesus Christ. Also, I found myself answering the question what do I need to choose Jesus over to be able to wholeheartedly serve Him. Just a thought...

In Luke 9:23, Jesus invites anyone to "take up your cross..." This is often where people stop reading, but the next word is what makes all the difference...Everyday. Everyday I make a decision that I will die to myself. It is not a one time decision. What does it look like to die everyday? For me it means I choose Jesus over my plans and my future. Dying to myself means I choose Jesus over possibly having a career, a home, a spouse, and/or a family. Dying to myself means choosing Jesus over my family and other relationships. I choose Jesus over even my own freedoms, my past, present, and future guilt. I choose to die daily, picking up the cross to follow Him. It is only by dying to myself/ourselves that we truly find life, which is real life in Jesus Christ. This is the secret of real living. 

At the Foot of the Cross

January 11, 2012 At the beginning of our trip we spent 24ish hours in Hong Kong. Our only morning there before breakfast I went to a lookout spot where a huge white cross is located with the city below. There I did my daily prayer and devotion. After breakfast our team took some time to be fully in the presence of the Holy Spirit, walking and declaring scripture through a prayer labyrinth. It was difficult because along the way there would be road blocks causing us to stumble, so we either had to turn around and take another path or make a turn. At times it was tempting to look which way others were going or to look ahead and see which way would be the best path. The lesson to be learned was that while walking with God we cannot look ahead or walk the way others walk. I was told once that "no one walks as you walk"; each person's relationship with Christ is different, filled with different lessons and experiences. If we are tempted to look ahead we will both stumble and fall. We might even miss something God has planned for right here and right now because we are too focused on the future. I did not even make it to the end of the prayer labyrinth because somewhere along the way I got turned around, which was also a lesson for us because we cannot be so focused on one thing or on nothing at all or we may never reach our goal(s). After this exercise was over we went back to the foot of the cross where I had been earlier that morning. There we spent some time in prayer and meditation thinking about our goals for the semester. Here were my Spiritual goals for this journey: -To be evident to all in my faith and trust in Jesus Christ (Philippians 4:4). -To know Jesus more whether it be through His Word, prayer, experiences, or all. -To never be blind to His path so I can lead others around me and lead those who need Christ to Himself. -To have the power of the Holy Spirit be my strength, my wisdom, my comfort, my guide, etc. each day. -To be more open with my faith and maybe share it with someone. -To be an encourager/encouragement to my team and those I meet along the way. -To say at the end of my journey that I have done all Christ has called me to (2 Tim. 4:7).

And So It Begins

The day has finally come! January 7, 2012 began another adventure of a lifetime, but unfortunately my body has decided to get sick, causing our 13 hour flight to be uncomfortable and restless. After few hours of sleep on our first international flight, we missed Sunday arriving in Beijing after 12 am. Sunday we flew over the North Pole, over Russia, and into China, seeing no sun that day. In Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK) we met an M named Rob. There we jumped in a large van taking us to our homes for the next two nights. I was with Rob and his family along with Trisha, Ali, Megan, and Ashley. Despite my cold I was able to sleep the whole night through.
The first few days gave us a little taste of Beijing, where we will be living later on in our journey for six weeks. Our first morning in the city we had a bit of a struggle getting money out of the ATM, but we all made it. After that we had a brief devotion and meeting time before going back out into the city. We first went out to buy and try some of the street food, such as jianbing, joutsa and boutsa, and candied strawberries. We also spent some time praying on a nearby street where there are four brothels where women are in bondage and have no other hope but to sell their bodies into prostitution. My prayer is that they would be set free and that their hope would be renewed in the Father.
We have walked miles, taken city buses and subways, and a few have tried to catch a taxi. We visited The Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, a shopping mall, and a few other small stores here and there, one being a bookstore where we purchased our Chinese textbooks. On our first night we had our first real Chinese food and it was amazing! We had sweet and sour chicken, garlic broccoli, fried rice, garlic green beans, an eggplant/potato/pepper dish, a weird fungus (mushroom dish), and a few other things. It was all good minus the mushroom one. It was definitely a new experience eating everything with chopsticks, which is going to take a lot of practice.
My first impression of Beijing was not the best. The city looks so dirty because of the smog and dust that fills the air. People are also constantly spitting because of the dust and throwing their trash on the ground. Also, at first glance the people seem to be a bit unhappy, but more often than not if you smile and say “ni hao” they will do the same in return. Many of the people also where masks like a doctor would on their mouth and nose so not to breath in the dust. It has been such a blessing to stay with the M’s and I pray that their work in Beijing would thrive as long as the Father calls the there.

Jesus, the Church, and the Mission

Who is Jesus? When this question is personalized, it becomes the most important question we could ever be asked or answer. Who do you say Jesus Christ is? (Mark 8:27-29). Jesus said, "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly" (John 10:10, NRSV). In 1 John 5:11-13 we are told that if we have the son in our life we can know that we have eternal life. Jesus is the only way for us to live an abundant life here on earth, or receive eternal life in fellowship with God. Jesus died on the cross to take the punishment for our sins so that we could be sinless in the eyes of God. He has invited us to see him for who he is and to see the amazing qualities and personality he has, so that we would want to be with him. He came for the purpose of destroying the Devils’ work by overcoming the world and its evil. He died and rose so sin could no longer be our master, but him. Jesus brings peace, joy, and clarity of vision. He wants us to know him and be free. Jesus shows us what salvation looks like; the power of God to heal and to make new, which is present in all his words and actions. In his death, Jesus accomplished salvation at the cross. In his resurrection, Jesus opens the door to new creation. In Jesus the kingdom of God had come.
The Gospels narrate the story of Jesus. Jesus began his ministry in Galilee and there reveals the coming kingdom of God in himself. As he draws more followers he draws the attention of the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem. He then goes to Jerusalem itself, where he is arrested, brought to trial, and crucified. So few Christians today understand what is known as the “kingdom,” which was at the heart of Jesus’ ministry. The Jews understood the coming of the kingdom of God with expectation that soon God was going to act in love, wrath, and great power, renewing his creation and restoring his reign over the whole world. They were looking for a kingdom in which Israel would be suddenly and forcibly delivered from the control of pagan Rome. Jesus turned the Jewish expectation upside down. He did not come to destroy their enemies, but save and love them. He also performed miracles, healing and restoring the lost, the sick, the possessed, and the dead; and not just amongst the Jews, but the Gentiles. Jesus broke the mold of expectation. He was/is God’s chosen one, appointed to lead God’s kingdom into new creation. Christians today often do exactly what the Jews did; they try to mold Jesus into their image instead of allowing him to conform their lives to that of his.
The earthly life, death, and resurrection of Jesus is the climax of biblical history. Jesus' life is to be our example of how to live. His death was the ultimate sacrifice; taking upon himself the judgment of the world. He did for the sins of all so they would not have to. His resurrection began God's renewal of creation, including the physical bodies of men and women. Therefore, whoever believes in Jesus will live and share in his resurrection. Those who believe then discover their great commission, which is to carry out the task Jesus began. Bringing all peoples to him; making disciples of all nations. Before Jesus ascended into heaven he left his disciples the gift of the Holy Spirit. “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever. This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, because he abides with you, and he will be in you” (NRSV, John 14:15-17). “The kingdom banquet is ready to be enjoyed, but it does not begin just yet. More peoples must first be gathered to the banquet table so that they too may taste of the renewing power of the coming age. This in-between time, after Jesus’ first coming and before he comes again, is a time of mission for the exalted Christ, the Spirit, and the church” (BG, 171).
The church of Israel was called to bring all peoples back to God. I have always wondered why the Israelites were chosen to be God’s people and if there was anything in the Old Testament that could be used in missions today. In today’s world, religion and the Christian mission is a private matter and is seen as hostile and disruptive to society. That is why it is necessary for us as Christians to know and understand the basis on which the Christian mission rests. Missions began with a man named Abraham. Through him, God blessed all nations, “I will make you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing” (Gen. 12). Out of all the nations they were chosen to be God’s own treasured possession! But election is not just for privilege: it is for service, for the sake of all the nations. What then is the blessing with which all the nations were to be blessed? In a world, it is the blessing of salvation. Through the Israelites and no other, God worked to rid his creation of the evil that had distorted it since the sin of Adam. Israel was to be the example, showing God’s character and how being in a covenant with God changes a people to the rest of the world. As the Israelites obeyed God, they demonstrated what life under God’s reign looked like. They were to be an example of God’s original creational intention for human life. And the lives that the Israelites lead were to be so rich that others would be drawn to live just as they did. God chose a people to bring up in His character and ways, but they did not exactly make the cut. It was Jesus who had to come and die and be an example for all who wanted to be in proper relationship with God, and those who choose to live in obedience are to finish God’s mission.
The story of the Gospels and Acts did not end with Jesus’ ascension or Paul’s missions work in Rome; Jesus and Acts are very much alive today! The Holy Spirit so active in Acts is the same Holy Spirit that is currently at work in the church today. The church today is sometimes persecuted, ridiculed, or even ignored, and often needs encouragement. The book of Acts reminds us that despite modern challenges the church can be alive and well. It shows that revival and church growth comes not by human effort, but through the power of the Holy Spirit. The church was both grounded in Scripture and alive to the Spirit. In Acts the church is not only a gift of God and Spirit, but also a demanding practice of holiness and new life. At this time the church was in need of being rediscovered and transformed, which is also needed today. To have a church like the one of the early churches is a challenge, but it is worth the advancement of Christ’s message and we must disturb and delight the world to do it. It is obvious that the church today is separated from the early church by many centuries, so the world has changed and the circumstances and culture in which we live is different in many ways from what existed in the first century. In Acts the church was just getting started and now it has become an established institution, so it seems unrealistic that we could return to the early ways of the church, but it’s not. The people then and now are brought together by numerous components: a common need, a common fate, a common love or loyalty, a common hope. This is the living Spirit of God, what leads us forth into the new and highest levels of that life which is intended for us.
The calling of the modern day Acts church is stated in Acts 1:8. This verse foreshadows everything that happens in Acts even beyond its ending in Rome. The task then and the task today are to be witnesses of Jesus’ death and resurrection. This does not just mean sharing stories of transformation or faith, but to be Christ’s witnesses is to bring forward into our own time and place the truth of the gospel. Just as Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John took the gospel and teachings of Jesus and brought it to their time and communities, so must we, the church, bear witness to what God has done and is doing through Jesus, to the healing and grace he has brought, and to his victory over death, so we can live out God’s dream for our lives. Also to fulfill this mission one does not have to go far there are people in need all around us. Peter and the other disciples did not start their mission in a far off land they started it right in their own community and among God’s own people, Jerusalem. This is my challenge and what I will take into my studies in becoming a missionary.
Christians should live in regard to witnessing to the world with “imagination and creativity” (BG, 199). Jesus did not set up a rigid plan for action but, rather, inspired his disciples to extend the reason of his own action in a creative way amid the new and different historical circumstances in which the community would have to share the gospel of the kingdom in word and action. “If we speak and act with innovation, we will carry out our task creatively and imaginatively in the new cultural and historical situations to which God leads us” (BG, 200).
While witness characterizes the meaning of this time period in God’s story, their zealousness can be misinterpreted. One might reduce mission or witness to evangelism or cross-cultural missions, this limits God and the mission. Bartholomew and Goheen say, “that when we grasp that the salvation of the kingdom restores the creation, and all of it, we see that witness to God’s kingdom is as wide as creation” (201). Witness will then mean personifying God’s renewing power in politics and citizenship, economics and business, education and scholarship, family and neighborhood, media and art, and leisure and play. We cannot just carry evangelism in these areas of our lives, again that is not enough. We must live out these things; we live as citizens, consumers, students, friends, etc. A broad mission should be central to our meaning.
One may think it’s rare (especially a non-Christian) to hear of Christians who truly care about the environment. However, the biblical story make it clear that “God deeply love the nonhuman creation and has made humankind it’s guardians and stewards” (BG, 204). When Jesus can to renew creation that did not just include humans it included everything, animals and plants alike.
Who is Jesus? Is he this image you try to fit into you mold to look how you want him to? Or are you allowing him to conform your life to look like his? We know who Jesus is through the study of scripture, obedience, understanding what his kingdom is, knowing his passion for missions, and seeing the beauty in all creation. Christ died and rose to renew all things, which is the greatest truth I have come to believe.

What God has done in my life: In 1 minute

I was recently asked the question, what would I say God has done in my life if I only had one minute to tell my story and what verse would represent what He has done?

My answer is simple. The Lord did not take me out of my state of depression, but brought me peace and comfort that transformed me.

"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:4-7