Amped Ministries Blog

Movie Night

2011-07-05T18:49:00.001-07:00

Come this week to pick up a flyer!
Invite friends and get ready for a good time :)

Impossible is Nothing

2011-06-12T18:59:00.000-07:00

click the title to go to Psalm 46

I attend a wonderful school filled with self-proclaimed geniuses – that is to say that they think they are much more intelligent than they really are. Believe me when I say that I’m not trying to be rude, but I must say that we, as “sensible” human beings, should really learn from our mistakes. Time and time again, we have found that science falls short of perfection; that “theory” needs to be changed or modified every so often. On the other hand, it seems to be true that theory is synonymous with “fact” in so many scientists’ minds – that is that science is always right. Don’t get me wrong, often times science is right, but one thing is for sure – that when science contradicts the infallible word of God, science must be wrong. Just think about it – there are a million ways to build any Lego structure, but only one builder. Where are you going to look for information about how the Lego masterpiece was made? Obviously, you should just ask the creator rather than stirring up your own ridiculous "insight" about how the thing was made in the first place. When it comes to science, the goal is rarely direct in “discounting” the Bible. I mean, you don’t read any papers in scientific journals that are title “Why the Bible is false – [insert Bible story] never happened.” When the Bible does come up, however, the typical behavior of the modern scientist is to toss miraculous stories aside as “implausible” (hooray for experience!). Reading over this week’s Psalm, I came to think about the flood – the mighty flood from Noah’s day in which waters from above and below the surface of the Earth totally ravaged our planet, leaving it completely submerged for 40 days. “Implausible?” I think not. God is God … what his word says, goes. He is strong. He is mighty. He does what he wants, while his reason and logic are without fault. Who are you going to trust ... creation or creator?

Verses 1-3 Here's what spoke to me in this Psalm - God is our refuge, God is our strength. Wait. Back Up. This means that the all mighty creator of the universe is backing me up. "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" (Phil 4:13) ... Maybe you think it's overused, but I think that it is severely underestimated. I mean, Jesus said that with the faith of a mustard seed, we could move mountains. That means one of two things is possible - either Jesus is a liar (which is in fact false), or we all have a tremendous lack of faith in the power and omnipotent nature of our creator. Read the text and really soak it in. When the Earth shakes, rattles and rolls ... when thunder tears through the air and heavy rain beats on the Earth ... when tornadoes and hurricanes bend and break even the mightiest of trees ... we have no fear, for our faith lies in a God who created the very concept of these things and brought them to life to bear witness of his power (Romans 1:20). What is impossible for our creator ... nothing. When so many of us get into this mentality that the physical world puts limitations on God's ability ... we better check ourselves - both our faith and our very understanding of God himself. Psalm 33:6-7 say that our God can gather the sea into jars and he calls the stars by name. Genesis 2:7 tells us that God breathed life into man. The gospel accounts even tell us that Christ, the God-Man, conquered death itself. "Implausible?" No way ... He's God. That's literally my argument ... He's God.

Verses 8-9 This part is just a wonderful topping to these verses ... Not only is God the creator of all things - powerful, mighty, and just awesome ... he's involved too. "Come and see what the Lord has done" ... look out at creation, look at his word, look at the gift of life itself. God is good (Nahum 1:7). I like to know this - that my God is a great peace maker, and this is how: He shatters the shields of the enemy and breaks their spears ... basically the fight was done before it started. In super smash brothers, we call that a "No Contest." God is the God of victory. So ... why point this out? Yes, our God is the God of the impossible - but he truly is our shield, our refuge, and our strength. His "abba-father" love for us is just as "impossible" as all of the tremendous stories we hear in the Bible ... but it's true. It's a gift. All you have to do to accept it is have faith.

Verse 10
“Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.”

The End.
-Chris

King of Kings

2011-05-22T08:35:00.001-07:00

*Click the title to go to Psalm 45

Hands Down, Lord of the Rings is my favorite movie series of all time. It has great battle scenes, ugly monsters, and plenty of "kings and knights" nonsense to go along with it. Anyway, the story takes place in a land called Middle Earth which is divided up among different kingdoms - some hobbits, dwarfs, elves - all of which look to the race of men to wage war against the evil lord Sauron and his little orc minions. All of that really doesn't matter - what does matter is that the movie is filled with an enormous amount of kings, all of which are partly responsible for the downfall of man-kind. Basically, all of the kings are either corrupt, possessed, or self-centered jerks that don't care about the end of the world. It's quite a sad picture that the author JRR Tolkien originally painted in his books. Man is corrupt, man is corrupt and filled with all sorts of injustice. Man is self centered. What does that mean? There is no truly good king - no truly "good" ruler. The bible talks about this in Micah 7 where the prophet mentions that man is wonderfully gifted in the arts of messing things up - tipping scales, being unjust and corrupt, hating authority, waring against brothers, sisters, mothers and fathers. Lord of the Rings couldn't be more spot on in this aspect of human nature ... the human race is a failure. We are sinners who daily fall short of the glory of God - who are sometimes even hesitant to repent and ask for forgiveness. Revelation 17:14 gives Jesus the title of the KING OF KINGS - that he is the only righteous one worthy enough to truly wage war against evil, and as John prophecies, will place evil in its place on the day of judgement. The question today is where do you put your faith? In the goodness of man? Maybe in the "goodness" of yourself? Repent and place your trust in the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, Jesus Christ.

Verses 3-4 The chapter starts by talking about the kings, but quickly makes it's way back to the only everlasting king - God. In these two verses, the Psalm is almost a prayer of praise and request at the same time. We pray and we ask God for protection knowing that he is the only one who can deliver on his promise to be our stronghold. It's super cool because it's just like the model prayer. "Our Father who art in heaven, hollowed by thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done on Earth as it is in heaven ... give us this day our daily bread" (Matthew 6). Not only is God our protector and mighty king, he is our portion and provision. God is victory and God is truth. He is justice and righteousness - everything that the human kings of history's past have failed to be. I love the last part of verse 4 - the Psalmists were living in great anticipation of God's wonderful works. A good king does "wondrous" things for his people. God created an entire universe for his people and sent his only son Jesus Christ to buy back a fallen creation - such a good King.

Verse 5-8 We have talked about this before, but it's cool that it is mentioned here again. God is our victory. I like to think about who reigns in my life - without Christ i have no victory - just failure. I cannot conquer sin on my own, but through the power of the Holy Spirit, I am more than capable (although it has nothing to do with me). After reading this Psalm, you should come to the realization that God is King and that there is no one like him - He is on the throne forever and ever - never to be uprooted.

Praise the King.
-Chris

History Maker

2011-05-15T08:27:00.001-07:00

*Click the title to go Psalm 44

When I was still in High School at Calvary Chapel, I was introduced to the lamest motivational tool for learning I have ever come across in my lifetime. In my sophomore history class, my teacher made it clear that the reason she loved teaching the subject was in fact that the tales of times past were "His Story" ... of course meaning "God's story." Whenever I think about this, I get a little confused ... God's story is not in the rise and fall of nations - "His Story" is not even found in the mighty Crusades or the voyage the pilgrims made across the Atlantic. King John (i made this one up), Napoleon, George Washington, etc etc ... all great men ... but just men. If there is anything I learned from history in school, it is that man has a wonderful tendency of progressing technologically while regressing morally. God's story is not contained in your High School text book. God's history book (if it could even be called that) is the Old Testament - a book containing prophecy, poems, great tales, great men - all of which build up to the person of Jesus Christ. God is a history maker - just not the typical History Channel mumbo jumbo we're all used to.

Verses 1-8 Pay attention to how the Psalm starts off. "Our father's have told us" ... have told us what? What is this Psalm going to talk about? ... More than likely history that has to actually do with God's epic awesomeness. I now get to ask you a question - Have you read the Old Testament? Hopefully you've at least covered some Psalms and Proverbs - maybe even Genesis through Joshua. These are all great books filled with stories similar to the ones you find in your traditional text book - stories of battles, people, of triumph and defeat ... BUT ... God is in the midst. I like to specifically think about the end of Exodus and Joshua. The Israelite's were stranded in the desert for 40 years ... meaning that the people who (in Joshua) come to establish Israel are not the people who walked across the dry Red Sea floor. Anyway, in Joshua, we see that the Israelites are greatly outmatched. God has called them to inhabit a land that they describe as one filled with milk and honey. Great right? no ... Not only is this land filled with giant grapes, it's filled with giants as well - big burly warriors who apparently are also smart enough to build cities enclosed by walls wide enough to race chariots on top. This is history - that God took the impossible and made it possible - that he took the nomadic Israelites out of the desert into a mighty victory over some of the greatest nations of their time. Sure enough they took the promise land. King David looks back at all the grand stories that he has been told throughout the time of the Israelites only to come to the conclusion that God is a history maker. God's story is big. God's story is alive. God's story is epic. King David goes as far to say (verse 4) ... "You are my King." Why? The difference between History and God's story is that God's story makes us look back on "what our father's have told us" and be filled with honor to be called the people of God.

Verses 9-26 It's sometimes humbling to look back at the victory seen in the Israelites and consider what God is doing with you. Sometimes its easy to forget that God brought the victory as well as allowed the defeat. Read the Old Testament - there are times when the Israelites are the perfect example of "God's people" and other times they're ... well not so much that same example. Apparently, the time when this Psalm was written is a time when the Israelites were being persecuted - for any particular reason, I do not know. The only reason David could muster was that they were being persecuted for God's sake - just for being his people. This thought is actually brought up again in Romans chapter 8 - that we are persecuted for the testimony of Jesus Christ. So what are we to do when the history God brings into our lives isn't what we would desire? James would write later in the New Testament - consider it joy when you face trials - even better, Jesus said blessed are those who are persecuted for His sake. Sometimes all you can do is wait upon God and hope in the fact that God is good (Nahum 1:7). Will he deliever you? God is victory. Hope that answers your question.

-Chris

Psalm 43

2011-05-08T08:27:00.002-07:00

*Click on the title to go to this weeks Psalm

The other day I was talking to a friend on facebook, and his atheist friend decided to through a fit about how he "never put Jesus on a cross," and how "anyone who did would be a terrible person." He then continued to tell me about how I was a terrible person ... which is fantastic. Either he got extremely lucky or he's been secretly reading his Bible, because he's exactly right. You and I ... we're people ... terrible people. In other, more "religious" terms, we're sinners. The Bible uses this old archery term which loosely translates to "missing the mark" as a clear picture of how we fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). Luckily, not only is God the only righteous standard and judge, he the giver of truth (the word) and bringer of life (his son Jesus Christ). The young man on Facebook may have been absolutely right, but we can rest in the fact that we have been washed clean in the blood of Jesus Christ - that his death and subsequent resurrection payed the price for our "terribleness." God is your defense. God is your assurance, your peace. God is your "vindication" (justification).

Verses 1-2 Fact: Bears eat beats. Other fact: You're a sinner that claims to have been purchased at a price (1 Corinthians 6:20). When you make a mistake, people will be watching and will be ready to throw assumptions about your Jesus because of what you have done. This is why sin in the Christian life is so serious - it sends the wrong message about the redeeming and transforming qualities of Christ's ultimate sacrifice. David was no exception here. Whether we look at times when he was a farm boy or at his great triumph as a king - he was a sinner too. The mighty king David fell short of the glory of God just as much as you do. I'd beg to argue that the main difference comes in the manner in which we choose to react. Do you get worked up and try to reason your way out of it? Do you get in fights or arguments? Or do you retreat into the arms of the God who has already claimed victory through the cross? David says "vindicate me" ... or ... "clear me of blame, clear me of suspicion." As mighty as David was, the major battles that he won in his life were the work of a mighty God. For some reason, this section reminds me of Psalm 30:5 - "Pain may last a night, but joy comes in the morning." The potential torment you face when you sin is in no way comparable to the joy that God has given you in Christ. Own up to your sin. You are a terrible person, but those sins are paid for ... and as far as for anyone who rejects the sacrifice of Jesus Christ ... they're dead where they stand (Ephesians 2).

Verses 3-5 This section is pretty awesome. I don't want to go into detail too much, but David is simply taking joy in the law of the Lord. The rules and regulations that God set forth in the Bible are not there to make you miserable, but to protect you from harm. Let's be cheesy for a second - why did your parents tell you when you were 5 years old to not put your hand on the stove. Just as your unbelieving friends may harass you when you fall short, they will protest your love for the law of God. Psalms 1 says that blessed is the man who does not take council from the ungodly, but his delight is in the law of the lord in which he meditates day an night. David rejoices because when men (including him) are only skilled in corrupting the world, God's law stands firm. Read Psalm 19:7-9 ... God's law is perfect, and is worth rejoicing in.

Verse 5 sums it up:
"Hope in God, for I shall again praise him,
my salvation and my God."

Let God be your salvation!
-Chris

Psalm 42 - Thirsty?

2011-04-10T08:32:00.000-07:00

*Again ... click the title to go to this weeks Psalm*
I think it's interesting to think about how many different drink choices there are in the world. I mean, every once in a while I will drink a cold, satisfying, delicious cola for breakfast, but that's obviously not my only option. We're different from the rest of creation. We're special in my opinion. If you look at other "mammals," their drink menu seems to be much more limited - precisely to water. We have juices, sodas, fancy sparkling water, milk (which comes from a cow? ... weird), and so much more. The Bible tells us thought, that man is also created with another thirst - one that cannot be quenched by the most recent release of Gatorade. The question today is not one of physical thirst (speaking of which, it's time for a water break). Contrary to physical thirst, spiritual thirst is not satisfied by Aquafina, and it most definitely does not have a preference between Pepsi and Coke. On the other hand,spiritual thirst can only be combated with the living waters that God pours out through His word and His presence.

Verses 1-2 Here it is, plain and simple. Just like animals have the natural instincts that tell them, "YOU'RE THIRSTY, GET SOME WATER," we have been created with a thirst for the living God. There is nothing else that can satisfy this deep spiritual thirst other than the Lord God Almighty Himself. Romans 1:18-23 talks about how man was created to recognize God in creation. That there is a conviction that lies in the hearts of believers and non-believers alike that says, "there is a God that created this world." I'd really encourage you to take a look at that passage and see what Paul calls the "invisible attributes" of God. Basically, getting down to the nitty-gritty, man was created to not only recognize there is a God, but also to understand that God is satisfaction. I find it amazing - there is nothing in the world that quenches the deep passions of the human soul like the "invisible attributes" of God - His love, His power, His wisdom, and His gentleness. The struggle that human-kind shares with David is seen clearly in these first verses - how are you going to satisfy your thirst? Although David sums it up pretty well in saying that God is [or should be] his only THIRST, Jesus totally rocks the house. In John 4:7-14, Jesus comes across a woman who is completely confused about how to quench this "spiritual thirst" that we're talking about. Jesus doesn't turn her way because of her sin, but offers her living water - the water that is capable of conquering the thirst of every human soul. This water is none other than the love and friendship of Jesus Christ.

Verses 3-6 David was never a man to hide his struggles. He was the mightiest of kings in the entire Bible, but he is also made to be an example of the internal struggles with sin. David was an honest man when it came to his thirst. To sum it up quickly, David talks about friends, about organized religion, and about the pains and frustrations it brought into his life. This is pretty spectacular right? Basically, if you try to answer your spiritual thirst with works, with "religion", friends, or even sin, you will be left unsatisfied. David even shows that his halls were filled praise and joy, but his soul still felt hollow. Why? He never let God into the equation. Encouragement: allow God to invade your friendships, your worship, your church services and religion ... or surrender YOUR ENTIRE LIFE to Him.

Verses 7-11 This is where we get to answer the question of why God is the only solution to spiritual thirst. Let's answer the question with another question. How deep is the Father's love for us, that he would send his only son to die on a cross for a bunch of ungreatful sinners (Romans 5:7). God's love is like a waterfall. It's powerful, constant, but extremely beautiful at the same time. There is no one like our God (1 Samuel 2:22, Jeremiah 10:6, Psalm 86:8). He is creator (Genesis 1). He is everlasting peace(Isaiah 9:6). He is salvation and the conqueror of all sin (Galatians 5:24). He is justice (Micah 7). He is the standard for righteousness (Isaiah 45:24). He is good (Nahum 1:7). He is love (1 John 4:8). Everything is his (Colossians 1:16). He is sastisfaction (Psalm 37:4). We could do this all day ... just read your Bible.

The end.
-Christopher

Purposeful Humilty - Psalm 41

2011-03-21T17:07:00.000-07:00

*Click the title above to go to the webpage with this week's Psalm*

For the last post, we talked about how Jesus himself kneeled down at the disciples feet to wash them. It rocks my world every time I get a full glimpse of our humble savior, Jesus Christ - that he, while being fully God, had such an unquenchable passion for us sinners that he purposed in his heart to redeem us to the father by the means of his own blood. Basically, Romans 5:7-8 sums it up well when Paul reminds us that a man will rarely even die for an innocent friend, but Christ died for people that willing-fully rejected him. After all, that is sin right? The willful disobedience that put Jesus on the cross. The willful rejection of Jesus Christ - in action. I'll be the first to admit that it even hurts to write that convicting portion of text, as I am guilty of the same crime. Jesus, being the perfect example of servant-hood first to the father and then to his flock, made it clear that we are to be humble in the same manner. Just as Christ had sacrificial love for us, we in turn are to lay our selfish ambition aside so that God's love may be expressed to the world, but also so that it may be made perfect in us (1 John 4:8-12). Humility has a two-fold purpose - to pave the way for Christ to enter others' lives, but also to protect us from ourselves. Why? God loves sinners but knows the destruction that sin brings.

Before we start. Let me just mention one more point. In Matthew 19:23, Jesus tells his disciples that it is harder to a rich man to go to heaven than it is for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle. That is not to say that people with money cannot be saved, but more so that people who allow money to be their god, their focus, and their lives' priority are more likely (almost guaranteed) to lose sight of God's influence in their life. But that goes for anything. Biblical humility is not simply the antonym of "pride". It is sacrificial. It is selfless. It gives God's plans and purposes for our life the priority over our own goals and self-centered pursuits. In other words - it's makes a person spiritually "hollow" in a way that allows God to fully pour the living water of Jesus Christ into the Christian life.

Verse 1 This here is my inspiration for this week. Verse 1 is so cool because it's seems so simple ... but so many strings are attached. Did you know that having "regard for thew weak" was something that God invented. It was, well actually everything was, God's idea first. Why? Because in our weakness, God is strong (2nd Corinthians 12:9). In our times of struggle with evil, God remains faithful, strong, and good (Nahum 1:7). When David says that we are to have regard for the weak, I believe there is an idea attached to it that many often overlook. To have regard for the weak (at least as a sinful being) is to realize that you are incapable as well. When we are self confident, or when we are proud is when we are the weakest spiritual. On the other hand, a humble spirit allows the almighty God to work in unexpected and unmeasurable ways - in ways that we couldn't even believe if we were told (Habakkuk 1:5). Yes, we are to have regard for physical sicknesses and weaknesses, but always remember to take it as a reminder to humble yourself. Why? ...

Verse 2 - God protects the humble, because humble people know to take refuge in our omni-potent God.

Verse 3 - God places a healing hand on those who are his. Both spiritually and physically ... more importantly spiritually. Why? Because God brings restoration to the seemingly unredeemable sinner. God brought what was once dead to life (Ephesians 2:1-10).

Verse 4 - God cannot heal a prideful sinner because a prideful sinner will not fall to repentance at His feet. But God's love will cover a multitude of sins for those who confess them (1 Peter 4:8,1 John 1:9).

Verse 5-11 - God is victory to those who let Him be. There is no battle against evil that God has not already won (1 Corinthians 15:50-57).

Verse 12 - He establishes us in his presence never to be snatched up again (Amos 9:15,John 10:28)

Just to close up:
Jesus said this - "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

Pretty boss yeah?
-Chris

Friday March 18th [6:00-10:30PM]

2011-03-06T09:27:00.001-08:00

Dirty Feet

2011-03-06T08:41:00.000-08:00

My parents' house is less than a mile away from a creek and a small forest ... which is just stinkin' awesome. I spent at least a quarter of my childhood summer days at the forest - digging "caves", building "forts", and pretending to be some sort of extreme wilderness animal. Every day that I went to the forest, I came home completely covered in all sorts of mud and dirt. Before I went back into the house, I was always sure to clean my feet ... just my feet. Needless to say, the rest of my body was an absolute mess, which is probably the reason my parents went from carpet to wood floors. Anyway, my point is that, as sinners, we are born a complete spiritual mess. Contrary to the example, this mess is not something that we can clean up on our own - this mess is not something that we can sweep under the rug or spray off with a hose. This mess sticks. Fortunately for us, we have a God that is willing to get his hands dirty. For the sole purpose of buying back his creation, 2000 years ago God sent his only son, Jesus Christ, to die on a cross so that every spiritual mess that has walked this Earth could be washed clean. This is the message of Psalm 40

Verses 1-5 Obviously, there is a slight emphasis on verse two this week. David proclaims that God has brought him out of a "horrible pit" and pulled him out of the "clay." Make a note that clay is nothing like dirt - clay is hard sometimes, sticky and wet sometimes, and completely messy always. If you have ever dug a hole and ran into clay, then you understand how difficult and time consuming it would be to actually get something out of it. Romans 3:10 says that there are none righteous, no not one. Every human being that has every walked this planet has been bound by sin ... and they're stuck. Sin is not a "situation", sin is not an "occurance" - sin is the reality that man failed God and missed the standard of perfection. In fact, the mighty king David was no exception. He never claims to be righteous or holy ... he claims to have found salvation in a God that listened to his cry and came to his aid. David continues and says that any man who places his trust is God is blessed. Why? Because they are free, and have been freed by a relational God. In Ephesians, we're told that God was willing that all should come to repentance, that God not only wants to save, but wants to gather all of his children back to the family. Again ... Why? Because God's thoughts towards us individually are endless (verse 5). Because his love is unceasing, unchanging, and passionate. How are we freed from the clutches of sin? Just like David, we can call upon the Father for forgiveness and salvation (John 3:16).

Verses 6-12 Hebrews 11:6 says this - "without faith, it is impossible to please God." In verses 6 and 7, David comes to the realization that our God is not one to be please by the religious aspects of Christianity. In the Old Testament, he was not pleased with the acts of sacrifice themselves, but what they stood for. Even more so, it grieved the Father to send his son to die on the cross, but the cause brought nothing but joy to the Father. When we have been freed from sin, God does not want us to be ritualistic in the way we live our lives. God does not want people that "have to", but people that "want to." David says that he delights to do God's will. If your feet have truly been cleaned - if you have been transformed by Jesus blood, the Bible is clear that you are now a new creation (2nd Corinthians 5:17). Loving God should not feel like a chore. If it does ... check your heart. My mom said this the other day - if we had a full grasp on the God that we serve, how much harder would it be to sin? David struggled. We struggled. But one thing is clear - that David chose to spread the good news. To share what God did for others so that He could do it for them too.

Jesus washed the disciples feet clean (John 13) ...
Let him wash your life clean continually ...
Live free in the grace and mercy of our Savior!
AND
Share the good news!

-Chris

The Cone of Shame

2011-02-03T20:52:00.000-08:00

I know most of you are in the same boat as me - it's midterms/finals week. We all know how it feels to have a marathon of tests - day after day of 2 hour long exams. Unfortunately, there are so many distractions that catch our eye when it comes time to buckle down and study. For example, let us examine the dangers of Facebook. I'm not sure I can prove it, but I'm sure the more time you spend on Facebook during finals week, the worse you will perform on tests. The reason being: there are a million things that we would rather do that study - post a comment, read a pointless blog, play a game of solitaire, text a friend you never ever talk to, take out the trash (seriously?), sleep, die ... the list goes on. Studying is not fun. Studying is not easy. On the same token, let's be honest for a second about living Godly lives. Because we are sinful beings, sometimes God is the least on our list priorities - sometimes we consider God as the last person we want to talk to, hear from, or spend time with. The Psalm this week is not going to help your study habits, but it will most certainly give you and idea on how you can become more focused on God and less focused on sin. The basic idea is that the more of this perverted world you block from your mind, the more you can focus on God. Psalm 39

Verses 1-3 When we first got my dog, he wouldn't stop chewing on his arms because of fleas. Even after the fleas were taken care of, his skin was messed up and he couldn't stop licking it. Unfortunately, we had to make the terrible decision of getting him the cone of shame.

Verses 1-3 I absolutely love this portion of this Psalm. I don't remember ever reading a verse in the Bible where a man claims to have the desire to put a muzzle on his mouth to keep from verbally stomping on the name of God. On the other hand, think about the passion there. Think about how sincere David is about his love for our God. Sin is so serious in his mind that he would rather keep his mouth shut than speak a word against our holy Father. Hence, we move onto the example of the cone of shame. Whenever a dog has a sore that he chews on or licks too much, sometimes the only way for the wound to heal is for the dog to leave it alone for a very long time. Unfortunately, dogs are stupid. I remember the time when Max (my precious little puppy) had to adorn the cone of shame. Not only was it extremely hilarious for me to watch my dog make an absolute fool of himself - it was embarrassing for him. He would walk into walls, and I would laugh. I mean, come on, look at the picture above - the dog knows that he is wearing .. dun dun dun ... the cone of shame. As Christians, we have this fascinating talent of ruining our lives and destroying our closeness to our heavenly Father. Sometimes, the only option is the cone of shame ... an action of extreme humility in which we tell God and the world surrounding us that we are not our number one priority, but GOD is.

Verses 4-6 David was onto something here. He goes to our God in prayer and in song asking God to give him a cone of shame - for God to put him in his place. In my life when I get too prideful or start to feel like I'm making myself into some sort of "God's gift to the world" ... I like to sit and look at the stars and the vastness of the universe to allow God's creation to belittle me. God is so big, God is so great. David wants to be humbled, David wants to be "small" in the arms of a BIG God. But why? If you keep reading you see that the world and all that inhabit it have goals that tend to be extremely selfish. In this chapter, they seek after money, but realistically, these goals can be associated with any lust of the flesh (power, popularity, possessions ... and many other words that do not start with the letter p). The fact of the matter is that no man is guaranteed another day on this Earth, and these vain pursuits have no promise or guarentee of salvation. Jesus once said - store up for yourselves treasures in heaven (Matt 6:20) - treasure that will last forever. Now how do you start to hoard up a massive amount of treasure in heaven ... by putting on a servants heart and dressing up everyday with a spiritual cone of shame. Love others. Love God. Place God's desires in your life far ahead of the plans that you have for your own life. Put a muzzle on your mouth and keep your lips from speaking lies (Psalm 38). Basically, be humble.

Verses 7-13 I've already mentioned why we should do this in the first place, but we'll talk about it briefly again. No man can guarantee himself entrance into heaven. No amount of wealth can buy you salvation or even pay for your sins - only the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. The cone of shame has an additional purpose - much like blinds on a horse. When dogs have to wear a cone, they lose their peripheral vision, and can only see in one direction. When we are humble and focused on God and his glory - it is important to constantly check for any pride sneaking into our field of view. Make your focus Jesus Christ. Allow nothing else to get in the way - no matter how humbling or "embarrassing" it may be. Jesus is, and always will be, everything you will ever need.

The end.
-Chris

Whatcha Eatin'

2011-01-24T17:50:00.000-08:00

I'm sorry for being late this week, but the timing for this Psalm couldn't have been more appropriate. You see, on Monday night when I went to write this Psalm I had to turn into bed because I was feeling absolutely terrible. That night, I woke up, took a shower, passed out, hit my head, threw up all over my bathroom floor, and was left thinking, "what in the world did I eat." In life, the things you choose to eat drastically effect your well-being. I was told yesterday that 80% of the times that a person throws up is due wholly to food poisoning ... hmmm interesting. Similarly, in your walk with Christ, what you "eat" will determine your spiritual health. Matthew 4:4 tells us clearly - "man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God." For anything else, ask yourself - what will this do to my spiritual health? Psalm 38

Verses 1-14 Read this part of the Psalm. It should be obvious that something is wrong and that David has been a naughty boy. What has he done? I have no clue. The only indicator of his sin comes from verse 3 where he says - "there is no health in my bones because of my sin." Basically, David ate something that he wasn't supposed to eat (spiritually of course). We've talked a lot about sin recently on Wednesday nights, and we've come to the conclusion that sin is taboo because God knows it's dangerous. God knows that sin has consequences (even apart from his judgement), and that it shouldn't be a part of our diet. If you read these verses, it almost sounds like David has the flu - he stinks (v5), he cries (v6), he has some sort of fever (v7), he is weak (v8), his strength is completely gone (v10), and his family and friends don't want to be anywhere near him (v11). Obviously David isn't physically sick, but he feels just as terrible as if he were. The sin he has dabbled in has brought about nothing good in his life. He says the reason he feels so terrible is because his soul is weighed down by sin. Just like in the real world, when you eat something you aren't supposed to spiritually, your soul cannot be healthy. Just think in your life - how do you feel. Do you feel tired, worn out, broken, sick? What have you been taking in. The spiritual diet consists of the word of God - have you been digging in or eating garbage instead?

Verses 14-22 This Psalm is much different from most - it's a cry of repentance and a plea for forgiveness. In this section, David comes to the realization that the reason his soul is weary is because he's apart from "the bread of life" and the source of "living water" (John 4:14 & 6:35). You can taste of all the things of the world, and I can promise you that they will not satisfy - sin will eat at you and make you vulnerable and self-conscious. On the other hand, we can jump back to Psalm 34:8 and taste of what the Lord has to offer to find that it is truly fulfilling and truly refreshing. David had strayed from God. He had temporarily chosen a path of rebellion during which his soul was thirsting for the living God. He was sorry for his sin and open to confess it at God's feet. Why? He knew that God would forgive. He knew that God would fill him anew. Rather than being self-conscious, he became God-conscious. Rather than focusing on his problems and pains, he was focusing on God's love and salvation.

The Psalm this week is short, and the question in simple. What are you eating? Are you digging into the word of God, or are you trying to find satisfaction elsewhere? Do you feel whole and satisfied, or are you like David - in pain, suffering, and spiritual sickness? I'd encourage you this week to examine your spiritual diet - take a look at what you're eatin' in order to see whether you are taking full advantage of God's provisions for you. If you think maybe that you have strayed from a proper "spiritual diet", follow David's example of repentance and taste and see that the Lord is good.

dig into some word this week!
-Chris

trust and do ...

2011-01-19T13:16:00.000-08:00

When people try to demonstrate faith, they often resort to the "chair example." The idea is that even right now, you are sitting in a chair that you didn't inspect or check in anyway ... you just sat down and had faith in the fact that the chair would do it's job and hold you up. On the more unconventional side, I would like to present you with the "stage dive" example. Often times when it comes to a stage dive, the "diver" doesn't ask the audience if they are going to catch him ... the result looks just like this:

Sometimes when it comes to the Christian life, it's difficult to understand what God is doing on a personal level - even more so, it's often forgotten that God IS good when day-to-day things are going so terribly (Nahum 1:7). Today, we get into a Psalm that has a simple solution - "trust and do." The idea is that if you described your life in terms of a stage dive (where God was your audience), He'd never make you look like the guy in the video. This Psalm gives a few simple instructions that aren't necessarily the easiest things to do; however, these are the solutions to getting out of an anxious and unsettling lifestyle - "trust and do." Psalm 37

Verses 1-7 There are some books of the Bible that are completely dedicated to man's need to trust in the Lord. The two that immediately pop in my mind are Habakkuk and Psalms. It's very easy to read the Bible and blow off any suggestions that make us seem vulnerable or helpless - we're prideful people. When I was a young boy, I insisted to my parents that I was a "big boy." On the other hand, the minute I was sick or I wet the bed, mom and dad had to come to the rescue. In the same way, as unrealistic/prideful Christians, we sometimes are too confident in our ability to "resist evil." On the other hand, when we strip away pride, often times it can be frightening the amount of evil we face on a day to day basis. As young Americans, the typical standards we are presented with are often completely contradictory to what the Bible commands. No matter the temptation, there are two things that we are definitely not supposed to do - 1. Think we can handle it on our own 2. Worry about the evil that surrounds your every day life. Why? Hebrews 13:5 tells us that God will never leave us or forsake us. When David wrote Psalm 23:4, he admits that the reason he will not fear the valley of the shadow of death is because he has trust in the Lord. We come back to the same idea in this Psalm. Basically, the suggestion is this - "don't worry about evil, focus on the goodness of God.". Rather than pouting because of the evil that rampages through the world, celebrate in the victory that you have in the cross. Verses 4-5 tell us that we are to delight in the Lord so that he will give us the desires of our hearts - very interesting that David put trust and delight in the same section of the Psalm. When we trust in God our anxiety about evil turns into a delight in God's promise to fight our battles.

Verses 8-26 In the first section, the Psalm focuses on the effect the world may have on you - the fact of prevalent evils in the world are cause for concern. On the other hand, these verses focus on sin against you. I'm sure that you can think of a time that somebody wronged you - and the first thought you had was about how you were going to get them back even better. Boys are weird. When we get in fights - one guys throws a punch, the other throws a punch back, and then the two are friends again. Obviously, this isn't normally the case when somebody wrongs you. David says to stray from anger and rage. Romans 12:19 tells us that God will avenge us - Galatians 6:7-9 continues on and explains that God is not mocked because man will be judged for the evil he does. This is an even further reason to have a calmness about spiritual oppression - God is on your side. If we jump back up to verse 7, we see that David talks about being patient - you may not live to the day where all evil is wiped away, but it will happen. In this section, we can say - "God has victory, we don't need to 'get revenge'." The section continues far beyond the topic we chose to cover here, but basically, if you read it, you will find that God is not turning a blind eye to sin. God is watching, God is involved, and God cares. He will punish those who wrong you, while you [see verses 18-26] will find peace, joy, love, and safety in the arms of the almighty God. Maybe it sounds harsh, but the reality of life is that everyone gets to choose sides - are they going to be for or against God? Romans 8:31 is crystal clear. If you are on God's side, no one can stand against you.

Verses 27-40 This last section is so cool. As we read the first 26 verses, it is easy to be confident in your spiritual walk, but David chooses to wake us up with this - "depart from evil and do good." Back to the beginning - there are two things that we should definitely be conscious about - 1. Our ability to be prideful 2. Our tendency to underestimate God's power in light of the world's sin. Obviously, we already talked about the second one, but it's important for us to remember to be reliant on our mighty God. As the Psalm says, God will not be reluctant to reward those who seek him. In short, trust in the Lord wholeheartedly. Have hope in the fact that he will avenge the saints, wait patiently to allow Him to work in your life, and finally, stray from wrong-doing. trust and do ...

Hope you are all having a blessed week!
-Chris

The Fountain of Youth

2010-12-21T13:12:00.000-08:00

In 1513 a man by the name of Juan Ponce de Leon began a search for a treasure that promised riches beyond the wildest imagination of man. With unmatched pride, he set out with the expectation of finding the fountain of youth - drinking from which would ensure eternal life to its finder. With a following of over 200 of Spain's finest conquistadors, Leon toured the Carribean coast in order to find this mythical treasure, and for years he searched lands that had previously never been explored by any European people. In his frantic search for the fountain, Leon eventually stumbled upon the land we know today as Florida. Although many regarded this as a major success, it just wasn't enough for Leon. Stepping away from the history lesson (as this isn't in any history books), I like to think about how many times Leon bent down to drink from a stream or river thinking that he had finally found the fountain. Even into his last days I can assure you that Leon had thoughts lingering in the back of his mind about the fountain of youth. Juan Ponce de Leon died in 1521 at the age of 46. He did not find what he was looking for.

Often times when I read a Psalm like the one we're going to read this week, I find myself point my fingers at "sinners" - people that make me feel like my life is in check. People that I choose to instrumentally make me feel a little more like Jesus Christ. Sadly, I'm not the only one. After reading this Psalm, I came to realize that these same sinners are no different than Leon - they are looking for something that they cannot find. They are bending down and drinking of the fountains that are offered in this world only to find that they promise nothing. Rather than life, they bring death. It was Jesus who said, "whoever drinks of the water I give will never thirst - the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life" (John 4:14). We have found the fountain of life - one that rests in Jesus Christ. For me, reading this Psalm helped me realize that these "convicting" Psalms are not about pointing fingers as much as they are about helping people find the fountain of life. Psalm 36

Verses 1-4 It doesn't take much to realize that this section is talking about people living apart from the will of God - outside of the family of grace and love in Jesus Christ. This section talks of sinners. People who live their lives for themselves pursuing the lusts for every type of sin imaginable. This is the part in the Psalm when it becomes easy to detach ourselves and begin to pick on the sinner. Problem is - this section is as much about us as it is about the "worst" sinner in the entire world. We are the wicked. Romans 3:23 tells us that all have sinned and fall short of perfection. Psalm 58:3 is even a little more up front, telling us that we are wicked from the womb - we are born sinners. The only difference between us and most of the world is that we have been redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ. Does that make us better? Not necessarily, but it does tell us that we have found something that the entire world is looking for (whether they know it or not). Just think about a time you struggled with sin - where you felt distant from God's presence. That's where most people spend the entirety of their lives. Rather than pointing fingers, we can show are friends, relatives, and class mates that we have found happiness, joy, and contentment in the love of God the Father.

Verses 5-10 This is the dividing point - where we as Christians have become separate from the entire world - to live in it but not of it. What act did you do that made you worthy to be called a son or daughter of Christ? What aspect of your life makes you worthy of the kingdom of God? Nothing ... nothing but the blood of Jesus. Ephesians 2:1-10 is an excellent passage that talks about God's grace in the context of the fact that he would have none perish. Once again, we were born sinners - we were born unworthy, but our God is rich in mercy and love. Our God is jealous for us, so he sent his only son to die on a cross as a payment for our sins. That we may freely enter into his presence. You didn't do anything to do it. You did nothing to earn it. As much as the Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses would teach it otherwise, your works are but filthy rags before the Father (Isaiah 64:6). King David wrote knowing that the heart of our God was one filled with grace and compassion. How can you impress an infinite God? You can't. How can you know that an infinite God love you? By looking at the work he has done in Jesus Christ. Verse 9 talks of the fountain of life as well as "the light." Jesus once said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life" (John 8:12). Also, think about the previous verse in which Jesus promises living water. It is in Christ and Christ alone that we have found eternal life.

When the world searches and searches
for the fountain of youth, know that
you have found it in Jesus Christ.

- Chris

Psalm 35 - The Anatomy of Justice

2010-12-14T11:27:00.000-08:00

When I was young I never thought that God wanted to hear my problems. I never believed that my pains and my aches were any of his concern, that He had much better things to do. I thought that maybe God was too busy for me and that's why he gave me parents. Fortunately, I was wrong as we'll see. 1 Peter 5:7 says that we are free to "cast our cares" upon God, frankly becasue he cares. In second grade, I remember having a bully who was four grades ahead of me and a lifetime of growing beyond me in size - he was huge. Anyway, I remember when my five foot mama heard about this during our car ride home - she was furious and drove me straight back to school to take care of business. She confronted the boy that was actually probably bigger than she was, but the young man quaked in fear. I don't even know what she said, but the boy never bothered me ever again - simple, swift justice. Now, you might be thinking - Chris, you just told me that God wants to deal with my frustrtations and my worries so why doesn't God take care of my "bullies" in life like your mom took care of yours? Great question. Although God is a just God, His timing is specific - allowing people like you and me to have a chance to understand his love in Christ Jesus. God is just, but God is also love. Because its frustrating anc confusing at times, today we get to study the anatomy of God's justice - Psalms 35

Verses 1-9 King David seems to spend a lot of time in the Pslams talking about his enemies and his afflictions - which seems weird as the Psalms is generally looked at as a book of praise songs. Anyway, this section of the chapter is devoted to David voicing his concerns and his desire for revenge, but he wrote it in a poetic pslam - weird. David is probably one of the few men to ever walk the Earth that understood our first postulate in the anatomy of God's justice - "God is no slack concerning his promises" (2 Peter 3:9). I could recite that verse over and over, but I think my heart is set on a scope of instant justice. In a world with microwaves, airplanes, text messaging, and all the other modern ammenities, it's easy to become impatient with God. When something crummy happens, we wonder why God doesn't just get to business. When a jerk shoves us into a locker at school, we wonder why God doesn't consume Him with righteous flames. When someone cuts me off on the freeway, I always with that I had the ability to pop their tires with a simple prayer, but such is not the case. One of the biggest problems with our understanding of God is that he is not on the same time scale that we are in. When we consider God's work to be too late or too early, He acts precisely when He means to. When God makes a promise to avenge us and to judge the wicked, he will follow through (Rev.). In verse 9, after pleading his case, David is joyful as he truly understands God's timing in regards to justice. The first important aspect of God's form of justice (backed by an infinite amount of wisdom) is that it is timed precisely perfectly.

Verses 9-21 Even though nothing has happened in regards to finding justice, David says that he will rejoice in God. One of the major concepts I struggle with personally is the idea that bad people get away with what they do. Sure, they pay the consequences of their actions, but most of the time, in my humble opinion, they reap a far less "punishment" than they deserve. Even more so, there are people in the world who prosper off of their evil - how is that fair? How can God let this happen? In the Old Testament, there is a book named after a prophet named Habakkuk. In this book are the complaints are a very disgruntled man. As Habakkuk looks at the world, he cries out for God's justice to sweep throughout the world so that all the evil men would die. In Habakkuk's opinion, God was being trampled on. He was being disrespected. King David shows us an interesting aspect about God's seemingly "delayed" punishment for evil. Galatians 6:7 tells us that God is not mocked. That means in God knows what is happening and he has a plan. The verse continues to say that a man will reap what he sows - both physically and eternally. Hebrews 10:29-30 tells us that those who trample on the name of Jesus Christ will be trampled on in return. King David is able to rejoice in the understanding that God has already won. There is no one like our God - no one that can match his power. So why should he wait? Why shouldn't he just show us his victory now by taking out evil once and for all? Well ... that is because God's love is unmatched as well.

Verses 22-28 At the end of all things, we know that evil will not stand. There will come a day where all in the world that is wrong and spiritually numbing will be washed away; that there will come a day when Jesus Christ returns to claim his bride (the church) and destroy all those who tried to corrupt her. Deuteronomy 32:35 (as well as Hebrews 10:30 & Revelation 12:19) tells us that vengeance is God's and not ours. King David was a man filled with joy - known for music, his outbursts in dance, and his life of praise. David understood that it was not his job to take care of his troubles - that he was not in charge of keeping evil in check. What a relief - to know that God is in control. Know that God is in control with good reason. If I were in charge of destroying evil ... a lot of people would be dead ... including people who need to hear the love story of Jesus Christ. Reading the second part of 2 Peter 3:9, it becomes clear that God's primary objective is not too kill all that is evil, but to weed out even the smallest portion of good that exists in mankind. God's wish is that all would come to know the redemption He has provided in His son as a sacrifice. Why does it seem like God is taking a lifetime to do business? Why does it seems sometimes like He's turning a blind eye to the evil that plagues this world? It's because he's giving our lost brothers and sisters a chance to come back home. The anatomy of God's justice is preceded by the potency of His love.

- Chris

Psalm 34 - Surviving Finals Week

2010-12-09T20:19:00.000-08:00

Well, it's been quite a while, but I'm glad we got back into this when we did. This week [or next week], as some of you might know, is finals week. We all know how stressful finals can be, how boring studying is, and how frightening it is awaiting the outcome of our grades. On the other hand, the title of this weeks Psalm, at least in my Bible, is "Happiness of Those Who Trust in God." No matter what aspect of life you look at, the stress that amounts to it can never be compared to the peace that we have found in Jesus Christ. This week, we look at a few things that king David did to make sure that he stayed focused on God rather than the worries of this world. Psalm 34

Verses 1-3 One of my least favorite parts of finals week is hearing the complaints that come out of peoples mouths. I know that I am just a guilty, but every year, without fail, there are always people wandering the campus ranting about how they are going to "fail" their classes. I love king David ... he is way too awesome sometimes. The first step, in my humble opinion, to finding peace in Christ is to recognize that His praise always deserves to be on your lips. Think of what God has done for you - the list is, not surprisingly, endless. Now think on the other hand, what God asks from you. I'm so glad that our God is not a God that demands perfection. On the contrary, God is more concerned with the effort you put forth. Knowing that none would ever attain perfection, Paul constantly talked about "the race" in the New Testament. God knows that all of his sheep are failures ... sounds kinda sad right? WRONG! God adores His sheep. He is jealous for His sheep. God knows what you are capable of and fully understands your capability. It really is marvelous. 1 Peter 5:7 says to cast all of your cares upon Him for He cares for you. Your complaints are not to be shouted from the rooftops - rather your worries are to go to God. Now that he has taken the words right out of our mouths, all that is left is praise. First lesson of the week - get rid of all your worthless mumbo-jumbo and lift up the Lord in praise and adoration. How much better would this world be if Christians as a whole stopped talking of their personal sorrows and began speaking the wonders of our maker. Let the praise of the Lord always be on your lips.

Verse 8 I think often, when it comes to the youth, there is this feeling that God is for old people. That you can only be a real Christian later in life when your married, have kids that have kids (grandkids), and you're roughly 3-4 years away from dying. This is not so. I think this thought process comes from this problem that youth are not "tasting" the fruits of the Lord. Growing up, there were foods that I did not want to eat, but my friends or parents insisted - "It's good." Today, cheesecake is my favorite desert thanks to my dad ... just saying. I urge you to do the same thing - taste and see that the Lord is good. Maybe the previous paragraph was a little difficult to swallow. Maybe there have been times in your life that your thinking about that seem to be much more than God can deal with. I promise you - taste and see that the Lord is good. Let his praise be on your lips - see what that does. Get up early and read your Bible - see how your day changes. Lesson number two - taste and see that God truly is who he says he is. Find the peace in Him that he promises.

Verses 13-16 Lastly, and I'll be quick on this one, is to stray from evil. At the beginning, we talked about the "negative nancy" people that always like to complain and grumble. Let me be the first to tell you that God's children are not grumblers. Keep your tongue from evil - whether its inappropriate words, or more so, grumbling and complaining. Why? Why does it matter? God's eyes are fixed on the righteous - those who are praising him. Lesson 3 - "Depart from evil and do good. Seek peace and pursue it!"

The end.
- Christopher

God's Power > Any Other

2010-11-06T09:15:00.000-07:00

I was part of my school's baseball program for six years. Every year, the boys and I would get a new jersey (at least "new" to us) or some article of clothing that had a particular verse written on it - Zechariah 4:6. Even though I was a part of the program for quite a long time, I never took the time to look up the verse. Around my junior year in High School, I picked up a Bible and read this verse:

"Not by power, nor by might,
but by my spirit, says the Lord."

What an encouraging verse right? I mean, it doesn't matter what you encounter in this world - at school, at home, with friends ... God is bigger. God is stronger. Around the same time in High School, I adopted Romans 8:31-39 as my favorite passage in the Bible, it starts:

"What then shall we say to these things?
If God is for us, who can be against us?"

If you take these two scripture references and put them together, you in essence get the message presented in Psalm 33. As young Christians, we need to have the mentality that God is unmatched in every aspect of our lives. Whatever it is that has you weighed down, bring it to God and lay it as His feet. God is on your side - He refuses to surrender to the pains and struggles you face in life. Don't believe me? Let's check out Psalm 33

Verses 4-5 I think it's easy to come to the realization that God is unlike any other. Aside from his power, the words to desribe his nature are beyond comparison. These two verses give us a little insight into who God is - faithful, unfailing, true, and righteous. God is faithful - he always pulls through. The word tells us that God makes all things work together for our good. I have enough problems trying to find matching socks in the morning, but God seems to have my life in his mighty hands - he will not let me down, and he will not let me go [speaking of course from personal experience]. God's love never fails. As Jesus hung on a cross, bearing the sin of the entire world - there was only one thing on his mind - forgiveness. God's thoughts towards you are more abundant than the sand on the sea shore - the cross is no exception to that, for He died on an individual basis - for you, for me - knowingly. God is true. Try to find a book like the Bible - flawless, perfect, God-breathed (2 Tim). The perfection and intricacy of the word is just a mild reflection of who God is. These are simply a few of the words that we use in the English dictionary to describe our God, who truly is unlike any other.

Verses 6-9 Obviously, this next section talks about creation. By God's very word, the entirety of the universe was poured out in the orderly fashion He saw fit (see Genesis). I like this so very much. No matter where you look, creation is of the most complex pictures we see of our God. David says that even the stars are a result of his mighty breath. Our God is power. I wish that I could make things happen just by saying a command. I cannot, unfortunately, but my mighty God can. Our God is big. David uses the analogy that our God is able to store the oceans in a jar - just like you're able to fill your cup with water from a faucet. God spoke, and it happened. Period. Now think - if our God is big enough to create all that we see, is he not powerful enough to take care of you? Yeah ... He is.

Verses 10-11 This part is so cool. From the beginning of time, man has had the audacity to stand against a might God. These verses tell us that nothing can stand up against God - it's a hands-down victory for our might God. Daniel painted a wonderful picture of a statue made out of all sorts of metals and clay - this statue was smashed by none other that the rock, Jesus Christ. What does this mean for us? Well first and foremost, it means that there is nothing on this Earth that is comparable to our God. Secondly, it means that we should continually check our hearts to see where we stand. Are we grouping our selves with God - letting him govern our lives and dictate our daily paths OR our we settling for less. Are we choosing the easy way out? Are we serving another master? If we are, we're going to get smashed too - we're going to fail. On the other hand, God is infinite - His reign and power are without limit (awesome)!

Verse 12 David says that the man who places his trust in God is a blessed man indeed. Think about your life. What are you holding onto? What is your protection? What or who are you serving? If you're not finding safety in the arms of our almighty God, than you truly are missing out on the profound mystery described in this chapter.

Our God is Big
Our God is Strong
Our God is Power
Our God is Unmatched

-Chris

Movie Night!!!!

2010-10-24T16:35:00.001-07:00

Details:
- Friday Night 6:00pm - 10:30pm
- Pizza and Drinks Provided
- If you have the chance, please bring a snack to share :)

God of Sinners

2010-10-10T16:10:00.000-07:00

Looking for a job, it is almost impossible to get hired with a felony on your record. If you have been stained with the swift justice of America, you will have a difficult time getting back on your feet. Such is the nature of wrong - such is the nature of sin. You can look left and right, up and down, but no one wants to hire a criminal - no one wants to trust a man or woman who has been labelled a liar, cheater, thief, or murderer. Now, time for some heavy words - you are a spiritual felon. Matthew 5 says that you don't actually have to be commit a crime to be labelled a criminal. For example, Jesus says that he who hates is guilty of the same judgement as a murder - they are labelled the same way. You a spiritually unwanted - you are untrustworthy and deserving of nothing but swift justice of a mighty God. Well, why doesn't He just get it over with? Our God is just, but he is also merciful and full of grace - God wants sinners - not sinful people, but ones who have been stained with title of 'spiritual criminal.' How do I know this? He sent his only begotten Son to hang on a cross and bleed to death so that he could welcome me into His forgiveness. The God that wants to call sinners His own ... leaves me speechless. Psalm 32

Verses 1-5 I remember when I was in first grade - beanie babies were hot stuff - so I decided to steal two off of my teachers desk. The guilt of my sin weighed so heavily on me, I couldn't even play with my newly acquired best friends (the stuffed animals), so I threw them under my bed and refused to play with them. I found the toys later on in life and thought to myself how stupid I was - how foolish the decision I made looked, gazing back in the past. Guilt is serious business - it's painful and dangerous - it eats away at you. So it's no surprise to us when David says, "blessed be the forgiven." Basically, how lucky we are to have a God who is faithful and just to forgive us of all of our mistakes - no matter how big or how small. But there is a catch right? We have to be honest - we have to show Him our "criminal record" and make ourselves vulnerable in His presence. A convicted felon could finish his sentence in jail, falsify his records, and get a job, right? He could lie about who he was and where he came from ... but he would never break free of reality - He would not be restored or cleared of his conscience, of who he really was. Even if you want to dodge God and pretend to be "holy," He knows what's going on. Man looks at the outward appearance, but God's eagle eyes penetrate to the heart. David is right, the only way to be freed of your guilt is to ask for God's forgiveness (faithful as the morning - 1 John 1:9). But this is cool right. So many religious systems are governed by conviction - you have to earn you forgiveness right? You have to do so many hail mary's and confess to the Pope, right? WRONG. God's forgiveness is eternal - it's fulfilling and beyond measure. Ephesians says that we have been saved through grace and nothing else (not even works) ... but that God chose to want a relationship with sinners - with us.

Verses 6-11 [Side-track] If you have never heard the cry of a donkey and seen tears fall from its beautiful face, then you have not experience true sadness [end side-track]. I love what David says here - don't be stubborn. People are so angry at God when it comes to sin ... why? PRIDE. Nobody likes to answer for their mistakes. Nobody likes to be told their wrong. Nobody likes to humble themselves before an almighty God ... it's not easy and it's not comfortable. The world is stubborn, are you? If so, you're missing out. David continues to say that the sins of the world are numerous, but God's love is so much greater. God's ability to forgive is so much further beyond anything we could possibly add up to in sin. Have you been forgiven or do you still have guilt? Are you rejoicing in Christ or are you throwing yourself a pity party? God always wants the sinner, but for some reason the sinner doesn't always want God.

Just some stuff to think about
- Chris

Back and Forth and Back and Forth

2010-09-26T19:54:00.000-07:00

When I was younger, my little brothers were younger too. Make sense? Anyway I remember when my little brother went through this "yes/no" phase. My mom would ask if he would like something to eat; he would say yes. When my mom brought out the food, he would change his mind and say no. When the food was gone ... he was back to "yes, I want food." The cycle never ended ... until my mom gave up his little "yes/no" game. Just so you know, this wasn't just with food - it was with everything ... my little brother lived his life under the strict policy of the "yes/no" game. When I read the Psalm this week, it reminded me a little of the yes/no game. You'll notice that king David goes back and forth on his focus - First, it's on God, then his enemies, then back to God, and again back to his enemies. What's the chapter about? ... Well ... both. Psalm 31

Verses 1-5 So we start out pretty basic right? David is just talking about God the way he normally does. God is our strong tower, He is our fortress, and our defense. So many times in life when we face a difficult situation, we tend to dwell on the thing going wrong in life. As you'll see, David is dealing with a few issues himself, but the first thing He does - goes to God. Why do you think he would do that? It goes back to the principle of the three little pigs right? Do you want to build a shelter out of wood? out of straw? No, you need to make a shelter out of bricks; sooner or later the wolves of this world will come huffing and puffing on your shelter - will it stand? 1 Corinthians 3:9-15 gives us this same picture. You can choose to build your life on the hay, straw, and bricks of this world but these aren't the materials the "wise master builder" should be using. "On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand." David has chosen a mighty fortress - an unshakable shelter to keep him from harm. David commits his life to the hands of a strong God [strong's an understatement really ... no words can describe God's might]. Anyway, he chooses God as a shelter ... here's why ...

Verses 6-13 At the beginning we see a little bit of this "God/enemies" game David seems to be playing in this chapter, but here's a list of some of David's troubles: he's depressed (9-10), He's fallen prey to sin (10), he has enemies who hate him (11), his neighbor's can no longer stand him (11), people have forgotten him (12), he has been let down, people are trying to KILL HIM (13). If you thought you had a lot going on ... think about David's list. Even so, you might read this and think, "man, this David dude is a complainer." Well ... what is he doing? He's taking all of his problems and all of his frustrations to the God he knows will take care of it - casting all his cares upon God because he has faith in the fact the God loves him (1 Peter 5:7). That's a man of God. That's the King David I have come to know and love. Just a quick check for ourselves - how often do you we lay our problems out before the king of kings? ... probably not very often right? So we've gone from God to enemies ... back to God

Verses 14-16 I like this. After complaining about his problems, the first thing David asks God is for God to make His face shine through in every situation in life. We're never too quick to hand over our problems to God, let alone, surrender our emotions to His will. From David, we could all learn just a little bit more what it means to be trusting of God - to give Him not only our problems but also allowing Him to handle the situation for us. "Let your face shine upon me" should be the basis of our prayer - that God would shine through us in every situation or choice we make in life. Just a quick note: Matthew 5:14 calls us the light of the world and a city on a hill. The thing most people forget is that when the people of this world look at you, they ought not be impressed with you, but with how God works in and through every situation of your life. How'd you become the light of the world? By God's grace, His love, and his never-ending mercy. Back to the bad guys ...

Verses 17-18 David continues here to talk about his enemies. He cries out for justice - for his enemies to be buried by a righteous God. Is that okay? Absolutely. Our God is a just God - he knows His right and wrongs - no way about it. He knows the way he has asked us to live our lives and holds us all to it. I think this section flies back up two paragraphs - David here is giving God the situation. Rather than being the 5-year old boy who says "I'm gonna kill him," David expresses his feelings honestly to God and trusts that God will do what is best. David was honest in prayer ... not afraid to express how he felt - something we could all learn to do just a little bit better.

Verses 19-24 If you see anything you want to add here, then go ahead - there is a lot of good stuff, but we've made our point ... which is: We go to God first to be our shelter - before we go anywhere else. We share our problems and our struggles with Him honestly/truthfully ... why? He cares. Lastly, we ask that He shine through in our lives in every way possible - even in tough situations that you might feel you want to face alone.

Have a great week guys!
- Chris

Faithfulness and the Morning

2010-09-20T07:19:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite songs on my current playlist is Beautiful by Phil Wickham. In the song he sings:

I see your face in every sunrise
The colors of the morning are inside your eyes

There's something special about a sunrise. Every morning as the sun rises, you can watch the light chase the darkness across the sky - it's new, it's refreshing, it comes without fail. So, it's true, God's eyes are filled with grace, faithfulness, and unfailing love. I remember one year when I was in Costa Rica in a hotel room dubbed "the unicorn palace" - no air conditioning, hundreds of mosquitoes. On the other hand, this room was also roughly 200 feet from the Caribbean Ocean. Every morning when I woke up, I got to watch the sun rise over the water - a simply breathtaking way to start the day. The morning is such a beautiful picture of God's grace and mercy - "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; They are new every morning" [Lamentations 2:22-23 (ESV)]. Without fail, God will forgive (just as the sun is faithful to rise). This week, we feature a verse that says "joy comes with the morning." Have you found joy in forgiveness? Is God's mercy something that you are excited/joyful about? Or did you forget just how beautiful it is?

Verses 1-3 I like to call sections in the Bible like this, the "you have's" ... All David does here is say, "God you have [fill in the blank with something wonderful]." Think about it though, what does this speak of? What does this tell us about our God? He is faithful. Unlike pretty much everything else, he pulls through for us ... all the time. The last 29 chapters of Psalms are riddled with David's praise, but also his petitions and requests to God - here, in chapter 30, they are answered. Maybe you don't feel the same way ... maybe you feel like you and God just don't have a "you have [fill in the blank]" type of relationship. I pose this question: Have you asked? Have you made your request known to God? Have you given him 29 chapters of your life so that he can faithfully answer in the 30th? James 4:2 says, "you do not have, because you do not ask." You can't expect an answer if you don't ask. You can't expect provision if you do not ask (granted, God surprises us from time to time, right?). In Psalm 3 (27 weeks ago), we talked about a word "selah." We can almost replace that word in the Bible with "stop and think." I encourage you to stop and think. To meditate on God's word daily (even if it's just for a little bit). I would ask you to consider a time of prayer where you give God you day and make you requests know to Him. In Jesus' model prayer, He even says to ask: "give us this day our daily bread." Make your desires known to God and He will faithfully answer - more faithfully than the morning sunrise.

Verses 4-5 I like how verse 5 reads. I really like it. Think about before you dedicated your life to Christ - before you "purposed in your heart" as the book of Daniel would say, God seemed convicting - God seemed angry. I think that people who struggle to accept God are intimidated by the fact that their standing on the opposite side of the battle field facing God. God hates sin, and that's scary. On the other hand, He loves us. Think about the times you have fallen into a period of sin - you felt convicted, you felt like you were fighting against God ... detached, maybe even scared. David says here, God's anger is but for a moment ... why? It only takes a moment for person to step from sin and to walk into his mercy, grace, and forgiveness. It's easy not easy to step out of sin, but the reward is the Father's favor of a lifetime. Forgiveness - it brings joy like the morning - faithfully, on time, without fail. This whole section is a highlight. David is so enamored by God's faithfulness that he can only describe the feeling by pointing to creation - to the morning ... to the sunrise (see last week). What do we do about this? (v4) Sing praise, give thanks, and remember/never forget how good God is to us.

Verses 6-12 Just read this for yourself. It's kind of off our topic for this week , but there is still some very excellent stuff in here. Favorite: "You have turned for me my mourning into dancing" (v 11). If you think something is really cool, post on it in the comment section :)

It's so easy to overlook a sunrise ...
Don't make the same mistake with God's faithfulness.

-Chris

Creator - Kind of an Understatement (29)

2010-09-12T15:41:00.000-07:00

Today when I was driving to visit my parents for dinner at their house, I turned on the radio and listened to a man named Jack Hibbs teach a message on defending creation. He did a fantastic job explaining the holes in evolutionary logic and an even better job explaining the poor approach people generally take to seeing God as our creator. As we have been reading the gospel of Luke and looking at the truly perplexing history of Jesus and the disciples, we have come to realize that the Bible is no ordinary story. In fact, it seems obvious that we have come to the conclusion that the attitude we have had all along while reading scripture is not the one we should have. The Bible is crazy. The Bible is out of this world. The stories about Jesus life are intense and uncomfortable. Guys ... our creator is not boring. Our creator is not dull or unimpressive. Look around. Our God - our mighty God - created all of this. All that you see and all that you have ever been impressed with in nature comes from an awesome creator (by awesome, I mean jaw dropping - knock your socks off). Just think. The roar of the ocean show us his power. The beauty of a sunset shows us his passion and creativity. The sound of the wind blowing though the trees shows us his gentleness. The list can go on and on ... the term creator is not one to be taken lightly. In fact, our creator revealed himself to us in the masterpiece of his creation - all for the sake of His love for us. He is the creator ...

Verses 1-2 So what's this Psalm about anyway. We read it and we find David pleading with us to do something. What exactly is he asking? He wants us to "ascribe" to the Lord - or in other words "give credit where credit is due." When I work very hard on something, I always anticipate someone giving me a 'pat on the back' - telling me my project looks nice, that I did a good job on my homework, that my GPA is impressive, that I did a 'good job' ... we all do it right? We're so prideful - quick and ready to receive applause but slow to dish it out. What this Psalm is about is taking a step back, looking around at the world, and realizing the credit that God deserves. Just look up at the stars, watch the clouds, have a staring contest with the sun ... I don't care what you do as long as you take David's challenge seriously - ascibe to God. Ascribe to the mighty creator.

Verses 3-9 I'm pretty sure I don't need to say much here. Think about the mightiest storm you've ever been in. One year when I went to Costa Rica, there was a hurricane hitting a neighboring country which obviously dragged some storms to where I was staying. For the first time in my life, raindrops hurt my skin ... thunder shook the very core of my being. For once ... real thunder - not wimpy, not boring, not lame ... but powerful, body shaking, intimidating. David says here - our God's voice is like thunder (just a crazy picture of who God is right?). David even says that God's voice is powerful enough to shatter one of the worlds strongest trees ... that's the real deal. God's creation was intended to give us a picture of who he is. Think about it a little bit - Jesus says that even when we fail to represent Him, the rocks will cry out. CREATION SPEAKS. Creation tells us of the power of our God, or at least gives us a slight glimpse of it. David doesn't even stop with the thunder. God is more brilliant than lightning (brightening up even the darkest of places). God's presence strips forests bare. You can tell a lot about a painter by what they paint. On a greater scale, you can also tell a lot about God by observing pieces of his creation.

well what now? I remember the first time I heard a message like this. I can't drive in my car the same way anymore. I can't go a regular day without thinking about at least a small piece of God's creation. Take it to heart. Look at creation. Observe the masterpiece that surrounds you on a daily basis. God is our creator ... what does that mean to you? Perhaps that he kinda just threw the universe together? ... nope ... he painted a picture for you to know who he is and who he wants to be in your life.

Creator ... kind of an understatement yeah?
-Chris

Verses 1-4

What's your Tone? - Psalm 28

2010-09-06T11:19:00.000-07:00

Dillon smells. Dillon smells really bad. This is mostly because he thinks that Martin guitars sound better than Taylor guitars ... which is false (opinion based). Needless to say, every guitar has a distinct tone - Martins are known for being dark, full, and bluesy whereas the Taylor guitar (cheaper) are known for their well-rounded range, and rich sound. It's amazing to think of all the things that play a role in the making of a quality guitar - professional guitar makers have even studied the effects of different woods on the overall sound of the instrument. Even more so, those three little knobs in the picture below also play a huge role in how an amplified acoustic guitar will sound. We're not even going to talk about all the important components to a guitar, but there are so many things to think about when it comes to buying [or making] a guitar - fret board, woods, action, shape, glues, bolts, etc. There's just an unbelievable amount of things that goes into the making of a rich sounding guitar. Luckily, as Christians, the choice of our spiritual "tone" is much easier - as there is only one choice that truly outweighs the competition. Do you have an attitude that resonates beneficially with people that surround you? Does your live "sound" like Christ's? Are you using the right materials (reference: the Bible), or are you filling your life with worthless junk? The question today is - what's your tone? Psalm 28

Verses 1-5 Sometimes when I read the Psalms, I get really confused - it almost seems at times that David, the king of kings (other than Jesus), is crying like a baby. Why would the manliest of men be in such a questionable state? When I cry, I hide my face, but David shows himself openly - what in the world is going on? The answer is pretty simple, and we'll form it into a question - what's David's tone? Even though kings David was probably one of the most powerful men to roam the Earth, he knew one who was more powerful - the Living God. The tone here is one of desperation - "God, I know I can't do this, but you can!" David is a man who recognized that he could not answer his own prayers, that he could bring contentment to his own heart (or others for that matter), or that he could protect himself from evil. What a mighty man of God - found where? On the floor crying for God. Are you getting the picture here? Jesus was found once washing the disciples feet - talk about "practice what you preach." Jesus also said that we are to humble ourselves if we are to be exalted (Luke 11:14). The fact of the matter is that you cannot bring about spiritual success in your life unassisted. If you try, you will fail. Paul constantly talked about the death he experienced - but he was still alive at the time (obviously) ... what? He said that it was not he who lived, but Christ in Him (Gal 2:19-20) - because Paul recognized the truth of Christ's preaching ... he understood king David's tone - that God is the answerer to our prayers, the strength in our weakness, the light in our darkest our, and the Father to all who come to him. My dad changed my oil on Saturday - because I'm a loser, and he does it 13422034502754 times faster than I could ever do it. I wish that in my life I gave more control to God - that I would trust Him to work in my life 6423984392834 times better that I could ever. This is just the first tone of two - one of humility, desperation, and need. Do you have it?

Verses 6-9 The second tone is one of praise, but it will never come before the first one. Even to obtain salvation, the Bible talks of a repentant heart - joy comes at the price of self-sacrifice. Even so, the man who a few verses was crying, has come to the realization that God is all of those things in his life that he had asked for. It takes a big heart to humble yourself, but God rewards those who do with a heart filled with joy, peace, patience [insert the rest of the fruit of the spirit]. I just love how this Psalm ends - start with a tone of desperation and end with joy in God's fulfilled promises. So we go back to the beginning - what's your tone? Are you desperate for God? Are you hungry for the word? Are you living a life in pursuit of an intimate relationship with an interested creator? If so ... Are you living in joy? Are you abounding in happiness? Have you found shelter in the God that calls himself our rock and shelter? I leave you with this ...

Let Him "be your shepherd and carry you forever"

There is an illustration that talks about history when shepherds would brake their sheep's legs when the sheep disobeyed or did something stupid. The shepherd would then carry the sheep until the wound healed. The picture shows us, the sinner, being brought close to God in order to learn to stay near to Him. I don't know about you, but I never want God to put me back down (even if i'm "not a sinner anymore") ... I want Him to carry me forever.

See you later!
-Chris

What's Yous Battle Cry? (27)

2010-08-29T15:00:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite aspects of every war movie is the emotion captured by scenes with men in the heat of battle. For the most part, every movie that has war involved has some sort of battle cry poured out from the very soul of the warrior before (or just as) he enters into battle - whether it be a cry for vengeance, a chant for ones country, or a wail of agony and desperation. Just watch! As the two opposing sides approach each other, the men begin to scream in a manner that sends shivers down your spine. What's your battle cry? Psalm 27

Verses 1-6 In honor of our senior pastor Jim, the above picture was taken back in the day when he (personally) fought for the freedom of Scotland. Well, not really ... the picture is actually of the character William Wallace from Braveheart. If you know anything about this movie, you know that it is filled with some of the most powerful battle cries known to man. As listed above, there are cries for the country, cries for vengeance, and for pain as well - bellows that shake the very core of your being - powerful, heart-felt, intimidating. As we get into the Psalm, we must recall that we are in the midst of spiritual battle (Eph 6:10-20). We start this chapter and we see David question - "whom shall i fear?" Great question right? ... the answer: no one (Rom 8:31). God is our light, our salvation, our protector, our shield, and so much more (read the last 26 Psalms). David continues in this segment of the Psalm to preamble his war cry - why is he making the cry in the first place. This is not a cry of desperation. This is not a cry of fear. This is not a cry of pain, sadness, or defeat. This is a cry of victory. David says that when his enemies advance on him - in the brink of battle - he knows where to go. My parents are currently teaching my dog max how to swim as he recently fell into the pool and almost drowned. The hope is that when he falls into the pool next time he knows to swim to the steps and exits the pool instead of flailing around like an idiot. Basically the first question we approach is - do you know where to go in the heat of battle? Do you know where to find your refuge? David says that his head is lifted above all his enemies (even before the battle starts). So i guess ... is God your victory?

Verses 7-14 This is our battle cry - "Your face, Lord, I will seek." In Him our paths are made straight. In him we find grace, mercy, and peace - not to mention safety from attack. One of my favorite passages here is the one about our parents (v.10). I have amazing parents (as I'm sure you do too), but I have found from time to time that they still fail me. I have found that as amazing of an example they both are for me, they're sinners to . They let me down, they break my heart. Never has God let me down. Sure God has broken my heart, but it was because I chose to abandon Him and pursue something I shouldn't. What a good shepherd - one that whole-heartedly pursues me, a sinner (Hosea). I am confident, as David was confident, that I will find goodness in the Lord. So I leave you with this:

"Wait for the Lord;
Be strong and take heart
and wait for the Lord."

That's just the pep-talk before the battle. What will be your battle cry?

-Chris

What's Your Habitat?

2010-08-23T14:18:00.001-07:00

When my uncle, Jeremy, graduated high school, he took a one way ticket straight Hungary. There, he learned the native language, worked at a local church, and eventually got married to a nice, little Hungarian lady named Izabella. A few years later, his wife gave birth a child I like to call "the tornado" - his real name is Ezekiel. A few months ago, Jeremy started thinking about moving back to Hungary to continue missionary work, and Ezekiel was thoroughly upset with the idea. At pre-school, my four year old nephew constructed a poem in which he expressed his love for his "habitat." He talked on and on about why it's not good to leave your "habitat," and why he didn't want to go back to Hungary. Despite the odd word choice, "the tornado" was onto something. He understood that there are places that are good to live and places that are not. For example - hundreds of thousands of people live in Southern California right? What about death valley? What about the Gobi Desert? What about on top of Mount Everest? Yeah ... didn't think so. So let's think about this spiritually. God has put rules before us - He's given us an outline of the way that we should live our lives ... why? Because we are in control of the spiritual habitat that we choose. You can purposefully live where God wants you to ... or you can be an idiot and choose to live somewhere else (spiritually speaking of course). The question: Are you living in a spiritual desert? Or are you like a tree planted by the rivers of water? (Psalm 1)

Psalm 26

Verses 1-7 A lot of the times when you read the Bible, you realize that so many of the characters have the same heart and the same passion for God. In Ezekiel 11, we see that God makes a promise to His people to give them an undivided heart ... so this makes perfect sense. Although God has separate plans for each and every persons life - an individualistic adventure that He has set aside for you, the heart behind it is always the same for a person who chooses to follow. Daniel, the guy that almost got devoured by lions, has a famous Bible verse set apart to describe his life. It talks about how he purposed in his heart to not to live in sin, but to set apart his life for the purpose of pursuing the Father (no matter the costs). David echoes some similar thoughts in this Psalm. David says that he has "walked in integrity" - that he has walked in "the Truth" of God's word. David even asks God to examine his life and point out any areas where he might be stumbling. Michelle (my beautiful girlfriend) and I just started reading the book of Hosea. The book is such a wonderful reminder that we are all sinners. As Jesus would say - there is no one good but God. We fall short - we do not hit the mark, but are we living in a way that allows God to fix that in us? David continues and gives us an idea of how we are supposed to live our lives. He says that he chooses not to dwell in the midst of evil-doers - that he will not sit with the wicked (read Psalm 1:1-2). HAVE YOU CHOSEN A SPIRITUAL HABITAT THAT IS SUITABLE? If you're struggling with swearing, don't hang out with people who swear. If you're struggling with temptation to abuse drugs and alcohol, don't hang around people who will cause you to even be tempted. It just makes sense. In fact, I would encourage an even stricter policy - just don't hang out with bad people. Lambs don't drink water where the wolves are close by. Warthogs won't go to the fields where a pride of lions is hanging out. Humans don't camp in a cave full of bears. Why would we do that spiritually? In the new testament, Jesus says that if an eye causes you to sin, pluck it out (Matt 18:9). Maybe a bit extreme (don't rip out your eyes please) - Instead, I would encourage you to choose a "habitat" that is spiritually sound. Use discernment when choosing friends, places to hang out at, or even in participating in something you love. I have a friend of mine who plays college baseball - he tells me that he struggles with sin just because of the people on the team. How did I encourage him? What did I say to do? ... quit baseball. Easier said than done. It's much more important to build up barriers between you and sin than between you and God. period.

Verses 8-12 I don't want to go on very much longer, because I don't want you guys to fall asleep reading this ... but this is important. David says that he loves the "habitation" of the Lord's house (NKJV). He desires to live in a spiritually healthy place - in the presence of "living water" and not in a desert. He will choose to walk in integrity - meaning he will not choose a life of sin (or live in the presence of sinning people). Instead he will dedicate his life to glorifying God. Have you chosen your habitation out of love for God or something else?

Hope you guys are having a blast before school starts!
-Chris

The Lame Men Walk, The Blind Men See

2010-08-15T22:25:00.000-07:00

Psalm 25
Don't get me wrong when I say this, but this is a longer Psalm than I have time to deal with. I mean, come on, it would take forever to finish every last detail of these 22 wonderful verses. This is just what you have to understand about the Bible - there is too much good stuff to cover for how short life is (start studying now ... you will never reach an end of good study). Even so, the show must go on. We've got to cover something right? Right! SOOOOO ... Let's talk about Jesus. Let's talk about how He not only had the power to make the lame walk and the blind see but also the love and compassion to reach out to those people in the first place. Our God is an awesome God, but chooses to make Himself open to forgiveness ... ready to offer second chances ... joyful in the opportunity for new lives to be started in Him. BUT ... are you choosing Him or something else?

Verses 4-5 Imagine being on a freeway overpass about to go to school. You mom/dad passes the normal exit you would take to head to a long, boring day of learning. For a moment, you get unbelievably excited because you think that you're off the hook for the day - no quizzes, no tests, no challenges, no teachers, nothing to worry about ... until ... your driver turns onto the next freeway entrance (which is supposed to be an exit) and you find yourself in a minivan going nearly 100 miles per hour in the wrong direction on the highway. DANGER. EXPLOSION. BIG ACCIDENT. HOSPITAL ... and you still make it in time for school. What a day right? Well here's the deal. The truth about God's plan for your life is that it's not always going to be fun or easy. Psalm 37:4 tells us that if we delight ourselves in the Lord, He will give us the desires of our hearts. There's a big difference here between getting what you want and what God wants for you. If you delight yourself in the Lord, your heart will grow to be like His - His desires for your life become your desires for your life. The fact of the matter, though, is that God doesn't force his desires upon us (which is key in understanding the existence of both "free will" and God's plan for your life"). You basically have two choices - follow God's plan for your life, no matter the difficulty you may face OR make up your own plan (after all, you are a genius right?) ... and then SELF-DESTRUCT! If you make plans for your life, they will never work out the way you intended them to... but there is an almighty God whose plans for you are filled with promises of a bright future and the hope of salvation (Jeremiah 29:11). So VERSES 4-5 shows the mindset that we ought to have. We've been forgiven - just like Jesus cleansed the lepers, just like he made the blind see and the lame walk - His work on the cross has taken your rotten life and provided you with a second chance. This is not to say that sin itself passes away, but we choose a lifestyle in Christ rather than in sin. In Galatians it says - It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. Think about the lives that Jesus touched - the radical transformation that took place in all the people who were healed. Do you feel you've been set free? Do you feel that you have tasted God's grace? These men had - and Christ said to the majority - "your faith has made you well."

Verses 4-5 SO, you probably thought we were moving on right? Well too bad ... buckle up and let's keep movin'. Right, so Jesus said "your faith has made you well." These men, for the most part, had faith enough to know that Jesus could make their lives whole - that Jesus could make their "story" a million times greater than it was. How do you feel about what God is doing in your life? Do you feel bummed out about Jesus? Well ... rethink your priorities. David says "Show me your ways Oh God ... teach me your paths." Why? Because God is the God of our salvation. He saved me. He saved you. How much more would a person have to do to have your trust? How much more would God have to do for you to pick up a life that glorifies Him? There's this song called "Let Everything that Has Breath" that says:

Praise You when I'm laughing,
Praise You when I'm grieving,
Praise You every season of the soul.

Maybe you are hurting right now ... who better to go to than the God that knit you together in your mother's womb? (Psalm 139:13) Maybe you're in a very comfortable time in your life right now. Praise God, right? In all situations in life, God asks that we give him the wheel. God asks for faith (trust) ... with which He will do great and mighty things. In fact, Habakkuk tells us that God is planning to do things in our lives that we wouldn't even believe if we were told (Hab. 1:5). How crazy is that? The God of the universe ... the creator of all ... wants to do a work in you. Let Him.

Chapter 25 If you read the rest of the Psalm, you'll really see how much David trusted God. He put his life in the Lord's hands for joy, mercy, restoration, peace, deliverance, and all sorts of things that we've talked about in the last 25 weeks (crazy huh?). It's almost like David made himself to have the attitude of a blind man. He made himself nothing, cause he knew the power that our God has. Why did the blind men call out to Jesus? Why did the lame men crawl to his feet? Because ... in our weakness, God is always strong. When our plan fails us and we turn our hope to God, He always has a plan to pick us back up on our feet (Isaiah 40:13).

Hope to see you all this week!
-Chris

God ... Everything ... and You

2010-08-10T06:54:00.000-07:00

So as the title for this week implies, our psalm talks a little about God and everything (everything includes you), but it also steps back and touches on the opportunity to have a one on one relationship with the God who created everything. We have a really short Psalm this week, but it's one that is quite powerful ... Pay Attention! - Psalm 24

Verses 1-6 As a boy growing up, there were times where I had a horribly messy room - maybe not as bad as the picture above, but sometimes it felt like it. On the other hand, even when my room looked like a tornado rolled through it, I was still able to find the things I cared about - my cell phone, my back-pack, my computer, my baseball stuff. There was always so much going on in my room, but I had it under control - it was no longer a messy room to me ... it was just artistic living. Now think about GOD. David says that God is the creator of everything ... the grass in your front yard, the tree you fell out of and broke your arm, the lake your family visits every year, the massive oceans separating continents, the earth, the sun ... the universe. Man, talk about a messy room. Not to say that God is chaotic, but He certainly does have a lot of stuff going on - a massive list of things He has to know. But David continues ... who can stand in the presence of this Holy God? Who is worthy? Who is able? Me? You? ... no way jose'. Even though God is the creator of the universe, and even though He literally has a million other things to worry about ... He drops everything - just to be with you. Amazing. Psalm 139:17-18 tells us that God's thoughts towards us are as numerous as the grains of sand on the Earth. Jeremiah tells us that God has planned to give us a future and a hope. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John showed the reality of these promises through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Does that mean for one second that we are worthy? Does that mean the answer to David's questions is "MEEEE"? No, but ... just like when I was a young boy and my room was filled with garbage - God looks at creation and he knows where you're at. I cared about my computer ... God cares about you.

Verses 7-10 The second part of this Psalm is a bit different, but the question we're basically given here is this - Is God your king? Are you loyal to Him and no one else? Do you bow at His feet? Do you heed his commands? Truly, these are questions worth considering. If the "King of Kings" is willing to search through creation to find you ... as little as you are ... are you willing to return the favor? God is the "King of glory" ... but is he yours?

See you all later this week!
-Chris

What a Good Shepherd

2010-08-03T21:10:00.000-07:00

This weeks Psalm is probably the second most famous passage in the Bible – just behind John 3:16. Here it is – Psalm 23

Often times when I read a section of the Bible that I have previously read, I tend to see things differently. Usually when I read this Psalm, I see a picture of lamb and a loving shepherd … a picture of comfort in knowing that God loves me and protects me. Although that is a wonderfully perfect way to look at it, this time when I read the Psalm, I saw something a little differently – this time I saw a list. A set of qualifications. A description of who my God is and what he does for me – a truly Good Shepherd

Verse 1 – The Lord is my shepherd? What in the world is that supposed to mean. Well, think about it – if we are the sheep and He is the shepherd, that would mean his job is to provide, to sustain, to guide, to protect – obviously the list goes on. In a nutshell, this simple verse that people tend to glaze over to get to the “meat” of the chapter is somewhat the most important. The Good Shepherd has claimed ownership over us. In other sections of the Bible, we are told that we have been adopted (Ephesians 1:5). How crazy is it to think that the owner of the universe would take the responsibility of making you His son or his daughter. We're told that his thoughts are endless towards us – it simply blows my mind. In this Psalm, we'll see just what it means the Lord is our Shepherd.

Verse 2 – God makes us as sheep lie down by still waters. He puts us in the greenest of pastures. If that makes absolutely no sense, think about the most peaceful place you've ever been. When I was a freshman in High School I sat on a rock in the middle of a river waiting on the Lord – peace. As our shepherd, God has taken on the responsibility of giving us a safe-haven, a place of rest, and most of all a place of peace. Sometimes I find myself questioning this idea – does God really give me peace? The answer is a resounding yes. The only times I find myself in danger or in pain is when I stray from the plan that He has for me – when I take my life in my own hands. Check out the story of the prodigal son (Luke 15). This section of the Psalm also talks of abundance and life. In Psalm 1, we're told that we are to be a tree planted by the rivers of water that brings forth fruit. God has given us the opportunity to find peace, as well as an opportunity to grow spiritually – what a Good Shepherd.

Verse 3 – Here it is again. God has called us His own. As we make our way down the checklist, we find that our God is a God of restoration. Many of you are probably familiar with this cultural tidbit, but bear with me. In old times, shepherds were known for breaking the legs of misbehaving sheep – if they walked too close to a cliff … BOOOM … broken leg via a mighty swing of a staff. What happens next? Well the shepherd carries the injured lamb on his shoulders to teach it to stay close – to build a strong relationship between the sheep and himself. That's what God is constantly doing with us. So putting it together – restoration hurts … it's not fun. On the other hand, we have a Shepherd who uses situations in our lives to teach us more about Him and to keep us in line. We have a God who will do whatever it takes to call us his own – what a Good Shepherd.

Verse 4 – Sometimes God uses the rod on us – to protect us right? On the other hand, think about what damage he can do to those who try to mess us up – uhm … like the devil. The last several Psalms that we covered talked about God as a rock, as a foundation, a shelter, etc. This week, we see an active portrayal of what God truly is as a Shepherd – He is our protector. I go to a Bible study every Tuesday (almost) … It's led by a guy named Mario. Before we start every week, Mario likes to say something along the lines of, “If there are any wolves here, I'll protect my sheep.” Although I like Mario very very much, he will never be able to save me from the wolves of my life. He will never be able to defend me in the way our Almighty God can. Truly, as he has promised time and time again, God will protect us and keep us from harms way – what a Good Shepherd.

Verse 5 – Out of all of the descriptions of a shepherd, this is the weirdest to me. Never in my life have I ever heard of a Shepherd preparing a feast (a Thanksgiving Style feast) for his sheep. Animals are meant to eat slop. I loved my pet pig, Kramer. Even so, I fed him garbage – cause he ate it. Think about it this way – even though we are but sheep in the presence of a mighty Shepherd, He has gone above and beyond – preparing us a feast in the presence of our enemies. He, after snuffing out a wolf, shares the triumph with us. God is our victory. Not only that, but he blesses us with so much more than we will ever deserve. People have asked me time and time again – why does God love us? … Too which I generally end up at - “I'm just as confused as you.” The question is not why he loves us but HOW HE LOVES US. God has chosen to provide for us in abundance, give us peace, make our lives fruitful, restore us, adopts us and give us belonging, protect us, bless us, and share in his triumph with us – what a Good Shepherd.

Verse 6 – So we lay it on the table. Truly, if you recognize the truth of these statements, then you can say - “I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever … and ever … and ever ...” can you?

It's good to be back home!
Look forward to seeing all of you guys!
-Chris

Psalm 22

2010-07-22T12:09:00.000-07:00

A Psalm a week: Psalm 22

This is a long one, full of great verses and ideas; here are only a couple of the big ideas. Read it for yourself here!

This Psalm of David is really cool because, as I learned it at school, it contains prophecy that Jesus fulfills. After reading the first part of verse 1 (“My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?”) you may recognize this statement. Many years after this verse was written, Jesus was hanging on a cross and said the same thing (check out Matt 27:46 or Mark 15:34).
Why did Jesus say that? One reason is as follows. The Pharisees, with all their biblical knowledge, would recite passages from the Bible in a funny way. One of them would start by saying the first verse and then the rest of them would finish it. Jesus knew this, and so He appropriately started speaking the words of a Psalm that contained prophecies He fulfilled, so that the Pharisees that surrounded and watched his crucifixion would think to themselves the verses that follow. As we will see, the Psalm continues (verses 16-18) with random statements that happened to Jesus in the moments following his crucifixion. In John 19:24,36,37 we see these verses of Psalms repeated… “They divided My outer garments among them, and for My clothing they cast lots”, “Not a bone of Him shall be broken”, and “They shall look on Him whom they pierced.” It is really amazing that years before Jesus was even born, God was putting prophecies in the Bible that His Son would fulfill. It is just further proof that God had to inspire the words of the Bible, for 40 different men could not have written such perfectly prophesied words and verses. Awesome.

So besides this Psalm being an amazing testament to the perfectly, inspired word of God, it also has great comfort for Christians today. The title of this Psalm in my Bible says “A Cry of Anguish and a Song of Praise”. Repeated throughout this Psalm, we see cries of pain or loneliness, a cry for deliverance, then we see a song of praise remarking on how holy and awesome our God really is. The first two verses are a cry of anguish, a cry for deliverance from words, but David remarks in verse three “Yet You are holy.” Again we see the reoccurring theme that in pain and times of trouble, God is there for us. Holy is such a weird word, what does it even mean? Upon researching this word, it means “pure, loving nature and separate from evil”. God’s holiness demands a response of worship, which is where David’s songs of praise come in. “22 I will declare your name to my brothers; in the congregation I will praise you. 23You who fear the LORD, praise him! All you descendants of Jacob, honor him! Revere him, all you descendants of Israel! 25 From you comes the theme of my praise in the great assembly; before those who fear you [e] will I fulfill my vows. 26 The poor will eat and be satisfied; they who seek the LORD will praise him may your hearts live forever! 27 All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the LORD, and all the families of the nations will bow down before him, 28 for dominion belongs to the LORD and he rules over the nations. 29 All the rich of the earth will feast and worship; all who go down to the dust will kneel before him those who cannot keep themselves alive.”
So, to sum it all up, God is all knowing (fulfilling prophecies in Jesus and composing the Bible in perfection) and God is comforting to those who diligently seek His face, worship Him, for He alone is worthy of praise, and live to give God the glory in their lives.

God bless!

p.s. sorry for the delay this week :/

A Good King

2010-07-13T16:32:00.000-07:00

Psalm 21

Every king is marked by his kingdom. This is how I know that the Burger King is the most disappointing king of them all. Burger King's food doesn't even taste good ... that should tell you something. Anyway, let's think about real kings. As we all know, any successful king that has ever walked this planet has taken two things very seriously - his nation, and his people. Every king's pride is found in his people, and every king's status is marked by the prestige of his nation ... If that doesn't make sense, it will in a little bit. Today, we're going to see a king that didn't place his trust in the wealth of the world or the stone that help up the walls surrounding his city. Rather, the king we study today is the one that found his wealth and his protection in the father - one that truly showed our God is worthy to be called the King of Kings.

Verses 1-6 So this guy ... this David character - a remarkable man and notable king - He didn't even think he was worthy to stand before God. On the flip side, he entrusted everything to God. Think about your most prized possession - maybe a cellphone, Xbox, car ... you name it. David gave his entire kingdom over to God. Why? Maybe because he understood that stone walls around his city were only so strong , that his money was only worth a particular amount, and that his people would only put up with him for so long. ON THE OTHER HAND, he knew that the protection God could provide would be impenetrable, and because of it, David basically makes God the general of the kingdom. Continuing on, David knew that the riches he possessed would only last so long, but the gifts that the Father could provide would be eternal - gifts including [but not limited to] eternal life! For this, David made God his treasurer. Lastly, David knew that people would love who God was and what he would do for them - and for that, David made God his King. It's amazing to put it this way, but David gave his entire kingdom to the Father - for all the reasons we've seen in the past 20 Psalms and more. The question you need to ask yourself is ... HOW MUCH ARE YOU WILLING TO PUT INTO THE FATHER'S HANDS? Is your life so important that you need to be in control? ... Uhm sorry to say, but you will fail miserably. David teaches us that even the mightiest, richest, and most powerful of men still have to give God the reigns in their lives. Boom!

Verses 7-13 Some of you might have read the last section and thought, "Well Chris is stupid and he doesn't know a thing about my life." Although that is probably true, let me tell you a fact. No matter how difficult life may be for you ... no matter what trial is being thrown your way at this time in your life, Verse 7 (along with countless scripture) tells us that the love we have from the Father is unconquerable - that nothing can separate you from Him. If you give him your world ... he'll give you a new one ten times better. Time and time again I find myself questioning the power and love of our God ... only to slap myself in the face and either realize 1. That i'm pulling myself away from that love and need to get back 2. Or I was just stupid and forgot it was there for a few days,weeks, or months. There's really no need to talk about the last verses if you truly understand the consequences of verse 7. As a true king to a spiritual king (that's you if you haven't surrendered your life to the Father, David has made you a promise that God will never fail you. How awesome.

That is all.
Chris

Some may trust in horses ... Psalm 20

2010-07-05T10:29:00.001-07:00

When I was a baby, my parents gave me a checkered blanket with patches of all different colors on it. For some reason, I thought that this blanket would protect me from all sorts of danger - whether I was pretending to be a superhero jumping from couch to couch, or simply hiding under the covers from the monsters in the closet. Looking back, I'm sure you'll all agree that the blanket did nothing for me. If anything, it was the reason I tripped down the stairs all of the time - it did nothing to protect me. Today, we look at the question - where do you place your trust? Is it in a checkered blanket or in the arms of the Almighty God?

Verses 1-6 So, first off ... why would I place my trust in God anyway? The fact of the matter is that God will always protect you. We have been talking in Luke about a lot of nerve-wrecking stuff. For instance, it's not always the easiest thing to proclaim Christ in the midst of your piers, especially when they are living in sin, but (and this is a big but) when we come to realize that God is our defense - we become spiritually unstoppable. Romans 8:31 says "For if God is for us, who can be against us?" If you're truly living a life according to God's will, there is never such a thing as defeat. God is victory. God never loses. As David says, God is our sanctuary, God is our rock, our defense, and our purpose for celebration. David says, let's rejoice and raise the banners. God has saved us, he has heard our cries, and he has been with us through the highs and through the lows of our lives. Think of how many times even your best friend has let you down. Now think about a time when God let you down (truly, never ...) God truly is the best friend you will ever have, and He is worth of honor, glory, and most of all - your trust.

Verses 7-9 This section is pretty simple. Basically David says, if you don't place your trust in God, good luck finding somewhere else to put your trust it. Just think about verse 7. Back in the day, so many men placed their trust on horses and chariots - as symbols of their power and status in society. Do we still us chariots? Do we see horses riding up and down the freeway? I think not! Time has passed and horses and chariots have lost their importance, but God has remained the same. Psalm 18:2 says that God is our rock, our foundation, in whom we should place our trust. Time and time again, for all eternity God has proven himself to be of a solid reputation.

Some may trust in horses ... So what do we get out of today's Psalm? What does that mean for me? You may not have to worry about what brand of chariot you're going to stroll into school with, but I'm positive that each and every one of you worries about how you talk around friends, what you wear, what type of cellphone you have, and all that nonsense. When I was in school, I struggled with the same things - I worried about what was popular and what wasn't. The minute I graduated high-school (some wonderful 2 years ago), all of that just went away. I don't even see anyone I went to school with, nor do I care what they think about the fantastic blue shirt I'm wearing right now. I don't care what they think that I don't drink, swear, or do drugs - why? Cause it doesn't matter. Because man looks at the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart. Man looks at what is temporary, but God is concerned with that which is eternal. Let me tell you this - If you place your trust in popularity, it will fail you. If you place all of your trust on your cellphone plan, you will get a dropped call now and again. If you place all of your trust in friends, they will skip out on you from time to time. If you place your trust in the Father, He will always be there for you, he will not drop your call in the middle of a prayer, He will not look at you funny because of the clothes you wear, and He most definitely will not turn you away ... That's the God that has earned my trust.

Sorry for the jumbled mess that I call a Psalm a week - my brother is on his Xbox killing zombies at full volume - rather distracting.

Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make your paths straight.

Have a nice week!
- Chris

Creation Cries Out His Majesty

2010-06-28T17:46:00.000-07:00

Psalm 19

Reading this chapter I couldn't help think about art. I remember being a young boy in elementary school. Every once in a while we would have an art project that I would bring home to my parents. Always - somewhere on the picture I would sign my name, put my initials, or leave some sort of unique mark that would tell my parents - "hey, your son is the wonderful artist behind this creative wonder of art." Needless to say, my creative skills were limited. Even to this day, I still have trouble drawing proportionate stick figures. The point I'm trying to make is that art always has a tie to the maker - that every stroke and every detail is thought out intentionally to send some sort of message. Some of the more famous painters that you might know spent years on end to create their masterpiece - a work of art that would stand the test of time and show their handiwork to future generations. OUR GOD IS AN ARTIST. Today, we see that His creation was intentionally thought out - it was pieced together with foresight and purpose. God, just like any artist, left his masterpiece for us to better understand who He is. Bottom line, creation cries out His majesty.

Verses 1-6 In the gospel message, there came a time where the disciples were bold and outspoken for Jesus. In response, the Pharisees silenced the disciples in the name of the law. Jesus, being awesome as usual replied, "Fine, but even if you silence the disciples, the rocks will cry out" (Luke 19:40). Here it is again in Psalm 19 - creation, as David explains it, is simply God's handiwork. Man can create cars, planes, bridges, and houses - but God created the entire universe by the work of his hand. The attention to detail is fascinating. We live in a society that claims that the world and all that is in it is accidental - that one day, there was some massive explosion and after billions of years - life. Well, that's not how the Bible tells it. David says that creation reveals His knowledge and his foresight. That God created the universe with intention - that you are not merely a statistic of chance. Aside from the facts, just think about the Earth. It has water, an atmosphere, oxygen, sunlight (but not too close or too far to be ineffective), it has plants that convert nitrogen into breathable air, it houses species upon species of animals, a moon so that we can see at night, and of course it has us. There is zero chance that this was an accident - just look around and you will see the elegance and precision of creation. Like Jesus said - even the rocks will cry out who God is.

Verses 7-14 The phrase comes to my mind - "if you can't beat em, join em." Creation will never stop being amazing, and it most certainly will never stop being a testament of how awesome our God is. So, David adopts a pretty good attitude - if we're part of creation, why aren't we living in a way that glorifies Him? God intended for all things to work a specific way - that's simply his nature. He didn't just give us a body and say "go" - he gave us lungs, a heart, a brain, and so much more. Even so, God calls us his own. Yes God loves his creation, but He is so much more concerned about you. Jesus once said that if the Father is faithful to clothe the fields in grass, and feed the sparrows, how much more He will care for us? Well, a lot more. David flips a switch here and turns the page in the middle of the Psalm - why are there rules to Christianity? Why do we have to live a certain way? Well, simply, that's how God wants us to live. Just as God created gravity to work a certain way, he created us to have a relationship with Him. You have to remember, Adam and Eve were created without sin - but sin brought death to man (separation from the Father in a spiritual sense). Sometimes, we look at the law and we see a ball and chain. We feel like we're restricted and held down, but David says that the law is sweet, that it brings freedom, and for obeying it, we receive great rewards. David encourages to not sin - to live like the rest of creation and serve the Father. Read it ... it's pretty self-explanatory.

Creation Cries Majesty Think about creation this week. Think about how many hours you have spent on school projects that looked absolutely ridiculous, and then think about what God made in 7 days (knowing that he could have made it instantaneously). Every artist has a story to tell - God's story is a story of love. He made this - all of this so that you could know Him that much better.

[Explosion]
-Chris

World's Strongest Man - What a Joke

2010-06-21T19:19:00.000-07:00

So this week is our longest Psalm yet - Psalm 18

As you all know, one of my favorite sports series ever to be invented is the World's strongest Man Competition. This might be because I could probably be labeled as one of the weakest men ever to walk the earth, or maybe it's just that I am fascinated with the fact that there is a man on this planet with a bicep larger than my head. With that said, it is miraculous how impressed people get when they see a man pull a train, tow a aircraft, flip a car, or throw massive objects a few feet in the air. No offense if your dream is to become one of these people, but seriously - it's not as impressive as I always thought it was. I mean, have any of these men calmed a raging sea? Have they pulled a man out of a wheelchair and told him to walk? Have they ever harnessed the power of an electrical storm or a tornado (which would just be awesome)? Or ... wait ... maybe they were the ones to create the entire universe and hold it in the palm of their hand. Oh yeah, that wasn't them - that was God.

Verses 1-15 It is remarkable how fragile the human body is. We, on a basic level, rely on air, water, and food - without which we cannot exist. There are several organs in your body that would cause you to die if they were absent - not to mention the thousands of diseases and illnesses that account for a majority of the deaths on this planet. Sometimes I consider it a miracle that I'm still alive today. The list goes on and on - just like you and me, each of the "strongest men in the world" are subject to the same sensitivity of life. Moving on, King David points out the fact that GOD IS STRONG. There is no word in the English dictionary to explain the power, might, and majesty that is the Father. This strength is your fortress, this might is your foundation, this power is your refuge. When I read verses like Romans 8:31 (For if God is for us, who can be against us ...), I consider the facts of who God is and what he is capable of. David says that God has thwarted the enemies, that they are no match for who He is ... but why? Well, let me tell you ... His breath is as fire, the Earth quakes at his presence, the mountains tremble at his glimpse, He is as swift as the wind - and apparently he can ride it too, He has authority over thunder and all of the Earth, hailstones and coal pour out from the power of his voice, the sea and the world give ear to his commands, and he loves us so very much. That's a God of power and of safety.

Verses 15-29 How true is this - that God has come to your rescue. No matter the predicament or situation, God has made it a point to pursue and protect those who eagerly follow him. When I graduated High School, our principal knew the severity of the sin that most of the guy students were struggling with. In all of our diploma's he placed his phone number and told us boys - "you get one call. No question's asked. Anytime. Anywhere. I will come to get you." As much as I appreciate it, I love how with God, the calls are endless - he doesn't just give us one chance, but he promises to come to the rescue as many times as we need it. Even the World's Strongest Man needs a rescue from time to time - it might as well be the mighty God we just talked about above.

Verse 30 I absolutely love this - and it's a verse I've been looking forward to sharing with you guys. God's way is perfect. There's nothing more to be said about it. In life, you will find things that bring you 80% happiness or maybe 60% joy ... But God's way has a guarantee of 100% satisfaction. I like this as well. A lot of people consider the word to be binding - like hand cuffs for the soul maybe. But I will tell you this, that the word will always prove true. If you give God's way a shot - truly pour all that you can into it - it will repay you with an overflow of joy, happiness, and contentment. Booyah.

Verses 31-50 I don't want to go too much longer, but this section reminds me of a verse from a song - "God is my victory, and He is here." All the triumph and glory that David received, he accredited to God. All the victories he had, he shared with God (after all, God was the reason for those victories). The fact of the matter is that God truly is all that this passage claims Him to be - are you relying on this or on something else. Is your fortress in God or in something else? Well you all know what the answer should be ... Nuff Said.

World's Strongest Man? We skipped over a lot in this passage. I encourage you to read it more than once - it's a very powerful chapter in Psalms. Over all, there are so many people in the world who put their trust in things like the World's Strongest Man. People are impressed that a man can tow an airplane, when the world he tows it on was made by a much much mightier God. Are you impressed by who God is and what He is capable of?

Boom! Explosion!
-Chris

Psalm 17

2010-06-14T22:32:00.000-07:00

Psalm 17
Prayer with Confidence in Final Salvation, a Prayer of David

Summary: this psalm is a prayer of David, a righteousness man making a just plea to God. He prays that God will uphold him, and keep him safe. He also remembers that ultimately, he will be in heaven with God in the end. This is a pray for safety and success, while knowing that ultimately in the end David will be in heaven, safe and in a new body with Christ.

Its like watching a movie; I always get caught up in the movie and find myself hoping and wishing that everything will turn out all right, but then I remember, it’s a movie. The main character is in a mess of trouble, but you know that somehow everything is going to work out and somehow by the end of the 90 minute movie, everything will be in its place and everyone will live happily ever after.

I think it is almost the same case in this psalm. Let me explain. Verse one: 'Hear a just cause o Lord, attend to my cry.' David is praying that the Lord will hear his cry and protect him. Verse five: 'Uphold my steps in Your paths, that my footsteps my not slip.' He prays that God will guide his choices and paths to safe places. He goes on the pray that God will show his lovingkindness (m-w: tender and benevolent affection) and save those who trust in the Lord. Verse seven: 'O You save those who trust in You, from those who rise up against them.' He prays that God will keep him from those who oppress him and from his enemies. But then he remembers that his enemies store up treasures on earth, but when they die, they have to give all their possessions away. And David remembers God’s promise to His believers, that he will be rewarded in heaven. Verse fifteen: 'As for me, I will see Your face in righteousness, I shall be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness.' As Christians, our happily ever after is waking up, seeing our Creator, our loving Father for the first time, living in an eternal kingdom with the Creator of the universe, which is far better than 'happily ever after' on TV.

This Psalm reminds me of a song that is all about how we as Christians should live, with the final goal in mind, a heavenly home, a heavenly family. The song is Heavenlies, by Evan Wickham. Check out the lyrics, it's a pretty cool song. But my favorite part is the chorus, I'm living for the heavenlies. Which is kinda what David says at the very end of his psalm, 'I shall be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness', which means David is looking forward to that moment when we are with God and can see Him face to face. It is so awesome that in trial and pain and suffering we can remember that we are living for something more than this world, we are living for a heavenly Father whose love is perfect beyond measure and stores up heavenly treasures for us.

No matter what troubles or trails we face today, we can have the same attitude that David had, God will triumph in the end! And because we are on God’s side, so will we!

Psalm 16 - In Tune

2010-06-08T15:10:00.003-07:00

Sometimes we forget about the importance of the being in tune with God - or why we even need to be in the first place. That's what this weeks Psalm is all about.
Psalm 16!

Verses 1-3 - David is a pretty awesome dude. I was thinking about how many distractions we can have in our lives, how many things can make it difficult to fit God into our schedule. It's remarkable how David (who probably had even more than we do) still managed to keep his focus on God. I mean, it's so easy to lose focus in our walks - so easy to get caught up with school, sports, girlfriends, boyfriends, video games, and all the Facebook/cell-phone nonsense that's out there. No, David never had a Facebook, but the first three verses just describe how David lived his life, which helps us understand why he was so in tune with, and focused on, God. In verses 1-2, He looks to God to "preserve" him and to be the "goodness" in his life. David had a wonderful concept of a few verses that was written well beyond his time (Romans 3:9-23). Apart from God, we are not safe from sin, and apart from Him, we can truly do no good. That's what David says here. He knows that he's a sinner, and he knows that he isn't worthy of God. David, a king amongst the greatest kings to ever live, made himself humble before God ... why? Moving back a bit, think of all the stories of the Old Testament - Moses and the Israelites walked through a parted Red Sea, Joshua took the promise land against all odds, Gideon killed thousands with 300 men, David killed Goliath, Samson killed thousands of Philistines (as did Shamgar) and so on. Further down the road, we read about how Jesus' death on the cross shook the earth and tore the vail in the temple - sin once and for all lost its hold on God's people. David saw this - he saw that God had both power to "preserve" and protect - both physically and spiritually.

Verses 4-10 David kind of lays out a warning here. He says that if anyone is to choose a god other than the true and living God, they drink to their own sorrow. If you put anything before God, David promises you an empty life. On that short note, David continues on to talk about the inheritance he has in God - the guidance, the love, the joy, and the relationship he has found in the Father. He says again in verse 8, he has chosen always to set the Lord before himself. Because God is on his side, he will not be moved (Romans 8:31). It's pretty much a list of more reasons to consider God a priority in our lives - which so many of us forget to do sometimes.

Verse 11 We close with a powerful statement here. Jesus came to this Earth and he proclaimed to be the way, the truth, and the LIFE. The choice we make between God and this world is not trivial in the least. To choose anything but Christ is to choose death - literally what David is saying here. David lays it our pretty simply. On the left hand side, we have a world filled with lies and sorrow - with empty promises and pain. But on the right hand side we have a God who gives endless joy and blessings forevermore.

Why Tune-In? When you read the chapter, you might think to yourself why we would even consider the idea of being in tune with God. Basically, the last few weeks have been a struggle for myself. With tests and projects coming to a close, as well as a new job starting up, I have had difficulty in keeping time open for time with God. Because of this, I have been miserable and stressed out to the max. It's important in the Christian life to rely on God not only for spiritual matters but also matters of every day life. It says in 1 peter - "cast all your cares upon him, for he cares for you." If you're not in tune with God - if you're living life to the beat of your own drum, you're in for a world of hurt. The picture above makes absolutely no sense, but the idea I get out of this week is pretty sweet. If life was a radio, are you tuned into God's station ... or something else?

Have fun with finals!
-Chris

It's Not An Option ... Go

2010-06-03T07:56:00.001-07:00

If God were my Chiropractor

2010-06-01T09:15:00.000-07:00

I remember when I was little, I was a lot shorter than most of my friends. Whenever I went to the doctor to be measured, I would stand as tall as I could possibly stand - I would stretch my back, hold my chin up high, and hope to add a few inches to my height just so I could brag the next day to my friends. Needless to say, it didn't really work. Anyway, we ought to have the same attitude spiritually. Simply, we should want to grow closer and closer to God - to stand up as tall as we can, just for Him. The questions we want to look at today - Are you striving and giving your best to God? Are you reading your Bible? Are you praying daily? Are you standing up tall spiritually, or are you slouching over? ... and ... If God were your Chiropractor, what would he have to say about your spiritual posture?

Verses 1-2 David opens up by asking the question "who can abide in God's tabernacle?" ... or more simply put, who are the people that deserve to dwell in His presence? David goes on to answer his own question - he says - the people who's works are righteous, who's words are true, aaannndd who stand upright.As Christians, we are called to a life in communion with the Father. The Bible tells us, apart from God, we can do no good. Later in the New Testament, James talks about how genuine faith moves us to action - how our love for Christ brings about a loving actions towards others. Is your faith moving you to action? Are you showing love to the world through the gospel message? Are you living a life that the Bible would classify as righteous? That's what David is talking about. If you want to dwell in God's presence and want to taste the joy and happiness that He has to offer, the Bible makes it clear that we are to adopt an upright lifestyle. I like how David puts it - he describes the Christian walk in terms of posture. Think of it this way. If God was your Chiropractor, would he say that you have good spiritual posture, or would he say that you slouch too much?

Verses 3-5 The picture above is taken from an instructional manual on how to properly operate a vacuum. Basically - apparently the only thing you shouldn't do while vacuuming is lean over. It's a very cool picture of sin. If our spiritual life was described by the picture above, David's instructions to you would be to never lean over for anything. If there is a shiny quarter on the ground, just leave it. If the backpack seems a little heavy - ask for help ... just don't bend over. Literally this is the case for verses 3-5. Things that will ruin your spiritual posture are as follows: backbiting, cheating, lying, fighting, caring to much about your reputation, make false promises. Obviously, the list of sins that you could possibly commit is much larger than that, but to live a righteous life, we have to steer clear from any of these things. Remember why we do it in the first place - to grow closer to God, to stand in his presence, to be called "good and faithful" servants. David says at the end, that if you steer clear from all of these things - you will never be moved. If you want to be a successful young Christian (or maybe you just want to start working on you spiritual posture), start here - read your Bible, pray, and steer clear from the things you know are wrong. The burden on your back may get heavy sometimes, but God promises to never give us something that we can't handle.

The Chiropractor: This week, think about your spiritual stature. If you find yourself to be slouching, I would encourage you to talk to one of the leaders. If your standing up straight but your growth has come to a stand-still, I would also encourage you to talk to one of the leaders about what's slowing you down. No matter where you're at, it's always a good idea, to read the word and to pray - that's a given right? Well then ... are you doin' it?

Have a good week!
-Chris

Psalm 14; Living under the Microscope

2010-05-25T16:42:00.000-07:00

That little guy in his business suit up there in this week's picture sort of makes me laugh. He's trying to be all professional and whatnot, but he's super uncomfortable with that giant magnifying glass over him. Maybe it's because he's about to burst into flame, but most likely it's because he doesn't like to be that closely observed. I guess if you think about it, he's a lot like our modern celebrities. I'm sure many of you guys remember Britney Spears' "meltdown," as the news called it, where she shaved her head and whatnot, followed by the famous "Leave Britney Alone" video on youtube. It's kind of funny at first, but then again, you can't help but feel bad for celebrities like her. Constant newscasters and photographers everywhere you go. Crazy Jr. High fans (just kidding :P). As a celeb, the world's eyes are on you 24/7, and they leave absolutely no privacy for you. Celebrities literally live their lives under the microscope, but they aren't the only ones!

Verse 1
To the world, Christianity is foolish. Each one rejects God for their own reason, but the resulting attitude is almost always the same; negative feelings towards christians. When people learn that we are christian, often times they begin to watch our actions to see if we hold up to what we say we are. It is unfortunate, but in this way, we are also sentenced to a life under the microscope. And, since we are all imperfect sinners, we inevitably mess up, and that's when Christianity gets judgements placed upon it, similar to the one we see here in verse 1. "See, look, they don't do what they say they believe in: they messed up. That means that Christianity is a sham." Sadly that is too often what goes through unbelievers' minds, and it leads to bitterness and hardened hearts. It is an event that I see happening around me in my own life, and every time it breaks my heart. It is a foolish and immature action on the part of the unbeliever, but you can't say it isn't fair, I suppose. We are indeed failing to meet our own proclaimed way of life. However, the wondrous fact about our relationship with God is that, through Jesus' death and resurrection, we are made perfect and un-stained. He views each and every one of His children as spotless, and that is the all-important fact that the world overlooks in their judgement.

Verses 2-4
Upon reading this part of the Psalm, my heart is put at peace. Why, you may ask? It is pointing out the depravity of sin, after all, but the grace that I see in this situation is that God is constantly looking for all who may believe! He never deserts us believers, and constantly protects us, but he doesn't stop there! For all of our friends who aren't saved, for all of humanity, He maintains a passionate desire for a relationship. There is always hope for even the hardest of hearts, because He will never give up on them. They may attack God's children, nit-pick aspects of us through their microscopes, or turn a cold shoulder all together upon us and give us over as "outsiders," but through all that, God seeks after their hearts. If He is so crazy about unbelievers, how much more does He go wild over those who have a relationship with Him? Amazingly enough, through all this, though, there are still many who "devour believers as men eat bread;" We will always be inspected by those outside of Christianity, but that is not something to be afraid of! How many more opportunities to set an example as believers will we have, the more they turn up the magnification!

Verses5-7
No matter what the world throws our way, God is always our support! Evildoers may try to bring you down, and they come in many forms. Even a friend having a rough day can sometimes feel like taking it out on you, but these verses tell us that God is always right there with us! He is where we truly draw our strength from. To quote one of my favorite songs at the moment "When you're weak, Love is strong" (Hold On - Phil Wickham). In times of scrutiny or attack, God's love never fails. All we need to do is move our self out of the way, and lean upon His strength so He can work through us. This sort of trusting relationship is exactly the type that comes as a result of "praying without ceasing," to tie back to last week's Psalm. The works that God can do through us are truly amazing, and He will use even the least of us if only we are willing to let Him do so.

Passing Inspection:
One of the scariest things that you can face is opening yourself up for public inspection. Whether you find yourself on stage for a school play, or talking with a best friend about someone you like, you will most likely be sweating bullets. I know that I am extremely self conscious in situations like that, and I'm willing to bet you guys understand what I mean from your own experiences. As Christians though, we always live under the microscope. Non-believers are always going to be there to inspect our Christian attitudes and actions on a daily basis. Thankfully, though, our Father is with us every step of the way, and is always willing to lend us His strength. With Him, we can pass our inspection; He loves using regular people like you and me as examples to those around us, because the best argument for Christianity can often be the believer who shows love to his friend when he needs it most.

My challenge to you guys this week - Set an example through your life that reflects a Christ-like attitude, but don't forget to rely on the Lord's strength to do so.

-Matt

Pray Without Ceasing

2010-05-17T07:39:00.000-07:00

This weeks Psalm is short and sweet - Psalm 13

I'm guessing from the title and the picture, you have already figured out that we're talking about prayer today. For young ones like you, prayer is a silly thing - not that it's funny, but for so many junior highers, prayer is very very difficult. I'm sure you can remember a time in Amped, where we asked if someone would like to pray for the group ... and no one wanted to. I know it's a little different, but that's what I'm talking about. Prayer shouldn't be something we are afraid of, prayer isn't something that has to be super formal, and most definitely, prayer isn't something we should be doing just at church. For a group of people that can't seem to keep there mouth shut elsewhere, sometimes I wonder why it's so difficult for young people to talk to God. Don't get me wrong, I fall into the same boat some times, but i'd encourage you (especially this week) to give prayer a shot - take some time aside and pray ... just pray.

Verses 1-4 If you've already read the six verses for this week, you might be a little confused about why we're talking about prayer. Let me explain: David was a man of prayer - a prayer warrior if you will. No matter what it was, he took his worries, his concerns, his frustrations to God (always accompanied with praise of course). He starts the chapter with questions to God - why is this happening? what's the deal? Over the last couple of weeks, we've seen that the Christians place in this world is one of an outcast. For the sake of Biblical example - we are the lepers of this world. If the devil were to have his way, he would have us all disappear. He knows that he cannot take our hearts, so he'd rather just not have us here. Since we are here, he will do his best to humiliate us - to make us ineffective for Christ. David lived in a world that is very much similar to the one we live in today. Just because there was no X-box, iPhone, or Facebook does not mean that there were no worries or troubling thoughts that came to this righteous man's mind. So what does he do? David humbles himself and he prays, "God enlighten my eyes." If you truly are having a tough time in your life right now, the only place David would recommend you go is to the Father. God will not always make clear what his intentions are, but He will most certainly remind you of who He is - He will give you peace and comfort. One of the most powerful verses I have memorized is this - cast ALL of your cares upon him, for He cares for you." (1 Peter 5:7). No matter what it is ... whether a cry of anger or one of brokenness ... the Father just wants to talk with you.

Verses 5-6 The photo above seems to be a bit upside down if you ask me. In this chapter, David starts with grieving, not with praise. Regardless, this man who began his prayer with frustrations, ends his petition proclaiming the majesty of God. If you take me up on this weeks challenge, you'll find that the Father always has a way of changing tears into a smile. If you go to Him with a burden, you will see that He will gladly take it away. David gives us a beautiful picture here - His body may be suffering, but his soul is always rejoicing. I think this is what the "sleep of death" from verse 3 is talking about. If you are not communicating with the Father, how can your soul rejoice? If you read your Bible just to get it off your daily checklist, how is your spirit to be joyful? Without an adoration for the Father, a Bible verse is simply words on a page. Without prayer, the Christian walk is dead. Just as human contact is essential for life, the spirit needs to be in communication with the Father. Just as we need food to live, we need to word to feed the spirit.

Unlimited Minutes If God had a cell-phone, I could promise you that he would have unlimited minutes (and unlimited lines). God is always open to speak with you - when you're falling asleep at night, when you wake up in the morning, when you just had a fight with your parents, when your friend just stabbed you in the back, when things are just not going your way ... when trial and tribulation come knocking at your door - the Father is eagerly anticipating a call from you ... that is the power of prayer.

I encourage you this week - pray without ceasing ... easier said than done.
-Chris

Flattering Lips

2010-05-10T10:47:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, I was reading Luke to prepare for our Sunday study when I stumbled across a few verses that have always been a bit troubling to me. Jesus, in a crowd of people, claims that he comes to bring division amongst the people - that he doesn't come to join the kingdom, but to establish one of his own. He continues later to say that anyone who doesn't hate his own parents in comparison to how much they love Him is not fit for his kingdom. Today, we're talking about a little something that David likes to call "flattering lips." Jesus didn't speak to flatter people with words for their "itching ears" (2 Tim 4:3), but rather, he came to speak about reality and truth. Sometimes in life, preaching the gospel message is not very appealing - especially when the ultimatum is "repent, or you'll go to hell" (granted, we preach this with love). As odd as it seems, our job as Christians is not to make people happy, but to show them where to find happiness in the Father. HERE --- Psalm 12

Verses 1-2 Just as in David's time, I believe that the followers of God are disappearing - not in a sense that they are actually gone, but more like they are dressed in disguise. These believers David is talking about have spent so much time in the world, that they live, act, speak, and look just like the rest of the world. I think about the church as a whole today - about how many people walk through the front doors on Sunday morning only to leave an hour later unchanged, unaffected. This is the "double-heart" we see in verse 2. I like to think of it this way: If we were to characterize the way we lived our lives by hats, we should ideally only have to wear one. Unfortunately, as David says, some people like to wear more than one hat. They go to church, and put on the "Jesus" hat, but when they leave and go out into the world, they take the "Jesus" hat off as soon as it is an inconvenience. Instead, they put on the "dirty jokes" hat, the "swearing" hat, the "alcohol" hat, the "drug" hat ... I'm sure you catch my drift. Why would this happen? Why would people want to change their hat so often in life? Well, quite frankly ... people want to be flattering. Sometimes, people are not too fond of the "Jesus" hat. I'll tell you this ... that people wearing the "drug" hats and the "dirty jokes" hats don't like it when people stroll in proudly wearing Jesus. Does that mean we change? Does that mean we should change our live styles based on the occasion? ... I'm sure you can answer that yourself. Sometimes, being the Christian at school is not the most flattering thing to be ... but that's no reason to go in disguise.

Verses 3-5 This kind of gets a little brutal - "the Lord will cut off flattering lips." David brings in this new element of pride ... Some people are too prideful to share Jesus - they feel that they cannot live a life for Christ because the cost of their reputation is simply too much ... If that's you ... I tell you it's not where you want to be. We read shortly after that God even has authority over people who think that no one "can tell them what to do." People are afraid to share Jesus because it makes them vulnerable, but the Lord rises up and says "Don't worry, I'll show you what safety you need." ... If you want to share Jesus, not only will He speak through you (Luke 12:12), but he will protect you as he has promised.

Verses 6-8 This last section is pretty clear. Why do we share the word of God? Why does it even matter? It's simply because the word of God is pure - it doesn't need flattering lips, it doesn't need pride ... it's simply the truth. David even mentions this fact that it has been purified seven times - it's perfected. God's word is true, it's pure, and it is most definitely perfect. David says at the end ... wickedness with prowl about the earth, but the won't stop God from upholding His Word.

God will always uphold his word. He will always stand behind it. In John 1:1 we read, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." God's word, God's good news, is simply Jesus. Are you willing to cut off your own "flattering" lips for the sake of Christ? Are you willing to put on the "Jesus" hat and never take it off? ... Just think about it.

-Chris

The Bow, The Arrow, The Attack -- Psalm 11

2010-05-03T10:50:00.000-07:00

This week, we cover a very short Psalm ... Psalm 11

Verses 1-4 I don't know if you know, but it is quite possible that the coolest weapon of all time is the bow and arrow. When I was probably around six years old, my family took a trip to the Grand Canyon where my parents bought me a toy bow and arrow set. As the toy was placed in my hands, my mind changed from one of a six year old boy to that of an assassin, thirsty for imaginary blood. As we drove on the road I would pretend to shoot passing cars with my Indian like skills, as we exited the car, I would climb out the window - life was intense. No matter what it took, I was going to kill the entire world with my toy weapon. Anyway, we read this Psalm, and we find that the thought process of the devil is no different than that of a six year old boy. Let me be truthful - the devil is very powerful, and he knows our tendency to sin. The fact of the matter is that the Bible tells us that Satan is as a roaring lion that roams the earth ready to feast. So why would I ever say that he is like a six year old boy? In the story I just shared about my embarrassing childhood, I honestly thought that I could take over the world with my bow and arrow. Reading the Psalm, we find that the Devil is no different. He holds HIS bow and HIS arrow just as i did when i was a boy - hoping to take over the world. He shoots at us hoping that someday it just might do some damage ... but when the arrow hits, it just bounces off like the plastic arrows I had when i was six. Let me tell you something, the world will not only shoot "arrows" at you in this life, but bullets and missiles too. There will be temptations in your life, there will be hard times - times of frustration or maybe even sorrow. Sure, you might falter here or there (all people sin - Rom 3:23), but ultimately, the devil can do you no harm. As David concludes, the Lord is on the throne in heaven ready to defend his people. The devil hopes to someday destroy your foundation ... If you put your trust in the Father, he will never succeed.

Verses 5-7 When we read this, it's important to distinguish between attack and trial. The devil wants to attack you because he wants to make you look like a fool before the throne of God. On the other hand, God allows this to happen as a test. We read in James, God's only intention in trial is to develop our faith and our perseverance for our ultimate goal in Christ Jesus. This is partly why the devil will never succeed in bringing you down if you cling to the Father. God will never allow Satan to attack you beyond what you are able to handle - we read about this in the book of Job. The awesome part is that God is on our side. I would hate to be on the other side of the fight, for David says all that is reserved for those who stand in wickedness is fire and brimstone - which doesn't sound very nice. GOD LOVES RIGHTEOUSNESS. GOD LOVES YOU.

The devil may set his bow and his arrow against you ... well, he might even attack you from time to time, but God knows you and all that you are capable of in Him.

Have a great week

- Chris

Psalm 10 - Bottom of the 9th, Bases Loaded

2010-04-26T16:56:00.000-07:00

As a boy, it was always my dream to find myself in the batter's box at the World Series in the bottom of the ninth - bases loaded ... ready to do nothing other than hit a massive Home-run. You see, my dad was born in New York - he grew up in love with baseball - more specifically, in love with the the Yankees. I was raised to love them myself. Not because they win all the time, but because of the way they play the game. One of the things that many people don't realize about this power house team is that they win most of their games in the last few innings. They might spend 90% of the game down in the dumps, but it's the "bottom of the ninth" that determines who wins the game at the end of the day.

Here's the link for this weeks Psalm - Psalm 10

Verses 1-11 In my life, there have been times where I wondered what God was up to. I knew the story of Elijah in Kings by heart, and I wondered why God didn't answer my prayers like He did with Elijah. If God sent fire from heaven for Elijah, he could at least do a little something for me right? I had problems at school, I had frustrations and worries - where was God when I needed Him most? This is what the chapter speaks of. David is upset, he is saddened, he is worn out, and he is curious why evil always seems to get its way on this earth. He asks God, "Why are you so far away?" ... or as Michelle would say "hey ... What gives?" Anyway, David looks around, he sees pride, he sees pain, he sees greed, cursing, deceit, he sees the persecution of the innocent, but he does not see justice - he does not see evil being punished. He sees evil growing like weeds, and righteousness being choked out. Think about the community we live in - it's pretty much the same. The divorce rate is sky-rocketing, innocent children get aborted by selfish mom's on daily basis, and I don't think that's going to change any time soon. I mean, when I was in High School, I lost a good deal of friends to drugs and drinking - and I thought to myself quite often ... "why do they get away with it? Where is the justice? I'm a good kid - why am I the one that has to have such a hard time?" To be honest it does not seem fair - but it does not mean God wasn't there. There will never be time in your life, no matter how low, that God is going to "lose the game" in your life . God always has a plan - and his plan always works ... whether you like it or not. If we think in terms of baseball, it's about mid-game. The Yankees are down 5 to nothing and things do not look good. The team is asking , "God, when are you gonna strike back?" The devil seems to be winning, and he thinks that he's not going to lose (Verse 11) ... well ... it's not over yet.

Verses 12-18 David calls out to God, and says "arise, life up your mighty hand." I like to think for the sake of the example that he's saying, "God, pick up a bat, you're on deck ..." David stops questioning God and starts questioning the enemy. How can anyone in their right mind stand up to their creator and say "I'm gonna beat you." It's foolishness. It's pride. Needless to say, God doesn't put up with that nonsense. If you read the first verses of this section, it's almost as if David is giving God a laundry list of things to do - maybe even a game plan. Seek out the wicked. You see the grief and trouble, repay it! (This last one is my favorite) "Break the arm of the wicked and the evil man." God will not only strike back, but he will annihilate all evil in his presence. I like that so much - our God will not tolerate evil - in fact, he's going to break evil's arm in half. Pretty awesome if you ask me. We get to the end and David says that there will come a day that the men of the earth will oppress no more. What does that mean? Evil will never triumph over God. Period.

The Bottom of the Ninth It almost sounds silly, but when I read this, I kind of compared God to the Yankees. You see, like I said before, the Yankees are a come from behind team - they're known for it. In the same way, it may seem in your life like God is getting rocked by evil - that there's no way He could come back. You might question like David did - "where are you God?" But this Psalm tells us one thing that always hold true - it's the bottom of the ninth that really matters. It's almost like my dream come true. God steps to the plate - bottom of the ninth, world series, down by three, bases loaded, two strikes, two outs. That day will come when evil throws its last pitch, and when it seems like all hope is lost, God hits a Grand Slam - game over.

- Chris

hidden treasure....

2010-04-23T12:46:00.001-07:00

guess what I found, thanks to ms. alissa's help?
more THEE WEEKEND photos!!!
click here!
enjoy!

-michelle

Psalm 9 - Hide and Go Seek

2010-04-18T17:22:00.000-07:00

When I was young, I was a big fan of games - whether I was playing my gameboy, N64, baseball, or just a good old fashion card game, I made sure that, one, I would win, and two, that I would have a blast beating anyone who dared to challenge me. I have always been the competitive type of person - which means that I don't like to lose. Reading this weeks Psalm, I thought, "If I had to challenge God to one game, what would it be?" After thinking for a while, I decided Hide and Go Seek. Sure, God would find me even before he started counting (I'm still debating whether that's cheating or not), but when It was my turn to find him, I'd do it just as fast as he did - which means it's a tie, and I didn't lose :) ... let me explain.

First off ... here's this weeks Psalm - PSALM 9

Verses 1-9 We hear a lot about David. If you look into the last couple of posts, it looks like I'm bragging about a stranger - which in itself is fantastic. Here's the deal though - I have never met David (although I plan to someday), but he is a stranger worth bragging about. Look around today, how many David's are there in the world? I'm not bold enough to make a statement like that about myself ... but I can tell you that I love to learn from what David said. I love to look into his relationship with the Father and see how I can change to help my own grow stronger. In these verses, David praises God like always, but what does it mean? Let me tell you! God has done "marvelous works" for our sakes, he has "turned our enemies back" so that they cannot harm us, he has judged in righteousness, he has been a safe place for his people, he has sheltered us in times of trouble, he has promised us a life of no worries (Luke), and he has sent us his only begotten son to die on a rugged cross just so he could spend eternity with us. This not only speaks of love, this proclaims power and majesty. In terms of competition, I tell you this - that no one can compete with the Father ... no one can do the things he does. God has no formidable foes, he has no enemies that are worthy of his time. If you challenge God, you will lose. If you try to fight him, you will not win. So what does David do about this? He thanks God for being more than we can handle and he (verse 1) praises our mighty God with the entirety of his heart. I love competition, but if there is one person I want to spend my life surrendered to - it would have to be the person that I know is going to beat me at everything anyways. David surrenders to God - why? Cause He is a mighty God ... but He is a loving God as well.

Verse 10 WAIT!!!! What does the verse say? The Father never forsakes those who seek Him! That means that if you look for God you will find him (Luke 11:9) - which means the only game that God would not be good at is in fact Hide and go Seek (at least when he was doing to hiding). God cannot hide from his people. We've talked about this in Amped a few times, but our God is omnipresent - he's everywhere. Even so, our God is not one that hides - he's not one that runs from his people. In 1st Kings, Elijah makes fun of the false gods because they never answer (well they're not even real), but our God answers back with a fire that consumes Elijah's entire sacrifice. Our God will never hide from you ... if you seek him, you will find him. It's cool to have a God that's willing to make the sacrifice of losing a game of Hide and go Seek just so you can get to know him. Sure, the false gods are better at hiding, but they're not even real ... so that's what I like to call "mega-lame."

Verses 11-20 Here's the end of the Psalm. David thinks "Hey, God is going to destroy all the evil in the world. Why would he spare me?" He cries out and asks God for mercy - because he knows that God is powerful and is swift to justice. This is true, but what is also true is the fact that our God is merciful - that he spares us if we surrender to him. Anyway, I like how the Psalm ends. If God were to even share a fraction of his power to this world, it would shake the universe as we know it to its core."To God, we are just men" ... we're nothing compared to who he is. So What? ... I have always been competitive ... but i have learned there is one fight that i will never win. I will never beat God in anything. I have a plan for my life, but God has one that's much better than I could ever imagine. If we could learn one thing from David in this Psalm, it would be that we need to surrender - in everything but that wonderful old game Hide and go Seek.

Have a good week!

- Chris

Psalm 8 - True Science, True Love

2010-04-12T13:21:00.000-07:00

WEEKEND PICTURES BELOW THIS POST!!!!!! ... OOGA CHACKA!!!

So guys, I've got to say that I am pretty excited about this weeks Psalm. If you look above, there's a picture of a famous man named Albert Einstein. This one man spent the entirety of his life searching for explanations of phenomena in our universe and is basically responsible for all of modern Physics. Since most of you don't care about that mumbo jumbo, let's get down to business.

You all know that I study physics at UCI, what you might not know is why. There is so much stuff for people to study in our universe - from the largest things in nature, to the smallest (almost invisible) things in our world. Also, there are so many people, like Albert, who think that they have a grip on life - that they understand everything there is to know about what we are made of, what is in our universe, and why things act the way they do. The problem is that they don't know why it's even here. They can't give purpose to the incredibly detailed world we live in, and they most certainly cannot explain how it got here. The psalm we look at today talks a little bit about why i love physics. The universe we see does not even hint at an argument for us being an accident, but it does tell us that there is a reason for everything that we can see - that there is a God, that he is mighty, and that he loves us.

Verse 1-3 David starts out and just says how great is the name of our God - so great that we have tons of words that simply describe how amazing he is. My personal favorite comes from when God told Moses, "I AM." Anyway, he continues to say that the universe is God's handiwork - everything we see in space, everything that we see through a microscope, what you smell, taste, hear ... that is all a work of God's mighty hand. Let me tell you something that public school will never tell you - God is responsible for all that you see. Whether it's the stars at night, or the ants on the ground , God not only put it there, but knows everything there is to know about it. Even with you, God knows who you are, what your name is, how tall you are, and everything you have done or will do. In fact, God is basically the best Father (and scientist) that anyone could ever ask for - David knew that far before we even knew how complex this world really is.

Verse 4-9 This is where stuff gets interesting. Why is the universe here? Why do things work the way we do? Let me tell you, cause it's very simple - God loves us. He loves us so much that even though we are so small and insignificant in comparison to his wonderful creation - he knows who we are, individually. Like I said above, the Bible tells us that God intimately knows the details of your life - he knows your ins and outs, your ups and downs, and even though you are horrible sinner, he still loves you (Don't worry, me too ...). David even says that the angels are so much more awesome than we are (like diamonds vs. dirt), but God gives us a crown of righteousness - he gives us glory and honor above any angel in heaven. I don't want to get into this too much because i want you to think about what this really means. Our God does have a mighty name, he did create the universe, but you know what? He loves you anyway.

I know you're not all science brainiacs, but I will tell you that when the true science of this world is revealed, it will only give a picture of true love - that all of this, everything in the universe, is here simply so that God can know you and that you can know him in return.

Do you know how great the name of the Lord is?

He's the master of the universe, but is he master in your life?

He knows your ins and your outs, but how much do you know about him?

- Chris

thee weekend pictures!

2010-04-11T18:15:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone,
I posted a bunch of pictures online, just click below to check them out!
Enjoy!

Amped Ministries Blog

-Michelle

A Trust Excercise that won't drop you

2010-04-05T15:11:00.000-07:00

Here's our longest Psalm yet ... Psalm 7

So there's a lot in this chapter that echoes the thoughts of what we've read already in Psalms. The word or theme that I want to look at is trust ... so let's get down to business. When I was a baby, I fell down the stairs in my home (I know ... explains a lot). Fortunately, my mom was there to hold me in her arms and take a beating from the ten steps she fell down. As a baby, I didn't really have a choice to trust my mom, but the illustration still stands - if I didn't find myself cradled in my mom's arms, it's quite possible that I would have been permanently damaged. The same goes for our relationship with God - the only difference is that we have a choice of whether or not we make him our protector. Spiritually, there will be times in your life where you are going to "fall down the stairs" and possibly take the beating of a lifetime. The only person in this world that will ever be able to protect you, like my mom did with me, is God. Bethany pointed out last week that David was quite an awesome guy - one of the reasons is shown quite clearly this week - simply, that David had a pure trust in our Heavenly Father.

Verses 1-5 What's the first thing that David says? "In You I put my trust." It reminds me of the time when Joshua challenged the Israelites, saying, "Choose this day whom you will serve" ... followed by the bold statement "as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord." I guess the only difference is here is that David is not standing on his own two feet. He's not giving us a picture of a man that can hold is own, but an illustration of a man that puts his trust in God. Someone can have faith that Jesus died on the cross for their sins, but not have the trust to allow God to work in and through them. David is one of the examples in the Bible of a man that puts himself in the arms of God - to be protected and to be watched over. He says "God, I trust you to defend me from enemies," but even more so, "God, I trust you to save me from myself." Never throughout my childhood did I tell my parents when i broke the rules - I waited until they caught me to admit to what I did. David is just the opposite - he realizes that God is the only person that can set him straight. If he has sin, God is the only person that can take it away. If he has anger, only God can strip it from him. I guess he's just smarter than us. Why do we trust in God? Why would David admit to his faults? Because God's the only one who can take the mess of our lives and make something wonderful out of it. He's the only person who can take our nasty spill down the stairs and make it bearable ... that's why we trust.

Verses 6-16 David's life was one that I want to imitate. Every time i read a Psalm, I see how close he was to God and how deep his understanding was of the relationship we have with Him. This section talks about our God as being just. Basically, he is like a judge that never makes a wrong decision - this is why we needed Jesus. If Jesus had not died on the cross, God couldn't have just swept out sins under a rug. They had to be paid for. That's just a side note, but we see something totally different here. Even though David knew that God was a God of forgiveness, he wanted to be punished. Michelle and I were talking today about how we are more likely to remember a mistake that was made in front of people - because we get embarrassed. One thing that I see in David is that he was a man embarrassed of sin. When he made a mistake, he wanted to make sure that he would not make that mistake ever again. Are you embarrassed of sin? Yes, we can have trust in God to do whatever it is that he wants to do, but can God trust you in return? Quite an interesting question ...

Verse 17 I always forget to mention this, but I love how David ends so many of his thoughts just giving praise to God. So many of you guys are such a blessing to me - to see Junior Higher's in love with Jesus is simply unbelievable at times. It took me a long time to realize that my trust needed to be put in the Lord. That my confidence in life wasn't supposed to be found in myself, but in our Father. I'd encourage you to take this to heart. If you can learn to have that "child like faith" at the age you are at right now, I promise that God will use you more than you would have ever have imagined. The video we have this week is quite funny ... those people are losers. If you fall into God's hands, he will never let you hit the ground.

That's a lot to chew on ...

Good Luck

- Chris

The Couch of Tears - Psalm 6

2010-03-29T15:52:00.001-07:00

Here's the link to this weeks Psalm ... Psalm 6

This Psalm has my favorite line out of all that we have read so far. Depending on your translation, verse 6 says that David, this mighty man, constantly fills his bed with tears. When i read it, i thought about this picture above - Is David a couch potato? Or, is there something important going on here?

Verses 1-3: Here's a pretty cool fact about godly men - they are extremely critical about the way they live their lives. David opens begging for God's mercy ... is it because he thinks that we have an extremely angry God? Absolutely not. He's one of the many characters we see in the Bible that understand that no one truly deserves the grace of God. David asks, not because our God is reluctant to love and show kindness, but because we as sinners can never earn the grace that God so readily gives us. Here's why - David continues on to explain how he is troubled ... he is upset that he cannot live a worthy life. He wants to love God, but his worldly desires tell him otherwise. Even so, in this struggle, he chooses to chase after God, no matter the trouble and frustration it brings him. The question is ... are you a David? When you sin in life, does it trouble you to know that this is what put Jesus on the cross? We could talk for hours about taking advantage of grace ... but David makes it very simple ... true men and women of God do just the opposite.

Verses 4-10: The couch of tears .... quite a beautiful picture if you ask me. David was not a couch potato, but a man that lived to pursue righteousness and a relationship with his creator. He cries out ... "enemies, turn from me" ... because his God has heard his prayers, his God will answer, his God will never neglect him - just a little secret ... that's our God too. No matter the enemies you face or the temptations you may have to deal with, God is a God that freely gives grace. We struggle, and that's simply a part of the Christian life, but we are to rejoice that our God is one of forgiveness ... or we would all be in a world of trouble.

I know it's a short one this week, but I encourage you to take this to heart. Take some time to think about what God has done for you ... what grace truly means. Try to adopt an attitude as seen in David. This prime example of a strong Christian man calls himself weak ... just think about why that is.

God Bless!!!

OH ... Go to the WEEKEND!!!!

-Chris

A Psalm a Week - Psalm 5

2010-03-21T18:17:00.000-07:00

This week, we're going through Psalm 5. Here we go!

So, looking at my Bible, the title for the passage is "A Prayer for Guidance." Immediately after reading this, I thought about bowling! As a child, you realize how difficult it really is to bowl - the precision, the skill ... it's unbelievable. One day long long ago, a man thought, "Hey, I should invent bumpers for bowling so kids can actually have fun playing." Thinking back, the thrill of knocking over my first pins (with bumpers of course) is fantastic ... all thanks to two metal rails blocking off the gutters. The point I'm trying to make is that life as a Christian is kinda like bowling. It takes skill, precision, dedication, perseverance (maybe not so much for bowling), and a strong heart - most of which we don't have on our own. This is where God steps in. Where you can't get a strike in this life, our heavenly father can. If it's easier to see it this way, God is our bumpers (but don't forget he's so much more). This is the prayer for guidance ... let's do it!

Verses 1-3: David prays to God. He says, "God, you will hear my voice in the morning." It's a beautiful picture that I forget to paint in my own life sometimes. How often are we willing to sacrifice our days to God - to wake up in the morning and ask him for direction, to give him control of our days. This is what we see here. Verse 3 ends with David looking to God, waiting for his command in his life. Before a kid goes bowling, he always gets his parents to put up the bumpers - if not, the chances for him to hit any pins are severely lessened. This should be the same in our Christian walk - asking the heavenly Father to be our guidance. As we looked in Luke, the model prayer is accented by the Christian asking Fathers will and not their will be done. This is exactly what David does. The first step to getting the guidance and the protection in your life is asking the Father for it. BOOM!

Verses 4-10: Here's where we see that God is good at his job, and that he truly knows how to be the guidance in our lives. Why do we go to God to stray from sin? Simple! God and sin just don't mix. It just doesn't work that way. On the contrary, God and evil are opposites. David makes this cry for justice, that God will punish those who live unrighteously. This is really cool and we can talk about it for hours, but it's not the point i want to make. David makes it clear that God is to be our guidance in these tough times. As young Christians, we have no choice - our drive and direction should be found in Christ.

Verses 11-12: Okay, we've rolled the ball, it's made its way down the lane, and then .... we get a STRIKE!! What does David say to do? He says to rejoice. He says to know that if you place your trust in God, he will never fail you. If you have God guiding your life, He will never let you go. You will struggle, you will fail sometimes, but God never lets go of those who eagerly pursue him. I know the example is kind of lame, and that's okay, but if i had to give you a challenge for this week, it would be to live like David. Wake up in the morning and ask for God to guide your day. Sit back and see what he does ... and then rejoice!

God Bless

-Chris

Time to Focus - Psalm 4

2010-03-08T16:35:00.001-08:00

Here's the link to this week's Psalm - Psalm 4

If you read it, you'll realize that it's very very short. If I had to choose a word that described the entire psalm, i would have to say "focus." Studying in school, I recently looked over the properties of telescopes and all that nonsense. Basically, with any telescope you take one far away object and focus on it ... nothing else. If King David were here, I'm sure he would agree that we could all learn to focus on God just a little bit better.

Verses 1-2: David cries out to God to answer his prayers because he's eager for that communication - how many of us are that excited about prayer? Hmmm ... Even though God doesn't answer immediately, we'll learn that David also has the patience and faith to understand that God will answer his prayers in perfect time. Quickly though, we see he gets distracted. Basically, the people David is surrounded by are not supportive of his faith. His love for God is nothing but a joke to his peers. As he pursues holiness, they pursue lies. As he pursues God, they pursue sin. Sound familiar? The world hasn't changed much. Even going to a Christian school, I found that loving Jesus and pursuing a life that would glorify God was never the popular thing to do; however, it's no excuse to stop. With reading Daniel and even studying the gospel message, we'll see time and time again that regardless of where the world would have us cast our attention, our FOCUS should always be on God (sometimes much easier said than done).

Verses 3-4: Here's what I'm talking about. We don't live in a perfect world. We live on a planet filled with people who have various views on 'god' ... whether or not they call it that is a different story. People will sin against you. People will make you angry, but David says to chill out and FOCUS. Basically, don't let emotions pull you into sin (once again, easier said than done). We should be offended when the world mocks our God, we should be upset, but this is no excuse to take our eyes off of God. Even Jesus' ministry in the gospel message clearly tells us to love our neighbors, no matter who they might be (Luke 10). We are to pursue a righteous lifestyle, for which God will bless us abundantly. When the world stands up against us to challenge our God, it's not our battle to fight - we won't win, but He will. God hears the prayers of the righteous and he calls them his own!

Verses 5-8: We finish out the chapter hearing offering "the right sacrifices" ... well what does that mean? If you've looked at the white board in the Amped room recently, you've seen an awesome verse (Luke 9:24). If I were to explain this sacrifice, it would be similar to the sacrifice Jesus talks about. We're to die to ourselves and take up the cross. We're to take all our worries and frustrations and give them to God. We're to FOCUS on Him. In return, God gives us peace, shelter, love, and joy ... unmatched by anything of this world.

We can only give our attention to one thing in this world ...

my advice: FOCUS ON GOD

-Chris

A Psalm a Week - Psalm 3

2010-03-01T16:53:00.000-08:00

So, this weeks Psalm is really simple, but it gives us each alot to think about. If you don't have a Bible handy, here's a link to PSALM 3 - NIV

Anyway, as you see in the picture above, this week we're talking about shields. Looking back through the course of history, we see that the shield is of the most popular military devices ... why? It protects its bearer from attack! Think about it. If some dude came running at me, flailing his sword all over the place, I would want to be able to defend myself. That's the sole purpose of the shield - defense. Now looking at the Pslam, we see that we as Christians have a shield of our own. As we saw last week, we have a God who chooses to protect us, or in this weeks Psalm, a God who is our SHIELD. He protects us from harms way, he defends us from attack, he protects us from evil. Our God is the mightiest shield in the entire world - there doesn't exist a shield that comes even close to matching His power ... and He is on our side.

Getting a little more into the text, we see a funny word used a few times. "Selah" is a horribly difficult concept to translate, but it basically means "STOP AND THINK."

STOP AND THINK 1 - There are so many times in each and every one of our lives that we feel outnumbered. The world stares us straight in the eyes and says "your God will not save you." Stop and think about it. Is our God one who will leave us out to dry, or is he one who will protect us? Is he really outnumbered? Is there anything in this world that can stand up to God? Hmmm ....

STOP AND THINK 2 - So the psalmist does his thinking and comes up with the idea that God is his shield (which we already talked about) ... When i think of that statement, I think of a few examples from the Bible. If you remember the story of Gideon, God took an army of 300 and annihilated an army of tens of thousands. How about Sampson? God took one man with whom he destroyed the entirety of the Philistines. And lastly, David himself. A young man matched against a giant named Goliath ... oh yeah ... God won that one too. So what does it mean that God is our shield? Does it mean he'll fight our battles while we sit back and watch? Or like these men, does God want to see us take a little jump in faith so that he can fight side by side with us? ... Hmmm ... think about it.

STOP AND THINK 3 - The psalmist takes a full turn in the chapter. At the beginning it was "Uh oh, there's too many people against me." He closes the chapter with "From the Lord comes deliverance." No matter what it is that's going in your life, God is bigger than it. No matter what sin you might be struggling with, God is bigger than it. No matter what group of people you might face in this world, God is bigger than it. What does it mean that God will deliver us? It means he will take our frustrations, our fears, and our battles and help us claim victory. It's not "hmm" this time ... it's Wow.

Have a great week!

-Chris

Week 2 - Psalm 2

2010-02-22T16:35:00.000-08:00

The Psalm for this week is obviously Psalm 2. Here's the NIV translation on-line if you don't have a bible handy - Psalm 2!

One of the miraculous truths about our God is that he stands by his people no matter the situation they might be in. Obviously, at times in each and every one of our lives God might not endorse the particular life style that we live, but His love for us NEVER fails. We've been talking about this a lot in Luke. No matter who you are, whether a perfect person or the nastiest sinner in the world, God demonstrated his love to you through Christ. Whether you choose to accept that or not is another question. God loves his people, he loves us unconditionally. Historically though, this Psalm talks about God's chosen people, the Israelites. Throughout the course of history, Israel has been surrounded by a group of nations and people that absolutely hate them. If you look at the map, Israel is pretty much the smallest nation present, so it is a miracle in itself that the nation is still standing today. Some people might argue that this is merely a coincidence, but this psalm tells a different story. This psalm describes an active God who chooses to protect his people. I don't know about you, but I am so happy that our God doesn't just sit back and watch. I love that my God is involved. Its clear that this is the case with Israel. Even though the nations constantly fight against God's people, they will never prevail. If you read the story of Obadiah, we see another story that proves God does not tolerate anyone that stand against his people.

One of my favorite passages in the Word is Romans 8:31. It's a passage that tells us nobody can stand up to God. There are so many times in my life when I get stressed out, where I worry about so many things that are going on in my life. We all have problems in our life; for me it is often the stress from school, BUT this Psalm tells us that nothing in the whole entire world is greater than God. If we choose to be his people, he will never leave us or forsake us, rather he will fight for us. Our God is a God of many promises - one of which is that he will keep us from harms way. That's why the Psalm closes saying "Blessed are all who take refuge in him." Our God is here to help, our God is here to protect his people!

This chapter has so many cool ideas that we can talk about for hours and hours. I encourage you to read it more than once. If you have any questions at all, let me know. You can give me a call, shoot me an e-mail ... whatever you think's best.

God Bless!
-Chris

A Psalm a Week - Psalm 1

2010-02-15T10:35:00.001-08:00

As you probably heard in announcements, this is our first week of "A Psalm a Week." If you have the chance to this week, or if your just looking for something to read in the Bible, check out Psalm 1!

So, here's a link to Psalm Chapter 1 on-line (PSALM 1 - NIV).

It's a really short passage with a really powerful message. As we've been studying in Luke, we are asked repeatedly to analyze our fruit as Christians. Are we reading our Bibles? Are we praying? And most importantly, Are we living a life that brings honor and glory to our Heavenly Father? These are very much so questions that can be associated with the text we're looking at this week.

The psalm talks about our walks as Christians. Where are you found? Is it in the counsel of the ungodly; is it with a group of people who live their lives contrary to the way you are supposed to? The answer should be no. Although I believe that we can have non-Christian friends (as most of us do), the text makes it clear that we are to DELIGHT OURSELVES IN THE LORD and not in those friendships. We should not find comfort and happiness in the world, but in our mighty God. Looking at the picture above you probably notice it's not the best illustration ... even so, the Psalm then says we're to be like a tree planted near the rivers of water. We are supposed to be in out Bibles and in communication with God (prayer). We are to find our roots in God, our comfort in God, our happiness in God. Our leaves and our branches (the desire we have to follow God and pursue a lifestyle in Him) will not fade away. If we live our lives as the tree in this psalm, planting ourselves in God's word, we can be successful as young Christians!

The end of the chapter is clear. The way of the ungodly will perish, but God knows his people. He knows what fruit we bear in our lives. He knows where we find happiness, and no matter how small and insignificant we truly are, he still gives us a promise. This is the promise of happiness, peace, love, joy, and ultimately the gift of the salvation and eternal life that we have in Christ.

Have a great Week!

God Bless!

-Chris

best pictures from thanksgivathon...

2009-12-01T21:19:00.000-08:00

Elevate 2009

2009-10-04T10:02:00.001-07:00

Winter is almost here!!! That means Elevate is just around the corner. I am so excited this year. Same great place of Ogden Utah, same great snowboarding, better than anything available in California!! The food is absolutely amazing, its like eating at Claim Jumper every night, no joke. The hotel is a blast, the bus ride may be long, but the movies on the bus are awesome. It is going to be a great year no doubt. To keep the cost of the trip down, we have to limit it to 30 students. This means we will fill up, guaranteed. Spots are filled at a first come first served basis. When we hit 30 spots, we will begin a waiting list, but there is absolutely no gaurantee that those on the waiting list will have a spot on the bus. So we start taking sign ups next Sunday (October 11th) so be prepared!!!! Oh and the trip is actually cheaper than last year, pretty sweet huh!

Movie Night Destruction ... Much More to Come

2009-09-26T08:41:00.000-07:00

Well, my junior high friends ... Movie Night was a success!! I'm thinking maybe only two people watched the whole movie through (DeeDee and Marisol), but I'm sure we all still had a great time. Other than setting off the fire alarm, which "is hysterical" (quote Michelle Sharp) ... I think everything else was fantastic ... great food, great games, and lots of sugar.

Anyway, if you missed out, don't worry about it! There are a couple great events coming up very very soon ... one in November ... one in December. Are you ready? I don't think so ...

-Chris

amped....

2009-09-08T19:52:00.000-07:00

ROCKS!!!!!!!!

BACK TO SCHOOL MOVIE NIGHT

2009-09-08T08:23:00.001-07:00

Well, it never feels good to go back to school after a long, wonderful summer ... Soooo we thought it might be nice to have a movie night ASAP. Just like always, there will be food and drinks provided ... lots of it. Feel free to invite your friends ... they are more than welcome to come!

We'll tell you what movie later ... I think I might know what it is though. If you have any suggestions, please let me know!!

Hope to see you there!

-Chris

New Wednesdays, New Sundays, New Blog

2009-08-06T09:19:00.002-07:00

Well the last one's kinda obvious ... I got sick of the last blog setup, so i changed it! I like it now ... It's much better.

For those of you who have been gone, we have just started a study in Luke for Sundays ... I'm excited, everyone except Bethany is excited, so you should be excited too. Luke is a very very interesting way of looking at the gospel message, and since I'm a very very interesting person, it fits quite perfectly! Be excited, be ready ...

And for those of you who don't go to Wednesdays, come!!!!! We just started a study in 1st Peter, and I'm looking forward to every single study. Up at camp, the boys did a study in 2nd Peter (we'll be getting there soon), but the crazy part is that every morning, at least two of the boys connected with the message very well. As Evan would say, Peter is a very underappreciated book, so it's time that we appreciate it! :)

The End

-Chris

JHigh Camp Return Time

2009-07-29T16:03:00.000-07:00

Our beloved Jhigh students are leaving camp around 11:30am on Saturday, we expect them back at Ocean Hills around 2pm.

Contact at Camp

2009-07-29T10:18:00.000-07:00

Want to get a hold of that special someone at camp? Want to send them a note of encouragement, a letter of affirmation, or just a garble of randomness? Well CLICK HERE and fill out the form. Make sure to write your students name in BIG LETTERS so they know who to give it to during mail call!

Directions to CAMP

2009-07-25T12:46:00.000-07:00

Click this!!!

For those of you who were asking for directions to the camp ... click the link above

I will have printed out directions tomorrow for those who want them as well.

-CHRIS

Camp Dress Code

2009-07-22T17:21:00.000-07:00

Hey all,

I just wanted to put up a quick note about the camp's dress code.

Basically, if they had to place their ideal dress into one word it would be "modest." They use it in every sentence they send to me about dress.

Girls:

I know you are all good little Christian girls, but for some reason, girls your age don't tend to dress like it!!! Basically, if you would not wear it at church, don't bring it to camp.

- No bear mid shirts

- No shoulders can show ... that means only t-shirts (no tank tops or spaghetti straps)

- No ridiculously short shorts

(they want shorts to be no higher than the

tip of the fingers when you drop your arms down)

- One piece bathing suits or a two piece accompanied by a dark shirt

All you need to do is cover up. That's all the camp would ask of you guys ... I know you'll all do fine, but i just had to post this cause the camp asked me to. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE NOTE the info in the parentheses. I know it sounds pretty intense, but you have to follow their code or you'll be asked to change!

Guys:

Guys, don't be stupid :)

- No sagging

- Wear a shirt everywhere (except in the pool)

- No inappropriate t-shirts

THANKS GUYS!!!!!

-Chris

Summer Camp Info

2009-07-21T08:14:00.001-07:00

Hello everyone,

First,

If you were there on Sunday, you should have revieved a packet with a green release form. Those need to be filled out by next Sunday before we leave, but you can turn them into me whenever you see fit. If you need another one, just ask me for one ... I have plenty!!!

Secondly,

A few of you were wondering what you needed to pack for camp. Luckily we are going to a very nice facility, so packing is just like any other church trip pretty much.

- sleeping bag

- pillow

- bible

- notebook

- pen

- bathing suit (Ladies: you either need a one piece or a two piece with a dark shirt)

- Clothing (Hot during the day, cold at night)

- tennis shoes

- toiletries

- snacks to share (I will be bringing quite a bit too)

- money

Lastly,

Hopefully you are all very very excited. Summer Camp is HERE!!!! Anyway, please keep the trip in your prayers. God is going to do such amazing things through this camp!!! I can't wait :)

If you have any additional questions, feel free to email me!!

God Bless

-Chris

Summer Camp Here We Come!!!!!

2009-06-17T17:05:00.000-07:00

Well hello all,

I just wanted to let you all know that Summer Camp is coming and it is coming ridiculously quick. We will be headed to Green Valley Lake though Calvary Costa Mesa's program, which makes it a bit easier for us. We do have limited spaces, so sign up quick!!! The camp is absolutely worth going to, and the facility is absolutely beautiful. I went to Calvary for 13 years, so I have been there a fair amount of times. Obviously there is a focus on growing closer to God and progressing in our faith, but there will be plenty of free time to go to the lake, ride go-karts, slide down the zip-line, and eat (which is my favorite). Hopefully all of you who want to go can make it!!! If there are any parents that would like to help carpool us all up there, please get a hold of me and let me know ASAP so i can plan accordingly.

the price (per camper): $250.00
the dates: July 26th - August 1st

If you have any additional questions, feel free to ask! :)
OHHH!!! and pick up a flyer at the Amped room too

See you all very soon
God Bless
-Chris

End of the School Year - AMPED NIGHT

2009-06-02T17:19:00.001-07:00

Well, it's been a long long looonnnggg year at school for all of us ... and now that its coming to a close, it's time to celebrate!!!

So, as some of you may know, we are having a movie night on Saturday, June 13th. Just read the flyer below, or pick up one outside the Amped room for details! Any additional questions can be directed to myself!! Hopefully I can answer all of them!

8th Graders!!! You are more than welcome to come ... In fact, since it's your last Amped event ... I'd say its mandatory! Hope to see you all there ... it's going to be a great night of fun and games and all that other stuff ...

Feel free to invite friends!!

- Chris

Amped Update (Just Cause i wanted to)

2009-05-02T13:12:00.000-07:00

Well Hello everyone,

I just thought I'd take some time this beautiful Saturday afternoon and post an update for Amped. Well if you didn't know, we just finished James two weeks ago ... sooooo we are now studying the book of Philippians which looks like it's going to be a wonderful wonderful study for all of us to take what we've learned in James and apply it to spreading the Joy of the Lord wherever we go. Of course, we can all agree that its a wonderful thing to do. So that's Sundays ...

So the Weekend's over right? Yeah, it is ... bummer. Well the next big event issssss .... drum roll please .... SUMMER CAMP 09. We put in a reservation to Calvary Costa Mesa's amazing summer camp program. As far as we are concerned, the dates are July 26th-August 1st ... so mark it down in your calandars. Of course there's much more info to come, so I'll be sure to keep you all posted :)

Lastly, I am now an Uncle ... Uncle Chris ... it's amazing. I got to see my little nephew yesterday which was absolutely breath taking. He's so little ... and he has tiny tiny fingernails which i thought were really funny.Unfortunately, Baby Chase isn't doing so hot. He's basically in ICU for babies for reasons that i really don't know the details to. But if there is something i do know, it's that you all know about the last message in James and the Power of Prayer. If you could just keep him in your prayers, that would be the most amazing thing.

As Luke (Little Chris) always says --- "God is good, God is Great"

-Chris

TEAM CLEAN

2009-04-08T10:24:00.000-07:00

What's team clean you might ask? Well ... if you went to the Weekend, you would know exaclty what i was talking about. For all of you who went, thank you so much for a wonderful time ... as you know, Evan likes to cheat, so in my book we won! For the first time in Weekend history, Junior High won a major event, so that was exciting too!!! And even better, I didn't break my ankle ... just a bruised bone ... sooo it still hurts..

HERE'S OUR TEAM CHEER/VIDEO ... ITS AWESOME

WELLLLL you might be wondering what might be next ... yeah? We have one more week in James and the weekend is done ... Life is confusing isn't it? ... you're full of questions, and I'm full of answers!!! For one, the next HUUUUUGE event is Summer Camp .... but that's really really far off. Other than that, every thing is a secret. If you really want to know, just ask me ... i'll make something up to confuse you even more!!! Don't worry though ... AMPED is just getting more and more exciting every moment ... do you feel that? That's right ... your heart is pounding cause you are just as excited as me :)

See you all very very soon!!!

God Bless

-Chris

AMPED UPDATE!!!

2009-02-17T15:48:00.000-08:00

Well hello all!

I know it's been a while so here we go:

1. Sundays have been going amazing! We're about half way through James now (which has been just an amazing blessing by the way) ... but i'm sure the second half will take a little more time than the first half! If you're a student, I hope you've learned a bunch ... If you're a parent, ask your wonderful student about our what they've been learning for the last 7 weeks ... and if you're neither of the previous two, why are you even reading this?

2. Wednesday nights have been quite an adventure - From Obadiah, to Daniel, to Gideon and Samson, we've been studying various RIGHTEOUS men of the Old Testament as well as reading about the EPIC battles in which God so wonderfully demonstrates his power and pure "awesomeness." Anyway, we will continue to study throughout the Old Testament (probably focusing around the book of Joshua) ... sooo once again ... If you're a student, brace yourself ... If you're a parent and your children start gathering an army to fight the neighbor's kids, DO NOT worry - it's completely natural ... I did that all the time when I was a little boy! Just give it a few weeks!

3. Story Time: I was recently at the Maldonado's house where I was posed with a challenge - a pie eating contest against Mr. Zack Maldonado ... pecan pies of course. Well after my victory I decided that I like food. I will now be accepting any pie eating contest challenges! (Feel free to schedule one with me ... however, if you do so, you will be purchasing the pies and I will be winning ... it's just how it works in AMPED.)

4. THE WEEKEND!!!!! Well if there's one event I love more than anything at the church it would have to be the weekend. Just imagine shoving summer camp into three days instead of

a week - It is simply a weekend packed with fun events. As seen on the right The Weekend's theme this year is recycling ... which is just great isn't it? I honestly have nothing to say about recycling ... Obviously it's a good thing ... SOOOO if recycling is good, The Weekend will be that much better!!!! There are tons of games and just nonsense things that we do that are soooo fun ... you have no idea!!! Of course, we have church too - we will have a guest speaker and band of whom I do not know (or do i?) ... so that's exciting too!!! I have only been to one weekend event, but I have heard that they are all just as amazing as last year. The cool thing is that JUNIOR HIGH is invited ... which is probably a mistake by Evan because we are going to win this year ... OH WAIT! I forgot to mention that we break into teams and score points because The Weekend is a competition!!! If you have any questions ... feel free to ask me anytime ...

Here are some basics:

- It's April 2nd-5th

- Cost is $50

- Handouts are available at church! ... they look like the picture

THAT IS ALL!

God Bless

-Chris

It's Christmas Season!

2008-12-01T15:09:00.000-08:00

Just a reminder that it's Christmas season! And since its Christmas time, Amped is going to be having another family get-together. Next Sunday (Dec 7th), bring your parents for a nice Christmas dinner. Come dressed up "Casual-Christmas." We've discussed what this means a lot lately, but to put it simply: wear your favorite Christmas sweater and you should be fine.

Dinner starts around 7pm and is free!

Let's see if this blog thing works!

2008-11-23T18:29:00.000-08:00

Well good morning, afternoon, or evening depending on when you read this!
This is Chris ... the new Junior High leader :D
just testing out the blog

Well, a few things to note:

1.Elevate (the Junior High and High School snowboarding trip to Utah) is coming up quick, and honestly no boys have signed up ... simply ridiculous. I went last year, and it was amazing! Still, if you're nervous about snowboarding ... don't be! I hardly know how to snowboard, and I'm sure I'll have a blast. So what do you say? yeah, that's what I thought ... you're going on Elevate

2. Matt Bradley FAILED! Oh yes, you heard me correctly. On the Christmas Dinner handout, he forgot to put the day that we are meeting. Basically you have two options: show up everyday for the next few weeks whenever you feel 'dinner time' is OOOORRRRR .... you can show up December 7th at 7 o'clock to join us for some amazing food and fun :)

3. SPEC OPS! basically, not much to say here ... I'm new so i don't know too much about it, but GO!

Harvest Festival

2008-10-05T10:40:00.000-07:00

Guess what!
Amped Hang Out night is cancelled this month!
BECAUSE..

We're going to be hanging out at the Harvest Festival!!

Be there or be square.

Elevate 2008

2008-09-21T11:58:00.001-07:00

Mark your calendars! Set up those lemonade stands! Elevate 2008 is coming soon! December 26-31, we are going up to Ogden Utah for 3 days on the Slopes at Snow Basin - Home of the 2002 Winter Olympics and Powder Mountain - Home to America's Largest Ski Resort.

We will gather every night to hear a full band and hear a message from a LEGENDARY speaker. There will also be an awesome time of small groups and devotions.

With restaurant quality meals and luxury bus transportation, you'll be livin in style.

Sign up today, as spots are limited!

Amped Boomers Night

2008-09-17T15:12:00.000-07:00

The last friday of this month, September 26th, Amped is meeting at Boomers in Irvine. Boomers has an arcade, mini golf, go carts, batting cages, and so much more.

We'll see you there from 6 to 9pm!

Movie Night

2008-08-26T22:45:00.000-07:00

Amped Movie Night THIS FRIDAY (August 29th)

5pm to 9pm

Cost: $5

What are we doing???
Watching a movie: THE INCREDIBLES
Eating food: Pizza and Popcorn
Playing games: Smash Bros Tournament, Ultimate Frisbee!!

Invite a Friend!!

Summer Camp

2008-07-26T21:49:00.000-07:00

Alright Summer Campers; sorry if you haven't been getting my emails. For some reason some of the email addresses aren't working.

Here's all of the details for tomorrow camp:

This is the camp's website
http://calvarychapelcamp.com/

Camp Photos
During the trip, we take a camp photo. Pictures are $5. If you want a photo please bring the $5 to me (Matthew) on Sunday so that I
can pay the camp.

What to Bring
Swim gear
outdoor clothing
Bedding (sleeping bag + pillow)
about $20 for snacks
sun screen
Bible

The Schedule
On Sunday we will have service as usual at 11am. Please be at Ocean Hills Church by 1:15pm. We will quickly make sure everyone is present, load up the cars, take care of any remaining balances, pray, and then leave for camp by 1:45pm.

Students should be back from camp on Saturday around 1:30pm.

Its around the corner!

2008-07-23T13:56:00.000-07:00

Well, Summer Camp is this Sunday! Please be in prayer for us for the driving and the camp itself. God is really going to do an awesome thing in the lives of these students and just pray for his blessing.

As for the last friday of this month, we are gonna have to cancel it because of summer camp preparations. Fear not, however, next month's last friday will be quite the treat....

let's just say that we haven't had a "hunt" for a while...

I think they're worried about radiation.

2008-07-01T08:37:00.000-07:00

That's right kids. Your talking-on-your-cell-phone-in-the-car days are OVER. You crazy kids that are all willy-nilly driving your cars and yapping away are going to be ticketed by the man! We've had it!

"The base fine for the FIRST offense is $20 and $50 for subsequent convictions. With the addition of penalty assessments, the fines can be more than triple the base fine amount." -CA DMV Website

BUT! The new law does not prohibit dialing or text messaging.. so feel free keep text messaging your Grandma. Just do it.. safely.

I know you J-highers have a little while till you have to worry about this.. but hey... You're already learning Algebra, arent you? When are you ever going to use that, right?

CLICK HERE if you want to read more.

Summer Camp 08!!!

2008-06-14T13:00:00.000-07:00

Hey everybody! Its that time of the year again! Its summer camp season!!! Fliers are out and sign ups are coming in. Be sure to sign up fast because we only have a limited amount of seats to go on up to Green Valley Lake!

There are now two ways to sign up! The old fashioned way: in person at any Amped meeting or... you can download the attached Word Document by clicking the green link right below this paragraph, fill it out, then email it to us at AmpedJhigh@gmail.com! We are really looking forward to summer camp this year. Its gonna be a blast!

SummerCampSignup.doc

Amped Revamped!!!

2008-06-11T19:38:00.000-07:00

A M P E D R E V A M P E D! ! !

Wednesday Nights we are starting a new study - a walk through the Old Testament.

Sunday Mornings we are starting a new study on Sunday Mornings also! We are going to go through the gospel - according to Mark!

Come join us Wednesday nights at 7PM- we have a fun game, awesome study learning about God's Kingdom throughout the Old Testament, and Small Groups - where we come together to apply our faith to everyday life.

Sunday Mornings start at 11AM. Join us in getting deep in to the Gospel, through the eyes of Mark!

Before and after service, come hang out in our newly revamped rec room - video games, beanbags, couches, surf movies, a snack machine - even hot chocolate! Its a great way to get to know your friends here at Amped.

Questions? Concerns? Suggestions? Email us at ampedoc@gmail.com.

Its Tomorrow!

2008-06-05T17:07:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow is the 8th grade retreat! The boys will be heading on out to Joshua Tree and the girls are going up to Big Bear.

So, this is this schedule:
Friday, June 6th
4:15pm Students (boys and girls) arrive at Ocean Hills Church ready to go

4:15-4:45 Cars are loaded up (Leaders will be doing all of the driving; don't worry about having to pick up students from Joshua Tree/Big Bear)

4:45 Group prayer and then boys depart for Joshua Tree / girls depart for Big Bear

Saturday, June 8th
11am Students return from 8th grade retreat and arrive on time for the High School service!

What to bring:
Boys
Bible
Snacks for the road
Deodarant!!!
Tooth brush, tooth paste, etc.
clothes
flashlight
sleeping bag
Tent (optional)
Sunscreen / hat / sunglasses
***The boys will be sleeping in tents and/or under the stars

Girls
Bible
Clothes
Bathing Suit (for Kayaking!)
Towel
Toiletries
Pillow
Sleeping Bag
***The girls will be staying in a small house near "The Village"

8th Grade Retreat!!

2008-05-07T19:33:00.000-07:00

Hey guys..
Get excited for 8th Grade retreat! It's the first weekend in June, so mark your calendars.
The boys will be going with Matthew and Ryan to experience the great outdoors, while the girls will be going with Lindy and Kira to spend a relaxing, fun weekend together.

If you have any questions about 8th grade retreat, contact us at ampedoc@gmail.com.

Bonfire

2008-04-24T20:56:00.000-07:00

Join us tomorrow for our monthly Amped Hang out Night.

Tomorrow we are going on over to Capo Beach for some fun! We are going to have a bonfire, smores, and games.

It all starts at 5pm and ends at 9:30.

We are going to be south of the walkway that goes over PCH, next to the basketball courts. Look for our Amped Banner!

Hope to see you there!

This town ain't big enough for the both of us.

2008-04-05T21:13:00.000-07:00

Heya! I'm writing from Albuquerque, New Mexico.

I came to tag along with my Dad on his business trip. I was able to go hang out at the coffee shop in Calvary Chapel Albuquerque and sip some coffee while catching up with my reading. That church is truly amazing! They have a skate park and all! I'll be going to the service tomorrow morning, so I won't be able to hang out with my favorite Jr Highers. Unfortunately, we weren't able to visit with Skip because he is in Israel, but we were able to meet with some people that used to attend Ocean Hills.

New Mexico is... weird. "Weird cool" is I guess how I would put it. There are pueblos everywhere! I kept waiting for a gun fight or some crazy cowboy to come after me. It's very different here, but beautiful in it's own way.

We took the "Tram" today up to a big mountain where we were able to overlook all of the desert. The.. New Mexicans? .. boast proudly that it is the longest tram in the Nation. Picture a giant ski lift that fits about 50 people in each car. The ride was absolutely breath taking. I was surprised to find snow at the very top. (I don't know why.. maybe because it is the desert?) I was taken aback by the beauty of God's creation. I felt like I was able to see just a glimpse of what God sees there on the top of that mountain and I was reminded at how remarkable God is. He's done so much for us... we look around and take for granted what God handmade just for us.

I hope that you all have a beautiful week. Try, just for a little while, to look around and remember how amazing creation is.

Email Address

2008-04-03T17:15:00.000-07:00

Have any questions, comments, concerns, or prayer requests for the Amped leaders? Email us at AmpedJhigh@gmail.com !!

I am going to create a permanent link to this email address to the right under the links section.

Romans 9

2008-04-03T16:40:00.000-07:00

Basically, Wednesday nighth was deep. We studied through Romans chapter 9 and talked about God's Sovereignty. Sovereignty is a word that means to have complete authority over something. And so when we say that God is sovereign, we are saying that God has complete authority over creation. His will will always be done in the end. The issue at hand is however, what about our free will? Since God wills things to be does he will certain people to be saved?

In the boys small groups we talked about Arminianism and Calvinism. Arminianism is the extreme belief that it is 100% our choice to be saved where as (on the other side of the spectrum) calvinism is the extreme belief that God elects certain people to be saved.

Here is a funny picture of a shirt that illustrates the differences between Arminianism and Calvinism.

The Weekend Night 1

2008-03-28T21:33:00.001-07:00

The Weekend has officially started and it is going so well. The teams are amazing this year and are by far our most extreme. We have the radical ravers in JHigh who are all wearing matching white spray painted shirts. There are the Super Secret Service, who all dressed in suits make sure that everyone has "their identification" and they make sure to also do security detail for their leaders. Table Tennis is the senior theme, all of them are dressed as world classed Table Tennis players, I do warn you though, it is not called Ping Pong. Finally there is the Legends of Rock. Each team member is dressed as the literal interpretation of a band. Bryan is dressed all in Pink and his shirt proudly promotes his name as Floyd. Zach has a radio taped to his head, quite a creative team. The first night game went very well, the teams all found almost the exact number of glowsticks with only a margin of +/- 1. Legends of Rock located two of the leaders, but I was able to elude all the teams and not be located the entire time. The band Sons of Day are amazing and are doing a wonderful job. It is so amazing to see a room of students worshiping the Lord. And our Speaker Nathan Falangas did a spectacular job with the message. God is present here at the Weekend and is doing amazing things.

The Musical Stylings of Amped Jr High!

2008-03-19T19:06:00.000-07:00

We have an amazing new worship band!
The Lord has blessed us with some amazing talent!

Ty - Worship Leader (guitar/vocals

Alex - Guitar

Isaac - Bass

David - Drums

Madison - Vocals

We've also got the awesome talents of Josh, Aaron, Ryan and Matthew that grace our stage with their awesome beats. :)

We are so excited about our new band! If you are interested in joining or helping out with the band, feel free to contact Ty, or any other of the Amped staff.

Boomer's Night... This Friday!!

2008-02-26T11:35:00.000-08:00

Boomer's Night this Friday, February 29th at 6pm!

Our monthly Amped Leisure Night is coming up this Friday!

We will be going to Boomer's in Irvine off of the 405 Freeway. We will all be meeting up at Boomer's at 6pm for a night of fun!
You don't have to bring money, but if you'd like to play arcade games, bat in the cages, or do any other activities, bring as much money as you'd like to spend.

Boomer's Website

Directions

If you have any questions about this Friday's good times, please contact:
Matthew Bradley
Amped Jr. High Ministry Director
(949) 633-4755
MatthewBradley1@gmail.com

BRING A FRIEND! :)

Hope to see you there!!

Boomer

2008-02-26T11:34:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentine's Day!

2008-02-13T19:28:00.000-08:00

Amped Jr. High reminds you to tell those you love that you love them!

Amped loves you!

School's Up and Running yet again

2008-02-01T21:46:00.001-08:00

So, I'm sure you already know this but, school is back in business again. I had a 6 week long break and now I'm back to the grind again. I'm really excited to see what God is going to teach me this semester. Last semester I learned quite alot about the Word and myself, which I was then able to communicate out in my sermons at Amped.

Its a new semester and a new year and God is still at work. My prayer for this new semester is that God will continue to do his work in my life, shaping and molding me into the man that He wants me to be. But more than that, my prayer for Amped Junior High is that God will continue to pour His spirit onto each of our gatherings and really do an awesome work in and through every studen that joins us on Sunday mornings and Wednesday nights.

Whats Coming up?

2008-01-23T14:55:00.000-08:00

Running low on Meat and Potatoes? I think not.

2008-01-03T14:39:00.000-08:00

Weird. My first post on the Amped Blog!

Last night Matthew reviewed Romans up to the first half of chapter 5. It's been a while since we've had a Wednesday night service (we were SO running low on Meat and Potatoes), so it was a great refresher to get back into things.

Matthew reminded us that the first 3 chapters of Romans were written to reveal to us that we are all sinners. Romans 3:23 "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."

Then we talked about how important it is to keep reading! We are all sinners, but Romans 5:8 says "But God demostrates His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." We have hope in Christ's sacrifice. We are saved!

These concepts may seem so elementary to our Christian faith, but it's so important that we remind ourselves of who we are in Christ and who He is to us.

As Amped Jr. High starts off this new year, we came together under the purpose of uplifting one another and bringing others into the knowledge of Christ. We sat down the last night of Elevate and brainstormed our vision for this year. As a group, we decided that we want Amped to continue to grow. We came up with some new and exciting plans for 2008.

I encourage you all to pour your heart into Amped Ministries, just as all of us crazy leaders strive to do. Together, we can accomplish great things for Christ.

Elevate Fundraiser

2007-11-06T09:43:00.000-08:00

I am also excited that we now have a fund raiser for the Elevate Trip. We will be having a work day on Saturday November 17th to decorate the church with Christmas Lights and other festivities and if you come and work that day you will get paid for your hours and have it applied to the trip. I don't have details as of exact numbers but will have them shortly.

Harvest Festival

2007-11-01T13:13:00.000-07:00

We had the Harvest Festival last night at Ocean Hills! It was loads of fun! There were all sorts of bounce houses to have in, carnival games, live music, FOOD FOOD FOOD, CANDY CANDY CANDY, a dunk tank, and the infamous High School Sheriff. They ran around arresting anyone who has a bounty on their head. Want an example? Some KID went to the high schooler gang and gave them a dollar to arrest me. After a good 7 minutes of wrestling 10 high schoolers, I was taken to jail :(. Oh, did I mention that I am extremely beat up and sore right now? Here is a nice picture of yours truly about to get dunked in the tank!

Blessed are the Meek

2007-10-14T13:56:00.000-07:00

So, today we covered the third beatitude in our series through the beatitudes. The verse reads: blessed are the meek, for they will inherent the earth. I love how beautifully Christ put together the beatitudes. Truly, as we have been studying through them we have seen how each beatitude relates to the other.

What exactly does the word "Meek" mean? You can relate a meek person to a humble person. And to put it plainly, meek means: power under control. As Christians we have been given the power of God through his son Jesus Christ. We have salvation. We have the Holy Spirit. So how do we get this power? Well, to get an understanding of this, let's go ahead and examine the first three beatitudes all at once.

A person cannot be meek, which is to have the power of God with them, until they are in spiritual mourning. This same person cannot be in spiritual mourning, until they realize their pitiful and poor spiritual condition. And so, once someone becomes poor in spirit (1st beatitude) then they will mourn over their sins (2nd beatitude) which in turn humbles them and gives them the ability to submit to God's will for their lives (3rd beatitude).

2007-10-09T13:22:00.000-07:00

Hey what's up kids, Ryan here, for my very first blog on the website. Pretty stoked! Well, as you guys all know we are currently studying the book of Daniel. I've said it before and I'll say it again, Daniel is such rad book, for so many different reasons. First and most importantly, Daniel gives a look of how great God is. Communicated through vivid dreams, God shows us that he truly is in control of everything and he gives us a brief view of what is to come in the near future.

Second, Daniel is book that gives us stories of extreme faith, courage, and perseverance. Daniel himself was blessed with the ability to interpret dreams, but Daniel was not a random pick by God. Instead, Daniel was a faithful servant of God and God knew that he would be able to withstand the constant tests of faith while serving in the Babylonian kingdom. Daniel hung out with some pretty cool guys as well. His friends, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah; also known as shadrach, Meshack, and Abednego, were also very faithful to our God in heaven and they showed their faith even when threatened with death, as we will see this coming Sunday in chapter 3.

Well kids, have a great week, be safe, and remember to pray for wisdom like Daniel and remain in God's word daily. See you wednesday homies!

Blessed are those who Mourn

2007-10-09T09:01:00.000-07:00

This last sunday we continued our study through the Beatitudes. We took a look at the second beatitude which is "Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted." Amazing enough, there is a Bible story that completely illustrates this Beatitude for us.

It's the story of Peter denying Christ three times. Peter follows the steps of the beatitudes, in that, first he sinned against God and realized it (Christ literally looked at him when Peter denied Christ for the third time!). After he realized that he sinned against God, he wept. He mourned over his sin. However, three days after Christ was crucified, Peter was comforted by Jesus himself!

Following the flow of the beatitudes: the first beatitude (blessed are the pour in spirit) is all about having the "head knowledge" of the existence of your sin; then in the second beatitude, once you have that "head knowledge," then comes the emotional response of mourning over it. But, in the end of it all, you will be comforted by Christ, knowing that he paid the price for your sins!

Blessed are the Poor in Spirit

2007-09-30T20:50:00.000-07:00

So, today was a big day! We kicked off two brand new series! First service Ryan took us through the first chapter of the book of Daniel, and then during second service I (matthew) went through the first beatitude.

Now, one thing that I have noticed about the Beatitudes (Matthew 5) is that at a first glance, they seem to be quite superficial. As it turns out however, the Beatitudes contain extremely heavy content!

So, the first Beatitude we covered was: Blessed are the Poor in Spirit...

The above picture depicts a homeless person: someone who is poor. However, one thing we need to realize is that all of mankind is poor, in spirit. All of mankind is poor with regards to their relationship with God. He is perfect, while we are pitiful. The best part is, however, that the story doesn't end there! Christ died for our sins, in order to bring us back into that right standing with God. Christ died for us and rose again because we are poor in spirit.

The reason why the poor in spirit are blessed is because once someone realizes that they are poor in spirit, only at that point can they be saved. Once you come to the realization of your own sin you will see the need to have a savior! Who is your savior? Christ!

The Send Off

2007-09-24T19:25:00.000-07:00

So, this last Sunday our very own got an official missionary send off during Ocean Hill's main service. If you didn't know, Nathan and his friend Matt (Dont worry i'm not his only friend named matt!!) are going off to Ohio! Now, why would these two young guys go to a place like Ohio? Well, God has placed on Nathan's heart the need for the people in Ohio to hear the gospel! There aren't very many churches out there and Nathan feels he has a calling to go out there and start preaching the Word of God!

I am very excited to see what God is going to do to and through Nathan during this missions trip to Ohio. It will be a very crazy time for Nathan, so keep him in your prayers! So, we are for sure going to stay in communication with Nathan and he will keep us updated on his trip to Ohio.

One question you should ask yourself at this point is: What will become of Agent 47?