Recently I have spent some time in Florida with some really awesome people who love Jesus and love people. While there are tons of people in Michigan that are this same way it was cool to get out of town and really reflect on my life and the ministries that I’m involved in, as well as my life (which in many ways is “ministry”). But while I was down there I was really confronted by my own laziness, I realized how empty many of the good things I was doing were. I was able to see that in my life I was not truly pouring myself out and had little passion and joy.
While I was down there I was pondering and this is what came out…
God created us in joy, we were created for joy, so that we might find joy in him.
Really what I’m going at is, when we pour ourselves out for the gospel we experiences true joy unlike anything other. We find true fulfillment and joy by living a life that is filled with the gospel. And with this in our hearts we can go into the world and bring joy others around us.
A passage that really spoke to me this week was in 1 Samuel 3 when God is calling to Samuel and he thinks it’s Eli. Eli tells Samuel how to respond to the Lord calling him. And this is what he says, “Speak, Lord, your servant is listening”. I think those simple words might be one of the most power prays we could ever pray. To ask God to simply speak to us, to move in our lives in ways we don’t yet understand. I truly believe if we ask God to speak, it has potential to change our lives in very radical ways.
… So this is how my buddy Robbie is living with Passion, Joy, asking God to speak and to move. (Along with tons of awesome people from Orlando)
THE BEING HUMAN PROJECT
This summer approximately fifty people from Riverview Church will be traveling to Monterrey Mexico to serve Back 2 Back Ministries. As many of you already know our goal at Riverview is to “make sacrificial followers of Christ, who make sacrificial followers of Christ who go”. It is my personal belief that the most important word in this statement is the “GO”. As a Christ follower I believe my goal is to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ to every ends of the earth through: cultural relevance, a knowledge of the scripture, and a heart that desires to serve the needy and help the poor.
While this trip is going to awesome it is also going to be very expensive. As a group we have started coming up with a few ideas such as a: car wash, parents night out, and my favorite putting on a benefit concert. So far we have only tossed out a few ideas but if any of you know of any bands that would be interested in helping out an awesome cause let me know. I am really excited about the potential to an awesome concert that is composed of good music that is funding a much greater cause.
This is the video from last years trip thanks to Mr. Arron Kite
One verse that has stuck with me for the past few weeks if from the gospel of John when Jesus heals the blind man. The disciples question the reason this man is blind, some of them believe it was because of this man’s sin and other imply that it is the result of his father’s sin and this is Jesus’ response, “but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life. As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” It is my prayer that my life and Church would live in this way so that God might be displayed in our lives.
