Falcons 4 Christ

Why Doesn't God Show Me a Billboard

2012-02-23T14:22:00.000-05:00

Despite our attempts to coerce the creator of the universe to give us what we want when we want it (now don't get like that, you know you've tried to convince God that your problems need more immediate answers than the next guy), patience is something we all could use. Patience and perspective.

Waiting patiently for God to answer your prayer is a choice.

You must choose to believe that God has it all under control and is faithful to hear and answer prayer.

You must choose to trust that He will answer your prayer with the best possible answer for your best possible good and ultimately to bring glory to Him.

You must choose to believe that God's timing is perfect. Not your timing, not my timing, not the bill collector's or the doctor's timing - God's timing is always perfect.

Waiting on God and trusting He will answer your prayers glorifies Him and shows that we have faith that He is who we know him to be - our Savior, our Provider, our Shelter, our Master, our Lord; the author and perfecter of our faith. The ONE that we put all of our hopes and dreams and trust into. The ONE that will never leave us nor foresake us. The ONE who paid the ultimate price so that we may live a life filled with joy and expectancy.

So, when you feel like you are at the end of your rope and you can't do any more, realize that God is right below you with His hands wide open just waiting for you to let go and let Him take care of you.

God bless!

Jesus Weeps for You

2011-05-16T15:26:00.002-04:00

“Jesus wept.” John 11:35

This is the shortest verse in the bible, but one that struck me today. Jesus, while fully God, came to earth as fully man. This verse relates to the news of the death of Lazarus, but I think it reminds me of how often Jesus must cry for me. How many times I’ve let Him down; made the wrong decision, chosen sin over righteousness. I think every time I sin, Jesus is reminded of the nails piercing his wrists, the spear in his side and the burden of the sins of all mankind crushing him in the garden.

He cries for the grief over my choices. Over the fact that because of my waywardness, I may miss out on a blessing he had planned for me. I also think he cries in desperate love, saddened by my choice to be separated from him.

However, by witnessing the sorrow of the Son of God, I am reminded that he died for me and I no longer want to sin. Though I know I will disappoint God every day until I am with Him, perfected in heaven, I don’t want to disappoint God in any way. What am I to do? So I shed a tear as well, not just out of sorrow for the sin I commit, but also out of pure, humble gratitude for the grace and forgiveness found in the loving arms of my Savior.

Thank you Lord for loving me despite my faults and for continuously molding me into the man you want me to be.

Two Choices

2010-10-04T15:56:00.000-04:00

I came across this story this morning and while I am sure it has been around for a while, it is no less relevant today as it was when it first came out:

Two Choices

What would you do?....you make the choice. Don't look for a punch line, there isn't one. Read it anyway. My question is: Would you have made the same choice?

At a fundraising dinner for a school that serves children with learning disabilities, the father of one of the students delivered a speech that would never be forgotten by all who attended. After extolling the school and its

Dedicated staff, he offered a question:

'When not interfered with by outside influences, everything nature does, is done with perfection. Yet my son, Shay, cannot learn things as other children do. He cannot understand things as other children do. Where is the natural order of things in my son?' The audience was stilled by the query.

The father continued. 'I believe that when a child like Shay, who was mentally and physically disabled comes into the world, an opportunity to realize true human nature presents itself, and it comes in the way other people treat that child.'

Then he told the following story:

Shay and I had walked past a park where some boys Shay knew were playing baseball. Shay asked, 'Do you think they'll let me play?' I knew that most of the boys would not want someone like Shay on their team, but as a father I also understood that if my son were allowed to play, it would give him a much-needed sense of belonging and some confidence to be accepted by others in spite of his handicaps.

I approached one of the boys on the field and asked (not expecting much) if Shay could play. The boy looked around for guidance and said, 'We're losing by six runs and the game is in the eighth inning. I guess he can be on our team and we'll try to put him in to bat in the ninth inning..'

Shay struggled over to the team's bench and, with a broad smile, put on a team shirt.. I watched with a small tear in my eye and warmth in my heart. The boys saw my joy at my son being accepted.

In the bottom of the eighth inning, Shay's team scored a few runs but was still behind by three. In the top of the ninth inning, Shay put on a glove and played in the right field. Even though no hits came his way, he was obviously ecstatic just to be in the game and on the field, grinning from ear to ear as I waved to him from the stands.

In the bottom of the ninth inning, Shay's team scored again. Now, with two outs and the bases loaded, the potential winning run was on base and Shay was scheduled to be next at bat. At this juncture, do they let Shay bat and give away their chance to win the game?

Surprisingly, Shay was given the bat. Everyone knew that a hit was all but impossible because Shay didn't even know how to hold the bat properly, much less connect with the ball.

However, as Shay stepped up to the plate, the pitcher, recognizing that the other team was putting winning aside for this moment in Shay's life, moved in a few steps to lob the ball in softly so Shay could at least make contact. The first pitch came and Shay swung clumsily and missed. The pitcher again took a few steps forward to toss the ball softly towards Shay. As the pitch came in, Shay swung at the ball and hit a slow ground ball right back to the pitcher. The game would now be over.

The pitcher picked up the soft grounder and could have easily thrown the ball to the first baseman. Shay would have been out and that would have been the end of the game. Instead, the pitcher threw the ball right over the first baseman's head, out of reach of all team mates. Everyone from the stands and both teams started yelling, 'Shay, run to first! Run to first!'

Never in his life had Shay ever run that far, but he made it to first base. He scampered down the baseline, wide-eyed and startled. Everyone yelled, 'Run to second, run to second!'

Catching his breath, Shay awkwardly ran towards second, gleaming and struggling to make it to the base. By the time Shay rounded towards second base, the right fielder had the ball . The smallest guy on their team who now had his first chance to be the hero for his team. He could have thrown the ball to the second-baseman for the tag, but he understood the pitcher's intentions so he, too, intentionally threw the ball high and far over the third-baseman's head. Shay ran toward third base deliriously as the runners ahead of him circled the bases toward home. All were screaming, 'Shay, Shay, Shay, all the Way Shay'

Shay reached third base because the opposing shortstop ran to help him by turning him in the direction of third base, and shouted, 'Run to third! Shay, run to third!'

As Shay rounded third, the boys from both teams, and the spectators, were on their feet screaming, 'Shay, run home! Run home!' Shay ran to home, stepped on the plate, and was cheered as the hero who hit the grand slam and won the game for his team. 'That day', said the father softly with tears now rolling down his face, 'the boys from both teams helped bring a piece of true love and humanity into this world'.

Shay didn't make it to another summer. He died that winter, having never forgotten being the hero and making me so happy, and coming home and seeing his Mother tearfully embrace her little hero of the day!

AND NOW A LITTLE FOOT NOTE TO THIS STORY:

We all send thousands of jokes through the e-mail without a second thought, but when it comes to sending messages about life choices, people hesitate. The crude, vulgar, and often obscene pass freely through cyberspace, but public discussion about decency is too often suppressed in our schools and workplaces.

We all have thousands of opportunities every single day to help realize the 'natural order of things.' So many seemingly trivial interactions between two people present us with a choice: Do we pass along a little spark of love and humanity or do we pass up those opportunities and leave the world a little bit colder in the process?

A wise man once said every society is judged by how it treats it's least fortunate amongst them.

Living in a Manner Worthy of the Gospel

2010-09-27T09:03:00.000-04:00

Many of you know that I spent a few months reading straight through the New Testament. Now, I have read the Bible many times, but never in a methodical manner, taking notes, truly studying. Well just like those songs that get stuck in your head – you know like “Somebody yell 911, shorty fire burning on the dance floor…” there was a verse that I just kept coming back to. It was if God was saying, “Dude, this is important, don’t skim over it”

That verse is Philippians 1:27: “Whatever happens, as citizens of heaven, live in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or am absent, I will hear about you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind, working side by side for the faith of the gospel.” One translation starts “Just one thing…”

Now let me first give you some context. It is so important when you are reading and studying the Bible to make sure you know the context of the passage. It will help tremendously when dealing with passages that talk about ancient customs or traditions. Paul is writing to the church in Philippi (current Macedonia which is adjacent to Greece) while he was imprisoned in Rome.

Why is that important? Philippi was a very highly regarded city which modeled itself after Rome. In fact, the city was founded by the father of Alexander the Great. They thought they were the stuff. It was the place to live back in the day – sort of like Ballantyne or Myers Park. Everyone looked to them as model of how to live and aspired to be like them. What they did and how they conducted themselves set the tone for the whole region.

Since Paul is in jail and doesn’t know if he will be able to come there to teach them, he gives them a singular instruction to guide their entire lives – “live in a manner worthy of the gospel”. So if Paul, arguably the greatest teacher of Christ’s life and ministry, says it all boils down to 1 thing, I want to know what that one thing is and how to do it. We spend our lives trying to find meaning and purpose when all we have to do is “live in a manner worthy of the gospel”.

OK, so what in the world does that mean? Is this going to be another one of those messages that sound good, but is impossible to live out as a teen in today’s world? I mean, doesn’t the bible spend a ton of time telling us we are not worthy and that is why Jesus came. How can we do it? Is it possible?

Let’s start with the basic definitions. I love finding the true definition and origins of words. It is amazing what you can learn from the derivation of a word:
• Definition of the word Gospel? It literally means “good news”
• So what is the good news of Christ? The word Christ means “anointed one” and in the Jewish translation, “Messiah or Savior”. God sent his son to be a substitute for us, so even though the penalty for our sinful life is death, Jesus took all of the sin on himself and away from us so if we believe in Him we could be adopted as citizens of heaven.

I also think it is important that we note that it says LIVE. Our walk with the Lord is filled with ups and downs, twists and turns. Sometimes we have a clear direction of what our life looks like and sometimes we throw up our hands and say “I have no idea”. The question is whether or not we go to school, play sports, hang out and live our lives without fear or do we isolate ourselves from all potential evil. I believe God intends us to be in the world as an example of his grace and to do his will. Remember Jesus said that he came to seek the lost and we are commissioned to make disciples of all people. We can’t do that by only talking to other Christians.
So if we follow the definitions, because we are citizens of heaven through the acceptance of God’s free gift of grace and by faith in his son Jesus, we should live in a manner worthy of the good news of the Savior and our salvation. We should live to honor the blood shed on Calvary and not to waste it.

What are the practical ways we can do that every day? Just like a recipe, we want the steps. Paul spells it out for us in Ephesians 4:1-3 when he says to live with
Humility
Gentleness
Patience
Bear each other’s burdens
And being united for the cause of Christ (the great commission)

Guys, these principles aren’t new to you or me. I would hope that as you go through your day you try to treat others with respect and kindness. Help each other, not out of what it will get you, but because it is the right thing to do. But I hope you now realize the reason

Let’s apply to this to everyday. As athletes, you are a role model whether you like it or not. God has given you a gift that most don’t have. Less than 50% of HS students play sports and less than 5% go on to play in college. If you play a sport in HS, you are a role model and other kids look up to you. Does your attitude toward your coach, teammates and opposing team reflect Christ and the values we just mentioned? As a coach, I am all for aggression and tenacity and those who have seen me coach know that to be true, but we must also never hesitate to be encouraging, and humble. I often told my teams that we have to be humble in victory and gracious in defeat knowing that we gave our best for God and for the team.

What would happen if we didn’t follow these prescribed characteristics? Would the world end? No. Would your life be easier if you didn’t have to be nice to everyone? Yes. But if we are citizens of heaven and the only reason I have a passport to get in is because Jesus came and died on the cross for my salvation, then man, I tell you what, I don’t want to disappoint Him. I want to thank him for his love and forgiveness.

His command to us is to spread the word about Him. What will leave a more lasting impression on our non-Christian friends? The strength of our arguments against sin and the temptations of this world? How many scriptures we can quote? Or, will it be our gentleness, our respect and our interest in their well being?

Because God, the creator of the universe, loved us so much to send his son to live as we do, to be faced with the same stresses and temptations, and to pay the penalty for all of the bad choices and poor decisions we made and will make, we should live our everyday lives in such a way that we honor Him by being humble and giving Him glory, and by putting others’ needs ahead of our own. Honoring him with the way we live is our way of showing our thanks and love back to him.

The Little Things

2010-09-19T19:32:00.000-04:00

I spent the entire weekend at a swim meet in Winston Salem, NC. Those of you who know me well, know that this is a fairly regular occurence. Both of my kids swim competitively and we get to go all over the place to watch them. One of the best parts of the meets (other than the cramped, hot pool deck and crowded metal bleachers) is the fellowship we have with other swim parents. We share each others concerns, help keep track of gear and share everything from goggles to meals together.

It reminded me of what the Church was designed to be. Not a building with beautiful stained glass and choirs, but a gathering of link minded people with a common goal (intimacy with Christ). The first century church was all about getting together and sharing, helping and just enjoying the fellowship of other believers. They shared tips on how to spread the Word. How awesome would it be if we really returned to that.

What would happen if we were as passionate about following Christ as we are about sports, dance, or other activities?

The War Around Us

2010-09-08T15:15:00.000-04:00

When was the last time your faith was tested in a real, outward way? Most of us live our lives without having to defend our faith. If someone disagrees, we may try to convince them of the truth or we may just not talk to them anymore. We have the freedom to say and do just about whatever we want. However, all around us, the world ruled by our eternal enemy is pushing Christ and His followers out of the mainstream and into a box called radical or extremist.

It is not too far fetched to believe that we will see a time in the not too distant future where Christians will be thought of as second class citizens who are fraught with intolerance and ignorance. In the book, Soon by Jerry Jenkins, we see a society where religion of any kind is illegal because it causes friction and intolerance. Are we so far from that now? Just keep your eyes open to the news; read between the lines of the bullying laws, the soon to be built Mosque and what people are saying about those who oppose it. The is a war against Christianity and most of us are just destined to be collateral damage.

As Christ followers, we must be active in our faith. Not just going to church, but actively seeking God's direction for our lives, praying specifically and purposefully expecting God to move and spreading God's message of redemption. We can be triumphant. Not because we are larger in number or stronger, but because the "battle is not ours" (2 Chronicles 20:15). God has already defeated the evil one. We must continue to fight because it is the right thing to do and because we want to see all people come to Christ.

"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing." (attributed to Edmund Burke)

Light Up This City - August 2010

2010-08-29T11:59:00.000-04:00

Despite the blazing hot sun and music that was a bit lacking, we had a great time yesterday uptown at Light Up This City. Thirteen students (nearly all new to FCA) joined Amy and I as we toured uptown and laughed and played until we were all exhausted.

The highlight of the day for me was one of the exhibitors commenting that our group was not like most teens. Our group was not afraid to step out and not afraid to look silly. It really took me back to our theme verse, 1 Timothy 4:12 and the fact that we need to throw off the expectations of the world and rejoice in God's glory and His creation.

I can't wait until the Kickoff Event on September 24th.

Thank you God for such great "kids"!

The Good Life - Bryan Dodge

2010-02-23T08:10:00.002-05:00

The post below is a post by a friend of mine who really helped me (despite not knowing it) during a time when I was really down. His name is Bryan Dodge and more info can be found at www.bryandodge.com

Do You Have a Vision?

The key to a successful life depends on your ability to create a personal vision. Not just a business vision, but a vision that will inspire you and those who depend on you. Proverbs 29:18 says, “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” Now is the time when you must understand the need of a clear vision for your life—the reason you get up early and stay up late.

When your vision is clear, you find the energy you need to move your life forward, building a better you. You need to understand who you are and not try to sanitize everything and make it acceptable to everybody so that absolutely nobody could possibly be offended about anything. That’s not what the good life is all about! That’s not what beliefs and values are about. Beliefs and values are about knowing who you are and being able to accept other people as they are, without changing yourself and your vision.

A very close friend of mine has lost his ability to see, and over the past two years, they have removed both of his legs. He always reminds me that “they might have taken my ability to see, and my two legs, but they will never take my ability to have a vision and to move forward.” I see people in my programs every day who have perfect sight and two good legs. But they don’t have a vision or the ability to step forward. Why is that? Because people without vision cannot appreciate what they have until they lose it. Because they live an average life, average people only appreciate what they have after they lose it. I ask of you, please don’t live an average life. Life is too short to be average and too long not to find the good in your life.

People who live a good life understand that it’s not necessarily about having a concrete vision of what the end will be like. It’s about embracing the process of what you are willing to go through to get to where you belong. Your calling is to lead your own life by your own vision, so you end up somewhere specific. The first step towards that goal is who you are and why you are special. The second step is, knowing where you’re going and what your picture is for the future. And the third step is figuring out what will guide your behavior so you can specify your values. It is when your values match your vision the direction is clear.

That is why I do what I do every day in company meetings or on the radio each week. It is to remind you that it is your choice and it matters today more than ever. Choose your vision so you end up building a better you during your life. That is my word for you this month.

The Good Life Rules!
Bryan J. Dodge

New Year's 2010

2009-12-31T22:58:00.000-05:00

Well, it has been a while since I last posted. Unfortunately, the craziness of basketball coaching, the holidays and driving the kids back and forth to swimming have left little time for anything else. It's funny how we often get so busy with the daily activities of life, we forget what is important. Not that blogging is all that important; however, these postings are a way to express the ideas and inspirations that God has placed on my heart. How many are listening is secondary I suppose.

Anyway, as the new year approaches in exactly 75 minutes, I thought it my obligation to at least comment on the topic of New Year's resolutions. I have never really subscribed to the notion of resolutions since I believe they are often nothing more than a vain attempt to justify why we didn't accomplish those items last year. But this year is going to be different for me.

I am giving in and laying it on the line. This year I have several resolutions or should I say promises:

Spend time in the Word everyday
Finally get my weight down under 200 pounds
Finish a sprint triathlon in May 2010
Catalog my photographs and finally print and display some of the digitals
Go on a mission trip

I could probably go on and on about things I want to accomplish, but those above are non-negotiable. And now they are in writing for the whole world to see.

Upcoming Events

2009-12-04T10:47:00.000-05:00

Sunday: December 6th

Church on the Street (COTS) - meet at UFCA by 5:45am
Immediately after COTS, we will head back to Coach's house for breakfast

Monday: December 14th

Christmas carolling at the Arboretum - time to be determined

Fireside Reminder

2009-11-09T16:35:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, my family and I had a great day hiking Crowder's Mountain. It was a beautiful, warm day here in Charlotte and you could see the city from 30 miles away on the top of the mountain. After a great pizza dinner, we sat down around our chimnea and a nice warm fire. While watching the fire begin to engulf the newly cut logs, my daughter observed how the fire seems to wrap around the round logs until they are split or cracked. Once there is a crack or broken edge, the fire attacks that edge and soon the log is fully engaged.

That thought reminded me that we are very much like the round log in the fire. The enemy is constantly surrounding us and looks for a crack in the armor, a weakness to exploit, or an occasion where we let him in via sin in our lives. Once he can get a hold of us, it is hard to douse the flames of sin and we are often overwelmed by the fires in our lives. Thank the Lord that He promises to never leave us nor forsake us.

We need to remember to clothe ourselves in His Word and His righteousness - it is the ultimate fire suit.

A Sense of Urgency

2009-10-23T12:59:00.000-04:00

As we read through the New Testament, the apostles often speak of the second coming of Christ as being close at hand. As a result they instruct us to always be on guard and to live our lives in anticipation of Jesus return (Matthew 24 & 25 and several other places). It is not my intention to speak about the second coming as that was done in my very first post. My intention is to peak into the minds of the apostles and others during that time so long ago.

Think about what they had just been witness to: Jesus ministry, the miracles, the teaching; Jesus persecution, death and resurrection - all within a 3 year period. What a ride that must have been! So here they are in the years after His resurrection and based on Jesus' own words, they are eagerly anticipating His return. They can't wait to be with Him and the Father in Heaven. They abandon their jobs, homes, and lives to prepare for His arrival. Their lives changed dramatically. Nothing was as important as preparing for Jesus' arrival by telling everyone they could about God's plan for all humanity.

I wonder what our world would look like today if we all felt the same urgency. During your freshman year in college, the professor will tell you to look to your right and left. He will then tell you that at the end of the semester, at least one of them will not be there.

Well, look to your right and left, to you front and back. At an hour only the Father knows, one or all of them may have to suffer an eternity away from God in Hell. You could be the only person they encounter before that moment happens. What are you going to do with this encounter?

Are you eargerly expecting His return and urgently trying to spread the Gospel to all you meet or are you blindly going through the motions of every day living.

LIVE EXPECTING HIS RETURN! See how your life changes :-).

Watered Down Christianity?

2009-10-08T10:23:00.001-04:00

I read a disturbing article today online at Fox News. The article stated was titled "Where have all the Christians Gone" and it reported that people claiming affiliation with Christian organized religion has declined 20% in the last 20 years! No wonder our country is such a mess.

The article goes on to say that while less and less want to affiliate themselves with religion, there has not been an increase in those claiming to be Atheists or Agnostics. So, what does all of this mean and why write about it?

We are now living in an age where churches are redefining themselves; going away from traditional values and doctrine in favor of more "user-friendly" concepts. They are changing their names and trying to appeal to a broader audience. I have nothing against coffee houses in the foyer or Pastors in jeans and I certainly enjoy more contemporary worship music, but I wonder if we, in an effort to appeal to a broader audience, have lost the message along the way. I attended a local church a few weeks back where there was no prayer!!! I attended another one where the worship team started playing and everyone ignored them, talked and got their coffee.

The Bible does not say that you must attend church in order to be welcomed into heaven. However, church should be a place where the Word of God is taught, in all of it's some times harsh reality to people who come there looking to be taught. The Christian walk is not easy and there will be those that will disagree with portions of Christ's teachings. But the Word is from God. There are moral absolutes. There are clear rules and regulations. We were created by God for His pleasure and purpose. Nothing more, nothing less. We are called to spread the message of the Cross and Christ's redeeming blood to all of the world. Churches must "equip the saints" to do that work. Then and only then, will we as believers be able to speak cogently and with conviction to those we have relationship with. I believe churches need to be careful that they don't lose their mission while trying to fill the seats.

Christian Strength Training

2009-10-08T09:56:00.000-04:00

I love to work out. Now, those of you who know me are now saying "yeah sure, it doesn't look like it, Coach". But I do love to push my body beyond it's current limits. The purpose of this post is to invite you to check out http://www.christianstrengthtraining.com/. Jason Rhymer of Rhymer Fitness created an awesome website where he combines training for your body and training for your spirit. Sign up for his "Power Devo" and you will be blessed with good, unique training techniques and sound messages from God's Word.

Check it out - you won't be disappointed. And yes, I am going to workout today :-).

Once Saved Always Saved?

2009-09-30T12:31:00.002-04:00

Over the last few months, we have discussed on a number of occasions if a believer in Christ could lose their salvation. The question stems from those we see saying they are a believer that continually live a Biblically immoral lifestyle. From celebrities to athletes to coworkers, it has become very fashionable to thank God and to proclaim Him their savior. The following week, we see them in the paper, on the news or at work/school participating or promoting ideas or lifestyles that are clearly sinful.

So what does God have to say about this? It is important that we define what a Christian is and what a Christian is not. Saying a prayer, raising a hand, walking down the aisle, or growing up in a church does not make you a Christian.

A Christian is a person who has received by faith the gift of salvation from God through belief that Christ was God made flesh and was sent to the earth to die on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins both past, present and future. A Christian believes in their heart and confesses with their mouth that Christ is the Lord of their life and Savior of their soul which would have been condemned to hell had it not been for the grace of God. (John 3:16, Acts 16:31, Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans 10:9-10).

The following occurs at salvation and would have to be negated if once saved we were able to lose our salvation:

We become a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17) - in order to lose our salvation, God would have to undue making us a new creation
We are redeemed (1 Peter 1:18-19) - in order to lose our salvation, God would have to revoke His purchase (the shed blood of Jesus)
We are justified (Romans 5:1) - justification means to declare righteous. In order for us to lose salvation, God would have to go back on his word
We are promised eternal life (John 3:16) - eternal is forever. In order for us to lose salvation, God would have to break His promise of eternal life

There are many more examples, but the Bible tells us that God doesn't lie and He can't go back on his word. Therefore, a Christian cannot lose their salvation.

Now, what about those who continue to live a sinful lifestyle?

1 John 3:6 says that anyone who "lives in Him" (is a Christian) does not continue to live in sin. The Bible also says that anyone who departs from the faith, was never really a Christian (1 John 2:19). Christians, while always struggling with sin {this is a sign of humanity}, do not willing engage in sinful lifestyles. To do so proves they were never saved to begin with.

Nothing can separate us from the love of God (Romans 8:38-39). Nothing can remove a Christian from God's hand (John 10:28-29). But those who proclaim a saving knowledge of Christ turn from sin on a daily basis and through the strength of the Holy Spirit living in their lives resist the temptations of evil.

**Note** - portions of this discussion adapted from www.gotquestions.org

You Want Me to do What?

2009-09-01T10:44:00.003-04:00

"The apostles left the high council rejoicing that God had counted them worthy to suffer disgrace for the name of Jesus" - Acts 5:41 (NLT with my emphasis)

Wow! As I read this passage, I am always amazed at the faith and commitment of the disciples. Sure, they had been with Jesus as he healed the afflicted, walked on water, and rose from death on the cross, but they were also human. I think few of us realize the humanness of the disciples. We tend to put them into the category - "Super Christians". Able to withstand beatings, famine and even welcome death in a single bound. These guys were average at best. Read through the early accounts of the Gospels. Their resumes were not impressive, but they were chosen to be His witnesses and start the greatest movement of God in history.

Now back to Acts 5:41. How often do we question God and wonder "why me?" when something doesn't go our way? The question is not if those days will come, but how we will react. Will we become depressed and defeated or will we rejoice in the current suffering because God chose us and He feels that we are worthy to be afflicted for the name of Jesus.

Every time you feel the world is crumbling around you and wonder why God would let this happen, remember Deuteronomy 31:6 (NIV) - "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you."

Rejoice when you're being persecuted for Christ. It means you're hurting the cause of the devil and he is retaliating. But we know that we are "more than conquerors" and nothing the devil can do will separate us from God (Romans 8:28-39)

What's Your Passion?

2009-08-17T14:21:00.004-04:00

"If I were to wish for anything I should not wish for wealth and power, but for passionate sense of what can be, for the eye which, ever young and ardent, sees the possible. Pleasure disappoints, possibility never. And what wine is so sparkling, what so fragrant, what so intoxicating as possibility." - Soren Kierkegaard

So often our focus is on "getting". "If I only had more money, I could have this or that. I wouldn't have any problems if I only had X". Kierkegaard (and Biggie Smalls) reminds us that more money, pleasure, or other worldly things will never truly satisfy our soul or our desire to get more. Just take a look at all of the billionaires out there. How many of them look truly happy? It wasn't until Bill Gates started his foundation and started giving away his money to help create hope for the hopeless did his joy appear.

Possibility, the hope of something to come, is satisfying in and of itself. The joy that comes from the possibility that we will see Christ one day as a fulfillment of the New Covenant is the joy that cannot be contained or explained.

So let us not work for finite prizes or recognition. Let us go through each day expecting God will do something miraculous in us and through us. Let us take the time to experience the joy that goes along with the knowledge that Christ died for you and me and what has been done on Calvary can never be negated.

God is awesome and he loves you with an everlasting, passionate and exciting love.

Dirty Mirrors

2009-08-14T10:05:00.003-04:00

Often the simplest of questions is the hardest to answer: What does it mean when someone says they are a Christian?

Well let's look at some other descriptors of people. What does it mean when I say I am an American?

From America
Having the characteristics of an American

People can tell we are from based on our appearance, actions, language. There are things we say and do that identify us as being American (ie. blue jeans, apple pie, freedom, obesity). There are also things that we don’t say or do because they are not acceptable as Americans (ie. sealing a handshake deal by spitting in their palms, polygamy, restricting rights of women.

Why don't we compromise our American beliefs / customs? – because they have been ingrained in us, practiced so often and so repeatedly that they have become part of who we are.

What about our faith? Let’s go back to our original question. What does it mean to be a Christian?

From Christ, of Christ, having the characteristics of Christ
American Heritage definition: Professing belief in Jesus as Christ or following the religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus.

How many of us live up to the standard Christ placed before us? We need to think about what we are doing, saying, displaying in light of our Maker, Savior, Lord. Is what we are doing – Un-Christian?

I often end my prayers by asking that we be a reflection, a mirror of Christ to all we encounter. Every time we compromise our Christian beliefs or go a little off His path in our actions, thoughts or words, we tarnish our mirror a bit. When people look at us, they should see Christ in us and through us.

"And all of us have had that veil removed so that we can be mirrors that brightly reflect the glory of the Lord. And as the Spirit of the Lord works within us, we become more and more like him and reflect his glory even more." – 2 Corinthians 3:18 NLT

We all fail at this every day, but God is gracious to forgive us. The key is that we are striving to be more Christian, not more worldly. Our world is getting increasingly anti-Christian and as we saw at our last meeting, there are forces of darkness that are trying to get us to compromise our faith more and more each day. Christians are going to be more separate and ostracized than ever before in the coming days. We need to stand firm in our beliefs, pray without ceasing and lean on each other for support.

We need to be accountable for our actions so our mirrors will be as clean as possible. We need to agree as a group to be accountable to each other and be willing to share what struggles we are having. Most importantly, we need to agree to be praying for each other.

Find someone today that will help you check your mirror every day.

Dirty Mirrors & Ice Cream Sundaes

2009-08-05T11:02:00.002-04:00

Next Meeting:

Friday, August 7th ~ 7-8:30pm
Coach's House

Main Topic: What does it mean to be "of Christ" - (notes to follow in another post)
Fun stuff: Make-your-own sundaes.

Other topics:
End of Summer Blowout Event / Concert

Waiting on God

2009-08-03T10:14:00.003-04:00

We all want to do God's work, but often we grow impatient with His timing. The quote below is a gentle reminder of God's desire for our attitude.

"One virtue of the true disciple of Jesus is 'a call to spiritual perseverance'. A call to not hang on and do nothing, but to work deliberately, knowing with certainty that God will never be defeated.

If our hopes are experiencing disappointment right now, it simply means that they are being purified (refined). Every hope or dream of the human mind will be fulfilled if it is noble and of God. But one of the greatest stresses in life is the stress of waiting for God. He brings fulfillment, 'because you have kept my command to persevere...' (Revelation 3:10 NKJV)."

-Oswald Chambers

Billboards and Safety Nets

2009-07-17T08:49:00.004-04:00

I was mentioning to a friend of mine the other day that during times of indecision about God's will for a situation, I wish He would send a giant billboard, or a smack in the head or a loud booming voice that says "Scott, do this!" It was then I realized how selfish, lazy and faithless that was of me. Obviously, God can do whatever He wants and could do those things for me without even a blink of an eye (how scary would that be?). However, the Bible says that we are to live by faith not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7). How little faith do I have that I cannot trust God will guide me through that "still small voice"? That feeling inside. That peace you feel when a God-approved decision has been made.

I realized that while I have a measure of faith, I still need more and like any muscle that needs to be stronger, I have to exercise whatever measure of faith I have in order to make it bigger. God places situations in our lives that He knows will require us to make that risky decision, that leap of faith so to speak. It is during those times that God provides the safety net for our jump. Will we fall on our faces? Maybe, but I firmly believe that if we are in the will of God, our plans will mirror His and His plans always succeed. If we do fail, God will be there to pick us up, dust us off and tell us He is proud we took the risk while relying solely on Him.

We need to realize that the very act of jumping into the unknown (starting that ministry, reaching out to that person you've hurt, quitting a lucrative but detrimental job) shows that we trust our Savior and Creator to stand by His words to "never forsake" us.

Stepping out in faith is a form of worship. We worship God by showing Him we trust him and we are willing to go beyond what we (and the world around us) think is smart. To go "all in" for God is the most scary and rewarding thing we can do as Christians.

I am not there yet, but ultimately I want to be able to say with conviction that I am willing to go wherever, whenever to do whatever God wants me to do, no matter how crazy or irresponsible it seems.

Lion Chasers Creed

2009-07-17T08:38:00.002-04:00

Quit living as if the purpose of life is to arrive safely at death. Grab life by the mane. Set God-sized goals. Pursue God-ordained passions. Go after a dream that is destined to fail without divine intervention. Keep asking questions. Keep making mistakes. Keep seeking God. Stop pointing out problems and become part of the solution. Stop repeating the past and start creating the future. Stop playing it safe and start taking risks. Accumulate experiences. Consider the lilies. Enjoy the journey. Find every excuse you can to celebrate everything you can. Live like today is the first day and the last day of your life. Don't let what's wrong with you keep you from worshipping what's right with God. Burn sinful bridges. Blaze new trails. Criticize by creating. Worry less about what people think and more about what God thinks. Don't try to be who you're not. Be yourself. Laugh at yourself. Quit holding out. Quit holding back. Quit running away. ---- Chase the lion.

Excerpt from In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day - Mark Batterson

Is He coming back or what?

2009-07-08T19:56:00.006-04:00

For all of our lives, we have been hearing from those "in the know" that we were living in the "last days". That the Jesus' return was imminent. Prognosticators from all religious backgrounds are constantly trying to predict when the Messiah will return based on ancient prophesies from the Old and New Testaments. So the question is...

Can we know when Jesus will return? If the Bible says "he will come like a thief in the night" and we can't know when He will return, why do so many try to predict it? What are the signs? Where can we find more information on the End Times in the Bible. What can we do to be prepared?

Our next meeting we will discuss the nature of prophesies, take a look at some of the prophesies from the Old Testament, give resources for finding more information about the study of eschatology and discuss how we should be acting and defending our faith with regards to this controversial topic.

When: Friday, July 24 ~ 7-8:30pm
Where: Coach's house
Prep: Find Old Testament prophesies that have come true thus far
Bring: Your bible and a notepad

Welcome!

2009-07-07T08:59:00.001-04:00

Welcome to the Falcons 4 Christ blog! Here I will post thoughts, study notes, and upcoming events for the Falcons 4 Christ (F4C) group at United Faith Christian Academy. Feel free to post comments, questions and subscribe to get regular updates. I will be adding content soon so keep checking back.

Living in His Grace Alone ~ Coach Woods

Live like today is the first day and the last day of your life
- Mark Batterson