Monday, May 28, 2012

A Blip in Time - Psalm 19


        Last month in "God's Masterpiece" I wrote about how Life is Good.  I wrote about how we have been given an enormous gift called life and we are intended to find joy in it.  God wants us to live a life that brings us joy; sometimes life will be hard and painful, but there is still joy to be found in spite of the pain.  Ephesians 2:8-10 tells us how we are God’s masterpiece designed for a life filled with doing the work of God; living a life of service and love.
        With that said I needed to add something that is of the utmost importance.  The entire chapter of Psalm 19 tells us of the Glory of God.  Verse 1 of that chapter says, “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of HIS hands.”  Not only does this reiterate what I said last month, but it also pushes me to add this thought. 
        Our lives on this earth are but a “Blip in Time.”  We as humans, in general, live our lives in exaltation of ourselves.  We live for our glory; we spend our time on our pleasures, our wants, our desires, and our purposes.  When Ephesians 2:10 says we were made “to do good works, which God prepared for us in advance to do” it is proclaiming that our lives are simply a blip in the HISTORY OF GOD.  This life, the history of the world, the earth, and the universe are all platforms for the Glory of God to be proclaimed throughout history.  Verse 14 of Psalm 19 finishes the chapter with, “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.” 
        Our lives, the masterpieces of God, are solely and completely intended to do the work God intended for us, all for HIS glory.  Though this earth has been created for enjoyment, its primary purpose is to proclaim the glory of God.  That is the primary and intended purpose of all God’s creation, including human lives.  So, this “blip in time” that is our life as we know it, is intended not to live for ourselves, indulging in every desire of our broken sinful hearts; rather, our lives are created, designed, molded, and intended for the Glory of God.   

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Widen Your Circle


“Every son and daughter needs other adult voices in their lives who will say things a Christian parent would say.  One of the smartest things a church leader can do for a family is provide a system where kids and teenagers can be connected to that kind of adult influence.  One of the smartest things moms and dads can do is to participate in a ministry where they can find the right kind of adult influences for their kids.”  -Reggie Joiner-

This quote has really made me think lately about the role of the church, specifically the youth ministry for my purposes, and how that compares to the role of the family.  The point Reggie Joiner is making here is that the family, first and foremost, was setup by God as the primary vessel for the transfer of faith to the next generation.  My wife, Janae, and I are the primary people from whom our son Joshua should learn about God and His unconditional love for us.  The church and its ministries should act as the echo that reaffirms what the family teaches. 
          So my role as a youth minister is to create, with the help of volunteers, an environment that reaffirms and says what a Christian parent has already said at home.  Joiner’s goal is to help us see that the family and church need to work together in the transfer of faith.  My job and the job of the youth volunteers is to be that voice that reiterates what the parents already say and to give the students another voice of Christian wisdom and maturity. 
          As parents, when we widen the circle of influence for our children we will increase the chance, exponentially, that our students hear God’s message, take it to heart, and then act it out in their own lives.  This is how the Family of God, the Body of Christ is most successful: when it acts in cooperation for the spread of the gospel through the family, not in competition to have bigger ministries that stand apart from and often in competition with each other.  Widen your circle.