The Seat of The Mockers... Be Holy

I think we get confused sometimes... I know I do. All the time we are hearing that we should do this and that for Christ, I find myself telling my teens all the time that they should do this and that but I know they walk out sometimes wanting to know how. Well today I hope to answer the how by telling to the how not to. Make sense?

We have been talking about sharing our faith with others a lot in the youth group and it usually manifests its self with an invitation to church. The result of that is we have seen an influx in attendance lately, which is great, keep it up guys. I need to re-emphasize the point of inviting people to church. Jesus... thats it, people knowing Jesus. Inviting people to church will provide them with an oppurtunity to meet or see Jesus (hopefully) but somtimes that doesn't stick. You know what will make it stick, them seeing Jesus lived out in you. Guys I can create the greatest "experiecnce" in world on Wednesday nights and people will be no closer to God if the don't see Him lived out in the lives of His followers.

Here's the thing... You cannot not trade your integrity or convictions for an oppurtunity to reach people. The fact is that we have to make sure our game is tight before we try to coach others. Our relationhip with God HAS to be priority NO. 1. Yes we must put ourselves last and serve others but not at the cost of our faith. I have heard people say things like if I go to a bar and have a drink every Friday night I can build a relationship with them and lead them to Christ. How can they see Christ through your beer bottle? I have heard people say thtat if they get a tatoo it will help them reach a group of people, a sub-culture that they never could've before. Don't use Jesus as and excuse to do what you want to. Thats all it boils down to, you want to do what you want to do and you feel like if you put some spiritual spin on it you can get the green light from God. The truth is people want to see something different, they don't want to see more people conforming.

Jesus was different, He met people where they were but He didn't compromise who He was. He went down to the well and met the Samaritan Woman but He didn't engage in adultry with her so He could better understand who she was and have an oppurtunity reach her. He treated her differently than she expected... He showed her love. Same thing with the woman who had been caught in adultry... he called out the Pharasiees and told her to go and sin no more. I don't know who reads this but I know that if there is some "liberal" young buck ministry major out there that has it figured out and is ready to get "tat-ed up" and have a few with his boys is saying that Jesus spent time with sinners, tax collecters, theives and such. But He never engaged their sin. He engaged their soul, lead them to a place of commitment which lead to a place of change... yes, God expects us to change.

Keep these verses in mind.

13Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. 14As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. 15But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; 16for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy."

1 Peter 1:13-16

1 Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. 2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. 3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.

Psalm 1:1-3

Matt<><

How Great

I'm so bored of little gods

While standing on the edge of something large

While standing here, so close to You

We could be consumed

-David Crowder Band

That's exactly how I feel today, I am so tired of things that truly do not matter retain so much of my energy. I mean of we can take a step back and honestly take a look at our lives objectively does the one true God get the number one spot all of the time? I know He doesn't in my life. I feel like I am standing at the door that leads into something so much bigger than me that I'll never be able to see the whole thing at once. Its placing a healthy perspective on things and it placing me where I belong... in the back. I feel like I could almost reach over and touch God because I feel His presence so close to me. This thought of consumption overwhelms me. The possibility of God completely covering and penetrating me scares and excites me.

A good friend of mine, David Hall makes a excellent point in his post about the Church, he talked about how a church needs the right people with the right leadership to be successful. This isn't an argument based on position, its based on the heart. Do the people have a heart do trust and follow their leadership, do they have a heart to grow closer and closer to God through the disciplines of study, prayer, and obedience, do they have a never dying passion to see lost people come into saving knowledge and a growing relationship with Christ? Does the leadership have the anointing of God and the ability to recognize it and the strength to follow it where ever it leads? I think that our church is asking ourselves those questions right now and that is a very exciting place to be.

Matt<><

Forgot one

I need a laugh today

I needed to laugh a little today so I looked all over the net for some funny pics... this is what I came up with.

What did that kid do to that bird?

1. Thats just funny

2. Look at dude's shorts

Whats funny about this one is that I have been to a wedding where this was the cake topper.

I saw this and thought of Bradford...

By the way this is like a upper high school math problem and the best he could to is to answer: No. there is an elephant in the way.

I don't care what anyone says this is one of the funniest pics I've ever seen. I have been laughing for hours.

Johnny M

I was there! One of the best concerts I've ever been to.

I still smell smoke

So last night we had a bonfire. I love bonfires, its so relaxing just to sit by the fire and hang out. Last night we had 26 people come! It was awesome, a lot of new faces. We ended our time together by praying over some issues in our lives and writing them down on a index card and them tossing them in the fire, a symbolic gesture that we are going to give those things to God and allow Him to do a work in our lives. Big props to Kev Deep and the Deepers who helped out with the stage design for the rest of the week. I am really excited to see how cool it looks finished. Pray for us the rest of this week as we share the Gospel with a bunch of new people (we hope).

A side note: D and I had to go to Gville to pick something up yesterday and I ran into a former principal of mine from high school. I would like to tell you that he didnt know me from Adam but the fact is he knew me very well and even after almost 9 years and about 70lbs. I have to say that the encounter was quite nice. I felt really awesome for number one introduce my wife to him and then for him to ask me what I was doing and for me to tell him that I am a youth pastor. I was in his office a lot and it was never because he wanted to remind me of what a great Christian I was being. It reminded me that God is big and He has the power to change lives, He changed mine and its nice when He has me cross paths with someone who knew me before the change and can really see the difference. Praise God for His grace.
Matt<><

Monday Night in Retro

We started youth week off with a scavenger hunt. It was a lot of fun to see all the guys scurring about Easley trying to find and do random things. I had a funny revelation last night about competition with in a youth group. There is always that team that gets mad a complains that everyone else cheated (sometimes they are right) and they get all up in arms about it but that same team wouldn't have won anyway. Its funny. Anyways it was a great way to get the week started. Tonight we are having a bonfire which is always fun, pray that the rain holds off for a few hours.

Pray for D and I throughout this week, we are both fighting illness (she much more than I) and are not sleeping well. Pray for the rest of this week, that God will show up in a mighty way and all our lives will never be the same. Pray that God will use this week as a catalyst against atrophy. I am ready for e1 to expode! I feel a great rumbling within me... I its kind of like when you can smell the rain before a storm. Pray for the services starting Wed and going through Fri. Thanks

Matt<><

Part-time?

There are a lot of things going on right now in the realm of Matt Rhodes. Several projects that I am working on that I want to share my thoughts on.

1. Youth Week – Man vs. Wild
Every year during February we have youth services all week long. It starts Monday and I am running around trying to make sure that everything on my end is taken care of. This weekend I need to revisit my messages and un pack them one more time but the plan is to bathe the week in prayer tomorrow during my study time. I have challenged my students to invite as many people as possible, they have responded really well. Pray for the Holy Spirit to go ahead of us and inhabit the final preparations and start melting hearts to the message of Christ.

2. Youth Camp – Hidden
Be careful what you wish for. The Lord has blessed me with creativity and a desire for excellence in ministry over the last few months, so when you get ideas you have to make them reality. I have bit off a good size chunk for our camps this year but it’s what I’ve always wanted so I am happy. I truly believe that our youth camps are one of our districts greatest strengths and untapped resource. God does amazing things through our camp, how much more will He do when he challenges us to change the way we do things to better suit a changed culture and to make a commitment to excellence. Pray for the executive staff as we plan, pray for counselors as they prepare for their students and pray that God will begin to impress a desire to attend or students all over the state.

3. Youth Convention – Setapart
I am way behind the eight ball on this deal but its not due to procrastination I am waiting to hear from several companies to move forward. But that really doesn’t matter as much as the fact that in ten months ten thousand students are going to gather to worships Christ all at the same time. I know it’s a long way out but pray for the convention.

4. Mission Trip – Puerto Rico
I got the apps, just need to get them out and back and begin the whole process. Pray for finances, it’s a lot of cash but I believe that God has ordained for our church to go so therefore money cannot be a factor. Pray that God will raise someone up that will give a large sum of money towards this trip.

5. Matt’s Secret Project – The BIG One
Oh, you want to know don’t you? Can’t right now but I can say this. God is moving in some areas that desperately need attention. This is what needs prayer the most of all the projects because if it happens it will be a God thing. Pray for my teens, that they will be able to handle the responsibility that comes a long with “the secret”. Pray for the church/church board, that they will have enough vision to step out and trust that God wants more of us. Pray that the will trust my leadership of the students.

So that’s what’s going on aside from normal day to day things. It’s a busy busy life it makes me happy to serving God in so many things.

Matt<><

1st Post

I am tired of myspace blogging so I wanted to branch out to something that gave me a little more flexibility. You’ll find an assortment of subjects on this blog. Some serious some not so serious. But know that Jesus is #1 in my life. Check it out tomorrow.