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Seeking the ​Kingdom

Prophecies: the birth of Christ Jesus fulfilled

12/1/2021

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      Isaiah's prophecy that the Messiah would be born of a virgin. This was written more than 700 years
before Jesus's birth.
  • Prophecy: "Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel." - Isaiah 7:14
  • Fulfillment: "How will this be?' Mary asked the angel, 'since I am a virgin?' The angel answered, 'The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God'" - Luke 1:34-35

      Isaiah's  prophecy that the Christ will reign forever on David's throne.
  • Prophecy: "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of
    the Lord Almighty will accomplish this." - Isaiah 9:6-7.
  • Fulfillment: You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.” - Luke 1:31-33.
 
      Hosea's prophecy that the Messiah would be in Egypt was written more than 750 years before Jesus's birth. 
  • Prophecy: "When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son." - Hosea 11:1
  • Fulfillment: "So he (Joseph) got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: 'Out of Egypt I called my son.'" - Matthew 2:14–15

      Micah's prophecy that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem was written more than 700 years before Jesus's; birth.
  • Prophecy: "But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times." - Micah 5:2
  • Fulfillment: "So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them." - Luke 2:4-7
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Are we sanitizing Christmas?

12/1/2021

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Rembrandt's "Adoration of the Shepherds."
​      Elva McAllister wrote a powerful and insightful Christmas poem called “On Fragrant Hay.” In it, she shines light on our attempts to sanitize that first Christmas in our art re-creations of the scene. In doing so, we distort reality and minimize the breathtaking humility and awesome grace of God as He willingly comes into our messy, fallen world.
      "'Sweet infant,' trills the smiling choir. 'He sleeps on fragrant hay.' And Christmas card Madonnas smirk all thoughts of pain away. How was it really when He came? Did Mary moan and scream and grind her teeth and retch (Poor wretch) before His star could gleam its gleam above that inn yard barn? He slept on fragrant hay? Perhaps. But sheep and cows were not made then of plastic, nor of Styrofoam and paint. Half-rotten straws and stinking wet manure were surely winter odors Joseph smelled, not sweet new hay, nor clover blossoms. No dainty crèche had been prepared and kept detached from stench of urine-mingled mud where ox feet stood, where ox teeth chewed or dribbled fodder. God did not come to antiseptic scented neatness, but to a winter barnyard’s muck and filth. God always comes; to things as they are and not to wished-for rearrangements of the facts.”

      Let’s welcome Jesus anew into our messy lives and let Him bring His order, His cleansing and His Life into ours! Also, during this time of year people are more open to talking about the meaning of life and about Christ. Jesus will lead us, if we are willing to follow.
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conversations towards  eternal  life

10/3/2021

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Before the Conversation
​

     
Before the conversation 
Before you share your faith with people, ask yourself, “Am I motivated by love?”  Remem­ber, you are going to be talking to someone made in God’s image and God loves them! Also, your sin­cerity in wanting to hear their thoughts is in­cred­ibly important. Nobody wants to be treated as a project. Dialogue, not monologue! As you listen to them, ask follow-up questions with a real desire to understand who they are and how they think. Finally, having a smile on your face as you ask will help immensely! My smile comes from a knowledge that the Holy Spirit is at work in ways I cannot see, both in and through me and in the person I’m sharing Christ with! Evangelism is our cooperation with God’s ongoing work in the lives of people who have yet to know the joy and wonder of salvation in Christ Jesus! It is not just the words we speak, but how the words we speak are a part of the ‘rivers of living water flowing forth from our inmost being’ (John 7:38). A goal of mine when I’m sharing Christ is to create an ongoing dialogue and friendship with the person. 

Questions to get the Conversation Going . . . 
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 * I often say something like this: “I don’t want to be pushy. It’s fascinating to me hearing what oth­ers think and talking abou­t spiritual things.”
 
The Conversation
Have you noticed that new believers seem to have so much joy and passion for Christ? They are often eager to share their faith with friends, often though they are not equipped. What a great oppor­tunity for us to come alongside them and equip them to share their faith. The best way is to do it together! Their existing relationships are all open­ings to share the Good News! One of these fervent young believers intro­duced me to a friend who had questions. His big questions centered on the Bi­ble’s view of slavery. It seemed to him that the Bible was in favor of slavery and he, as a black man, could not fully embrace the Bible or Christ because of this. We talked about how the people of Israel being led out of slavery in Egypt is one of the biggest stories of the Old Testa­ment. 
I acknowledged that the Bible seems to accept slavery as the norm in many places. However, there’s this little revolution­ary letter in the New Testament: Philemon. If the Church had done its Bible study well, it would not have been complicit in slavery. Paul is writing to Philemon, who has a slave named Onesimus. Philemon sent Onesimus to help with Paul’s needs while Paul was imprisoned. During that time, Onesimus be­came a believer in Christ. Paul refers to him as "my son." He then makes this powerful appeal for Philemon to set him free! “Perhaps the reason he was separated from you for a little while was that you might have him back forever— no longer as a slave, but better than a slave, as a beloved brother. He is very dear to me but even dearer to you, both as a fellow man and as a brother in the Lord” (Philemon 1:15-16). 
This letter, along with many of Jesus' teachings sow the seeds to end slav­ery. Through many conversations and a com­munity of believ­ers em­bracing him, this young man opened up to Christ and is a pas­sionate follower today!
I recently spoke with someone who is considering the Chris­tian faith. It became clear that he thought most of the people in the United States were Christian. I asked why he thought this was true. He said, “Well it’s just part of the cul­ture and most people grew up in that American Christian cul­ture.” I could see that he didn’t understand how someone becomes a Christian. I asked him and it was clear that he wasn’t quite sure. It came as a surprise to him when I said, “Many of the people who say they’re Christian may not actually be Chris­tian.” This may sound judgmental, but then I explained that be­tween the ages of 13 and 20 I would have told people that I was a Christian, though now I see that I clearly wasn’t. 
  Another time, I took a younger friend who was growing in his faith and a young lady who was a self-professing atheist to lunch. She was open to spiritual conversation and was fully en­gaged. After some small talk, I said to her, “I think you have more faith than I do.” She kind of laughed and replied, “No you don’t understand, I’m an atheist.” I said, “Yes, I know that; but you cannot prove there is no God, it’s just your belief. So, athe­ism is really a type of faith.” She was silent for about 20 sec­onds, thinking deeply. Then she looked at me and said, “You blew my mind!” We laughed together and then invited her to share why she doesn’t believe in God. We listened and asked other questions, getting to know and understand her. Then she was very open to hearing our stories and why we believe that God has sent His Son and how Jesus has changed us.
 
Continuing the conversation 
 If you’ve had a good conversation with someone about faith, ask if you can talk with them further about these things. You may even be so bold as to say something like, “One of the great­est things in my life is knowing and following Jesus. I would love for you to consider who he is and what he offers. I don’t want to be pushy, but it’s so good that I want to share. I’d love to continue our conversation if you’re up for it.”
 

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Bringing  revival  home: A Guide for You

9/2/2021

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Porch of Repentance, Door of Faith, House of Holiness
​
  • Reflect on Repentance, the Porch of Repentance: 
    • “This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says: ‘In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it.’”  Isaiah 30:15   
    • ​“The time has come,” Jesus said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”  Mark 1:15   
    • Questions:
    1. ​​​In what areas does the Church need to repent?  
    2. How can I help the lost turn from darkness and repent?  
    3. Where do I need to repent? ​​
    • ​ Respond to God in prayer . . . 
  • Reflect on Faith that Saves & Faith that Sustains, the Door of Faith:
    • "So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers; but the sheep did not heed them. I am the door; if any one enters by me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly." John 10:7-10
    • "Yet to all who did receive him (Jesus), to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God." John 1:12-13
    • Questions:
    1. ​​Where does the Church need to have greater faith? 
    2. ​How can I help the lost turn to Christ and believe?  
    3.  In what areas of my life is God calling me to greater faith?
    • Respond to God in prayer . . . 
  • Reflect on Holiness / Christ-likeness, the House of Holiness:
    • "For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.  My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me." John 17:17-21
    • "May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.  The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it." 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24
    • Questions:
    1. Is holiness the goal of the Church and is it evident?  
    2.  When do the lost actually perceive and respect holiness?
    3. In what areas of my life is God calling me to be more holy that is, Christ-like?
    • ​​Respond to God in prayer . . . 
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Jesus  just a  side  dish?

9/2/2021

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 BY BRANDON NICHOLS
brandonnichols@vaumc.org
​
"Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you?" Psalm 85: 6


      This verse may well be the heart cry of us all, even if we do not articulate it as a spoken prayer. The year and a half disruption to life caused by COVID, chaos in the world, and ongoing strife and division in the church, has left many of us feeling half-hearted and half-alive. We are in desperate need of Revival, desperate need to return to the "ancient path" laid out by the fathers and mothers who have gone before us in the faith, and desperate need to return to Christ in all things. 
      For us believers, Jesus is there. But has He been just a side dish in our lives recently? Is He really our main source of spiritual nourishment? Are we on the road back to Him, or are we still wandering far from home?
      These are questions we all need to ask ourselves. These are questions the church needs to ask itself. The church easily gets caught up in other priorities: petty conflicts that become nuclear level dramas, attending to broken hips and program fundraisers, trying to accommodate everybody's opinion of how best to handle the pandemic in church etc. It's high time to return to Christ as the center of our focus!
      We need Revival. We need Remembrance. Our spiritual amnesia becomes so strong, we need a powerful movement of the Spirit to shake us awake and remind us of the Christ who is more important than all these other priorities: the Christ whose proper place is all in all.

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Longing  for  revival

7/30/2021

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BY GREG WEST
greg@lifeinhisname.net
      When we hear the word revival, we usually think of an event on the church calendar. That is correct, though I would say, incomplete. I want to share about when God puts revival on the calendar! It seems to me that in following Christ we are so often rowing and rowing but have forgotten to raise our sails so that the wind of the Spirit can move us in ways we never imagined.
      God spoke through an angel to the prophet Zechariah centuries ago, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts” (Zechariah 4:6 NRSV). Jonathan Goforth, a missionary revivalist to China in the early 1900s, commented on this verse: “If revival is being withheld from​ us it is because some idol remains still enthroned; because we still insist in placing our reliance in human schemes; because we still refuse to face the unchangeable truth that, ‘It is not by might, but by My Spirit.’”
     As I share about the 1970 Asbury Revival, John Wesley experiencing an outpouring of God's spirit, a powerful revival in Virginia and the Great Welsh Revival, I’m praying that your interest will be sparked, and it will grow into a deep longing expressed in continuing prayer for revival. When God’s people respond to His Spirit by drawing near and calling on Him for more, God shows up in new and transforming ways! Revival can happen!
      I’m preaching a revival at Joliff UMC, pastored by  Rev. Brandon Nichols, Aug 29 – Sept 1. I’m asking that God would put this on His calendar in a powerful way! 
      Let our prayer be like the prophet Habakkuk’s: “Lord, I have heard of your fame; I stand in awe of your deeds, Lord. Repeat them in our day, in our time make them known; in wrath remember mercy” (Habakkuk 3:2 NRSV).
      
There have been moments throughout church history when God pours out His Holy Spirit and people are transformed. Of course, all these moments connect back to the outpouring of God’s Spirit at Pentecost, the birth of the Church.  
1970 Asbury Revival
PictureWILMORE, KY: Hughes Auditorium at Asbury College during the 1970 revival.
      Rev. Dennis Kinlaw was the President of Asbury College at the time of the revival.  He was traveling in Canada when he received a call from Kentucky concerning the morning chapel service. His thought was to ask how it went, but the report was that it hasn’t ended yet.  It was 7pm Kentucky time!  The students and people described the powerful presence of the Lord in the Chapel.  People were drawn there and felt led to repent of and confess their sins, which led them to experience peace with God.  Some were renewing their love for and commitment to Christ and others were coming to know His saving grace for the first time.  That chapel service went on through the night and into the next day. Classes were cancelled for the next week as the Revival went on 8 days and 8 nights!
​      Many students felt compelled to travel to other colleges and to their home churches to share what God was doing at Asbury College. The Revival spread to those places and produced the same results: salvation and reconciliation with God, a deep sense of God’s presence, a renewed commitment to follow Jesus at all costs and a desire to make Him known!  Leading up to this, there was a group of students that committed to gathering daily and praying for revival.  God is calling us to pray.  I encourage you to take a look at a short video with scenes from the revival and testimony from those who were there:

When God Comes (The 1970 Asbury Revival

​The Early Methodists Experience Revival
      The Methodist movement was launched in revival!  Here is an entry from Rev. John Wesley’s journal after a "Watch-Night Service," on January 1, 1739,
​
      “Mr. Hall, Kinchin, Ingham, Whitefield, Hutchins, and my brother Charles, were present at our love-feast in Fetter-Lane, with about sixty of our brethren. About three in the morning, as we were continuing instant in prayer, the power of God came mightily upon us, insomuch that many cried out for exceeding joy, and many fell to the ground. As soon as we were recovered a little from that awe and amazement at the presence of his Majesty, we broke out with one voice, “We praise thee, O God; we acknowledge thee to be the Lord.”  

Revival in Virginia on the Brunswick Circuit
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“Virginia was the scene of a great revival of religion, chiefly under the labors of that warm-hearted English evangelist, George Shadford, in 1775 and 1776.”  
      The revival took place along the Brunswick Circuit, the oldest Methodist circuit in America, established in 1773. The Methodist preachers then were known as “circuit riders.” They were responsible for a large area in which preaching houses were established and new preaching points began with the aim of making Christ known, loved and obeyed.  In that time, the Brunswick Circuit was comprised of 14 counties in southeastern Virginia and extended into Bute and Halifax counties in North Carolina.
      Mr. Thomas Rankin, sent by John Wesley to America, visited Shadford on the Brunswick circuit during the height of the revival. He gives the following account of a Sunday he spent with Shadford: 
“We went to the chapel at ten, where I had liberty of mind and strength and body beyond my expectation. After preaching I met the society, and was more relieved both in body and mind. At four in the afternoon, I preached again, from ‘I set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it.’ I had gone through about two-thirds of my discourse and was bringing the words home to the present now, when such power descended that hundreds fell to the ground, and the house seemed to shake with the presence of God. The chapel was full of white and black, and many were without that could not get in. Look where ever we would we saw nothing but streaming eyes and faces bathed in tears; and heard nothing but groans and strong cries after God and the Lord Jesus Christ. My voice was drowned amid the groans and prayers of the congregation. I then sat down in the pulpit, and both Mr. Shadford and I were so filled with the divine presence that we could only say, ‘this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven!’ Husbands were inviting their wives to go to heaven, wives, their husbands: parents their children and children and their parents: brothers their sisters and sisters their brothers. In short, those who were happy in God themselves were for bringing all their friends to him in their arms. This mighty effusion of the Spirit continued for above an hour: in which time many were awakened, some found peace with God, and others his pure love. We attempted to speak or sing again and again; but no sooner had we begun than our voices were drowned. It was with much difficulty that we at last persuaded the people, as night drew on, to retire to their own homes.”
​
*Quotes taken from The Illustrated History of Methodism in Great Britain and America, from the Days of the Wesleys to the Present Time By Rev. W. H. Daniels, A.M. Copyright 1879, by Phillips & Hunt, New York. 
*For those who love history, there is an “Old Brunswick Circuit Foundation.” You can learn more about them here: 
vaumc.org/old-brunswick-circuit-foundation-sites/
​and 
on Facebook here:
https://www.facebook.com/OBCFVA/?ref=page_internal



The Great Welsh Revival

      The Great Welsh Revival (1904-1906), was marked with spontaneous outbreaks of singing, prayer, open repentance, and confession. Again, you can trace the revival to praying people.  One of them was a preacher named Evan Roberts.  Roberts attended many revival services and committed himself to prayer that he might be “bent by God” and be bent according to God’s will.  His was a life surrendered to Christ.  Often he would be “awoken by the Lord at 1 am and be in prayer for 4 hours till the break of dawn, as he sought the Lord’s face for revival to break out in Wales.”  
      He had four points to his message. “Number one: You must confess your known sins and you must make all of your wrongs right. Second, you must put away any doubtful habits. Third, you must obey the Spirit promptly. And fourth, you must confess your faith publically.” 
      The results of the Welsh revival over a two year period were stunning! There have been estimates that 100,000 people came to faith in Christ during this revival. Courtrooms were empty as so few crimes were committed; many of the police officers formed singing groups traveling to different churches as they had “free time” and were moved by the Spirit!  “A story was told of how the horses in the mines were confused because once they were driven by men with use of obscenity and kicks, but now there weren’t any.”
      I encourage you to take 7 minutes to hear this testimony about how the Welsh Revival spread.
   
*For those interested in reading more about the history of the revival.  This is a good place to start: www.bcwales.org/1904-welsh-revival
​

“Lord, I have heard of your fame; I stand in awe of your deeds, Lord. Repeat them in our day, in our time make them known; in wrath remember mercy”  (Habakkuk 3:2 NRSV).


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Celebrating one year of ministry as a full time evangelist

7/2/2021

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      In January 2020 I discerned the call to move into a new ministry in 6 months. At the time, I was completing my 10th year as the Chaplain of Virginia Wesleyan University. I loved sharing Christ with college students and helping them walk as disciples. Yet, I sensed God prompting me to step out and pursue a major life change. There was a bit of fear and when the pandemic hit, it certainly increased! I asked God numerous times, “Did I hear You, correctly?” It was clear.
      Since stepping into this new ministry, I’ve perceived that I’m right where God wants me, serving as an Evangelist. I love meeting varieties of congregations, pastors, groups and individuals along the way. It is quite different from the 18-24 year olds that I worked with for a decade. My preaching and teaching schedule is full, which is a joy!
      I’m grateful for the support of the Board of Life in His Name Ministries: Rev. Brian Sixbey, Michael Senecal and Dustin Shambach. Early on they gave a green light to hire Ashley Kline to develop and maintain our website as well as help with communications, social media and our monthly e-newsletters. Ashley is a Biblical Studies student at Asbury Theological Seminary and has been an incredible help along the way!
      Financially, we are good and growing! We have almost 70% of our budget covered through

monthly giving. However, we have received 100% of our budget this year! In addition to families and churches giving monthly, many people and churches have given some very generous initial gifts to help us launch. We currently have 27 families/individuals and 6 churches giving monthly to Life in His Name Ministries. We’ve had another 41 families/individuals and 14 churches give at least once, plus the Elizabeth River District of the United Methodist Church. If you or your church are interested in supporting this ministry financially, please reach out. I was so glad that I was able to offer online evangelism training for free because our finances were in good shape!
       In the last month I’ve met with more than a dozen Virginia Wesleyan alumni and a few current students who desire to grow in their faith and in service to Christ! It’s so good to have relationships that span many years!
Picture
MAY 2014, Oxford, England: Then student Gabe Higgins and I at the home of C. S. Lewis on a travel course covering Lewis, Tolkien and the Wesleyan Revival.
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JUNE 2021, Town Center, Virginia Beach: Hanging out with alumnus Gabe Higgins talking about Jesus and the Kingdom! Gabe and his wife Faith are currently attending Asbury Theological Seminary and will move onto the Wilmore, KY campus this August!
      I’ve met with men’s groups, small groups and individuals to share Christ and equip them for ministry. I am currently meeting with some people who are not yet Christians, but are considering Jesus and his message!

Some Highlights from Year One:
  • Started a men’s group with some friends which met outdoors through the pandemic! We had a rule that if the temperature was below 40 we would cancel. A few times we broke that rule and met anyway!
  • Led two online evangelism training courses with 17 students who were hungry to grow as disciples and fishers of people!
  • Led multiple seminars for churches on small group ministry, evangelism and discipleship.
  • Preached at 17 churches on 34 different occasions.
  • Partnered with United in Him Ministries whose mission is to transform and empower at-risk communities through the love of Jesus Christ and power of Holy Spirit.
  • Rejoined a Pastors' meeting I started with Pastor Bill Powell in 2007 and joined another Pastors' Band Meeting.
​THANK YOU FOR YOUR AMAZING GENEROSITY! I am so grateful and moved by the financial support, the prayers, encouragement and affirmation I’ve received from the body of Christ!
Looking to the Future:
  • August Revival at Joliff UMC in Suffolk, VA, where Rev. Brandon Nichols is the Pastor. Brandon is an alumnus of  Virginia Wesleyan University (Class of 2012) and Duke Divinity (2015). He was one of my student leaders during his time at Virginia Wesleyan University. He has served as the Pastor at Wesley Chapel and Joliff UMC, both in Suffolk.
  • Mission Trips to Latin America! My team of students from Virginia Wesleyan were a couple weeks away from a mission trip to Cuba where we would work with the country's Methodist Church. However, the trip had to be canceled. I am eager to help churches here connect with the church in Latin America.
  • Online Small Group and Evangelism Training this Fall – details coming.
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Sharing Christ and Overcoming OBSTACLES

5/31/2021

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Is following Jesus an Upgrade?
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​Jesus does not give 'good advice.' Rather, He reveals the nature of the universe.

      Is becoming a follower of Jesus an upgrade? Many think, “If I become a Christian, it will be a drag – there are too many rules to follow and I won’t be able to have any fun.” They believe God is a cosmic killjoy.  We who know Christ have the privilege and calling of dispelling the false reports. We are indeed ambassadors of Christ!
      There are more important questions than: “Is becoming a follower of Jesus an upgrade?” Yet, this is often what people are asking and there is wisdom in meeting people right where they are. Even more important than having the “right answers” is that we are abiding in Christ.  Are the peace, joy and love that we receive from the Holy Spirit visible in our lives? A joyful Christian is a light in the darkness and has the power to spark a spiritual hunger in those who don’t yet know Christ.   
      I’ve shared these verses with many people who were considering the faith.  They clearly contradict the idea that following Christ is a burden.
      “In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.” - 1 John 5:3-4 (NIV)
       “But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.”                                                                          - James 1:25  (NIV)
       Helping people to see that our faith is less about “keeping the rules” and more about “falling in love” has been an effective approach for me. Consider what God has done in and through Christ! If it’s true, then God’s love for us is amazing beyond words! And our response to this is to love God!  “We love because he first loved us.”  1 John 4:19 (NIV)
       So, we help people move from the mindset of “Will my life get better if I become a Christian?”, to “Consider who Jesus is and what he has done for me.” Some better questions than the upgrade question are: “Is the Gospel story true?” “Is Jesus really the Son of God and the image of the invisible God?” and “Did Jesus actually rise from the dead?”    
      Many people believe that the Christian faith is one choice among many and we get to pick which one is best for us.  They think search isn't necessarily for truth, but rather for what makes me feel the most peace, sense of purpose, or which one “works for me.” 

This is the world view of relativism – that truth is not absolute, but relative. So, you can have your truth and I can have my different truth. This isn’t a problem if we’re talking about which toothpaste is the best, but it cannot stand with ultimate truth claims.
       Islam makes the claim that Jesus is not the Son of God and that he was not crucified. The Bible clearly states that he is the Son of God and that he was crucified. It’s one or the other with both of these claims. Either Jesus is the Son of God, or He is not . . . He was either crucified or He was not. It cannot be both. At some point people need to see that all faiths make ultimate truth claims that necessarily contradict other truth claims.
      Our pursuit must be for ultimate Truth rather than what suits us best. C. S. Lewis says it so clearly, “I didn’t go to religion to make me happy. I always knew a bottle of Port would do that. If you want a religion to make you feel really comfortable, I certainly don’t recommend Christianity.” 
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I didn’t go to religion to make me happy. I always knew a bottle of Port would do that. If you want a religion to make you feel really comfortable, I certainly don’t recommend Christianity.

C.S. LEWIS
  I believe strongly that following Jesus is an upgrade; but I follow because He is who He claimed to be and because He died and rose again for me! Sometimes following Jesus is difficult and it creates real problems. At times it may be easier in the short term not to walk in the way of Christ. However, if we don’t follow him, we’re going “against the grain of the universe” and the universe gives some tough splinters.
       Jesus does not give “good advice.” Rather, He reveals the nature of the universe. He does not dish out arbitrary rules, He calls all of humanity into a relationship with himself.  He gives invitations and commands and all of them flow from His perfect love for us.  
       Friends, let’s live, love and serve in such a way that the lost, the lonely and the least of these will know Christ is real.  I close with these words from Jesus, our Savior, our Lord:  
       “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” - John 10:10 (NIV)
       "In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father." Matthew 5:16 (NLT)
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Father and Creator in Harmonious  Union

5/31/2021

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BY SYDNEY NELSON
​sydney.nelson@asburyseminary.edu

​Sydney is a Masters of Divinity student at Asbury Theological Seminary. She currently serves on staff at Glen Lake Camp & Retreat Center as she pursues her passion for camp ministry.
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​God as Creator and God as Father can sometimes be presented as if the two personas exist outside of one another. However, the truth is that God encompasses both titles in a harmonious union. The fruition of this union can be seen in many places but can often best be seen and experienced in the world of outdoor ministry.
      By outdoor ministry, I am referring to those organizations or camps that function to bring the Word of God to souls within the setting of creation. While often this is geared towards camp ministry, it is not exclusive to it. 
      Often, outdoor ministry is seen as a separate entity from the church as a whole. However, it is simply an extension of the church taking place in an unconventional setting. Creation has a way of reminding us that no matter where we were before coming into it, all of us are equal under the vast night sky, looming trees, blankets of grass, muddy hills and running water. The vast night sky makes us feel small, while also making us feel seen and  

known. The looming trees and blankets of grass offer comfort and security in the midst of a vast wilderness. The muddy hills offer the thrill of adventure, or simply the chance to release one’s inner child to play in the mud. The running water provides refreshing coolness and life-giving nectar for the body. Within the world of creation, and within the world of outdoor ministry, something much greater than ourselves is the driving force behind the life of these things that surround us within creation.
​     Outdoor ministry allows us to experience creation for its beauty, its power, its provision, and even its care. All of those elements can point us back to the Creator while simultaneously experiencing the Father through Christ’s work on our behalf. Creation knows who the Creator is before the individual soul realizes their identity as a child of the Father. But God, who is both Creator and Father, cares for all with love. Creation points us back to the magnificent power and intricately woven care God takes in all endeavors. How much then does the Father love and intricately weave himself throughout our lives and souls if even the minnows of the smallest ponds have God’s attention? Outdoor ministry allows us to experience the unfathomable vastness of God’s power and imagination, the thrilling adventure of exploration among life outside of humanity and the intricately intentional love the Father has for all His children and His creation in simultaneous collisions.
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Pentecost: The Christian  Life  is a supernatural life

5/3/2021

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      The Christian life is a supernatural life! The risen Christ declared to His disciples, “I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high” (Luke 24:49). Jesus knew their need. Without the filling of the Holy Spirit, how is a holy life of faithfulness to Christ possible?
      During my 10 years serving as the Chaplain at Virginia Wesleyan University I met dozens of students who loved God, but privately told me they were struggling to follow Christ. Some said they thought they were doing it wrong or that something was missing. I listened, and asked a lot of questions that all led to this final question, “Have you ever asked God to fill you with His Spirit?” At first, I was surprised that they would say, “No.”
      After numerous encounters, I realized that so many young Christians haven’t been taught well about the Holy Spirit. I would then show them this passage, “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him” (Luke 11:11-13)! 
      I would then ask if they wanted to ask God for the Holy Spirit, as Jesus invites us to do. It was a joy to pray with them and over them for the Holy Spirit to fill them.
      I’ve been studying Philip’s story in scripture as he is the only named evangelist in the
New Testament (Acts 21:8). Somehow, I missed something very important in the book of Acts. Philip is preaching and people are being healed and delivered from unclean spirits in Samaria, “But when they believed Philip as he proclaimed the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women” (Acts 8:12).
      Then, this fascinating passage follows, “When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to Samaria. When they arrived, they prayed for the new believers there that they might receive the Holy Spirit because the Holy Spirit had not
yet come on any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit" (Acts 8:14-17). It seems a little confusing, but they clearly are “new believers” in Christ. Paul writes, “No one can say, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ except by the Holy Spirit” (1 Corinthians 12:3). We also see in Acts 8:17 quoted above that, there needed to be a follow up with the laying on of hands. It was after this that “they received the Holy Spirit.”
      I believe one of the biggest frustrations and greatest hindrances to the advancement of the
Gospel is people trying to live the Christian life in their own efforts. As we evaluate our walk with God, and the role of the Holy Spirit in our lives, I believe these two principles can be of great help.

1. Sometimes the question should be, "How much of you does the Holy Spirit have?" rather than, “How much of the Holy Spirit do you have?"
2. Just as you are asking to be filled with the Holy Spirit, be sincere about asking to be emptied of sin and idols.
I encourage you to find some time alone with God and open yourself to Christ, to the Word of God and to the Spirit of God. This is a favorite prayer I’ve found to use when asking to be filled.
 
A Prayer for Quiet Time - Bishop of Bloemfontein, South Africa
This prayer should be said slowly or brooded over: or thought and felt.
O Holy Spirit of God –
Come into my heart and fill me:
I open the windows of my soul to let Thee in.
I surrender my whole life to Thee:
Come and possess me, fill me with light and truth.
I offer to Thee the one thing I really possess,
My capacity for being filled by Thee,
Of myself I am an empty vessel.
Fill me so that I may live the life of the Spirit, the life of Truth and Goodness,
The life of Beauty and Love.
The life of Wisdom and Strength.
And guide me today in all things;
Guide me to the people I should meet or help: to the circumstances in which I can best
serve Thee: Whether by my actions or my sufferings.
But, above all, make Christ to be formed in me, that I may dethrone self in my heart and
make Him King: So that He is in me, and I in Him today and forever. Amen
 

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