Life-Story at Netcast Church

I love my job. It is stories like this that get me up in the morning.  

Matt: 

 I've considered myself a Christian my entire life, but I specifically gave my life to Christ in middle school. I knew I was His, but not with as much certainty as I know now. Growing up in a Christian household, attending church on Sundays, learning what it means to put my faith into action on a daily basis, all contributed to a foundational understanding of what it is that Christ's death on the cross accomplished for my life. When I asked Christ to take over my life, I underestimated His promise of hardship and discipline for those He loves. 

Understandably, life presented it's fair share of hardships throughout high school and college. Those hardships enabled doubt to blind me from the reality of Christ's forgiveness. I realize hardships will always be a reality. It's God's way of bringing the focus back to Him. In one sense, being baptized was my way of accepting that reality. I attended the baptism service without intending on being baptized. However, I was consumed by a peace that reassured me it was time I stopped letting doubt paralyze my desire to fully rest in the strength of Jesus Christ. I had no reason to deny any longer what I know to be true about my life. That peace slammed the door on the doubt that has so easily crippled my faith at times, or that has robbed me of an eagerness to serve the One who saved my life. I understand baptism to be an outward expression of what has occurred inwardly; the decision to be baptized was as much of an outward declaration to myself as it was to anyone who witnessed that service. My mom once told me: "Don't forget in the darkness, what you know to be the truth in the light." Being baptized was a way of recognizing and obeying His truth. 

Anyone who desires to make much of the name of Jesus Christ, will inevitably face countless moments where worldly desires and faith collide. While wrong decisions are unavoidable, and repercussions of sin ensue, the realization of Grace in my life is an overwhelming catalyst to my ever-growing faith in Jesus Christ. It is perhaps the single best way I can explain why I know that my life it not my own! I know that being baptized solidified a greater appreciation for the grace I so desperately need each and every day. 

Ultimately, I hope to be a man who praises God when times are bad, just as much as I do when times are good. The water rushing over my body is a moment I'll forever keep frozen in my mind, which helps me fulfill that goal. That image depicts what Christ's love has done to my heart. It renews my confidence that I'm forgiven, and that He is faithful, even when I am not. I try to hold on to that experience, that moment, as a way of preventing doubt from clouding my mind. Some days I'm better at it than others, but that's the beauty of His grace! 

I'm really thankful for the opportunity to be baptized at Netcast. I hope you enjoy your week. 

Take care,

GRACE in an Australian Train Station.

By now I am sure that most of you have heard of the baby in Australia who was in his stroller while it rolled over the ledge and onto the train tracks and then was run over by a train. Amazingly, the baby survived without anything more than a small bump on his head. If you haven't seen the video, you've gotta check it out at http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=8843383 Now, lets be honest. If that baby was crushed, most of the world would have been screaming "Where was God in that?" But since the baby's safe, I wonder if the world will notice God's protective hand under that train? GRACE. This family and the world has seen grace in the video. the question is, will you notice it? You would have noticed the wrath, but will you notice the grace.

Response to a Blog on Homosexuality

I would encourage you to read a great blog by a friend of mine at http://austinmommy.blogspot.com/ below was my response.

I Love this Blog.

I agree with you that for to long Christians have absolutely distorted the Christian view on homosexuality. I am so proud that all of you (My wife included) would spend time in a gay bar. The mere fact that you were there and that they knew you were Christians is fulfilling of Matthew 5. (You are a city on a hill, a light to the world, salt of the world.) I can only imagine how God will use the seed that was planted by 4 Godly women who chose to love instead of dis-engage because of differences. Truth be told, I would have been right there with you, enjoying the night with a bunch of gay guys. That doesn't freak me out not 1 bit.

I will add some thoughts that will be controversial but that is Ok and I am willing to share my views.

As Christ followers, our call is to love our neighbor as yourself and Love God with all of our heart soul and mind. In the case of homosexuality, it is no different, we do not get a free pass to be eternally condemning, hateful, or disgusted just because someone is a homosexual. DO NOT EVER FORGET that our call is to LOVE, SERVE, and BE CHRIST to a lost and dying world. However, I do not think that we get a free pass to excuse any sexual sin when the bible speaks CLEAR on it. (Romans 1, 1 Cor 6:9, 1 Tim 1:10; there's more) Personally I have sexually sinned, and my sexual sin is gross, disgusting, and absolutely no different than anyone else's. Homosexuality, fornication, adultery, debauchery, you name it, it is all sexual sin in which we cannot pick and choose what is sin and what is not sin in the eyes of God.

I also agree that people are born homosexual but does that give us the right to act out of nature? Nowhere else do we ever make that argument. For example, genetically speaking I was born with Alcoholism in my DNA but that does not give me the right to sin and abuse alcohol (1 Cor 5:18). I know people who were born Bi-polar, that doesn't excuse them the sin of hatred, lack of self control or anxiety (according to Matthew and Philippians) If someone has mental challenges that they were born with and commits murder, we never excuse that as just something they were born with. Instead I believe that the bible teaches that these are all temptations that God has allowed and that the Holy Spirit can overcome as God breaks us and we learn to live by the spirit. Keep in mind that the Holy Spirit makes all things new, we are born again as a new creation, the old is gone the new has come. Does this mean that when someone becomes a Christian that they will no longer be tempted to sin sexually? Definitely not, we all would agree with that. However, Philippians and Galatians talk about "empowering grace" which the holy spirit gives us to overcome our temptations and we now have a greater desire to please God rather than please ourselves, and God empowers us to do that.

I guess this is why I get so afraid when I hear of Christians wanting to accept sin as if it is not. When we do this we, "In the name of Jesus" call his word un-clear or worst a lie. Psalm 19:7 says that the Law of the Lord is Perfect reviving the soul. We would all agree that our soul is revived by what is written in God's Word, and nothing else. We need to stand on the Word of God as our Rock of salvation. When we begin to question scripture, we then are forced to question our salvation. I say this because the bible is the only place where we find the story of God's redemptive plan for his people. The bible is the only place that we find Jesus being the only way to the Father. The bible is the only way that we know we are saved by faith and faith alone by the grace of our Lord Jesus. So when we begin to question scripture, we then begin to question our own salvation.

If you read this and dont know me, you may begin to form opinions. Please be careful on what opinions you form. I have not formed any against you. I am still loving and compassionate towards all people especially homosexuals. I am by no means a super conservative As a matter of fact, I am known to challenge most of the religious views and systems. As far as homosexuals are concerned, I have had many encounters with them and is part of why my opinion has been formed. Just 2 weeks ago I met a guy who was gay (Practicing; according to his own testimony he had some of the craziest most defiled stories) and the moment he asked Jesus into his heart he said his desires changed. His ultimate desire was now to please God rather than himself. He now is happily married with children.

Anyway, thought I would share. I love this blog because it is very thought provoking and more Christians need to self evaluate their hearts towards others. We need to be able to both Love and Confront. To often we find ourselves only Loving (Humanitarianism) or only Confronting (Fundamental Religion) but Jesus was one who both Loved and Confronted (Christlikeness).

Lets be like Jesus.

Take off the mask and "Do Work"

I got a chance to preach this past weekend and it was one of that hardest messages to get across. My text came out of James 5:13-16. James is probably one of my favorite books in the bible because he is an application guy. I think that too often we portray Christianity as a Faith thing and not a works thing. James says "I'll show you my faith by what I do." I love that.

This text was so difficult because it deals with people's inner most secrets. It touches their darkest moments. Those things that you have done and will never tell anyone; the things that have been done to you that you are to ashamed to share. This text offers the way of healing from our darkest moments in life and promises a God transformation. However, it is on us to take the step. It is on us to do the hard work. God allows us to make a choice on whether or not we will be healed. Healing is not easy, usually it is the hardest thing we could ever do. Here's what the text says.

James 5:13-16
13Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. 14Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. 16Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.

James is talking about being sick. As you can see in vs 15 he is not just speaking of just physical sickness; but physical, emotional, and most importantly spiritual sickness. You can see that when he says "If he has sinned, he will be forgiven." I think it is important that we all agree that we are sick, depraved, and broken from those moments that we weren't walking w/ God or when we experienced things in our life that deep down destroyed us. But here; it is so beautiful what James says. He offers the ingredient for healing. Nowhere else in scripture is such a clear ingredient of healing offered. Then he says it....."Confess it, tell someone, expose yourself, take off the mask"

My immediate reaction is no way, I'll confess to God, but definitely not to other people. But the text does not say to confess to God. Actually to confess to God is not really confession at all because it's not like God didn't already know.

Jesus says this, "he who the Son sets free is free". Paul says this, "It is for freedom that Christ has set you free" and James says this, "if you wanna be free, tell someone."

Pretty scary stuff.

Would you be willing to do this? Would you be willing to confess the things that are holding you back, the things that consume your thoughts when you are trying to worship, the things that you know you are not free from? Maybe its pornography, molestation, rape, hatred, pride, approval, drugs; whatever it is for you, will you expose it? Will you take the mask off and live in freedom?

"Confession enables healing and healing empowers freedom."

Lets get free!